Warning ...some may find this offencive .....

[cmantle1]

skidoorulz: Well if you were a little kid and you were told that if you didnt read some book and do what god said, then you were gonna burn in hell. then they show you cartoons of a grim reaper coming to get you, or whatever the hell that cartoon depicted, what would you do? Describing what you call "hell" can be very scary for a young kid, believe it or not.
why doesnt god help all those poor starving children in Africa like you mentioned? oh i remember, they arent loved because they practice some other way of religion that doesnt get you into heaven....

moosenuckle: i like your way of looking at it, and most religious people i know do look at it that way.

 

[skidoorulz]

He obviously believes there is a hell or he would not have said he would be going there. And to beleive there is a hell isn't it equally beleivable that there is a heaven? I beleive in both.

 

[cmantle1]

He obviously believes there is a hell or he would not have said he would be going there. And to beleive there is a hell isn't it equally beleivable that there is a heaven? I beleive in both.

i believe the point i was trying to make is that i believe in neither. And sarcastically if they do exist ill be havin a grand time down below...

 

[skidoorulz]

why doesnt god help all those poor starving children in Africa like you mentioned? oh i remember, they arent loved because they practice some other way of religion that doesnt get you into heaven....



As I said I still have a lot of questions that have not been answered. But that does not change my beliefs. I have one more question for you Cmantle then I gotta go to friday night Bible study Let's say you are right and when you die that is it. Would you rather be remembered by all who's paths you crossed as that no good S O B who screwed everyone he could for his own good and gain? Or as a truly caring person who would help anyone in need regardless of his situation? I think I will shoot for the latter

 

[H2SNOW]

isn't this fun

 

[cmantle1]

why doesnt god help all those poor starving children in Africa like you mentioned? oh i remember, they arent loved because they practice some other way of religion that doesnt get you into heaven....



As I said I still have a lot of questions that have not been answered. But that does not change my beliefs. I have one more question for you Cmantle then I gotta go to friday night Bible study Let's say you are right and when you die that is it. Would you rather be remembered by all who's paths you crossed as that no good S O B who screwed everyone he could for his own good and gain? Or as a truly caring person who would help anyone in need regardless of his situation? I think I will shoot for the latter

I think you are mixing things up here bud. I didnt say i screw everyone who i meet. I said i screw people when neccesary in my line of work. I only have one life and im gonna live it. Those people can wait around *****ing about what i did or they can worry about themselves, cause im not looking back. To answer your question, neither. i wanna be remebered by my family and friends for putting a smile on their face, and then ill see em in HELL! hahahah

 

[MTm7]

The funny thing is, if you just follow those simple 10 commandments you will have a good life. IT's that simple.

i dont see how it is that simple. if i break one i break all of them according to the same place the ten commandments are listed. now what? commandments, i.e., law... breaking laws implicates me to punishment. hmmm now its getting complicated or not so simple. oh and by the way 9 of those 10 commandments were restated by a rather important figure in history(Jesus). and seem to be in fact harder as they deal with the thoughts and intentions of the heart. i dont know about you guys but my thoughts can be rather disturbing at times.

 

[sldgy]

WOW! It is when I hear discussions like this that I am convinced that we are in WAY worse shape than I ever would have imagined. I say we because I believe that each of us is to some degree responsible for the over-all well-being of society in general. We, society, are no stronger than our weakest link.

I don't have the answers, he!! most of the time I don't even understand the question. One thing I am certain of is that we need to make each of our daily decisions based on what we know to be right. We all have a moral compass, and we must chose to use it.

 

[MTm7]

finally finished reading all the replys. not surprised by cmantle and others responses. we live in a postmodern time where everything is relative and absolute truth or objective truth does not exist. back in the old days it was called existentialism.we as humans create our own truth. an individual is self-determining agent responsible for the authenticity of their choices.for example what is good for one guy is not ncecessarily the case for the next guy. but hey that's ok it works for you. another example(maybe oversimplistic) is as follows: i think it would be good for me to punch jim in the face. hey its my choice and i deem it to be good so it must be a good decision. who can tell me i am wrong when subjective truth reigns? anybody in their right mind would take a pilot that believes in absolute truth.... no? just a few analogies of this line of thought and its eventual conclusion... anarchy and chaos.

the bible is the only authority on absloute truth. now before anybody gives me the obligatory, man wrote that, there are so many ways to interpret it, etc, ect. if your an expert in transliteration and know the hermeneutical principle then we can talk. other than that any and all objections are mere conjecture.

 

[cmantle1]

WOW! It is when I hear discussions like this that I am convinced that we are in WAY worse shape than I ever would have imagined. I say we because I believe that each of us is to some degree responsible for the over-all well-being of society in general. We, society, are no stronger than our weakest link.

I don't have the answers, he!! most of the time I don't even understand the question. One thing I am certain of is that we need to make each of our daily decisions based on what we know to be right. We all have a moral compass, and we must chose to use it.

