Tiassa
02-12-03, 03:18 AM
Lady, for some reason, asked for these answers amid a debate about homosexuality. Nobody else is expected to care.
- ** Prove God doesn't exist likewise Satan? Can you?
Why would I? I've long asserted myself theistic. It's no real secret around here.
In the meantime, I'm aware the most Christians, at least, cannot understand the notion of a God that is without consequence or affection. As the Sufis assert, there is a conceptual core, and the accreted remainder is the balance of religion.
However, I will go so far as to say that most gods according to their attendant religions do not exist for the simple fact that they contradict themselves. The God of the Bible, for instance, is a miniscule God, assembled of many tales which give the appearance of a contradictory, stuttering deity. The gods are very interesting creatures, though, as they reflect much of the societies that invent them. (The god of born-again evangelical Christians in the U.S., for instance, paints a very grim picture of the faithful.)
Generally I acknowledge that God exists; if you doubt me, ask any number of frustrated atheists who gnash their teeth trying to figure out what I mean. Also, I generally assert that people create gods.
I've found it useless to try to disprove Satan because the Devil seems to be very much like God; people make Satan into whatever they want. A rejection of Satan is just as likely to be rebuffed as inaccurately depicting the Devil as a rejection of God for inaccurately depicting the deity rejected. What the Devil is and does tells you much about each person describing it. But it's harder to pin down the Devil's attributes than it is God's.
In the history of the Devil, though, there seems to be no solid scriptural support for what Satan actually is. The notion of "Satan" (as a name) seems to have existed among apocalyptic Jews around the time of Christ, but starting with Christ there is a staggering argument to be made that Satan is merely an invention of the faithful. As always, I recommend Elaine Pagels excellent book, The Origin of Satan, which compares the idea and character of Satan with the historical context in which it was written. Pagels, in fact, gives the best overview of whence comes Satan as there is. The detailed analyses of Russell and others show that Satan has evolved extrabiblically, and does not seem to fit into the theology without a heap of presumption.
- ** Explain the origins of humans and animals and where they're go after death?
I generally look to Evolution Theory to represent human development. As to the first cause of human development, I've found that many who assert divine creation point to the staggering odds against something like humanity evolving. But what is that ratio as a numerator to an infinite denominator? With an infinitely-expanding Universe, life seems more a necessity than a chance occurrence. Life is merely a specific range of balances of matter and energy in this regard.
Animals generally decompose after they die, return to their elemental components. In terms of an afterlife, anything's possible. I've chased phenomena called ghosts before, but the label is merely presumptory. As consciousness is, at its essence, an electrical process, anything seems possible. I don't understand enough of the electrical phenomenon called consciousness to speculate on how the consciousness would retain itself outside the mortal coil.
- ** Explain why people do evil acts? And is it encoded in our DNA? If so, who did the wiring?
If evil is in our DNA, it would be hard to find merely because it would be a byproduct of other processes--a sad necessity of being human.
The commission of evil acts would best be described as an associative failure. that is, the conceptual associations given priority in the criminal's mind lead to crime. How those associations are arranged according to what priorities--now that's the key that we don't yet understand.
- Explain if natural selection is by thought?
By ... thought?
Natural selection describes an observable result.
- ** Are their other intelligent alein beings beyond our galaxy
Most likely. I can't prove it to you, but I wouldn't claim to be able to. However, I fully expect signs of life to be found elsewhere in our own solar system--I'm betting the moons of Jupiter and Saturn. Intelligent life? All I want is evidence to satisfy myself that life exists elsewhere period and then intelligent life becomes a necessary part of the equation. But I can't imagine that Earth is the only living system, or that humanity is the only species this far evolved. I can, I suppose, but it's a desolate imagining.
- ** Prove that no one has ever had a encouter
Why would I? I'm not sure I could. I do know that every strange thing I've ever seen in the sky with my own two eyes has a relatively simple explanation here or there. Some of them have been cool. The sky offered me a red meteorite trail the other night. I've seen a few weather balloons, odd cloud formations and light phenomena.
As to what other people have observed and recorded: well, there is something that flies really strangely in Nevada; or, rather, there was.
But I'm quite sure that life exists elsewhere. I wouldn't be surprised if "they" were here already. Can't prove it, but it's not such a big deal to me yet that I feel the need to.
- ** Prove that Hell is a fairy tale likewise heaven
Redemptionist schemes, especially in the Christian form, suffer logical failures. But some of your silly questions would require me to put before you more information than you've ever bothered to consider on such subjects. It is not my place to develop your Christian faith. It is not my wish to spend the next six months fulfilling this particular request, especially when I already know that you wouldn't actually be paying attention.
