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I don’t remember how I responded to that before, but that might interest me. Can you give me an introduction or some examples of your thoughts about that?My purpose is essentially philosophical, trying to reconcile my own perceived Humanist ideals, and my understanding of human nature, with the religious impulses that others have. If that's of any interest, feel free to engage.
Jim said:One or more of these:
- A light that I see in science and in some religions, behind clouds of contending beliefs that hide it from people, and repel them from it.
- My ideas about the gospel of Jesus.
- A kind of love that I think the world needs.
- A kind of community life that I think the world needs, and that I want to practice and promote in online neighborhoods.
- Seeing through the smoke, dust and mirrors in forum debating, to see what people are thinking, as they see it.
- Usefulness of modeling our relationship with the world around us as a personal relationship with someone who created us for that purpose.
- Using Internet discussions to get ideas and encouragement from each other, for whatever good each of us is doing or hoping to do.
Similar to me. I followed Jesus' advice to judge the tree by its fruit. I applied it to the bible and the religions associated with the stories and found the fruit lacking. I felt the only way to remain loyal to Jesus was to follow another rule: if it causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.I gave up Christianity due to being hurt many times by the Christian community, by wolves in sheep's clothing.
Well, Jesus DOES say some men don't have balls and we should accept it. That's about as close to trans rights as we're going to get.Like for example, I wanted to get on female hormones because I didn't like myself the way it is... while the Bible doesn't say "Thou shall not change genders", I do think my problem stems from self-hatred, and some people can search answers elsewhere than Jesus/the Bible, but it becomes exhausting when one has to be their own God, so to speak.
It's my favorite story so far. It's got many of the same gists as the bible but is much better thought out.I've used this forum to help me think. I've used it to do Bible study on Genesis and Matthew. I was hoping to finish so that I could write a book but I'm not there yet...got "distracted" by the Mahabharata.
When I’ve probed into what people think they know, that they’re calling “science,” it always turns out to be what they’ve read or heard about the opinions of some undefined category of people that they call “scientists.” It might be mostly people with science degrees. It looks to me like they discount entirely the views of some scientists, and don’t make any distinctions in reliability between the others.TBH, True and provable science is fully supported by the Bible....but theoretical science, is based more on assumption and conjecture, than on provable facts. Large portions of evolutionary science are not based on any verifiable facts. Just because a scientist suggests a possibility, doesn't make it fact.
I haven’t done any research here on what people think that they know from their scriptures. Whenever I’ve probed into it offline, every person who has preached to me about what the Bible says, has refused, literally refused to read even one of the gospels all the way through, telling me reasons why they don’t need or want to do that. Now I’m curious, and I might want to do some research on where people get their ideas from, that they think are from their scriptures. I know that they have memorized some verses in isolation from their context, as proof of what they think, but where are they getting their ideas from, about what to think and which verses to use?OTOH, religious dogmatism regarding the Genesis account also raises problems when religion and science collide. Genesis does not necessarily support a "7 literal day" creation, forcing people to fly in the face of what science knows.
Part of what I see hiding the light, which I think is very different from what anyone means by “the truth,” is people focusing on beliefs associated with religions, and ignoring their stories, and the fellowship of people following the light, across all belief divides. Another part of what I see hiding the light is the rivalry across religious lines, and across lines that people draw between science and religion.These are the things that hide the truth from both sides because each have their specific dogma.
No.Do you see your ideas about the gospel of Jesus as different to what the scriptures teach?
I disagree, but however that may be, I test all my ideas about the gospel of Jesus against what He says about it in the gospels.The Bible is the only book that promotes the teachings of Jesus Christ ...
For me, all that does is substitute one ambiguous word in the place of another. I don’t know of any single word that a person could say, for me to know if they’re thinking of the same kind of love as the kind I’m thinking of. Part of what I’m thinking of is warm feelings and friendly intentions towards all people and all of nature. I see a possible approach to it in what people sometimes call “communing with nature.”That's easy....."agape" is the most important kind of love promoted in the Bible. Understanding what it is and what it means in its expression is vital.......because only then can humans implement it in a real way.
Maybe for some people, but not for others. I’m a witness. My concept of community has been growing better and stronger most of my life, and I’m seeing it actually happening more and better, year after year, in an ever-increasing number of neighborhoods and villages all around the world.The concept of "Community" is dying ...
It looks to me like in governments and other institutions at all levels, other interests come ahead of solving the problems, but even with the best intentions there’s nothing they can do to stop the cruelty and violence until the love grows and spreads enough to overpower it.Global problems need global solutions......no humans in power have the answer, because they do not possess the means or the will to make a difference even in their own nations ...
I think that He’s letting us help, like He always does, as part of our personal relationship with Him. I think that anyone who wants to can be part of the solution.... but God long foretold a return to the way he meant humans to live. BUT....it will be accomplished by him, not us. It will mean removing all impediments that are currently in the way. (Daniel 2:44)
I see a lot more that anyone can do who wants to.At the end of the day, all we can do on Internet forums is to post an opinion and see who might agree.
It looks to me like sometimes people fool themselves however much they need to, to feel welcome in some social circle.I believe that is because it's ingrained in the human psyche to desire acceptance from others and to be part of a large number of like minded people in order to feel secure in our position.
I’m not depending on humans to do it. I’m depending on God to do it. I see Him telling us how we can help if we want to, as part of our personal relationship with Him.I see your vision of the future, depending on humans to bring about "God's will on earth as it is in heaven" as something unattainable for us.
