Appalachian Trl. an 'amazing opportunity' for witness - BP News

[Roughin' It]

So if some klansman wants to spew their racist garbage to you - is that just 'talking'. I'm guessing you will tell them 'no thank you' with extreme predjudice.

Yes, it is just talking. It doesn't matter if it is a preacher, a klansman, a muslim, or a freaking Red Sox fan. If you happened to hate the Red Sox, and some random guy came up to you one day and talked about how awesome the Red Sox were, go ahead and tell him you don't care about them, and be on your way... was I arguing that it's wrong to say No? I'm pretty sure I wasn't. I don't understand why people get all bent out of shape about this stuff... including you.

The only reason I chimed in on this circular thread was because you didn't understand what one man was saying.

[Rockhound]

I'd say (politely!) you had it backwards. Believing that someday you would face your God and be judged on your actions in this world would (should) instill a greater reverence and respect for life in this world. Not believing in a final judgement would cause some to not care what is coming (if anything) in the next world and would act accordingly with no regard for anyone or anything else, other than their own wants and desires.

My faith is mine to share if you ask. Politely ask me to stop and I will. I'll do the same and expect the same respect. I'm too full of questions about the way this world works to be dogmatic about my faith anyway.

"With or without religion good people will do good things and evil people will do evil things...but for good people to do evil things, that takes religion" --Weinberg. To be a good Christian I have been told one must be god fearing. Amazing what a motivator fear can be. Can get people to kill their friends, family, complete strangers. People have been killing each other over religious beliefs since religion has existed. If I am damned to hell so be it but my conscience and will not let me subscribe to any religion that views this as acceptable behavior.

[JAK]

I doubt that you could be that objective if someone said something that effected you closer to your heart. What if your daughter or mother had been the victim of clan violence? It is not always easy to remain objective. It is not always virtuous either.

[Lone Wolf]

I don't understand why people get all bent out of shape about this stuff... including you.

cuz they fear what they don't understand. the ones that squawk the most on this thread are the ones that are very confused

[JAK]

"With or without religion good people will do good things and evil people will do evil things...but for good people to do evil things, that takes religion" --Weinberg. To be a good Christian I have been told one must be god fearing. Amazing what a motivator fear can be. Can get people to kill their friends, family, complete strangers. People have been killing each other over religious beliefs since religion has existed. If I am damned to hell so be it but my conscience and will not let me subscribe to any religion that views this as acceptable behavior.

Fear has more than one meaning. Also, words can carry more than one meaning at one time, just as brains should be capable of believing two conflicting ideas at the same time. We need to strive towards ironic understanding.

Honour Thy Mother and Thy Father. Fear the Land. Consider the End.

[JAK]

cuz they fear what they don't understand. the ones that squawk the most on this thread are the ones that are very confused

Well said, as always.

[full conditions]

cuz they fear what they don't understand. the ones that squawk the most on this thread are the ones that are very confused

You are absolutely correct. I do not, for the life of me, understand why people, who in all other aspects are capable of making evidenciary based descisions, would embrace a belief system that commands the killing of witches, gay men, eaters of pork, or unruly sons. And no JAK, that's not a metaphore, those are outright commands. May I just as rightly state that you reject Woden, Zeus, and the Flying Spaghetti Monster, because you are confused. We're all atheists. I just take it one god further.

[JAK]

Well, perhaps for the sake of your belief, they are outright commands.
But, perhaps for the sake of my belief, they are metaphors.

When they were originally written, maybe they were commands. When they were compiled into the Old Testament, or dropped into the motel bedside table, maybe they were only intended as metaphors.

Suit yourself.

[JAK]

Who said I rejected Zeus? lol

[JAK]

I already quoted "Lord Frith", what more do you want? lol

[berkshirebirder]

We're all atheists.

I DO believe in the Red Sox, however.

[JAK]

I think its been a good thread. We shouldn't spoil it by getting too upset about it.
It lead me down alot of interesting new paths. Thanks everyone. Please carry on.

If I find any more particularly good quotes, I will try to keep them to myself.

[full conditions]

Who said I rejected Zeus? lol

That part was intended for wolf boy.

[full conditions]

I DO believe in the Red Sox, however.

