OT Yes, God does speak to me (and others)

[Monster]

If we die and that's it, finito, why would that cause me to be terrified? It would be like going to sleep and never waking up. That thought causes me no ill feelings whatsoever. Then again, I have no fear of death and never have.

You're telling me that the thought of disappearing from existence and never seeing your family and friends again doesn't terrify you? Well, maybe not terrify but at the very least make you a bit depressed? Are you sure about that?

 

[byco42]

You're telling me that the thought of disappearing from existence and never seeing your family and friends again doesn't terrify you? Well, maybe not terrify but at the very least make you a bit depressed? Are you sure about that?

I'll chime in if that's okay. What is there to be depressed about if you cease to exist? You don't know you don't exist, so fearing it is not rational. Neither is the idea of being afraid for the people you left behind, because they no longer exist, either.

Which makes the entire concept comical to consider. It makes no sense to limit life to the time we spend here on Earth.

 

[Monster]

I'll chime in if that's okay. What is there to be depressed about if you cease to exist? You don't know you don't exist, so fearing it is not rational. Neither is the idea of being afraid for the people you left behind, because they no longer exist, either.

Which makes the entire concept comical to consider. It makes no sense to limit life to the time we spend here on Earth.

Now, you guys are just being silly.

You're telling me that if I was to tell you that when you die, it's the end and you'll never see your family again, you'd be okay with that? Seriously? I'm an atheist and I have to say, I'm terrified of death. I love my life and I love my family. To leave them here on Earth without me to protect them...that's a very intimidating thing. To never see how my son grows up and what kind of a man he becomes...who wouldn't be scared of that?

I always see Atheists that try to claim they're not afraid of death and wouldn't want eternal life. Sounds like bullshit to me. Just people trying to act tough.

 

[GoBlueInAtlanta]

You're telling me that the thought of disappearing from existence and never seeing your family and friends again doesn't terrify you? Well, maybe not terrify but at the very least make you a bit depressed? Are you sure about that?

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I'll chime in if that's okay. What is there to be depressed about if you cease to exist? You don't know you don't exist, so fearing it is not rational. Neither is the idea of being afraid for the people you left behind, because they no longer exist, either.

Which makes the entire concept comical to consider. It makes no sense to limit life to the time we spend here on Earth.

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I couldn't and wouldn't have said anything other than Byco's response.​

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As I said previously, death holds no fear for me. I believe God is who He says He is, therefore I will live after this mortal body dies. If you are right and when we die that's it, then there's nothing to fear because we pass from this existence and are unaware of having lived.
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It is rather depressing thinking about the atheists' point of view. What is the point of life if it doesn't mean anything?
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[Monster]

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I couldn't and wouldn't have said anything other than Byco's response.


As I said previously, death holds no fear for me. I believe God is who He says He is, therefore I will live after this mortal body dies. If you are right and when we die that's it, then there's nothing to fear because we pass from this existence and are unaware of having lived.



It is rather depressing thinking about the atheists' point of view. What is the point of life if it doesn't mean anything?
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The better question is why does there need to be a point to life? What's the point of mosquitoes, wisdom teeth, or a solar system devoid of life aside from Earth? My reason for life is to have fun, enjoy my time on Earth, live for my family, and teach my children how to survive and be successful. Just because there is no afterlife in atheism, I'm not going to believe in an obviously false and flawed deity.

 

[GoBlueInAtlanta]

The better question is why does there need to be a point to life? What's the point of mosquitoes, wisdom teeth, or a solar system devoid of life aside from Earth? My reason for life is to have fun, enjoy my time on Earth, live for my family, and teach my children how to survive and be successful. Just because there is no afterlife in atheism, I'm not going to believe in an obviously false and flawed deity.

Ok.

I chose to make life have meaning.

