Forums | MacLife

Marsala or scrambled?

DukeofNuke wrote:

chicken, or egg?

mother and child reunion?

Tallgeese wrote:

DukeofNuke wrote:

chicken, or egg?

mother and child reunion?

is only a motion away!

I think this is more along the lines of how music affects different parts of the brain.  Same thing.  I really do not buy into the notion that we are born with "religious" thoughts implanted at birth.  Religion is brainwashing, but for some it helps them cope with life, so have at it.

-mark

Tallgeese wrote:

mo' ron wrote:

Farmerkev wrote:

Please allow me to introduce myself,

There is no theological basis in any major religion I know of that has the devil with the power to create humans, or at least there is no precedence.

Gnosticism.

That's a strange word. Learned something - thanks.

Really? But... there's actual historical value in learning about Gnostics. What was that doing on the History channel?

Tallgeese wrote:

Really? But... there's actual historical value in learning about Gnostics. What was that doing on the History channel?

Da Vinci code...
Plus, I'm pretty sure you could tie Hitler to Gnosticism if you really tried

Before I start, if you don't know I am a religious person who believes faithfully not blindly . With that said let me add my 50 cents:

mo' ron wrote:

resedit wrote:

mo' ron wrote:

You still didn’t address what this view means for people who have an under-expressed “god” part of the brain.

The Bible clearly speaks of God hardening the hearts of those who turn their back on him.

That's not very merciful.

And you still don't address what your perspective means for people of other religions. Christians aren't the only people who claim to have religious experiences, you know.

And what would happen to your opinion if it turned out that this quality of your brain is something you are born with, or develop very young?

The Bible does not speak of God hardening his heart toward his people, but having a heavy heart. because of people's hearts being hardened towards others and God with hate and sin.

robco wrote:

The bible speaks clearly of few things, but tends to offer only recursive evidence. Proof of the events in the bible are... in the bible. Reasons for people doubting the bible are... in the bible. One also must determine which portions of the bible to believe or not - few actually do everything commanded in the bible, especially the contradictory parts. [...]

To determine which parts of the bible you believe or not usually is not wanting to accept the contradictory parts. Those who truly follow and believe the word do not accept just parts of the bible that thay agree with and don't follow the word just because it doesn't agree with their lifestyle. To follow the word is to follow all that is written. you can't follow "that shall not kill" and skip "You shall not covet your neighbor's wife,You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor" just because you don't want to stop sleeping with someone's wife.

Jokotai wrote:

I don't think you can qualify "believers" as being false or not.  Only a person can decide wether or not they believe in something, and they need not profess that belief to be a believer.

However, I do agree that there are some people who like to twist everything into a neat little ball that suits them, without giving any credence to other possibilities.  That concept doesn't seem to be limited to religion.

(added bold)
Like I said, alot people teach the word by picking and choosing what best suits their lifestyle and not the word of God. That's where the "twist everything into a neat little ball that suits them" comes into play. If you going to believe in any religion, you must take it and do what is in the whole word, not just pick out what you want.

Pithecanthropus wrote:

The problem with so-called "believers" is that they start with the answer they want (God) and adjust every question to have that answer -- or to any question they don't want to answer.

Elaborate

sturner wrote:

Jokotai wrote:

Spiritual answer (and this is my biggest beef with many people): Seeking quantitative evidence of one's faith only serves to undermine the faith itself, since faith is being sure of what you canot see (things you have no evidence of).  By removing your ability to doubt, you also remove your ability to have faith.  That is the essence of spirituality.

Yes, I certainly agree.

If someone HAS to prove that the Bible is absolutely, 100% true through physical evidence, and I also include by having lots of others validate his beliefs by having the same beliefs, then they have no faith. They are simply frightened little people who need something to take care of them.

Faith requires strength, courage, and above all, faith.

All those religious types who demonstrate their lack of faith by needing proof that what they believe in exists, or by needing lots of loud exclamations from others affirming that they all belive in the right things, are not particularly righteous or godly. But they do make wonderful soldiers in pograms, inquisitions, and persecutions.

