Search results

Greetings banana and Art, Instead of paying any attention to those pesky rules of "mere" debate (like valid and invalid arguments) why don't we all just smoke a big fat joint and say whatever pops into our heads? (Not that there's anything wrong with that in the proper setting!) But this is...

Greetings JJM, I'm not avoiding answering your post. I just don't know if it can do any good. Maybe if you told me a little about your motivation for apparently apologizing for Christianity. It just seems to me that you have made your mind up that Jesus (who I don't even believe is a...

Greetings Bruce, I find your response non-responsive and vague. If you really care about helping to keep everyone "within the rules" it helps to be specific. "Coming close to the line" tells us nothing. It's like a parent waving a finger. And coming close to the line means that one didn't...

Greetings JJM, I really didn't want it to come to this but you seem to be a person who can handle it. So here it is. You don't have a very good grasp of words. I am not trying to hurt your feelings or "attack" you. (I say this because we are being watched by "others"). You simply don't...

Greetings Bruce, Since your post comes directly after my last one I think it fair to assume that you are referring to me? If I am "starting" to ooze into a "personal attack" please be kind enough to demonstrate what the attack consists of. Starting is not the same as executing so are you...

Not at this time unless there is a particular point upon which you wish to know my thoughts. Generally, the burden only shifts when one party (the one who did not first bear the burden) introduces something new that is not agreed upon by the other. This doesn't remove the first asserter's...

Greetings Susma, As much as I would like all people to live in peace and love I do not beleive we will get there by abolishing religious liberty. It is tempting and in my younger days I would have said it is the only way. It appears that many human beings must be led by the nose into heaven...

Now that I have read "the whole thing" you seem hung up on one part of the definition of mammon. The definition you give is not the dictionary definition. Mammon is wealth or possessions. It can be used as "especially having a debasing influence." But this is not how Jesus used the word...

Greetings Vajradhara, You seem to continue to harbor some misunderstanding about a matter of logic and valid argumentaion. You quote me correctly in your first paragraph above but immediately go on to say "which isn't the case, as you correctly assert in your response to me." Vaj, you are...

I think you misunderstand how I am using the term "exclusivity." With the exception of the Nazis, KKK and other groups that required certain physical traits (unchangeable) most religions were always "open" to an outsider "joining" their little club. Of course during many historical times one...

I believe that is what I said, is it not? The belief in a god is not the big deal to atheists and agnostics, never has been. It's all the other baggage that come with each deity. That is why the American founding fathers were not Christians but rather deists. (I know there are about a...

Oh, I'm being very careful, thank you, Judaism does create otherness. Have you ever heard of the gentile or the goyim? Let us look at the old testament and how the goyim were treated as "others." Jews were forbidden to charge interest on loans to other Jews, but not to the goyim! You...

Greetings JJM, I don't quite follow your logic. Unless God has given you some special rules of construction that you are permitted to apply to this verse, it appears clear to me. "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the...

achnai says: There are hundreds of millions of atheists who care about virtue very much. Thank God they are not aware that the virtues have no place to stand by themselves. When I was a Christian I figured out pretty quickly that religionists like to believe that without religion no one...

9Harmony says: If all one has to do to establish that he or she has received a "revelation" as opposed to an inspiration is to say so and get others to second the motion, what distinguishes that from Hitler's revelations from God? He certainly believed that God had spoken to him and told him...

arthra wrote: Thank you for your kind note and your suggestions about how to deal with my despair. But I thought it was clear that I was speaking only of man's ability to find peace and unity. In my personal life I feel nothing resembling despair as I have been blessed with a rare love. My...

Yes, Vaj, I think we should leave the poor guy alone. Criticizing his grammar, syntax, etc. (not you, Vaj) is not an answer to anything. He's waiting for Jesus to return but he seems to believe that Moslems and Jews are checking out the skies along with him. He seems to mean well but like...

Greetings Arthra, Thank you for your response. I will certainly look into this religion but perhaps you can help me. Would you say that Bahai would be among the first religion to let go of its myths or would you guess that it might balk at paring down its dogma? And I admit that I do not...

No apologies necessary but thank you for your kindness. I couldn't agree with you more. That is why I am considering undertaking the research mentioned elsewhere. I believe that most people totally agree on the dogma that has to do with the basic glue of society, i.e. goodness, truth...

Sell your possessions does not allow you much wiggle room! Does the substance of the choice change when you substitute money for "material wealth or possessions"? Jesus was the person to whom this question is attributed in Matthew 6: 24. Most people understand that money can be exchanged for...