BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: Peace
Date: 18 Dec 07 - 06:27 PM

Well, Nickhere, that's good enough for this ol' boy. I am glad for you.

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: Nickhere
Date: 18 Dec 07 - 06:30 PM

Thanks, Peace

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: Peace
Date: 18 Dec 07 - 06:33 PM

Funny. I usually have little time for people who go out of their way to tell me about their version of God, etc. However, I would be honoured if you'd relate the 'thing', the 'revelation' you had and what brought it home to you, either on the thread or by message.

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: wysiwyg
Date: 18 Dec 07 - 06:36 PM

I asked for that PM too, Peace, so get in line! I'm still waiting for mine.

When we write about those things in the threads-- I've done it myself-- unfortunately it opens up a whole 'nother round of battles. Sad, but true. So let's not this time!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: Peace
Date: 18 Dec 07 - 06:38 PM

Good by me, Susan.

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: Nickhere
Date: 18 Dec 07 - 08:06 PM

PMs on the way shortly, as soon as I can get some stuff I have to do finished here (hopefully tonight)!

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: Mrrzy
Date: 18 Dec 07 - 08:37 PM

When I say "stimulus" I mean a lot more than a "flash of light" - Amos, to get back to where I was before my Internet went away.

For instance, there are bilinguals who can use either language in any situation, and others who get used to communicating in one language at a time (because they live or work or otherwise have daily interactions with people who don't or won't speak the other). With a computer and reaction-time I was able to show that this common usage of one language per conversation works by inhibiting the other, unused/unusable language, not by activating the language that is actually chosen.

It was cool stuff and explained why, growing up in both English and French which my family mixed freely, I had friends who were perfectly fluent in French at school and in English at home, but who couldn't follow my conversations with my sisters.

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: Amos
Date: 18 Dec 07 - 09:51 PM

That's really interesting, Mrz. Do you mean that because they were accustomed to one at a time, they couldn't track the melange patois you used with your sisters? Meaning they had to have the structure of "one language per conversation" and couldn't leave both languaes uninhibited at once?

A

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: theleveller
Date: 19 Dec 07 - 03:41 AM

Dear, oh dear, oh dear, MTed, if you think that's an insult you really are clutching at straws. If I wanted to insult you, you'd know about it. 'You godsquad people' is how we talk to the members of our family who are of a religious persuasion. They counter with, 'well you're the devil's disciples'. All taken in good part.

You obviously don't understand my robust repatree. That's how we talk here in Yorkshire - where we call a spade a bloody shovel. My adversarial style was gained in the dockland pubs of Hull on a Saturday night - together with the scars on my knuckles. I think you and Susan need to get out more into the real world. Just think of it as the modern equivalent of being throne to the lions - but remember the story of St Jerome.

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: theleveller
Date: 19 Dec 07 - 03:50 AM

Whoops. 'Throne' should, of course, read 'thrown'. Must get me good glasses out.

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: GUEST,PMB
Date: 19 Dec 07 - 03:58 AM

The big question is...

WHO'S GOING TO POST 666?

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: GUEST,Mrr at work
Date: 19 Dec 07 - 08:51 AM

Yes, Amos. Being usually in one language turns the other language OFF. Fascinating.
Is that 666?

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Dec 07 - 09:13 AM

If I wanted to insult you, you'd know about it.

How wonderful life would be if what we INTEND always came across instead of what we actually SAY.

You reference harmless repartee common in your circle-- you're not in that circle now.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: bobad
Date: 19 Dec 07 - 09:16 AM

Around where I live (eastern Ontario) many people are bilingual and more often than not switch back and forth between English and French not only in the same conversation but in the same sentence.

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: Peace
Date: 19 Dec 07 - 10:23 AM

Spent time with a family that used French, Italian, English and Spanish. Supper was fun.

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: Peace
Date: 19 Dec 07 - 10:27 AM

The Devil you say!

This is post 666, a numerological reference to Nero from the Greek.

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: theleveller
Date: 19 Dec 07 - 10:33 AM

"You reference harmless repartee common in your circle"

Harmless? The word I used was 'robust'. First you're trying to tell me what I should believe in, now you're telling me how I should conduct my argument. Talk about arrogance!

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Dec 07 - 10:40 AM

theleveller,

I haven't told you what to believe in, and I haven't told you how to argue. I HAVE indicated that what you thought was free of insult didn't come across that way.

You had asked for an indication of what insult you had delivered. You've been answered. If you don't care that your communication comes across very differently than the way you intend it, that's on you.

If you have the expectation that people can and should read your mind to know and appreciate where you are fromm, how you joke at home, and what you mean-- that's not an expectaton likely to be fulfilled.

