Zone1 The happiest people in America

[Donald H]

I fit the description of being happy, but then outside the usual ups and downs, I was happy before I grew older--I never had to wait to be happy.

I think it has a lot more to do with attitude as opposed to a belief system. For me there's so much to be gained by being in sync with the natural world.

I have no doubts about God. Questions yes, and continual study and exploration, yes. I have had a couple of experiences of God, and those experiences remove all doubt. Seek and you shall find. That's true, but the kicker is having to stay with it for decades.

Decades for you, has to be what you're suggesting. Some believe they find their god overnight, depending on their personal circumstances. The JW ladies who knock on my door.

Faith/religion is amazing, and after an experience with God, I feel quite confident in saying those without that kind of experience don't even know what it is like to think deeply.

I wouldn't say to you that you haven't thought deeply. That would be rude and presumptuous!
What are 'you' in saying that if Stephen Hawking's rejection of the god is being questioned?

You may be a more shallow thinker than you know. At least consider that possibility even if it is on a rare occurrence.

It's relative to Stephen Hawking, much more than it could relate to a believer of the highest intelligence. Not the Pope, because I don't think he's honestly a believer. To be honest, I believe the belief goes south at somewhere around 135-140 intelligence. Or at least, goes south in the sense of bible beliefs.

I have been in the kitchen. Also: Journalism, public relations, accounting, managing apartments, and teaching. I also quilt, sew, garden, and do genealogy research.

That's probably the reason why I take you seriously enough to reply in some detail.

I have always led a full and busy life. By the way, my husband grills the steaks--none better. He has also made sure he brings home take-out at least once a week.

I'm not interested in you buttering your own bread for my sake. I don't doubt your qualifications that allow us to talk on a higher level than this board.

I have no doubts on America's survival of a superpower--it won't survive. It is already in decline and has been for awhile. It will fail and fall. That handwriting has been on the wall for several decades now.

I think that America's superpower 'will' survive if America learns to share the status with Russia and China. I think the only other alternative is nuclear war and MAD.

 

[Donald H]

I think it has a lot more to do with attitude as opposed to a belief system. For me there's so much to be gained by being in sync with the natural world.

Decades for you, has to be what you're suggesting. Some believe they find their god overnight, depending on their personal circumstances. The JW ladies who knock on my door.

I wouldn't say to you that you haven't thought deeply. That would be rude and presumptuous!
What are 'you' in saying that if Stephen Hawking's rejection of the god is being questioned?

It's relative to Stephen Hawking, much more than it could relate to a believer of the highest intelligence. Not the Pope, because I don't think he's honestly a believer. To be honest, I believe the belief goes south at somewhere around 135-140 intelligence. Or at least, goes south in the sense of bible beliefs.

That's probably the reason why I take you seriously enough to reply in some detail.

I'm not interested in you buttering your own bread for my sake. I don't doubt your qualifications that allow us to talk on a higher level than this board.

I think that America's superpower 'will' survive if America learns to share the status with Russia and China. I think the only other alternative is nuclear war and MAD.

edit: And I'm getting in pretty deep with antique sewing machines. (sewing related) Ask me.

 

[Meriweather]

I think it has a lot more to do with attitude as opposed to a belief system. For me there's so much to be gained by being in sync with the natural world.

Abraham Lincoln said that most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be. An excellent observation.

 

[Meriweather]

Decades for you, has to be what you're suggesting. Some believe they find their god overnight, depending on their personal circumstances.

Faith may indeed come overnight. But actually knowing God? That is a never ending endeavor. How long did you seek God before giving up on it?

 

[Meriweather]

What are 'you' in saying that if Stephen Hawking's rejection of the god is being questioned?

Rejecting God was Stephen Hawking's opinion or conclusion based on his own focus in life.

It's relative to Stephen Hawking, much more than it could relate to a believer of the highest intelligence. Not the Pope, because I don't think he's honestly a believer. To be honest, I believe the belief goes south at somewhere around 135-140 intelligence. Or at least, goes south in the sense of bible beliefs.

I am not questioning Mr. Hawking's intelligence. He used his intelligence is investigating the physical world. It is not intelligence that determines level of belief, it is interest. Without interest, I would drop out of most things I do--and that includes seeking God. I am betting the same was true for Stephen Hawking.

 

[Meriweather]

I'm not interested in you buttering your own bread for my sake.

I am not buttering any bread but dismissing your assumption that my husband can't cook his own steak and that I must be doing it for him. Women of faith today are no more a cliche of Edith Bunker than they are of June Cleaver. You shouldn't pigeon-hole women like that.

 

[Donald H]

Rejecting God was Stephen Hawking's opinion or conclusion based on his own focus in life.


I am not questioning Mr. Hawking's intelligence. He used his intelligence is investigating the physical world. It is not intelligence that determines level of belief, it is interest. Without interest, I would drop out of most things I do--and that includes seeking God. I am betting the same was true for Stephen Hawking.

I only used Hawking as an example of some people attaining high intelligence, without having to come to having a belief in the god.
That contradicted the statement you made. You misspoke, got caught, and now you're trying to turn it into something about Hawking.

 

[Donald H]

Faith may indeed come overnight. But actually knowing God?

Don't try to criticize others, and their belief in the god, or the length of time it took them to know the god. You aren't the authority that gets to tell people that their beliefs don't meet your standards.