- ** Prove the creation theory for every manner of sex under the sun?
Um ... it occurs. Nature has thus created a system capable of undertaking that mode of sexual relief.
- ** Prove that animals conciously sin against God?
Why ever would I do that?
- ** Does space go on forever in all directions
For any practical purpose, yes. Insofar as we can tell, the Universe is only so big, but there's nothing to prevent it from continuing to grow. While technically the Universe has a theoretic boundary, nobody knows quite what it is. Hubble was alleged at one point to see 95% of the way to the projected boundary, but the number keeps getting revised as new information becomes available.
- ** Prove that evil people aren't punished
Ronald Reagan isn't in prison?
- ** Identify the power source of genuine mediums?
Electricity or else black body radiation; however, genuine mediums have yet to prove their case to me, so there are no genuine mediums.
- ** Are many of these mental disorders demonic possesion?
Superstitions depict mental disorders as demonic possessions. I tend, however, to say no. Demonic possession itself is a psychological phenomenon.
- ** What made Hilter hate the jews?
Varying degrees of greed and superstition underlying the whole of his cultural experience contributed vastly to Hitler's hatred of the Jews. There is talk of Hitler's amphetamine use, which could only serve to worsen matters, perhaps making the outcome that much more severe.
- ** Explain the mass marketing of tobacco and alcohol despite the negatives
Tobacco had an established market before its health effects were fully understood. Certes, older generations had their ideas about the noxious weed; Sir Walter Ralegh was known for disliking secondhand smoke. But this is also a time when bathing was considered unhealthy, so a lot of pearls of wisdom drowned among the swine of superstition. By the time we had the science to support it, tobacco was a multibillion-dollar industry with heavy political influence. And, as American economy is built on premises including the assertion that money is more important than life, what can we expect?
- **Explain why people believe the Pope is in the will of God despite the history of the church?
I recommend the Catholic Encyclopedia (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07790a.htm#IIIA) to get it as from-the-source as possible. What actually makes the faithful believe it is beyond me inasmuch as any Christian faith seems puzzling and contradictory to me.
- ** Why is money the root of all evil?
It's not. I don't have the time, and you don't have the attention span or comprehension to make explaining it worthwhile.
- ** Will homosexuals go to hell?Can you prove that they won't
Of course they won't go to Hell. Hell is a fantasy. An ugly fantasy, but a fantasy nonetheless.
On the other hand, homosexuals will be proportionately represented in Hell. Given the number of people who fail to understand Christ's explicit declarations in Matthew 25, they'll have lots of company regardless of sexual orientation.
- ** Is Satan raging because he's time is short?
In his house at R'lyeh, dead Cthulhu waits dreaming.
- ** Why is Aids and Cancer three dimensional?
Most objects in this Universe are at least three-dimensional.
- ** Where we're we before conception? Can you remeber?
Um ... no. :bugeye:
- ** Will God give me the remote to his vast universe to open channels
I doubt it. I mean, if I go by the versions of God that most Christians explain to me ... not a chance in Hell.
There are versions of God that people have explained to me whereby I might answer your question "Yes". But those include Christ's forgiveness and celebration of homosexuals and other people that Christians generally dislike.
- ** Can we levitate just by thought?
Never done it.
- ** Prove we can't enter other dimesions through the mind?
We're already in them. By opening the mind we merely sense them where we have not been able or willing to before.
Seriously, Lady, I'm a fan of psilocybin. Why ever would I argue that we can't experience other dimensions through the mind?
- ** The gift to communicate with all animals?Is it possible
With all animals simultaneously? Well, anything's possible, but it ain't bloody likely. I communicate with my cat, but we've had five years to get to know each other.
- ** The gift of Exorcism, discernment, and space travel without a craft? Who can give me this?
A very nice man named "Dave" whom you can meet at the next Phish show. He can also be found skulking around Laser Floyd shows.
- ** The beauty and innerworking of the cosmos? Who is the artist?
Nature itself.
- ** How is it that God is infinite?
Well, I might propose that you ask someone more inclined to believing in any specific religion.
In the meantime, some religions simply assert it.
When you go from a lesser deity like a fire god and move up to considerations of a monotheistic "God", the assertion of infinity just seems to come with the territory.
- ** Does he ever get lonely?
Depends on who you ask. Maybe there's a reason God invented cannabis. Can you imagine what God's Bong must look like?
- ** What is it with that Berumuda Triangle?
As far as I can tell, nothing. There is nothing statistically deviant about the number of vessels lost in the Bermuda Triangle.
- ** The secrets of the Pyramids? Grant it?
Something unusual about them pyramids. But that's part of why I love being human. Plenty of great riddles to figure out.
