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Everything you know about your god, you got from a pile of obscure documents written by ignorant sheepherders both oppressed by political intrigue and confounded by natural phenomena. You have taken your doctrine from uneducated farmers. Do not act as though you have the slightest bit of credibility in believing such nonsense,
Independence will free us from the
necessity of debasing ourselves for
the appeasement of an invisible
perfectionist dictator.
Ah, but that's an earthly example. That
doesn't apply to "God".
So "God" is a vicious carnivorous
feline?
We're discussing sentient beings here.
Animals have nothing to do with it, so
stay on topic.
You are weak enough to sell your soul
for emotional security.
Originally posted by AfterInfinity
reply to post by wildtimes
It doesn't matter what name you come up with, a real-life counterpart has existed at one time or another. Hell, there's five accounts on Facebook registered under my name - one lives in England, though I've never even set foot outside of America!
Originally posted by AfterInfinity
reply to post by logical7
So you don't desire any kind of spiritual independence? You want to remain an emotional slave to a being who is more interested in being glorified than taking responsibility for the world? Because that's the impression I got from the author of the book, and that's the impression I'm getting from you.
to be very frank i don't really agree with the book.
The impression you get from me is that way because you don't know the God i believe in.
God does not want to be glorified for His sake.
Spirituality without eternal existence?!!!
You confuse me about what your stand is.
If you think of me as a brain washed fanatic then you are free to do so, but i can tell you that i have asked myself similar questions that you do and believe in God because they were satisfactorily answered.
But you would have to wipe out the OT and NT idea of God and then we can discuss because when you throw arguements about God, i kind of agree with you that its not a perfect God.
Every creation glorifies the Creator by its mere existence, a bird signs not for getting fame but to just do what it was made to do and you can see that around you if you pause to see and hear.
Thats independence for me, is it to you too?
Are you aware of your own unique purpose or pushing yourself to become an assembly line student, employee, bf, husband, dad and then die?
The Purpose of a nightingale and an eagle is not the same.
The same is true for each human but sadly most will get stuck in the rat race.
Having the emotional security by God, liberates from the trivial daily worries and gives a springboard to discover those unique talents/purpose.
If I missed it, I apologize, but I do not see a clear definition of "independence" as you are using in the thread title. If this is basically an extension of your Love vs.Tyranny thread, then I have a good idea of your position - but please define independence as you are using it here.
The reason I ask, and as other people here are indicating, you cannot actually be completely independent. Your body-mind is utterly dependent on its environment to even survive, and if you look at our situation, we arise in a vast field of relatedness - not independence. Relatedness is obvious - we breathe the same air, etc., etc. What anyone does can affect many others.
To declare oneself independent of a God-idea is fine, but you make it sound like you are declaring yourself independent of Reality Itself, unless of course you have clearly defined your terms.
Okay, thanks for that clarification. Given your definition though, I would think "true discrimination" would be a much better description. Independence tends to be what adolescents do, some even blindly doing, in reaction to authority.
Whereas true discrimination enables you to fully consider a situation or matter, spiritual or otherwise, and draw firm conclusions based on that fully open inspection of it altogether - and then change your life based on those conclusions.
Independence may connote a kind of close-mindedness, especially if that independence is based on a presumption of separation rather than one's inherent relatedness.
As I already said, there are exceptions, but you do tend to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Oh wait, you are being independent!
Originally posted by AfterInfinity
reply to post by bb23108
Is that what America did? Sometimes, a different way of life is a good thing. Just because you began one way, doesn't mean another way can't work out just as well, or even better.
I am speaking about a function of the intellect that can discern between various considerations and make completely informed decisions. I think you know this, but wait, you are being independent again and not wanting to hear what I am saying!
Originally posted by AfterInfinity
You mean the kind of true discrimination mentioned in the Bible? I believe it was Paul who mentioned it, primarily.
And what do you think discrimination does? It rightly considers and chooses between any options. I am not comfortable with what subject matter? That is a very presumptuous statement you are making.
