General Christain talk.... Music, doctrine, etc. All civil replies welcome!

Hi all. I just wanted to open up a topic thread that gave mainly (but not limited to) christians an opportunity to discuss anything and everything that has to do with their faith. I would like to begin this thread by talking about christian music and share with you what I like musically. Most of you who know me also know that I don'f follow the protestant or catholic faiths but if there are protestant musicians that I enjoy listening to. I'm all about what message the band/musician is giving and if it's biblically sound. That being said, here are some videos of my favorite christian musicians and performances. Enjoy.

This song is by one of my most favorite bands, Casting Crowns. The next few videos will be Casting crowns by the way. This song is called "Slow Fade" and those of you who have seen the movie "Fireproof" will probably recognize this song toward the middle of the movie. The song hits close to home so much. The final lines of the song bring it to real truth thus giving it the title "Slow Fade"....

"People never crumble in a day. Daddies never crumble in a day. Families never crumble in a day."

Such a simple concept. A broken home is something that happens over time with little choices and little mistakes being made to affect the final outcome of the family. Be careful little eyes what you see. It's the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings. Be careful little feet where you go. For it's the little feet behind you that are sure to follow." So true. Enjoy the music video for this song. It won the 2009 GMA Dove Award for best music video.






This next video is from Casting Crowns most successful album "Lifesong". The song is called "Does Anybody Hear Her" which tells the story of a young woman, probably a 16 or 17 year old teen who is makeing wrong choices in her life.
She is neglected at home and easily manipulated by people that show her attention. She ends up losing her innocence to some guy. She is lost with no hope until she see's a church with people headed inside. She goes to the church only to find some of the members giving her dirty looks and judgeing her for the way she's dressed. The bridge of the song explains it the best.

"If judgement looms under every steeple. If lofty glances from lofty people. Can't see past her scarlet letter, and we've never even met her."

This song is so true in so many ways. So much of christianity has turned their backs on those who need our help the most. Church has become such a judgemental organization and unless you're dressed right, or have the right skin tone, you are not welcome. I'm not saying all churches, but many of them are like this. The video shows the story of the song so well. Enjoy.





This next song is from Casting Crowns first album. The song is called "American Dream" and it's more a song for fathers than anything. The song talks about a man who many would consider to be a "work-a-holic" who never has time for his wife or son. He claims to be working in order to give his family the finer things in life. He's living a material life. The premise of the song is to give fathers some insight on what your family really wants. The song ends with the moral of the story "All they really wanted was you." They didn't care about the material things. They just wanted their husband and daddy home to spend time with them. Another moral to the story is said in a line on the third verse.... my favorite line, "I'll take a shack on a rock over a castle in the sand." Enjoy the video.





I hope you all will join in on this lighter-based thread and share your musical inspiration for your faith. This thread is not just limited to music. It's a general christian thread where we can all discuss whatever you want to discuss. I haven't seen many threads like this so I thought I'd give it a shot so we ain't bound by the restrictions of staying on topic. I do ask that we all play nice on this thread. Criticism is welcome, as long as it's tasteful and mature. That being said, I give you one more song for now.

This next song is by the christian band "Third Day". Between Casting Crowns and Third Day I can't pick a favorite. They both fall in first place for me. This song is one of two favorites I have by Third Day. It's called "Cry Out To Jesus" which is just a song for encouragement to people who feel down and out. This version of the video is the "Band Version" which can be found on the "Third Day-Chronology 1 & 2" CD/DVD combos. Chronology 1 has the music videos, both versions. I like the band version better because the camera stays on the people and as each person passes one another, the whole matrix turn happens. I think it's a more intimate version of the video and makes the song that much better. Enjoy.




Okay, I lied. I have one more. It's Third Day's classic song "Thief" which gives account of the thief on the cross next to Jesus. Mac Powell, the lead singer is singing as if he was the thief climbing up Galgotha with Jesus. It gives me chills every time I hear it. There is no video for it, unless you want concert footage. I give you the 2006 version of the song. It was re-recorded for the Chronology projects to give it new life, and new life it got. This song blows my mind. It is so symphonic and theatric in sound. It gives Third Day a sort of "ARENA ROCK" image. I hope you like it.





God bless you all. Flag and star this thread if you like it. Tell your friends about it. It's a home for all in the faith and theology visitors who want to talk about anything faith-related.

edited for spelling errors.

[edit on 7/22/2009 by Locoman8]

[edit on 7/22/2009 by Locoman8]

[edit on 7/22/2009 by Locoman8]

i will definitely contribute to this thread. bare with me... I am at work.

www.myspace.com...


