If you had one question...........

INS and I hold similar beliefs in that we both appear to think very highly of the teachings of Jesus and that we acknowledge we don't know anything for certain about an afterlife or the deity. The difference is that I am fairly certain I do believe there is something beyond the world of science and senses, and I am OK with calling that God. The reason I don't say too much about it is that it takes me about a page to explain and I end up talking about quantum mechanics, transcendentalism, time, Einstein, Genesis, the need for Jesus, Infinity, etc.

If one looks back at all my writings at MM.Org, one would see I never deny the existence of God, particularly when I am arguing with atheists who demand evidence of God. To me that is silly, and I have a whole page answer for why that is as well. I also would never expect a Christian to try to prove to me that God does exist. No evidence is necessary. It is a matter of faith as others have said so well. I also, however, admit becoming frustrated with Christians who won't allow for the possibility for other paths to salvation. But lately I am trying to avoid arguing this as it does not serve the common good. I did backslide once lately by challenging someone I thought was challenging another, but my challenge did not include any attempt to invalidate the beliefs of a Christian, only a less than courteous observation that someone was not being open minded.

And Chris, if you were really being mobbed, about 10 of us would be ratting to Ray when you told someone (or more than one of us) to go to hell. I know I'm not reporting you even though people who commit less egregious offenses are sometimes sanctioned. I hope you are in a better mood tomorrow.

 

I could have written that if I were as good a writer as you.

 

I was in a great mood as of about an hour or so ago until the mob mentality around here took over. And I do not wish to be banned but if that happens I'm sure I won't be the first one that has, and I am also sure that I won't be the first one that has come back under 4 or 5 other names after getting a new IP address and a new account.

 

thank you June--I am not really "gooder" at writing than most people--it takes great effort for me to write concisely and coherently or to even remember to punctuate enough for others to get my meaning--maybe I got lucky with my last post

and Chris, I don't want you banned and I am not mad at you, but I wish you would try to take feedback from some of these folks without getting so rattled

 

As always.........well said Jim.

 

For the life of me I cannot see any evidence of a mob mentality or you being ganged up on. I really can't. All I have seen in the last hour or so is a group of people, some believers, some not, have a civil and, quite frankly, really warm and interesting conversation.

It appears that because some of that didn't gel with exactly your view of the world you had a brain snap. That's a shame as I think if you go back and read the posts you'll see that no-one was against "you", just some of the things you said - primarily about damning people to hell.

Honestly, I think the only person entitled to have a brain snap there was Barnyardbird (the one who you said is going to hell) and he was cool with it. Unfortunately you quite often damn people to hell and also say that it feels good knowing that that is where they will go. As has been pointed out to you - there are many people on here who either themselves are not believers or their friends, loved ones or family are not, despite being great people. They don't appreciate you telling them those people will burn in hell. I really hope you let that message sink in Chris. When you do this you are not speaking from a place of love and forgiveness (which is what I understand Jesus' messages to be) but from a place of deep hatred.

 

I guess I'm just a call it like I see it type of person a little too much sometimes, and my original hell comment was aimed at someone who has done nothing but follow people around making rude comments and starting rude anti-religious threads. But not a damn thing was said to him about it which is why it felt like a mob mentality type of thing going on - and I did not appreciate it at all.

 

Ohhhh and I know you'd love some revenge for your little boyfriend getting banned - now wouldn't you? And I am quite sure Ray is already aware of you being upset that Scott is gone.

 

Chris, please say a prayer that will make us all feel united. Say it here, no one will 'punish' you or call you out. It's what we're trying to do - find an island big enough to fit us all.

 

I'm not even sure which incident or alleged incident you're talking about here, or who the bad guy was. As far as I can tell people here have no problem calling out those who they think are out of line. So what exactly are you angry about - that someone else (whoever that is) didn't get 'punished' enough or that you feel picked on? As I don't know what the former is I can only comment on the latter and say AGAIN no-one has picked on you here. No mob mentality. Get over it. It never happened.

 

That's the best post I've seen in about 2 hours Holly; but the only thing that I can pray is for all these knives and poison darts to be pulled out of my back, and be put back in people's pockets where they belong.

And for the sake of restoring peace around here if that's possible; I think we are ALL going to Heaven on a nice shiny golden carpet and be awarded eternal paradise, wether you're a christian or non christian - believer or non believer - atheist or satanic worshipper.............we're all on our way together(singing kumbaya). :-\

 

You are not a victim here. If I were one for prayer I would pray that you understand that.

 

Speaking of Karma, I believe in that.

I find it very comforting when I have been wronged and it allows me to accept and move on kinda like forgiveness and acceptance in the Christian faith for me.

What religion does that come from? I understand it to be Buddhist but I may be wrong and I am wondering if it crosses over in to other religions.

 

Wow. Okay, so Cara posted the original question about "if you had one question to ask God what would it be." Then a few pages later we have people popping in who have already said they don't believe in God - but they're asking questions anyway. ??? What are they expecting from a supposedly mythical figure? Do they ask questions of the Easter Bunny? To some of these people, that's what they've compared God to ... Do they send letters to the north pole, asking Santa questions? And why do they really care what God's answers would be to their questions anyway, since they don't believe in Him?

