Posts by cofty

13

Does anyone know what this is?

by Tameria2001 in

jw
friends

yesterday my sister cut her foot on a piece of metal that was sticking out of my yard.

i've lived in my home for almost 8 years now, and well i'm guessing this thing must have worked it's way up to the surface or something, never seen this thing before.

i started to dig it up, and the thing just kept getting bigger and bigger.

cofty

Some sort of rotary cultivator blade.

583

What is the purpose of life?

by slimboyfat in

while reading the magazines the other day it occurred to me that jws never really had a very good answer to that question.

because it was aimed at young people and it said something along the lines, "if you believe in god you have a purpose, but if you don't believe in god your life has no purpose or meaning".

i think that is a faulty analysis of the situation.

cofty

I'm not falling for those brain washing questions.

So asking you a simple, respectful question amounts to brainwashing does it?

How weak would your mind have to be for that to be true?

Is it ok to disrespect faith as long as I respect people of faith? Or like most believers do you have difficulty understanding the distinction?

A few minutes ago you demanded respect for your beliefs. How can I respect error? Why should I? If I did that would be dishonest.

Why would you not want somebody to point out the error in your beliefs?

583

What is the purpose of life?

by slimboyfat in

while reading the magazines the other day it occurred to me that jws never really had a very good answer to that question.

because it was aimed at young people and it said something along the lines, "if you believe in god you have a purpose, but if you don't believe in god your life has no purpose or meaning".

i think that is a faulty analysis of the situation.

cofty

Well belief in God and doctrines is faith - Looter

How are you defining faith?

Why do you think it is good to believe things on inadequate evidence?

583

What is the purpose of life?

by slimboyfat in

while reading the magazines the other day it occurred to me that jws never really had a very good answer to that question.

because it was aimed at young people and it said something along the lines, "if you believe in god you have a purpose, but if you don't believe in god your life has no purpose or meaning".

i think that is a faulty analysis of the situation.

What is the purpose of life?

by slimboyfat in

while reading the magazines the other day it occurred to me that jws never really had a very good answer to that question.

because it was aimed at young people and it said something along the lines, "if you believe in god you have a purpose, but if you don't believe in god your life has no purpose or meaning".

i think that is a faulty analysis of the situation.

cofty

You've misrepresented every single argument you've talked about

I could not agree more.

I really enjoy being challenged with thoughtful evidence-based arguments. I have often been made to think more carefully about things by others on this forum.

I can honestly say SBF that you have never given me a moment's pause ever. You only care about point-scoring.

I care about the substance of conversations like this one. I have no patience left for your nonsense.

583

What is the purpose of life?

by slimboyfat in

while reading the magazines the other day it occurred to me that jws never really had a very good answer to that question.

because it was aimed at young people and it said something along the lines, "if you believe in god you have a purpose, but if you don't believe in god your life has no purpose or meaning".

i think that is a faulty analysis of the situation.

cofty

SBF - You're wrong.

The entire message of the NT is that Jesus came to make god known to humans, to show in word and action what it means that god is love.

Reality proves that Jesus - if he lived - was as deluded about god as anybody.

583

What is the purpose of life?

by slimboyfat in

while reading the magazines the other day it occurred to me that jws never really had a very good answer to that question.

because it was aimed at young people and it said something along the lines, "if you believe in god you have a purpose, but if you don't believe in god your life has no purpose or meaning".

i think that is a faulty analysis of the situation.

cofty

Natural evil proves beyond all reasonable doubt that the god of Jesus does not exist.

Events such as the Asian tsunami are incompatible with other things that christians claim to know about god. All attempts to explain god's actions result in a story that is internally contradictory.

Your solution seems to be to dishonestly pretend that the contradiction is a divine mystery that actually supports belief. It is inane drivel.

It's on a par with your claim that "god does not exist therefore he exists", your claim that the perspective of worms is as valid regarding the shape of planet earth as that of an astronaut, and your belief that rocks are conscious.

You don't do rational debate, you indulge in mental masturbation.

It is unworthy of my time and attention.

583

What is the purpose of life?

by slimboyfat in

while reading the magazines the other day it occurred to me that jws never really had a very good answer to that question.

because it was aimed at young people and it said something along the lines, "if you believe in god you have a purpose, but if you don't believe in god your life has no purpose or meaning".

i think that is a faulty analysis of the situation.

cofty

SBF the Straw Man Slayer strikes again.

My argument is not that suffering is incompatible with the existence of god. It is rather that events such as the Asian tsunami are incompatible with other things that christians claim to know about god. All attempts to explain god's actions result in a story that is internally contradictory.

Jesus claimed to have been sent to reveal the nature of his god and father. Not only does christianity claim that god is love, it defines the meaning of love, and explains the importance of love expressed as positive action in the interests of others.

I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous... Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. - Matt.5

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Matt.6

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. - Luke 6

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. - Luke 12

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. - Jas.1

"Love ... always protects" - 1 Cor.13

The god of Jesus is also a god who is active in the world. Millions of christians demonstrate their belief in an immanent god every day. When they thank god for their food or pray for protection for a loved one or for a new job or help with any one of a million concerns they confirm that they worship a god who acts in the real world.

583

What is the purpose of life?

by slimboyfat in

while reading the magazines the other day it occurred to me that jws never really had a very good answer to that question.

because it was aimed at young people and it said something along the lines, "if you believe in god you have a purpose, but if you don't believe in god your life has no purpose or meaning".

i think that is a faulty analysis of the situation.

cofty

But you know is very easy to predict a tsunami and that region is very familiar with this natural problem. Why there was no warning about that tsunami? - John_Mann

If that is supposed to be an excuse for god then it is a pathetic one.

It is precisely the same as deliberately driving a fleet of trucks, at speed, into a crowd of people and complaining that they should have heard them coming and got out the way.

Your god has been murdering millions of humans with tsunamis for thousands of years. Long before detection was possible.

18

I want to understand violence

by Chook in

tell me your thoughts ?.

cofty

What is more remarkable is the massive decrease in violence in the west in recent centuries. Stephen Pinker discusses the evidence in his excellent book "The Better Angels of our Nature".