A good friend on myspace and a good singer, very classy compared to the singers today even though I wish she would tone it down some.

She truly has the light of God coming out her soul when you talk to her in private.


as for other music I like gregorian chant.

peace.

I like modern christian music just because I was into pop/rock before finding my faith and the modern christian music scene keeps the sound that I love in music while praising God. Nothing outrageously heavy or anything, but something with a cool melody and great lyrics. That's why I love Casting Crowns so much.

I liked Third Day's "Thief" song that was my favorite…first time I’ve ever heard it...

The first Christian music I ever heard was from the group called Iona.
Here are a few of my favorite songs from Iona…

Iona - Treasure


Iona – Kells


Iona - Revelation




- JC

reply to post by Joecroft


Did you listen to the "Thief 2006" youtube I posted? It's the new version of the classic Third Day song. I think it sounds better than the original. I really like the symphony anthem sound that makes the new version what it is. Also the guitar solo from Brad was really cool at the end of the song. Another band I like is Switchfoot. They have a two newer songs called "This is Home" and "The Shadow Proves the Sunshine" which are really cool mellow songs by a christian rock band.

reply to post by Locoman8



Yeah I listened to the “Thief 2006” that you posted, I thought it was excellent…I like all types of music but I’m not normally heavily into rock that much. That was the first time I had heard that song…I’ve never even heard the original version…

Thanks for posting and a good idea for a thread…I will try and think of some things to discuss, regarding faith…




- JC

Well, I don't think it's always had the label of "Christian Music". But I find very deep and good songs all over the place in just regular music. Back when music had soul in it, rather than being about "getting mine".

Joe might like this one, it has that question you mentioned in the other thread in it.




This one is a bit more obvious.



This one I find just to be good reminder/pick me up in general.

reply to post by badmedia

Originally posted by badmedia
Well, I don't think it's always had the label of "Christian Music". But I find very deep and good songs all over the place in just regular music. Back when music had soul in it, rather than being about "getting mine".

Joe might like this one, it has that question you mentioned in the other thread in it.

That’s absolutely right badmedia, there are many great regular songs out there, with deep righteous themes running through them. People just gota listen…

That song is almost before my time, but it’s a classic (The logical song)

The Johnny Cash - "God's Gonna Cut You Down song", is awsome…I’ve only heard the Moby version but I think I preffer the Johnny Cash version now…plus he’s JC, just like me lol


- JC

reply to post by Joecroft


How about talking about some christian movies too. How many people have seen the three movies by the Sherwood Films crew? These movies were done by the members of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia. They consist of the movies "Flywheel", "Faceing the Giants" and the 2008 blockbuster hit "Fireproof". I own them all and they are incredible movies made to inspire the masses.

This is for Joe from the other thread. About AI and philosophy etc.

You asked about what other things did I learn from doing that.

So for a certain amount of time/period we store all the data in RAM for the AI(AKA short term memory). But at certain points we need to clear that short term memory and store it into the long term memory(hard drive).

As well, if you've ever worked with large databases before, you know that indexes take a good amount of time to update. They make searching for information contained much easier and faster, but we still need those indexes for quick results. So we need time for the program to do this.

The obvious solution to me was sleep.

reply to post by badmedia


Non-christian bands with inspirational music is never a bad thing. I think Daughtry's "Home" is a good example. A good line in that song is in the second verse:

"I've not always been the best man or friend to you, but your love remains true. And I don't know why. You always seem to give me another try."


Also, if you ever listen to the song "Turn, Turn, Turn" by The Byrds, you'd be surprised to know that the whole song comes from Ecclesiasties chapter 3. "To everything (turn, turn, turn) there is a season (turn, turn, turn). And a time for everything under the heavens."

I thought it was cool and I never knew that until I started reading the bible from cover to cover. I got to that chapter and was like, "whoa! That's a Byrd's song!"

my first post on this thread will be the videos I posted on another thread I started, but got moved by the moderator to an irrelevant forum.... so, here it goes:

