Yuyutsu,
Once again, I confess that I have very little comprehension of whatever it is you're talking about.

To your claim that 'existence is a limitation', if I dare suggest you're just being silly, or that your mind has become a little unhinged from common sense or reality, then such allegation would only then reflect back onto me for attempting to reason with you.

I'm pretty certain that I exist (I think Rene D long ago once famously said something similar.) I have existed for some decades.

I strongly believe that God exists. I think I can reasonably speak for both of us (myself and God) in saying that we'd prefer to exist than to not exist. I think we can achieve more that way..

I really don't see how existing is going to limit either of us, as opposed to not existing. In fact, I think non existence would put a real dampener on me trying to achieve anything. I can't imagine a more limiting factor than non existence. But, hey, I'm sure you'll try and explain your point of view to me one more time.

So, Craig Minns,
Welcome to the Twighlight Zone. Oops, sorry, I meant to say, welcome to the OLO Forum. It's a therapeutic place where we try to make sense out of each others ramblings. The strongest sense of grace I get here is that we are limited (yes, there are limits) to 350 words. However that reminds of the phrase 'just enough rope'.

Here, we try our best to know and be known. On a good day, we might just make a point comprehensible to someone else. On a really good day, we might learn something.

I'm guessing I'll catch up with you soon somewhere along the line.

Dear Dan,

You say that you have existed for some decades.

At the start of those decades, you experienced yourself as a baby, then as a child, a youth, a young-adult, an adult, a mature-adult, an old-man perhaps. During those decades both your body and your mind have changed and they keep changing. Science tells us that all the atoms in our body are replaced within 7 years at the most. Whatever you experience as existing therefore, is not you but your body, not you but your mind.

What remained constant throughout those decades, is you. You say "I Am" and never hesitate that it is the same "I" as when your body was a baby, child, adult, etc.: everything around it changed, except YOU.

That You Are is the one thing you can never doubt, but that you exist is but an illusion.

Similarly, I say "I Am", you tell me "You Are" and that "She Is". "Am", "Are" and "Is" are only grammatical differences denoting different points of view, whereas their quality is exactly the same.

My AMness is the same as your AMness, also the same as the ISness of the chair you are sitting on. True, I often think while the chair doesn't, but our AMness and ISness is EXACTLY the same. The differences are imaginary, temporary or superficial while the commonality is absolute and everlasting. Once my body falls away, I also will probably stop thinking, but my AMness will never change.

That brings us to God, the great "I am that I am". This AMness, AREness or ISness that we all share, which is also everywhere and at all times, is nothing but our divine spark. In our true essence, we and God are one, you and God are one, in truth there is nothing but God.

Yusutsu,
You quote from the Pentateuch as if you think it means something. Yet you've said before you don't believe in the Pentateuch. You should try and decide which tram you're on.

You also said yesterday that it's futile and inappropriate to try and use normal words and language to apply to God. So I have I have no reason or basis to bother attempting to discuss any of these issues with you.

Dear Dan,

In the Song of Songs [2:14], the lover says: "My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places on the mountainside".

Does it mean that the beloved is in fact a dove?
Or given that the lover is God and His beloved is Israel or the Church, are they biologically a dove?

In the language of science, where all is dry, factual, objective, none of it makes sense, none of it has meaning, but in the language of love, of the heart, it does and it has!

While it is futile and inappropriate to try discussing God as an object, it is very useful and appropriate to thank Him and sing His praises. In fact, it is GOOD to do so [Psalm 92:1].

I am very appreciative of those authors of the Pentateuch and other books who did just that. Science came much later.

Still at it I see, Dan S de Merengue.

>>The idea that people evolved from non-people is a common belief today. I don't think it's entirely obvious, but it's often assumed by those who haven't looked into the matter critically. In other words, it's a cultural value (whether good or bad) that's been imbued into the society.<<

It is a common belief that there cannot be an exact numerical representation of pi. In fact, this is often assumed by those who haven't looked into the matter critically.

Does that make the belief in the non-exact nature of pi to be a cultural value that has been imbued into society, or simply an acceptance that people much cleverer than I have looked into it, and come to a pretty convincing conclusion?

Your denial of evolution may amuse you, but to me it is convincing evidence of Mr Sellick's description of the "irrationality, immaturity and superstition of believers".

And - unlike you - I have taken the time to look critically at the concepts behind young-earth creationism, and found it too far-fetched, when compared to the logic and evidence behind evolution. Rather than evolution being a "cultural value", it is more "standard text".

But hey, each to his own, eh?

I do like the way you elect to speak for God, though.

>>I strongly believe that God exists. I think I can reasonably speak for both of us (myself and God) in saying that we'd prefer to exist than to not exist. <<

Unfortunately, merely preferring to exist (than not exist) does not confer the right to existence. I can reasonably infer your existence from the fact that you take the trouble to contribute to this Forum. But your existence does not in any way imply the existence of God, much as you would like to speak on his behalf.

What a very strange life you lead.

You barely even know me.