I don't believe in God

PJ_Soul

mcgruff10 said:

gimmesometruth27 said:

i am a man of science. belief in god and belief in science cannot co-exist in my brain. 

I am catholic and absolutely believe in science.  I look at myself as a very liberal catholic, meaning I am pro-choice, pro-gay marriage, women should be way more involved with the church, priests and nuns should marry, the bible is a book of stories and not fact, etc.  So both science and god co-exist in my head rather nicely.

So what exactly makes you Catholic? Serious question. It seems like most of your beliefs are anti-Catholic, so I don't really get how you consider yourself to be such.
EDIT: never mind, I see rgambs already asked and it was already answered - you're not Catholic after all.  

PJ_Soul

cincybearcat said:

Well my step father (truly a great man) passed away this morning. So I don’t know what is real and what isn’t but I sure hope his and my mom’s faith is what is reality. I sure hope there is more than this simple life. And if there isn’t, I’m happy I got to have him as my step dad from high school on.

Oh no, I'm so sorry cincy. All the best to you and your family.

RYME

RYME said:

RYME said:

cincybearcat said:

Well my step father (truly a great man) passed away this morning. So I don’t know what is real and what isn’t but I sure hope his and my mom’s faith is what is reality. I sure hope there is more than this simple life. And if there isn’t, I’m happy I got to have him as my step dad from high school on..

Hey Cincybearcat,
I'm sorry for your loss. 
I've got good news for you.  Your stepfather is not gone.  Some people are going to disagree with me here and that's fine.  Be that as it may.
I like to direct people to Ecclesiastes chapter 12 when they lose a loved one. The first 5 verses pertain to the aging process the .(the eyes go bad, become hard of hearing, passions run low) Versus 6 and & 7 have to do with the passing on process.  When we die, our flesh body goes back to dirt.  Don't need it anymore. 
Our Spirit bodies do not age.  Spirit bodies are in corruptible meaning they don't get sick they don't age & they don't get old and break down like we do when we're in the flesh.  So when the flesh body dies,
Your spirit/soul goes back to the Father who gave it.  So if you have other friends or relatives loved ones who have passed on, it's nice to know that they're not out here in a cold hole in the ground they are with God the Father.  This is not a fairytale.  Heaven is a parallel Dimension that we cannot see when we are in the flesh.  So it is good to know that they are not gone and that when you pass on you will surely see them again.  Ecclesiastes vs 1-5 pertain to the aging process, 6 and 7 is about anyone doesn't matter what age passing on.  (When the silver cord is loosed). (That's referring to your soul)
So he just passed on this morning that means you'll probably have a visitation and a funeral in the coming days.  Let it be a time to celebrate his life and remember what he meant to you.  It is completely normal and good to mourn.  But knowing where he is and that you will see him again should be comforting to you.
So go in peace Cincinnati Bearcat.  Read this here Ecclesiastes chapter 12 I hope it helps you.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+12&version=KJV

I was just hoping Cincy saw this post.

cincybearcat

RYME said:

RYME said:

RYME said:

cincybearcat said:

Well my step father (truly a great man) passed away this morning. So I don’t know what is real and what isn’t but I sure hope his and my mom’s faith is what is reality. I sure hope there is more than this simple life. And if there isn’t, I’m happy I got to have him as my step dad from high school on..

Hey Cincybearcat,
I'm sorry for your loss. 
I've got good news for you.  Your stepfather is not gone.  Some people are going to disagree with me here and that's fine.  Be that as it may.
I like to direct people to Ecclesiastes chapter 12 when they lose a loved one. The first 5 verses pertain to the aging process the .(the eyes go bad, become hard of hearing, passions run low) Versus 6 and & 7 have to do with the passing on process.  When we die, our flesh body goes back to dirt.  Don't need it anymore. 
Our Spirit bodies do not age.  Spirit bodies are in corruptible meaning they don't get sick they don't age & they don't get old and break down like we do when we're in the flesh.  So when the flesh body dies,
Your spirit/soul goes back to the Father who gave it.  So if you have other friends or relatives loved ones who have passed on, it's nice to know that they're not out here in a cold hole in the ground they are with God the Father.  This is not a fairytale.  Heaven is a parallel Dimension that we cannot see when we are in the flesh.  So it is good to know that they are not gone and that when you pass on you will surely see them again.  Ecclesiastes vs 1-5 pertain to the aging process, 6 and 7 is about anyone doesn't matter what age passing on.  (When the silver cord is loosed). (That's referring to your soul)
So he just passed on this morning that means you'll probably have a visitation and a funeral in the coming days.  Let it be a time to celebrate his life and remember what he meant to you.  It is completely normal and good to mourn.  But knowing where he is and that you will see him again should be comforting to you.
So go in peace Cincinnati Bearcat.  Read this here Ecclesiastes chapter 12 I hope it helps you.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+12&version=KJV

I was just hoping Cincy saw this post.

