[LocusSolace]

Re: Hi All

Dear, the last thing America needs is foolish people trying to reinvent the wheel, and poorly at that. You keep looking for some profound insight to explain your life, and yet you ignore the Truth™ that's starting at you in the face all the time.

America was built on people trying to reinvent the wheel. The Founding Fathers began reinventing the wheel when they realized that there were other (better) systems of government, than the one that ruled us during the Colonial period.

Your duty, the whole entire reason you exist, is to fear and obey the Lord God, King of Kings (Ecclesiastes 12:13). If this is not your entire purpose on earth then our whole faith is a lie, and because Christ was raised after a long weekend of death, I know my faith is True™ (1 Corinthians 15:14).

Why do my beliefs threaten yours? Also if we are suppose to love God why is it necessary to fear him? It's really hard to truly love someone that you fear.

Think about it, if this weren't the case, then mankind would find the alternative supernatural insight to be as obvious and objectively knowable as the boiling point of water. One would need no faith to observe and quantify the meaning of life. There would be no reason for someone like you to search for the Truth because the Truth would be objectively knowable. Either that, or would be subjectively determined. One might conclude something as silly as "The purpose of your life is to find meaning. When you notice the suffering of others, sympathy drives you to respond. Take the wheel and make that drive count. Take time to enjoy positive experiences in a genuine and sincere way. Share experiences, both good and bad, and even neutral, with others as often as desired. Repeat until the last breath is taken." In either case, one need not pursue foolish pseudo-deep navel-gazing bullshit in order to find contentment. And if contentment is not possible, if indeed the neurologists are right and the way one processes experiences is largely hard wired and out of our direct control, then one would simply do the next right thing. "Don't be a douche. Don't be a wussy" might be that person's motto, their meaning for life.

Comparing faith to something like the boiling temperature of water or 2+2=4 seems a bit odd to me. First there has to be an agreement that all people are involved are using the base 10 system. If both people aren't using that system, then all answers are correct (but correct for the numerical system being used).

But that would be foolhardy, because without faith in Christ, your life is wasted. You will suffer untold horrors and never-ending trauma to the body, mind, and soul for all eternity if you reject the fantastic story of Christ's self-parentage, birth, temporary death, resurrection, and ascension through the clouds out into inner space, then through outer space where He sits today, without apparent need of oxygen or pressure as found at sea level on the planet Earth (John 3:18).

There are people who are Christians that still suffer untold horrors and never-ending trauma to the body, mind, and soul. Finding a faith (in something) might help a person deal with the problems (or find meaning to their suffering), but it certainly hasn't stopped them from suffering.


By the way, thank you again for fixing my quotes. I appreciate it, I was having some real issues learning how to do it correctly.

[Back against wall]

Re: Hi All

Why don't you google vBulletin BBCode and see if you can learn something. This site is run by an interface called vBulletin and posting on a site uses code called BBCode (Bulletin Board Coade) Maybe spend a little time on it.

[LocusSolace]

Re: Hi All

Sister Mary you are so insightful my heart sings when you type. I must agree with you entirely. This has gone on FOREVER! Anyone would think this girl was abused as a child or witnessed her father beat her mother to death or maybe even something traumatic. I mean COME ON! Lets get saved™ already. My eyes are bleeding from the rectum (no thats not a typo)

Awww I miss you to. I really appreciate the fact that you keep coming back to read this, I must be saying something of worth for you to keep inflicting your eyes bleeding from the rectum on yourself.

[Back against wall]

Re: Hi All

Well I want to see you get real as much as the next True Christian™ I was being serious. You can hide things from some of the people some of the time ...

[Mary Etheldreda]

Re: Hi All

This has gone on FOREVER! Anyone would think this girl was abused as a child or witnessed her father beat her mother to death or maybe even something traumatic. I mean COME ON! Lets get saved™ already.

Amen, Brother! This one does nothing but nit-pick phrases and argue minutia that no decent person would think about the moment it leaves his mouth! Let's get Saved™ indeed!

Let's pray for her, shall we?

Dear Jesus,

We just lift up this poor, suffering, soul who goes by the ridiculous online name as "LocusSolace," whatever that's supposed to be. She's clearly hurting in the brain, and desires to share that pain with others via a never-ending delivery of navel-gazing personal insights that would be solved in any college freshman dorm pot-cloud of pseudo-insight and pretend wisdom. We just bring her to Your feet, that she may learn the value of kissing them. We just bring her to Your attention, that she may recognize the value of humility. We just bring her to the back door of your Throne Room, that she may see Your glory, but not get in your way or the way of anyone doing anything particularly important, or even not important, as she tends to yammer on and on and will distract even the most devout servant. We just plead for her that You would hit her over the head with a Holy 2x4, sort of like You did for Paul, back when he was Saul, and was equally annoying and persecuted Christians by talking them to death with foolishness, and also imprisoning them. We ask that You also consider striking her with blindness and if it's not too much trouble, make her fingers stiff so she can't type, and maybe her tongue limp to give her husband a break, the poor man. We just plead on her behalf, that You would take what little room she might have open in the door of her heart, and beg You to Chuck Norris that door the rest of the way in, so that You could be there instead of whatever foolishness she has stored in there. We Praise You in advance for this great miracle! We just Praise You and Glorify Your Holy Name!

