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The Forum > Article Comments > On being human > Comments

On being human : Comments

By Peter Sellick, published 25/5/2009

If you want to 'make a difference' join a church, be baptised and raise your children in that community.

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Pericles,

The primary meaning of the word “suggest” is “to call an idea to present itself”: What most people would assume. One secondary meaning is, “propose (theory, plan, ‘that’) for acceptance or rejection” (OED). In the latter case, we can have, “There is a wide spread belief (held), which suggests that God actually exists": In the first case, we have the existence of Personal God “presenting itself” on the belief. Alternatively, what actually exists is, “the wide spread belief in a Personal God”. The suggestion is the belief exists. It’s a bit like that young women, old hag illusion. One doesn’t easily see the ambiguity at first.

The respondents seem to assume that question is about the existence of God. [I would] Trav is saying that question is about "the belief in the existence of God”, not the existence of God and assumes others have read the question as he has.

Trav,

Adams dilutes the meaning of Cognitive Dissonance. Cognitive dissonance isn't so-much, you like being a Christian but don’t like tithing: Rather, you first believe that if you do tithe you will receive satisfaction. Subsequently, you do tithe, but receive no satisfaction. [I studied three-plus years of psychology in my undergraduate days. Religion was mentioned only in passing]

Incidentally, according to the dead seas scrolls, tithing included working/living as an indigent, not merely giving away money. Presumably, to show humility:

Yet, I don’t see too many bishops living in the park and eating from baggage bins one day a week. Here, the bishops decision to not follow that practise because is the bishops don’t want to. That isn’t cognitive dissonance, either. On the other hand, if Cardinal Pell slept one day-a-week under a park-bench and was satisfied with his act of humility, cognitive dissonance would not exist, for this act.

Trav, how would you answer following question?

“The widespread belief there is no Christian God suggests that a Christian God does not exist.”

- Agree/Disagree?

Also,

- Why is the insect world so cruel? Whose plan does the insect world follow? Would an extant god allow this cruelty?
Posted by Oliver, Tuesday, 16 June 2009 11:27:45 AM
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oh for god's sake. who on earth cares? if a bunch of people tell me it's snowing and i don't believe them, i open the door. if a bunch of people tell me that god exists and i don't believe them, then ... a bunch of people repeat that a bunch of people believe that god exists. how bloody pathetic!
Posted by bushbasher, Tuesday, 16 June 2009 2:06:11 PM
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A little yarn to have fun with.

An atheist was walking through the woods.

'What majestic trees!
'What powerful rivers!
'What beautiful animals! He wondered and pondered.

As he walked he sensed a presence nearby. He turned to look. There a 2.5 metre grizzly bear set to charge. The man broke way in a sprint. He looked over his shoulder to see the bear in pursuit close by. He tripped & fell. The bear stood over him with his left paw out to hold him & his right paw raised to strike him.

The atheist exclaimed! 'Oh my God!'

Time Stopped.
The bear froze.
The forest was silent.

A bright light shone and a voice came through; 'You deny my existence and ridicule my faithful. You live as if I do not exist and promote life as accident, without purpose. I love you but am I to break the natural laws which I set in place for order? What am I to do?'

The atheist looked directly into the light, 'I am no hypocrite but maybe you could make the BEAR a good-doing Christian'? 'Very well' said the voice.

The light extinguished and the sounds resumed. The Bear brought together both paws, bowed his head & spoke: 'Lord bless this food, which I am about to receive from thy bounty through Christ our Lord, Amen.'

Now for the reality.

For the bear to kill the person would have been an action in complete conformity of a bear being good - true to its nature.

A human "saying a prayer" or a curse at his/her imminent end acts in accordance with the falleness of the human - being fully aware of his ultimate end in losing his life that he has lived as if it was his own. Man as an autonomous life form who has attained the ability, as a producer, to render and snuff out life to satisfy his curiosity, pride and convenience.

Sell's human of faith in Christ, who lives life in wholeness as creature and gift, would more closely resemble the bear. True to his ultimate purpose
Posted by boxgum, Sunday, 21 June 2009 7:22:01 PM
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boxgum, your joke is genuinely funny. your sermon is genuinely ridiculous.
Posted by bushbasher, Monday, 22 June 2009 12:31:04 AM
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"Sell's human of faith in Christ, who lives life in wholeness as creature and gift" - BG ... and whose life was human quite unlike the other gods of antiquity, and in so doing allows humans to identify with the god. - O

Jesus is spun ready to appeal to Humanity's penchant towards anthromorphism. Likewise, if Yokie was held God incarnate as a Bear, then Boo-Boo woud be suitably impressed.

Trav,

The questions please. Short answers are okay.
Posted by Oliver, Tuesday, 23 June 2009 9:56:49 AM
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