Zone1 Giving up the search for God

[Blues Man]

No.

This thread is asking about a specific search: The search for God. You wish to change the topic and talk about a search for a certain path or philosophy. Very well. Let's talk about your search.

the title is about giving up the search for a god.

 

[Meriweather]

the title is about giving up the search for a god.

I know. You have said nothing about that, only about your search for something else. And I specified God, and you have been clear to dismiss that with 'gods' or 'a god'. Might at least try a modicum of respect instead of dismissiveness when entering into a discussion about what some consider sacred.

 

[Meister]

Cleaned out several posts from three posters, there were 2 infractions issued, 3 thread bans and 1 temp board ban.
Please remember that this is Zone 1, and to stay on topic.

 

[The Sage of Main Street]

Intelligent 'self-design' sounds like Richard Dawkins', The Selfish Gene'.
Is that what you're trying to say?

But what are you referring to as the 'internal force'?

Those Who Stand on Their Own Two Feet Don't Need a Religious Crutch

Don't name-drop a strawman. To accuse someone of borrowing his self-created thoughts from some fashionable guru is annoying as your fashionable but dysfunctional usage of "Dawkins' (book)" instead of "Dawkins's (book)."

The internal force is the drive to use what's available in order to improve your situation rather than relying on an imaginary Higher Power to do that job for you.

 

[Meriweather]

Those Who Stand on Their Own Two Feet Don't Need a Religious Crutch

Who are you imagining is looking for a crutch? Many relate to Isaiah 6:8...."Here I am, Lord. Send me." Certainly many in the Bible did.

 

[Meriweather]

Are you happy to meet others? It is what I see in most children and young people--they look forward to meeting people. When I was a kid I wanted to meet people, and early on I decided the best person to meet was God.

This could be why Jesus noted that the kingdom belonged to children. To children, simply meeting others is a joyful experience. They like you--and they innocently accept they will be liked, too. They are happy to help. They are also thankful.

Words change over time, especially English words. The Hebrew word that is translated into English has its foundation as thankful. Yes, we are also to treat God with respect and reverence, but our first call is to be thankful. Remembering to say 'thank you' for anything handed to us is one of the first things we teach our children.

People of faith are a thankful people. Thankfulness, when it comes to God, is what became known as 'worship'.

Faith and seeking God are for a thankful people who enjoy meeting others and who also find joy in lending a hand where needed.

 

[Hollie]

Are you happy to meet others? It is what I see in most children and young people--they look forward to meeting people. When I was a kid I wanted to meet people, and early on I decided the best person to meet was God.

This could be why Jesus noted that the kingdom belonged to children. To children, simply meeting others is a joyful experience. They like you--and they innocently accept they will be liked, too. They are happy to help. They are also thankful.

Words change over time, especially English words. The Hebrew word that is translated into English has its foundation as thankful. Yes, we are also to treat God with respect and reverence, but our first call is to be thankful. Remembering to say 'thank you' for anything handed to us is one of the first things we teach our children.

People of faith are a thankful people. Thankfulness, when it comes to God, is what became known as 'worship'.

Faith and seeking God are for a thankful people who enjoy meeting others and who also find joy in lending a hand where needed.

It's such a comfort knowing people of faith are the best'est, most thankful, grateful, generous, joy-finding people on the planet. Lets just pretend the catholic church didn't run a child sex abuse syndicate for decades.

 

[Meriweather]

Lets just pretend the catholic church didn't run a child sex abuse syndicate for decades.

I am talking about individuals and individual experiences. In order to unearth something to scorn, you have to find an entire organization.

How about you, Hollie? Do you look forward to meeting people? Are you thankful for what is given to you? Would you like to meet God?

 

[Meriweather]

Lets just pretend the catholic church

What is the purpose of the Catholic Church? You are well aware that purpose has nothing to do with your statement. Stop digging in the mud.

 

[Hollie]

I am talking about individuals and individual experiences. In order to unearth something to scorn, you have to find an entire organization.

How about you, Hollie? Do you look forward to meeting people? Are you thankful for what is given to you? Would you like to meet God?

Yes. An organization that 'preaches' to others displayed the most cynical and cruel hypocrisy. Yes, an organized chikd abuse syndicate that violated every tenet of what might define an honorable, responsible human being.

There are too many gods for me to meet. Frankly, meeting any of the gods would immediately require me to say,''Bubbas, you have a lot of splainin' to do.''

 

[Hollie]

What is the purpose of the Catholic Church? You are well aware that purpose has nothing to do with your statement. Stop digging in the mud.

I see. The catholic church serves no purpose toward furthering WWJD?

I put your query, ''What is the purpose of the Catholic Church?'', into a search engine. The first paragraph on the first page yielded:

''The mission of the Catholic Church is to carry out and continue the work that Jesus Christ began while he was here on Earth. The members of the Church as well as the Church itself are obligated to: spread the Word of God. Assist people who are struggling.''

Stop defending what was a criminal enterprise.

 

[Meriweather]

I see.

You do not--and your posts are not worthy of a response.

In my posts, I am speaking about people of faith--people of all faiths, not simply a single faith. People who take delight in seeking and finding a bond of love and friendship with God. Like all friendships, when we meet someone, we are happy to discover who they are and what they are like.

No one needs an organization to seek this particular bond, but a group (that may become an organization) often forms between those who have a like interest. Everyone has their own story, but people of faith do not tire of hearing accounts and the experiences of others.

 

[Hollie]

You do not--and your posts are not worthy of a response.

In my posts, I am speaking about people of faith--people of all faiths, not simply a single faith. People who take delight in seeking and finding a bond of love and friendship with God. Like all friendships, when we meet someone, we are happy to discover who they are and what they are like.

No one needs an organization to seek this particular bond, but a group (that may become an organization) often forms between those who have a like interest. Everyone has their own story, but people of faith do not tire of hearing accounts and the experiences of others.

''You do not--and your posts are not worthy of a response.''

Yet, you responded.

In my post, I was speaking about people of faith also. Were the bishops, cardinals and leaders of the church who protected the crime syndicate not people of faith? When did you become that arbiter?

It's not unreasonable to expect accountability from the church and while you may find it galling that anyone dare question the hierarchy of that crime syndicate, I tire of reading about the lives destroyed or damaged.

 

[Meriweather]

Yet, you responded.

Yes because I would like to keep the thread on point--of seeking and finding God--which has nothing to do with problems you see in a specific organization.

That has been discussed in many other threads and is not the topic of this one thread.

 

[Meriweather]

In my post, I was speaking about people of faith also. Were the bishops, cardinals and leaders of the church who protected the crime syndicate not people of faith? When did you become that arbiter?

Thus far, I have not seen any bishop, cardinal, or leaders from any church entering this thread to discuss their individual search and discovery of God--or for that matter former ministers stopping by to discuss why they gave up the search.

 

[Meriweather]

It's not unreasonable to expect accountability from the church and while you may find it galling that anyone dare question the hierarchy of that crime syndicate, I tire of reading about the lives destroyed or damaged.

So start another thread on church accountability.

This thread was started to discuss seeking and finding God, or conversely, seeking but giving up any expectation of finding God.

 

[Hollie]

Thus far, I have not seen any bishop, cardinal, or leaders from any church entering this thread to discuss their individual search and discovery of God--or for that matter former ministers stopping by to discuss why they gave up the search.

I wonder why that is? Does anyone really come to a message board to search for whatever gods they're looking for?

I see a lot of hard-sell proselytizing in various threads but no apparent converts.

 

[initforme]

I don't search for God. He is ever present. I pray to God. I thank him for the blessings he has given me. It's all about faith and belief.

 

[Meriweather]

I don't search for God. He is ever present. I pray to God. I thank him for the blessings he has given me. It's all about faith and belief.

We have long stoplights between home and work. Praying at stoplights has been a great blessing.

 

[Meriweather]

I wonder why that is? Does anyone really come to a message board to search for whatever gods they're looking for?

Wrong place to search for God--but a great place to talk about God and to share insights. It is also fun to discuss Bible studies if anyone is studying the same book or person. Right now, I am studying Hezekiah who had an amazing life.