- ** Transform into lighten and run across the sky?
Well ... that would hurt.
- ** Swim in the depths of the oceans both here and in space?
Would love to.
- ** Dance amongst the stars? Grant it
Best I can do at present is probably psilocybin.
- ** Do animals have souls?
No. I've known a couple of elephants with soul. And a chicken that liked to mosh, but that's beside the point.
- ** The ablitiy to feel God's emotions? Grant it?
I generally assert that God has no emotions. It comes with being infinite.
- ** What makes inanimate objects jump and dance?
Processes best explained by physics.
- ** Why do people celebrate the devil's day(Halloween) in a church?
Because Christians have a long holiday of annexing pagan ideas and festivals. Easter is a stolen fertility rite, and Christmas hawked from the Winter Solstice celebrations. Hallowe'en is a harvest and seasonal ritual transformed into a pseudoreligious holiday.
- ** Can I change the color of the atmosphere. Make it green with big polka dots?
Did I mention "Dave"?
- ** Is space full of time travling portals?
Might be. I don't understand the finer points of cosmology well enough to answer that question definitively. I'm not even sure science has checked in with the definitive answer.
- ** Why do I hate cockroaches?Is it genes?
Partially. But it's mostly learned or acquired behavior.
- ** Is fecies a good place to rub your genitals in?
Not the best. Not the worst, either.
- ** Is self determination a rarity?
Self-determination may be a fiction.
- ** Does the weed cause cancer? Why is it here?
The book is still out. Stacks of anecdotal evidence suggest that no, weed is not carcinogenic. However, tests have identified as many as sixty potentially carcinogenic agents in marijuana smoke. "Potentially"? It just means that they can't figure out quite why it's not.
Marijuana defies trends; there is no data to suggest marijuana increases your risk of cancer. It seems as if it would, of course, but that's only if you smoke it. If you eat it, marijuana helps fight cancer.
It exists because it exists. I tend to think marijuana is one of the strongest suggestions of human association to divinity--e.g. the possibility of God--because getting high is just a fringe benefit.
The best answer I can give you is that it exists because nature needs it. That is, marijuana as an organism performs a function for which it is designed. We don't know entirely what that is, but if it wasn't a basic and widely-adaptable function, marijuana would not be such a diversely thriving plant. You can grow the stuff almost anywhere in the world.
:m:,
Tiassa :cool:
- ** Prove God doesn't exist likewise Satan? Can you?
Why would I? I've long asserted myself theistic. It's no real secret around here.
In the meantime, I'm aware the most Christians, at least, cannot understand the notion of a God that is without consequence or affection. As the Sufis assert, there is a conceptual core, and the accreted remainder is the balance of religion.
However, I will go so far as to say that most gods according to their attendant religions do not exist for the simple fact that they contradict themselves. The God of the Bible, for instance, is a miniscule God, assembled of many tales which give the appearance of a contradictory, stuttering deity. The gods are very interesting creatures, though, as they reflect much of the societies that invent them. (The god of born-again evangelical Christians in the U.S., for instance, paints a very grim picture of the faithful.)
Generally I acknowledge that God exists; if you doubt me, ask any number of frustrated atheists who gnash their teeth trying to figure out what I mean. Also, I generally assert that people create gods.
I've found it useless to try to disprove Satan because the Devil seems to be very much like God; people make Satan into whatever they want. A rejection of Satan is just as likely to be rebuffed as inaccurately depicting the Devil as a rejection of God for inaccurately depicting the deity rejected. What the Devil is and does tells you much about each person describing it. But it's harder to pin down the Devil's attributes than it is God's.
In the history of the Devil, though, there seems to be no solid scriptural support for what Satan actually is. The notion of "Satan" (as a name) seems to have existed among apocalyptic Jews around the time of Christ, but starting with Christ there is a staggering argument to be made that Satan is merely an invention of the faithful. As always, I recommend Elaine Pagels excellent book, The Origin of Satan, which compares the idea and character of Satan with the historical context in which it was written. Pagels, in fact, gives the best overview of whence comes Satan as there is. The detailed analyses of Russell and others show that Satan has evolved extrabiblically, and does not seem to fit into the theology without a heap of presumption.
- ** Explain the origins of humans and animals and where they're go after death?
I generally look to Evolution Theory to represent human development. As to the first cause of human development, I've found that many who assert divine creation point to the staggering odds against something like humanity evolving. But what is that ratio as a numerator to an infinite denominator? With an infinitely-expanding Universe, life seems more a necessity than a chance occurrence. Life is merely a specific range of balances of matter and energy in this regard.
