Near-Death Experiences

[tonksy]

Next time it happens just tell them that "you are ready". They should know what that means but if they say "ready for what?" just look at them like they're crazy and say "the second coming of Christ, D'uh!"...that always shuts them up.

 

[flavio]

And that, my friend, is the real point. If you have faith, then you don't require validation. If you require validation, then you don't have faith.

The real problem with most religions. They require faith in ideas based on society thousands of years ago many of which are entirely adbsurd today. Faith is a great thing sometimes but other times it is used as "just believe what we tell you and don't think".

It results in religion in many ways being one of the largest barriers to human progress. How many more thousands of years until the Catholic church recognizes women as equals and let's them be priests (priestesses?).

 

[Leslie]

I am SO trying that out next time!

 

[alex]

At least your yard litter is trying to save your soul...mine is trying to paint my house or mow my lawn.

You have painters and lawn care people strewn about your yard? Put their asses to work. You could probably get the house painted for a couple bottles of vodka.

 

[SouthernN'Proud]

I've had an out of body experience. I was about 18 or so and laying on a bed (half wasted) and after a bit it was like I was floating around on the ceiling and could see myself laying on the bed. It was really spooky.

And I also don't like to have religion pushed on me. Recently I started finding ziplock baggies on my front lawn. It was a local church group "spreading the word". They decided it would be a good idea to put a flyer in a baggie along with some rocks and toss it peoples yards as they drove down the street. I had a good mind to go toss it back in their yard.

I too have had one. Spooky is the word for it.

As to the drive-by evangelizing...that is deplorable, and you should save the baggies and contact your local police and have them cited for littering. Take photos of them on your lawn, or if the cops agree to come out, just let them lie there until they arrive. If the cops refuse to act, save them and take them by the church and request they stop and ask the minister to justify this Biblically. Tactics such as this defeat the intended purpose and give all reputable churches a black eye.

 

[chcr]

The real problem with most religions. They require faith in ideas based on society thousands of years ago many of which are entirely adbsurd today. Faith is a great thing sometimes but other times it is used as "just believe what we tell you and don't think".

It results in religion in many ways being one of the largest barriers to human progress. How many more thousands of years until the Catholic church recognizes women as equals and let's them be priests (priestesses?).

That and they're all myths...

 

[chcr]

I've had an out of body experience. I was about 18 or so and laying on a bed (half wasted) and after a bit it was like I was floating around on the ceiling and could see myself laying on the bed. It was really spooky.

And I also don't like to have religion pushed on me. Recently I started finding ziplock baggies on my front lawn. It was a local church group "spreading the word". They decided it would be a good idea to put a flyer in a baggie along with some rocks and toss it peoples yards as they drove down the street. I had a good mind to go toss it back in their yard.

Indicative, wouldn't you say?

I saw some metallic red roses once on acid but I knew they weren't really that color (they were really red roses).

 

[tonksy]

You have painters and lawn care people strewn about your yard? Put their asses to work. You could probably get the house painted for a couple bottles of vodka.

Try tequila or modela...anyway, I meant the ads.

 

[alex]

Indicative, wouldn't you say?

I suppose you could say that but this wasn't drug induced...I don't think. I actually felt myself lift out of my body and float to the ceiling....and then looked down at myself. I'll never forget that feeling.

 

[chcr]

I suppose you could say that but this wasn't drug induced...I don't think. I actually felt myself lift out of my body and float to the ceiling....and then looked down at myself. I'll never forget that feeling.

Sorry dude. Not drug induced? "Well, sure I was buzzed but it wasn't affecting me..." It's stuff you want to believe happens. Like the old Ouija board. Believe it then. Okay by me.

Edit: BTW, I can do that by meditating but I still don't believe I really leave my body. 'Tis spooky enough though.

Edit again: I don't believe that I can spell belive correctly on the first try either.

 

[alex]

Try tequila or modela...anyway, I meant the ads.

Oh, I'm a little slow sometimes


I wrote off the baggies in the yard to probably just some young youth group just trying to do something constructive. I'd rather pick up baggies from the yard than have to deal with a bunch of vandelizing heathens. What I almost did explode over was when this lady and her son was going around the neighborhood trying to recruit kids into a local karate class. They thought it would be cool to come up to the door and instead of knocking or ringing the door bell....just karate kick the door. I was sitting in my recliner and heard this loud thump at the door....WTF? I opened the door and there stood a woman and her son just smiling at me. He was dressed in full karate uniform so it didn't take long to figure out what he did. I had just sanded/patched/painted the front door two months before. I was furious and I think the Mother knew it. She said her spill and I just stared at her and gave her a firm blunt NO.

 

[alex]

Sorry dude. Not drug induced? "Well, sure I was buzzed but it wasn't affecting me..." It's stuff you want to believe happens. Like the old Ouija board. Believe it then. Okay by me.

Edit: BTW, I can do that by meditating but I still don't believe I really leave my body. 'Tis spooky enough though.

Edit again: I don't believe that I can spell belive correctly on the first try either.

Are you on drugs?

 

[chcr]

Are you on drugs?

Not any more. Well, just the prescription kind.

 

[flavio]

That and they're all myths...

Yeah well, they're not complete myth. I'm sure many of the people and events are real to some extent and there's value in the the books. For example the Sermon on the Mount is a good read.

