The General Chat Thread (2016-2022)

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Lullabelle said:
One of the guys at work asked me if I had a good birthday, replied that I did thank you yes, another asked oh is it your birthday, replied that it was on the 12th-my 50th, young Marta replied '50? oh god jesus, that is old...yeah thanks for that :unsure:
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I'll never forget a few years ago when a well-meaning coworker emailed birthday wishes out to the whole company for someone, saying, "Hey everyone, today is Tami's 48th birthday! Wish her a good one when you see her today! She looks great for her age!"

🤦🏻‍♂️
 
Hemulen said:
^ A touching post. Btw, my husband belongs to the church but is practically an atheist. I' ve always thought he is a better person than me.

Burt, have I referred to Bible in any of my (previous) messages? Atheist, believer or something in the middle. It is a personal thing. My faith has very little to do with concepts taught by my Sunday school teacher or people showing off in white robes. I worked in a graveyard and crematorium as a teenager and noticed the hypocrisy and decay associated with the ecclesiastical institution. Not to mention the things one can read and hear about the Catholic church. Oh boy(s).

I totally agree. Selfish needs often guide human goals and behaviour.

One study (not proof of anything).

Do you have proof of no afterlife? The self-complacency of atheists and their paternal attitude towards little believers make me smile - but it doesn´t make me feel superior in any way. Atheists mock people who refuse to think their way. Believers do the same. It is an stupid battle that has been going on for ages. It isn´t fruitful but religion evokes feelings especially in people with emotional issues, like me.

It is an atheist´s right to have his/her point of view. It´s my right to believe in God and all the supernatural experiences I´ve encountered or heard of. And no, I´m not a clairvoyant or a diagnosed nutcase. I´m just complicated and need faith to comfort me because I hurt inside. Doesn't everybody - at some point? Spiritual comfort is a very common human need and probably dates to cavemen. It is conveyed by genes and memes and probably related to brain function. That's alright, as I wrote earlier. I have absolutely no proof of anything I believe in. I just can´t rationalize the birth of matter from nothingness - so I believe that someone (God, who also appeared from nothingness 🤔) - made it happen. I can´t understand life without some kind of causality. Christianity feels most natural as I was risen in a (nominally) Christian family in a Christian society. I studied all kinds of religions and e.g. Anthroposophy but other views didn´t resonate on any level. New Age is an absolute no-no to me.

...But hi! Isn't it a lovely day. Birds-a-hummin' and sun-a-shinin'.
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SOME atheists are obnoxious. I will not hesitate to voice my opinion, if asked or challenged, but I don't look down on my religious friends. I believe in MUTUAL respect. BTW, when you said atheism is a waste of time, I felt challenged, so I replied. I respect your faith, please respect my lack of faith.

I do mock people like my parents, who overlook Donald "grab em' by the p****" Trump's amoral behavior, but support him to get the Supreme court stacked with judges they like. That's hipocracy, IMO, and doesn't deserve my respect.

If I am at a gathering, and they pause for prayer, I bow my head, out of courtesy, even though I don't believe in gods.

As for causality, I am perfectly comfortable with not knowing things that aren't yet known to us. I've made my piece with the idea of no afterlife. Before I was born, I didn't exist for billions of years. When I die, I won't exist for billions more. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. I think it helps me value human life even more.

CD
 
TastyReuben said:
When MrsT's mom started getting worse with her dementia, that was exactly the advice of the doctors; just play along. No amount of pointing out the truth/facts will ever land and ultimately just causes more stress in the person who's afflicted.
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Constantly trying to correct my grandmother also caused my mom a lot of unnecessary stress.

CD
 
Ok, I'm on record as being atheist, but I'm really not even that. I'm whatever is even less than an atheist, meaning that thoughts around the existence/non-existence of a higher power, afterlife, etc are pretty much at the bottom of the list of things I give a crap about. They're not even on the list, AFAIC. :laugh:
 
Wouldn't life be boring if we were clones.

When Mormons, Jehova's wittnesses or hillibillie-Christians come to our door, I usually say "no thanks, we're not buying a vacuum cleaner".