Animals generally decompose after they die, return to their elemental components. In terms of an afterlife, anything's possible. I've chased phenomena called ghosts before, but the label is merely presumptory. As consciousness is, at its essence, an electrical process, anything seems possible. I don't understand enough of the electrical phenomenon called consciousness to speculate on how the consciousness would retain itself outside the mortal coil.
- ** Explain why people do evil acts? And is it encoded in our DNA? If so, who did the wiring?
If evil is in our DNA, it would be hard to find merely because it would be a byproduct of other processes--a sad necessity of being human.
The commission of evil acts would best be described as an associative failure. that is, the conceptual associations given priority in the criminal's mind lead to crime. How those associations are arranged according to what priorities--now that's the key that we don't yet understand.
- Explain if natural selection is by thought?
By ... thought?
Natural selection describes an observable result.
- ** Are their other intelligent alein beings beyond our galaxy
Most likely. I can't prove it to you, but I wouldn't claim to be able to. However, I fully expect signs of life to be found elsewhere in our own solar system--I'm betting the moons of Jupiter and Saturn. Intelligent life? All I want is evidence to satisfy myself that life exists elsewhere period and then intelligent life becomes a necessary part of the equation. But I can't imagine that Earth is the only living system, or that humanity is the only species this far evolved. I can, I suppose, but it's a desolate imagining.
- ** Prove that no one has ever had a encouter
Why would I? I'm not sure I could. I do know that every strange thing I've ever seen in the sky with my own two eyes has a relatively simple explanation here or there. Some of them have been cool. The sky offered me a red meteorite trail the other night. I've seen a few weather balloons, odd cloud formations and light phenomena.
As to what other people have observed and recorded: well, there is something that flies really strangely in Nevada; or, rather, there was.
But I'm quite sure that life exists elsewhere. I wouldn't be surprised if "they" were here already. Can't prove it, but it's not such a big deal to me yet that I feel the need to.
- ** Prove that Hell is a fairy tale likewise heaven
Redemptionist schemes, especially in the Christian form, suffer logical failures. But some of your silly questions would require me to put before you more information than you've ever bothered to consider on such subjects. It is not my place to develop your Christian faith. It is not my wish to spend the next six months fulfilling this particular request, especially when I already know that you wouldn't actually be paying attention.
- ** Prove the creation theory for every manner of sex under the sun?
Um ... it occurs. Nature has thus created a system capable of undertaking that mode of sexual relief.
- ** Prove that animals conciously sin against God?
Why ever would I do that?
- ** Does space go on forever in all directions
For any practical purpose, yes. Insofar as we can tell, the Universe is only so big, but there's nothing to prevent it from continuing to grow. While technically the Universe has a theoretic boundary, nobody knows quite what it is. Hubble was alleged at one point to see 95% of the way to the projected boundary, but the number keeps getting revised as new information becomes available.
- ** Prove that evil people aren't punished
Ronald Reagan isn't in prison?
- ** Identify the power source of genuine mediums?
Electricity or else black body radiation; however, genuine mediums have yet to prove their case to me, so there are no genuine mediums.
- ** Are many of these mental disorders demonic possesion?
Superstitions depict mental disorders as demonic possessions. I tend, however, to say no. Demonic possession itself is a psychological phenomenon.
- ** What made Hilter hate the jews?
Varying degrees of greed and superstition underlying the whole of his cultural experience contributed vastly to Hitler's hatred of the Jews. There is talk of Hitler's amphetamine use, which could only serve to worsen matters, perhaps making the outcome that much more severe.
- ** Explain the mass marketing of tobacco and alcohol despite the negatives
Tobacco had an established market before its health effects were fully understood. Certes, older generations had their ideas about the noxious weed; Sir Walter Ralegh was known for disliking secondhand smoke. But this is also a time when bathing was considered unhealthy, so a lot of pearls of wisdom drowned among the swine of superstition. By the time we had the science to support it, tobacco was a multibillion-dollar industry with heavy political influence. And, as American economy is built on premises including the assertion that money is more important than life, what can we expect?
- **Explain why people believe the Pope is in the will of God despite the history of the church?
I recommend the Catholic Encyclopedia (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07790a.htm#IIIA) to get it as from-the-source as possible. What actually makes the faithful believe it is beyond me inasmuch as any Christian faith seems puzzling and contradictory to me.
- ** Why is money the root of all evil?
It's not. I don't have the time, and you don't have the attention span or comprehension to make explaining it worthwhile.
- ** Will homosexuals go to hell?Can you prove that they won't
Of course they won't go to Hell. Hell is a fantasy. An ugly fantasy, but a fantasy nonetheless.
