Easter Is Coming in 8 Weeks

Quote: Fleastiff

First they are convinced of this Good and Bad, Right and Wrong stuff.

Yes, sin. Once they have you convinced that
sin is real, they have you. It's the basis of the
whole religion, the cornerstone. If you tell a
Christian you don't believe sin exists, they'll
think you're mentally unstable. They'll take
a step back like they're expecting you to go
on a killing rampage at any moment because
you have no moral compass to keep you
in control.

Quote: Fleastiff

Then they are convinced that the one true Answer is known to the Priests as revealed by ancient scribblings by zealots. Then the Priests come around demanding taxes and adherence to rules often with Draconian penalties. The Richter conditions are set: a dire peril has been created and a unique hope has been created. So the Priests get provided with money and young children, the church members get continued hope of this resurrection and eternal life thing and meeting their favorite pets again.
.

Very well said. The mark of a true religion is, they
aren't constantly seeking new recruits. Hinduism,
Judaism, and Buddhism could care less if you're
a member of their faith. Christians, Islam, and
Mormons, on the other hand, will do just about
anything to convert you and make you a 'productive'
member.

Quote: Nareed

I just realized the good father won't be here for a while because it's ash Wednesday.

I've no idea what to say. Do I wish a happy holiday? Do I say "I hope you had a good/nice ash Wednesday?" I'm clueless about it.

Thanks for the sentiment Nareed, as they say it is the thought that counts. It is an awkward holy day to greet someone, it's like Good Friday in that regard. I like to just say, "A Blessed Lent to you."

Anyway it is crazy busy around Ash Wednesday. I think it ranks third behind Christmas and Easter as the most attended days at Church. It looks like I have a few posts to respond to and I'll try to get to it when I can.

A Blessed Lent to you and to the forum.

Quote: FrGamble

A Blessed Lent to you and to the forum.

I gave up Lent for atheism.

(people are always saying what the gave
up for Lent. So...)

Oh man, if you flipped that around you would have an awesome 40 days!

Quote: FrGamble

Thanks for the sentiment Nareed, as they say it is the thought that counts.

You're welcome.

Quote:

It is an awkward holy day to greet someone, it's like Good Friday in that regard.

I also like using comparisons which I know tell my audience nothing ;)

Quote:

I like to just say, "A Blessed Lent to you."

I see. It still clarifies very little....

That's the kind of thing I wouldn't mind hearing, but it would take torture to get me to say.

Quote:

I think it ranks third behind Christmas and Easter as the most attended days at Church.

I've heard some churches have taken to closing for Xmas. (I'm serious).

For those having dietary difficulties during Lent, the M Casino has announced a return to their sumptuous meals to go program. Drop by, play for awhile. leave with a great big bucket of hot dinner for four.

Quote: Evenbob

Can you name just one instance where a
supernatural cause has been proven to be
the correct answer? Not believed to be,
not thought to be, proved to be.

99% of what people used to think had
supernatural causes were proven over
time not to have them at all.

Just about every person who converts cites a supernatural cause, many exorcisms and hauntings, many approved medical miracles, and the existence of anything just to name a few.

Why I mentioned the existence of matter is because either you think the universe is eternal, which is a supernatural phenomenon, or you think the universe was created and that too necessitates a spiritual or supernatural cause.

Quote: FrGamble

Just about every person who converts cites a supernatural cause,

So do people who believe in astrology, dianetics, ghosts, apparitions, UFOs and alien abductions, among others.

Quote:

many exorcisms and hauntings, many approved medical miracles,

That's much like what the UFO crowd does: "if it wasn't an intergalactic ship, what was it????" The deist version is "If it cannot be explained with our current knowledge, it was a miracle of God."

I'm not impressed at all.

In Medieval times there was a supernaturalistic technique for treating wounds, which actually worked rather well! it was called "weapon's salve." The technique consisted of transferring as much of the blood, pus, gore and dead tissue one could manage from the wound to the weapon that inflicted it. Magically, or so it seemed, many wounds treated this way healed better than the norm.

What really happened is that, if you paid attention to the description you'd see this, the technique involved cleaning the wound. Not only that, but doing so very soon after the wound had been sustained.

Now, what's the first thing modern medicine does with a wound? If you answered "clean it," you're right. A clean wound is less likely to get infected. In a time before antibiotics, preventing the initial infection went a long way towards healing.

The poor, ignorant sods who used this technique had no idea what they were doing. they thought they were working magic or performing a miracles or something. But they stumbled on one right thing to do.

The Romans used honey on wounds. I don't know why. But honey does have antibacterial properties (you will never come across spoiled honey, ever). Whatever the reason, such wounds also healed better.

Quote: FrGamble

Why I mentioned the existence of matter is because either you think the universe is eternal, which is a supernatural phenomenon, or you think the universe was created and that too necessitates a spiritual or supernatural cause.

Does it? Neither of these need a 'supernatural' cause. Either could be 'just what it is'.

People look for far too much low scale, human sized logic in the small and the massive and cosmology in general. Thing is, this stuff is so far outside of our human scale, that 'common sense' and 'logic' that we use in our current environment may not (and certainly doesn't in the case of sub-atomic) apply.

Quote: FrGamble

Just about every person who converts cites a supernatural cause, many exorcisms and hauntings, many approved medical miracles,

So if I said the ghost of a dead saint
appeared to me and I want to join the
fold, you would consider that 'proof'?
There's no proof whatever.

'Approved medical miracles'? You mean
there are chapters in medical books
entitled 'Miracles'? There might be a chapter
called Medical Mysteries, they would
never call them miracles because of that
pesky proof criterion again. If you mean
'approved' by the Church, then in the real
world it's meaningless.

Quote: FrGamble

Why I mentioned the existence of matter is because either you think the universe is eternal, which is a supernatural phenomenon, .

In fact, it's the exact opposite of that. If it's
been here forever, that's just the fact of it,
nothing supernatural at all. At this point in
human time, it's the only explanation that
makes logical sense. It erases all the questions.
No head scratching involved. Until another
theory is proven, it's the only one that makes
sense.

It's like this. You can apply this to anything.
I don't know where the road in front of my
house came from, so I start with the theory
it's been there forever. I start my investigation
and find quickly that it hasn't been there
forever and I correct my thinking.

We don't know how the universe started,
so we have to assume it's been here forever
at this point. You have an unproven theory
that it's gods fault. That's fine, lots of people
believe things they can't prove. Just don't
say my position is not as legitimate as
yours.