Do you believe in the supernatural?

[Sebastian Francis]

He's just saying he doesn't buy into it.
.

But he also said "There's no wisdom to be gained" through astrology, which takes his statement past the realm of personal belief and into an assertion about objective reality. If the rule about discussing religion is that we are allowed to mention our personal beliefs but are NOT allowed to assert our beliefs are "better" than others, then it seems he crossed the line.

Similarly, am I allowed to say that Nazism is a "bad" belief? Or is that also crossing the line?

Are you offended?

Nope. I'm just raising questions. These are interesting points for discussion

 

[Rel]

Similarly, am I allowed to say that Nazism is a "bad" belief? Or is that also crossing the line?

[Lebowski]"Say what you will will about the tenets of National Socialism, at least it's an ethos!"[/Lebowski]

 

[der_kluge]

[Lebowski]"Say what you will will about the tenets of National Socialism, at least it's an ethos!"[/Lebowski]

They're Nihilists. They don't believe in anything, Dude.



I just got that movie on DVD...

 

[The_Universe]

[Lebowski]"Say what you will will about the tenets of National Socialism, at least it's an ethos!"[/Lebowski]

[Lebowski]Shut the up, Rel - you have no context. You're like a ing child![/Lebowski]

 

[Rel]

[Lebowski]Shut the up, Rel - you have no context. You're like a ing child![/Lebowski]

Just to put this thread back on track:

[Lebwoski]"Three thousand years of beautiful tradition from Moses to Sandy Koufax, you’re damn right I’m living in the past!"[/Lebowski]

 

[The_Universe]

But he also said "There's no wisdom to be gained" through astrology, which takes his statement past the realm of personal belief and into an assertion about objective reality. If the rule about discussing religion is that we are allowed to mention our personal beliefs but are NOT allowed to assert our beliefs are "better" than others, then it seems he crossed the line.

Similarly, am I allowed to say that Nazism is a "bad" belief? Or is that also crossing the line?



Nope. I'm just raising questions. These are interesting points for discussion

Perhaps we should start a thread on the Meta forum to hash out where, precisely, the "Line" is? Though I can agree it's an interesting discussion, it probably has no more place here than the [Lebowski].

 

[Mercule]

Aren't you breaking the rules about religion by saying astrology is wrong?

Didn't realize that astrology was a religion. It was not my intent to disparage anyone's beliefs in the nature of or worship of God, god, gods, Godess, godess, godesses, karma, ancestor spirits, alien uplifters, artificial intelligence, Goa'uld, white mice, or dire yaks in any way, shape or form.

Consider the statement to be IMO, only -- which is how I intended it. If I had realized that it factored into anyone's religion, I would not have included the "no wisdom" comment.

I'm not editting it out only because the comment has now been discussed across half a page of the forum, and I'd rather people knew what I said than guessed it was worse (or better, for that matter). If the mods have an issue with my response or the original statement, I am at their mercy.

 

[Felon]

Nope. I'm just raising questions. These are interesting points for discussion

So, let's get this straight: first you start in by issuing a prophecy that the thread's going to get klunked because it's about religion, even though nodoby else participating in this thread (including moderators) has had trouble drawing the line on where the topic breaks the rules, and then when someone takes the bait you proceed to pursue a tangent about religion in order to fulfill your prophecy, surely knowing through your own words that continuing down that path will get the thread klunked.

At what level are you engaging in sabotage here? Is it at the conscious level?

Please stop.

 

[Felon]

Here's why I started the thread: I grow less and less interested in life. I really envy the sheer joy of a little kid looking out a window for Santa, or the raw terror of hiding under the covers from the boogeyman. I remember fantasizing about when my mutant mind-reading powers would emerge in a few years or when I'd become the world's first superhero and other equally assanine delusions. Now I have pretty much decided we live in a really boring, mundane world, full of bags of chemicals with legs that exist for a brief period of time.

I know people in my life who believe in the supernatural--mostly co-workers--but they're all pretty dumb on the whole, or at least it's clear they are using belief in the supernatural as some kind of buffer of delusion against the horrible notion that there are no great mysteries, no otherworldy forces permeating the world. What you see is what you get.

But I regard a lot folks here as being pretty damned smart, and from a variety of backgrounds. I really wonder if I've sold the world short. I really wanted to hear what makes rational people believe in the fantastic.

 

[Rel]

Now I have pretty much decided we live in a really boring, mundane world, full of bags of chemicals with legs that exist for a brief period of time.

Really?

You really think that about the world we live in? Because I don't. Every time I see an entire field full of wildflowers or a really amazing sunset I can't help but think that we live in an amazing world. When I see little kids playing in the sprinkler or an old couple holding hands or watch my wife sleeping I think we live in an amazing world. When I hear about another disease that mankind is overcoming or see pictures taken of different galaxies I think we live in an amazing world.

I love this life and I can't wait to see what comes next.

I hope you can feel the same thing too someday.