"GOD, if you are real........"

Originally posted by edsinger
Ah come on, those? YOu can do better can't you? Well anyhow the whole point is that we are not taxed at slave rates, we have some of the lowest taxes in the Western world( Note: I would like to see them much lower)

We are taxed at slave rates. If you add up all the taxes (income tax, SS tax, employers portion of SS, medicare, property taxes, state income taxes, sales taxes, excise taxes, etc) it comes close to 50%.

This is higher than the rates paid by feudal serfs (33%) and is darn close to the rates paid by colonial slaves (50%).

Just because citizens of almost all nations are effectively slaves, does not mean we aren't. For someone who comes across as a "conservative", I would have expected you to be appalled at this rather than trying to justify it.

Well, you have a very valid point.

OK we are tax slaves, but less so than most others.

I had to copy that and email it to a friend of mine.

Though shalt not tempt or provoke the Lord God.

Or hell pick the first able body and knock you on your butt.....LOL/

That prof deserved it. Education is so full of itself at times.

He crossed the line. I wonder if in the back of his mind, hes wondering if that was inspired?

Peace

Originally posted by HIFIGUY
That prof deserved it. Education is so full of itself at times.

He crossed the line. I wonder if in the back of his mind, hes wondering if that was inspired?

You do realize this was a fictional story don't you?

Originally posted by spamandham


You do realize this was a fictional story don't you?

I am sure he does...

I gotta tell ya, it confuggles me crazy that people think this is proof that the Christian God exists (be this story true or not).

I guess then, the next time I hear (again) the same line about the diety I recognize, Goddess, I should knock the person out. Yep, that would surely be proof She exists.

Ugh.

Misfit

Originally posted by Misfit
I gotta tell ya, it confuggles me crazy that people think this is proof that the Christian God exists (be this story true or not).

I guess then, the next time I hear (again) the same line about the diety I recognize, Goddess.

What is your religion? or path would be a better word imo.

Originally posted by 7th_Chakra

What is your religion? or path would be a better word imo.

Eclectic Wiccan [non-ceremonial].

Misfit

Originally posted by MisfitI gotta tell ya, it confuggles me crazy that people think this is proof that the Christian God exists (be this story true or not).
t

And it amazes me you think that someone says this is proof of God. It is a story ----- fiction, so think what you wish.



Let me give another example of this type of story.....



An atheist professor challenges God to keep a piece of chalk from breaking when he drops it from his hand.


This is a true story of something that happened just a few years ago at USC. There was a professor of philosophy there who was a deeply committed atheist. His primary goal for one required class was to spend the entire semester attempting to prove that God couldn't exist. His students were always afraid to argue with him because of his impeccable logic. For twenty years, he had taught this class and no one had ever had the courage to go against him. Sure, some had argued in class at times, but no one had ever 'really gone against him' (you'll see what I mean later).

Nobody would go against him because he had a reputation. At the end of every semester, on the last day, he would say to his class of You don't know, Jack 300 students, "If there anyone here who still believes in Jesus, stand up!" In twenty years, no one had ever stood up. They knew what he was going to do next. He would say, "because anyone who does believe in God is a fool. If God existed, he could stop this piece of chalk from hitting the ground and breaking. Such a simple task to prove that he is God, and yet he can't do it." And every year, he would drop the chalk onto the tile floor of the classroom and it would shatter into a hundred pieces. The students could do nothing but stop and stare. Most of the students were convinced that God couldn't exist. Certainly, a number of Christians had slipped through, but for 20 years, they had been too afraid to stand up.

Well, a few years ago, there was a freshman who happened to get enrolled in the class. He was a Christian, and had heard the stories about this professor. He had to take the class because it was one of the required classes for his major and he was afraid. But for 3 months that semester, he prayed every morning that he would have the courage to stand up no matter what the professor said or what the class thought. Nothing they said or did could ever shatter his faith, he hoped.