And what do you propose our weakest link is? And what defines right? God? Some fairy tale made up long ago? i dont think so.
according to alot of these heavily religious people my moral compass is so f****ed up i shouldnt be able to find my sled in the garage....

 

[sldgy]

finally finished reading all the replys. not surprised by cmantle and others responses. we live in a postmodern time where everything is relative and absolute truth or objective truth does not exist. back in the old days it was called existentialism.we as humans create our own truth. an individual is self-determining agent responsible for the authenticity of their choices.for example what is good for one guy is not ncecessarily the case for the next guy. but hey that's ok it works for you. another example(maybe oversimplistic) is as follows: i think it would be good for me to punch jim in the face. hey its my choice and i deem it to be good so it must be a good decision. who can tell me i am wrong when subjective truth reigns? anybody in their right mind would take a pilot that believes in absolute truth.... no? just a few analogies of this line of thought and its eventual conclusion... anarchy and chaos.

the bible is the only authority on absloute truth. now before anybody gives me the obligatory, man wrote that, there are so many ways to interpret it, etc, ect. if your an expert in transliteration and know the hermenutical principle then we can talk. other than that any and all objections are mere conjecture.

Would that be the hermeneutical principle?

 

[MTm7]

And what do you propose our weakest link is? And what defines right? God? Some fairy tale made up long ago? i dont think so.
according to alot of these heavily religious people my moral compass is so f****ed up i shouldnt be able to find my sled in the garage....

so your the supreme authority on what is right in your mind? not attacking you at all just asking. you just proved my point.

 

[MTm7]

Would that be the hermeneutical principle?

yes that would be it. thanks sldgy! a little week in the spelling department among other things.

 

[cmantle1]

so your the supreme authority on what is right in your mind? not attacking you at all just asking. you just proved my point.

exactly. im supporting your post because that is what i truly believe....

 

[MTm7]

got it. most generally this is where i stop talking about such topics with people who believe as you. what happens is people just end up getting mad and so on and so forth. trying to convince people otherwise is like getting jello to stick to a wall.

 

[papafinger1]

I find all of the different beliefs and feelings on this subject so interesting, and saddening. I am certainly not in any position to judge the way anyone lives their life. I do know that there are so many things that I cannot explain. Amidst all the terrible and horrible things that occur daily there is always something that instills hope and joy. Personally all I have to do is take one look at my wife. The laughter of my beautiful daughter, or the smile and coo of my infant son. I know I have done terrible things and every night wonder why I have been blessed with so much love. I certainly am unable to feel deserving. Quite the contrary.... I wonder why am I so lucky.. I don't deserve any of this, then I thank the Lord for what has been given to me. It doesn't matter how hard I work or what I think I am due- I am definately unworthy of the gifts that have been given to me, but at the same time I will do my best to nurture and cherish them. Amidst all the tragedy, deception, and pain that is this world today you can always find that child laughing, the coo and smile, just a simple glimmer of hope. That is what helps me believe. A belief in something that is greater than all of us. I certainly am not about to push my convictions upon anyone but I do know that whatever each persons "good things in life" maybe, it has to come from somewhere.....


Why not faith...............

 

[cmantle1]

got it. most generally this is where i stop talking about such topics with people who believe as you. what happens is people just end up getting mad and so on and so forth. trying to convince people otherwise is like getting jello to stick to a wall.

an arguement that is about as useful as a parachute in outerspace.....wat do you believe?

 

[cmantle1]

I find all of the different beliefs and feelings on this subject so interesting, and saddening. I am certainly not in any position to judge the way anyone lives their life. I do know that there are so many things that I cannot explain. Amidst all the terrible and horrible things that occur daily there is always something that instills hope and joy. Personally all I have to do is take one look at my wife. The laughter of my beautiful daughter, or the smile and coo of my infant son. I know I have done terrible things and every night wonder why I have been blessed with so much love. I certainly am unable to feel deserving. Quite the contrary.... I wonder why am I so lucky.. I don't deserve any of this, then I thank the Lord for what has been given to me. It doesn't matter how hard I work or what I think I am due- I am definately unworthy of the gifts that have been given to me, but at the same time I will do my best to nurture and cherish them. Amidst all the tragedy, deception, and pain that is this world today you can always find that child laughing, the coo and smile, just a simple glimmer of hope. That is what helps me believe. A belief in something that is greater than all of us. I certainly am not about to push my convictions upon anyone but I do know that whatever each persons "good things in life" maybe, it has to come from somewhere.....


Why not faith...............

because i think so much of the horrible things on this earth rise from religion.

 

[sldgy]

And what do you propose our weakest link is? And what defines right? God? Some fairy tale made up long ago? i dont think so.
according to alot of these heavily religious people my moral compass is so f****ed up i shouldnt be able to find my sled in the garage....

I propose our weakest link to be those who choose not to follow their conscience (that little voice in your head telling you what you should do) and act in a manner detrimental to self and/or others.

 

[papafinger1]

because i think so much of the horrible things on this earth rise from religion.

why can't they rise from mankind?