On the other hand, homosexuals will be proportionately represented in Hell. Given the number of people who fail to understand Christ's explicit declarations in Matthew 25, they'll have lots of company regardless of sexual orientation.
- ** Is Satan raging because he's time is short?
In his house at R'lyeh, dead Cthulhu waits dreaming.
- ** Why is Aids and Cancer three dimensional?
Most objects in this Universe are at least three-dimensional.
- ** Where we're we before conception? Can you remeber?
Um ... no. :bugeye:
- ** Will God give me the remote to his vast universe to open channels
I doubt it. I mean, if I go by the versions of God that most Christians explain to me ... not a chance in Hell.
There are versions of God that people have explained to me whereby I might answer your question "Yes". But those include Christ's forgiveness and celebration of homosexuals and other people that Christians generally dislike.
- ** Can we levitate just by thought?
Never done it.
- ** Prove we can't enter other dimesions through the mind?
We're already in them. By opening the mind we merely sense them where we have not been able or willing to before.
Seriously, Lady, I'm a fan of psilocybin. Why ever would I argue that we can't experience other dimensions through the mind?
- ** The gift to communicate with all animals?Is it possible
With all animals simultaneously? Well, anything's possible, but it ain't bloody likely. I communicate with my cat, but we've had five years to get to know each other.
- ** The gift of Exorcism, discernment, and space travel without a craft? Who can give me this?
A very nice man named "Dave" whom you can meet at the next Phish show. He can also be found skulking around Laser Floyd shows.
- ** The beauty and innerworking of the cosmos? Who is the artist?
Nature itself.
- ** How is it that God is infinite?
Well, I might propose that you ask someone more inclined to believing in any specific religion.
In the meantime, some religions simply assert it.
When you go from a lesser deity like a fire god and move up to considerations of a monotheistic "God", the assertion of infinity just seems to come with the territory.
- ** Does he ever get lonely?
Depends on who you ask. Maybe there's a reason God invented cannabis. Can you imagine what God's Bong must look like?
- ** What is it with that Berumuda Triangle?
As far as I can tell, nothing. There is nothing statistically deviant about the number of vessels lost in the Bermuda Triangle.
- ** The secrets of the Pyramids? Grant it?
Something unusual about them pyramids. But that's part of why I love being human. Plenty of great riddles to figure out.
- ** Transform into lighten and run across the sky?
Well ... that would hurt.
- ** Swim in the depths of the oceans both here and in space?
Would love to.
- ** Dance amongst the stars? Grant it
Best I can do at present is probably psilocybin.
- ** Do animals have souls?
No. I've known a couple of elephants with soul. And a chicken that liked to mosh, but that's beside the point.
- ** The ablitiy to feel God's emotions? Grant it?
I generally assert that God has no emotions. It comes with being infinite.
- ** What makes inanimate objects jump and dance?
Processes best explained by physics.
- ** Why do people celebrate the devil's day(Halloween) in a church?
Because Christians have a long holiday of annexing pagan ideas and festivals. Easter is a stolen fertility rite, and Christmas hawked from the Winter Solstice celebrations. Hallowe'en is a harvest and seasonal ritual transformed into a pseudoreligious holiday.
- ** Can I change the color of the atmosphere. Make it green with big polka dots?
Did I mention "Dave"?
- ** Is space full of time travling portals?
Might be. I don't understand the finer points of cosmology well enough to answer that question definitively. I'm not even sure science has checked in with the definitive answer.
- ** Why do I hate cockroaches?Is it genes?
Partially. But it's mostly learned or acquired behavior.
- ** Is fecies a good place to rub your genitals in?
Not the best. Not the worst, either.
- ** Is self determination a rarity?
Self-determination may be a fiction.
- ** Does the weed cause cancer? Why is it here?
The book is still out. Stacks of anecdotal evidence suggest that no, weed is not carcinogenic. However, tests have identified as many as sixty potentially carcinogenic agents in marijuana smoke. "Potentially"? It just means that they can't figure out quite why it's not.
Marijuana defies trends; there is no data to suggest marijuana increases your risk of cancer. It seems as if it would, of course, but that's only if you smoke it. If you eat it, marijuana helps fight cancer.
It exists because it exists. I tend to think marijuana is one of the strongest suggestions of human association to divinity--e.g. the possibility of God--because getting high is just a fringe benefit.
The best answer I can give you is that it exists because nature needs it. That is, marijuana as an organism performs a function for which it is designed. We don't know entirely what that is, but if it wasn't a basic and widely-adaptable function, marijuana would not be such a diversely thriving plant. You can grow the stuff almost anywhere in the world.
:m:,
Tiassa :cool: