Protestantism

» pink101 - From The Dark Past

In response to You Don't Get Off That Easy posted by Brother_Jones:
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Your mind set comes here from the dark past. Seriously and I don't mean that as a put down; but, you are expressing thoughts that come into our present day out of the superstitious past.
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I'm in the process of deciding to spend some energy in dealing with your position on reality. We shall see how this works out.
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You wrote: (Again, yours is in bold face italics and mine is in regular face.)
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Is there another component to this besides Naturalism and Supernaturalism?
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Like I said, reality is not a black and white situation. There are many ways of looking at things. Science, in so far as I know, does not have a fixed way of looking at reality. Does it? But, it does look at the way we discern reality.
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Shouldn't I use mostly science to study Nature? And can I use mostly Jesus to study Supernaturalism?
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I don't see your faith as being logged into the supernatural. Instead, I see that you are using your religious doctrine to explain everyday reality. Am I missing something here?
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Do you sense that your life has any meaning or purpose?"
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For me? For you? For anyone other than the two of us? Certainly. My life is filled with great meaning and wonderful purpose. Is yours?
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What scientific model of thinking would give you that?
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Empiricism. Experience. Life itself.
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Previously, I had written, "The central thesis of your position has much to do with the definition of society--what it is and how it works. And, more importantly, perhaps, why it works at all.", to which you respond with,
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Society is just a bunch of us.
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That answer is right out of the dark ages. Society is the social structure human beings has created for its purposes. We have come into agreement and set up institutions with laws, rules, and all sorts of ogranizations to make our relationships with each other work.
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Why would a society think any different about ulitimate purposes?
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I guess you'll have to make that question more clear so I can understand what you're getting at.
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What good is society?
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Well, just off the top of my head, it helps us get along with each other in social situations. We've even gone so far as to make it possible for people to buy and sell property. And, we've created such societal organizations as Realtor's groups as a method of controlling certain ethical standards.
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I think it has been shown in another thread that some societies (Jonestown) are dangerous and deadly to those in it.
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Some Realtors commit fraud.
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Can you give any reason for your existence based on any research that you have done?
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Sure. Can you?
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Why have you come here today and posted? Is it just because you are curious and want to educate yourself about my views a few years before you shove off into whatever hole in Space you think you go to? What's up with you?
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You are asking personal questions. But, the answer is that I'm practicing. What are you doing here?
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-- posted by pink101

» pink101 - The Deeper Question

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I'm starting to see that the deeper question--here--has to do with the definition of the word, society, itself.
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Where did society come from? Was it installed on humanity by God? Is that what YOU believe? Or was it the creation of human beings that came together in groups for their personal preferences?
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How does it develop? What are its purposes? Who is in control? How does it change from time to time? What is the glue that binds us together in society? Can the words, culture and society, be used interchangeably as though they mean the same thing in every case?
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There are many questions.
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-- posted by pink101

» pink101 - At The Root of Our Differences

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But, in the final analysis, perhaps our different ideas about society are at the root of our differences?
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What do you think?
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Or, is that,
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What! Do you think?
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-- posted by pink101

» Brother_Jones - From The Dark Past

In response to From The Dark Past posted by pink101:

I don't see your faith as being logged into the supernatural. Instead, I see that you are using your religious doctrine to explain everyday reality. Am I missing something here?

Well, I have attempted from time to time to raise the issues of worship and prayer to God. We are all connected to Him in some way. Christians pray and worship. That is a component of the supernatural. But since you and others seem to have no interest in the subject of prayer and worship, these kinds of posts simply draw attention to the idea that naturalism and materialism being the gods of most non-believers. And as much as you would try to protest, you fit into that arena of belief just watching and listening to your every post. You distance yourself from anything in the spiritual realm. That is what you do, so that is almost certainly what you are, imo.

i am the oldtimer.

