Would this not make the Christian God... evil?

that is my point - you view eternal existence with a value system that belongs to the temporary world - hence its not surprising that you have no desire for eternal life

Inaccurate. I view eternal existence from an understanding of me - what I would or would not desire. I Do not want an eternal existence. If I'm not me then it wont really matter.

even if one has perfect teeth, there are many more shortcomings of existence to address

Sure, and likewise if one is perfectly happy, there could still be parts of him that are not perfect, but clearly they do not affect his happiness. Perfect happiness therefore is clearly attainable given my earlier statements.

if he thinks the perfect teeth is the be all and end all of perfect existence, most certainly

Who mentioned anything about the be all and end all? You're trying to sidestep the point. This man has perfect teeth, but he doesn't have perfect ears. Likewise another man is perfectly happy but doesn't have perfect teeth. His happiness however is not affected by his imperfect teeth. You have even stated "correct" when I mention that perfect happiness is merely a lack of unhappiness. I am currently perfectly happy - and have therefore attained that which you claim is unattainable.

maybe your dentists understanding of perfect teeth is imperfect teeth (imperfect teeth = dentist $$$$!!)

A pointless statement. A lack of cavities does not make teeth perfect. They can still be yellow, crooked, large gaps in between etc etc. I am wondering why you would even espouse that perfect teeth come from merely lacking cavities. It seems you have a very narrow idea of perfection.

well for a start you wouldn't have to eternally worry about being stinky and embarrassed

Are you trying to project your feelings on to me? I have no such worry here.

well that was your argument - if "here' is eternal I don't want it and if heaven doesn't have the activities of 'here' I don't want to go there

Not really. Again this is a problem with you being unable to see greys. I did indeed mention that it was one such example, but I would advise you not get stuck with "be all and end all". One cited reason is not that.

the butcher punishes them, but god does not, since to have a dogs body in the first place indicates some previous transgression of karma

So, someone doesn't get punished twice?

hence dog life is the punishment

Justify this statement. How is being a dog a punishment?

humans have an obligation to cultivate spiritual knowledge - certainly explains why dogs don't go to church

Why do you think humans have such an obligation but then no longer have that obligation when they're punished for not fulfilling that obligation?

I thought it was clear - humans run the risk of getting a fine if they J walk (even if they are a first time offender), yet an animal never gets fined for J walking

Animals don't tend to own credit cards or money and so trying to fine them would be a bit pointless. However, they can be caged for jay walking.

dog life generally = punishment

Justify this statement.

a dog's life is punishment practically 24 hours a day - (if you were in an environment where you were spontaneously attracted to sniffing the backsides of others, would you call that punishment?)

I disagree. Of course you're asking a human to say how a human would feel about bum sniffing. Dogs certainly seem to enjoy it, and by the fact that they enjoy it, one could hardly call it a punishment. But honestly, what harm does it do? What does the dog learn that it can carry on into it's next life given that when it dies and reincarnates it wont ever remember having been a bum sniffer? Do they perhaps end up like you, hating dogs because they've been there 1000 times before although not knowing why they hate them?

and perhaps he will have to be a dog for millions of lifetimes

And that does what exactly?

you don't see that, along with the butt sniffing, as punishment?

I will apparently be a dog at the time: ignorant of everything, no obligations to fulfill..

The collected intellect of all your gods and this was what they came up with? Turn a man into an animal with no intelligence and let him sniff his bum? Do me a lemon.

as for the evidence, empiricism certainly cannot be effective - maybe you should clarify your statement - are you asking "what empirical evidence is there for the soul"?

No I was asking for make-believe evidence. Figure it out.

so do you have anything to say in regard to

BG 15.10: The foolish cannot understand how a living entity can quit his body, nor can they understand what sort of body he enjoys under the spell of the modes of nature. But one whose eyes are trained in knowledge can see all this.

apart from words to the effect of "I am not a fool because I say so"

So.. Basically it comes down to "I am a fool because some ancient pakistani says so". Sorry LG, where's the difference? I mean c'mon, in every single post you've ever made, in every single discussion we've ever had all you have done is said "this is true because I say so.. because some ancient pakistani says so". I can smell the hypocrisy from here.

Your quote was written by some Indian bloke who ate curry, masturbated on Tuesdays and picked his nose. Why should I take his word as truth? Why does his word have any value to anything? He's right because he says so?

(BTW - do you know that taking birth in a western country and not living hand to mouth and owning a debit card puts you head and shoulders above about 90% of the world's population)

I don't quite get what you're trying to claim but I would ask that you substantiate it with a little more than "it's true because I say so".

hence attaining an animal form is the result of ignorance in a human form

Well then it's lucky so many humans have failed to cultivate their spiritual side. If humans were actually doing things the right way the world population would be... what.. hmm. How many billions upon billions of ants are there? I don't think we'd all fit to be honest.

would a christian hold that a gideon bible is bereft of value because it didn;t cost them any money to acquire?

No but that's of no relevance to my statement.

on what grounds to they hold the bible as valuable? The typography? the illustrations?

Same reason they would hold Winnie the Pooh as valuable.

hence my suggestion that a human law giver is a fool if they transgress foundations established by god

Or perhaps, and more likely, the fool is the person that believes the words of ancient pakistanis on the basis that "he says its true so it is".

I think I said practical application - or are you arguing that nothing can possibly be true unless you think it is true?

That's your entire argument in every discussion we've ever had, (as highlighted earlier). I merely asked if you've met the dudes. Have you? <-- the '?' indicates a question. It only requires a yes or no answer.

so you agree that at a certain level, having sex with a car or plant is not normal

"normal" to who? And by what authority do you consider what you think is 'normal' is the way things should be or that you are better than these people? With 30 minutes digging into your personal life I guarantee you I could find something you do that is not 'normal'.

so in the same way despite god not giving us detailed knowledge about the instances when it is and when it is not suitable to hit oneself in the head with a hammer, an intelligent person can fathom the right answer?

Not at all, or are you saying that hitting oneself with a hammer is against gods laws or for the stupid? Look at the absolute success of Jackass. It takes intelligence to get where he has even though he's hit himself with a hammer quite a few times. Anyway, is hitting yourself with a hammer against gods commands? If not it is irrelevant.

or hitting oneself in the head with a hammer either

So... hitting oneself with a hammer is against god's laws? If not, your statement is irrelevant. So, you can't have sex with animals.. god said so. He didn't say the same about having sex with children.

it takes them a week, and not half their life

Sure, but their house is a lot smaller. Of course, we're actually talking about building a house. I have seen a house built from scratch in a little over a month.

so in other words a shadow can only appear behind an actual object - similarly material desire can only appear behind an actual (or spiritual) desire

From whence did this material desire appear.. Who created it? Answer the question. The same goes with your bamboo nonsense. Who created material desire in humankind?

