(Untitled)

[likeastreetmap]

I know there are a lot of people on my lj list with varied beliefs when it comes to religion, and probably a lot of people who don't normally read my journal too, but I ask you to bare with me for this one post, please. This isn't me being pushy, this is me being concerned. Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs, and I respect that, I just

Comments

[ohlawdy]

The reason behind why discussion over God is so aggravating is because spirituality, and, in most cases, thus religion, is a very personal thing. It's hard to not take it personally when someone expresses disdain or downright condescends a part of you that you hold near to your heart (my post where I expressed an extreme distaste for Christian music comes to mind). Also, from my own experience, most debates that don't involve two general, crystal-clear sides tend to get very messy and go nowhere fast. This is certainly the case for a topic where even people who agree that a monotheistic god exists can't agree on what god it is, what God wants, and so on

[likeastreetmap]

=)
Okay, I wasn't necessarily advocating a soon-to-be end of days, merely outlining a scripture that had prophetical relavance to the recent quake, and, more importantly, freaking out about how a disaster of this magnitude can strike without warning at any time. The death toll is over 120'000 now, and the day before people (depending on culture) people were enjoying the festivities of Christmas. Shocking, no?
I related the happenings to Christ's birthday not to predict imminent world destruction, just in observation of the correlation. Of course, the law of averages suggests that in 2000 odd years an earthquake so close to Christmas might not be anything more than coincidence. But as far as I'm concerned, a coincidence is too often a poor excuse for the mystical going on behind the scenes.

And by no means did I intend to suggest that evolution does not occur, merely that I do not believe it could be responsible for the complex organism that is the human-being.

[ohlawdy]

I don't see it as anything more than sheer coincidence -- just like I see it to be sheer coincidence that a devastating earthquake struck Iran exactly a year prior to the Sumatra quake, and that I was born on the same day the US Bill of Rights was ratified into law. (Interesting coincidences, but coincidences nonetheless.)

And I'm not quite sure what you mean by the latter part of your reply -- you seem to be saying that it does happen, yet it doesn't happen in the same sentence. If it occurs in every other species, why not us? Humans are animals, too, y'know.

[likeastreetmap]

I believe that it occurs in humans, but not to the magnitude that you are suggesting. Humans have adapted through an evolution of sorts to survive in different climates, for example, the slim tall body shape of people within African regions and the short plump body shape of the individuals residing in the uh.. Eskimo coldish regions.
Actually my geography is pretty shoddy, so if Africa isn't hot then change it with somewhere that is :)

continued from above, apologies for the length.

[ohlawdy]

And, finally, I'll end on a personal note, regarding your call to everyone to give Christianity a try. I have given it a try. I was more or less forced to go to church beginning around first grade and ending around eighth grade. "Forced" typically has a negative connotation, but I grew to earnestly and honestly want to become a good Christian. I was part of groups for girls in my church, and would go on various study trips with them. I prayed, and tried to keep up with it regularly. I read my Bible. I tried to live a Godly life. Yet, despite all of this, I felt nothing. I would experience culture and events that most described as "uplifting", and I found them tacky and emotionally manipulative. I would go to Sunday School and find me disagreeing with everything I was being taught save that God and Jesus existed. I would hate myself for failing to live up what I thought God wanted of me, and frequently considered suicide. I would fraternize with fellow Christians, and found them to be either utter bores or blatant hypocrites (and I do

Re: continued from above, apologies for the length.

[quittingtheday]

Tackiness and emotional manipulation is something that I struggled with for a while. These things tend to vary from church to church, event to event, and are mostly a characteristic of the younger person's church service. I, however, do not believe that there are bad intentions behind emotionally provocative services. I believe that a young person's attention needs to be held until they begin to actually listen to the words in the songs and realize what they're at church for

cntd, ditto on the apologies

[quittingtheday]

I am going to make the rest of this short and will elaborate on anything that is later said to be unclear. In the same order as they appeared in your comment

cntd again, sorry :)

[quittingtheday]

"and found them to be either utter bores or blatant hypocrites

[hotels_inthesea]

just to let you know, i do my best to keep an open mind towards all religions and beliefs. I am unsure what i really think of life and the universe at the moment...but i'm veering towards acceptance of a god, God or gods existing/having existed.
and by the way, here is that website for Selcuk Demirel which i said i'd tell you:

http://www.marlenaagency.com/selcuk/sel_frame.html

[likeastreetmap]

Wow, his artwork is amazing.. it is the visual existentialism I have been craving my whole life for. Thank you for introducing us :)
It's also cool to hear that you're open and searching. Modest Mouse do the life thing I hear and I know you're a ton into them. Maybe I am obsessed with the complexities of existing and waking up.. maybe I am more interested in the notion of existing than actually going about existing myself :) It has always been more about observing that participating for me..
But hang out with me sometime because I actually have never heard any Modest Mouse in my life and it would be good to chat about walls and boxes and things :)
Also I have Stargate on dvd...