That is a never ending endeavor.

As many will disagree as agree on that.

How long did you seek God before giving up on it?

I was never sold on the god enough to say that I gave up. Again you're making an assumption based on your personal beliefs.

I was saved from the indoctrination process when I was a child and by the time religion was forced on me, I was old enough to know that it was only preaching impossibilities.

And for example, nobody told me that living in the belly of a big fish was a lie that wasn't supposed to be literally true. I was old enough to know it was impossible and so I interpreted it as just a lie. Later I learned that most of the bible is about the same sort of lies that were intended to have meaning to adults, but then it was too late for me!

 

[Donald H]

Abraham Lincoln said that most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be. An excellent observation.

Modern psychology quite often says a variation of the same thing, but they're careful to leave some room for exceptions that Lincoln couldn't have comprehended.

Some poor unfortunate people don't have the ability to make up their minds to be happy, and so they receive social assistance that's designed to help them.

Can you accept that as something you have learned today?

Maybe Lincoln should have said 'some' folks, or said nothing at all?

 

[JustAGuy1]

I would.

Being religious is propping them up to ignore their doubts. It can work for people who don't have to think too deeply on what they're believing.

As to them being females, those being referred to here are most likely content to stay in the kitchen and obsess over not overcooking bubba's steak.

It's the American intellectuals who have to suffer the doubts on America's survival as the uncontested world superpower.

Junior that is all silly trip. Have you always been a judgmental fool?

 

[Meriweather]

I only used Hawking as an example of some people attaining high intelligence, without having to come to having a belief in the god.
That contradicted the statement you made. You misspoke, got caught, and now you're trying to turn it into something about Hawking.

Then I misunderstood what you were trying to convey. Intelligence--or lack thereof--has nothing to do with belief in God. And no, you introduced Hawking, and I was trying to follow you. I failed at following your train of thought. Sure, you can label being unable to follow your thought as misspeaking, but more accurately, it was complete confusion on my part.

 

[Meriweather]

Don't try to criticize others

Shrug. On matters of faith/belief, I don't. Ever. It would be like criticizing my grandfather, which I wouldn't do, either.

 

[Meriweather]

Maybe Lincoln should have said 'some' folks, or said nothing at all?

Not Lincoln said 'Most'. He did not say 'All'.

 

[Meriweather]

I was never sold on the god enough to say that I gave up. Again you're making an assumption based on your personal beliefs.

In other words, zero time, which I wondered if that would be the case. However, I didn't want to make an assumption.

Re the rest of your post: Remember how I went off the rails onto a different train of thought with your post introducing Stephen Hawkings? Now you went off the rails with my post onto a different train of thought.

Here is wishing the both of us a happy ride.

 

[zaangalewa]

I would.

Being religious is propping them up to ignore their doubts. It can work for people who don't have to think too deeply on what they're believing.

As to them being females, those being referred to here are most likely content to stay in the kitchen and obsess over not overcooking bubba's steak.

It's the American intellectuals who have to suffer the doubts on America's survival as the uncontested world superpower.

So older, female believers in god are "happy idiots" while you are an "unhappy American younger male intellectual" who suffers because he fears the USA could die because she is not allmighty?

 

[zaangalewa]

Yes, that's the premise!

If that was true, we could change to becoming Christian believers.

It takes personal honesty and commitment to what we know is reality. Once we've gone there it would be so dishonest and phony to go back to the flock.

Sorry - but atheism is also "only" a belief. Tell me why it exists not only nothing. Or do you really think everything in this super-giga-gigantic universe - which we need to live - is only an expression of senselessness?

 

[zaangalewa]

I fit the description of being happy, but then outside the usual ups and downs, I was happy before I grew older--I never had to wait to be happy. ...

But the older someone grows the more the inevitably "unhappy" moments in life are able to make more happy.

 

[zaangalewa]

Rejecting God was Stephen Hawking's opinion or conclusion based on his own focus in life.


I am not questioning Mr. Hawking's intelligence. He used his intelligence is investigating the physical world. It is not intelligence that determines level of belief, it is interest. Without interest, I would drop out of most things I do--and that includes seeking God. I am betting the same was true for Stephen Hawking.

I was very astonsihed when I read in a Rock'n Roll newspaper what had been Stephen Hawking's (last) favorite song. Here it is:

 

[zaangalewa]

... I think that America's superpower 'will' survive if America learns to share the status with Russia and China. ...

And what do you think about Europe?

 

[OneIsTheWord]

what is happening?
because our government is talking more than it handles
the military is under review, now the problem is the world will be burned by the sand of times, now our enemy has American weapons
peacetime, turn our children into Hollywood culture
grown men haven't outgrown their age to turn our children into Hollywood culture and are blind to nostalgia
while China is looking into the future, now they are a superpower, USSR is second class
while we have Hollywood culture, our teenagers play video games and you see the result of a killing field
citizens are arming themselves, and the right to bear arms
and Saul Arabia turns sand into agriculture, a futuristic landscape, the U.S. took God out of the equation thus giving Satan in our culture of Hollywood, these are men, that only money makes them miserable, Donald Trump is an example, and men like him, if you don't take care the base value of our father, Father's the Lord, would say you worship the creature then the creator.
You just have bad leaders, and you removed God, in other words now you must regain your citizenship in society into the mess you have created for yourself
you have taken out the Ten Commandments

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