Theology Question

[IBDaMann]

God did not create man- Man created God! You may not agree- BUT PROVE ME WRONG!

You are preaching an unfalsifiable theology. Ergo, you are not saying anything of any value to any rational adult who doesn't already believe as you do.

This kind of mentality would never come from a God

What do we have here? More leftist omniscience, this time speaking as an expert on Gods. Hey, just for my own edification, how do Gods go about making their "master plans"? I'm thinking about using that as a basis for a new book on management "best practices."

Reminds me of something Donald Trump would come up with

How, exactly, can this remind you of something that Donald Trump never came up with? Could you explain your logic on this one a little bit better, please?

Look, I just tell it like it is.

Nope, that's not what I'm getting. In fact, the word "ironic" is springing to mind for some reason.

 

[Dutch Uncle]

If you have no time to think about it, you simply come close to death and never achieve acceptance of any sort.

Close to death and crossing the doorway are two different things.

Sybil, I've never accused you of being stupid. Your manifesto proves you have intelligence, drive and, consequently, an education...self-learned or otherwise.

Being stupid and being irrational are also two different things.

 

[IBDaMann]

Close to death and crossing the doorway are two different things.

I do not deny differences. You asked if I have ever been "close to death." Wait, let me check on that.

How close have you been to death?

Yep, that's what you asked. I have been close enough to begin the process of accepting it. No more, no less.

Sybil, I've never accused you of being stupid.

I totally acknowledge this, Terry. You have always maintained the courtesy of only implying it.

Your manifesto proves you have intelligence, drive and, consequently, an education.

Actually, my education resulted from my paying attention, not from any drive or manifesto.

Being stupid and being irrational are also two different things.

Being able to distinguish between different people and not being able to distinguish between different people are two different things.

 

[Dutch Uncle]

I do not deny differences. You asked if I have ever been "close to death." Wait, let me check on that.

How close have you been to death?

More accurately, I asked "how close" not "if" you had. You had a scare and you put your affairs in order. Yes, I can see how that can be a wake-up call, but it depends up on one's age. A mid-life crisis is a "wake-up" call about one's own mortality. It's normal. A person who thinks they have anal cancer or serious heart issues in their 20s will be more likely to have a different reaction than someone in their 50s.

How old were you at the time?

 

[IBDaMann]

More accurately, I asked "how close" not "if" you had. You had a scare and you put your affairs in order. Yes, I can see how that can be a wake-up call, but it depends up on one's age. A mid-life crisis is a "wake-up" call about one's own mortality. It's normal. A person who thinks they have anal cancer or serious heart issues in their 20s will be more likely to have a different reaction than someone in their 50s.

How old were you at the time?

I'm not going to give out specific personal data but I had a wife and family and otherwise had plenty of time left on the game clock, and I still do, I hope. No, I was not in my 20s so perhaps I don't qualify for whatever it is you have on your mind.

 

[Dutch Uncle]

I'm not going to give out specific personal data but I had a wife and family and otherwise had plenty of time left on the game clock, and I still do, I hope. No, I was not in my 20s so perhaps I don't qualify for whatever it is you have on your mind.

Fine. late-30s to early 40s. Good wake up call. A tad early for a mid-life crisis but close.

Mine was when I was a Junior in HS, had an accident resulting in an NDE. It was an experience so unique that I spent over the next decade trying to replicate it. I never could. Later I just accepted it. In the interim, I was also on a spiritual journey as a result.

 

[IBDaMann]

Mine was when I was a Junior in HS, had an accident resulting in an NDE.

My condolences on the accident, but congratulations on the experience. Now, I'll make the obligatory mention that most NDE's create illusory perceptions caused by vital signs and neuroelectrical activity that well outside normal, and not reproducible via drug use, hallucinogenic or otherwise. Regardless, you have the benefit of an experience that you really couldn't get any other way. Of course, you can't share the experience itself with anyone and only you get to determine how you interpret it.

So what changed for you, before vs. after? What did your spiritual journey entail?

If you could send a message back through time to an alternate version of yourself who did not have the NDE, what would you tell him?

 

[Dutch Uncle]

My condolences on the accident, but congratulations on the experience. Now, I'll make the obligatory mention that most NDE's create illusory perceptions caused by vital signs and neuroelectrical activity that well outside normal, and not reproducible via drug use, hallucinogenic or otherwise. Regardless, you have the benefit of an experience that you really couldn't get any other way. Of course, you can't share the experience itself with anyone and only you get to determine how you interpret it.

So what changed for you, before vs. after? What did your spiritual journey entail?

If you could send a message back through time to an alternate version of yourself who did not have the NDE, what would you tell him?

Of course, Sybil. You're an expert on everything. Too bad you are too far gone to realize that I researched it for over a decade and specialized in behavioral psychology as a result of the experience.

 

[IBDaMann]

Too bad you are too far gone to realize that I researched it for over a decade and specialized in behavioral psychology as a result of the experience.

I'm curious ... why did you feel the need to lash out at my appropriately labelled "obligatory mention" as an excuse to ignore the entire post?

So tell me, Terry, now that you have thrown your little temper tantrum and gotten spittle all over me, what part of my mention was inaccurate? Are you saying that NDEs don't create illusory perceptions? Is that what you are saying, dumbass? Are you saying that trauma does not somehow throw vital signs outside the norm? Is that what you are saying, dumbass? Are you saying that you were able to reproduce your experience with drug use? Is that your claim? Speak up. Did you really have to be a fucking crybaby?