 

[GoBlueInAtlanta]

A week or so ago when I was buried and couldn't participate in this thread, you made it very clear that you hate religion. I don't want to take the time to find your post, but I agree, I hate religion too. It's why I said in the very first post of this thread that I was glad there isn't a Religion section on this board. This may come as a surprise, but in addition to the two of us, God hates religion as well.

Christianity is God's way of reaching down to us. Religion is mans' attempt, any attempt, to reach up to God by doing things he thinks will please God.

I haven't read anything on the site I'm linking other than this page so I can't vouch for the rest of the site, but he hit the nail on the head with this -

"Imagine a pyramid which represents religion. The base is guilt, upon which is laid fear. Religion uses guilt and fear to incite works to appease which when applied results in pride."

Pride is the capstone of religion. But as in any pyramid scheme, only a few get to the top; everyone else is trying to work off their guilt and fear."

http://definingthenarrative.com/god-hates-religion/

 

[Monster]

Ok.

I chose to make life have meaning.

Life does have meaning for each individual. That doesn't mean there needs to be a reason for life.

 

[Monster]

GBiA...Do you believe in the flood story with Noah?

 

[GoBlueInAtlanta]

GBiA...Do you believe in the flood story with Noah?

Yes. It explains scientifically why we find fossils of marine animals in mountaintop caves, how the land masses became separated, why there are layers of earth that supposedly were laid down over millions of years yet there are petrified trees which stand straight upward through many of those layers, the tilted axis of the Earth, etc, etc.

I'll let you know now that the wife and I are heading out of town tomorrow afternoon for the weekend. The reason I do so is because this subject is one of great import and we won't be able to complete it before I leave. And now that I think about it, I will only have an hour or so tomorrow around noon to even check back here.

The wife and I have a "date" tonight so I'm signing off and heading upstairs. Have a good evening.

 

[Monster]

Yes. It explains scientifically why we find fossils of marine animals in mountaintop caves, how the land masses became separated, why there are layers of earth that supposedly were laid down over millions of years yet there are petrified trees which stand straight upward through many of those layers, the tilted axis of the Earth, etc, etc.

I'll let you know now that the wife and I are heading out of town tomorrow afternoon for the weekend. The reason I do so is because this subject is one of great import and we won't be able to complete it before I leave. And now that I think about it, I will only have an hour or so tomorrow around noon to even check back here.

The wife and I have a "date" tonight so I'm signing off and heading upstairs. Have a good evening.

Explain to me how two of every species of animal in the world fit into the arc, how they fed these animals, watered them, managed to keep the ones that would eat each other separate, and how they managed to clean up after them. And before u claim again that noah explains the mysteries, remember that many other religions, even older than christianity and pre-dating noah's supposed timeline, also had worldwide flood stories.

 

[Michchamp]

when I was in catholic grade school, we used to have a mass as a school every wednesday (time in which we could've been studying non-theist philosophers like Rousseau, Voltaire, Nietzsche, Camus, Russell, or Sartre). during the mass we would have to sing these ridiculous hymns written for little kids.

I'll never forget the most awful of them... the refrain went:

"We are little gifts wrapped up tight...
fiiiiiiilled with looooove for Jesus Christ."

[repeat 3 times after each verse]

it was awful. and while in the lower grades, if we didn't sing well, the nuns or teachers would give us all sorts of grief and extra homework that day.

I prayed to god to sent a meteor to crush the church and put us out of our misery... but he did not heed my prayers.

I could not believe in a god so cruel.

 

[byco42]

The better question is why does there need to be a point to life? What's the point of mosquitoes, wisdom teeth, or a solar system devoid of life aside from Earth? My reason for life is to have fun, enjoy my time on Earth, live for my family, and teach my children how to survive and be successful. Just because there is no afterlife in atheism, I'm not going to believe in an obviously false and flawed deity.

That's it? That's the essence of life? Not to me. You see, I think that life is precious and unique enough that it never ends. And the concept of eternal life, though rather daunting, is preferable to it ending. I can't look at my children and think for a second that their life is limited. Never considered that my parents, one of whom died recently, just ceased to exist.