Amen!

[Back against wall]

Re: Hi All

Amen Sister Mary, just beautiful. Amen!

[LocusSolace]

Re: Hi All

Amen, Brother! This one does nothing but nit-pick phrases and argue minutia that no decent person would think about the moment it leaves his mouth! Let's get Saved™ indeed!

Let's pray for her, shall we?

Dear Jesus,

We just lift up this poor, suffering, soul who goes by the ridiculous online name as "LocusSolace," whatever that's supposed to be. She's clearly hurting in the brain, and desires to share that pain with others via a never-ending delivery of navel-gazing personal insights that would be solved in any college freshman dorm pot-cloud of pseudo-insight and pretend wisdom. We just bring her to Your feet, that she may learn the value of kissing them. We just bring her to Your attention, that she may recognize the value of humility. We just bring her to the back door of your Throne Room, that she may see Your glory, but not get in your way or the way of anyone doing anything particularly important, or even not important, as she tends to yammer on and on and will distract even the most devout servant. We just plead for her that You would hit her over the head with a Holy 2x4, sort of like You did for Paul, back when he was Saul, and was equally annoying and persecuted Christians by talking them to death with foolishness, and also imprisoning them. We ask that You also consider striking her with blindness and if it's not too much trouble, make her fingers stiff so she can't type, and maybe her tongue limp to give her husband a break, the poor man. We just plead on her behalf, that You would take what little room she might have open in the door of her heart, and beg You to Chuck Norris that door the rest of the way in, so that You could be there instead of whatever foolishness she has stored in there. We Praise You in advance for this great miracle! We just Praise You and Glorify Your Holy Name!

Amen!

Thank you for your kind consideration. I'll be sure to let you know if any of the curses take effect.

[Dolores de Barriga]

Re: Hi All

True, but it's still another piece in the what is the actual supernatural realm puzzle. Even if the supernatural can absolutely be explained scientifically, it still creates the curiosity necessary to spark that search.

I assume there is a "not" missing in the second sentence there.

My question would be, why? Why spend any amount of time on an unanswerable question?

The only aspect of a presumed supernatural realm that we can measure in any way is the religious/mystical experience - something similar to what you feel in that replica of a megalith site, only stronger. There was a French philosopher or poet, and I cannot remember his name (I think it started with an "R"), but it was a guy and he's long dead, who said that such an experience is like trying to catch a waterfall in a glass of water. It is a very poetic metaphor, and it kinda shows the helplessness of trying to measure in a scientific way such an experience. Even if we artificially induce a religious experience through sensory deprivation, drugs, hyperventilation, or any other technique used through the millenia, such experiences are so individualized that there is not much of a common denominator to study. Now, a good shaman will tell you that a way to standardize religious experience is through preparing the novice by showing pictures and telling tales, so when he/she takes the ayahuasca he/she will see snakes with ears just like everybody else, but then, the novice doesn't see what's "really" out there, do they?

I remember reading Stanislav Grof long time ago. In the sixties, he was giving his patients (?) LSD to see what people experience in "other states of consciousness." This sort of experiment would be unthinkable today, but the result was quite predictable - people saw what they feared or wanted, therefore their experience was based on their personalities, their life histories, and not on something that is really "out there."

I'm not sure if it's a good idea to be considering what we should or shouldn't be giving up on. It just seems like as soon as we start determining what we should give up on, it starts a moral dilemma that could go very badly. I know that's just my personal opinion (and probably somewhat unrealistic).

I'm sure that when some people started talking that maybe we should give up human sacrifices others said that it could go very badly.

Sorry for the sarcasm, but if we stick to the old and known, we can never discover anything new.

That's not necessarily a bad idea in this context, but it has a potential of being horribly misused. I know that's not your intention, but what if someone else were to really broaden the idea of what canes represented. The last thing we need is for society to be fractured more than what it is already, and yes I know that's not where you were going with it.

Maybe I haven't expressed myself specifically enough, but my definition of a cane is a socially constructed support which isn't really there, it's just that people cheat themselves that it is there, and that makes them feel better.

Most older religious texts seem to be equal parts history and teachings. Look at the history of the Bible, especially the number of times it's been translated. There is a joke that does have a certain element of truth.

Sure, but please note that most modern translations use multiple sources, comparing them to find the most probable original meaning.

What is far more fascinating, is looking which texts have been included in the canon and which weren't - that tells you much more about the people who conducted the selection.

America was built on people trying to reinvent the wheel. The Founding Fathers began reinventing the wheel when they realized that there were other (better) systems of government, than the one that ruled us during the Colonial period.

They didn't reinvent anything, they carefully studied the Iroquois system and implemented it with some modifications, such as taking away women's right to vote. It really was a state-of-the-art modern system at the time, unfortunately nowadays it's a bit outdated - I'm talking about things like Electoral College here.

