nostatic:

I pose the following question to some "people of faith":

Do we not create God in OUR image rather than the other way around?

In a bit more detail: Would an all powerful and all knowing Creator require his creations to bow down and give worship out of fear of punishment? Would such a Creator urge his creations to kill each other in the name of the Creator? Would such a Creator be angry, jealous, demanding, spiteful or possess other negative human attributes?

Lest someone think I am an unbeliever, and attack me for my "lack of faith", I just shrug and say that my Creator is above the petty emotions of mankind and has been misinterpreted by many well meaning (and some not so well meaning) people over the years. My relationship is personal and not ruled by fear of retribution. I believe that doing what is right for my fellow travelers on this globe is its own reward.

Naah, your shirt isn't unbuttoned, and you're not standing out on the street with a can of (whatever) in your hand.

Jeez, Bob, your Creator is not the Fun Guy theirs is.

trekkor,
You are absolutely correct, the end is near. Seeing as that you will not be needing your retirement funds, 401K, etc, I will PM you with the proper account numbers to facilitate the transfer of your financial assets over to me.

Sincerely,

Tech:

Maybe not as much "fun" in some ways, but a heck of a lot more predictable, a lot less fearsome, and far more acceptable.

Bob

I am a "Christian" and have taught my son to respect others beliefs as you would expect your own beliefs respected. Golden Rule if you will.

I was raised by my father with zero tolerance for anything different. When I was younger and stupid I carried that attitude around and it cost me friendships. I promised my self to stop being like that as I got older.

A humble attittude and meekness go a long way with people when asked what you believe. A "I am right and you are wrong" attitude just pisses people off and turns them off to you.

So not all christians are egocentric.

There are enlightened individuals who see the reasoning behind Jim's statement. One must also ask themselves if it is just possible that other belief systems actually have some element that has merit. It does not mean you have to accept all that belief system offers, but just consider that there is not truly "wrong" way for people to gain "redemption" as long as they follow the one general rule: "Don't hurt each other".

Bravo. And please note I didn't say "all." I have the pleasure of knowing quite a few Christians who are amazing people. But they all exhibit the attitudes you describe above. I often drift into the "I'm right, you're wrong" arena, but try to catch myself. It is interesting to see the triggers that lead me that way, and the ways that I can try and work with it.

In one of my martial arts schools we talk a lot about humility. And it is critical...but most people have a false humility or really don't understand what it means. It is not about self-deprication, but rather about quiet confidence without hubris. One of the grand masters, when asked what a black sash meant, replied: "grace under pressure."

Sounds good to me...

that's why it's very recommended to take large doses of acid, frequently , untill the weirdness becomes second nature, if not first... i call it : "enlightenment +"

normal folks may call it fruitcake, but hell, they just ain't enlightened enough to understand...

and truth is , if you eat enough acid, yer ego is going to be pudding anyhow... :D

The cancer known as human kind will slowly burn out. This notion that we'll evolve to some supehuman stage is fantasy.

What we view as catostophic rape on the planet will heal over like a barely acknowledged scab.

We will remain a mere microscopic dot on the geologic/universal timeline.


But we might as well go out in style.....

http://gotomars.free.fr/affiche/abbott_costel2.jpg

My philosophy on the track. Once the ego takes over bad things happen. "Oh hell no!! That Miata is not going to pass me!!" or my favorite, "I have a Z-06 and nothing is as fast as me".

Humility has served me VERY well in motorsports. I have attended countless AX driving schools and a few road course driving schools. I am about to attend a Panoz school this winter and I have always had the attittude that I am there to learn not show off.

Now back on topic sorry for the sidetrack.

There are a couple of self-identified Christians like you here on Pelican who have this belief and -- to me -- represent what I was taught a Christian should be: someone who draws people to Christianity by example.

Too many people use a claim of Christianity in order to support their hate of everything and everyone different. This is especially true with the "TV Christians" Like Falwell and Robertson.

I was taught to 'hate the sin and love the sinner' and 'judge not lest ye be judged.' Not an easy path to follow. I admire and applaud those who do so.

i'll see your humility and raise you a cow.

or, even MORE frightening...
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1149706869.jpg

is it a spherical cow?

yep

now bow down for my humility !.

my knee pads are at the dry cleaners. You got a pillow?

This could replace the previous scary image of Pat.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1149716849.jpg

once we get rid of the neo-conned goverment
mostly normal better times will return

global warming will take awhile
like 30-50 years to kick in
so we lose south Fla and holland

nukes are so cold war
maybe a nut or terrorest strike but no total nuke war
would NY NY realy be missed?

sorry christians but your boy ain't comming back
and as much as i WISH you would and SOON
you arenot going to heaven
nore do you get to see the world end
sorry but fairytales DONOT come true
quit your preying on your fellows
and do something USEFULL

and computers will get faster
and maybe even cheaper

but cars homes and oil will go up in the price

A lot of posts and a lot of views. Some pics...

But still no positive view of the future... ( other than the one I showed from the bible )

Why?


KT

mine was positive. but you don't like Buddhist thought evidently...

In the next 50 years we will experience major swings in the climate. Many folks will have their ideas as to why it is occurring yet none will be able to prove it. The Federal Government will take a much more active role in the environment in 10 years because a democratic forerunner will be its champion. The conservative republicans will allow such a thing because they really have no more items up on the agenda. The middle east will have become stabilized due to international intervention and the elimination of rouge state leadership. Africa will continue to degrade and become a ghost continent. South America will become the agricultural leader of the world. The energy crisis will be reduced not by one technology but many small “green” approaches.