I'm sorry for whatever [bad behavior] has been your experience with believers. If you'll look back at my recent posts in this thread, you'll note that not all of us are looking to perpetuate whatever that experience was.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: Riginslinger
Date: 19 Dec 07 - 10:44 AM

RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (especially not Jesus)

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: M.Ted
Date: 19 Dec 07 - 12:49 PM

theleveller--As Susan has pointed out, you're not in Yorkshire, you're not talking to your family. This is not a dockside pub in Hull on a Saturday night. When you're on Mudcat, you're not even in the UK any more.

Not to be critical of any of those places, but the sort of banter that is acceptable there conveys something different and, perhaps antithetical to what you intend, in the wider world.

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: Bill D
Date: 19 Dec 07 - 01:36 PM

Today's Doonesbury cartoon made me laugh

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: bobad
Date: 19 Dec 07 - 01:59 PM

Me too Bill, I also thought of this thread when I read it.

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: theleveller
Date: 20 Dec 07 - 03:32 AM

"...you're not in Yorkshire"

Am I not? Wow, must have been transported to a parallel universe.

Well, MTed, if that's you're argument, perhaps you should take it on board yourself; you're not in church, you're not at a revivalist meeting, so stop preaching - I don't spew my beliefs out at you, so please have the courtesy not to do it to me - I find it offensive.

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: theleveller
Date: 20 Dec 07 - 03:41 AM

Forgot to add, just off to celebrate Yuletide in the proper way as we have done for many years before it was usurped by an alien middle-eastern religion.

No god? Of course there is - you just have to search for your own.

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Dec 07 - 09:22 AM

Once again, we have an anti-religion thread running full tilt at the very time of year many believers are heavily occupied with the observances particular to our community of belief.

I say this not as a complaint, but to point out that what usually happens in these seasons, with these threads, is that the believers sort of vanish from the discussion, as I am about to do....

Not because I've been out-argued (I wasn't arguing), or "proved" wrong (I'm not interested in being proved "right"), not because I'm upset (I'm having a LOVELY morning in fact), not because I don't have more to say (I might think I have a lot, but it's going into lovely, thought-abundant PMs now)...

.... but because joyous seasons take, and deserve, my time and full attention.

In other words, "Love ya! Gotta go!"

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: Wesley S
Date: 20 Dec 07 - 09:57 AM

It sounds like you've answered the old question - "Would you rather be right - or happy?"

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: Amos
Date: 20 Dec 07 - 10:02 AM

I have always thought that the two were entirely mutually consistent, as long as you are pretty rational about what "right" means. Some folks gget pretty bent around obsessive rightness, but that's not the clear sense in which I would use the word). In a clearer sense, happiness is the quest toward more and more rightness. Of course, that involves lots of change....



A

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: Wesley S
Date: 20 Dec 07 - 10:14 AM

"as long as you are pretty rational about what "right" means"

That's the deal. What I'm talking about when I use that phrase is that so often we're so convinced we're "right" about matters that are personal preference, or are actually trivial that we get blinded and insist on "getting our way". That's rarely a path toward happiness. As I get older I'm more tempted to let the other guy get away with it. Lifes too short to get upset about the driver who cut you off in traffic so he could be "first".

For that matter - who cares if I think there is a God or not? Does it really matter what anyone thinks? What I think doesn't bother anyone. Now if I take some action resulting from those thoughts that harms you - that's something different alltogether.

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: Peace
Date: 20 Dec 07 - 10:16 AM

Well, regardless of folks' beliefs (excepting Nazi crud, neocons and racists), I wish y'all a happy holiday season and if you are Christian, a very Merry Christmas. Take care.

Also, Nickhere, thanks very much for the message.

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: Mrrzy
Date: 20 Dec 07 - 10:32 AM

Of course it matters if people think there are gods - it's a huge waste of human potential!

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: Wesley S
Date: 20 Dec 07 - 10:45 AM

"Of course it matters if people think there are gods - it's a huge waste of human potential!"

And it's MY potential to waste if I want to. It's really none of your business. And since it's something you have no control over - why do you bother? Why not try to fix the problem of Brittany Spears fans? Shouldn't they really be listening to folk music? You'll have just as much luck with that one too.

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: Amos
Date: 20 Dec 07 - 11:44 AM

I think in some cases, Mrrzy, it may be a self-elected method of recovering human potential. It may not be the best way to do it, but it's a work-around that sdome folks find effective.



A

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: Nickhere
Date: 20 Dec 07 - 12:45 PM

Wesley, I concur on drivers who cut you off, (and many other examples of bad manners) it's better just to ignore them than pointlessly getting your blood pressure up. I'm only afraid for the drivers on the other side of the road who are about to encounter them a few miles on! Once upon a time it occured to me that one reason we find other drivers so frustrating is that we're all closed in our little metal boxes unable to communicate with each other. There may be a good reason why the guy in front of you is doing only 30 kmph but if he can't tell you and you can't get past, bile starts to rise! One solution i thought of was to have those elctronic message boards like the ones you see in banks and social welfare offices. They could be placed along teh back window and carry a few pre-set messages like 'oops! sorry for cutting you off" or "pardon me for that bit of overtaking".

