posted on June 20, 2001 05:59:46 PM new
A very interesting article indeed, reamond. I also understand where gravid is coming from how some “religious” people can whip themselves up emotionally and attribute that to an encounter with their god. Still, this sort of study of the brain is still in its infancy and quite frankly, I’m a little surprised at some of the bold declarations made in this article. It still remains and I find amazing how we humans use so little of our brains. The capacity really hasn’t been tapped. The study of the human brain and its power is a relatively new venture begun in the last century. Maybe after a few centuries have passed and these theories espoused by the article become time tested, then and only then would I seriously consider them.
I was quite amused how these scientists (or writer) chose to unfairly lump “spiritual experience” into one bucket. From this article I gleaned that all “religion” basically, was viewed the same. Not far from that was the impression I got that this was not about truth seeking insomuch as a search for reasons to dispel the idea of a deity or anything existing out of the bounds of rationalism. First, at the root, Christianity stands opposed to all the world religions. There is nothing like it. In a nutshell, Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, and many other world religious constructs like these are human efforts to reach out to what they perceive is the divine. Conversely, Christianity is about God reaching down to man and man either receiving that or pushing it away. These “world religions” are about working toward perfection. Christianity is about receiving perfection. Despite what some refuse to understand, Christianity is NOT a religion.
One last thing I took note was the “high 5” for relativism. There is a natural bent in all of us that makes us not want to be accountable to anything or anyone. We don’t like to be told what to do. How convenient it would be to sum up “god” as nothing more than a result of a bunch of chemicals in reaction with each other? YEAH!! No more worries about answering to a supreme anything! It could all be done away with. Face it, this era is at war with the concept of absolute truth and it’s picking up steam. Nobody wants to accept a God who says, “This or that lifestyle or behavior is unacceptable to me”. Nobody wants to embrace a faith where they must change. This is one of the reasons (and there are many others) why Christianity is the least growing and least popular of all the faiths in the world. If you become a Christian, there is a demand on your life to change. None of the other faiths have that demand. Sadly, many Christians don’t change and so give Christianity a real bad rap (we’ve all witnessed that!!). I realize I have probably made a lot of people mad, although that wasn’t my intention. I would highly advise anyone to pick up and read the book, “The Case For Faith” by Lee Strobel. Lee was once a bad to the bone atheist who upon careful and honest soul searching, became a Christian. This book tackles and answers SO MANY of the questions and feelings of anger many of you may have when the “god topic” comes up.
posted on June 20, 2001 07:36:20 PM new
I suppose we could say Christianity is a religion if we could get anyone to agree what it is.
I am unwilling to share my version of Christianity with "Christian Gunmen" they speak of in the news.
I am unwilling to share it with literalists who think creation was in 24 hour days but have no trouble understanding English when I say "Things were different in my Father's day."
I can't share it with people who swear wine was grape juice when the scriptures say the wedding director at Cannan speaks of them becoming "intoxicated".
I can't share it with people who tell everyone how holy they are and are known all over town for being a deadbeat crediter.
posted on June 20, 2001 09:07:19 PM new"First, at the root, Christianity stands opposed to all the world religions. There is nothing like it."
I suppose if I never bothered to learn each of the top dozen or so religions in the world and their history and how religion evolved into its present forms, I'd probably have this very same uninformed opinion too.
posted on June 20, 2001 09:21:39 PM new
It was years and years ago, but I never forgot it. I saw the devil just like Artdoglet. He was working as the counterman at a Dunkin Donuts on 6th Avenue right near Times Square. He was very friendly, spoke with a slight drawl about where he'd been and how nice the day was. I got my Butternut donut and French cruller and coffee, thanked him, and just as I was leaving, something made me turn right around and look at his face. To this day I remember the shock of seeing whatever that was without the mask. He knew I saw him, too, which was one of the scariest things about the whole episode.
Now you can't even find Butternut donuts in the city, and I know he has something to do with it.
posted on June 20, 2001 09:47:14 PM newinside "I believe that anyone who is closed mentally to the endless potential of the unknown is shallow, stupid, and boring".
I'm with you. Just because a person hasn't experienced it themselves, they think "it just can't be". If someone says they saw an angel, and you don't believe it, then prove they didn't see it! You won't to them! There's so much in this universe that we don't have a clue about - and I love talking about it too.
posted on June 21, 2001 01:31:01 AM new
In reality, all spiritual devotions are the same. The myths and dogmas of religions are nearly all the same at their cores. You can find Christian dogma comes from Diogenes and Plato.
I would recommend reading Joseph Campbell rather than a "converts" tale.