OK, from now on we'll go with your ground rule: I am an expert in everything, so don't be giving me pushback, shit for brains. I think I got all of your spittle off me.

 

[Dutch Uncle]

I'm curious ... why did you feel the need to lash out at my appropriately labelled "obligatory mention" as an excuse to ignore the entire post?

So tell me, Terry, now that you have thrown your little temper tantrum and gotten spittle all over me, what part of my mention was inaccurate? Are you saying that NDEs don't create illusory perceptions? Is that what you are saying, dumbass? Are you saying that trauma does not somehow throw vital signs outside the norm? Is that what you are saying, dumbass? Are you saying that you were able to reproduce your experience with drug use? Is that your claim? Speak up. Did you really have to be a fucking crybaby?

OK, from now on we'll go with your ground rule: I am an expert in everything, so don't be giving me pushback, shit for brains. I think I got all of your spittle off me.

You forget, Sybil, I've been watching your little schizo show for almost three years now.

I don't take kindly to people lying to my face but since I believe you are a paranoid schizophrenic, I forgive you.

 

[IBDaMann]

You forget, Sybil, I've been watching your little schizo show for almost three years now.

Nope. You have only deluded yourself to that extent, Terry. You're good at doing that to yourself. You're good at wasting your own time on futile "spiritual journies" because it never occurred to you to just read the correct answer.

One thing that is clear is that you are terrified of me, and you know that you don't have the cognitive tools to deal with me in an open forum so you resort to the only thing you can think of in order to control me, i.e. call me a "sock". I haven't asked you lately, how is that working out for you? Have I been behaving better since you began calling me a "sock"? Would you recommend this technique to a friend?

I don't take kindly to people lying to my face ...

Would it help any if I were to tell you that I don't care about your preferences? Let's run through a few lies to your face:
Terry, black is white.
Terry, night is day.
Terry, Tomas Jefferson was a communist.
Terry, you are an absolute genius.

How are you holding up?

 

[Dutch Uncle]

Nope.

LOL

 

[Into Тhe Night]

Atheists does have their own beliefs with the same lack of evidence as theists.

I'm an atheist. I don't believe in any gods. How is that a belief system? Is your lack of faith in Zeus a belief system? That's like saying not collecting coins is a hobby.

 

[Into Тhe Night]

Oh, if only it were that easy. But it isn't. (SOME dictionaries define it that way; some do not.)

Atheists seem to spend most of their posting time...explaining what they mean when they use the "atheist" descriptor.

If it were as clear as you suppose, why would all that explaining be needed?

It's needed because you people constantly misrepresent atheism. My lack of faith in Zeus, Jesus, and the rest is not a belief system.

 

[Into Тhe Night]

Soviet and Chinese communism were based on the scientific materialism of Marx, which in practice included the promotion of scientific atheism and the repression of religion.

Cool. Whatever. But atheism is simply the lack of belief in deities. Does your atheism towards Zeus make you a commie? Of course not. It's absurd. So why would my atheism towards Yahweh make me a commie?

 

[Into Тhe Night]

and you're clearly IntoTheNight.

Oh. Now you're accusing me of being another user. You sure love believing things without evidence.

 

[Into Тhe Night]

Good luck with that! That will win you friends in high places

There are no gods, so don't worry.

 

[Dutch Uncle]

I'm an atheist. I don't believe in any gods. How is that a belief system? Is your lack of faith in Zeus a belief system? That's like saying not collecting coins is a hobby.

Key word "believe". You're accepting a premise on faith.

“Absence of proof is not proof of absence” - Dr. Carl Sagan

There is no evidence of life other than Earthlife. Do you believe there is life elsewhere? Even though there's no evidence? I do, but I have no proof.

The most logical position is agnostic: At this time there is no evidence or means of proving either position. Just a lot of questions.

Your posts and, especially, attacks on theists, proves you are more emotional than logical.

 

[Into Тhe Night]

Key word "believe". You're accepting a premise on faith.

“Absence of proof is not proof of absence” - Dr. Carl Sagan

There is no evidence of life other than Earthlife. Do you believe there is life elsewhere? Even though there's no evidence? I do, but I have no proof.

The most logical position is agnostic: At this time there is no evidence or means of proving either position. Just a lot of questions.

Your posts and, especially, attacks on theists, proves you are more emotional than logical.

There is difference between "believe" and "don't believe." You're so desperate to depict non-belief as a belief that you play these absurdly transparent word games with yourself.

And the funniest part? You're quoting Carl Sagan, an atheist who has said the same things I'm telling you. Have you ever read his books? Damn.

 

[Dutch Uncle]

There is difference between "believe" and "don't believe." You're so desperate to depict non-belief as a belief that you play these absurdly transparent word games with yourself.

And the funniest part? You're quoting Carl Sagan, an atheist who has said the same things I'm telling you. Have you ever read his books? Damn.

It's still accepting ideas based on faith, not evidence. Twist it all you like.

Yes, dear, I'm fully aware of Sagan's ideas and beliefs. I was a big fan of Cosmos back in the day and also of Dr. Sagan's fellow skeptic, Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson.

You strike me as a 30something who thinks he has all the answers. Amirite? The reason why I believe this is because your arguments are emotionally-based, not logically-based.