The Holy Trinity

Quote: FrGamble

I have never heard a better definition of an atheist. I sincerely thank you.

If god existed. Which he doesn't.

God people are funny. We have lots of
things we all know exist, like air and
gravity, that we can't see. But we feel
their effects, and it effects us all the
same way. For instance, you can
believe in gravity or not, and you're
still going to fall hard and fast out
of a 10 story window.

Not so with god. If there was a god,
he would have the same effect on
us all, and he does not. His effect
is so vacant, so nebulous, there are
hundreds of different religions
that say contradictory things.

Yet this doesn't bother god people
at all. They know for positive sure
that their take on god is the correct
one. They hope. They pray it is.

So if there is a god, and it's the biggest
most important fact in the universe,
why doesn't it effect us all the same
way, like air and gravity and light
does.

Because there is no god, that's why.
Obviously.

Quote: Evenbob

I could say things like, you help
people. But so what, that's what
you were trained and hired to do,
if you didn't help people you
would lose your job. It's like
saying it's nice the guy mows my
yard, but that's his job, he only
does it cause he's paid.

You have to look at what people do that goes beyond the call of duty. For example, Lamberto, my landscaper:

1. Will suffer through my awful Spanish and speak it back to me at a speed I can keep up with.
2. Always gets the job done. If he can't come, he sends somebody, often I've never seen before, to do it.
3. Does little extra stuff without nickel and diming me.

Quote: Wizard

You have to look at what people do that goes beyond the call of duty. For example, Lamberto, my landscaper:
\.

I don't know what FrG does beyond
the call of duty. How could I, he very
carefully never talks in detail about
what he does or what his life is like.

We know he has a truck he bought,
and is trying to quit chewing tobacco.
That's it, that's all I know. He never
talks about what he does as a priest.
We know he wanted to join a monastery.
That was a revelation, he never talks about
what he does.

Quote: Evenbob

But we feel
their effects, and it effects us all the
same way. For instance, you can
believe in gravity or not, and you're
still going to fall hard and fast out
of a 10 story window.

We do feel the effects of God all the same way. We all search for meaning and purpose in our lives and cannot shake the feeling that there is something more. We all are bound by morality and know that it is wrong to, for example kill the innocent. We all are aware of the amazing nature of humanity and our gifts of reason and life. We all feel this way.

Quote: Evenbob

I don't know what FrG does beyond
the call of duty. How could I, he very
carefully never talks in detail about
what he does or what his life is like.

We know he has a truck he bought,
and is trying to quit chewing tobacco.
That's it, that's all I know. He never
talks about what he does as a priest.
We know he wanted to join a monastery.
That was a revelation, he never talks about
what he does.

What do you want to know? Ask me in the "Hey Fr Gamble" thread. You of all people should know the desire for anonymity on this forum. You have in some ways found out a lot about me that you don't talk about in the forum but have PM'ed me about. When I did my penance a while ago I just used the things I knew about you from the forum.

Quote: FrGamble

We all search for meaning and purpose in our lives

Just not true at all! Most people
in the world just struggle to get
by month to month, they don't
have the luxury of wondering
what the meaning of their life
is. Ever been to a 3rd world
country and seen the poverty?
How much time a day do those
people spend pondering their
'purpose' in life. It's a joke.

Quote: FrGamble

What do you want to know? .

I'll figure something out. I know enough.

Quote: Evenbob

Ever been to a 3rd world
country and seen the poverty?
How much time a day do those
people spend pondering their
'purpose' in life. It's a joke.

This is like asking me if I have ever been to a Christian service. Yes, I have been to many countries that suffer from great poverty. Two things I see all the time is a desire to show and know deeply their dignity and worth. In the midst of crippling poverty the temptation is to think that your life is not valuable and not important. To fight against this temptation the people think a lot about their purpose and their worth and celebrate it. Have you experienced something different in your travels?

The second thing I have experienced in every 3rd world country is an amazing amount of joy and happiness. Sometimes I am jealous of their joy and wish we had more happiness in America. Have you experienced something different?

Quote: FrGamble

To fight against this temptation the people think a lot about their purpose and their worth and celebrate it.

Yeah, that's why people in abject
poverty are so often alcohol and
drug abusers, because they 'celebrate'
their purpose and worth every day.
That's why crushing poverty is
so beneficial to the human spirit.

You live in a dream world, you see what
you want to see and ignore the rest.

Don't get it twisted. Crushing poverty is exactly that; crushing. I said there is a strong temptation for people to lose their self-worth and purpose and when that temptation is not overcome then people will turn to anything to forget about life and their struggles, both the rich and poor. In fact I wonder what the per capita rate of drug and alcohol abuse is between 3rd world countries and America? Maybe Paco can tell us. However, you are correct is that there is a lot of drug abuse in 3rd world countries because that temptation to give us is so strong. Maybe my experience is different than yours because when I go to these 3rd world countries I am surrounded often by people of faith. Faith helps people overcome the temptation to think their lives are not valuable or meaningful. Where have you been and who were you hanging around with?