Will you open your Mind and your Heart?

reply to post by shell69

...search and experience what the the real truth is, I am trying to challenge those who have yet to search that out, to do so.

Sometimes I wonder if that open mind that you mentioned might actually be the catalyst to a real awakening.

Once you experience an encounter with the uncreated one, everything changes.

Experience ALWAYS trumps knowledge.

Below is a video I recently watched with several examples of this happening:

reply to post by SupersonicSerpent


That's fine, No means NO!

Originally posted by Phoenix267
reply to post by slowisfast

 

This is not a good example because of the source. I'm not an expert in science. But I'm smart enough to question anything from a website that doesn't understand anything evolution, abiogenesis, and anything relating to science about the origin of life and how it works properly. I have seen so many pseudoscience websites presenting their views as truth I cannot accept the story without skepticism.

So your reaction is to dismiss it. That's unfortunate.

Evolution? Abiogenesis? What do these things have to do with what I posted, the precision with which this Universe is made?

Do you value mathematics? It's mathematically improbable/impossible that a single human cell could develop on it's own, yet we have this biological machine! Different systems, serving different functions, all working symbiotically without our conscious thought!

Do you tell your pancreas to release insulin into your body? Or order your white blood cells to fight off the first signs of a cold?

I'm not talking about a specific 'God', merely a Creator, an intelligence behind all that we see and experience. It took me a long time to come to that realization but now it seems so obvious.

But believe what you will.

reply to post by slowisfast


I was talking what was in the link you sourced. Not just what you copy and pasted. To me I have heard so many believers tell that God is true and that what they believe is the truth. I mentioned I'm skeptical of this information for that very reason. I'll look into the link and see what the author writes for the viewer. However, I do not think he has an understanding of science and substitutes his faith in religion as an alternative.

reply to post by Nacirema


I would never leave my heart out in the open, and would never absolutely trust or believe anyone or anything just because. I am starting this thread because I BELIEVE that there are too many folks out there who believe their way is the ONLY way and are willing to do ANYTHING to destroy anyone that treads on what they believe in.

I just believe there are too many people in this world who are so unwilling to accept other peoples choices or beliefs that it causes strife and negativity, and that is WHY we are in the situations we are today!

In a world where we have supposedly evolved so much, why is there so much HATRED and anger simply because we disagree or believe differently? It's a simple question and a thread initiated from the simple belief that there is a lot of closed mindedness, where if there wasn't, there could be more PEACE!

reply to post by Phoenix267


You bring up an extremely important point, and one that I am trying so hard to get across.

I have not had the opportunity to be "educated" per say.. yet I've had so much life experience and experiences that cannot be explained by science. What I wonder is, will everyone allow that kind of "education" to help form their opinions? Experience, from my perspective has been one of the greatest teachers in my life. Something I could never have PAID for or paid anyone else to have for me.

I just believe that when and ONLY when we actually OPEN OUR MINDS to the possibility of ALL kinds of different experiences, can we truly learn and accept what science sometimes cannot explain.

reply to post by shell69


I understand what you're saying. Maybe it's because I don't have faith that I feel it's not not a miracle. A lot of people around the world have experienced something they cannot explain easily because it's hard to express what they felt to people who didn't share their experiences. Like yourself and many others who have gone through life experience strange things that cannot be explained by our current tools like science.

reply to post by slowisfast


What you posted reminds me of something I learned once from someone more educated in science than myself.
I was made aware of the fact that in the very inner parts of a ROSE, existed the actual substance that was discovered and that created the most helpful and lifesaving substance in heart medications!!!

This was to ME evidence of a Creator and a Science - coming together for the greater good of ALL Mankind!!!! Like I said, I am not educated... yet I have been open minded enough to LISTEN and to have others feel comfortable enough to SHARE, and the EXPERIENCES that attitude has brought me are ALL relevant and important.

At that moment it was obvious to me that to discount ANYONE'S belief in anything would be ignorant!!!! Because, at the end of the day... whatever created that Rosebud, and whoever figured out what was inside of it....worked together to save countless lives. That meant something to me and it was important, and I wish so badly that the rest of the world could "get it" and figure out that ALL OF OUR BELIEFS, are important and can be formed not only from teachings but from LIFE EXPERIENCES!!!

reply to post by Phoenix267


Please don't take my linking to his site as an endorsement of his beliefs. I was merely using the example and citing where I found it. I haven't read through the rest of the site and don't know his theology.

I don't see science and God at odds at all. I do see science and religion at odds, and that's unfortunate but to be expected. Science is merely man's attempt at understanding the physical world around him, the creation, and we've done a great job of that! But to think one could prove or disprove God using scientific methods is, to me, a fools errand. It'd defeat the point.