Yes.Increasing lawlessness creates an atmosphere of distrust....the very thing that kills love. Trust is what fosters love.
I see much more that anyone can do who wants to, besides that, for that to be fruitful and beneficial.All we can give is our view.
I’ll tell what I’ve said to others. If ever you would like to have some people to talk to about what you’re doing, I’m volunteering to be one of them.Do I have a purpose? I guess so. I like talking to different kinds of people ...
When I’ve probed into what people think they know, that they’re calling “science,” it always turns out to be what they’ve read or heard about the opinions of some undefined category of people that they call “scientists.” It might be mostly people with science degrees. It looks to me like they discount entirely the views of some scientists, and don’t make any distinctions in reliability between the others.
I haven’t done any research here on what people think that they know from their scriptures. Whenever I’ve probed into it offline, every person who has preached to me about what the Bible says, has refused, literally refused to read even one of the gospels all the way through, telling me reasons why they don’t need or want to do that. Now I’m curious, and I might want to do some research on where people get their ideas from, that they think are from their scriptures. I know that they have memorized some verses in isolation from their context, as proof of what they think, but where are they getting their ideas from, about what to think and which verses to use?
Part of what I see hiding the light, which I think is very different from what anyone means by “the truth,” is people focusing on beliefs associated with religions, and ignoring their stories, and the fellowship of people following the light, across all belief divides. Another part of what I see hiding the light is the rivalry across religious lines, and across lines that people draw between science and religion.
No.
I disagree, but however that may be, I test all my ideas about the gospel of Jesus against what He says about it in the gospels.
For me, all that does is substitute one ambiguous word in the place of another. I don’t know of any single word that a person could say, for me to know if they’re thinking of the same kind of love as the kind I’m thinking of. Part of what I’m thinking of is warm feelings and friendly intentions towards all people and all of nature. I see a possible approach to it in what people sometimes call “communing with nature.”
Maybe for some people, but not for others. I’m a witness. My concept of community has been growing better and stronger most of my life, and I’m seeing it actually happening more and better, year after year, in an ever-increasing number of neighborhoods and villages all around the world.
It looks to me like in governments and other institutions at all levels, other interests come ahead of solving the problems, but even with the best intentions there’s nothing they can do to stop the cruelty and violence until the love grows and spreads enough to overpower it.
I think that He’s letting us help, like He always does, as part of our personal relationship with Him. I think that anyone who wants to can be part of the solution.
I see a lot more that anyone can do who wants to.
It looks to me like sometimes people fool themselves however much they need to, to feel welcome in some social circle.
I’m not depending on humans to do it. I’m depending on God to do it. I see Him telling us how we can help if we want to, as part of our personal relationship with Him.
Yes.
I see much more that anyone can do who wants to, besides that, for that to be fruitful and beneficial.
There might be as much divergence between the views of different Baha’is about that, as there is in all the rest of society. For my views about it, see this thread:What do Baha'i's think God's Kingdom is, and what do you personally think it is?
There might be as much divergence between the views of different Baha’is about that, as there is in all the rest of society. For my views about it, see this thread:
Looking for volunteers for me to talk to about the gospel of Jesus
I’m looking for volunteers for me to talk to about what I think about the gospel of Jesus.
Jesus calls His gospel the “gospel of the kingdom,” the kingdom that He calls the “kingdom of God” and the “kingdom of heaven.” He uses analogies to describe it, for example:
- like a net cast into the sea, and some things it gathered were put into vessels and others thrown away.
- like a king who, when the people he invited to his son’s wedding refused to go, brought in people from the highways.
- like a man who sold everything he has to buy a field where he found a treasure.
- like a merchant with a collection of pearls who sold them all to buy one.
I won’t list all the analogies. Jesus says that people can enter that kingdom by following Him.
That’s it. That’s what I think about the gospel of Jesus. I’m hoping that there will be some comments and questions.
@Deeje If you want to discuss the gospel of Jesus or the kingdom of heaven, I would rather do it in the other thread.
Oh, looking in the mirror and bowing to your own reflection!
OK.
It's my favorite story so far. It's got many of the same gists as the bible but is much better thought out.
If you mean what I think you mean by “scientific findings,” that is not part of the light in science that I’m thinking of. It’s part of the clouds that I think are hiding the light from people, and repelling them away from it.OK.
“- A light that I see in science and in some religions, behind clouds of contending beliefs that hide it from people, and repel them from it.”
What do you believe is a method by which more people in general, as well as less scientifically inclined and more religiously/mythologically inclined persons can be more readily taught about scientific findings; even when those findings conflict with the person’s own religious teachings?
My aim in this forum is to demonstrate that the separations or divisions between so-called religions are artificial and that we should rather focuss on what people or their spiritual or religious cults put into actual practice.I’m looking for people who have some aim or purpose in posting about religious or anti-religious topics in these forums, that you might possibly be willing to discuss with me. I’m not saying that anyone should, just asking, because that would interest me.
I thought about this some more, and the first thought that came to me was for people to stop defaming science by dragging its name through the mud of factional feuding.OK.
“- A light that I see in science and in some religions, behind clouds of contending beliefs that hide it from people, and repel them from it.”
What do you believe is a method by which more people in general, as well as less scientifically inclined and more religiously/mythologically inclined persons can be more readily taught about scientific findings; even when those findings conflict with the person’s own religious teachings?