Don't give anybody any ideas!!!!!!:grumpy::cryin2:

Found a good rule to follow when posting. Found this on experience project . Com. I don't think all will accept being corrected even if the are wrong, bul, I will try.

From experienceproject.com


We are all intitled to our opinion and others opinions can be offensive and just plain rude. Some people do this intentionally to get "a rise" out of people especially if they know it upsets you. Don't get mad at all of them but pick your battles. Have your opinion ready and occasionally engage some one on the subject so you don't always feel like people have no idea what they're talking about. Don't argue but genuinely listen to what they're saying and correct them and inlighten them to what just may be the truth. Some people form an opinion based on misinformation and if you can correct they're misunderstanding of a subject you just might make a positive change in someones life.

As they say, you can lead a pig to a foxhole to drink but you can't cast your pearls into a sow's ear. Or something like that. ;~)

The point of my comment is that God's existence has yet to be empirically proved, and appears to be non-existent in the absence of faith. That does not make God non-existent; it means that He cannot be apprehended by intellect alone.

For an atheist to aver confidently that Spirit does not exist because he has only used mind to seek it, is inadequate reason for rejecting the existence of a realm that cannot be comprehended through reasoning.

Wow, it made me dizzy, but after reading it three times, I get it and like what I get. Great post.

Squirrels' Evolutionary Family Tree Reveals Influence of Climate, Geology | Duke Today

Interesting article on the evolution of squirrels. How did they get to North America in the first place and then move to Africa? That is, what evolved into a squirrel and before that what evolved into whatever was before the squirrel? You have a finite regression going back then to however life came out of the muck.

Maybe we cannot grasp how complicated a plan God has for life on earth given how short our lives really are and how much evidence we are missing in the grand scheme of things?

Why believe something until you can be reasonable sure it's real? Do you routinely believe things you have no reason to believe? Why? Belief is a voluntary action. To disbelieve is the natural reaction until a REASON to believe is found.

Yes...people should follow whatever is best for themselves...it IS folly to try to change people.

Sometimes. I'm more agnostic. I have NO idea if there is or isn't a "higher power". But I agree that having to live with some of the religious dogma gets frustrating.

The only "rational" approach UNTIL you have reason to believe is non-belief. To believe without anything to make you believe is the irrational. It IS irrational to BELIEVE in a talking squirrel. It's not irrational to NOT believe in a talking squirrel because none has ever been found in all the quadrillion squirrels that have existed.

Freedom of speech? You believe that? It's an argument to the one whom is losing. It's a discussion to the one winning.

I've been saying it for years...if what they're talking about unnerves you...don't read it!

There sire is...why don't people see that?

Again, I have NO idea how it all happened...but the explanation offered by religions...all/any of them, just doesn't cut it for me.

That's what I TRY to do...just give people another view, whether I agree or not, something opposite to think about.

It make it HIGHLY improbable, about as probable as the talking squirrel. Do you think there IS a talking squirrel?

Some of the posts on here are squirrely.

Do you think there is a talking squirrel? [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z83q1NYWIyQ]Of Moose and Men: The Rocky & Bullwinkle Story - YouTube[/ame] Yes, donb9006. There is a talking squirrel. donb9006, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, donb9006, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, donb9006, there is a talking squirrel. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no talking squirrels. It would be as dreary as if there were no donb9006's. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in talking squirrels! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on national talking squirrel day to catch the talking squirrel, but even if they did not see a talking squirrel coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees a talking squirrel, but that is no sign that there is no talking squirrel. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, donb9006, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No talking squirrels! Thank God! Rocky lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, donb9006, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

I'm not quoting that all over again, Don! Your arguments are all correct, if all one knows is how to think. However, if one only believes in the existence of what one already knows and can read about, that would be a small world, would it not?

Maybe some people are engaged in this discussion because the idea of God is intriguing and unfathomable. There was a moment in life, 38 years ago, on Dec. 15, 1974, in which I suspended the notion of figuring out with my mind whether there was a God, and assumed for the moment, against a mental tide of logic, that he might be available to me as "Jesus". I was instantly connected, by what I have come to know was "faith".. with the divine and could never again "not know" if there was a God.

I know how to be rational and gratefully, I also know how to believe in what cannot be seen. If anyone would like to know if there is a God, it might help to stop asking yourself whether there is a God (because you do not really know) and to ask if he is truly there, that he reveal himself to you.
Merry Christmas,
Kitty

I gotta say don makes more sense than many others. Between atheist logic and Christian sarcasm I feel more love coming from the atheist folks. Maybe G is doing me a favor by pointing me in the direction of looking into dropping God for a kinder group of people.

the mind of a child before contaminated by adult fears, prejudices, likes, dislikes, etc is the best resource for reality.....in my opinion.

Because of their "innocense" they enjoy life much more easily.....they have no pre-conceived prejudices.......there is no such thing as motive or intent.....they believe in Santa Claus.

It is the journey to where we elders are today that change the outlook....not alway for the better.....and thank GOD not all the same (this is the one that seems to bother many the most, for whatever the reason).

btk

Is There a God? Written by an atheist.

Does God Exist - Six Reasons to Believe that God is Really There - Is There a God

God is cool to hide himself from intellectual finding out. The secret, most significant fact of the universe, hidden from the wise of the world and revealed to the "foolish" who believe...

I'm beginning to think religious comments or references should not be allowed (including atheist views) on forums as all have strong beliefs and if you're looking for direction, you won't find it here IMHO.

And I disagree -- I think Christians have logic. How do you know the Christians are sarcastic? Did they identify themselves?

My last point--and I'm not reading this thread again-- Out of the Mouth of Babes: A Little girl was busy drawing during art class. Her teacher asked what she was drawing. "God" she answered. Teacher said "no one knows what God looks like". the little girl never looked up and said "They will when I'm finished".