Thou Shalt Not Test The Lord

[pytheas]

works derived from teachings of the gentle voice of Buddha. 

pupil Question: what must I do if I meet a Buddha?
master Answer: Kill him

Q: But why?
A: If you judge others you lose your way to become enlightened
Q:So i have to kill him
A: No you fucking idiot, the idea of him in your head

[pytheas]

This is what's happening with the Atheists, they are blaming their Creator for something the Pagan Christian religions with their theistic gods have caused. Satan is laughing his but off...
And yes, there are a lot of feel-good things in Budhaism too, if you like that druggy feeling... LOL. Todays Christianity offers that same drug, an artificial feel-good ministry with a smile as fake as Jan Crouches hair on TBN.
If you're willing to listen, I will start tomorrow, and remember I give you no handycap, you may use any source from science to the rat infested temples of India, to YouTube videos depicting how God is torturing those starving children in Africa.

take a megalomaniac, moderate-grown, toss some racism, mix.
Slice thinly a smattering judge, who concludes instintively from labels and covers, stir fry for 5 min.
Serve over freshly boiled paranoid delusion to an aromatic finish.

That's a recipe for dung, flower-growing and river-polluting.

[pytheas]

Thomas was given sufficient proof for him - it was a personal revelation of and from Jesus. If you sincerely want a personal revelation from Jesus, ask him for it, just like Thomas did.  Put the ball in his court. For purposes of consistency, I do not reject anyone's personal testimony of what happened to him/her, unless there are weighty factors that demand rejection. I find none of those in your case...

Dear, you miss one little detail with the thomas story

They_Saw_Thomas_Putting his hand IN.

direct experience is a little more substantial than either personal experience/revelation/dream or, indeed, carefully manipulated and added upon hearsay.
Humans Work With Corroboration And Correspondance. Not only I want to put my finger in, but with
I N D E P E N D E N T WITNESSES' AFFIRMATORY PRESENCE and coverage.
If something like that happened all would believe it, and those believing in a previous "mental version" example would run into trouble.

So, pack the balls and scrap the court, a bluff is just a bluff and the stakes are high in the world domination poker.

[Ecurb Noselrub]

Thomas was given sufficient proof for him - it was a personal revelation of and from Jesus. If you sincerely want a personal revelation from Jesus, ask him for it, just like Thomas did.  Put the ball in his court. For purposes of consistency, I do not reject anyone's personal testimony of what happened to him/her, unless there are weighty factors that demand rejection. I find none of those in your case...

Dear, you miss one little detail with the thomas story

They_Saw_Thomas_Putting his hand IN.

The text just says that Jesus offered Thomas the chance to insert his finger/hand.  It doesn't actually say that he did it. Still, even with direct sensory perception, some faith was required that he was not hallucinating or dreaming. Granted, the leap of faith that Thomas and the other apostles had to take was much shorter than the one a modern believer has to take, given that they saw the resurrected Christ. But to believe something that extrordinary takes some faith even when you see it with your own eyes. The modern believer, having the testimony of the apostles and his/her own personal revelatory experiences, has to feel comfortable with the size of the chasm before taking the leap. The stronger the experience, the narrower the chasm seems.

[pytheas]

They_Saw_Thomas_Putting his hand IN.

The text just says that Jesus offered Thomas the chance to insert his finger/hand.  It doesn't actually say that he did it.

Sorry to disagree but i remeber things i don't actually want to, from my primary school catehism.
I remember asking and receiving the answer that yes the apostles witnessed thomas putting his hand in the hole and touching the chest wound, and that's why apiste thoma! was exclaimed, not because he asked but because he did it and fell to the ground with disgrace afterwards.
I long for such an exuberant exhilarating "disgrace" i find humbleness in that type of yielding. the objective overpowering one, like the one with a telescope at night, or ayahuasca injestion in a safe refuge 

[Tristan Jay]

pupil Question: what must I do if I meet a Buddha?
master Answer: Kill him

Q: But why?
A: If you judge others you lose your way to become enlightened
Q:So i have to kill him
A: No you fucking idiot, the idea of him in your head

I can't deny that I'm not entirely rational, I'm sure I've had my moments where I am less than coherent here.    This went just a little bit over my head, I confess...  :feeling dense:

[Davin]

I can't deny that I'm not entirely rational, I'm sure I've had my moments where I am less than coherent here. 

I can't think of a single person this is not true for.

This went just a little bit over my head, I confess...  :feeling dense:

Mine too, if that makes you feel any better. It makes even less sense to me as a repy to what you said. Buddha seems to be the only link.

