#194964 - 11/02/10 01:17 PM
Re: pope slanders atheism
[Re: ghoti]
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Paulwa_dup1
Member
Registered: 02/12/05
Posts: 4951
Loc: Washington
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Thanks Ghoti, this is a very powerful story and I can see how it would really impress a person. My experiences were very real to me also. As much as our experiences mean to us I think we still have to consider that they may not be true but a deception. It has to remain a consideration. Satan can appear as an angel of light and is above man in intelligence and power if we follow the bible. I can see how we both might still feel that what happened to us is very real. It is something we have to prove in our life to ourselves and is near worthless to any one else to affect their belief or non belief, a very personal experience.
I personally do not use my experience to base my faith and belief on. Belief I feel has to stand on the word or revelation that is available to everyone. That is just my opinion though. We stand or fall on what we hold to be true and base our lifes actions upon.Not to cast any negative on your experience but it s very similar to hollywoods treatment of the subject of God appearing to man such as portrayed by Morgan Freeman and George Burns, etc. I think we need to remain open to the fact that our feelings can be acted upon by forces outside of God.It all boils down to our own perspective and what we make of it.
Thanks for telling us about your experience.
Paul
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#194967 - 11/02/10 01:25 PM
Re: pope slanders atheism
[Re: ghoti]
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flicka
Member
Registered: 04/06/00
Posts: 24616
Loc: SLO County, CA - 66.122.77.142
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There was a door in the wall behind him and it was open just a tiny bit. There was a warm glowing feeling coming through that's hard to describe but I felt myself very powerfully drawn toward it.
This part is interesting and reminds me of what a friend of mine told me recently. He is also an atheist turned believer (although he considers himself Christian). Anyway, his father died a few months back and had been closing in on it for a year, or so. My friend was sitting with him when he died. He said that his dad started getting really agitated and started saying, "No, don't open the door! Don't open the door!" Finally, my friend told him that he was supposed to open the door and to not be afraid. It was where he was supposed to go. His father calmed down and died.
My friend says he thinks "the door" represents one final chance to accept salvation and that everyone will be presented with the choice at death.
_________________________
"A lot of things were acceptable--until we stopped accepting it." -- Al Sharpton '12
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#194968 - 11/02/10 02:12 PM
Re: pope slanders atheism
[Re: Paulwa_dup1]
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flicka
Member
Registered: 04/06/00
Posts: 24616
Loc: SLO County, CA - 66.122.77.142
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As much as our experiences mean to us I think we still have to consider that they may not be true but a deception.
If so, Satan really bungled it with ghoti's experience!
_________________________
"A lot of things were acceptable--until we stopped accepting it." -- Al Sharpton '12
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#194970 - 11/02/10 02:58 PM
Re: pope slanders atheism
[Re: flicka]
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ghoti
Member
Registered: 04/06/02
Posts: 8469
Loc: Ishpeming, MI 75.128.229.255
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Paulwa, what if Satan really wrote the Bible himself to deliberately confuse people and divert them from God's true and simple plan? Isn't he capable of doing something that devious?
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Feisty survivors populate this site. Avoid controversies unless you have a very thick skin.
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#194975 - 11/02/10 04:04 PM
Re: pope slanders atheism
[Re: ghoti]
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Paulwa_dup1
Member
Registered: 02/12/05
Posts: 4951
Loc: Washington
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The bible is multi-dimensional and full of proven prophecies of our creator who came to earth and was born of a virgin and gave His blood sacrifice to save mankind.I don't think satan is knowledgeable enough to write a book such as this to change so many lives for the good side which is the love of God. Why would he? He is evil and fighting for his own existance and the bible tells of his works and attempts to overthrow God's kingdom.Saying satan wrote the bible is just a weak attempt to overturn the truth of Gods word. It will stand forever and is eternal as is its creator, God!
Paul
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#194977 - 11/02/10 04:18 PM
Re: pope slanders atheism
[Re: Paulwa_dup1]
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ghoti
Member
Registered: 04/06/02
Posts: 8469
Loc: Ishpeming, MI 75.128.229.255
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Perhaps, but there has also been much hatred, intolerance, cruelty, death, and war all done by followers of the Bible over the ages. Much of the Bible can be interpreted in so many different contradictory ways that it causes powerful disagreement and confusion even among those who accept it as true.
Sounds more like something Satan could easily have concocted IMO.
I happen to believe the pure and simple message I was given.
Edited by ghoti (11/02/10 04:21 PM)
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Feisty survivors populate this site. Avoid controversies unless you have a very thick skin.
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#194979 - 11/02/10 05:10 PM
Re: pope slanders atheism
[Re: ghoti]
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ævory
Member
Registered: 04/04/05
Posts: 9657
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Why did God tell you, Ghoti, that He had tried so many times to get his message across to others and they just didn't get it? Was it simple and pure you suppose, for them when they heard Him? If so, He wouldn't have need to repeat himself. One would think. I mean, it's just logical to imagine, don't you think?