Originally posted by AfterInfinity
No. Independence strikes you as closed-minded because it leaves you with both the option of acceptance, the option of reservation, or the option of rejection, something you're not comfortable with given the subject matter.
I have no argument with you here about requiring the freedom to make these choices. But that is not independence - it is simply freedom. Again, independence can connote a separative mentality. But you don't want to hear this, so that is that, I guess.
Originally posted by AfterInfinity
Having those choices available is true freedom, true independence. To be treated as an equal, rather than a child to be commanded and condescended to.
As I already said, there are exceptions, but you do tend to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Oh wait, you are being independent!
I am speaking about a function of the intellect that can discern between various considerations and make completely informed decisions. I think you know this, but wait, you are being independent again and not wanting to hear what I am saying!
And what do you think discrimination does? It rightly considers and chooses between any options. I am not comfortable with what subject matter? That is a very presumptuous statement you are making.
"Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." - Thomas Jefferson
I have no argument with you here about requiring the freedom to make these choices. But that is not independence - it is simply freedom. Again, independence can connote a separative mentality. But you don't want to hear this, so that is that, I guess.
You see, you did not apparently use any real discrimination when reading my post. You simply slammed out another bunch of independent defenses and this is exactly what adolescent emotion does.
dis·crim·i·na·tion
/disˌkriməˈnāSHən/
Noun
The unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things, esp. on the grounds of race, age, or sex.
Recognition and understanding of the difference between one thing and another.
You say you want to consider things, but given the many posts of yours I have read, you really don't seem to have the freedom to do so - i.e., the free attention to fully consider the matter at hand.
Originally posted by AfterInfinity
reply to post by bb23108
And if I made the choice to deny your god's agenda, to forge my own destiny, would I be able to do so with impunity?
Originally posted by AfterInfinity
reply to post by bb23108
No. Independence strikes you as closed-minded because it leaves you with both the option of acceptance, the option of reservation, or the option of rejection, something you're not comfortable with given the subject matter. Having those choices available is true freedom, true independence. To be treated as an equal, rather than a child to be commanded and condescended to.
You obviously do not read my posts or understand them if you think I have ever spoken about some Divine agenda.
Independence is an idealistic state of mind you are holding up to idolize but it is not real. You can presume it is real all you want because you are free to do that. You see, you have already come to your conclusion - and that apparently is that spiritual independence is the American way.
Okay, but you said "my god's agenda" as though I was defending the God of the Bible. You should know by now that I have posted often about the myth of the Creator God or Super-Entity believed to be Divinely Causing all things,etc. I have often stated this myth is born of the same myth that creates the ego-I, based on the moment to moment process of separating from all others, the world, and the Divine - i.e., a futile gesture to achieve independence.
Originally posted by AfterInfinity
Yeah? The Bible clearly says he was the first thing to exist, and that he created everything, and he knows everything that will ever happen. It has established this numerous times. What gives you the idea there is no "Divine Agenda"? That is logically impossible, given what the Bible has told us.
I agree whole-heartedly that people must transcend their childhood illusions relative to some super-God that is in charge and is going to take care of them like Santa Claus or whatever.
Originally posted by AfterInfinity
No...spiritual independence is the human way. You see it all around you. What you call "American" happens all over the world, in all nationalities. People deciding they just don't need a god anymore. And they still manage to live a wonderful life. Huh...how about that?
Independence is as real as suffering, struggling, triumphant, and confident self-esteem will ever be.
So it now seems that you are saying that we should only consider the Creator God-Idea of the Bible just like on the Love vs. Tyranny thread? If so, that should be defined in terms of what you are wanting to consider on this thread.
Because you somehow always seem to assume that when I speak about the Divine that I am talking about a Creator-God - I can therefore only assume you do not read or understand my posts.
So I cannot really answer your question if independence is a curse or cure because it is just a concept that does not exist in reality. However, I can clearly state that the attempt to be completely independent is based on the illusion that we are altogether separate ego-I's.
