(April 4, 2014 at 11:00 am)Rampant.A.I. Wrote: Is it possible Rev doesn't understand he's making a presuppositional knowledge claim requiring a lot more steps than <something can't come from nothing> :. <God exists>?

It's a semantic game cosmological argument proponents like to play. Within that "simple" belief:

<God exists>
<Everything has a cause>
<Except God, because:>
<God is my specific religion's god with attributes A-Z>
Including:
<God is eternal>
<God is Omnipotent>
<God is Omniscient>

Is the belief being substituted for "we don't know if the universe was caused or what caused it," and because of cultural awareness of the concept of these beliefs, <God must have done it> seems like a "simple" explanation.

When in fact, it relies on a ton of unstated premises with zero support, that can be backdoored into any ontological argument by a special pleading clause like "begins to exist" without believers batting an eyelash. They already accept <God exists> so to them it's a "common sense" conclusion.

There is a hymn that goes, "This is how I know He lives, He lives within my heart"

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(April 8, 2014 at 9:25 am)Tonus Wrote:

(April 8, 2014 at 9:07 am)Revelation777 Wrote: I don't want to come across as a know it all because I don't. However, I am claiming that God knows it all. I am honored to be a messenger of the Almighty!

So you're here to tell us that it's god that knows everything. If that's the case, see if you can get him address us. That would definitely separate you from all of the other webevangelists.

He has chosen to choose his disciples to get the message out.

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(April 8, 2014 at 12:50 pm)Fidel_Castronaut Wrote:

(April 8, 2014 at 9:07 am)Revelation777 Wrote: I am sorry you feel that way. I am happy and at peace. I have never felt so fulfilled then when serving My Lord. I don't want to come across as a know it all because I don't. However, I am claiming that God knows it all. I am honored to be a messenger of the Almighty! Are you suggesting I leave the board? Is it ok if I suggest if you ignore my posts?

One does not combat that which he opposed by ignoring it.

Like I said, if you want to believe in whatever it is that you believe then that's a-ok. I've got nothing against people holding beliefs.

It's when people start touting their beliefs as truth and, moreover, start using an imagined divine authority as a reason for the behaviors (eg "I am honored to be a messenger of the almighty!") that I take a stand, because beliefs like that tend to be dangerous to everyone who doesn't espouse them. They also tend to try and impose on the (non)beliefs of others, especially the young, the poor, and the gullible.

So no, sorry, I won't be ignoring your posts, but outright lambasting them and objecting to them every step of The way.

OK, I hear ya. I understand you don't believe as I do. I am just sharing with you what I believe.

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(April 8, 2014 at 2:36 pm)Stimbo Wrote:

(April 8, 2014 at 9:07 am)Revelation777 Wrote: I am sorry you feel that way. I am happy and at peace. I have never felt so fulfilled then when serving My Lord.

Good for you - you think you've found a drug that works for you and gets you through the day without having to be faced with the realities of eking out an insignificantly brief existence on a ball of rock and iron locked in the embrace of a titanic fusion reactor held together by its own gravity, all the while hurtling through permanent night in the arse end of nowhere towards nothing. And maybe it does.

Doesn't entitle you to push that drug onto anyone else, though. Most especially when we've said "no thanks". If there's such a thing as mind-rape, your behaviour would be the first citation in the definition.

Thank you for your feedback. I don't want anyone to take anything by force. Your version of our existence is not comforting to me, but that is just my take.

(April 8, 2014 at 7:50 pm)Revelation777 Wrote: There is a hymn that goes, "This is how I know He lives, He lives within my heart"

And that is precisely where - and the only place where - he lives. 'He' had nothing to do with the creation of the cosmos, only of your psyche. It is a common phenomenon; you are projecting 'out there' the something greater which you sense within. But you won't find 'Him' out there, only inside.

(April 8, 2014 at 2:41 pm)Crossless1 Wrote:

(April 8, 2014 at 2:36 pm)Stimbo Wrote: If there's such a thing as mind-rape, your behaviour would be the first citation in the definition.

Yes, if the definition of mind-rape allowed for incurable impotence.

I apologize, I do not mean to come across as rude.

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(April 8, 2014 at 3:47 pm)Minimalist Wrote:

Quote: I have never felt so fulfilled then when serving My Lord.

The eternal complaint of altar boys when priests are shoving their dicks up their asses.

Please refrain from vulgarity. I am not Roman Catholic but I don't think it is fair to stereotype all priests the same.