 

[Monster]

That's it? That's the essence of life? Not to me. You see, I think that life is precious and unique enough that it never ends. And the concept of eternal life, though rather daunting, is preferable to it ending. I can't look at my children and think for a second that their life is limited. Never considered that my parents, one of whom died recently, just ceased to exist.

If life ends at death, it doesn't make it less unique or precious.

As for the part that I highlighted...this is why religion exists. People don't want those thoughts, so they need something to cling to. They need to have hope. I'm all for that, but religion steps on my freedoms more time than it gives me hope.

 

[byco42]

when I was in catholic grade school, we used to have a mass as a school every wednesday (time in which we could've been studying non-theist philosophers like Rousseau, Voltaire, Nietzsche, Camus, Russell, or Sartre). during the mass we would have to sing these ridiculous hymns written for little kids.

I'll never forget the most awful of them... the refrain went:

"We are little gifts wrapped up tight...
fiiiiiiilled with looooove for Jesus Christ."

[repeat 3 times after each verse]

it was awful. and while in the lower grades, if we didn't sing well, the nuns or teachers would give us all sorts of grief and extra homework that day.

I prayed to god to sent a meteor to crush the church and put us out of our misery... but he did not heed my prayers.

I could not believe in a god so cruel.

I recommend that you attempt to separate God from the people you encountered in school. As I will attempt to disabuse you from the notion that because people who belong to the Church are flawed that the Church Itself is. The Cross is a perfect expression of love--if you were taught correctly in school, you were taught that that was where the Chruch was established. The Church is the repository of the Truth, inconvienent at that seems. The Truth defined in three words: Life Never Ends. Think on that concept. Read St. Augustine's Enchidron. or The Story of A Soul by St. Therese of Lisieux. Study the Marion apparations: especially Fatima. That's Truth defined. It does not align with the popular notion that we have all the answers, or can discover them, though. If you were baptised and confirmed you have the gifts of the Holy Spirit infused in you, like it or not, believe it or not.

 

[Michchamp]

I recommend that you attempt to separate God from the people you encountered in school. As I will attempt to disabuse you from the notion that because people who belong to the Church are flawed that the Church Itself is. The Cross is a perfect expression of love--if you were taught correctly in school, you were taught that that was where the Chruch was established. The Church is the repository of the Truth, inconvienent at that seems. The Truth defined in three words: Life Never Ends. Think on that concept. Read St. Augustine's Enchidron. or The Story of A Soul by St. Therese of Lisieux. Study the Marion apparations: especially Fatima. That's Truth defined. It does not align with the popular notion that we have all the answers, or can discover them, though. If you were baptised and confirmed you have the gifts of the Holy Spirit infused in you, like it or not, believe it or not.

I know. people told me all that stuff, but the people who did were flawed and the people who told them were even more flawed... going all the way back, so I realized I was better off thinking for myself and discounting everything they taught me that I could not verify, or flew in the face of sound logic and reason.

 

[byco42]

If life ends at death, it doesn't make it less unique or precious.

As for the part that I highlighted...this is why religion exists. People don't want those thoughts, so they need something to cling to. They need to have hope. I'm all for that, but religion steps on my freedoms more time than it gives me hope.

You could not be more mistaken. You are unaware of the entire concept and purpose of God: or of us. Which, I suppose, is a self-fulfilling prophecy. I mean no disrespect, but you are limiting your own freedom by denying that there is a God.

 

[Monster]

You could not be more mistaken. You are unaware of the entire concept and purpose of God: or of us. Which, I suppose, is a self-fulfilling prophecy. I mean no disrespect, but you are limiting your own freedom by denying that there is a God.

how so?

Edit: And, if I deny Islam's God, wouldn't that be the same as denying the Christian God? Which God should I choose and based off of what? Because you say your God is real? What do you have outside of a book to tell me that your God should be loved over all others?

