Originally posted by JS357
Er...

"a parody of church"
http://wearenumberones.wordpress.com/2011/05/03/johnny-standley-its-in-the-book/

"a parody of the popular Bible meetings of the day "
http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2010/08/grandmas-lye-soap-and-its-in-the-book.html

"It was a parody of a “Holy roller” or “Bible thumper” preacher of the kind that had been he ...[text shortened]... rdity of preachers and their sermons"
http://wheresjesus.multiply.com/journal/item/2518

That is the way atheist think. They don't believe, so they make fun of it
to make it seem ridiculous to others so they also will not believe. It helps
ones ego to have more people on ones side to agree.

Originally posted by RJHinds
That is the way atheist think. They don't believe, so they make fun of it
to make it seem ridiculous to others so they also will not believe. It helps
ones ego to have more people on ones side to agree.

We all are drawn to the beliefs that most comfort us, or if there are none that are comforting, we are drawn to those that least discomfort us. You seem to have found yours. God bless.

Originally posted by JS357
We all are drawn to the beliefs that most comfort us, or if there are none that are comforting, we are drawn to those that least discomfort us. You seem to have found yours. God bless.

That's another example of the way the World thinks. Most seem to believe that Christians are Christians because we were unhappy with life the way it was and needed some kind of crutch.

Faith and belief is not a simple matter of deciding.

One can no more decide to believe in something than one can just up and decide to fall in love with someone else.

Faith is the direct result of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit; a literal gift from God. As many times as all of us have heard John Newton's Amazing Grace, how many of us have really studied the words. It's the gift of Grace that sanctifies us; not a simple decision.

All that said, I'm not trying to criticize you. You actually had a nice thing to say. But I just wanted to clarify because it did sound like you are in agreement with this errant belief that is prevalent among those of the World.

From personal experience, up until the very moment of my conversion, being a Christian was the ugliest, most discomforting fate I could think of.

Originally posted by sumydid
That's another example of the way the World thinks. Most seem to believe that Christians are Christians because we were unhappy with life the way it was and needed some kind of crutch.

Faith and belief is not a simple matter of deciding.

One can no more decide to believe in something than one can just up and decide to fall in love with someone else.

I post this again, sumy, for your consideration, and only that.

It is an interesting dialogue, in response to your words below.

DO BUDDHISTS BELIEVE IN GOD?

No, we do not. There are several reasons for this. The Buddha, like modern sociologists and psychologists, believed that religious ideas, and especially the god idea, have their origin in fear.

The Buddha says:
"Gripped by fear men go to the sacred mountains,
sacred groves, sacred trees and shrines".

Primitive man found himself in a dangerous and hostile world. The fear of wild animals; of not being able to find enough food; of injury or disease, and of natural phenomena like thunder, lightning and volcanoes was constantly with him. Finding no security, he created the idea of gods in order to give him comfort in good times, courage in times of danger and consolation when things went wrong.

To this day, you will notice that people become more religious at times of crises, and you will hear them say that the belief in a god or gods gives them the strength they need to deal with life. You will hear them explain that they believe in a particular god because they prayed in time of need and their prayer was answered. All this seems to support the Buddha’s teaching that the god-idea is a response to fear and frustration.

The Buddha taught us to try to understand our fears, to lessen our desires and to calmly and courageously accept the things we cannot change. He replaced fear not with irrational belief, but with rational understanding.

The second reason the Buddha did not believe in a god is because there does not seem to be any evidence to support this idea. There are numerous religions, all claiming that they alone have god’s words preserved in their holy book, that they alone understand god’s nature and that their god exists, and that the gods of other religions do not. Some claim that god is masculine; some that she is feminine; and others that it is neuter.
They are all satisfied that there is ample evidence to prove the existence of their god, but they laugh in disbelief at the evidence other religions use to prove the existence of another god. It is not surprising that with so many different religions, spending so many centuries trying to prove the existence of their gods, that still no real, concrete, substantial or irrefutable evidence has been found. Buddhists suspend judgment until such evidence is forthcoming.

The third reason the Buddha did not believe in a god is that the belief is not necessary. Some claim that the belief in a god is necessary in order to explain the origin of the universe, but Buddhists believe this is not so. Science has very convincingly explained how the universe came into being, without having to introduce the god-idea. Some claim that belief in god is necessary to have a happy, meaningful life. Again we can see that this is not so. There are millions of atheists and free-thinkers, not to mention many Buddhists, who live useful, happy and meaningful lives without belief in a god. Some claim that belief in god’s power is necessary because humans, being weak, do not have the strength to help themselves.
Once again, the evidence indicates the opposite. One often hears of people who have overcome great disabilities and handicaps; enormous odds and difficulties, through their own inner resources; through their own efforts and without belief in a god.

Some claim that god is necessary in order to give man salvation. but this argument only holds good if you accept the theological concept of salvation and Buddhists do not accept such a concept.
Based on his own experience, the Buddha saw that each human being had the capacity to purify the mind, develop infinite love and compassion and perfect understanding.
He shifted attention from the heavens to the heart, and He encouraged us to find solutions to our problems through self-understanding.