Settling on mathematical probability and occam's razor is what finally got me to a point where I felt comfortable admitting there was a Creator. That was uncomfortable at first. The rest kind of evolved over time.

reply to post by slowisfast


Forgive me for being a butt-munch. I was just trying to be skeptical and I respect your beliefs. I'll have to take another look and read in detail your source you posted earlier.

reply to post by Phoenix267


Some things I've experienced have absolutely NOTHING to do with Science, and I get it... if you've never experienced what you would quantify as a "miracle" then you could not possibly understand how miracles can exist...
I've had life experiences that I guess I would say a lot of people would write off as 'coincidence' however, I do not believe in coincidence so I will explain them some other way...obviously

Yet, some of my experiences cannot possibly be explained by coincidence or any other way, literally!!! I think that there is a higher power and that my FAITH was what allowed me to experience what I did, and that's where I get my "open mindedness" mantra from I guess lololol

Anyway, I really and truly am speaking of open mindedness in terms of each and every one of us allowing and accepting each other's different beliefs to compliment the others, and more than that... accepting them! If we could only do that I honestly believe there would be so much less STRIFE and VIOLENCE right now!!!! Good Grief, can't we all just agree on that??? I am just so stressed from the wars, and explosions and whatever going on everywhere, I truly wish that people could just stop BELIEVING that ANY higher power believed that the answer was V I O L E N C E~!!!!!!

reply to post by slowisfast

I don't see science and God at odds at all. I do see science and religion at odds...

You are correct that Science and God are not at odds...

It's those who control what goes on behind the facade of Science who ARE clearly at odds.

This post makes this very clear.

reply to post by slowisfast


Yeah! What you Said!!!!

I honestly wish I would have had more opportunity to study science & biology, than I did...
But still, what I've been able to read and explore for myself between changing diapers and working 9-5 everyday, I truly believe that God explains Science, and Science PROVES God... I know that sounds extremely niave-yet, I still believe it!!!

Honestly, I've never seen any two sides who were arguing a point get anywhere!!!! It fascinates me to consider that IF those same two sides were to meet in the middle, and then take a LEFT or RIGHT maybe??? Where would they end up???

reply to post by Phoenix267


By all means, no worries. You're not a butt-munch at all!
I can't believe we just used butt-munch. Now I've said it twice.

I can appreciate and understand the skepticism, it's not a bad thing. Being discerning in what you take in is a great quality and sign beautiful brain. It'll serve you well in the future.

reply to post by shell69


You see, I stop dead in my tracks when I read "open your heart to Gods love" as if it's a real thing.

You are not feeling gods love. You're feeling something of your own.

And if you need to externalise compassion and morals before you can embrace and accept them, then you're still struggling with being human.

Tell me, if you grew up in a society that had no concept of this god, what would his love feel like? Would it be this thing you have but cannot describe or explain? Or would you be out there killing willy nilly, taking without thought, careing nothing for anyone but yourself?

The answer doesn't help me, it helps you.

I really just lose it when people claim that without GOD they are less. and with god they are more. That's complete rubbish. Only the human brain could elicit such a situation that requires a god to feel compassion and have an open mind, yet accepts that the very nature of that god is to refuse you any evidence of it, and that to even ask is to be disrespectful of god.

These chains you carry are not given to you by anyone but yourself, and yet you would kiss the imaginary jailers behind as he lets you carry the burden.... and somehow that makes you better than anyone else.

reply to post by Murgatroid


Oh Absolutely, I fully agree with you.
Scientism has become our modern day, materialistic, opiate of the masses.

reply to post by slowisfast


Radioactive decay = god.

no.

but it's a typical retort from someone who holds no logic to value and instead sees god in everything.

reply to post by winofiend


Come again?
I'm not really following you.

reply to post by shell69


I will attempt here to explain my reasoning. Its not a matter of a closed, or open mind, its a matter of logic and how i see the bigger picture.

First off, i do not believe in fate or destiny. I do not believe that anything is preordained or planned out ahead of time in the grand scheme of things. To me, if fate and destiny were real, then we as humans would be nothing more than robots. There would be no point to our existence other than to do our part of some planned out performance. We would have no say in the end result and would essentially be slaves. What i do believe in is freedom, free will, and creating our own destiny. Each person is in charge of how their life turns out.

Second, i can not wrap myself around a single omnipotent being looking down on an endless universe. How can a being like this exist? If there is such a being, where did it come from? Is there more than one? Do they reproduce in some way to create new "Gods", and if so, are they really "Gods" or just alien life forms that we have yet to have a basis for understanding?

Third. Humans are at the top of the food chain here on earth. We are here because of our intelligence and ability to adapt to everything this plant has thrown at us since the moment we came in to being. To worship a being bigger, better, smarter and more intelligent than us, does humanity a huge disservice. We should be proud of our standing here on earth, we have earned it and deserve to be proud. We do not need an eye in the sky taking care of us, we can take care of ourselves just fine.

Throw in to the mix ZERO evidence to support any kind of god, gods, or super beings and you have a recipe for why i am an atheist. I make my own destiny, nobody has control of my life but me. Any super being that may be out there in the universe would be an alien in my opinion, not a "god". And i am proud to be a human and proud of what we have accomplished as a species, so i refuse to diminish myself by giving credit to someone, or something else.

DC

reply to post by winofiend


Obviously, you are responding to ME!

I NEVER EVER said that ANYONE should OPEN THEIR HEARTS TO ANYTHING!

I simply suggested that we ELIMINATE the single MINDEDNESS that exists in so many of our hearts, and I think YOURS is a PERFECT example....I simply suggested that we ALL please take a moment to understand that each and every one of us has a DIFFERENT experience, and if only we could take them ALL in to consideration, we might be a better PEOPLE!!! Maybe this world would be a better place, at the end of the day!

You can be as angry and SINGLE MINDED as you choose to be, and that's fine, possibly we can STILL learn something from whatever experience caused you to feel the way you did, as I am sure it is a VALID one!!!