Posted by Mr_Fiend Well first off, I dont think I was being "possesed", since I was close to death. I was seriously sick for weeks, I couldnt think straight because of a severe fever (105 degrees) I had for days. I had a serious infection/bad reaction to medicine. I suffered for weeks. And when I was so week and in a very vulnerable near death state, I felt the presence of death and a malevolent thing pulling on me in a way I could not describe. It was frightening on an extreme level. I beleive my prayers prevented whatever it was from latching onto me. And when I say it tried to over come me, I mean it tried to kill me and take me away from God. That was a time when I was living a "secular" lifestyle, and allowed such things to happen to me, opening the door to that stuff.

Not to belittle your experience, but if you had a 105 degree fever, you weren't in your right mind. I think 106 or 107 is the highest you can go without dying, and you were very close. What you said happened is actually pretty consistent with what people who have had high fevers report. Your reactions to your hallucinations were based on your expectations. Why Yahweh and not, say Vishnu? It's what you were raised to expect, even if you weren't a believer at the time. I daresay I might have the same experience if I was in the same position.

During high fevers you can also have seizures which are quite similar to what epileptics experience, and these seizures can look a lot like what people who claim to be posessed do. Somewhere I might have some videos. They're pretty freaky, but well-understood by science.

Oh you can kiss the whitest part of my ass Tekky, what does any of this have to do with the disaster in Japan. You make little sense, I use to respect you but all you do is google shit and put it in your own words,

At least he Googles stuff.

Posted by Mr_Fiend You know what would do us all some good? Splorin' some shit together. And I dont mean being butt buddies either. Maybe ya'll start to appreciate my "craziness", if you can vent your atheistic views to my face.

believe me, i have no problem expressing anything to anyones' face. don't you worry your little head about that.

So basically, summary of the thread:

1. Something happens in Japan.
2. Tekriter makes a potentially offensive statement.
3. Many people disagree with Tekriter and flame him.
4. Tekriter thinks he is still right and flames them back.
5. Someone with a Christian standpoint enters the fray.
6. Tekriter immediately denounces this person.
7. The two argue indefinitely.
8. Steps 3 through 7 are repeated until the thread is LOCKED.

Why is the thread LOCKED? Because it has turned into a FLAMEWAR and no longer contributes to its original TOPIC.

Posted by Samurai For fucks sake! What the fuck kind of god wants sheep for followers? fuck that shit. if i was inclined to believe in god, i'd want a god with balls, i'd want a god that would show up to a party and tell it's followers, 'that's right bitches, i am the divine one. where's the party?"

Well there's your problem. He doesnt want sheep followers, he wants us to love him. Just like a natural father wants his kids to want to love him. And God made himself known to people, it happened. But you have to have a somewhat open heart, or else you will never know.

Posted by HarvestmanFail Why is the thread LOCKED? Because it has turned into a FLAMEWAR and no longer contributes to its original TOPIC.

its a private board with a mod who has been gone for a little while.

while the cats away, the mice will play.

Posted by HarvestmanFail So basically, summary of the thread: 1. Something happens in Japan. 2. Tekriter makes a potentially offensive statement. 3. Many people disagree with Tekriter and flame him. 4. Tekriter thinks he is still right and flames them back. 5. Someone with a Christian standpoint enters the fray. 6. Tekriter immediately denounces this person. 7. The two argue indefinitely. 8. Steps 3 through 7 are repeated until the thread is LOCKED. Why is the thread LOCKED? Because it has turned into a FLAMEWAR and no longer contributes to its original TOPIC.

You forgot to add the part(s) where you add nothing of value.

Posted by MonkeyPunchBaby its a private board with a mod who has been gone for a little while. while the cats away, the mice will play.

Oh happy fucking fun time. So this is why every single religious discussion on here has turned into a flamewar.

To the religion forum:

Posted by Mr_Fiend Well there's your problem. He doesnt want sheep followers, he wants us to love him. Just like a natural father wants his kids to want to love him. And God made himself known to people, it happened. But you have to have a somewhat open heart, or else you will never know.

horseshit.