I did.  Thank you. 

And thanks to all.  This has been a shitty January.

Thoughts_Arrive

I believe in the hawk.

Thirty Bills Unpaid

Does anyone remember this incident? And the scandal that led to this creep in prison where he met his fate?

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/24/us/abusive-ex-priest-is-killed-in-prison.html

The Massachusetts attorney general released a report [...] saying that at least 789 children and probably more than 1,000 have been sexually abused by 250 priests and other church workers in the Archdiocese of Boston since 1940.

This was just in the Massachusetts area. Everywhere else in the world, throughout time, organized religion has been a feast for pedophiles. For example, the number of Indian children sexually abused at reservation schools in Canada by priests is immeasurable- to the point where an entire culture was socially and emotionally crippled.

It's one thing to have such systematic abuse firmly entrenched in the fabric of the religious experience... it's another for figureheads to cover the abuses up and do nothing about them: '"Abusive priests were not news particularly,'' said David Clohessy, national director of Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests. ''But with Geoghan, for the first time ever there was undeniable evidence that bishop after bishop after bishop knew and did virtually nothing.'' 

the Geoghan revelations showed the extent of the archdiocese's actions regarding abusive priests. They became clear when a judge ordered it to release files in abuse lawsuits in January 2002. And as the scandal began growing in Boston, scrutiny of dioceses around the country turned up similar accusations of cover-ups and led to the suspension of more than 300 priests.

So yeah... pretty tough to buy in.

Thoughts_Arrive

I wonder why sexual abuse is so common in the Catholic church?
Are priests drawn to the church because of their sexual attraction to children or does being forced to be celibate warp them?

Gern Blansten

Thoughts_Arrive said:

I wonder why sexual abuse is so common in the Catholic church?
Are priests drawn to the church because of their sexual attraction to children or does being forced to be celibate warp them?

It seems like I read that it relates more to human nature and psyche.  These young men go into priesthood at the height of their sexual being yet they can't exercise the natural feelings they have.  They prey on what is available.

There was a real good documentary on Netflix about a priest that abused a nun and ending up killing her.  Church covered that up too.

HughFreakingDillon

Thoughts_Arrive said:

I wonder why sexual abuse is so common in the Catholic church?
Are priests drawn to the church because of their sexual attraction to children or does being forced to be celibate warp them?

a lawyer friend of mine told me that, by definition, true pedophiles are incredibly rare. child sexual abuse is almost always a result of being a crime of opportunity, hence the priest thing. I was shocked, but his lawyer wife confirmed this. 

even flow - question mark

Thoughts_Arrive said:

I wonder why sexual abuse is so common in the Catholic church?
Are priests drawn to the church because of their sexual attraction to children or does being forced to be celibate warp them?

When you have the stories from 12 guys who followed one dudes motives, well that could have been a homo party right there. The catholic church is no different from other religions that have you marrying your first cousin when she probably has bled for the first time in her life if you're lucky. You could dump on all races and religions for this.

Anyway...............Did Adam and Eve have belly buttons? That is a more pressing question about religion.

Thirty Bills Unpaid

even flow - question mark said:

Thoughts_Arrive said:

I wonder why sexual abuse is so common in the Catholic church?
Are priests drawn to the church because of their sexual attraction to children or does being forced to be celibate warp them?

When you have the stories from 12 guys who followed one dudes motives, well that could have been a homo party right there. The catholic church is no different from other religions that have you marrying your first cousin when she probably has bled for the first time in her life if you're lucky. You could dump on all races and religions for this.

Anyway...............Did Adam and Eve have belly buttons? That is a more pressing question about religion.

So in other words... "Let's not talk about it."

Are you trying to deflect? Or are you trying to minimize? Either is a time tested tactic organized religion uses frequently to cover up their messy situations.

The whole point to offering the piece on the Massachusetts' localized experience (I stress localized because the problem is far more profound than one area of the planet) was to illustrate how religion is exploitive. Specifically Christianity- the thread is 'God'... not Buddha or Allah.