Try prayer. Maybe god is a Sox fan.

[JAK]

Long ago, the great Frith made the world. He made all the stars, and the Earth lived among the stars. He made all the animals and birds, and at first, he made them all the same. Now, among the animals in these days was El-Ahrairah, the prince of rabbits. He had many friends, and they all ate grass together. But after a time, the rabbits wandered everywhere, multiplying and eating as they went. Then Frith said to El-Ahrairah, 'Prince Rabbit, if you cannot control your people, I shall find ways to control them.' But El-Ahrairah would not listen. He said to Frith, 'My people are the strongest in the world.' This angered Frith, and he determined to get the better of El-Ahrairah. And so, he gave a present to every animal and bird, making each one different from the rest. When the fox came, and others, like the dog, and cat, hawk, and weasel, to each of them, Frith gave a fierce desire to hunt and kill the children of El-Ahrairah.

All the world will be your enemy, Prince of a Thousand enemies. And when they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you; digger, listener, runner, Prince with a swift warren. Be cunning, and full of tricks, and your people will never be destroyed.

[Jester2000]

cuz they fear what they don't understand. the ones that squawk the most on this thread are the ones that are very confused

I fear what other people understand. I am very confused, but I'm fine with that.

[WalkSoftly33]

I'd say (politely!) you had it backwards. Believing that someday you would face your God and be judged on your actions in this world would (should) instill a greater reverence and respect for life in this world. Not believing in a final judgement would cause some to not care what is coming (if anything) in the next world and would act accordingly with no regard for anyone or anything else, other than their own wants and desires.

My faith is mine to share if you ask. Politely ask me to stop and I will. I'll do the same and expect the same respect. I'm too full of questions about the way this world works to be dogmatic about my faith anyway.

I agree with you. I respect what you believe.

And I would like to clarify my previous statement. Each of the examples I mentioned gives value to an individuals life. I did not say a person who beleives in God does not value this life. I was only stating things on the positive side of things. (I apoligize I did not state that) Negative examples can be given for individuals who believe in a God or not beleive in a god.

If you think of life as a commodity in terms of value, when there is more of something it holds less value comparitively to when there is less of it.

Theoretically take two individuals who lived the exact same life, down to the atom. One individual died and went on to live forever. The other individual died, and that was it. Whos life held more value? I think its a matter of perspective. From the outside (other people) there impact on this world was identical (presume it was positive). So then look at it from the individuals perspective. One beleived if he lived as he did and died he would go on to heaven and be with others that lived before him (loved ones). The other beleived he would live, spend time with others (loved ones) and then die. Who looked at there time now with loved ones with more value?

(Also positive and negative are subjective and from an individual perspective. But I think you know what I mean when I say positive.)

Listening to others beleifs and witnessing there choices shapes our own. How can respect not be shared.

[JAK]

Faith is a leap into absurdity, but a neccessary one.
Lack of faith leads only to oblivion, but oblivion is what you make it.

Two sides of the same coin.

[Rockhound]

cuz they fear what they don't understand. the ones that squawk the most on this thread are the ones that are very confused

Confusion beats delusion. I am very secure in saying "I don't know". Nothing wrong with that. Certainty, on the other hand can be a scary thing. When one person is delusional they call him insane. When many people are delusional they call it religion.

[WalkSoftly33]

Faith is a leap into absurdity, but a neccessary one.
Lack of faith leads only to oblivion, but oblivion is what you make it.

Two sides of the same coin.

Faith is always needed even in such endevours as science "the arch rival of faith based religion"

Before there is a Scientific Law (Facts) there is a theory, before that there is a hypothesis or an idea, but even before that there is faith. Many ideas that are now accepted as fact orignated before they could be proven or theorized accuratly. Drawing scheptisim from an established authoritative community. It begins with an individual or small group having "faith" that they are correct in there belief about said thingamajig you could even say they "take a leap of faith". (if you say "take a leap of faith" in a slow mo Mike Myers, Austin Powers way its quite enjoyable, come to think of it any statement is)

If you think about our position in the universe it takes faith just to begin comprehending the vastness, we are so small we could define "oblivion". It is what we make off it...who wants a beer! Lets drink to posterity!