World would be worse off without faith...

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  • onelongsong
    onelongsong Posts: 3,517
    a friend stopped by and i asked if he wanted to see why the world is so [messed] up and showed him this thread.
    he first said that you usually don't find the most intelligent people sitting on message boards; to which i slapped him in the head.
    next he told me about capacity. particularly a persons capacity to love.
    for example; if an athiest is insulted by religious symbols; where is the capacity to love their fellow man? if they loved their fellow man they would accept the differences and not only respect their beliefs; but realize the differences leave room to grow.
    the religious that worship in exchange for a ticket to heaven have totally missed the point. they wind their gods up on sunday and go through the motions; they want something in exchange and are therefore selfish. love does not grow where selfishness thrives.
    those who insist they are right do so as a smoke screen to hide their own doubts. when one finds peace within themselves; there is no longer a need to "sell" what they believe. they realize others are at different points in their journey and since inner peace can only be found within; no amount of selling or preaching will make the journey shorter.
    inner peace is a spiritual thing. you cannot see it; you cannot touch or measure it. you cannot prove it exists. but when you make peace with yourself; you and only you know it's there.

    i put it in my own words but there you have it.
  • Ahnimus
    Ahnimus Posts: 10,560
    onelongsong wrote:
    a friend stopped by and i asked if he wanted to see why the world is so [messed] up and showed him this thread.
    he first said that you usually don't find the most intelligent people sitting on message boards; to which i slapped him in the head.
    next he told me about capacity. particularly a persons capacity to love.
    for example; if an athiest is insulted by religious symbols; where is the capacity to love their fellow man? if they loved their fellow man they would accept the differences and not only respect their beliefs; but realize the differences leave room to grow.
    the religious that worship in exchange for a ticket to heaven have totally missed the point. they wind their gods up on sunday and go through the motions; they want something in exchange and are therefore selfish. love does not grow where selfishness thrives.
    those who insist they are right do so as a smoke screen to hide their own doubts. when one finds peace within themselves; there is no longer a need to "sell" what they believe. they realize others are at different points in their journey and since inner peace can only be found within; no amount of selling or preaching will make the journey shorter.
    inner peace is a spiritual thing. you cannot see it; you cannot touch or measure it. you cannot prove it exists. but when you make peace with yourself; you and only you know it's there.

    i put it in my own words but there you have it.

    I agree with you in principle, but it's nothing spiritual. Love is a series of chemical bonds, happiness is synthetic, it's an illusion.

    If you want real happiness and peace, you forget about everything and accept who you are. Love is obtained by positive interactions between people.

    There is a real scientific basis for all this stuff.
    I necessarily have the passion for writing this, and you have the passion for condemning me; both of us are equally fools, equally the toys of destiny. Your nature is to do harm, mine is to love truth, and to make it public in spite of you. - Voltaire
  • even flow?
    even flow? Posts: 8,066
    onelongsong wrote:
    a friend stopped by and i asked if he wanted to see why the world is so [messed] up and showed him this thread.
    he first said that you usually don't find the most intelligent people sitting on message boards; to which i slapped him in the head.
    next he told me about capacity. particularly a persons capacity to love.
    for example; if an athiest is insulted by religious symbols; where is the capacity to love their fellow man? if they loved their fellow man they would accept the differences and not only respect their beliefs; but realize the differences leave room to grow.
    the religious that worship in exchange for a ticket to heaven have totally missed the point. they wind their gods up on sunday and go through the motions; they want something in exchange and are therefore selfish. love does not grow where selfishness thrives.
    those who insist they are right do so as a smoke screen to hide their own doubts. when one finds peace within themselves; there is no longer a need to "sell" what they believe. they realize others are at different points in their journey and since inner peace can only be found within; no amount of selling or preaching will make the journey shorter.
    inner peace is a spiritual thing. you cannot see it; you cannot touch or measure it. you cannot prove it exists. but when you make peace with yourself; you and only you know it's there.

    i put it in my own words but there you have it.

    Sounds like you were sitting at our table last night at the bar. That came at me from one of the gents straight across the table almost word for word as what is written here. EERIE to say the least.
    You've changed your place in this world!
  • Ahnimus
    Ahnimus Posts: 10,560
    even flow? wrote:
    Sounds like you were sitting at our table last night at the bar. That came at me from one of the gents straight across the table almost word for word as what is written here. EERIE to say the least.