It's a wonderful story to believe in and a hard one to shrug off when it is instilled in you as a child, but if one is objective and looks at the situation for what it is... I'm sorry to say it is a sham of epic proportions. It doesn't stand to reason, it has proven to be corrupt, and in many cases... it has proven to be vile. Ultimately, it's an industry after your money or your services. And if not your money or your services... then in some cases your children. It's a big price to pay for hope.

I'm repeating myself, but I once believed in God as much as anyone as a child. I felt him there residing over me and I tried my best to keep him happy. When I began to question... the 'just believe' responses simply didn't work for me. As an early teen... the fog lifted and I could see the situation much more clearly. It wasn't an easy break- I was psychologically dependent on the big feller. The power of the mind is huge.   

brianlux

even flow - question mark said:

Thoughts_Arrive said:

I wonder why sexual abuse is so common in the Catholic church?
Are priests drawn to the church because of their sexual attraction to children or does being forced to be celibate warp them?

When you have the stories from 12 guys who followed one dudes motives, well that could have been a homo party right there. The catholic church is no different from other religions that have you marrying your first cousin when she probably has bled for the first time in her life if you're lucky. You could dump on all races and religions for this.

Anyway...............Did Adam and Eve have belly buttons? That is a more pressing question about religion.

"homo"?  What, wait, did you really say "homo"? 

even flow - question mark

Thirty Bills Unpaid said:

even flow - question mark said:

Thoughts_Arrive said:

I wonder why sexual abuse is so common in the Catholic church?
Are priests drawn to the church because of their sexual attraction to children or does being forced to be celibate warp them?

When you have the stories from 12 guys who followed one dudes motives, well that could have been a homo party right there. The catholic church is no different from other religions that have you marrying your first cousin when she probably has bled for the first time in her life if you're lucky. You could dump on all races and religions for this.

Anyway...............Did Adam and Eve have belly buttons? That is a more pressing question about religion.

So in other words... "Let's not talk about it."

Are you trying to deflect? Or are you trying to minimize? Either is a time tested tactic organized religion uses frequently to cover up their messy situations.

The whole point to offering the piece on the Massachusetts' localized experience (I stress localized because the problem is far more profound than one area of the planet) was to illustrate how religion is exploitive. Specifically Christianity- the thread is 'God'... not Buddha or Allah.

It's a wonderful story to believe in and a hard one to shrug off when it is instilled in you as a child, but if one is objective and looks at the situation for what it is... I'm sorry to say it is a sham of epic proportions. It doesn't stand to reason, it has proven to be corrupt, and in many cases... it has proven to be vile. Ultimately, it's an industry after your money or your services. And if not your money or your services... then in some cases your children. It's a big price to pay for hope.

I'm repeating myself, but I once believed in God as much as anyone as a child. I felt him there residing over me and I tried my best to keep him happy. When I began to question... the 'just believe' responses simply didn't work for me. As an early teen... the fog lifted and I could see the situation much more clearly. It wasn't an easy break- I was psychologically dependent on the big feller. The power of the mind is huge.   

Don't dump on me brother. I don't believe in religion or a god. I know that the Catholic church is bad.

Would you think about marrying your 12 year old cousin? It is just a point I was making.

And Brian. PC is garbage. And I call it as I see it. Period.

Thirty Bills Unpaid

Any culture promoting the marriage of 12 year old girls.., especially cousins... can be flushed in my mind.

HughFreakingDillon

brianlux said:

even flow - question mark said:

Thoughts_Arrive said:

I wonder why sexual abuse is so common in the Catholic church?
Are priests drawn to the church because of their sexual attraction to children or does being forced to be celibate warp them?

When you have the stories from 12 guys who followed one dudes motives, well that could have been a homo party right there. The catholic church is no different from other religions that have you marrying your first cousin when she probably has bled for the first time in her life if you're lucky. You could dump on all races and religions for this.

Anyway...............Did Adam and Eve have belly buttons? That is a more pressing question about religion.

"homo"?  What, wait, did you really say "homo"? 

what's the difference between saying "homo" or "hetero"? if you call someone a homo in a derogatory way, sure, but just saying it in this context I don't find offensive. 

brianlux

HughFreakingDillon said:

brianlux said:

even flow - question mark said:

Thoughts_Arrive said:

I wonder why sexual abuse is so common in the Catholic church?
Are priests drawn to the church because of their sexual attraction to children or does being forced to be celibate warp them?

