Do you love God, or do you love Satan?

a reply to: TzarChasm

"you dont believe in reincarnation?"

Reincarnation is a very romantic notion, but I have problems with it.

Are there newly created souls that have yet to experience the mortal realm?

If not, then has there been a static number of souls that are matched with the same number of viable hosts?

My conviction of the truth is tentative.

There are few ideas beyond the denial of reason that I will not consider to be possibly true.

Since my ignorance is seemingly boundless, who am I to declare what cannot possible be?

Something I read, once...

Not sure of the author, but:

" An atheist has a reason, but no hope for his reason. A hypocrite has a hope, but no reason for his hope. A Christian has a reason for his hope and a hope for his reason; and, I might add: Life with Christ is an endless hope. Without Christ is a hopeless end. "

a reply to: GoOfYFoOt

Without Christ is a hopeless end.

i prefer to be my own hope. that way i dont have to trade my essential liberties for delusional security. because if thats what you call hope, move over george orwell...

originally posted by: TzarChasm
a reply to: GoOfYFoOt

Without Christ is a hopeless end.

i prefer to be my own hope. that way i dont have to trade my essential liberties for delusional security. because if thats what you call hope, move over george orwell...

This post is not directed at you, specifically, but it is something that crosses my mind when it comes to any reference of human "hope".

Humph. Hope, it is the quintessential human delusion, simultaneously the source of your greatest strength, and your greatest weakness....
~The Architect of The Matrix - Revolutions

I'm also quite fond of his definition of human choice!

As you adequately put, the problem is choice. But we already know what you're going to do, don't we? Already I can see the chain reaction, the chemical precursors that signal the onset of emotion, designed specifically to overwhelm logic, and reason. An emotion that is already blinding you from the simple, and obvious Truth:

I often think of "the architect", when I read someone's post who so easily dismisses something just because they don't agree with it, or have no "proof"... It astounds me, honestly. And, many who I consider rather intelligent, strike me as rather obtuse, with a considerable arrogance, when they ramble on and on, citing brainiac after brainiac! If I wanted to listen to another stuffed shirt, I'd tune in to more presidential press conferences!

a reply to: GoOfYFoOt

"An emotion that is already blinding you from the simple, and obvious Truth: she is going to die and there is nothing you can do to stop it."

talk about stating the obvious there captain. shes freakin mortal. but he was speaking in immediate terms, and neo thwarted whatever higher mechanism was at work. not that it *SPOILERS* saved her in the end...but i guess that was the whole point of including her to begin with. it was symbolic of him being pried away from physicality in the same sense that jesus was aloof from the material world. just like when he lost his eyes. he was being forced to perceive the world as something other than a synergistic molecular structure. with his mind, not his body. i think thats what prepared him to face smith on his own terms by embracing the yang inside all of us. which brings me to the hope quote.

"Humph. Hope, it is the quintessential human delusion, simultaneously the source of your greatest strength, and your greatest weakness.... "

hope is a delusion indeed. but it is a useful delusion and gives us a reason to go that one extra mile on the mere possibility of success when sitting down would have guaranteed failure. hope in a higher being at the cost of our own impetus and personal sense of capability is a contradiction. i was talking to someone the other day and she explained how she used to be a self-degrading introvert until god helped her become more social. she was convinced she had no power in herself. thats not what i call salvation, freedom, or grace. hell thats not even humility. thats the cowed submissive regard an abuse victim has for their tormentor. its what gives the abuser power, the belief that they are helpless without them. its not representative of all believers and i get that. but i do feel that trading the power to save yourself for the power to hope that someone will save you is trading your car for gas money. i would prefer to exercise regularly and have a healthy diet than make best friends with the local bartender because im ugly and out of shape. no thanks bartender you can keep your liquid consolation. its all about having the power to change things myself instead of answering to someone who insists on being paid for the favor. especially when the price is my soul.

btw thank you for bringing the matrix into this. i love that series and i love exploring its philosophical quandaries.