Lusting after him or her in your heart

[DavidFirth]

Perhaps I didn't state my point clearly enough. The assumption you make is that you are led by "The Word" or by God, or by Jesus to go out and spread this knowledge you say you have, to help others "see the light," and accept your version of "the truth." That is the goal, isn't it? If the message is so crystal clear, so important, and so undeniable in your eyes, and you have THE SUPPORT OF GOD HIMSELF, more powerful than any other being in the universe - then why is your message not more compelling? Why doesn't the support from God manifest in brilliant and amazing and utterly profound things being thought and said by you? Shouldn't He want to help you in your quest? Isn't that what so many Christians profess? Isn't it said thousands of times over by thousands of people that "You have no excuse, you do know the truth, I am telling it to you right now." - that you are the witnesses for God, and you the ones to whom he has entrusted the salvation of the rest of the world - because God doesn't show up himself, and people point this out to the Christian, and the Christian claims to be there in front of those people on God's behalf. And yet there is nothing compelling in what they have to say. They quote a book that they also tell you to read, and proclaim that the answers will come. I have read the book, and while it may contain some choice words and concepts, Christian's ideas themselves have nothing more going for them, and it is terribly obvious in their attempts to "witness".

"So far as I can remember, there is not one word in the Gospels in praise of intelligence." - Bertrand Russel

At various points in his life he considered himself a liberal, a socialist, and a pacifist, but he also admitted that he had "never been any of these things, in any profound sense."

Hmm. That's some prophet you trust in enough to quote. Very pious.

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

At various points in his life he considered himself a liberal, a socialist, and a pacifist, but he also admitted that he had "never been any of these things, in any profound sense."

Hmm. That's some prophet you trust in enough to quote. Very pious.

Only like the quote... couldn't care much less who said it. I was only giving proper attribution. You also just attacked the source of the quote without even addressing the content of the quote itself. A mass-murderer could have said it and it wouldn't make it any less true, or any less interesting an observation.

You follow a religious doctrine that seems to strictly avoid placing any importance on using one's intellect, and on top of that places front-and-center as "sin" the pursuit of knowledge (Eve and the forbidden fruit). And yet, you would also explicitly deny being categorized as an "ape", and likely point to your superior faculties of intellect to make the case as to why you should not be held in that same category. For without intellect, how does one even comprehend such abstract concepts as "soul", "spirituality" or "supernatural?" The simple fact is, you can't. And yet your belief system attempts to set intellect and knowledge aside and into the shadows. Why?

 

[DavidFirth]

Only like the quote... couldn't care much less who said it. I was only giving proper attribution. You also just attacked the source of the quote without even addressing the content of the quote itself. A mass-murderer could have said it and it wouldn't make it any less true, or any less interesting an observation.

You follow a religious doctrine that seems to strictly avoid placing any importance on using one's intellect, and on top of that places front-and-center as "sin" the pursuit of knowledge (Eve and the forbidden fruit). And yet, you would also explicitly deny being categorized as an "ape", and likely point to your superior faculties of intellect to make the case as to why you should not be held in that same category. For without intellect, how does one even comprehend such abstract concepts as "soul", "spirituality" or "supernatural?" The simple fact is, you can't. And yet your belief system attempts to set intellect and knowledge aside and into the shadows. Why?

We have intellect all right. Ever heard of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes or Psalms?

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

We have intellect all right. Ever heard of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes or Psalms?

Do those books praise intellect? Or do the writers of those books merely utilize their intellect to impress upon the reader the importance they expect them to place on faith?

Do we not inform our youth that getting a good education and applying oneself to the pursuit of knowledge and intellectual matters is a great key to success? And is that not a true statement? Is it a fault of the modern society that we praise intelligence, usage of the mind, keen insight, curious thinkers and innovation? Does God wish us to be these things: innovative, intelligent, knowledgeable, intuitive? If so, then why doesn't He give that idea mention in the book? Why doesn't he inform us that using our minds may help us prosper? Does He simply not care whether or not we use our minds as long as we prostrate ourselves before Him? Can you see why that doesn't sound very encouraging?

 

[DavidFirth]

Do those books praise intellect? Or do the writers of those books merely utilize their intellect to impress upon the reader the importance they expect them to place on faith?

Do we not inform our youth that getting a good education and applying oneself to the pursuit of knowledge and intellectual matters is a great key to success? And is that not a true statement? Is it a fault of the modern society that we praise intelligence, usage of the mind, keen insight, curious thinkers and innovation? Does God wish us to be these things: innovative, intelligent, knowledgeable, intuitive? If so, then why doesn't He give that idea mention in the book? Why doesn't he inform us that using our minds may help us prosper? Does He simply not care whether or not we use our minds as long as we prostrate ourselves before Him? Can you see why that doesn't sound very encouraging?

One reason why I gave you those books is so you can check them out. There is all kinds of wisdom to be found in Proverbs including child rearing, friendship, trust, etc.

 

[Furball]

Lust is biological, not spiritual.