[Tristan Jay]

This went just a little bit over my head, I confess...  :feeling dense:

Mine too, if that makes you feel any better.

It does, thank you. 

[Sweetdeath]

Hopefully not too off topic here: But my dad  really hates catholics , which I find hilarious. He says he doesnt understand people who need a physical statues to pray to. People of real.faith pray to the unseen.

I had to bite my tongue, hard.  This was a phone convo today. I really hate him calling. I tell him to text instead.

[Tristan Jay]

Must be nice to ask God questions, make fun of Him and not let Him speak with that gentle voice from the Bible. And your a happy atheist with that?

I personally am not an atheist, but I would have a lot more peace of mind if he didn't exist, or we were able to rid ourselves of him literally or metaphorically.  However, neither myself or atheists don't think it's a big deal because we either don't believe he exists, or we think he can take it.  If it's troubling to look at, why torture yourself; why seek out something that's going to cause you to suffer needlessly?  Keep in mind, if God really is the way Christians describe him, He's a tough old boy and can take it.  Also keep in mind that insults and mocking questions thrown at him are not things we expect yourself or Christians to answer; God needs to take responsibility for answering better, more conclusively, more effectively.  It seems like it's an awful burden to take the weigh that He should be taking Himself.

And I have to answer now directly to the real reason I'm responding to your post: "The gentle voice of God."  I have to contend this, because the Bible sure don't show Him to be gentle.  Still, assuming He is smart and all knowing, then He would have known what credibility He might have jeopardized for some people when he ordered quite a respectable number of genocides, so He would have known every person in future generations who would have been disgusted by the notion that He has a gentle voice.  He couldn't have shown some self-restraint (or just done it Himself and not said a thing about it)?  The voice who played a dare and double-dare game with the Devil to prove some guy's loyalty to Him, by letting the Devil have his way with Job?  Knowing that voice might do the same to me...I would not consider that a gentle voice.

The thought of Him loftily boasting of gentle and loving in a ways better than what humans are capable of causes me to feel nearly uncontrollable impulses of rage.  Him, the concept of Him, is like an insult to humanity that makes me want to scream.

Maybe He should have shown a better example.  Maybe there's opportunity still for Him to get his act together, and show us a truly gentle and loving voice that doesn't have violence and the threat of violence behind all He says.  Many people on this planet who are just living out their lives well are making Him look bad without effort.  He's only embarrassing Himself.  Rejection and mockery of Him is not rejection and mockery of you; don't take it personally.

And now, I'm off to read works derived from teachings of the gentle voice of Buddha.  It helps me cope. 

Hello Tristan Jay, a pleasure to meet you.

Everything you said makes sense, and as I see how you understand our Creator through the theistic religions and their gods, I don't blame you at all. I have gone through the mire myself, so many questions seemed to be unanswered.

But think about this for a second, what if you bought something at Sears, and it turned out to be everything you didn't want or expected, and then you went to a Circle K and started to bitch out the poor Indian owner behing the counter, you'd let all your frustrations out on him, throw the merchandise on the floor and leave?

This is what's happening with the Atheists, they are blaming their Creator for something the Pagan Christian religions with their theistic gods have caused. Satan is laughing his but off.

I have the answer to your frustrations, .. that is if you are truly willing to hear me out?

And yes, there are a lot of feel-good things in Budhaism too, if you like that druggy feeling... LOL. Todays Christianity offers that same drug, an artificial feel-good ministry with a smile as fake as Jan Crouches hair on TBN.

If you're willing to listen, I will start tomorrow, and remember I give you no handycap, you may use any source from science to the rat infested temples of India, to YouTube videos depicting how God is torturing those starving children in Africa.

I will be happy to answer your present post tomorrow, .. fare enough?

Thank you for the opportunity, and take care my friend.

Just to follow up, I wasn't sure if this was a busy day that prevented a more in depth exploration of the ideas I've mentioned in the post re-capped above.  I'm always interested to hear what people have concluded about topics along the lines of the sort of things that I've brought up.  Rather than delve any further, I'll let the subjects I've broached stand as a starting point, otherwise I risk losing myself in tangents, and I also risk getting myself worked up into a pointless frenzy of outrage.

If it's alright everyone else here then, please, share...
...unless people weigh in to say "no thank you" at which point just PM me what your perspective is on what I've tossed out. 

[arian (Banned)]

But think about this for a second, what if you bought something at Sears, and it turned out to be everything you didn't want or expected, and then you went to a Circle K and started to bitch out the poor Indian owner behing the counter, you'd let all your frustrations out on him, throw the merchandise on the floor and leave?