[LocusSolace]

Re: Hi All

Well I want to see you get real as much as the next True Christian™ I was being serious. You can hide things from some of the people some of the time ...

I'll admit to having a traumatic past...

[Didymus Much]

Re: Hi All

Thank you for your kind consideration. I'll be sure to let you know if any of the curses take effect.

New BBCode lesson: remove any [FONT="Comic Sans.MS"][/FONT] crap when quoting; the world thanks you.

[Mary Etheldreda]

Re: Hi All

New BBCode lesson: remove any [FONT="Comic Sans.MS"][/FONT] crap when quoting; the world thanks you.

You probably hate puppies, too.

[LocusSolace]

Re: Hi All

New BBCode lesson: remove any [FONT="Comic Sans.MS"][/FONT] crap when quoting; the world thanks you.

The font box is telling me I'm using Verdana font. Or were you referring to my inserted quote about the joke? If that's what you were referring to, I'll keep an eye out for it; and change it when needed

[Didymus Much]

Re: Hi All

It was the horror that is Comic Sans, in this case multiplied, nay, exponentiated by magenta. Oh, the banality.

Join the resistance: http://bancomicsans.com/main/

[Mary Etheldreda]

Re: Hi All

It was the horror that is Comic Sans, in this case multiplied, nay, exponentiated by magenta. Oh, the banality.

Join the resistance: http://bancomicsans.com/main/

I think it's cheerful, and I think Jesus would tell you He approves of cheerfulness.



A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, you know (Proverbs 15:13).

[LocusSolace]

Re: Hi All

I assume there is a "not" missing in the second sentence there.

Either way works. It's just a different way of looking at things. I'm sort of going on the assumption that magic is just something that hasn't been fully explained.

My question would be, why? Why spend any amount of time on an unanswerable question?

I'm not real sure, it's just always been something that has held my interest.

The only aspect of a presumed supernatural realm that we can measure in any way is the religious/mystical experience - something similar to what you feel in that replica of a megalith site, only stronger. There was a French philosopher or poet, and I cannot remember his name (I think it started with an "R"), but it was a guy and he's long dead, who said that such an experience is like trying to catch a waterfall in a glass of water. It is a very poetic metaphor, and it kinda shows the helplessness of trying to measure in a scientific way such an experience. Even if we artificially induce a religious experience through sensory deprivation, drugs, hyperventilation, or any other technique used through the millenia, such experiences are so individualized that there is not much of a common denominator to study. Now, a good shaman will tell you that a way to standardize religious experience is through preparing the novice by showing pictures and telling tales, so when he/she takes the ayahuasca he/she will see snakes with ears just like everybody else, but then, the novice doesn't see what's "really" out there, do they?

I like that comparison. Does the Shaman not really see or not really understand what's out there. Although in some ways it might not really matter at that point. Maybe its the path and not the destination that's important. But even if the novice doesn't see what's out there, the symbolism becomes important for his (or her) life's journey. It's sort of like having a group of people try to interpret what a picture means. You will probably get mostly different answers (based on personal experiences), but those different answers are still important in understanding the individual.

I remember reading Stanislav Grof long time ago. In the sixties, he was giving his patients (?) LSD to see what people experience in "other states of consciousness." This sort of experiment would be unthinkable today, but the result was quite predictable - people saw what they feared or wanted, therefore their experience was based on their personalities, their life histories, and not on something that is really "out there."

Even by that finding, that imagery still sheds light on the individual. Basically what I was saying in my above response.

I'm sure that when some people started talking that maybe we should give up human sacrifices others said that it could go very badly. Sorry for the sarcasm, but if we stick to the old and known, we can never discover anything new.

Its ok, I probably deserve the sarcasm. I haven't exactly been level at all times. You have a good point there. I didn't think that statement through enough.

Maybe I haven't expressed myself specifically enough, but my definition of a cane is a socially constructed support which isn't really there, it's just that people cheat themselves that it is there, and that makes them feel better.

I don't see it as always being a bad thing, although I agree that it can be.

Sure, but please note that most modern translations use multiple sources, comparing them to find the most probable original meaning. What is far more fascinating, is looking which texts have been included in the canon and which weren't - that tells you much more about the people who conducted the selection.

I agree there. My husband and I actually talk about that a lot.

They didn't reinvent anything, they carefully studied the Iroquois system and implemented it with some modifications, such as taking away women's right to vote. It really was a state-of-the-art modern system at the time, unfortunately nowadays it's a bit outdated - I'm talking about things like Electoral College here.

I see where your coming from there. I was more going with the thought of there were probably more than a few Royalists that were saying 'hey this works, why do we need something new'.


I see where your coming from, and I agree that in having to take the Bible literally that it is not the best moral guide. I guess the sticking point for me is that I'm not Christian, my beliefs are a lot closer to what is found in Wicca. I am actually learning from you, a lot actually. Maybe in some ways there is a concern that if I agree with you, that I will be thrown off the board. I like you, and I like all of you; and I don't want to be thrown away.