I see the extent of your philosophical inquiry - certainly explains why you are bewildered in understanding much on the topic

Instead of attempting to avoid what is said in preference of your petty little worthless remarks how about you actually point out what you have specific issue with in my statement, why you didn't answer the questions posed, (which should be easy for someone as great as you), and then tell me whether I should chop a bit of my penis off or put a red splodge on my head.

why do you insist on sitting on your brains when it comes to the topic of religion (ie you switch off your sense of discrimination)

Well, whoever provides the evidence first gets my vote.

the fact that you can entertain the idea of several personalities being omnimax indicates that you have no understanding on the significance of the word

The fact that you keep avoiding the questions in preference of trying to sidestep them by attacking the poster instead of the post indicates that you have no understanding of how to conduct a discussion and most likely are simply incapable of responding to the post because you realise your entire argument would fall apart. Now, it was a question - not a statement. Tell me, which one of those claimed omnimax beings that are contradictory to each other is the real one?

I always thought they they applied to two different times places and circumstances

Oh I see, so we can ignore your gods because their rules etc were written millennia ago?

different time/place/circumstance same being, actually

I see. So it kinda evolves or changes like Dr Who? As that is the case, surely the correct thing to do is to follow the newest god incarnation. The god is no longer a blue elephant headed weirdo that makes you reincarnate as a dog. He is now someone and something else - jesus perhaps? (is there a more modern incarnation perhaps)?

its all about road safety I guess

yhwh/vishnu/allah.. How do you eat yours? So tell me.. on what authority would you choose vishnu over yhwh? By choosing one over the other, what does it say about the other?

Answer it.

BG 9.29: I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all. But whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a friend, is in Me, and I am also a friend to him.

And you have a bunch of people that aren't showing service to him so then he can kill them if he so chooses. Once again: Justify your statement. Kindly show me any law that states that god must like anyone, cannot choose to kill a specific group of humans etc.

I think saying that god is the same as the living entity requires more justification than the other way around - hopefully you don't need be to indicate the inherent stinkiness and frequent embarrassments associated with inhabiting a bag of bile

I think saying that god is the same as the living entity requires more justification than the other way around

I asked a question, I didn't make a statement. I said; What rule exactly states that gods must be any different. In the discussion I have seen you state that a god wouldn't kill a bunch of people and any that did isn't an omnimax god. I have since inquired why a god cannot kill a race of people. Your response was simply "why would he". Now, it stands that we are made in gods image, he has the whole range of human emotions, (or we have the whole range of god emotions) such as jealousy, anger, wrath and whatnot, has feet, arms, (6 lol), a head, (elephant lol), with eyes and ears and all in all aside from a couple of omnis, is largely similar to humans. The important one here is the emotions. If this being gets angry why do you claim he cannot kill a race of people?

hopefully you don't need be to indicate the inherent stinkiness and frequent embarrassments associated with inhabiting a bag of bile

Call my office. We need to clear up these stinkiness/embarrassment feelings you have.

he has no reason to kill everyone of a particular creed, since the time factor, which affects everyone equally is sufficient - malice, envy, hatred etc are qualities of consciousness under the influence of ignorance

No reason heh? That's not what you've been alluding to in this entire discussion. With so many dogs and animals in existence it would seem that humans are a real disaster at finding spirituality/gods. All the leukemia victims - punished by your gods, all the other disease victims etc etc. All punishmends from your gods. Now, why is there "no reason"? Don't forget it's only temporary and I'm sure all these people will learn something from being killed.

Take into account for future reference that you stated that if a god killed a race that he wouldn't be god. Here you are going against that. He would remain a god but would actually have a reason to, (ergo the entire race needed punishment).

for a start its not that stinky bile bag commonly referred to as 'me'

There it is again. There are sprays on the market that can improve how you smell. All is not lost. Call me if you need further assistance.

then the next question is why do you derive understandings from scripture that are obscure and contradict central themes

Come again? Clearly they don't, they are brought up time and time again by people all over the world. Oh wait, everyone else is wrong, you're right.. because you say so.

for instance if you gave a multi-million dollar beatle star a fruit platter, do you think it is inconceivable for him to be grateful?

Right, so a multi-million pound singer is like the same as a god? Oh and there you were arguing so well about how a god wont be like a human.

but their execution rehabilitates potential criminals

Given the figures, clearly not.

this is why i was on about knowledge of road safety and motorcyclists...

Let's try again: If a jew tells you that you not having chopped a bit of your penis off is a punishable sin.. on what grounds would you demand he support the claim? When he does support the claim, (biblically), what is your excuse?

some things are essential and some things are peripheral - to one who cannot fathom the essential

Right, and god said it was essential. Need I dig up passages? So.. why don't you do it? Why instead do you choose to sin? (under the basis that you have one to chop)

If a process is also advocated with this claim, we have something to go on

We've been down this road and it leads nowhere. Still, although I never got an answer, give me the exact process and we'll go from there.

well if I said I have seen god, how would you know if I was lying.
and if I said I have not seen god, how would you know if I was lying?

We'll get to that once you answer the question. Have you met your god/s?

you can still violate prerequisites for science at age 12

And then that 12 year old would still lack evidence to suggest that [whatever] exists and thus it would be illogical for him to just believe it to be true. However, you could generally provide that evidence.. Gravity? Drop an apple.

if even great personalities can be placed into illusion by god, what to speak of a person inimical or disrespectful towards him

Then it's hardly the persons fault that they're living an illusion.

if you think you already know, what capacity do you have to learn?

Who made such a claim? However, it's astoundingly obvious that I am far better versed in biblical understanding than you are, (which is not surprising given that you're into different gods). Now, because you think you know that chopping a bit of your penis is a not essential endeavour, regardless to gods law that states the opposite.. The question should be aimed back at you.

you can't see the common link?

Yeah, the common link is that you like to avoid questions that you clearly cannot answer.
 
The school, LG, is the Institute for Indian Knowledge, which also encompasses the study of Hinduism itself. The Professor's strong point is indeed music though.

I however am no longer interested, since the disagreement is really between two theists; I only happen to disagree with your interpretation of the story LG because it makes no sense and completely falls off the pattern of the rest of the historical development of all other theisms.

Plus you and SL are posting too long lol :)
 
