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The Forum > Article Comments > Living out of control > Comments

Living out of control : Comments

By Peter Sellick, published 7/7/2010

While prudence is a good thing, we must understand that the quest for absolute security robs us of the essence of life.

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Peter, I know many Christians and "free" is not what I would call their mindset! Most do not even heed the most basic words of Jesus and simply do what's best for them...I guess you could call that freedom but it is the freedom of an unthinking animal, not a civilised intelligent being!
The Church has proclaimed many things, and many have been found wanting.(E.G. support for slavery, denial of women's rights, suppressing science, supporting tyrants, banning condoms, etc.) Where is the evidence of God's hand when the failings are all to human? Even rampant paedophilia has been allowed to bloom for decades in churches!
Was it the Church that championed science and technology? No, it was secular study of nature. Many Christians contributed, as did folks of other faiths but the consensus obtained is certainly not in accordance with Christian dogma, hence the retreat of religion when education is introduced.
Might I add that it is the Christian Right in the US that allowed GWB to override environmental laws and strengthen the grip of banks and insurance companies...just how will Christianity solve the risk issue? Any attempts to get insurance out of the hands of profiteers, and hence a more sensible approach to risk economics would be blocked by a coalition of Right wing groups...in which Christians would be prominent (if recent history is any guide).
My last point is that Christianity, being based on dogma generally stunts the development of personal BS detectors and thus allows many ideas in that do not pass nature's BS test...ie. Are not based on any real data, just popularity. I'd suggest a chat to a palliative nurse too to see how "comforting" Christianity really is when close to death. It seems that one can fool oneself for a while, but the truth comes crashing in at the end!
I would encourage folks to study *all* religions, both Theistic and non-theistic (such as Buddhism).
To assume that Christianity = Freedom and all else is bunkum is arrogantly assuming that most of the world's population is wrong, ignorant or going to hell.
Posted by Ozandy, Wednesday, 7 July 2010 10:58:30 AM
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The "resurrection" of the body--which body is going to be resurrected?
A toddlers body?
The body of a thirty year old in the prime of life?
The body of a frail decrepit bed-ridden person?
The body of someone vaporised by a nuclear explosion or shredded/smithereened by a conventional explosion?
The body of someone born profoundly crippled?

It seems that Sells never learns anything, or rather churns out the same dim-witted reductionist nonsense month after month, and year after year.

Yes the key to Right Life altogether IS in the understanding of the meaning and significance of death. And until that is the case every dimension of ones life is darkened by a hell-deep fear and trembling.

The Essential Message of the "New" Testament (which has nothing to do with the "resurrection" of the body of either Saint Jesus of Galilee or anyone else)

http://www.beezone.com/AdiDa/EWB/EWB_pp436-459.html#essentialteaching

On the Doubt Mind that (mis)-informs Sells reductionist religiosity, and everything that he has ever written.

http://www.beezone.com/AdiDa/ScientificProof/psychosisdoubt.html

And on Death and Dying altogether.

http://www.aboutadidam.org/dying_death_and_beyond/index.html

http://www.adidam.org/death_and_dying/index.html

Plus Teachings on Reality altogether:

http://www.adidam.org/teaching/gnosticon
Posted by Ho Hum, Wednesday, 7 July 2010 11:42:40 AM
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Peter,
You are a Christain and therefore you are free. Who are you trying to convince by writing articles like this? Yourself or the rest of us?

If you truly are free then you should be busy living. There is not a minute to waste. Life is too precious to fritter away trying to convince oneself that one is free. You can show us exactly how free you really are by refraining from writing articles like this. Actions speak much louder than words. If we see that you are free we may become interested in Christanity. We will not be convinced just by your words.
Posted by phanto, Wednesday, 7 July 2010 11:57:14 AM
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Well said phanto.
Convince us that Christianity has value by virtuous acts, not pontification. I see much "cloaking in virtue" but minimal real action.
Father Bob is the best showcase for Christianity I know of...He partakes in charity and can converse with both Atheists and theists with different dogmas without the supremacy complex. There should be more like him.
Posted by Ozandy, Wednesday, 7 July 2010 12:07:10 PM
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"Both of these attempts at the assertion of the human are wrongheaded and derive from the modern conclusion that man is the centre and pinnacle of the world."

I have to disagree. From my own experiences man is becoming less man-centred and more outward looking in caring for the environment and other living beings ie. that man is not the centre of the universe but is one part of a highly complex interconnected system.

In fact more so since we are not confined to the dogma of religious indoctrination that man is supreme over all other living organisms and the environment was not put here by God to plunder out of existence.

People are probably more risk averse now because we live in the information age. People are also not as restricted so speak out about isues like pedophilia hence we know more and perhaps have become hyper-vigilant in response.

However there will always be risk-takers and adventurers who also accept the consequences of their decisions, throughout history we have seen many adventurers who have found new worlds and conquered mountains.

"The arms race in the 20th century is an instance of the quest for security getting out of control and producing the concept of Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD). Besides placing life on earth at risk, this fear driven quest for national security wasted talent and material on a huge scale."

The fear driven quest for national security is not new however advancements in technology mean the consequences are greater than in previous centuries when the most you had to fear was a spear or a bullet. MAD is about mutual deterrence with the threat of destruction, ultimately it comes down to a lack of trust. This has not changed only the weapons have advanced.
Posted by pelican, Wednesday, 7 July 2010 4:42:20 PM
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Each new article appears more feeble than the last as Peter's faith gradually collapses from its own irrationality...

"In the absence of God the default position in anthropology is human triumphalism, the idea that we can do anything if only we put our minds to it."

Citation needed. Who says this, exactly, and where? Or is it the straw anthropologists whom you have just made up? And why anthropologists, anyway? What authority are they supposed to have?

"For example, a friend told me of an instance in America where on moving to a new neighbourhood a couple were told by their neighbours that their children could not play next door because they were underinsured. I have no way of finding out if this is an urban myth, but it came from a very reliable source and sounds about right for our time."

So a second-hand story from an unidentified source about an uncheckable event is the best evidence you can put forward for the terrible doom awaiting the heathen human race? Sorry, Peter -- somehow I'm just not convinced.

How about providing some facts, for a change? You know, like other people do? The ones who don't get a free pass because they have the 'right' ideology.
Posted by Jon J, Wednesday, 7 July 2010 8:27:04 PM
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Sells this sort of tripe might be alright for a weekly sermon to your sheep but here at OLO we deserve more than pontification.
Posted by mikk, Thursday, 8 July 2010 8:48:27 AM
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Sellick:

>> Contrary to public opinion, Christian faith is not about securing a place in the afterlife, or assuming an absolute ethic, or an attempt to be perfect, it is about the resurrection of the dead. <<

Christian faith is not about.... afterlife.... it is about resurrection of the dead?

Whatever. How about just being the best person you can be in THIS life?

Whether one is focused upon an 'afterlife' or being resurrected from one's grave (what if you're cremated?), living in the here and now, considering the needs of others, caring for our environment are positive and definitive actions we can take now. Every day.

To live one's life in contemplation of some after death experience is a complete waste.

Sellick don't you have any friends, family, pets, gardening projects, artistic expression, anything other than your obsession with a religion that very likely won't bring you the resurrection you apparently crave?

Go and house a homeless person, rescue stray animals, plant a tree. Be useful.
Posted by Severin, Thursday, 8 July 2010 9:38:51 AM
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