Topping everything off Barnyardbird (go figure) asks if God sleeps in the nude - a very offensive question to pose to 1) a diety he doesn't believe in to begin with & 2) is almost certainly justing trying to AGAIN annoy the believers ... & then Chris comes on & basically spells out how he feels about the offensive question ... but everybody decides Chris is the bad guy (AGAIN) & Barnyardbird can say whatever vulgar insulting things he wants about God ... & nobody's supposed to be offended??

 

Dear God....Sean here....I just want to know why people need to be so aggressive and destructive.

Thanks for your time

 

Well actually this is not how the last days conversation went down and you need to reread our conversation again, apart from anything BYB posted which you can say anything you want about and which the rest of us don't condone but DO NOT imply that the rest of us were engaging in any kind of offensive behaviour.

None of us apart from BYB has said or feel any of the stuff that you have quoted here and we were having a really nice conversation apart from the posts attributed to BYB and Chris and people got a little tired of Chris damning people to hell and then telling all of us to go to hell.

I don't understand what you don't get about that or blame us for. Maybe if you stopped encouraging Chris to behave like this he wouldn't. Sometimes I think you use Chris outbursts as a source of amusement for yourself but we are not amused. Sometimes you are the first to post something negative on an innocent question saying that it is going to be trouble when most of us can converse quite civilly.

Chris and I have an open and honest relationship with respect for each other and can speak to each other quite civilly when we need to and we also discuss when one or the other has been offended. We keep that private as it is not for the consumption of others or for their amusement. We both gain and grow from this. Chris knows that when I find offense in what he says that I will post in that regard and he is free to do the same with me.

I should point out that Cara is one of the people who was offended by Chris damning people to hell as was I. I do not believe I am going to hell so I have to right to defend that.

One person causing offense does not give another the right to come in and offend everyone here. Two wrongs don't make a right and each person is dealt with accordingly. You can't tell us what should offend us and how to react to it.

 

Whoa Joy. I know that some people who proclaim themselves to be agnostic are here for the same thing you are - spiritual healing. It doesn't doesn't mean they don't have a lot of questions. I know I've come to have a much better understanding than I did about religion and different beliefs since coming to this web. I enjoy this particular forum because it offers so much understanding and although I believe in a higher power and that I have a spirit doesn't mean I wouldn't have a question or two. Why do you want to exclude those who have a good heart and want to be a part of a huge thing like religion and spiritualism.

I personally don't put God in the same catagory as the easter bunny or santa. I am truly sorry if Chris and now you believe that we always blame Chris and make him out the bad guy. His sensitivity sometimes gets the better of him (yes, I believe Chris is a very sensitive guy), and he feels, I believe like he is being attacked. Yes, we sometimes get a little silly in all the forums. For some reason, great offense is taken on this one when it isn't meant to be mean or attacking anyones belief.

 

From another vantage point.

A lot of whimsical questions were asked even by believers. Why God let the bugs on the ark, what are next week's lottery numbers reported by Cara. I thought the Does God sleep in the nude was rude because it appeared to be an attempt to laugh at not laugh with but I didn't find people supportive of that whether they were 'believers' or 'nonbelievers'. I thought Chris kind of caused a ruckus and then claimed he was the victim of it and some people didn't go along with that.

I feel like sometimes when things are said that are not directly supportive of a particular belief that a cry of persecution goes out when there was no persecution, just questions. Maybe to be polite I should just agree that people are being persecuted even if I don't think that is the case but I don't do that because to me that would be talking down to people, treating them as if they are children and I don't do that with people I care about.

 

Holly, my point was mainly that Barnyardbird can post offensive insulting outrageous stuff & say whatever really horrible things he wants to ... but in the end Chris &/or a few other Christians who try to 'defend' Christianity are called all kinds of intolerant, hateful, less-than-human creeps.

I'm glad to hear you don't think of God in the same light as the Easter Bunny et al. I don't believe "we always blame Chris". He sometimes fires off & gets himself in trouble all by himself & has to take the consequences.

Some members don't post certain things or start certain threads just to be "a little silly" in my opinion. They do it to stir up trouble. When the foundation of my life is attacked & insulted, I'm gonna be offended & I don't think I'm being unrealistic or irrational or overly sensitive.

To say Barnyardbird has a "good heart" and wants "to be part of a huge thing like religion and spiritualism" is ridiculous (if I understand your comment correctly) because he's already said how much he hates ALL religions. He might be a terrific guy in person but on this forum he's presented himself in a not so compassionate & full-of-kindness light.

 

Gees, I answered this and it went into thin air.

BYB has been criticized in no uncertain terms many times for his rude and seemingly obsessive mockery of the idea of faith. Many of these point blank criticisms came from people who are non believers or at least not overtly Christian in their beliefs. I am surprised that you could have missed these comments about his behavior because there have been many and they were very pointed.