Snakelord

“ that is my point - you view eternal existence with a value system that belongs to the temporary world - hence its not surprising that you have no desire for eternal life ”
Inaccurate. I view eternal existence from an understanding of me - what I would or would not desire. I Do not want an eternal existence. If I'm not me then it wont really matter.
--That’s my point – what you consider to be ‘me’ (stinky mucus bag) and the desires that go with it (how can I not make it stinky) makes the notion of eternal life dreadful – hence no surprise
“ even if one has perfect teeth, there are many more shortcomings of existence to address ”
Sure, and likewise if one is perfectly happy, there could still be parts of him that are not perfect, but clearly they do not affect his happiness. Perfect happiness therefore is clearly attainable given my earlier statements.
-- As you seem to be indicating perfect happiness while thinking that one is essentially and ultimately a stinky bile of mucus creates serious challenges
“ if he thinks the perfect teeth is the be all and end all of perfect existence, most certainly ”
Who mentioned anything about the be all and end all? You're trying to sidestep the point. This man has perfect teeth, but he doesn't have perfect ears. Likewise another man is perfectly happy but doesn't have perfect teeth.
-- But because he is perfectly happy (and being perfectly happy requires a foundation that is beyond the whole mucus bag thing) the state of his teeth are not an issue
His happiness however is not affected by his imperfect teeth.
-- therefore he must be off the bodily platform - otherwise he is happy about something directly or indirectly related to the mucus bag, which is quite a predictable entity in terms of the pursuit of happiness
You have even stated "correct" when I mention that perfect happiness is merely a lack of unhappiness. I am currently perfectly happy - and have therefore attained that which you claim is unattainable.
-- perfectly happy? Free from lamentation and distress, or are you simply in between distresses at the moment?
“ maybe your dentists understanding of perfect teeth is imperfect teeth (imperfect teeth = dentist $$$$!!) ”
A pointless statement. A lack of cavities does not make teeth perfect. They can still be yellow, crooked, large gaps in between etc etc.
--so there are other issues in regard to perfect teeth – you seem to indicate that you have knowledge what perfect teeth are

I am wondering why you would even espouse that perfect teeth come from merely lacking cavities. It seems you have a very narrow idea of perfection.
-- and its surprising what knowledge you can espouse with a bit of prodding
“ well for a start you wouldn't have to eternally worry about being stinky and embarrassed ”
Are you trying to project your feelings on to me? I have no such worry here.
-- you don’t take bath regularly?
:eek:
“ well that was your argument - if "here' is eternal I don't want it and if heaven doesn't have the activities of 'here' I don't want to go there ”
Not really. Again this is a problem with you being unable to see greys. I did indeed mention that it was one such example, but I would advise you not get stuck with "be all and end all". One cited reason is not that.
--Why settle for something mediocre then (apart from your supposed fact that one apparently has no choice in the matter)?
“ the butcher punishes them, but god does not, since to have a dogs body in the first place indicates some previous transgression of karma ”
So, someone doesn't get punished twice?
“ hence dog life is the punishment ”
Justify this statement. How is being a dog a punishment?
-- if you had to give up your current standard of life and take the standard of a dog, you wouldn’t consider that punishment?
“ humans have an obligation to cultivate spiritual knowledge - certainly explains why dogs don't go to church ”
Why do you think humans have such an obligation but then no longer have that obligation when they're punished for not fulfilling that obligation?
That’s the standard of punishment – if you don’t pay your taxes you may go to jail (and while in jail you live tax free!!) – I guess if you are really in a financially dire situation you could view going to jail as god’s mercy (great – free rent and meals!!!)
“ I thought it was clear - humans run the risk of getting a fine if they J walk (even if they are a first time offender), yet an animal never gets fined for J walking ”
Animals don't tend to own credit cards or money and so trying to fine them would be a bit pointless. However, they can be caged for jay walking.
-- when or if they are released, it is not expected that they would have learnt their lesson about J walking
“ dog life generally = punishment ”
Justify this statement.
-- justify how it isn’t
“ a dog's life is punishment practically 24 hours a day - (if you were in an environment where you were spontaneously attracted to sniffing the backsides of others, would you call that punishment?) ”
I disagree. Of course you're asking a human to say how a human would feel about bum sniffing. Dogs certainly seem to enjoy it, and by the fact that they enjoy it, one could hardly call it a punishment.
-- so you are arguing that all standards of happiness are equal?

But honestly, what harm does it do?
-- given that a living entity just went from the position of the human form, where they had the capacity to uncover the eternal nature of their existence, to a bum sniffer, it seems like a bit of an anti climax

What does the dog learn that it can carry on into it's next life given that when it dies and reincarnates it wont ever remember having been a bum sniffer?
-- it gets lost further into ignorance, until it comes to the human form of life again (which may take countless millions of years) – at that time perhaps they might be a bit more cautious about spending 30 years doing nonsense at the risk of spending a few million years that lead to the sniffing of butts and the like
“ and perhaps he will have to be a dog for millions of lifetimes ”
And that does what exactly?
--grist for the mill of the cycle of birth and death
“ you don't see that, along with the butt sniffing, as punishment? ”
I will apparently be a dog at the time: ignorant of everything, no obligations to fulfill..
-- then you have my blessing – be a dog in all its glory
The collected intellect of all your gods and this was what they came up with? Turn a man into an animal with no intelligence and let him sniff his bum? Do me a lemon.
-- its more a case of use it or lose it– if as a human being one is simply engaged in doggish engagements’, why not give them the doggish form of life and get rid of such impediments to the pursuit of delight such as human social conventions?
“ as for the evidence, empiricism certainly cannot be effective - maybe you should clarify your statement - are you asking "what empirical evidence is there for the soul"? ”
No I was asking for make-believe evidence. Figure it out.
-- if you assume that for a thing to be true it must be perceptible to the senses (specifically yours) then that limits the discussion to the power of your senses
“ so do you have anything to say in regard to

BG 15.10: The foolish cannot understand how a living entity can quit his body, nor can they understand what sort of body he enjoys under the spell of the modes of nature. But one whose eyes are trained in knowledge can see all this.

apart from words to the effect of "I am not a fool because I say so" ”
So.. Basically it comes down to "I am a fool because some ancient pakistani says so". Sorry LG, where's the difference? I mean c'mon, in every single post you've ever made, in every single discussion we've ever had all you have done is said "this is true because I say so.. because some ancient pakistani says so". I can smell the hypocrisy from here.
-- the difference lies in what you call an ‘ancient pakistani’ – if you want to discuss the foundations of knowledge that is beyond your scope of familiarity or expertise, its not clear how one can maintain one’s own foundation and avoid the mention of the high school drop out, etc

Your quote was written by some Indian bloke who ate curry, masturbated on Tuesdays and picked his nose.
-- perhaps that’s a fitting description of yourself (after all, you have to do something to alleviate the distress of being a stinky bag of mucus) , but not others, and certainly not personalities elevated in spiritual life, what to speak of god
Why should I take his word as truth? Why does his word have any value to anything? He's right because he says so?
-- well you can analyze how many of the other statements made in the gita are truthful or philosophically sound – that might be a beginning
“ (BTW - do you know that taking birth in a western country and not living hand to mouth and owning a debit card puts you head and shoulders above about 90% of the world's population) ”
I don't quite get what you're trying to claim but I would ask that you substantiate it with a little more than "it's true because I say so".
-- you are doubting that you are in an opulent position in terms of the general mean of the world’s population?
“ hence attaining an animal form is the result of ignorance in a human form ”
Well then it's lucky so many humans have failed to cultivate their spiritual side. If humans were actually doing things the right way the world population would be... what.. hmm. How many billions upon billions of ants are there? I don't think we'd all fit to be honest.
-- hence aside from your issue with the mucus bag, nose picking and the like, there are very good reasons why you are not involved in universal management
“ would a christian hold that a gideon bible is bereft of value because it didn;t cost them any money to acquire? ”
No but that's of no relevance to my statement.
-- it certainly is if you are trying to convince me that you really think the only value a Christian sees in their bible is the money they had to shell out for it
“ hence my suggestion that a human law giver is a fool if they transgress foundations established by god ”
Or perhaps, and more likely, the fool is the person that believes the words of ancient pakistanis on the basis that "he says its true so it is".
Time will tell – given the history of contemporary civilization over the past 100 years and the perplexing issues surrounding how such a show can stay on the road for the next 100 years it certainly does raise the issue how intelligent it was to work under the notion that god doesn’t exist or that god is separate from his creation
“ I think I said practical application - or are you arguing that nothing can possibly be true unless you think it is true? ”
That's your entire argument in every discussion we've ever had, (as highlighted earlier).
-- you are saying that the Bhagavad gits and the Vedas is my idea – actually you would hard pressed to find a person who could even compose one line like that found in the vedas
“ so you agree that at a certain level, having sex with a car or plant is not normal ”
"normal" to who? And by what authority do you consider what you think is 'normal' is the way things should be or that you are better than these people? With 30 minutes digging into your personal life I guarantee you I could find something you do that is not 'normal'.
-- coming from a person apparently working in the field of mental health, I can only laugh
“ so in the same way despite god not giving us detailed knowledge about the instances when it is and when it is not suitable to hit oneself in the head with a hammer, an intelligent person can fathom the right answer? ”
Not at all, or are you saying that hitting oneself with a hammer is against gods laws or for the stupid? Look at the absolute success of Jackass. It takes intelligence to get where he has even though he's hit himself with a hammer quite a few times. Anyway, is hitting yourself with a hammer against gods commands? If not it is irrelevant.
-- it does however indicate what even a person of average intelligence can fathom, without a need for a plethora of rules and regs
“ or hitting oneself in the head with a hammer either ”
So... hitting oneself with a hammer is against god's laws? If not, your statement is irrelevant. So, you can't have sex with animals.. god said so. He didn't say the same about having sex with children.
-- he didn’t say anything about hitting oneself in the head with a hammer either – what’s a person to do?
“ it takes them a week, and not half their life ”
Sure, but their house is a lot smaller. Of course, we're actually talking about building a house. I have seen a house built from scratch in a little over a month.
Even though life is not meant to be difficult, it just goes to show how good we are at doing difficult things
“ so in other words a shadow can only appear behind an actual object - similarly material desire can only appear behind an actual (or spiritual) desire ”
From whence did this material desire appear.. Who created it? Answer the question. The same goes with your bamboo nonsense. Who created material desire in humankind?
-- you already answered it – just as a shadow (something insubstantial) is created by an actual object, material desire (regarding desire to the sphere of the material world – you know the whole mucus bag scene) is created as a reflection/shadow/perversion of an actual (eternal/spiritual/substantial) desire
“ I see the extent of your philosophical inquiry - certainly explains why you are bewildered in understanding much on the topic ”
Instead of attempting to avoid what is said in preference of your petty little worthless remarks how about you actually point out what you have specific issue with in my statement, why you didn't answer the questions posed, (which should be easy for someone as great as you), and then tell me whether I should chop a bit of my penis off or put a red splodge on my head.
-- If after apparently delving into the serious issues of spirituality, if all you can see at the end of it is your own mucus bag and the mucus bags of others, the whole exercise was pointless
“ the fact that you can entertain the idea of several personalities being omnimax indicates that you have no understanding on the significance of the word ”
The fact that you keep avoiding the questions in preference of trying to sidestep them by attacking the poster instead of the post indicates that you have no understanding of how to conduct a discussion and most likely are simply incapable of responding to the post because you realise your entire argument would fall apart. Now, it was a question - not a statement. Tell me, which one of those claimed omnimax beings that are contradictory to each other is the real one?
--First you have to determine what the word omnimax means – otherwise it’s a ridiculous discussion – like for instance if the personality is actually omnipresent and omnipotent, then they could be existing or reveal themselves in several time/places/circumstances – if you don’t understand that you could make the error of insisting ‘which one is right’, when several out of a given set could be right
“ I always thought they they applied to two different times places and circumstances ”
Oh I see, so we can ignore your gods because their rules etc were written millennia ago?
-- and indeed, there are some parts of the Vedas that are not valid in this age – all this can be determined by analyzing the discussion on this topic in the bridging gaps of the millenia. There is also the notion of dharma as it relates to the mucus bag (sva-dharma - to given situations with with given bodies) and dharma as it relates to the soul (sanatana dharma) - thus the whole issue of what and what not to do with your genitals can be relegated to a minor corollary of the vedas and the real topic (dealing with lust, etc - which BTW also might have something to do with your genitals) can be determined
“ different time/place/circumstance same being, actually ”
I see. So it kinda evolves or changes like Dr Who? As that is the case, surely the correct thing to do is to follow the newest god incarnation. The god is no longer a blue elephant headed weirdo that makes you reincarnate as a dog. He is now someone and something else - jesus perhaps? (is there a more modern incarnation perhaps)?
-- something like that – but as with all endeavors of knowledge, without a proper foundation in theory you will no doubt end up in a ditch
“ its all about road safety I guess ”
yhwh/vishnu/allah.. How do you eat yours? So tell me.. on what authority would you choose vishnu over yhwh? By choosing one over the other, what does it say about the other?
-- I guess the first issue is to examine to what extent one is prepared to sacrifice or act as a practitioner – like for instance if you have read all the literature and commentaries concerning allah and have done so for generations and are fixed on that path, probably wise to go ahead with that (in other words you have to ask yourself whether you are a truck driver or motorcyclist, so to speak) – if however you have doubts or don’t know something (you have severe issues with the whole nature of road safety, so to speak), there may be an opportunity to learn from someone or somewhere else

“ BG 9.29: I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all. But whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a friend, is in Me, and I am also a friend to him. ”
And you have a bunch of people that aren't showing service to him so then he can kill them if he so chooses. Once again: Justify your statement. Kindly show me any law that states that god must like anyone, cannot choose to kill a specific group of humans etc.
-- people are killed in this world by the laws of karma, particularly the time factor – all of which are an expression of his will – the laws of karma however are impartial, thus you see that death visits everyone equally
“ I think saying that god is the same as the living entity requires more justification than the other way around - hopefully you don't need be to indicate the inherent stinkiness and frequent embarrassments associated with inhabiting a bag of bile ”
“ I think saying that god is the same as the living entity requires more justification than the other way around ”
I asked a question, I didn't make a statement. I said; What rule exactly states that gods must be any different.
-- as indicated by the stinky bile thing, the first one is common sense – if you are the same as god, what the hell are you doing here, running the risk of dire consequences if you can't find a bathroom within the next 24 hours?
In the discussion I have seen you state that a god wouldn't kill a bunch of people and any that did isn't an omnimax god.
-- actually I said that if it is understood that god said it is ok to kill all people in all circumstances of a particular cast/colour/creed, you have a personality that is not omnimax (or more likely, a mode of worship that is in the mode of passion as opposed to goodness)

BG18.20 That knowledge by which one undivided spiritual nature is seen in all living entities, though they are divided into innumerable forms, you should understand to be in the mode of goodness.

BG18.21 That knowledge by which one sees that in every different body there is a different type of living entity you should understand to be in the mode of passion.

I have since inquired why a god cannot kill a race of people. Your response was simply "why would he". Now, it stands that we are made in gods image, he has the whole range of human emotions, (or we have the whole range of god emotions) such as jealousy, anger, wrath and whatnot, has feet, arms, (6 lol), a head, (elephant lol), with eyes and ears and all in all aside from a couple of omnis, is largely similar to humans. The important one here is the emotions. If this being gets angry why do you claim he cannot kill a race of people?
--He can, but then he ultimately kills everyone through the time factor anyway – actually I was talking about the teaching of god, that is if it is taught that the worship of an omnimax personality involves the big thumbs up to the slaughter of all people of a certain class/colour/creed in all circumstances, you either have a personality who is not omnimax or a mode of worship outside of the mode of goodness – in either case, such religious principles cannot grant perfection
“ hopefully you don't need be to indicate the inherent stinkiness and frequent embarrassments associated with inhabiting a bag of bile ”
Call my office. We need to clear up these stinkiness/embarrassment feelings you have.
-- on the contrary, the nature of having a material body means that stinkiness is never completely addressed, no matter how many bathrooms you boast your office has
“ he has no reason to kill everyone of a particular creed, since the time factor, which affects everyone equally is sufficient - malice, envy, hatred etc are qualities of consciousness under the influence of ignorance ”
No reason heh? That's not what you've been alluding to in this entire discussion. With so many dogs and animals in existence it would seem that humans are a real disaster at finding spirituality/gods.
-- even god agrees

BG7.3 Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.
All the leukemia victims - punished by your gods, all the other disease victims etc etc. All punishmends from your gods.
Now, why is there "no reason"?
-- punishment means ‘no reason’ or does it mean you don’t agree they should be punished (which would require you establish how you are not criminal and have an understanding of what the existing law actually is)
Don't forget it's only temporary and I'm sure all these people will learn something from being killed.
-- can’t live with a mucus bag, can’t live without one eh?

“ for a start its not that stinky bile bag commonly referred to as 'me' ”
There it is again. There are sprays on the market that can improve how you smell.
-- yes, there are whole industries built around makeshift solutions intrinsic to the material body
All is not lost. Call me if you need further assistance.
-- for more makeshift solutions? I think I will pass .....
“ then the next question is why do you derive understandings from scripture that are obscure and contradict central themes ”
Come again? Clearly they don't, they are brought up time and time again by people all over the world. Oh wait, everyone else is wrong, you're right.. because you say so.
--- you can’t understand whether a person who obeys scripture should have sex with a child or hit them selves in the head with a hammer?
“ for instance if you gave a multi-million dollar beatle star a fruit platter, do you think it is inconceivable for him to be grateful? ”
Right, so a multi-million pound singer is like the same as a god? Oh and there you were arguing so well about how a god wont be like a human.
-- it was your argument that a person who has everything has no need to be grateful – if that is the case why would a person who has tons of money appreciate about $7 worth of fruit?
“ but their execution rehabilitates potential criminals ”
Given the figures, clearly not.
-- whatever, but that is the argument offered by countries that uphold capital punishment
“ this is why i was on about knowledge of road safety and motorcyclists... ”
Let's try again: If a jew tells you that you not having chopped a bit of your penis off is a punishable sin.. on what grounds would you demand he support the claim? When he does support the claim, (biblically), what is your excuse?
--- mototcyclists don’t have air brakes on their vehicles – what are they supposed to do in the name of meeting the demands of road safety in the eyes of truck drivers?
“ some things are essential and some things are peripheral - to one who cannot fathom the essential ”
Right, and god said it was essential. Need I dig up passages? So.. why don't you do it? Why instead do you choose to sin? (under the basis that you have one to chop)
If you (or others) think that it is essential the way your body looks (although certain standards of hygiene are certainly beneficial) to developing pure unmotivated spontaneous devotion to god, then there is not much hope for progress
“ If a process is also advocated with this claim, we have something to go on ”
We've been down this road and it leads nowhere. Still, although I never got an answer, give me the exact process and we'll go from there.
--Lets start at being free from sin – and I don’t mean splitting ecclesiastical hairs over circumcision – I am talking about the sin which you can see clearly illuminated through out any scripture you care to mention

BG 3.37 The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: It is lust only, Arjuna, which is born of contact with the material mode of passion and later transformed into wrath, and which is the all-devouring sinful enemy of this world.
“ well if I said I have seen god, how would you know if I was lying.
and if I said I have not seen god, how would you know if I was lying? ”
We'll get to that once you answer the question. Have you met your god/s?
--if you can’t determine whether I am lying or not, what is the value of the answer – if you don’t know what gold is, what is the value in asking ‘is this made of gold?’
“ you can still violate prerequisites for science at age 12 ”
And then that 12 year old would still lack evidence to suggest that [whatever] exists and thus it would be illogical for him to just believe it to be true. However, you could generally provide that evidence.. Gravity? Drop an apple.
--Before newton apples never fell downwards?
In other words the prerequisites for understanding gravity can still be violated, since newton was required to establish them
“ if even great personalities can be placed into illusion by god, what to speak of a person inimical or disrespectful towards him ”
Then it's hardly the persons fault that they're living an illusion.
-- depends on their activities, intentions and consciousness – hopefully you can see how being inimical towards him is not a good starting point
“ if you think you already know, what capacity do you have to learn? ”
Who made such a claim?
-- It’s the general conclusion when encountering persons who arrogantly chide or don’t abide by standards of teaching or run with the thread just for the opportunity to make a cheap joke
However, it's astoundingly obvious that I am far better versed in biblical understanding than you are, (which is not surprising given that you're into different gods). Now, because you think you know that chopping a bit of your penis is a not essential endeavour, regardless to gods law that states the opposite.. The question should be aimed back at you.
--how much of the bible is about snipping bits off your penis and how much is about overcoming sin in the form of lust, enviousness etc? – The fact that you haven’t even addressed these points in your whole diatribe about sin indicates the level of your learning
“ you can't see the common link? ”
Yeah, the common link is that you like to avoid questions that you clearly cannot answer.

-- one is exploiting the resources of this world within the jurisdiction of their human body and a dog is doing the same – in both cases both are working under the notion that this sack of stinky bile is “me”
 
The school, LG, is the Institute for Indian Knowledge, which also encompasses the study of Hinduism itself. The Professor's strong point is indeed music though.

I however am no longer interested, since the disagreement is really between two theists;

I only happen to disagree with your interpretation of the story LG because it makes no sense and completely falls off the pattern of the rest of the historical development of all other theisms.
and what is that historical development and apparent lack of sense?