Oh and Harvestman... guess what... this is something that might clue you in and make you a happier camper.. there are people out there that DON'T WANT TO LIVE UNDER YOUR GOD. Wow... did I just say that. Here's another little morsel for you to chew on... IT'S A FAIRY TALE WRITTEN BY PEOPLE WHO USED TO FUCK SHEEP ON A FRIDAY NIGHT BECAUSE THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE TO DO!

the bible isn't a manual for how to live your life... it's the pre-history's version of a Jacqueline Susann novel... it's fiction written by people with one agenda: CONTROL OF THEIR FELLOW MAN. What asshole isn't afraid to die? What better way to control them than to sell them afterlife insurance! That's all this shit is capitalizing on; fear of death and ignorance of what comes after. Your average everyday preacher/priest/minister/rabbi/etc is nothing more than a fly-by-night insurance salesman.

congratulations.

Posted by HarvestmanFail Oh happy fucking fun time. So this is why every single religious discussion on here has turned into a flamewar. To the religion forum: http://rlv.zcache....286790qjcl_400.jpg

i have enjoyed it a lot! i have been in your shoes before on here. as for the exploring together thin, MM and I may be exploring together this weekend. He and I don't have the same views.

Posted by Samurai horseshit.

Well, He hasnt given up on you.

Posted by Mr_Fiend Well, He hasnt given up on you.

don't even start that shit. you know better than that.

Posted by Samurai don't even start that shit. you know better than that.

Sam, Jesus loves you

this?


or this?


you decide.

Posted by HarvestmanFail So basically, summary of the thread: 1. Something happens in Japan.

It was actually a signifigant disaster.

Posted by HarvestmanFail 2. Tekriter makes a potentially offensive statement.

I think the offensive statement was the one where the Japanese deserved it. Also quite topical to a religious discussion.

Posted by HarvestmanFail 3. Many people disagree with Tekriter and flame him.

I have a minority view, so I am used to it. I also consider the source and don't lose any sleep.

Posted by HarvestmanFail 4. Tekriter thinks he is still right and flames them back.

If I thought I was wrong, I would go and try to find the correct answer. I don't see anyone else waving the reply of "look at me: I'm wrong again! - but the demon thing was pretty close.

Posted by HarvestmanFail 5. Someone with a Christian standpoint enters the fray.

I would be alright with saying that someone with an unreasonable point of view couldn't help but announce their divisive beliefs for our consideration and comment.

Posted by HarvestmanFail 6. Tekriter immediately denounces this person.

I made no comment about anyone's person. I don't even know them. I can only comment on their ideas.

Posted by HarvestmanFail 7. The two argue indefinitely.

It is the religious discussion forum - not the "let's all agree on our imaginary friend and virtually masturbate each other forum."

Posted by HarvestmanFail 8. Steps 3 through 7 are repeated until the thread is LOCKED.

As you can see, that never happens.

Posted by tekriter It was actually a signifigant disaster. I think the offensive statement was the one where the Japanese deserved it. Also quite topical to a religious discussion. I have a minority view, so I am used to it. I also consider the source and don't lose any sleep. If I thought I was wrong, I would go and try to find the correct answer. I don't see anyone else waving the reply of "look at me: I'm wrong again! - but the demon thing was pretty close. I would be alright with saying that someone with an unreasonable point of view couldn't help but announce their divisive beliefs for our consideration and comment. I made no comment about anyone's person. I don't even know them. I can only comment on their ideas. It is the religious discussion forum - not the "let's all agree on our imaginary friend and virtually masturbate each other forum." As you can see, that never happens.

tekriter is the only guy that intimidates me here...

Posted by Mr_Fiend Well, He hasnt given up on you.

And to your credit, you haven't given up either.

I think you are very wrong, and your views have consequences in the real world.

But on a lighter note, you argued your ideas and never resorted to name calling or other BS.

Many religious people identify strongly with their ideas and as a result are unable to have a civil conversation about them.

I'm pleasantly surprised.

Posted by tekriter And to your credit, you haven't given up either. I think you are very wrong, and your views have consequences in the real world. But on a lighter note, you argued your ideas and never resorted to name calling or other BS. Many religious people identify strongly with their ideas and as a result are unable to have a civil conversation about them. I'm pleasantly surprised.

Well I appreciate that, I really do. I'd say I'm not "religious", as in I don't belong to or claim to belong to a denomination.

I won't give up, simply because I love people and dont want them to suffer or see them suffer. The gospel that I preach teaches love and consequences.

I've been persecuted since I was a little boy on playgrounds for what I believe, and I will die for my beliefs because I know they can change hearts.

But if you don't want it, I wont make you take it. But I'll be damn sure you know all the reasons for why I believe what I believe. So when I stand before my God, I can say I tried my best.