Finally the day came. The professor said, "If there is anyone here who still believes in God, stand up!" The professor and the class of 300 people looked at him, shocked, as he stood up at the back of the classroom. The professor shouted, "You FOOL!! If God existed, he could keep this piece of chalk from breaking when it hit the ground!" He proceeded to drop the chalk, but as he did, it slipped out of his fingers, off his shirt cuff, onto the pleats of his pants, down his leg, and off his shoe. As it hit the ground, it simply rolled away, unbroken.




The professor's jaw dropped as he stared at the chalk. He looked up at the young man and then ran out of the lecture hall. The young man who had stood up proceeded to walk to the front of the room and share his faith in Jesus for the next half hour. 300 students stayed and listened as he told of God's love for them and of his power through Jesus.




And another from the same site,


Does evil exist?

The university professor challenged his students with this question. Did God create everything that exists? A student bravely replied, "Yes, he did!"

"God created everything? The professor asked.

"Yes sir", the student replied.

The professor answered, "If God created everything, then God created evil since evil exists, and according to the principal that our works define who we are then God is evil". The student became quiet before such an answer. The professor was quite pleased with himself and boasted to the students that he had proven once more that the Christian faith was a myth.

Another student raised his hand and said, "Can I ask you a question professor?"

"Of course", replied the professor.

The student stood up and asked, "Professor, does cold exist?"

"What kind of question is this? Of course it exists. Have you never been cold?" The students snickered at the young man's question.

The young man replied, "In fact sir, cold does not exist. According to the laws of physics, what we consider cold is in reality the absence of heat. Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (-460 degrees F) is the total absence of heat; all matter becomes inert and incapable of reaction at that temperature. Cold does not exist. We have created this word to describe how we feel if we have no heat."

The student continued, "Professor, does darkness exist?"

The professor responded, "Of course it does."

The student replied, "Once again you are wrong sir, darkness does not exist either. Darkness is in reality the absence of light. Light we can study, but not darkness. In fact we can use Newton's prism to break white light into many colors and study the various wavelengths of each color. You cannot measure darkness. A simple ray of light can break into a world of darkness and illuminate it. How can you know how dark a certain space is? You measure the amount of light present. Isn't this correct? Darkness is a term used by man to describe what happens when there is no light present."

Finally the young man asked the professor, "Sir, does evil exist?"

Now uncertain, the professor responded, "Of course as I have already said. We see it every day. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil."

To this the student replied, "Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is not like faith, or love that exist just as does light and heat. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light."

The professor sat down.



Urban Legends

[edit on 27-8-2005 by edsinger]

[edit on 27-8-2005 by edsinger]

Interesting stories.

Personally I know a higher power exsists. To me its felt rather then read in books, seen in circumstances or chanted to in a building built by man. There is more 'god/higher power' found in a natural wonder then a building built by the hands of man. Its a knowing, a feeling of peace which you do not feel the need to push onto others. .

Its a knowing that if I keep my soul strong, pure and honest I have nothing to fear except fear itself.

step one:

Remove thy wadded panties.





step two:

Elvis never did no drugs!

edsinger
these are great stories. can you list the web page you said you found them from, I am just wundering what other stories are being said.

To me I know there is a God, and a soul, and spirit. There is a life after death, and there is a way to have life after death. I believe we have to be forgive of our sins, and be baptized. Mostly we have to wlk in the spirit with God every Day. If we walk with God, God walks with us, and he uses his power to help us help others in his name. And thats God goal, for us to make our family bigger.

Originally posted by 7th_Chakra
Personally I know a higher power exsists. ...
Its a knowing, a feeling of peace which you do not feel the need to push onto others.

Plenty of people do feel the need to push it onto others. If you don't, then good for you.

Originally posted by slymattb
edsinger
these are great stories. can you list the web page you said you found them from, I am just wundering what other stories are being said.

Urban Legends Reference Pages:
Religion

Originally posted by spamandham

Originally posted by 7th_ChakraPersonally I know a higher power exsists. ...Its a knowing, a feeling of peace which you do not feel the need to push onto others.

Plenty of people do feel the need to push it onto others. If you don't, then good for you.

And some people read threads that they dont have to read....same concept.

You made my day with that chalk story!!!!