Then two problems occured to me - just like indicators people would probably forget to use them anyway, and it would be only a matter of time before someone found a way to re-engineer them to carry offensive messages; th electronic equivalent of giving a two-finger salute!

Happy Christmas to all you mudcatters, see you in the New Year!

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: M.Ted
Date: 20 Dec 07 - 01:55 PM

The only potential you can do anything about is your own, Mrzzy-

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 20 Dec 07 - 04:09 PM

Mrzzy....I didn't know my own potential until I invited God into my life at the tender age of 43!

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: M.Ted
Date: 20 Dec 07 - 05:15 PM

There are a lot of atheists who have wasted their lives, when it comes down to that. And many who have squandered them on dubious achievements. It does save you on Christmas gifts, though--

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: Bill D
Date: 20 Dec 07 - 05:23 PM

"It does save you on Christmas gifts, though--"

*sigh* it only changes what you CALL 'em!

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: Amos
Date: 20 Dec 07 - 05:47 PM

I had no idea what I was capable of until I put my trust in Harvey.


A

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: Wesley S
Date: 20 Dec 07 - 05:58 PM

"There are a lot of atheists who have wasted their lives, when it comes down to that. And many who have squandered them on dubious achievements"

The same thing can be said about people of faith too. It's not fair to single out either side. It's peoples actions that count.

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: Wesley S
Date: 20 Dec 07 - 06:00 PM

And yes Amos - Harvey IS the Truth and The Way. I'm glad you're coming to your senses.

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: Bill D
Date: 20 Dec 07 - 06:20 PM

hmmm...the only one I know is 'Harvey Nageela', and he won't even talk to me.

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: Amos
Date: 20 Dec 07 - 06:27 PM

Harvey Nagila is just a false idol, Bill. The True Harvey is a Rabbit. About 8' tall, with glowing red eyes that just lather the place with divine fury and forgiveness, depending on his mood. Most people say they cannot see him, but, well...you know...that's because they don't want t face the truth.

A

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: TheSnail
Date: 20 Dec 07 - 09:09 PM

I had no idea what I was capable of until I put my trust in Harvey's.

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: M.Ted
Date: 20 Dec 07 - 10:22 PM

In addition to people who believe in things that Mrzzy doesn't like. Although I still haven't figured out why it makes any difference at all what she likes or doesn't like. Does she like Harvey? Does she like Harvey's? Seems like we had a discussion a while back relating to some pubs in Lewes--

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Dec 07 - 10:27 PM

Just don't get Harvey mixed up with Santa-- different fashion choices is the big tipoff. I think some people confuse Santa with God-- that keeping a list, naughty or nice thing? (God isn't like that. He's watching too, but with the eyes of love.) I'm not sure Santa is like the song says he is, either, except maybe when he spanks the Mrs., but I heard that she likes it.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: Don Firth
Date: 20 Dec 07 - 11:29 PM

I always thought Harvey Nagila was Jewish.

But then, perhaps I'm confusing the reference with that Mexican folk song, "Have Some Tequila."

(Well, somebody had to do it!)

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: TheSnail
Date: 21 Dec 07 - 05:32 AM

M.Ted

Seems like we had a discussion a while back relating to some pubs in Lewes--

A part of perceived reality dear to my heart. There are two theses being written abouth the Lewes Arms. One on psychology and one on "Intangible Heritage".

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: Mrrzy
Date: 21 Dec 07 - 09:38 AM

In various incarnations: ...it's MY potential to waste if I want to. It's really none of your business. And since it's something you have no control over - why do you bother?

1) You are part of my world, therefore wasting you is my business (I am involved in mankind, the poet wrote). It IS my business when people around me pray to end poverty (example only) but nothing gets DONE. And I do not give up hope of having control, which is why I stay in these threads, and talk to intelligent individuals I meet, and attempt to demonstrate the lack of reason in their faith.

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: Wesley S
Date: 21 Dec 07 - 09:49 AM

If that's the case you must be leading a very frustrating life if you are bothered by what others think. And I would disagree with you that nothing is being done about poverty. But it seems to me as if you are discounting the actions that many churchs are undertaking because you don't approve of the origin of their motives.

Again - who cares what they think if they are taking the right actions?

Subject: RE: BS: There aren't any Gods (not even Jesus)
From: Wesley S
Date: 21 Dec 07 - 09:50 AM

Because God told me to - 700 {and it's not a club}