OT: religion

[scaredyclassic]

I tend to agree with G-d s initial impulse, flood the earth and rid it of the abomination that is man. Sometimes your first gut impulse is right.

[NotCranky]

You could be wrong about the afterlife, SC. I don’t know why , but don’t believe you could know that. Heaven and Hell and reincarnation and other ideas are pure guesses, even lies gradually forced into articles of faith, but so is it to say , there is no afterlife.

A million people can agree and hope and pray that there is no afterlife, but it doesn’t make it true. How goofy we are, or all the goofy notions past humans have come up with doesn’t prove anything about a post death situation of individuals, dogs , cats or any other living thing.

We can speculate on what the quality of a potential afterlife would be, I never come up with anything very good or comforting at all really. You can’t really say the universe and life is a cosmic joke and claim to know that joke doesn’t mean you go to Disneyland when you die.

[scaredyclassic]

Agreed.

That’s why I always hedge my bets by only referring to the big angry guy as G-d. I am hoping that small sign of respect, as well as my wearing a yarmulke at all times when walking more than 5 yards. , will get him to cut me a break if indeed I am the punchline.

Which I know I’m not.

Insofar As I Know anything.

[NotCranky]

[quote=scaredyclassic]Agreed.

That’s why I always hedge my bets by only referring to the big angry guy as G-d. I am hoping that small sign of respect, as well as my wearing a yarmulke at all times when walking more than 5 yards. , will get him to cut me a break if indeed I am the punchline.

Which I know I’m not.

Insofar As I Know anything.[/quote]
At least you don’t have to continue to worry about how often you masturbate…I mean , worrying about that as a sign of respect to the big angry and voyeuristc guy.

[scaredyclassic]

I never masturbate to images of biblical patriarchs wives though. Just to be safe. Best to focus on images of Canaanites and moabites.

[scaredyclassic]

I’m looking around waiting for a laugh.

My wife was right.

I’m not funny.

[NotCranky]

Nah, sometime they just don’t know what is smart, wise, or funny.

[Allan from Fallbrook]

[quote=scaredyclassic]I am as certain that our current conception of heaven is not real as you are that ancient Egyptian burial practices did not affect the afterlife.

or pick up the Book of Mormon. Not to disrespect Mormons. I know and love a lot of Mormons actually. But when I pick up the book and read it, read about the history of the Church, I know 100% in my heart this is not an explanation of reality that is true. pick one up sometime; is it worth keeping an open mind about it in the sense as to whetehr it is true? My answer is no.

is it worth keeping an open mind about why people come to beleive odd things, social issues, etc? yes.

but not about the nature of reality in the sense of whetehr the book of mormon is true, whether heaven is real, or whetehr G-d nailed another G-d type being toa cross to die for our sins.[/quote]

This reminds me of a great Catholic joke about Mormonism, along the lines of Good News/Bad News: Good news is that Jesus just called. Bad news is that he was calling from Salt Lake City.

[zk]

[quote=scaredyclassic]I’m looking around waiting for a laugh.

My wife was right.

I’m not funny.[/quote]

You could hire me with my drum set to give you rim shots and laughter, like the guy in the classic second city / snl skit. I’d set up right there in your kitchen and be there while you’re eating breakfast with her.

“cheese is for real.” Ba-dup-tshhh. (Ed McMahon laugh).

Then she’d know you’re funny.

[scaredyclassic]

All of the Mormons I’ve worked with universally are super nice people, good humored, sharp critical thinkers. I just can’t get how they can read that book and not say “hmmmmmm. No”.

[NotCranky]

Pantheism and pantheists are interesting, Allan. Glad you brought that up.

[FlyerInHi]

[quote=njtosd]
Eating fewer calories can also kill you. At what rate of intake does healthy turn to unhealthy? And with fewer calories comes a reduced opportunity to consume nutrients that are beneficial. Of course, there is a healthy balance that probably varies from person to person and with advancing age. But so far the optimal formula hasn’t been identified – as far as I’ve seen.[/quote]

As least we seem to be of the same belief that longer life is good. It’s the road on how to get there that we may differ on.

All I know that that when I kept my dogs a little bit below their “ideal” weight range, they lived to 20 years of age. That’s a 67% improvement over the 12 years average life expectancy for retrievers.

They were never sick, lived longer, had more energy, looked better, had more elastic skin, more beautiful fur. Pretty strong scientific data, IMO.

it’s not a religion, it’s strong belief based on observations of the real world.

[FlyerInHi]

[quote=zk][quote=FlyerInHi]I suppose believing can be viewed as an insurance policy… Just in case.

[/quote]

For that to work for a non-believer, wouldn’t pretending to believe have to count? I mean, one can’t just say, “I don’t really believe, but I want the option of heaven, so I’m going to choose to believe.” Well, they can say that, but they wouldn’t really believe. Or they can follow the rules of a particular religion, but they wouldn’t really believe.

On the inside, no matter what you say or what you do, you either you believe it or you don’t (or you’re not sure or you’re confused).

Obviously, wanting to believe something enough will make most people believe it. Otherwise, why would there be so many people with faith despite there being no real evidence? To me, faith is only denial. The universe is a cold, dark place that cares not for anybody or anything. Most people can’t handle that, and so they believe what they can’t persevere without believing. The human mind is wired not to accept things that would cause so much emotional trauma that being a productive member of society would cease to be possible. Some people say, “wired for faith.” I say, “wired for denial.” It’s the same with alcoholics, gay religious people, terminally ill people (upon initial diagnosis), and others. We deny what we can’t accept.

In any case, choosing to believe doesn’t really make sense. In fact, whenever I hear somebody say, “I choose to believe,” whether it’s regarding religion or something else, I really don’t understand what they’re talking about. Either you believe it on the inside or you don’t, and saying “I choose to believe” makes no sense to me.[/quote]

Sometimes, you just play along to get along.

When you die, it’s kinda nice to have a beautiful elaborate ceremony of some kind so your friends and relatives feel that you were special and that they are special by association.

You have a whole institution validating your life on earth.

[flyer]

This thread has been a blast. Have really enjoyed everyone’s amazing insights! My life has now been changed forever.

[scaredyclassic]

Everybody wants to go to heaven but no n one wants to die.

[Author]

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