Peace

Originally posted by edsinger

Originally posted by Misfit I gotta tell ya, it confuggles me crazy that people think this is proof that the Christian God exists (be this story true or not).

And it amazes me you think that someone says this is proof of God. It is a story ----- fiction, so think what you wish.

You think no one does? C'mon man, you're older than that. Hell, there are two posts in just this thread that seemingly may. I can't fathom the number of believers [no pun] that would asess this as truth were it an email forward.

Were it not for so many oulandish numbers of people believing these things on the net, there would be no sites such as Snopes.

so think what you wish

You missed, in that post referred to, my parenthesized "be this story true or not".

I always think as I wish.

Misfit

Originally posted by HIFIGUY
You made my day with that chalk story!!!!

Peace

Thanks!

Originally posted by Misfit
You think no one does? C'mon man, you're older than that. Hell, there are two posts in just this thread that seemingly may. I can't fathom the number of believers [no pun] that would asess this as truth were it an email forward.

True, some might but not all. And who knows if the story's are true? If they are, they sure as heck have a greater meaning then. I think they are used to convey an idea of how God works. There are miracles everyday, and still people refuse to believe unless they SEE......just as Thomas was....and in a way we all are.

Originally posted by edsinger
True, some might but not all. And who knows if the story's are true? If they are, they sure as heck have a greater meaning then. I think they are used to convey an idea of how God works. There are miracles everyday, and still people refuse to believe unless they SEE......just as Thomas was....and in a way we all are.

They're obviously not true. And what's worse is their "point" is made on the back of higher education. That's how God works? Ridiculing people who do the tireless and often thankless jobs of educating children? Passing on the "wisdom" that learnin' aint cool with God? These are pathetic as "parables" go and downright harmful. I can't imagine this making anyone's day except someone so miserable with their own life they have an axe to grind against people bettering themselves.

Is there really wisdom in those tales or just bitterness, anger and resentment? I realize the caricatures represented are supposed to make the professors the nasty ones, but since it's totally fake, aren't the people spreading and laughing at this "humor" the nasty ones in reality?

As I alluded before, here's a nice joke serving as a parable.

How does prayer work?

What is God's role? What is ours?

There's a story of a man who was at his house when heavy rains poured down, the river crested, and the town flooded. As he stood on his front porch, the neighborhood completely under water, two men came by in a rowboat. "Can we take you to safety?" one called out.

The man shook his head. "No, thank you. I have faith in the Lord and He will save me."

A little later, the waters had risen and the man was on the roof of his porch when several folks happened along in a motorboat. "Say, there, would you like to come with us?" one of them called.

"No, thank you," the man replied. "I have faith in the Lord, and He will save me."

The waters continued to rise with alarming speed, and the man soon found himself on the roof of his house. A helicopter came by and hovered overhead as the pilot broadcasted, "Let me drop a line and get you out of there."

"No, thank you," the man called back. "I have faith in the Lord, and He will save me."

The man perished in the flood and went to Heaven, where he was met at the Pearly Gates by Saint Peter. Extremely saddened and upset, the man requested to talk to God. His request was granted.

"Heavenly Father," the man cried, "I had faith in you to save me from the flood, and you didn't come through for me!"

Astonished, God replied, "What are you talking about? I sent you two boats and a helicopter!"

There's a lot of wisdom in that tale without anyone made to play the "devil." Even the misguided "fool" gets to heaven with a little lesson for his trouble.

I guess I just don't get angry black & white evangelism these days. Why must you hate so? If it's not academia, it's the media, or "hollywood," or liberals, or activist judges, or yankees, or other religions, or each other, or let's be perfectly honest and call a spade a spade. These are Jew jokes. They're all Jew jokes. That's where they came from anyway.

What has happened to Christianity? This is a parable now? I've heard worse in church recently myself. Even blantantly racist jokes. I just don't understand modern "ChristiansTM" any more at all.

I had heard that one, cute and to the point actually.

Thanks RANT.

Originally posted by edsinger
And some people read threads that they dont have to read....same concept.

...and some people make stupid little snide comments they don't need to ...same concept.

You were not being accused of anything ed, I had actually paid you a complement.