The average life expectancy in 50 years will be in the mid 90’s. The major reason for death will be various forms of dementia that will not have a known origin - even when a patients compete genetic profile can be understood in 5 minutes at a drive up pharmacy the cause will still be a mystery . Many forms of cancer will be eliminated. The average age of retirement from the primary career will be 70 and for the next 20 years more of the elderly will engage in volunteer work as well as education. The AARP will become a major political party blending a mix of centrism and libertarianism.

TV and computers will project in 3-D and become interactive. Businesses will become more virtual in the US because much of the jobs will be focused around data manipulation and trading. The stock markets will become completely global running 24/7 and the markets them selves will be the biggest and greatest of businesses.

There will be a renewed interest and enthusiasm in various religions that will promote a blending of faiths. This was not by accident but because many of the world religions such as Christianity needed to find ways to blend with Islam to remain viable. Still different Islamic and Christian sects will become isolationists even after ancient scrolls are uncovered that tell of a union of the sons of God.

Machine / human interaction will be common place due to the advances in nano-technology and the neural interfaces developed first for nerve repair by the Navy Research labs then by prosthetic manufacturers then by The Ultimate Fighting League who promote human/cyber combatants.

Money will still be used - coins will become obsolete and the term Keep-the-Change will be emblazoned on every form of currency. Major store chains will eventually die off when Wal-Mart collapsed. The emergence of the home store - actual stores with in peoples homes will become commonplace. Home parties will be a virtual experiences with a combination of items for display. This development would come about due to the ever increasing popularity in yard sales and in-house home shows selling everything from produce to investments. Pampered Chef, Mary Kay and Amway will become the active members on the new DOW 100 with a product line that boasts cosmetics, kitchen ware, tools, investments, sporting equipment as well as vehicles and vacations.

Mike...why?


KT

Various forms of neurosis and psychosis will be discovered to be from viral infections. New life worms will be discovered at an alarming rate - found deep with in the earths mantle. These life forms will be simple in nature and in some cases the size of a large molecule yet will be defined as life because they show all the signs of life as well as being able to perform a simple tasks associated with reward and memory. They will be able to self replicate and eventually will be able to be synthesized for nano-techno local developments.

Music will explore a greater cultural influence and the use of polyrhythms and chromatic sliding scales will be common due to the influence from India and Africa. The visual arts will utilize neural interfaces and allow the observer to participate. Works of the masters will also become interactive allowing the participant to witness the actual making of the art. An emotion-interaction node will engage during certain developmental periods of the work of art and the observer will experience first hand immense joy, elation, depression and despair - much the same emotions as the artists experienced.

Sex will be great…

Why??? Which part do you want me to expend on???

You wont have to wait 50 years for this to happen. They are already a very powerful block of voters. Major influence in many avenues of commerce to boot.

but it takes time for the ol gummers to move - I'm not talking about an active lobby that rivals the ag or oil or pharm sector, I mean a total displacement of a major party. When was the last time that happened? The 1800's.

That doesn't work here...LOL:D

Sorry...


KT

I guess its late and I am a bit fuzzy from writing all day and reading to the kids tonight...I would be glad to expand on any given thought just let me know which. I'm sorry but I really don't know what you want here...

Let me put it this way, OK?

The whole system that is corrupt, due to selfishness, greed, motives that violate man's desire for happiness, will be GONE.

"3_With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them. 4_And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away."
- Revelation 21:3,4


KT

Well ya, duh...but that’s been going on for a thousand some odd years. The passages you quote are really good but I don't think it is a very good idea to take them out of context. You want the Bible to be a crystal ball or something and it is not nor would the Christ want it to be that. Bring it back into perspective please. This book is a textbook written in prose to help everyone understand the human psyche and soul. You use it like a Druid using tree bark to tell the future and you will miss the whole point.

The Bible is an index finger that points to the Moon yet your looking at the index finger and not the intended image. Those passages et al could apply a thousand years ago or today at work or next year over a death bed.

I don’t really expect you to buy any of this - your faith and conviction is pretty strong - perhaps due to upbringing or a personal situation. Ha, that’s cool. The Bible can be comforting and a source of strength. Just for a few minutes consider what I have written. It is not blasphemy but rather a sincere appreciation of 2000 years of torment and toil to keep some of these ideas alive and well to help others out and not bring about fear and speculation. Don’t fall victim to the power of a religion that frightens, rather find the grace of God not at a pulpit but rather in a child’s laugh.

BTW - I checked out your website and you do really good work. Impressive actually.

The sign of the last days only fits one generation in all of man's history.



KT

debatable

i wouldn't bet on loosing holland

sure it's a **** place to live
the politicians here total wankers
the food culture is non existant
culture of selling crap to their own mother
but no service
have a stupid accent in english
and it's a breeding ground for islamic tossers

but for some reason , i'm inclined to think that they will either build even bigger dams and levee's and what not,

##don't forget ,
55% of Holland was a swamp in Caesars days
another 25% of it , was actual sea
the remaining 20% was not called Holland, and part of what now is called Germany... and Belgicae (never believe a Dutchman who says Belgium is not real , we were there before them, Caesar even called us brave... that means tough SOB's to conquer)

or they'll figure out a way to make it float
(which i think depends on how islamic this place becomes and if the then ruling class thinks it's a + to float it closer to Mekka or not )

Gotta love those polders...

My great grandfather was a dutch hydrological engineer

I'm listening...;)


KT

Religious / faith based trolling.

Now I HAVE seen it all.

no, you're not. You might hear, but you don't listen.

How does that comment contribute to the thread?

What is your objective?


KT