Plus you and SL are posting too long lol :)
lol - I promise not to post thesis sized replies if you don't
;)
 
That’s my point – what you consider to be ‘me’ (stinky mucus bag) and the desires that go with it (how can I not make it stinky) makes the notion of eternal life dreadful – hence no surprise

Again this seems to be a reflection of your persona, it certainly isn't mine. See, as much as it might shock you that we differ, this whole "stinky mucus bag" is not how I perceive 'me'. In saying, your point is inherently flawed - and this continues quite a few times throughout this thread, for instance:

"-- As you seem to be indicating perfect happiness while thinking that one is essentially and ultimately a stinky bile of mucus creates serious challenges"

I should point out that it was you that came up with this whole "stinky mucus bag" nonsense, not me - and I must confess my surprise here that you're trying to lump it on me when it originated from your own mouth. As for perfect happiness: again I used your example of 'perfect' to make my statement. You see LG, in every instance that you see a problem, it has originated from you. I use what you say in return to you to which, because I've responded in the same manner, you perceive as a problem. Either that or you're being dishonest. In this instance I would have to choose the latter. It saddens me that people have to resort to such tactics.

-- But because he is perfectly happy (and being perfectly happy requires a foundation that is beyond the whole mucus bag thing) the state of his teeth are not an issue

-- therefore he must be off the bodily platform - otherwise he is happy about something directly or indirectly related to the mucus bag, which is quite a predictable entity in terms of the pursuit of happiness

These statements don't mean much - but do once again point at that obsession you have with stinky mucus bags. Once again however.. You stated that "perfect" teeth are teeth devoid of cavities. I disagreed on the basis that perfection is subjective and in my estimation teeth devoid of cavities but crooked and yellow can not be classified as "perfect" teeth. You stated otherwise. By using your statement concerning perfect and your claim that nobody can attain perfect happiness, I stated that being devoid of sorrow would be perfect happiness when using your subjective opinion on what perfect means. If you ultimately are a mucus bag or not is entirely irrelevant if you are devoid of sorrow regardless to that. Of course I am quite certain you gathered all this but can't refute it.

-- perfectly happy? Free from lamentation and distress, or are you simply in between distresses at the moment?

Either instance would equate to the exact same thing no? Either perfectly happy overall or perfectly happy right now. In either case one would be perfectly happy.. Do you disgree? If you don't disagree do you now retract your statement that anyone claiming to be perfectly happy is on drugs or a liar?

--so there are other issues in regard to perfect teeth – you seem to indicate that you have knowledge what perfect teeth are

A subjective opinion on what 'perfect' is, yes - much like you and your dentist. According to your dentist, my teeth would be perfect even if they are yellow, crooked and chipped solely because they lack cavities. I can't think of many people that would consider that "perfect", but hey.. your dentist must know better. Will you now kindly retract your dentists statements concerning perfection or will you continue trying to insist that perfect teeth relies solely on one thing?

-- you don’t take bath regularly?

It varies, but fortunately I was gifted with this uncanny ability to not smell or get dirty. It's weird, but I don't sweat either. I went to Egypt which was like 90 degrees and I had a jacket on. I don't get hot, I don't sweat and I don't smell - which was the point. You are projecting your persona, the way you view yourself, on to me. This is easily seen by the question you asked. It isn't relevant to the last statement made and thus can only be considered as a sidestep to the actual issue, (although yes, I am happy to answer your irrelevant questions).

--Why settle for something mediocre then (apart from your supposed fact that one apparently has no choice in the matter)?

I don't really get your question in context of the discussion.

-- if you had to give up your current standard of life and take the standard of a dog, you wouldn’t consider that punishment?

You seem to be swaying back and forth between a decision. A moment ago you were almost arguing yourself red raw as to the benefits of being a sparrow - it doesn't work long hours yada yada, now you're telling me that to be an animal is a punishment in comparison to being a "stinky bag of mucus" that has to work half his life just to afford a house. You need to get your own thoughts straight. Which is it LG? Are we a stinky bag of mucus living a petty material existence while dogs sleep all day and lick their balls, (something most men wish they could do), completely free from punishment and the consequences of karma, or is it better to be human, struck down with leukemia while having to work for 40 odd years just to then turn into a dog anyway?

The only valid 'punishment' I see in being an animal is when humans are involved. They literally annihilate species while considering themselves somehow better, (which is evidenced clearly in your own posts).

That’s the standard of punishment – if you don’t pay your taxes you may go to jail (and while in jail you live tax free!!) – I guess if you are really in a financially dire situation you could view going to jail as god’s mercy (great – free rent and meals!!!)

That varies. Most prisons you actually have to work if you want any money to afford to buy anything, (same as outside prison but with bars). Your analogy, while lovely, isn't really of much value.

-- when or if they are released, it is not expected that they would have learnt their lesson about J walking

Need I really go into repeat offender statistics? Your statement isn't of much worth.

-- so you are arguing that all standards of happiness are equal?

Actually I was arguing that being a dog can't really be considered punishment, (unless he is in a home that beats him etc which happens to humans more, or if he's born in a poor environment where he can't find food and water - which happens to humans more). However, given your earlier statements you would clearly be the last to claim that an animal life is punishment, (I refer of course to your "it doesn't have to work" and "stinky mucus" statements).

-- given that a living entity just went from the position of the human form

Such an ego.

-- it gets lost further into ignorance, until it comes to the human form of life again (which may take countless millions of years) – at that time perhaps they might be a bit more cautious about spending 30 years doing nonsense at the risk of spending a few million years that lead to the sniffing of butts and the like

Right, to which my question remains: Seeings that they remember absolutely nothing about ever being a dog, (even for millions of years), what has been learnt? How can they be cautious when they don't even know it happened and, unless they're Indian, wont ever think it happens?

-- then you have my blessing – be a dog in all its glory

Given the state of most humans, I fail to see how you can have an issue with a dog.

if as a human being one is simply engaged in doggish engagements’, why not give them the doggish form of life and get rid of such impediments to the pursuit of delight such as human social conventions?

What is a "doggish engagement" that isn't a part of human nature, and thus.. natural for humans to do? If it is natural, why have an issue with it? It's like prohibiting sex to a species that can't ever avoid it.

-- if you assume that for a thing to be true it must be perceptible to the senses (specifically yours) then that limits the discussion to the power of your senses

This is where you theists generally slip up. I assume no such thing. The flying spaghetti monster might exist, but until such time where there is evidence to suggest it does exist why should I believe it to be true? However, I would contend that if it isn't perceptible to the sense then of what value is it? Anyone making the claim is simply guessing without ever being able to support or subtantiate their claims. If I say there is a hogglethwop and you cannot perceive it with any senses, of what value is the claim?

