AT-AT the pinata

[Dan From Smithville]

Life drives me crazy sometimes as I keep thinking, "What if I have to learn the truth in this life, and if I don't, I won't have an afterlife or will have a very very bad one?" Then you start thinking how in life, you are running out of time all the time to figure things out, your clock is ticking to figure out the universe's and religion's mysteries. You fight to hold on knowing the end and what will happen, and you just need reassurance that eventually, it's okay to give up.

I am a fan of Dylan Thomas and cleave to the idea of not going gentle into that good night. I may not be much, but I intend to fight for it to the end. In the meantime, I plan to learn as much as I can about this crazy life. I am not sure if I will learn the truth, but maybe a truth or a part of a truth. That may be good enough. I think it may be more important how you look for the truth and how you treat others around you along the way. That might be some pretty good truth in the end.

 

[siti]

most people translate ehyeh asher ehyeh as "I AM that I AM" - I interpret it as "I shall become whatever I shall become" (Exodus 3:14).

... or better still - and somewhat closer to my conception of deity - "I am always in the process of becoming whatever it is I am in the process of becoming" - and you can't name that - names - "Yahweh", "Roseberyl" even "God" - are placeholders for the indescribable "nature of nature" - the name that can't be named - does that make me Taoist?

 

[PoetPhilosopher]

There has been something bothering me. It's, I cannot be certain Christianity isn't correct. In fact, when I've reached out to God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit before, I may have felt something. But I have tried to be Christian before... I can't. The last time I tried, I was slowly learning the Bible and Christian doctrines. I couldn't do it. The ideas were too different than my personal worldview, and I ended up lieing to myself. Yet I feel one of the best Christian doctrines is regarding their views on heaven. It's like I want to go to heaven, but I don't want to buy the 1 million dollar ticket needed to get there, figuratively speaking.

 

[siti]

There has been something bothering me. It's, I cannot be certain Christianity isn't correct. In fact, when I've reached out to God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit before, I may have felt something. But I have tried to be Christian before... I can't. The last time I tried, I was slowly learning the Bible and Christian doctrines. I couldn't do it. The ideas were too different than my personal worldview, and I ended up lieing to myself. Yet I feel one of the best Christian doctrines is regarding their views on heaven. It's like I want to go to heaven, but I don't want to buy the 1 million dollar ticket needed to get there, figuratively speaking.

I don't have that problem, I have never really wanted to go to heaven and now I am thoroughly convinced I will not be going to heaven - and most of my Christian friends seem to agree!

 

[PoetPhilosopher]

I don't have that problem, I have never really wanted to go to heaven and now I am thoroughly convinced I will not be going to heaven - and most of my Christian friends seem to agree!

That's interesting.

I must be careful in stating I'm as mentally well as I've probably been in 9 year, still not perfect, and wouldn't harm myself, before I say what I'm about to say: I have been strongly focused on religion since age 13. I haven't been able to stop. Like Christians, I don't really feel this world is my kingdom. All I have is my dreams to keep me warm. If you have ever heard the term "There's no rest for the wicked", well I must be wicked, because my mind is often at deep thought and doesn't stop. If God ever came to me and asked, "What is it you want?", I'd just say "By all means, I want to skip death and go with you. I'm cool with it." and I'd take my chances.

 

[dybmh]

Why Raspberyl matters to me is I feel she demonstrates the concept of Yin & Yang better than an Abrahamic picture of God:

You are correct. The version of God that is the focus of worship, and that is speaking in the old testament is strict, and seems imbalanced. This imbalance is also the focus of most of the criticism.

The softer side of God in Abrahamic religions is more discrete. But it's there. It exists in the way it is practiced. The people are the softer side of God.

 

[Shad]

I am disappointed in the misleading thread title. I expected this

 

[Shakazuluuuuu]

An interesting aspect of my worldview is that I value constructive criticism to a pretty great extent as part of my beliefs. So for those who have seen enough of my posts to feel like they "know" me, what are some things you think I should work on? I ESPECIALLY want to know in regard to religious and philosophical beliefs and mentality. I'll list some obvious ones, though you can expand on them:

1. I need to focus on creating less threads and on posting content on other people's threads in the form of replies. Which is kind of ironic considering this is a new thread itself, but yeah. I will start this now.

2. I think my humor is sometimes too much of Blue Humor.

3. I'm continuing to work to be a bit less self-centered and improve my writing style.

There are also a couple of subjects I may never come to full grips with such as:

1. Accepting that there is such a thing as more than credible Conservative Christian critical thinkers as admittedly, sometimes it seems like an oxymoron to me.

2. Loving belief systems based on seniority if it is not shown how said seniority has impacted the world in a positive way.

~I hope the staff allows this topic as I think I'm ready and thick-skinned enough to handle it.

@dybmh Feel free to take a swing.

What religion is, is simply the backstop to some, a net to others, and a super savior to those that believe. How that works out is up to you.

I will just say that there is something that is more the sum of its parts that obliterates every other demon that you may have.

 

[Thief]

An interesting aspect of my worldview is that I value constructive criticism to a pretty great extent as part of my beliefs. So for those who have seen enough of my posts to feel like they "know" me, what are some things you think I should work on? I ESPECIALLY want to know in regard to religious and philosophical beliefs and mentality. I'll list some obvious ones, though you can expand on them:

1. I need to focus on creating less threads and on posting content on other people's threads in the form of replies. Which is kind of ironic considering this is a new thread itself, but yeah. I will start this now.

2. I think my humor is sometimes too much of Blue Humor.

3. I'm continuing to work to be a bit less self-centered and improve my writing style.

There are also a couple of subjects I may never come to full grips with such as:

1. Accepting that there is such a thing as more than credible Conservative Christian critical thinkers as admittedly, sometimes it seems like an oxymoron to me.

2. Loving belief systems based on seniority if it is not shown how said seniority has impacted the world in a positive way.

~I hope the staff allows this topic as I think I'm ready and thick-skinned enough to handle it.

@dybmh Feel free to take a swing.

I don't know......coming from a guy that wears his heart on his avatar.....

?????