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#194981 - 11/02/10 05:47 PM
Re: pope slanders atheism
[Re: ævory]
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ronniechoate34
Member
Registered: 02/06/10
Posts: 540
Loc: tennerida
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#194982 - 11/02/10 06:18 PM
Re: pope slanders atheism
[Re: ghoti]
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ævory
Member
Registered: 04/04/05
Posts: 9657
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Perhaps, but there has also been much hatred, intolerance, cruelty, death, and war all done by followers of the Bible over the ages.
It is a wonder there is anyone left alive, today.
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#194983 - 11/02/10 06:20 PM
Re: pope slanders atheism
[Re: MerryA]
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ævory
Member
Registered: 04/04/05
Posts: 9657
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Ronnie I have a confession. Even if I didn't disagree with your theology (which I do) and even if you weren't so hateful (which you are) I still would have a problem with you because of your name.
Well that is just sad.
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#194984 - 11/02/10 06:31 PM
Re: pope slanders atheism
[Re: MerryA]
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ævory
Member
Registered: 04/04/05
Posts: 9657
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I know good people who don't believe in a diety, I know hateful people who are in church or temple every Sunday. One of the worse cussin' I ever got was from a church member just outside the nave!  Just cause you go to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than being in a garage makes you a car.
Now this is example of bad analogies. I just hope those of previous criticism about my praise for another’s well-thought-out analogy can injest my knowledge on this particular one. Merry, have you ever in your life been confused of being a car instead of a person? Particularly, have you ever been called a car inside the garage by anyone else present with you in a garage?
Now, hang with me if you Will: While in the garage, have there ever been other cars in the garage (let us assume that this is a one-car garage) ....is there any chance of another car *thinking* you might be one, too? No, of course not, cars don't think. Well...that's not entirely true because with the new-fangledangle ones, the electronics sure have you believing they can. [example: beep beep You have not engaged your seatbelt and the time is now 6:54 am. Please drive at a safe speed. Beep….and Have a great day! beep beep]
I am going to stop now …and I truly haven’t given your analogy its justice due (I’m not nearly as good at it as buddhaguy or dan’s replacement around here-→ shakey) but you get the drift. I mean, I could probably draw this out for three pages but….suffice it to say, no one cared to correct you on your improper usage of analogies and I thought that was just too bad.
Bad analogy. Horrid. Shocking, even!
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#194987 - 11/02/10 07:00 PM
Re: pope slanders atheism
[Re: ævory]
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ghoti
Member
Registered: 04/06/02
Posts: 8469
Loc: Ishpeming, MI 75.128.229.255
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Wow, Ronda, if you took the SAT or ACT you must have done really bad on the logic section, since it's full of analogies.
_________________________
Feisty survivors populate this site. Avoid controversies unless you have a very thick skin.
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#194989 - 11/02/10 07:23 PM
Re: pope slanders atheism
[Re: ghoti]
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ævory
Member
Registered: 04/04/05
Posts: 9657
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What difference does that make, ghoti, I was talking about Merry's analogy. Did you find Merry's analogy to be in the SATs you took?! WOW...lol. You know, you can talk about your logic til you knock yourself off your keester, but I'll still be sitting upright on mine. How bout that?
How do you accept her analogy, then? What went thru your head as you read her? Oh...sorry I asked, I just thought of sherry....lol, lemmings/idgits/mensa club members...never really could keep track of all her descriptives. Hey! Now that would make for a good section in the SATs, or the ACTs for that matter. Don't you agree?
nite...gotta get my beauty sleep. You should do the same. 
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#194992 - 11/02/10 07:51 PM
Re: pope slanders atheism
[Re: ævory]
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ghoti
Member
Registered: 04/06/02
Posts: 8469
Loc: Ishpeming, MI 75.128.229.255
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Those tests have a bunch of questions like day is to night as hot is to -----? You have to decide which answer of 4 choices best fits, and it's called a logical analogy. That's all Merry was doing.
Besides, I think she meant it as a bit of a joke.
_________________________
Feisty survivors populate this site. Avoid controversies unless you have a very thick skin.
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#195033 - 11/03/10 03:49 PM
Re: pope slanders atheism
[Re: ghoti]
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ævory
Member
Registered: 04/04/05
Posts: 9657
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Those tests have a bunch of questions like day is to night as hot is to -----? You have to decide which answer of 4 choices best fits, and it's called a logical analogy. That's all Merry was doing.
Besides, I think she meant it as a bit of a joke.
You know what's a joke...a funny? The fact that there are 13-14 people reading this forum right now. Did you go get them from PQ? lol . . . . . . buzz buzz
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