reply to post by holywar


I like Alex Jones. My first Alex Jones documentary was "Endgame" which introduced me to the plan of world government and the Bilderberg Group comprised of corporate execs and world leaders. Another thing to check out is the "Republic Magazine" which is not a magazine for republicans but people desparate to save our Democratic Republic of the United States of America. Of course world government is part of the scheme for end time prophecy too. My views, of course consist of the European Union being the final revival of the Roman Empire and the Beast Superpower that emerges after the United States falls. Interesting how the Euro coins have an engraving of the goddess Europa sitting on a bull. Sounds similar to Revelation 17 with the harlot riding the scarlet beast. The woman sits on 7 mountains which are governments but the symbolism of 7 mountains can also relate to the fact Rome is nicknamed "The City on 7 Hills." False religion and the beast superpower work hand-in-hand. Funny how the largest sect of christianity is based in Rome. The Roman Catholic Church and it's christianized pagan doctrine will be the world religion/false religion along with it's splinter groups of the Protestant Reformation. One more thing about my case against the EU. The birth of the EU started with the signing of the Treaties of Rome after WWII. Revelation 17 also speaks of 10 kings with no kingdom as of yet but share power as king for a short time, giving their power to the beast. 10 permanent nation-states in the EU and they share power as leaders of the EU in 6 month incriments... Germany being the one in power now.

Just my thoughts after seeing your Alex Jones posts. I liked it.

reply to post by badmedia

Originally posted by badmedia
This is for Joe from the other thread. About AI and philosophy etc.

You asked about what other things did I learn from doing that.

So for a certain amount of time/period we store all the data in RAM for the AI(AKA short term memory). But at certain points we need to clear that short term memory and store it into the long term memory(hard drive).

As well, if you've ever worked with large databases before, you know that indexes take a good amount of time to update. They make searching for information contained much easier and faster, but we still need those indexes for quick results. So we need time for the program to do this.

The obvious solution to me was sleep.

Yeah and I guess ROM could be likened to things that are innate in all humans. i.e. built in memory, that’s not subject to change. I kind of go along with idea of short term memory being needed to be stored into the long term memory.

That question I mentioned on the other thread has currently led me to the question of… what is the subconscious mind? When someone is regressed using hypnosis, they are able to recall every detail, of a newspaper page and have the ability to recite an entire page, they had only just glanced at, the week before. So it would appear that the subconscious mind is recording all data and keeping it separate and filtered out from the conscious mind. There is of course the school of thought, that suggest that, the subconscious mind, is connected to all of consciousness itself and has access to all truth in the entire universe. If that is true, then data is not so much being recorded because it is possibly already known. So instead, it is being recalled, from some all knowing source of information i.e. God/Consciousness.

That thread link you posted has my mind working overtime, but I like it I will respond here, to your last post on the other thread, after I have read through most of it. Right now I’m still chugging my way through it…

- JC




[edit on 29-7-2009 by Joecroft]

reply to post by Joecroft


I never thought of the ROM bit. But I would guess you are right about that. I would have just hard coded that into the program itself, since the ROM is needed for the PC itself.

At one point I thought of creating personalities/traits. And to do this, I would run a bunch of pseudo-random numbers and this would determine their characteristics(at birth, never again). And if I was to use the PC solely for the AI(no O/S outside that of the AI), ROM would be the place for such things, since that data would be "instincts" and not really change in value. So yes.

But DNA is basically ROM I think - read only. Our bodies are actually made out of really advanced self reproducing nanobots, and DNA is the configuration file that the bots read to know what to do. When you look at how DNA works, they change 1 small thing in the DNA, and they get changes in the result. That is the same thing that happens with configuration files. Change something from 4 feet tall to 6 feet tall, is simply a variable change in the DNA/Config file. So our cells self reproduce, and follow the DNA code. But I think the "meat" of the code is in another "dimension" and is pre-determined.

In programming, that code in another dimension would be like a DLL(dynamic link library) file. Which is of course just a bunch of functions, which is like an include file in php. So, I could have multiple "AI" running on the same PC for example, but each of them would really only carry their basic configuration files(DNA). Then when I wanted to update them(and to save space), I just edit and add to the functions on the library that is in another dimension(PC folder) and I can update all of them at once without changing the individual programs.

To me, Genetics is simply the reverse engineering of our config files.

Sub conscious I am unsure of. Never got to the conscious point.

However, what we are really looking at is data management there, and I did come across something similar to what you said. We talked about short term memories and long term memories with indexes. In order to be fast, our memory has to mainly work off indexes, and in those indexes data becomes compressed.

But you still have all the raw data itself that the indexes are built off - which is needed to create the indexes. And I would guess that the subconcious mind is able to reach that raw data, rather than indexes.

Indexes are IMO what makes it seem like the days go by faster the older you get. Because rather than having unique experiences, which would bring unique new indexes, you start to get in a routine and the days are similar and get indexed together. When you are young, everything is new/unique. You get old, go to the same job day after day, do the same thing day after day and they get mashed together. So you can't remember everything little thing you did on a particular day, but you do remember the unique things.

