I Completely Lost Focus

[RealMagnetic 0]

Not deluded, just broken in one area. But God is an excellent circuit breaker for you and the vast majority of people. The ability of the mind to compartmentalize this dysfunction and use it for cosmic motivation rather than conception/action is innocuous most of the time. The beauty of atheism is that you feel the same rapture at observing and participating in reality that the religious feel in escaping into their imagination. It is a much more pure and visceral joy because it is based in the real world rather than a supernatural imaginary construct. It is also a more heroic position as it requires more strength to live in the here and now than it does to escape into the seductive but ultimately false promise of an amorphous alternative. Atheism is the highest form of spirituality.

Neretva, You are lumping everyone into this one group and you must know that that isn't the reality. There are many people with different views. I am not sure why you would attempt to tell me something about myself, when you know very little about me.If atheism is the highest form of spirituality, which I don't necessarily discount, btw, then do you believe there is ANYTHING spiritual? Is there any force beyond the known forces of the universe? And if you say, "no there isn't" then that doesn't make sense. Any rational person would have to admit there is likely something that science has not found out yet. That's what I need to know before I can understand where you are at: do you believe there is ANYTHING spiritual in life? So when you say atheism is the highest form of spirituality, do you mean spirituality? Or do you mean philosophy? Do you think there is any spiritual anything out there?

[strategy 4]

I guess it's possible in an infinite universe for God to contradict Himself. But I don't see it happening in this universe.btw, I'm just fishing for the arrogant people that think mocking God makes them internet tough, you weren't suppose to take the bait.ooh I think I got one

fwiw I'm laughing at the woman for being a smug moron, not for her religious beliefs.

[BigDMcGee 3,352]

btw, I'm just fishing for the arrogant people that think mocking God makes them internet tough, you weren't suppose to take the bait.

So, you're saying a real tough guy would mock god to his face?

[RealMagnetic 0]

I guess it's possible in an infinite universe for God to contradict Himself. But I don't see it happening in this universe.btw, I'm just fishing for the arrogant people that think mocking God makes them internet tough, you weren't suppose to take the bait.ooh I think I got one

Yeah, it's not bait for me, just interesting discussion. I have my life and my experiences, and I don't rely on others to decide for me what is real. Though sometimes a good conversation can add to the mix.What if god didn't contradict Himself, but He gave different cultures what they most needed. Who is to say God thinks in terms of absolutes? My life has shown me there is far more in common between disparate spiritual systems than there is different. Like I say though, that is just my humble opinion.

[BigDMcGee 3,352]

Also, why couldn't an all powerful being contradict itself? It's all powerful, right? So it would have the power to contradict itself, no problem? It seems like insisting that god has to have consistency is limiting god's power to me.

[Balloon guy 158]

fwiw I'm laughing at the woman for being a smug moron, not for her religious beliefs.

lol at you for thinking a woman would be anything but

[Balloon guy 158]

Also, why couldn't an all powerful being contradict itself? It's all powerful, right? So it would have the power to contradict itself, no problem? It seems like insisting that god has to have consistency is limiting god's power to me.

God sets lots of limits on Himself. But it's Him setting the limits, not an outside force which would by definition become greater than God.So God in His Word says He cannot deny Himself, therefore He doesn't.

[BigDMcGee 3,352]

God sets lots of limits on Himself. But it's Him setting the limits, not an outside force which would by definition become greater than God.So God in His Word says He cannot deny Himself, therefore He doesn't.

Get that from the bible, did you?

[Balloon guy 158]

Yeah, it's not bait for me, just interesting discussion. I have my life and my experiences, and I don't rely on others to decide for me what is real. Though sometimes a good conversation can add to the mix.What if god didn't contradict Himself, but He gave different cultures what they most needed. Who is to say God thinks in terms of absolutes? My life has shown me there is far more in common between disparate spiritual systems than there is different. Like I say though, that is just my humble opinion.

I'm sure with a cigar and a few hours we could have an enlightening conversation which we could both enjoy and leave friends. but then again, we're old enogh to know that you can disagree with someone and not have a moral duty to tell them why they are wrong.btw. I screened the movie Jesus in India a while back, which would be something that fits in well with what you are saying. Have you heard of it?

[Balloon guy 158]

Get that from the bible, did you?

I get a lot of stuff from the Bible.Like pay my taxes.How I wish they didn't put that in there!

[neretva 0]

Neretva, You are lumping everyone into this one group and you must know that that isn't the reality. There are many people with different views. I am not sure why you would attempt to tell me something about myself, when you know very little about me.If atheism is the highest form of spirituality, which I don't necessarily discount, btw, then do you believe there is ANYTHING spiritual? Is there any force beyond the known forces of the universe? And if you say, "no there isn't" then that doesn't make sense. Any rational person would have to admit there is likely something that science has not found out yet. That's what I need to know before I can understand where you are at: do you believe there is ANYTHING spiritual in life? So when you say atheism is the highest form of spirituality, do you mean spirituality? Or do you mean philosophy? Do you think there is any spiritual anything out there?

Beyond the known forces of the universe are the unknown forces that will one day become known as our epistemological methods progress and evolve.There are no unknown forces that CANNOT be known. They are unknown only so long as our capabilities for observing and integrating them remain insufficient. Our inability to comprehend all of reality at the present time should offer no excuse for us to lapse into the imaginary, as we have done with God. However, it is so much easier than reconciling ourselves to the notion that we may never learn every truth in the universe. Our species will exist for a finite amount of time. Our learning will progress at varying, but limited rates. Whether we will learn everything or nearly everything about the universe is unknown and ultimately irrelevant. Our most noble alternative is to die trying.

[BigDMcGee 3,352]

I get a lot of stuff from the Bible.

Really? because it seems like a bunch of nonsense a two bit preacher trying to sound philosophical would pull out of his ass in trying to come up with bs " logic" in defending the biblical god, and not actually something based on anything from the bible.

[Balloon guy 158]

Really? because it seems like a bunch of nonsense a two bit preacher trying to sound philosophical would pull out of his ass in trying to come up with bs " logic" in defending the biblical god, and not actually something based on anything from the bible.

Caught one!But I think I smell a double reverse fishing expedition.Not going to biteWouldn't be prudent

[BigDMcGee 3,352]

Not going to biteWouldn't be prudent

You don't have to bite, I'd just settle for biblical evidence to back up your assertion about god.

[El Guapo 8]

Wouldn't be prudent

[Balloon guy 158]

You don't have to bite, I'd just settle for biblical evidence to back up your assertion about god.

umm besides the verse I just gave you?which explains God limiting Himself?I guess I can quote more, but if that is worhtless to you then I guess the rest will be equally worthless

[RealMagnetic 0]

Beyond the known forces of the universe are the unknown forces that will one day become known as our epistemological methods progress and evolve.There are no unknown forces that CANNOT be known. They are unknown only so long as our capabilities for observing and integrating them remain insufficient. Our inability to comprehend all of reality at the present time should offer no excuse for us to lapse into the imaginary, as we have done with God. However, it is so much easier than reconciling ourselves to the notion that we may never learn every truth in the universe. Our species will exist for a finite amount of time. Our learning will progress at varying, but limited rates. Whether we will learn everything or nearly everything about the universe is unknown and ultimately irrelevant. Our most noble alternative is to die trying.

You didn't answer my question about whether you believe in spirit. I am going to operate on the assumption that you don't believe there is any validity to spirituality.I would like to point out I didn't suggest that God is not something science could never understand. You keep calling God imaginary. Who are you to tell millions of people that their experiences are imaginary? The answer is you are nobody to do that. You seem to have gone on a tangent about trying to understand this universe. I am telling you that there is a spiritual component to life. That's simply a fact to me, and I have countless experiences that agree with me. The reason a lot of very intelligent people have trouble with this is because they don't have a lot of experience with spirituality, and seeing as spirit is invisible and intangible it is hard for them to study it. If it isn't something you can hold in your hand or measure with a scientific measuring device, then a large segment of our culture has decided it isn't real.P.S. I'm not a Christian.

[BigDMcGee 3,352]

umm besides the verse I just gave you?which explains God limiting Himself?I guess I can quote more, but if that is worhtless to you then I guess the rest will be equally worthless

Oh, the god limiting himself verse.. that must have gotten edited out of my bible, along with the part about the rapture. I needed to get the complete and unabridged version, not this hippy NIV version.

[antistuff 0]

Word of God, possibly. ONLY Word of God? Definitely NOT. (imho)

you had a little credibility for a second there. this blew it (imnsho)

[Avaron 0]

i actually find buddhism very interesting *throws a bone in*

[RealMagnetic 0]

you had a little credibility for a second there. this blew it (imnsho)

Fortunately credibility in the eyes of some guy named "Antistuff" on some online forum is not high on my list of priorities.I love these super-short posts that say almost nothing, yet try to bash someone else. I love them because all they really do is show you don't know how to have a conversation.

[jmkiser 0]

Fortunately credibility in the eyes of some guy named "Antistuff" on some online forum is not high on my list of priorities.I love these super-short posts that say almost nothing, yet try to bash someone else. I love them because all they really do is show you don't know how to have a conversation.

Antistuff didn't need to say much.Let's put it this way..... give us some reasons why we should take what you're saying seriously.So far, all we're getting is that you had some magical life experiences that you keep talking about.And?

[RealMagnetic 0]

Antistuff didn't need to say much.Let's put it this way..... give us some reasons why we should take what you're saying seriously.So far, all we're getting is that you had some magical life experiences that you keep talking about.And?

And you don't need to say much to show you are narrow-minded.There's no onus on me to prove jack shiza to you. Because I don't care to. I can make a statement, and it is what it is. Face value. Much like many of you do here all the time. sorry I cannot link you to a webpage to prove my points! I am not here so I can satisfy your curiosity about my life. Should I write it all down, so that I can "prove" to some people who already have it all figured out? Ha! There is generally no point in trying to convince the unconvince-able, and I only have so much time in the day. I dole out my time to people who are genuinely interested, not people who apparently know everything already. Either way, the only reason I started posting here was because someone implied that if you are spiritual then you are crazy or stupid or both. I couldn't let that go unanswered. Let me sum it all up:* there is a God, but probably not the way you think (less partisan, more universal, definitely doesn't care if you eat meat on Friday)* we are spiritual beings that are not just made of the usual physical stuff* that God force thing, is behind the scenes arranging things for your life, even if you forgot or don't believe in it, though disbelief does hinder the process. Not like some old guy, but more like an energy fieldAnd: * if you are genuinely happy with your life, who cares about RealMagnetic, just pass on through, cus you have no need for anything more, I say that honestly* if you aren't then maybe its cus you suck* maybe you suck because you are arrogant?* maybe you suck because you are missing giant part of what it means to be human? <-- <-- <--* get your own proofAll the Best,Alex

[antistuff 0]

i actually find buddhism very interesting *throws a bone in*

for any question ive ever had about life ive found a buddhist inspired answer that satisfied me.

Fortunately credibility in the eyes of some guy named "Antistuff" on some online forum is not high on my list of priorities.I love these super-short posts that say almost nothing, yet try to bash someone else. I love them because all they really do is show you don't know how to have a conversation.

so then. what books did god write? which ones didn't he?who is his publisher? does he have a good agent? ------------i love when people post things saying that they don't care what some retard on some internet forum thinks about them. if you have no interest in interacting with us then why bother posting at all?

[antistuff 0]

And you don't need to say much to show you are narrow-minded.There's no onus on me to prove jack shiza to you. Because I don't care to. I can make a statement, and it is what it is. Face value. Much like many of you do here all the time. sorry I cannot link you to a webpage to prove my points!

thats because you don't really have any points.

I am not here so I can satisfy your curiosity about my life. Should I write it all down, so that I can "prove" to some people who already have it all figured out? Ha! There is generally no point in trying to convince the unconvince-able, and I only have so much time in the day. I dole out my time to people who are genuinely interested, not people who apparently know everything already.

who the hell do you think you are? seriously...wow...

Either way, the only reason I started posting here was because someone implied that if you are spiritual then you are crazy or stupid or both. I couldn't let that go unanswered. Let me sum it all up:* there is a God, but probably not the way you think (less partisan, more universal, definitely doesn't care if you eat meat on Friday)* we are spiritual beings that are not just made of the usual physical stuff* that God force thing, is behind the scenes arranging things for your life, even if you forgot or don't believe in it, though disbelief does hinder the process. Not like some old guy, but more like an energy fieldAnd: * if you are genuinely happy with your life, who cares about RealMagnetic, just pass on through, cus you have no need for anything more, I say that honestly* if you aren't then maybe its cus you suck* maybe you suck because you are arrogant?* maybe you suck because you are missing giant part of what it means to be human? <-- <-- <--* get your own proofAll the Best,Alex

you're wrong. the answer is 42.