Your main question and even the thread title was about independence. After asking you for more clarification, you obviously want to keep the consideration very limited to the Creator-God ideas of the Christian Bible just like your Love vs. Tyranny thread.
Originally posted by AfterInfinity
I started this discussion because of a book I read. That book was written by a Christian touting Christian philosophy. I am questioning that philosophy now, challenging it. If you want to discuss other religions, keep them relevant or go visit a relevant thread.
Make your thread's topic and its parameters clearer then. You said "Independence: Curse or Cure". You did not say "Independence from the Christian God - Curse or Cure". Nowhere is this very clear - until I asked you about it.
Originally posted by AfterInfinity
I didn't think I had to remind you to stay on topic.
Same answer as above.
Originally posted by AfterInfinity
I can only assume you did not read or understand the terms and conditions of your membership here. This thread is concerned with the validity of Christian doctrine and its effects on the human psychological condition. If you want to talk about something else, go somewhere else.
You said you were talking about one's spiritual independence and I challenged that presumption. Your response to that was your second attempt here at trying to make me sound unpatriotic - which is a pretty pathetic retort on your part.
Originally posted by AfterInfinity
Independence doesn't exist in reality? Does that mean the Declaration of Independence is worthless?
Hard to do when 400 denominations stand as testament to the fact that no one can agree on the exact parameters of either the god they believe in or the doctrines he holds so dear. If it were truly so clear cut, there would be only one church, one denomination, and one faith.
What questions did you ask yourself?
What answers did you find?
Do that, and you have eliminated the
entire basis for Christianity. In that tact,
believing in a god makes a little bit
more sense, because at that point,
your god is not a Judaic god.
I give credit where it is due. I don't
thank Jesus or "God" for my meal, I
thank the immigrants who harvested
it, the factory workers who processed
and packaged it, the shipping industry
that transported it, the people that unloaded and stocked it, and the clerk
who rang it up. If I want to get really
deep, I can thank their parents for
getting drunk that night and
forgetting the pills and rubbers. Then I
can thank the employers responsible for paying them just enough money to
survive, but not enough money to
afford an abortion.
Independence is doing what makes
me happy. Independence is being my
own god
Originally posted by logical7
reply to post by AfterInfinity
What questions did you ask yourself? What answers did you find?
logical7
many, like whats free will and is it just an illusion? ,why eternal hell for some? ,why are we created? , why God just did not asbstain from creating the ones destined for hell? Etc
i can't tell what answers i got to them in one post.
The pre-requisite to get the answers is humility and accepting that we are a tiny part of a whole.
afterinfinity
Do that, and you have eliminated the entire basis for Christianity. In that tact, believing in a god makes a little bit more sense, because at that point, your god is not a Judaic god.
logical7
God is just One, He is the God of atheist and polytheists too. You may rather say that i don't exactly believe in the judaic 'idea' of God.
you are choosing to discuss with me not the 400 denominations and you should not whine about things that are not the topic, that just distracts you.
how would you like if i regularly complain to you about an atheist/agnostic and his stupid ideas and make it a part of each post
many, like whats free will and is it just an illusion? ,why eternal hell for some? ,why are we created? , why God just did not asbstain from creating the ones destined for hell? Etc
i can't tell what answers i got to them in one post.
The pre-requisite to get the answers is humility and accepting that we are a tiny part of a whole.
God is just One, He is the God of atheist and polytheists too. You may rather say that i don't exactly believe in the judaic 'idea' of God.
who made the crops grow out of the planted seeds? Who gave you the brain to think the ideas above? Not you, neither the parents, they just caused you.
self worship is dangerous as i pointed before. You don't have a objective reference. It just becomes avoiding pain and seeking pleasure(happiness) and you get coloured like the society around you. Its just Confirmity. Morality may or may not be upheld during confirmity. The level to which you go against confirmity is the level of objective knowledge you have about right&wrong and the ability to sacrifice happiness if required.
In short, in an unfair world you can be 'always' happy only if you ignore and maybe even do wrong to self and/or to others.