So if you could tap into the raw data, then you could see those things mentioned like the newspaper, where as our regular memory would just access the index. If we were to stay in that state all the time, then we would be much much slower in action, the way a database is slow with no indexes.

But it could also be that the subconscious mind is not part of the brain itself, and that data is kept elsewhere, and they are tapping into the greater self. Jesus says what is gained and lost on earth is the same in heaven.

Not really sure, these were just some of the problems and things I noticed when trying to figure out how to manage memories, bring up relevant memories to the topic quickly and so forth.



[edit on 7/29/2009 by badmedia]

reply to post by badmedia

Originally posted by badmedia

However, what we are really looking at is data management there, and I did come across something similar to what you said. We talked about short term memories and long term memories with indexes. In order to be fast, our memory has to mainly work off indexes, and in those indexes data becomes compressed.

But you still have all the raw data itself that the indexes are built off - which is needed to create the indexes. And I would guess that the subconcious mind is able to reach that raw data, rather than indexes.

Indexes are IMO what makes it seem like the days go by faster the older you get. Because rather than having unique experiences, which would bring unique new indexes, you start to get in a routine and the days are similar and get indexed together. When you are young, everything is new/unique. You get old, go to the same job day after day, do the same thing day after day and they get mashed together. So you can't remember everything little thing you did on a particular day, but you do remember the unique things.

Databases use primary keys to help search for data more easily. Those primary keys usually have an index created for them on most database servers. There is normally a limit, to the amount indexes that can be created on a single table, but I’m not entirely sure what that figure is of the top of my head. The limit is there for a reason because the more indexes you use, the more space your taking up, so this has to be taken into account by the designers of the database. The designers will therefore try to create indexes on the columns/fields, that are being used most often (I’m guessing our brains must do this process automatically).

Maybe it’s the database design that has to improve because we started off with just the regular flat database and now we have hierarchical databases, network databases and the most popular, relational databases. Who knows what design databases will be like in the future…maybe we need a new shape too databases, which might improve their effectiveness.

Originally posted by badmedia


But it could also be that the subconscious mind is not part of the brain itself, and that data is kept elsewhere, and they are tapping into the greater self. Jesus says what is gained and lost on earth is the same in heaven.

This is what I am starting to think, that the subconscious mind or unconscious mind is not part of the brain and that’s it’s only part of the brain, in terms of being a receiver of information. Apparently the subconscious is a term generally not used by academics because it generally regarded as having no precise definition. The unconscious mind on the other hand has been defined and is also closely connected to my question. The subconscious and the unconscious mind seem similar but they are in fact different. IMO they are just concepts or definitions to try and understand the mind, but essentially that’s all they are…they haven’t been proven to exist (even though they might exist), although they are a good way of trying to understand how the mind works.

Here is a link to a thread I thought you might find interesting. link


- edit to add - I see you have found the thread...

- JC


[edit on 30-7-2009 by Joecroft]

Originally posted by Joecroft
Databases use primary keys to help search for data more easily. Those primary keys usually have an index created for them on most database servers. There is normally a limit, to the amount indexes that can be created on a single table, but I’m not entirely sure what that figure is of the top of my head. The limit is there for a reason because the more indexes you use, the more space your taking up, so this has to be taken into account by the designers of the database. The designers will therefore try to create indexes on the columns/fields, that are being used most often (I’m guessing our brains must do this process automatically).

Well, primary keys have to be unique. I mostly just use primary keys for ID numbers, and then indexes for searches and stuff. So like as every new memory comes into the database, it will have it's own unique primary key. And you just auto-increment them and so forth.

And then with an index, you are doing groups and such. I've never ran out of indexes I could add, but then again I'm not generally working with tables that contain more than 10-20 fields. Sometimes do, but not very often. So I'm not sure about the limit either.

But if you have alot of indexes, it makes the writes to the database much slower, because it is constantly updating information. When I have alot of new incoming database writes, I will not have any indexes at all on the table outside the primary key.

When I create indexes, I take a list of all my queries. I then look at just the WHERE part of the query. I then index just those columns. Same for distinct and other parts etc, just the parts that need the indexes.

Maybe it’s the database design that has to improve because we started off with just the regular flat database and now we have hierarchical databases, network databases and the most popular, relational databases. Who knows what design databases will be like in the future…maybe we need a new shape too databases, which might improve their effectiveness.

Are you familiar with vector searches? Each vector is just a "dimension". Every word is it's own vector So you store the information in a normal relational database, but each entries gets a vector value.

You first determine a base vector for your entire database. Each unique word is given a dimension, and the value of that dimension is the total number of times that word is in the database. So that determines at what point each dimension is at. Then for each entry, you also give it a vector, and it's values come across.