When you have the stories from 12 guys who followed one dudes motives, well that could have been a homo party right there. The catholic church is no different from other religions that have you marrying your first cousin when she probably has bled for the first time in her life if you're lucky. You could dump on all races and religions for this.

Anyway...............Did Adam and Eve have belly buttons? That is a more pressing question about religion.

"homo"?  What, wait, did you really say "homo"? 

what's the difference between saying "homo" or "hetero"? if you call someone a homo in a derogatory way, sure, but just saying it in this context I don't find offensive. 

Maybe it's just my age but I've always thought of "homo" as derogatory and homophobic.  Sorry if I'm wrong.   Damn English language!

HughFreakingDillon

brianlux said:

HughFreakingDillon said:

brianlux said:

even flow - question mark said:

Thoughts_Arrive said:

I wonder why sexual abuse is so common in the Catholic church?
Are priests drawn to the church because of their sexual attraction to children or does being forced to be celibate warp them?

When you have the stories from 12 guys who followed one dudes motives, well that could have been a homo party right there. The catholic church is no different from other religions that have you marrying your first cousin when she probably has bled for the first time in her life if you're lucky. You could dump on all races and religions for this.

Anyway...............Did Adam and Eve have belly buttons? That is a more pressing question about religion.

"homo"?  What, wait, did you really say "homo"? 

what's the difference between saying "homo" or "hetero"? if you call someone a homo in a derogatory way, sure, but just saying it in this context I don't find offensive. 

Maybe it's just my age but I've always thought of "homo" as derogatory and homophobic.  Sorry if I'm wrong.   Damn English language!

you're not wrong. I know what you mean. it was derogatory back in my day when all the boys in school would call each other that as a name. But the way even flow used it I don't see a problem. 

PJ_Soul

brianlux said:

HughFreakingDillon said:

brianlux said:

even flow - question mark said:

Thoughts_Arrive said:

I wonder why sexual abuse is so common in the Catholic church?
Are priests drawn to the church because of their sexual attraction to children or does being forced to be celibate warp them?

When you have the stories from 12 guys who followed one dudes motives, well that could have been a homo party right there. The catholic church is no different from other religions that have you marrying your first cousin when she probably has bled for the first time in her life if you're lucky. You could dump on all races and religions for this.

Anyway...............Did Adam and Eve have belly buttons? That is a more pressing question about religion.

"homo"?  What, wait, did you really say "homo"? 

what's the difference between saying "homo" or "hetero"? if you call someone a homo in a derogatory way, sure, but just saying it in this context I don't find offensive. 

Maybe it's just my age but I've always thought of "homo" as derogatory and homophobic.  Sorry if I'm wrong.   Damn English language!

I agree that unless you're saying it in a derogatory context, there is nothing wrong with it. Context is everything! I mean, the "Q" in LGBTQ stands for queer (and/or questioning), so yeah, the gay community understands context pretty well.

Gern Blansten

what are you homos blabbing about?

brianlux

PJ_Soul said:

brianlux said:

HughFreakingDillon said:

brianlux said:

even flow - question mark said:

Thoughts_Arrive said:

I wonder why sexual abuse is so common in the Catholic church?
Are priests drawn to the church because of their sexual attraction to children or does being forced to be celibate warp them?

When you have the stories from 12 guys who followed one dudes motives, well that could have been a homo party right there. The catholic church is no different from other religions that have you marrying your first cousin when she probably has bled for the first time in her life if you're lucky. You could dump on all races and religions for this.

Anyway...............Did Adam and Eve have belly buttons? That is a more pressing question about religion.

"homo"?  What, wait, did you really say "homo"? 

what's the difference between saying "homo" or "hetero"? if you call someone a homo in a derogatory way, sure, but just saying it in this context I don't find offensive. 

Maybe it's just my age but I've always thought of "homo" as derogatory and homophobic.  Sorry if I'm wrong.   Damn English language!

I agree that unless you're saying it in a derogatory context, there is nothing wrong with it. Context is everything! I mean, the "Q" in LGBTQ stands for queer (and/or questioning), so yeah, the gay community understands context pretty well.

So it's OK for me to use the "n" word in the right context?  I don't mean to be argumentative.  I've just hear too many derogatory "homo" comments in my life! And contrary to some folks assumption, I'm not even gay.