I tend to generalise, provoke and exaggerate, sorry. Atheists are generally courageous people. Many (may) have battled against the windmill or undergone deep spiritual deliberation. Many are (maybe) maltreated by their communities or relatives. That may evoke justified aggression.

Humans are social animals with built-in social and mental operational models; ethical and moral guidelines and legal systems which do not require divine intervention.

As an ex-agnostic and a current Christian I believe that being omnipotent (and maybe lacking respect, love and/or companionship - aren't Christians told that they are God's living image -), God could have created only happy, non-suffering creatures to start with. ...But that would've been like children laughing without knowing what they're laughing at: mere senseless puppets. Instead, (maybe) God gave us relative freedom (self-cognition and an 'apple' aka knowledge) which lead to rebel and problems: "a-ha, we know things - and we're better than that fossil who says he has created us".

Maybe God didn't create sickness, suffering and misfortune but the possibility for them to emerge; the chance to grab the package and run. Possibly, to express His sense of responsibility, God lived a human life - and it is up to us to believe that or not. No deeds, no deep spiritual seeking, no esoteric ceremonies, no fasting or ecclesiastical contributions. Just faith.

As to Bible... To me, it is a metaphoric compilation of various myths, stories and changing cultural habits; telling the same core thing over and over by many mouths and dating back thousands of years. Some core Mandarin Chinese letters hold the same mythical stories as the Bible: Adam & Eve, Paradise, Devil (the serpent), the great flood, the arc etc.

Who am I to judge other people's belief systems? No-one. Who are they to judge mine? I just can't believe in everything emerging from nothing by nobody. Senses are fallible and dreams aren't real - but they exist.
 
Hemulen said:
"no thanks, we're not buying a vacuum cleaner".
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Back in the day I would challenge there hypocrisy "Is it true you believe everything is gods will" ( then refusing blood transfusions for joho kids who will die without one etc ) Yes ! I then ask is the house you own insured ? is the car you drove here in insured ? etc.
Hemulen said:
Who am I to judge other people's belief systems?
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I think the better question is who is god to judge people?
 
Burt Blank said:
I then ask is the house you own insured ? is the car you drove here in insured ? etc.
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I like a good quote whether I support what it says or not, and your statement reminded me of something Stephen Hawking said (paraphrasing):

"I can't help but notice that even people who believe in predestiny look both ways before they cross the street."

:laugh:
 
Hemulen preaches - once again.

As a new member of this forum I try to make myself known and get to know the members who are most active.

Christianity has an impact in most aspects of my life – sometimes even cooking. That's why I make my faith known. I´m sorry if it is annoying for some people. Feel free to skip my jargon.

On this cooking forum I feel safe. I wouldn´t speak about my faith if this forum were run by Pakistani administratives. I wouldn´t tell I hate their Mo or Al fan club either. Not that I do.

I respect other people and their views. Sometimes I even listen.

I reserve the right to keep my own views - and express them within given rules.

Mr Blank, don’t forget to write a letter to No-Santa FedExUPS. He might bring you this for Happy Holidays in December:

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Image: Etsy.com
 
Hemulen said:
Hemulen preaches - once again.

As a new member of this forum I try to make myself known and get to know the members who are most active.

Christianity has an impact in most aspects of my life – sometimes even cooking. That's why I make my faith known. I´m sorry if it is annoying for some people. Feel free to skip my jargon.

On this cooking forum I feel safe. I wouldn´t speak about my faith if this forum were run by Pakistani administratives. I wouldn´t tell I hate their Mo or Al fan club either. Not that I do.

I respect other people and their views. Sometimes I even listen.

I reserve the right to keep my own views - and express them within given rules.

Mr Blank, don’t forget to write a letter to No-Santa FedExUPS. He might bring you this for Happy Holidays in December:
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You should try living in Dallas, Texas, the "buckle of the Bible Belt," if you aren't a Christian. I have to really be careful around other people, here.

Oh, by the way, I say Merry Christmas. Or, to my friends I know are Jews, I say Happy Hanukah. But, nothing wrong with Happy Holidays, either. It joins Christmas, Hanukah, and New Years into one well wishing greeting.

CD
 
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