 

[GoBlueInAtlanta]

Explain to me how two of every species of animal in the world fit into the arc, how they fed these animals, watered them, managed to keep the ones that would eat each other separate, and how they managed to clean up after them. And before u claim again that noah explains the mysteries, remember that many other religions, even older than christianity and pre-dating noah's supposed timeline, also had worldwide flood stories.

I don't have much time, but I'll do what I can. I did this study over 30 years ago so it will take a while for me to find all of my notes. Here's what I found/remember -

The ark was no little ?boat.? It took 120 years to build. It was a football field and a half long, had three stories, each 15 feet tall, with stalls throughout. As for your other questions; keeping them separate, feeding, cleaning up after them, he did it just the way we do now, with stalls, cages, etc. He was told to take food and store it for the animals as well as his family. Another point is that there were more than 2 of each kind. Some of the animals he was told to take 7 pairs, meaning 14 of each of those.

Genesis 6:14 ?So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. 15 This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high. 16 Make a roof for it and finish the ark to within 18 inches of the top. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks. 17 I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark--you and your sons and your wife and your sons' wives with you. 19 You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. 20 Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. 21 You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them." 22 Noah did everything just as God commanded him.?

I take the fact that many cultures have stories of the flood as further evidence that there was indeed an event so cataclysmic that all cultures that sprang from it have recorded it in their histories. This was not "just a flood." Someone earlier in this thread made a comment (of course, in a derisive way) about an ocean above the earth. It would help if he knew what he was talking about, which is the "Canopy Theory." It is very possible that it had never rained before the Flood due to a band of water (a canopy) in the atmosphere which, along with dew from the ground, was sufficient to water the vegetation on earth. This canopy came crashing down along with, as the Bible says, the fountains of the deep exploding. The ark did not lazily lift off of the ground and float around for 40 days and 40 nights. It was violently tossed back and forth by huge waves and didn't come to rest until over a year later.

An amazing fact to me is that the word used for ?pitch? in the original language in the scripture above which was used to seal and save those inside the ark from the flood waters (death), is also translated ?atonement,? which is what we receive from Christ through His death on the cross (we are sealed into His family and saved from spiritual death).[FONT=&quot]

The KJV Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] Strong's Number: 03722[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] Browse Lexicon[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Original Word[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]Word Origin[/FONT]​

rpk​

[FONT=&quot]a primitive root[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]Transliterated Word[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]TDNT Entry[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]Kaphar[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]TWOT - 1023,1024,1025,1026[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]Phonetic Spelling[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]Parts of Speech[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]kaw-far'[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]Verb [/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] Definition[/FONT]​

1. [FONT=&quot]to cover, purge, make an atonement, make reconciliation, cover over with pitch [/FONT]
   1. [FONT=&quot](Qal) to coat or cover with pitch [/FONT]
   2. [FONT=&quot](Piel) [/FONT]
      1. [FONT=&quot]to cover over, pacify, propitiate [/FONT]
      2. [FONT=&quot]to cover over, atone for sin, make atonement for [/FONT]
      3. [FONT=&quot]to cover over, atone for sin and persons by legal rites [/FONT]
   3. [FONT=&quot](Pual) [/FONT]
      1. [FONT=&quot]to be covered over [/FONT]
      2. [FONT=&quot]to make atonement for [/FONT]
   4. [FONT=&quot](Hithpael) to be covered [/FONT]

 

[byco42]

how so?

Edit: And, if I deny Islam's God, wouldn't that be the same as denying the Christian God? Which God should I choose and based off of what? Because you say your God is real? What do you have outside of a book to tell me that your God should be loved over all others?

No, Monster. There is one true God, and I have come to believe in Him. I know that's not sufficient for many people as an explanation. And I am not trying to convince you of my beliefs, but only trying to share them.