I would find that rather rude, although I would understand the person's frustration.

This is what's happening with the Atheists, they are blaming their Creator for something the Pagan Christian religions with their theistic gods have caused. Satan is laughing his but off.

Nice of you to show us your arrogance and condescension. Have you no honor, that you could be so presumptive to speak for all atheists? To throw in the face those who do not believe in such foolishness as a creator or divine creation or Satan?

I have the answer to your frustrations, .. that is if you are truly willing to hear me out?

Nah, if you can say the things about people as you do in this post...

And yes, there are a lot of feel-good things in Budhaism too, if you like that druggy feeling... LOL.

Ah, so now you paint with a very large brush to attack Buddhist as well.

If you're willing to listen...

I'm not. I would rather listen to Hitler talk to the farting preacher on the phone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzHvfNr25fQ&feature=related

I get this strange feeling you guys don't like me?  Naw... It's just probably me.

Attack, ... attack, ... Look who is attacking you hypocrite, since I have come on this forum I had nothing BUT attacks and threats, false accusations and my posts made fun of. I try to blend in, but only to be shunned or posts telling others to shun me.

I have and had atheist friends all my life, especially the dear departed one who helped me realize the hypocrisy in my Christian upbringing, and so I wanted to see if I could share this with other atheists, but not a chance. Like vultures stalking me, making mean and disrespectful and distorted comments to my posts, threats to use false accusations against me like Trolling as a means to force me off the Forum.

This is NOT atheism, atheists don't believe in god or gods, but it is very obvious that you guys know and understand who you hate, you make it very clear with your threats of me using Bible quotations. It is your God your Creator and it makes you feel uncomfortable to even see Scripture verses, not alone someone revealing the truth in religion.

You all should take a long look at your religious forums and see the venom, the mockery flow unobstructed page after page, each one adding to the vendetta being played out.

Happy atheists, ... not likely, actually far from it. More like a den of warlocks and witches patting each other in the back, a dark cult. I seen how you chase people who are searching (as myself) off the forum, this proves you are very religious, and you get offended easy. You don't want your guilt to be seen, so you chase anyone with an honest intent, off the forum.

Read the description of an 'atheist', and then take a good look at your debates, especially the one regarding 'religion'. You KNOW who you hate, and no one can 'hate' someone who they 'don't know'.

No real 'atheist' would ever stay on this forum, you guys are way too religious, as I said, a cult.

I'll answer if I find any respectful responses to any of my posts, and after that I'm out of your hair (I know, .. yay!). I will leave you in the pit of darkness you have created for yourselves here. "Freethought", ... what a joke. I always wondered why Jesus pitied the wicked: "Lord forgive them for they know not what they do!"

Now I understand.

Acts 22:22-23
And they listened to him until this word, and then they raised their voices and said, "Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he is not fit to live!" 23 Then, as they cried out and tore off their clothes and threw dust into the air,
NKJV

[Gawen]

*removed by author because it was off topic.

[Will]

Jet-cooling time, folks. I believe any topic can be discussed respectfully even when perspectives are diametrically opposed. I hope you maintain my faith in that belief, if you'll pardon the pun.

And, yes, preaching is specifically forbidden on the Happy Atheist Forum, as the atheists and agnostics here have expressed no interest in attempted conversions. This is a place for community and discussion, not a group of atheists just waiting for the right Bible/Qur'an/Torah verse.

Back to our regularly scheduled discussion.

[Tristan Jay]

Did arian think I was being disingenuous?  At the very least I had hope for a PM about the topics I was ranting about; for a moment I was wondering what arian's perspective was, I got the impression that there was acknowledgment that I had made some legitimate points/complaints about God, so I wondered what arian's perspective was (skeptically, yet still curious).  ???

I feel very disappointed.  That post seems very counterproductive.  I would ask: does this often happen with atheists, the argument circles around to an important point that you wonder, "Is anyone ever going to offer a compelling answer," only to see another person teasing with the possibility of compelling thoughts whip around, rage and storm about being oppressed, demonize you, and totally disregard the important point?  However, I've seen evidence that suggests a recurring pattern.

I noticed this with another poster on here who is too easy to spot out when they dance away from a key point in a discourse and cries out "Wolf!" instead.  Frustrating conversations to watch unfold.   

[Thunder Road]

I thought my criticisms were not too rash.

Why is it that the trolls provoke arguments, then immediately play the victim card whenever someone responds to them with logic that contradicts them?

It seems that a lot of Christians (or I guess all religious people) don't seem to understand the difference between debate and hostility.  Unless you agree with them 100% and immediately convert, then you're attacking them.  So annoying...