-- perhaps that’s a fitting description of yourself (after all, you have to do something to alleviate the distress of being a stinky bag of mucus) , but not others, and certainly not personalities elevated in spiritual life, what to speak of god

It seems the point flew over your head. The text you have been quoting was written by a human, a guy you'll never know and never meet. A guy that suffered from all those things that mankind suffer from and all those things that mankind revel in. Anything said by him doesn't have much weight when you know nothing about this person and he believed the gods had elephant heads :D

-- well you can analyze how many of the other statements made in the gita are truthful or philosophically sound – that might be a beginning

This doesn't provide much. There is some truth and philosophy in the stories of King Arthur. That does not make the story true. A man can be a great writer and write a mixture between truth and absolute fiction. Even more so at a time when he does not know much about the world around him. It's no surprise whatsoever that an Indian wrote about elephant gods. He looks at what is there and sees the elephant - an extraordinarily powerful creature, something that can throw humans around like ragdolls, not even breaking a sweat - and he elevates that creature to godly stature. But then, he's a human - he considers himself great and so concocts this story whereby mankind becomes all animals and reincarnates because of this desire to be as awesome as the elephant is. In doing so this man overcomes his awe and fear of this creature. He has been one, but is now above it - regardless to how much weaker he actually is in reality. A mighty animal indeed, seen nowhere else from a scripural point of view. Does that not speak volumes? That an Indian would create elephant headed gods as opposed to perhaps the snake gods of South America, (a country with a vast amount of deadly snakes)?

-- you are doubting that you are in an opulent position in terms of the general mean of the world’s population?

At this stage in the game I wasn't personally "doubting" anything. I simply stated that I wasn't sure what you were claiming and support of whatever it was you were claiming would be appreciated. I get this feeling you write your posts while not really paying attention to what I have posted.

-- it certainly is if you are trying to convince me that you really think the only value a Christian sees in their bible is the money they had to shell out for it

I was trying to convince you of no such thing. Again I would ask that you pay more attention.

Time will tell – given the history of contemporary civilization over the past 100 years and the perplexing issues surrounding how such a show can stay on the road for the next 100 years it certainly does raise the issue how intelligent it was to work under the notion that god doesn’t exist or that god is separate from his creation

I'm sorry, I fail to see how you could consider the past 100 years or indeed the next 100 years as being "under the notion that god doesn't exist". Needless to say, us atheists are a serious minority. It is you (intelligent lol) theists that have led us into this predicament, if you'd call it that.

actually you would hard pressed to find a person who could even compose one line like that found in the vedas

I have heard this very same claim from theists of all different types concerning all different scriptures, and I also heard it from a Shakespeare fan. Your subjective opinion is fine, but it doesn't ultimately mean much.

-- coming from a person apparently working in the field of mental health, I can only laugh

On what basis? Coming from a person that doesn't work in the field of mental health I do feel there's very little you can say. This is undoubtedly where you will try to impress me with your unqualified 'knowledge', (dare I use the word). While I wont speak for everyone, my colleagues and I become concerned with 'not normal' when it becomes a danger or a problem to society. If someone wants to have sexual relations with a Ford Mustang or believe in floaty sky beings then he is welcome - it is when that 'belief' becomes a danger, (which is why those in court for murder saying "god told me to" are treated as insane - the belief in that god goes out the window even though it's likely the judge actually considers himself a believer in the very same thing the defendant is claiming gave him orders).

Of course it's worth noting that others come to get help for whatever it is they 'suffer' from. It's not that I see what they do as 'abnormal', it's that they do. Further to that you have people that, like everyone I've ever met, do something that to others would not be considered 'normal', but come for different reasons and thus their 'abnormality' that isn't of any danger to society is left alone.

I don't expect you to understand, you're unqualified. Remember.. process and all that.

-- it does however indicate what even a person of average intelligence can fathom, without a need for a plethora of rules and regs

I find the whole thing quite bizarre. You have stated the following:

1) A rule that is written in scripture by god, (circumcision), is not important and

2) An apparent rule that isn't written in scripture is.

Who is the one here going against the gods?

-- he didn’t say anything about hitting oneself in the head with a hammer either – what’s a person to do?

Uhh.. deja vu. Yeah I know that, and I asked a question to it: Is hitting oneself in the head with a hammer against the rules?

Further to which, god did actually prohibit it - treat your body like a temple yada yada.

So now we have read and witnessed that god does not want us to hit ourselves in the head with a hammer. Why does he not prohibit sleeping with children?

-- If after apparently delving into the serious issues of spirituality, if all you can see at the end of it is your own mucus bag and the mucus bags of others, the whole exercise was pointless

I would ask that you get over this mucus bag thing that you brought up, especially when it is of no relevance to the statemtents made or questions asked.

"tell me whether I should chop a bit of my penis off or put a red splodge on my head". Which/both/neither?

if you don’t understand that you could make the error of insisting ‘which one is right’, when several out of a given set could be right

Several heh?

-- and indeed, there are some parts of the Vedas that are not valid in this age

And who exactly determines what is valid? Let me guess... you do?

-- as indicated by the stinky bile thing, the first one is common sense – if you are the same as god, what the hell are you doing here, running the risk of dire consequences if you can't find a bathroom within the next 24 hours?

And there you were thinking I would need a bathroom.. shame on you. It reminds me of this religious nutbag that I ran into in town. He came up to me and started his god preaching. Purely for the fun of it I told him I was god. He then looked at me in shock.. "You're god?? Prove it.. go stand in the middle of the road and when you're run over then come and tell me you're god".

I did. I walked out into the middle of the road and stopped, pretending to do up my shoelaces. A lot of horns later I walked back to the man.

"Silly man", I said "you think god would be run over? No, when I walked out into the road, all the cars stopped".

He looked at me and then did a runner. You two are the same.

He can, but then he ultimately kills everyone through the time factor anyway

Not according to the OT. In the OT he kills when he feels like it. Go ahead, try and dismiss an entire religions god because you say so.

-- on the contrary, the nature of having a material body means that stinkiness is never completely addressed, no matter how many bathrooms you boast your office has

Again this is clearly a personal thing for you. Perhaps you've just had girl/boy friends that have a really bad odour or, and more likely, you actually have an odour problem yourself. We all have hang ups, I can understand that. Call me.. god wont solve your smell problem, I can.

-- for more makeshift solutions? I think I will pass .....

But why? You're here whether you want to be or not no matter how temporary it might be.. Why not make the most of it?

--- you can’t understand whether a person who obeys scripture should have sex with a child or hit them selves in the head with a hammer?

As explained, out of those two one is prohibited by god: (head/hammer).

-- it was your argument that a person who has everything has no need to be grateful – if that is the case why would a person who has tons of money appreciate about $7 worth of fruit?

That wasn't my argument at all. Once again I would ask that you try and pay attention. Ok, I understand the posts are long - only respond when you're awake and have time.

I simply asked why would one have to be grateful to an omnipotent, omniscient sky being? Does it have feelings? Does it get hurt? Aww, poor little goddy woddy.

--- mototcyclists don’t have...

Let's try again: If a jew tells you that you not having chopped a bit of your penis off is a punishable sin.. on what grounds would you demand he support the claim? When he does support the claim, (biblically), what is your excuse?

No, you wont sit there and say "airbrakes!". How would you excuse yourself from gods law to a fellow theist? (No analogies, just an answer).