    Same moral influences perhaps. Probably the prevailing moral guide "The Bible".
    I necessarily have the passion for writing this, and you have the passion for condemning me; both of us are equally fools, equally the toys of destiny. Your nature is to do harm, mine is to love truth, and to make it public in spite of you. - Voltaire
  • onelongsong
    onelongsong Posts: 3,517
    even flow? wrote:
    Sounds like you were sitting at our table last night at the bar. That came at me from one of the gents straight across the table almost word for word as what is written here. EERIE to say the least.

    did you slap him in the head too? hahahahaha just kidding.

    after hearing that things made more sense. i can describe inner peace to you but only mine. i can't describe what your inner peace will feel like and therefore i cannot tell you how to find it. because you cannot hold it or see it; it is spiritual. because it is different for everyone; it is spiritual. because you can only find it within yourself; it is spiritual. because it's a state of being and not a state of mind; it is spiritual.
    religions are only the vehicle people use to look for it.
  • Ahnimus
    Ahnimus Posts: 10,560
    onelongsong wrote:
    did you slap him in the head too? hahahahaha just kidding.

    after hearing that things made more sense. i can describe inner peace to you but only mine. i can't describe what your inner peace will feel like and therefore i cannot tell you how to find it. because you cannot hold it or see it; it is spiritual. because it is different for everyone; it is spiritual. because you can only find it within yourself; it is spiritual. because it's a state of being and not a state of mind; it is spiritual.
    religions are only the vehicle people use to look for it.

    :rolleyes:
    I necessarily have the passion for writing this, and you have the passion for condemning me; both of us are equally fools, equally the toys of destiny. Your nature is to do harm, mine is to love truth, and to make it public in spite of you. - Voltaire
  • Ahnimus
    Ahnimus Posts: 10,560
    If there is a soul, it's in the brain.

    All that spirituality mumbo-jumbo worked in the past and helped people to obtain extreme emotional states through an illusionary belief. But it's just about 100 years old now and no longer makes sense. Time to step into the future people!
    I necessarily have the passion for writing this, and you have the passion for condemning me; both of us are equally fools, equally the toys of destiny. Your nature is to do harm, mine is to love truth, and to make it public in spite of you. - Voltaire
  • even flow?
    even flow? Posts: 8,066
    Ahnimus wrote:
    If there is a soul, it's in the brain.


    Care to sell your soul? ala the Simpsons. :D
    You've changed your place in this world!
  • Ahnimus
    Ahnimus Posts: 10,560
    even flow? wrote:
    Care to sell your soul? ala the Simpsons. :D

    What like write it in a contract? Sure, what do I get?

    Anyone else want to buy my soul? I can make copies of the contract.
    I necessarily have the passion for writing this, and you have the passion for condemning me; both of us are equally fools, equally the toys of destiny. Your nature is to do harm, mine is to love truth, and to make it public in spite of you. - Voltaire
  • angelica
    angelica Posts: 6,038
    Ahnimus wrote:
    What like write it in a contract? Sure, what do I get?

    Anyone else want to buy my soul? I can make copies of the contract.
    I'll pass....your soul is black.










    ;):D
    "The opposite of a fact is falsehood, but the opposite of one profound truth may very well be another profound truth." ~ Niels Bohr

    http://www.myspace.com/illuminatta

    Rhinocerous Surprise '08!!!
  • Ahnimus
    Ahnimus Posts: 10,560
    angelica wrote:
    I'll pass....your soul is black.

    I don't even have one! Neither do you!
    I necessarily have the passion for writing this, and you have the passion for condemning me; both of us are equally fools, equally the toys of destiny. Your nature is to do harm, mine is to love truth, and to make it public in spite of you. - Voltaire
  • onelongsong
    onelongsong Posts: 3,517
    Ahnimus wrote:
    I don't even have one! Neither do you!

    when you can wake in the morning knowing nothing can touch you; you will find it.
  • Ahnimus
    Ahnimus Posts: 10,560
    onelongsong wrote:
    when you can wake in the morning knowing nothing can touch you; you will find it.

    Oh like a real life superhero?

    I don't mean to be condescending onelongsong, but that all sounds so.. childish and illinformed.
    I necessarily have the passion for writing this, and you have the passion for condemning me; both of us are equally fools, equally the toys of destiny. Your nature is to do harm, mine is to love truth, and to make it public in spite of you. - Voltaire
  • angelica
    angelica Posts: 6,038
    onelongsong wrote:
    when you can wake in the morning knowing nothing can touch you; you will find it.
    I happen to think that some of the things you have said in this thread are dead on (no pun intended!) and beautiful. I very much liked what your friend had to say, and apparently evenflow?'s friend, too. :)
    "The opposite of a fact is falsehood, but the opposite of one profound truth may very well be another profound truth." ~ Niels Bohr

    http://www.myspace.com/illuminatta

    Rhinocerous Surprise '08!!!
  • Jeanie
    Jeanie Posts: 9,446
    Ahnimus wrote:
    What like write it in a contract? Sure, what do I get?