This gives you a dimensional "shape" database, even though the database itself is still relational. Based on that value of the vector, each document gets it's own "place" in a multidimensional "universe".

As such, documents that are alike become grouped up together in that multi-dimensional universe. The documents that are exactly alike, share the same value, and the same "space" stack on top of it.

So, lets do it on a small scale.

Database:

The dog killed the cat
Cats eat fish
The sun is bright
The sun shines on dogs butt sometimes.

So, we take the unique words, create a vector base(removing common words with no significance).

"Dog, killed, cat, eat, fish, sun, bright, shines, butt" is the order we will use.

Base Vector value = 2,1,2,1,1,2,1,1,1

The first entry now has it's own vector value of: 1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0

So that value determines it's "place". When someone does a search, you just take their search and give it a value as well. It puts the search keyword in it's "place", and then basically grabs the nearest documents based on some trig/calc equations.

So it becomes a "shape" database, and it is much more efficient because you aren't going along matching up every word across the entire database and so forth. You just go to "area" that is relevent and pull matches from there(which you can further manipulate/order after).

I guess now they are designing databases that are like this. I've just done it on my end through code in the past.

www.vectordatabase.com...

Here is a link to a thread I thought you might find interesting. link

Yes, that is what they are going to do in the future to try and be immortal and live forever. Put peoples consciousness into the technology.

I think it's pretty crazy myself. Have you ever heard the thought experiment - what if reality is just some mad scientist triggering electrical signals to the brain and nothing is real? Well doing that is pretty much exactly what it is. They say things like you can have your memory backed up and so forth inside technology, like a disk. But that also means someone can easily remove memories and add fake memories as well.

Because every memory etc has to be it's own unique pattern. So copying that pattern is all they are doing, and so you can just as easily add or take away memories.

It's the ultimate mind control. If they use the brain to do it, then the brain becomes a bottleneck.

This stuff makes me wonder about the soul less beings of revelation. I can see that as being people who literally have no soul(robots basically), AI(same thing really), or corporations who are treated and given the same rights as an individual, and is used by those who have power to do their bidding. I usually lean towards corporations on these things, but some of this technology stuff - if successful puts a huge wrench in that.




[edit on 7/30/2009 by badmedia]

reply to post by badmedia

Originally posted by badmedia from the “did Jesus teachings abolish the old testament laws” thread

Not just the spirit realm, but all of reality itself. This is why I am so big about walking the path of Jesus. Because it is an actual path that leads to places. A literal path. All possibilities exist now for you, it only appears to be a linear reality because from our perspective that is what it is. But every time you make a choice, you are changing "dimensions". If all possiblities do not exist, then free will can not exist. We would be limited to a linear directors cut.

I posted in depth about this subject in the following 2 posts. This is what the father showed me and gave me understanding of. "Jesus" was never mentioned, but I found the bible and Jesus after and I was amazed that Jesus does exactly what I was shown. This is also how he was able to cure the blind, walk on water and so forth(assuming they are true, i know some instances of curing the blind is talking about giving someone understanding, but other cases seem to be quite literal).

Originally posted by badmedia from the ““OMG! ‘Faith’ and ‘Quantum Physics’ are the SAME thing!” Well Maybe…??”

The universe is actually static and time does not exist. Our choices are what guides us across the universe. The only way for free will to exist is for every possibility to be there. Free will is a basic requirement for intelligence, without free will to try out those possibilities, all intelligence is out the window. Instead, everything would just a sequence of events in a chain reaction.

Ok lets just say that our minds through some unknown process, have access to every possibility in the universe, that gives us free will, through our filtered, brain, system (possibly the subconscious or unconscious mind). Having that access is similar to AI having a database of options, but the AI of course, has to be programmed with random number generators, to make it appear to be life like. (illusion of life). We have this infinite knowledge, filtered through our mechanical/biological brains but how does that help us to make a choice. Its helps to a certain extent, in that it makes us aware of the options/choices but how do we then choose.

For example, say you have an orange, a banana and a kiwi fruit in front of you and someone says, “choose only one”. Now lets just imagine for a moment that you can break free from this filtered brain system and now have access to infinite consciousness. You now know all there is to know about oranges, bananas and kiwi fruit. How do we now choose one? I mean other than just saying “I like kiwi fruit” lol, what are the other mechanics involved in making a choice, regardless of the options in front of us, unless of course the choice is obvious.

Its seems to me it is our ability to make choices, that is a crucial component of our intelligence, as well as being subconsciously aware of all options that gives us our freewill.

- JC