1)" By removing your ability to doubt, you also remove your ability to have faith."

Not true, by removing your doubt (about God and the holy spirit) means relying on God and having faith in him.

2)Those who lack faith and just go to church to show others they go, or go just to show or hear "loud exclamations from others affirming that they all believe in the right things", are not truly following the word. To follow the word of God is not just to follow others screaming "I Love You Lord" when you go to church just to show you are holy and faithful, but reading and praising God, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost when you are alone with him.

resedit wrote:

Ever read "The God part of the brain" ??

This is the same thing.
And even that wasn't new.

Blaise Pascal, famous for his mathematical proofs but also well known in Christian philosophy circles wrote that man was created to commune with God. When we sinned, we fell and could no longer fulfill that purpose, but we still had the need, hence the invention of religions to try and find a substitute.

If you accept what Pascal put forth, it makes sense that there is a brain chemistry / biological connection with religion. It's a need we were created with. Some have it to a greater extent than others just like some have a much stronger sex drive than others.

Is this proof of what Blaise Pascal proposed?
Absolutely not. But it is consistent.

Being famous or "well known" does not mean you truly have read the word as it was written.

Man was not created just to commune with God, God wants you to so he can give you favor in life to help you have a better life. he does not force his will on you, you have to take the first step wanting and willing to believe. God gave his only begotten son.

1 Peter 2:21-25 (King James Version)

21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
Amplified: Through Him you believe in (adhere to, rely on) God, Who raised Him up from the dead and gave Him honor and glory, so that your faith and hope are [centered and rest] in God

22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
Amplified: He was guilty of no sin, neither was deceit (guile) ever found on His lips.

23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
Amplified: When He was reviled and insulted, He did not revile or offer insult in return; [when] He was abused and suffered, He made no threats [of vengeance]; but he trusted [Himself and everything] to Him Who judges fairly.

24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Amplified: He personally bore our sins in His [own] body on the tree [as on an altar and offered Himself on it], that we might die (cease to exist) to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed. 

25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
Amplified: For you were going astray like [so many] sheep, but now you have come back to the Shepherd and Guardian (the Bishop) of your souls.

Revelation 1:5 
5And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
Amplified: 5And from Jesus Christ the faithful and trustworthy Witness, the Firstborn of the dead [first to be brought back to life] and the Prince (Ruler) of the kings of the earth. To Him Who ever loves us and has once [for all] loosed and freed us from our sins by His own blood,

When we sinned, God sent his son to wash us from our sin, so through our savor Jesus Christ we may ask for forgiveness. We did not fall from Gods grace and "could no longer fulfill that purpose," or need to try and find a substitute.

mo' ron wrote:

resedit wrote:

We were created to commune with God.
No surprise there.

The study doesn’t look at if we were born this way or not, but it appears that at least some people DON’T have the right kind of brain to commune with God… were they created by non-God?

You where not born with the belief, You will just want to commune with God. This is not some kind of brain defect to want or want not to believe in God or want to communicate with him. Just your willingness to want to.

Doesn't it depend on how figuratively "logos" is translated?

mo' ron wrote:

And you still don't address what your perspective means for people of other religions. Christians aren't the only people who claim to have religious experiences, you know.

We were created to commune with God.
Part of that is the emotional aspect that you refer to as "religious experiences".

Christianity isn't the only way to trigger that.
Hell, from what I hear, even good sex can trigger it.

Your reading. Feh. Soon, there will be no question what Yahweh really meant.

DukeofNuke wrote:

robco wrote:

Your reading. Feh. Soon, there will be no question what Yahweh really meant.

The Bible is the true and literal Word of God.
But, it needs a little editing.


:Jesus facepalm:

Well, most of it is okay, but this "new testament" thing has way too much liberal bias.

The Gospel of Supply Side Jesus.

Last edited by Tallgeese (2009-10-06 10:26 am)