    Anyone else want to buy my soul? I can make copies of the contract.

    May I buy it Ryan? I know you don't think you have one. But for want of a better word, may I buy your soul?

    I'll keep it safe. Promise.

    I think it's really important to keep the soul safe. And seeing as how you don't think you have one, maybe I would make a better custodian of yours until you are able to look after it yourself. And really, it's a good offer.
    As you know I'm not religious. Not even a believer in GOD. I believe a lot of the things that you do. But I also believe the essence of an individual, what makes them who they are is more than their brain. So until we can establish if there really is a soul, do you think you could trust me enough to sign yours over to me? I'll make sure that nothing bad comes of it.
    NOPE!!!

    *~You're IT Bert!~*

    Hold on to the thread
    The currents will shift
  • onelongsong
    onelongsong Posts: 3,517
    Ahnimus wrote:
    Oh like a real life superhero?

    I don't mean to be condescending onelongsong, but that all sounds so.. childish and illinformed.

    and thus you don't understand. nothing can change me; or my being. if i woke up and someone stole everything in my house; it wouldn't change a thing. i can't explain something you can't yet understand. if you lost your job today would it effect you? i mean change you; or your mood? i don't know how to explain it. i guess you'll have to wait and see.
  • angelica
    angelica Posts: 6,038
    Jeanie wrote:
    But I also believe the essence of an individual, what makes them who they are is more than their brain.
    And I like this as well, Jeanie. :)
    "The opposite of a fact is falsehood, but the opposite of one profound truth may very well be another profound truth." ~ Niels Bohr

    http://www.myspace.com/illuminatta

    Rhinocerous Surprise '08!!!
  • Ahnimus
    Ahnimus Posts: 10,560
    Jeanie wrote:
    May I buy it Ryan? I know you don't think you have one. But for want of a better word, may I buy your soul?

    I'll keep it safe. Promise.

    I think it's really important to keep the soul safe. And seeing as how you don't think you have one, maybe I would make a better custodian of yours until you are able to look after it yourself. And really, it's a good offer.
    As you know I'm not religious. Not even a believer in GOD. I believe a lot of the things that you do. But I also believe the essence of an individual, what makes them who they are is more than their brain. So until we can establish if there really is a soul, do you think you could trust me enough to sign yours over to me? I'll make sure that nothing bad comes of it.

    Take it, because really, it doesn't exist.

    It's our selfish nature that created the illusion of a soul.
    I necessarily have the passion for writing this, and you have the passion for condemning me; both of us are equally fools, equally the toys of destiny. Your nature is to do harm, mine is to love truth, and to make it public in spite of you. - Voltaire
  • Ahnimus
    Ahnimus Posts: 10,560
    onelongsong wrote:
    and thus you don't understand. nothing can change me; or my being. if i woke up and someone stole everything in my house; it wouldn't change a thing. i can't explain something you can't yet understand. if you lost your job today would it effect you? i mean change you; or your mood? i don't know how to explain it. i guess you'll have to wait and see.

    Everything changes you, wether you realize it or not.

    But on a quantitative level, no. I would not be changed.

    I'll do you one better, forget getting broken into, how about attempted murder? What about having someone you love, a romantic interest, commit suicide? How about a childhood friend dying from diabetes?

    None of that changed me in the sense you imply, if I understand the question. But it's all commited to memory and memory is the basis of our knowledge, which gives rise to our personalities which dictates our decisions.

    The evidence is right in you.
    I necessarily have the passion for writing this, and you have the passion for condemning me; both of us are equally fools, equally the toys of destiny. Your nature is to do harm, mine is to love truth, and to make it public in spite of you. - Voltaire
  • onelongsong
    onelongsong Posts: 3,517
    angelica wrote:
    I happen to think that some of the things you have said in this thread are dead on (no pun intended!) and beautiful. I very much liked what your friend had to say, and apparently evenflow?'s friend, too. :)


    it made me realize that nothing can change or interfere with my happiness. today is a wonderful day to die. if the stock market crashes; so what? if i lose my legs to an accident; no worries; i still have myself; my being. i want for nothing. i would like many things but i actually want for nothing.
    maybe i had an epiphany or something. i look back several years and see the bad things that have happened to be yet it never changed me. once again i'm trying to explain something words cannot explain.

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