Like I said, I don't agree with you, but I think it is too rare thing around here for someone to argue their values without resorting to name calling.

As long as you understand that while your right to believe whatever you want is universal, as soon as you state it in public, I will question your beliefs.

religious belief has no mechanism for testing the core beliefs and very complicated and difficult means to revise them (if such a means exists at all). This means the vast majority of the world is set to fight one another about the tribal superstitions of thier ancestors.

Not to belittle your playground experiences, but they likely pale in comparison to the human suffering and carnage I have witnessed up close - all done in the name of god, and all perfectly consistent with the texts and teachings of the respective religions.



"The idea, therefore, that religious faith is somehow a sacred human convention—distinguished, as it is, both by the extravagance of its claims and by the paucity of its evidence—is really too great a monstrosity to be appreciated in all its glory. Religious faith represents so uncompromising a misuse of the power of our minds that it forms a kind of perverse, cultural singularity—a vanishing point beyond which rational discourse proves impossible." Sam Harris

Posted by jeepdave Proving my God exist is like trying to prove an emotion. I cannot do it, but it doesn't mean emotions do not exist.

You are so suspicious of science as to be paranoid. Either you delusion fuels your misunderstanding or you are being willfully stupid on the subject.

There is ample evidence that emotions exist, the fact of emotions is consistent with my experience and that of the vast majority of the planet.

Emotions exist and serve a biological function. The fact that FMRI scans show activity in the limbic system that is very similar to that of similar sytems in animals subjected to stimuli is enough to show this.

Fear, for example, creates a number of autonomic responses such as vasoconstiction and hormone releases such as adrenaline that prepare us for fight or flight.

Happiness excites similar portions of the brain in everyone and helps us to learn - a reward system where other hormones such as oxytocin are released.

The fact that there is an experiential component - a subjective quality - does not in any way affect the FACT of emotions.

We can make true or false testable statements about emotion. This makes him happy, that makes most people sad, etc. Not so about an imaginary entity.

Neuroscience explains more each day, yet each day that goes by is another one with no definitive proof of a god.

Posted by jeepdave Please prove an emotion. Oh, you can hook me up to a machine, get data from brain waves and electrical impulses, and say "look, I proved the emotion" but if I'm hooked up to the same machine and walk into a church and the same thing happens then it would not be "proof" according to the same science.

As above. If you walked into a church the only thing that an FMRI would prove is that you have an emotional reaction to your belief system. That much is obvious from your low level of congnitive function displayed in your diction and construction of incorherent logical arguments.

Posted by jeepdave Basically, I'm tired of arguing about this, its always funny how most atheist are more convicted in their belief, and it is a belief, than most christians. Sad really.

Your arguments are indeed basic and display an acute lack of learning.

You are happily misunderstanding the word belief again and again.

You also are trying to press the fallacious idea that atheism is a religion, or that I am opposed only to christianity. This is simply untrue.

Nothing in any of my statements asks anyone to believe something that is not falsifiable and therefore testable in the real world.

There is, however, a difference in the beliefs of the religious and the atheists. The religious are perfectly willing to accept unreasonable ideas because they want to. You want to believe and you will at nearly any cost.

The atheist position is more intellectually honest, it embraces reason, holds evidence in high regard and admits to change when the facts demand it. I welcome your evidence that your god exists, but based on your ability to construct arguments or learn about facts, I'm not holding my breath.

"I was an atheist at one time. And like many atheists, the issue of people believing in God bothered me greatly. What is it about atheists that we would spend so much time, attention, and energy refuting something that we don't believe even exists?! What causes us to do that? When I was an atheist, I attributed my intentions as caring for those poor, delusional people...to help them realize their hope was completely ill-founded. To be honest, I also had another motive. As I challenged those who believed in God, I was deeply curious to see if they could convince me otherwise. Part of my quest was to become free from the question of God. If I could conclusively prove to believers that they were wrong, then the issue is off the table, and I would be free to go about my life.

I didn't realize that the reason the topic of God weighed so heavily on my mind, was because God was pressing the issue. I have come to find out that God wants to be known. He created us with the intention that we would know him. He has surrounded us with evidence of himself and he keeps the question of his existence squarely before us. It was as if I couldn't escape thinking about the possibility of God. In fact, the day I chose to acknowledge God's existence, my prayer began with, "Ok, you win..." It might be that the underlying reason atheists are bothered by people believing in God is because God is actively pursuing them." ~ Marilyn Adamson, former atheist