Paul3eb wrote:how do you decide what's good and bad?
This is not hard at all. It's living by what you decide that is the hard part. And I think this is why people's morals tend to "creep" over time, they either give up, or decide they would rather not restrict themselves, whatever the cost is to themselves or others around them.
You seem like you've put alot of thought into this, so I don't want to hound you about it. I can't help but think, though, that despite the rhetoric, some peoples' ideas of good and evil are more concrete than they know. If one were at Roadside and saw someone about to break a car window, or out at the bars and someone tries to force their way onto one's friend, I can't imagine being quite so sanguine about it.
Paul3eb wrote:like any perspective, we can choose what we focus on.
like that finger in front of your face...what movie scene is that or is that some famous quote?
I am a Christian and although I believe that there is 'evil' in the world I don't agree that bad things happen...especially to Christians
take Job for example (in the bible) he went through more (what most people would consider as) bad horrible things yet he realized that good would come if he had faith...and God ended up blessing him many fold for his faithfulness...true this mainly goes for Christians but I believe that "non"-Christians are so much closer to being a Christian than they realize when they view things this way.
God teaches us that he will never give us more than we can handle...and Romans 8:28 - And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
kato wrote:You seem like you've put alot of thought into this, so I don't want to hound you about it. I can't help but think, though, that despite the rhetoric, some peoples' ideas of good and evil are more concrete than they know. If one were at Roadside and saw someone about to break a car window, or out at the bars and someone tries to force their way onto one's friend, I can't imagine being quite so sanguine about it.
don't worry about "hounding" me about it.. it helps me to think it through and talk about it.. in the end, i end up with a better idea of what i think/believe.
i agree that some people have more concrete ideas of good and bad. but those people's idea of good and bad would not necessarily be the same as your own. and if they believe fully and completely that something is "bad" (eg: abortion; capital punishment; consumption of alcohol, drugs, meat; the support of those in poverty; gay marriage; sex; birth control) and you see it as being either "good" or you are indifferent to it, with something so inconsistent, how can we see it as anything other than a label?
and great loves will one day have to part -smashing pumpkins
I'll give you a little primer on how to "find" God. First and foremost. Do not tolerate any untruth or deceit in your life. That is to say (1) Don't Lie, yourself. (2)Don't lie to yourself.(3) Don't allow people to lie to you. It has been my experience and studied observation that people will lie to you and expect you to go along with it. Make every situation that you are in ber truthful. (3) Seek ou the truth in your motivations. Everytime that I have hurt someone, if I become introspective I can figure out where I went wrong. Alot of the time it has been selfish motivations. I have even found that I will sabotage a goal because Its not what I really wanted. Its very disconcerting to find out your true motivations. You should try it sometime.
The thing about finding God is that if you truely seek out the Truth you will eventually find God.
I want you to know that I don't mean any of this in some hyper-spiritual way. There is no smarmyness here.None of that nature tree hugging buhda crap or that "roll your own" "belief system.......Belief system what a bunch of bunk. All that political correctness talk is about is people who have no structure or truth trying to legitimatize their lack of truth in their life........
(In a soft Yoga-esk voice)," I believe in god. That is to say I believe in mother earth, and fairies. If we all just love one another there will be no hurt in the world."
What a load of crap.
For one thing you can't call yourself a Christian and a buhdist. Buhdism teaches "karma". Karma say that you will be born again in this world. That you have to pay for your moral indescretions by working it out in the next life.Reincarnation if you will.
The Bible clearly states that "It is appointed for man to live once,then Die. After that, the Judgement."... So it would seem that you can't be a Buhdist and a Christian.
I grow so tired of me stating that I am a Christian and all these decieved souls telling me how they "believe in god and buhda and tooth faeries, and my 'belief system ' is a valid as yours". So in a word. No it is NOT
Do you like apples? Well, how do you like [b]THEM APPLES[/b]
Paul3eb wrote:how can we see it as anything other than a label?
You are assuming that each person is their own ultimate arbiter of truth. If such is the case, and each person's opinion is equally valid, then you have a point.
If however, there is a higher authority, then there may very easily be a universal standard. (Full disclosure: this is what I believe.)
How do you know that you have the right universal standard, Kato?
I guess that is faith, right? How do you know you are the right sort of Christian, not all Christians believe the same things? Not attacking, just a sincere question.
I know that you believe that you understood what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.
- Robert McCloskey
A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing.
- Emo Philips
if you find mqad's dialogue unsettling, I think that might mean there is more "practice" needed on our part. in my opinion, he has been nothing short of pleasant and courteous in his part of the discussion. he is merely telling you his story, not assuming it is yours.
and I must say the same goes for many on both sides of this discussion.