 

[Gotholic]

A separate, but related question. If the afterlife is supposedly so great, why are so many of you believers so afraid to die? I'm not being sarcastic, I'm genuinely interested in answers.

As for me, I'm afraid to die now. Because I'm not ready. If I met the Lord I would bow my head in shame (I actually got teary-eyed by thinking of this).

The real problem with most religions. They require faith in ideas based on society thousands of years ago many of which are entirely adbsurd today. Faith is a great thing sometimes but other times it is used as "just believe what we tell you and don't think".

It results in religion in many ways being one of the largest barriers to human progress. How many more thousands of years until the Catholic church recognizes women as equals and let's them be priests (priestesses?).

Women are not oppressed by the Catholic Church.

Through the Incarnation, Christ choose to become a man. Priests represent Christ to the people. A man is the proper "matter" of the priesthood. Also, Christ had the choice to choose women for his Apostles, but did not do so. The Catholic Church does not have the authority to ordain women. Therefore, it will never happen.

 

[paul_valaru]

Except of course for mary magdelane, which many scholars beleive WAS an apostle, but of course the catholic church made her out to be a whore.

 

[Nixy]

As for me, I'm afraid to die now. Because I'm not ready. If I met the Lord I would bow my head in shame (I actually got teary-eyed by thinking of this).



Women are not oppressed by the Catholic Church.

Through the Incarnation, Christ choose to become a man. Priests represent Christ to the people. A man is the proper "matter" of the priesthood. Also, Christ had the choice to choose women for his Apostles, but did not do so. The Catholic Church does not have the authority to ordain women. Therefore, it will never happen.

ooooooooh so you're saying that Christ kinda thought men were better than women. And because CHRIST thought that in a time ALONG time ago then it's ok for us to think it NOW. If you hadn't noticed Christ is NOT alive today and who's to say if he was that he wouldn't pick women as apostles...or that he infact wouldn't be a woman himself? You think he'd have been taken as seriously if he was a women way back when? Don't think so, he had to be a man out of necessity, to be not dismissed due to gender. Times have changed and like flavio said...RELIGION HASN'T CHANGED WITH THE TIMES!

 

[flavio]

Through the Incarnation, Christ choose to become a man. Priests represent Christ to the people. A man is the proper "matter" of the priesthood. Also, Christ had the choice to choose women for his Apostles, but did not do so. The Catholic Church does not have the authority to ordain women. Therefore, it will never happen.

A prime example....the catholic church continuing to perpetuate the inequality of women that existed in society thousands of years ago. Instead of just using rational thought to say "hey, women are equal" we get stuck with "women aren't proper matter" crap.

As I said, this kind of braindead insanity is one of the greatest barriers to human advancement.

 

[Gotholic]

Except of course for mary magdelane, which many scholars beleive WAS an apostle, but of course the catholic church made her out to be a whore.

Ah, such a claim is unfounded in Scripture. However, I think another thread is needed to discuss the matter if you want.

If I recall correctly, one of the popes thought of her as a whore. It is possible that she was. But for sure we know that she was possessed by demons.

ooooooooh so you're saying that Christ kinda thought men were better than women.

He had to pick a gender. That doesn't mean He thinks men are better.

And because CHRIST thought that in a time ALONG time ago then it's ok for us to think it NOW. If you hadn't noticed Christ is NOT alive today and who's to say if he was that he wouldn't pick women as apostles...or that he infact wouldn't be a woman himself?

Jesus is God Incarnate. God is unchanging. Therefore, his actions would remain the same.

You think he'd have been taken as seriously if he was a women way back when? Don't think so, he had to be a man out of necessity, to be not dismissed due to gender.

Jesus was still not taken seriously. Here is a quote that best explains it:

Nor does the argument that he was worried about what everybody would think hold hooch. Jesus did and said lots of shocking things. He horrified his hearers by saying, "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you" (John 6:53). He prompted his fellow Jews to form a lynch mob by declaring "Before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:58). He touched lepers, ate with whores, and excoriated the ruling class in Jerusalem. He challenged conventional wisdom in a thousand ways. His message (and that of the apostles) was indeed so conciliatory to his contemporaries that they rewarded him with crucifixion and hailed his disciples with stonings, beatings, and martyrdom.

Bottom line: If Jesus had wanted woman priests, he would have ordained them, public approval or no. The "Jesus was hamstrung and/or blinded by his culture" thesis is lame.

Source

Times have changed and like flavio said...RELIGION HASN'T CHANGED WITH THE TIMES!

Actually, I just love how the Catholic Church has always remained consistent and true with the faith.

A prime example....the catholic church continuing to perpetuate the inequality of women that existed in society thousands of years ago. Instead of just using rational thought to say "hey, women are equal" we get stuck with "women aren't proper matter" crap.

As I said, this kind of braindead insanity is one of the greatest barriers to human advancement.

The idea that priests need to be men to act like Christ who is a man just went way over your head...

 

[paul_valaru]

Ah, such a claim is unfounded in Scripture. However, I think another thread is needed to discuss the matter if you want.

If I recall correctly, one of the popes thought of her as a whore. It is possible that she was. But for sure we know that she was possessed by demons.

Scripture, the carefully picked and edited backbone of the church.

Translated mostly from aramaic recopied and edited 100's of times.

The church lies to people to further their own agenda.