-- posted by Brother_Jones

» pink101 - Two Simple Questions

In response to From The Dark Past posted by Brother_Jones:
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You distance yourself from anything in the spiritual realm. That is what you do, so that is almost certainly what you are, imo.
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I think that "[I] distance [myself] from anything in the spiritual realm" mostly in your mind. I certainly sense a "spiritual realm" as you say. And, I seek to understand what it is that I sense. I'm glad you are adding imo--when you input reality into my existence--in your posts lately.
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I don't hang on to the first thing I learned about reality at my mother's knees and, so, I don't have to throw the baby out with the bath water. I learned how to question authority early in my life.
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So, what is your take on society, Brother Jones? (# 1.) And, is it something that human beings created for their own reasons and purposes or is it something that was imposed on us by the god you believe in--the God of the Bible? (# 2.)
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Are you able to address those two simple questions?
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-- posted by pink101

» Migisi - From The Dark Past

In response to From The Dark Past posted by Brother_Jones:
But since you and others seem to have no interest in the subject of prayer and worship, these kinds of posts simply draw attention to the idea that naturalism and materialism being the gods of most non-believers.
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By 'non-believer', do you mean one who doesn't believe in the Bible God and Jesus-Is-God? You and others here seem to conclude that most nonChristians have NO belief in a supreme being whatsoever just because they don't follow your brand of religion. Because they don't pray as you pray, worship as you worship, a nonChristian is automatically labeled an atheist or agnostic.
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And if it was me, I wouldn't be furthering the idea that most nonChristians worship "materialism", given the obscene wealth Protestant and Catholic churches, and many of their pastors and members, solicit and possess.

-- posted by Migisi

» Brother_Jones - How about some honesty?

In response to From The Dark Past posted by Migisi:

You and others here seem to conclude that most nonChristians have NO belief in a supreme being whatsoever just because they don't follow your brand of religion.

I and others have encouraged you, Pinky, and anyone else to start a thread on your God. Explain what you believe. But there is always silence from you, usually followed by criticism of the Christian God. I don't know how anyone could really know anything about your god. He/She/It appears to not exist.

I don't mean to be hardnosed, but when you spend most of your time being negative about God of the Bible it doesn't really follow that you believe in spirituality. And just saying so every so often doesn't provide any substance. Why not just start a thread titled Migisi's God or the ONE of Migisi and just see if most everybody decides to jump on and question you about your ideas. I sorta double dog dare you to be a little more honest about your faith than what you have been in these threads

i am just an oldtimer for the Lord.

-- posted by Brother_Jones

» Brother_Jones - Two Simple Questions

In response to Two Simple Questions posted by pink101:

So, what is your take on society, Brother Jones? (# 1.)

It is just a bunch of us or them. That is my simple answer. Either you believe in treating your neighbor as you would want to be treated or you believe in taking advantage of your neighbor. It is pretty simple once you agree to take Jesus as Lord and His words as gospel.

And, is it something that human beings created for their own reasons and purposes or is it something that was imposed on us by the god you believe in--the God of the Bible? (# 2.)

Just keep distancing yourself from Jesus and the bible. That is your purpose here. You have chosen that for your lifestyle. It is what you do.

i am just an oldtimer for the Lord.

-- posted by Brother_Jones

» Migisi - How about some honesty?

In response to How about some honesty? posted by Brother_Jones:
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I don't know how anyone could really know anything about your god. He/She/It appears to not exist.
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Because you don't know what I believe in, you assume I believe in nothing?
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but when you spend most of your time being negative about God of the Bible it doesn't really follow that you believe in spirituality.
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How did you arrive at that conclusion? How does no Bible belief = no personal spirituality?? Let's say you spent some time expressing your disbelief in the Qur'an, the Hindu Vedas, or the Tao-te Ching, does this mean you have no personal spiritual beliefs?
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I sorta double dog dare you to be a little more honest about your faith than what you have been in these threads
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You just haven't been paying attention in these threads. You've been too busy criticizing and focusing on what YOU see as negative in folks here.

-- posted by Migisi

» Brother_Jones - How about some honesty?

In response to How about some honesty? posted by Migisi:

You just haven't been paying attention in these threads

I have been paying attention. If you have any beliefs, you have pretty much kept them to yourself or you have agreed with agnosticism. I believe you are undecided on just about every spiritual issue with the exception of your belief that Jesus isn't the Christ. You seem to have decided on that one decision. But just my opinion.

i'm the oldtimer.

-- posted by Brother_Jones