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(April 8, 2014 at 4:06 pm)Beccs Wrote:

(April 8, 2014 at 2:36 pm)Stimbo Wrote: Good for you - you think you've found a drug that works for you and gets you through the day without having to be faced with the realities of eking out an insignificantly brief existence on a ball of rock and iron locked in the embrace of a titanic fusion reactor held together by its own gravity, all the while hurtling through permanent night in the arse end of nowhere towards nothing. And maybe it does.

Doesn't entitle you to push that drug onto anyone else, though. Most especially when we've said "no thanks". If there's such a thing as mind-rape, your behaviour would be the first citation in the definition.

I've been a much more fulfilled individual since I left religion.

Thank you for sharing your perspective. I too am not religious but have a relationship.

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(April 8, 2014 at 7:57 pm)whateverist Wrote:

(April 8, 2014 at 7:50 pm)Revelation777 Wrote: There is a hymn that goes, "This is how I know He lives, He lives within my heart"

And that is precisely where - and the only place where - he lives. 'He' had nothing to do with the creation of the cosmos, only of your psyche. It is a common phenomenon; you are projecting 'out there' the something greater which you sense within. But you won't find 'Him' out there, only inside.

Sir,
That is your perspective, thanks for sharing though.

(April 8, 2014 at 7:58 pm)Revelation777 Wrote: I apologize, I do not mean to come across as rude.

Granted, but it does seem that you're managing to achieve that which you don't mean. Perhaps a change of approach is in order?

(April 8, 2014 at 7:58 pm)Revelation777 Wrote:

(April 8, 2014 at 2:41 pm)Crossless1 Wrote: Yes, if the definition of mind-rape allowed for incurable impotence.

I apologize, I do not mean to come across as rude.

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(April 8, 2014 at 3:47 pm)Minimalist Wrote: The eternal complaint of altar boys when priests are shoving their dicks up their asses.

Please refrain from vulgarity. I am not Roman Catholic but I don't think it is fair to stereotype all priests the same.

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(April 8, 2014 at 4:06 pm)Beccs Wrote: I've been a much more fulfilled individual since I left religion.

Thank you for sharing your perspective. I too am not religious but have a relationship.

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(April 8, 2014 at 7:57 pm)whateverist Wrote: And that is precisely where - and the only place where - he lives. 'He' had nothing to do with the creation of the cosmos, only of your psyche. It is a common phenomenon; you are projecting 'out there' the something greater which you sense within. But you won't find 'Him' out there, only inside.

Sir,
That is your perspective, thanks for sharing though.

Sorry, but claiming you have a relationship and not a religion is just playing word olympics.

It's like saying I don't have a ball, I have a round plastic object I kick around the field.

(March 27, 2014 at 11:01 pm)Revelation777 Wrote: RE: Why It Is Not Too Late To Repent And Turn To Christ

Not too late? That arrogantly implies we are not that much smarter than you, and therefore are stupid enough to think it might have been a good idea at least at one time in the past.

Rev777, I need to know. You feel compelled to be here, I get that. You feel you are on a mission. I understand. I think you're a nutjob

But we are all telling you that your method here is failing spectacularly. This isn't just my opinion. Read over the posts in the two threads you have started. You are not being successful at all.

So if your mission is to help us, (a notion which is at the same time presumptuous and condescending) then you need a change of tack. You are telling us things we have all heard a thousand times before, and we are just swatting you away like an annoying gnat. If you wish to be taken seriously, (and I do admit that I am making an assumption here) you need to come up with something more substantial than one-liners and personal experiences. These are not compelling at all.

(April 8, 2014 at 7:50 pm)Revelation777 Wrote: Your version of our existence is not comforting to me, but that is just my take.

Well, the brutal fact of reality is that it doesn't give a damn what you find comforting.

This statement also shows your motivations for belief. It's a big, bad, scary world out there, and you need a security blanket.

(April 8, 2014 at 8:59 pm)SteelCurtain Wrote: You are not being successful at all.

If anything, he's making it even less likely that anyone here would convert.

(April 8, 2014 at 7:50 pm)Revelation777 Wrote: Thank you for your feedback. I don't want anyone to take anything by force. Your version of our existence is not comforting to me, but that is just my take.

It may not be comforting, but then facing the facts head-on for what they are, stripped of all pretence, seldom is. Personally, all else being equal, I'd much rather be given a harsh truth then a comforting lie.