.....

I hope that is a rational support of Buddhist atheism, which still accepts that 'maybe' there might be a God, but as said still awaits for proof. Buddhists believe in what we see not what we wish to see, as that is blind will and desire - and desires by their entirety are a falseness to oneself, not cleanliness!

-m.

Originally posted by mikelom
I post this again, sumy, for your consideration, and only that.

It is an interesting dialogue, in response to your words below.

DO BUDDHISTS BELIEVE IN GOD?

No, we do not. There are several reasons for this. The Buddha, like modern sociologists and psychologists, believed that religious ideas, and especially the god idea, have their origin in fear. ...[text shortened]... d desire - and desires by their entirety are a falseness to oneself, not cleanliness!

-m.

http://www.allaboutreligion.org/buddhism-beliefs-faq.htm

Originally posted by RJHinds
http://www.allaboutreligion.org/buddhism-beliefs-faq.htm

Your point being?

I gave the source the first time I posted it.

It was for the perusal of sumytid.

You've had your say on this one when it was posted the second time.

-m.

Originally posted by mikelom
Your point being?

I gave the source the first time I posted it.

It was for the perusal of sumytid.

You've had your say on this one when it was posted the second time.

-m.

You must have posted the ref. on a different thread then. I did not see it on
this thread.

Originally posted by RJHinds
You must have posted the ref. on a different thread then. I did not see it on
this thread.

I told you I didn't post it in this thread, as it was ref'd the first time!

-m.

Edit: a you still blinker the fact that it wasn't posted for your merit. Butt out! 😠

Originally posted by mikelom
I told you I didn't post it in this thread, as it was ref'd the first time!

-m.

Edit: a you still blinker the fact that it wasn't posted for your merit. Butt out! 😠

You don't tell me what to do, Buster.

Originally posted by mikelom
[b]I post this again, sumy, for your consideration, and only that.

Actually, I just wanted to say that I found this summary very interesting and helpful. For those of us unconvinced by the merits of any particular religion, I found this a very persuasive view of life. Whether I would considered taking it much further than an appreciation, I have my doubts, but it does at least address some of the issues that I have be considering recently about faith.

On the other hand, the allaboutreligion website is the very reason why I have had essentially to turn my back on Christianity (the faith into which I was born). Unless you can have a reasonable debate on the elements of the Bible that I would argue are both offensive and morally wrong, why would I want to accept the 'its true because the Bible says so' argument, which is what this website essentially amounts to.

Originally posted by Rank outsider
Actually, I just wanted to say that I found this summary very interesting and helpful. For those of us unconvinced by the merits of any particular religion, I found this a very persuasive view of life. Whether I would considered taking it much further than an appreciation, I have my doubts, but it does at least address some of the issues that I have ...[text shortened]... s true because the Bible says so' argument, which is what this website essentially amounts to.

Based on this forum, there seems to be alot more atheist in the UK than
Christians. That is another reason I am glad I live the USA and my
forefathers left the UK 200 years ago to come to America.

Originally posted by RJHinds
You don't tell me what to do, Buster.

What ya gonna do, crucify me? 😀

-m.

Originally posted by RJHinds
You must have posted the ref. on a different thread then. I did not see it on
this thread.

Mike's just up to his usual tricks (see Thread 135618 for another time he uses this passage without attribution). In fact, he even takes credit for it: "Do you discertain [sic] the truths contained in the words that I write about Buddhist beliefs? [My emphasis]"

This very morning he has the audacity to pull up Dasa: "At least, for once, you admitted lifting other's words." (Thread 142414)

Originally posted by RJHinds
Based on this forum, there seems to be alot more atheist in the UK than
Christians. That is another reason I am glad I live the USA and my
forefathers left the UK 200 years ago to come to America.

And why I am very glad I live in the UK and not the USA.

Although the statistics on the subject are very misleading and uncertain.

Due to errors in the way these things are calculated.

However we are rated as being probably one of, if not the, most secular nations on the planet.

Originally posted by Green Paladin
Mike's just up to his usual tricks (see Thread 135618 for another time he uses this passage without attribution). In fact, he even takes credit for it: "Do you discertain [sic] the truths contained in the words that [b]I write about Buddhist beliefs? [My emphasis]"

This very morning he has the audacity to pull up Dasa: "At least, for once, you admitted lifting other's words." (Thread 142414)[/b]

Of course I am up to tricks. Much more entertaining than taking everything one reads on the web as 'Gospel.

If you read the original source and my post you will see that I did write it.

What's your prob Greenie?

You take great interests in my posting and for that reason I sense envy, because you don't stalk others like you do me. I find it pleasurable and honourable that you find me so interesting.

Good Job son!

Oops, let's not mention Job here, as I might infuse the book itself where I don't need it. 😛


-m.