some thoughts on the so-called "pagan origins" of christmas:.
christmas and "pagan origins".
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Christmas ti's the season to be gay. Personally I stick to loosening up with a few Scottish malt whiskies but each to their own.
The fact that the festival has pagan origins adds a sense of realism and hedonistic delight. I always carry a large bunch of mistletoe as it covers a multitude of sins.
Stuff the Christmas pudding! No I don't even eat it - much too rich. As for stuffed Turkey - get real. I want fillet stake and king prawns on Christ's birthday.
Merry Christmas to y'all.
for those in the uk, what was it like to engage in the door-to-door ministry?
i watched the video below, today, and the author states that pushing your religion on others in the uk is considered crass.
further, he says that religion is a very private matter.
They come to my UK door looking self conscious and awkward. They offer me tracts and scuffle away. I don't give much away but last time a male and female presented themselves, I told them:
"My father was a die hard JW. He believed that he was going to live forever. Guess what he's dead. Do you know what he said to me before he died? Nothing! He refused to talk to me because I didn't believe he was going to live forever.
They offered their condolences and scurried away faster than a white rabbit who is late for a very important date. I took a sip of amber liquid from a bottle marked, 'do not share,' and went for a walk with my walrus.
it s me again....and yes, i m still alive.. first of all: i am really sorry for causing some trouble lately.
i had the intention of taking an overdose the other day.
to be perfectly honest, i was drunk out of my mind when i wrote my last post, and someone i knew gave me all kind of pills to take.
Hang on in there Varian.
Life can be hard at times and making changes is often a painful process but life is always worth living. There's not much else you can do with it!
Try getting out and walking. It may help to lift your spirits and get you outside of yourself and any negative thoughts. I like to feed some ducks that live on a pond that go to when I need to think things through.
it s me again....and yes, i m still alive.. first of all: i am really sorry for causing some trouble lately.
i had the intention of taking an overdose the other day.
to be perfectly honest, i was drunk out of my mind when i wrote my last post, and someone i knew gave me all kind of pills to take.
Terry you have put a lot of thought into this bold approach to the subject of truth and it brings back bitter-sweet memories.
Truth is absolute but as humans we exist at a subjective level. This is because we are emotional creatures and seek comfort and security. The real world cannot offer these things in a sustainable way because we run out of time and die. So people have a tendency to create a more acceptable 'spiritual' world in their imagination. This is understandable.
Reality is harsh and most people seek a more benign alternative, an invisible friend. It's a survival technique that can even appears to offer the opportunity or surviving death. The illusion has failed to work for me and many others. I can handle the truth - but living without the illusion that there no one is guiding our lives, was not my choice.
I have other illusions that I maintain because I too need a relief from the relentless onslaught of reality. I do not believe there is a Holy grail or ultimate salvation. To those often sweet people on this forum who believe there is, I salute you.
Each to their own and may your gods or illusions go with you - it's cold outside
i was bane and i think i got banned because everytime i tried to log in i couldn't.
i was defending the society as best as i could.
something has happened in the last few months.
People who have been defensive of a cult are like ocean liners - they take a long time to turn around. You seem to be trying to run before you can walk. When you posted as Bane I treated you in a kindly way as you seemed genuine. This time I am not so sure.
Being of a cynical nature, I will need a little longer before accepting that your road to Damascus turn-around is for real.
i have been raised a jehovah's witness and when i was 25 years old i decided to try and discover things for myself.
something just was not sitting right with me.
i had been a publisher since i was 4 years old and i gave my first talk when i was 6 years old.
A book you should read is called: Opening the Door to Jehovah's Witnesses. A free download is available.
If you are interested, go to Lulu.com and type or paste into the search box the number 5456415.
You will be able to read the about the book before downloading it.
you can't be god if nobody exists but you.. sure, you are taller.
but, taller than what?.
see, a superlative is the last step among comparisons: good, better....best!.
Humans need to believe that something greater than themselves exists that they can reach out to and aspire to.
Belief in God has been the inspiration behind some of the greatest works of art and musical concepts ever created. God has been one of the human races most successful concepts.
What a boring world this would be be without something humans can let their imagination reach for. The sky really is the limit. The only things that we cannot reach for are those that escape our imagination.
Come to think of it this forum would be less interesting of God was never debated. What would you talk about Terry? What windmill would you tilt at instead?
before god began creating...there was nothing.. when there is nothing that means there is nothing to know....and therefore nothing to love.. god was alone with nothing to distinguish him from nothingness!.
a "mind"?.
filled with what, actually?.
Looking at Terry's original post, it seems that God needs man, to be active as God. We cannot push without something to push against. We cannot pull without an opposing force to resist.
The whole universe is a series of negative and positive forces. For God to be a force he/she needs an opposing challenge. Perhaps mankind's need to find balance and purpose in its existence, created the opposing force - the concept of God? No doubt it will all come out in the wash.
i can't - don't even try anymore.
just a few to chew:.
man then beast?
Gen 1:25 - And organisms began to form in the warm swamps on earth. They grew and multiplied and behold they evolved into creatures. In time they sough land and evolved further. To keep warm they grew hair and feather and became mammals.
Gen 1:26 - The mammals evolved still further and started to walk on their hind legs. They became clever and became human. As humans became too clever for their own good they became bored and started to live in their imagination. They dreamed up the concept of a god. As they had never seen or hear a god they decided he must be invisible.
Gen 1:27 - They begat many sons and daughters who became greedy and fought each other. They blamed all their problems on the god they had invented. Soon they had many gods to blame for their greed and selfishness. When they showed love to one another, they also attributed this their gods.
The True Bible
