Jonathan H. B. Lobl

Usually, the Forum just dies. Interfaith boards require mutual respect. Fundamentalists don't understand the concept. You've been here long enough to remember when Dan was new here. He was upfront back then, about being here to witness for Christ. This is not dialog. Sure not mutual respect. Now, he just lies and lays out the bovine excrement. If the usual pattern holds, he'll be the last bully standing.

You might be right about Dan. Still, it seems to me that he's not playing dumb. I think that he's the genuine article. Dumb as a stump and thick as a brick. Now we will see if this board still has a moderator. I doubt it. 🙄

Do your ears hear what your mouth is saying? For the rest -- Yes. It is just your opinion. As usual, ill informed and petty.

Yes. Of course. In specific context of Dan's last statement; it seemed a reasonable response. Countless gods over countless generations -- and it's HIS god that I should accept on faith alone. I found it irritating. Why not the ancient and venerable Sekhmet? Her worship goes back much farther than Dan's god -- and her mythology is quite interesting. If we know what we are looking at -- her statue is rich in symbolism which is a wealth of theology. The statue that Dan disdained as just a statue. Oh. Look. Her worship is older than Dan's Books. The Books that he's so proud of. Watch. Dan will have a snappy come back about how I "exploded" in "anger". He will complain about how I "hate God". His little games are so tedious -- and so predictable.

Philosophy Humor: What's the difference between a large pizza and a philosopher? The pizza can feed a family of four. Back to the issues. At this point, I'm not really sure why I care. I keep thinking that if the voices of reason go away, the only voices remaining will be madness. Then again, so what? Maybe I should wander off and let the crazies eat each other. I have seen other Interfaith Church boards die. It follows a pattern. First the Fundamentalists drive everyone else away. Then they aren't Fundamental enough for each other. It ends with one loud bigot, who outlasts all the other bigots. Then the board dies. The Pagans on this board have already given up. Most of the liberal Christian have also gone silent. Remember Rev Rainbow? The Pantheists have given up. The pattern is holding. Do I really care? I suppose I do, or I wouldn't still be here. But not as much as I used to. The moderators have clearly given up. My Apatheism is deepening.

There is an old line. I don't know who said it. "When we speak to God, it's called prayer. When God speaks to us, it's called Schizophrenia." St. Paul, on the road to Damascus, comes to mind. So does Mohamed. And Joseph Smith. Also, various Saints and Holy Men.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/tippling/2019/01/14/scientists-have-established-a-link-between-brain-damage-and-religious-fundamentalism-among-vietnam-vets/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Nonreligious&utm_content=44

1. Of course, you prefer to think that. So? 2. Wait. That was your argument? 3. Of course. God hanging from a cross, is much better than an Egyptian statue.

I know. Just Sweet Old Dan, quoting Psalms. Nothing mean spirited or vicious in quoting Psalms. The words change, but it's always the same hateful music. The intent was clear enough. Don't let him get to you.

So close. Atheism is grounded in the lack of evidence. Much like your conclusions. Scripture is not evidence. How strange. If I say that there is no reason to believe in Sekhmet, the ancient Lion Headed Goddess of Egypt -- Nobody here would argue with me. It is only followers of your God -- who expect me to believe without good reason.

Yes. It's almost as though God had nothing to do with it.

That's no problem for me. Most of the people that I feel close to, have some kind of God belief. I don't need others to agree with me. The more so, considering how my own views have shifted over time. Some people on this board, will remember when I advocated for Pantheism.

There is legitimate confusion over not knowing and not believing. The more so, since living languages have words that shift meaning, over time. I can live with it. Thank you for your concern.

You have allowed Dan, to make things more complicated, than they are. Many gods could exist. A god could exist. The God could exist. At this time, there is inadequate reason, to think that such is the case. Pending further developments. A small point. Proving that A god exists, would take us to Deism. Advancing from Deism to Christianity is another leap. It is not enough to establish that A god exists. It would be necessary to advance, to proving that The God exists. Dan makes no distinction between A god and The God. At this point, I attribute this to his limitations. It takes brains to make certain distinctions. Since Dan operates by FAITH -- he will continue to miss the point. Still, thank you for the effort.

I think we have to be careful of how we interpret these results. To my understanding, it is not that brain damage leads to Fundamentalism. Rather, brain damage leads to rigid thinking. It is rigid thinking that leads to Fundamentalism. This can happen without brain damage. I expect that damage to the frontal lobes, does impair mental flexibility. In any event, I want to be cautious in my interpretation. This material feeds into my personal bias. I might not be fair in my understanding.

The perfect Word of God is that difficult to understand? If you say so. 😄

Including Hell Fire.

Wow. You're still getting it wrong. Brother Kaman. Yes. I know it's dead. I can see the flies and smell the rot. I couldn't help myself.

By conservative estimate, there are over 40,000 flavors of Christianity. If God did author the Scriptures, through "inspiration" -- then it follows that God is the "Author of Confusion". If God had chosen to produce the Scriptures directly, and preserve them, there would be one Christianity. A less confusing set of Books would also have helped. Or, I can look at the world as it is -- and conclude that this is how things would be, if God had nothing to do with it. If lots of people, over lots of time had written the Bible -- this is exactly the end result I would expect. So, maybe Dan has a point. God did not author Scripture. Alright. That was mean of me. I'm not in a charitable mood.

In fairness, it's only an association at this point. Not a causal relationship. Much like the early research, linking smoking and lung cancer. Still, it has to start somewhere. The topic has drifted. Still, let us remember that this thread began, as an attack against Agnostics.

In fairness, it's only an association at this point. Not a causal relationship. Much like the early research, linking smoking and lung cancer. Still, it has to start somewhere.

I won't be competing for the honor.

Alright, Dan. You want evidence? Be careful what you ask for. https://www.patheos.com/blogs/tippling/2019/01/14/scientists-have-established-a-link-between-brain-damage-and-religious-fundamentalism-among-vietnam-vets/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Nonreligious&utm_content=44

In every generation, there are skeptics who have standards for truth -- and the gullible hordes, who will believe anything. Also sensation mongers, gossips, frauds and humbugs, who will spread anything as being true. All the worse with religious movements and political parties. There are gurus and holy men, in India today, who are alleged to do all the miracles found in the Gospels. Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, was actually convicted, by the Courts of his day, of Criminal fraud. Some things don't change. It is not enough to have an ancient manuscript. It should still be fact checked. Unless of course, we are ready to accept any silly story, from any source, today. It is good to be open minded. Not so much that the brain falls out.