If you (or others) think that it is essential the way your body looks (although certain standards of hygiene are certainly beneficial) to developing pure unmotivated spontaneous devotion to god, then there is not much hope for progress

So... the bible is wrong, the biblical god is an idiot? Jews aint going to progress etc etc? (yes/no)

--Lets start at being free from sin

We've been through this, it's an impossibility. Only one person ever managed and he was god.

and I don’t mean splitting ecclesiastical hairs over circumcision – I am talking about the sin which you can see clearly illuminated through out any scripture you care to mention

So.. the biblical god was talking bullshit? It's not a sin because LG says so.. Hmm man should I paste some of your own quotes here... It would be a mass slaughter.

--if you can’t determine whether I am lying or not, what is the value of the answer

You will find out the value when you answer the question. Have you met god? Yes or no?

--Before newton apples never fell downwards?

Sure they did, but it isn't of any relevance. Pay attention.

-- depends on their activities, intentions and consciousness – hopefully you can see how being inimical towards him is not a good starting point

Uhh.. I am an atheist. I don't believe in gods... I can't be inimical to something I lack belief in.

--how much of the bible is about snipping bits off your penis and how much is about overcoming sin in the form of lust, enviousness etc? – The fact that you haven’t even addressed these points in your whole diatribe about sin indicates the level of your learning

Amusing but worthless. I use simple points, (especially with people not versed in biblical scripture) to help you, the unqualified to understand the laws required by god. For instance, you thought there was no mention of hitting oneself in the head with a hammer - but there is. This is a law stated by god. The same is true of circumcision and by not being circumcised you are now going against gods rules and have fallen into serious sin. Can't you see LG that I am merely trying to save you? How can we debate and discuss if you die and turn into a penguin?

I am trying to save you from a fate worse than death, (you turning into a dog apparently). Unfortunately you're doing 60mph in a 50 zone and saying "hey, so it says 50, it means nothing to me". You dismiss the law, not because there's anything to say you can, but because you want to. This will undoubtedly affect your karma.

P.S Life is very much like chess. If you're going to debate you really need to see 10 moves ahead. That means that if you say something don't let it come back and bite you on the ass 2 moves later. You have argued yourself into a deep dark pit and yet I'm sure you can find your way out if only you'd pay attention to the actual discussion.

I will pray for your animal soul.
 
Snakelord

That’s my point – what you consider to be ‘me’ (stinky mucus bag) and the desires that go with it (how can I not make it stinky) makes the notion of eternal life dreadful – hence no surprise

Again this seems to be a reflection of your persona, it certainly isn't mine. See, as much as it might shock you that we differ, this whole "stinky mucus bag" is not how I perceive 'me'.
its certainly what you identify with
In saying, your point is inherently flawed - and this continues quite a few times throughout this thread, for instance:

"-- As you seem to be indicating perfect happiness while thinking that one is essentially and ultimately a stinky bile of mucus creates serious challenges"

I should point out that it was you that came up with this whole "stinky mucus bag" nonsense, not me - and I must confess my surprise here that you're trying to lump it on me when it originated from your own mouth.
If you think you are the body (which is what you have identified with as the vehicle for experiencing eternal life in), it remains intrinsically stinky
As for perfect happiness: again I used your example of 'perfect' to make my statement. You see LG, in every instance that you see a problem, it has originated from you. I use what you say in return to you to which, because I've responded in the same manner, you perceive as a problem. Either that or you're being dishonest. In this instance I would have to choose the latter. It saddens me that people have to resort to such tactics.
we are talking about the nature of perfection and you are talking about how ridiculous such a notion is for what you identify with as "me" (ie this temporal body, composed of bile mucus and stinky air) - my point is that this error of identification carried through in your latter calculations and explanations makes them invalid, no matter how erudite they may be in - thats why I said, given what you identify with as the self, its no wonder you find the whole notion of eternal life a bit hard to swallow

-- But because he is perfectly happy (and being perfectly happy requires a foundation that is beyond the whole mucus bag thing) the state of his teeth are not an issue


-- therefore he must be off the bodily platform - otherwise he is happy about something directly or indirectly related to the mucus bag, which is quite a predictable entity in terms of the pursuit of happiness

These statements don't mean much - but do once again point at that obsession you have with stinky mucus bags.
its your obsession - its what you identify with as the self - I am just illustrating how limiting it is
Once again however.. You stated that "perfect" teeth are teeth devoid of cavities. I disagreed on the basis that perfection is subjective and in my estimation teeth devoid of cavities but crooked and yellow can not be classified as "perfect" teeth. You stated otherwise. By using your statement concerning perfect and your claim that nobody can attain perfect happiness, I stated that being devoid of sorrow would be perfect happiness when using your subjective opinion on what perfect means. If you ultimately are a mucus bag or not is entirely irrelevant if you are devoid of sorrow regardless to that. Of course I am quite certain you gathered all this but can't refute it.
The best a person who identifies with a mucus bag can hope for is the (temporary) absence of misery - as opposed to the positive attainment of happiness

-- perfectly happy? Free from lamentation and distress, or are you simply in between distresses at the moment?

Either instance would equate to the exact same thing no?
no - one is the happiness of the fool the other is the happiness of the great personality (therefore you commonly find that most people don't experience perfect happiness, since they are not wholeheartedly foolish nor great personalities)
Either perfectly happy overall or perfectly happy right now. In either case one would be perfectly happy.. Do you disgree? If you don't disagree do you now retract your statement that anyone claiming to be perfectly happy is on drugs or a liar?
anyone who claims to be perfectly happy while thinking they are the mucus bag is a liar or a fool (people on drugs are generally foolish - so I guess they are a sub-category of fools)

--so there are other issues in regard to perfect teeth – you seem to indicate that you have knowledge what perfect teeth are

A subjective opinion on what 'perfect' is, yes - much like you and your dentist. According to your dentist, my teeth would be perfect even if they are yellow, crooked and chipped solely because they lack cavities. I can't think of many people that would consider that "perfect", but hey.. your dentist must know better. Will you now kindly retract your dentists statements concerning perfection or will you continue trying to insist that perfect teeth relies solely on one thing?
as you indicated, there are many qualities that determine perfection, even for something as simple and straightforward as teeth - while some of those qualities may be subjective, I think that you could easily get an objective consensus on what are the general qualities of perfect teeth

-- you don’t take bath regularly?

It varies, but fortunately I was gifted with this uncanny ability to not smell or get dirty. It's weird, but I don't sweat either. I went to Egypt which was like 90 degrees and I had a jacket on. I don't get hot, I don't sweat and I don't smell - which was the point. You are projecting your persona, the way you view yourself, on to me. This is easily seen by the question you asked. It isn't relevant to the last statement made and thus can only be considered as a sidestep to the actual issue, (although yes, I am happy to answer your irrelevant questions).
You're not british are you?

--Why settle for something mediocre then (apart from your supposed fact that one apparently has no choice in the matter)?

I don't really get your question in context of the discussion.
I was arguing how perfection is desirable (in whatever field) - you are arguing that there are grey areas thus the pursuit of perfection is not valid - hence my q

-- if you had to give up your current standard of life and take the standard of a dog, you wouldn’t consider that punishment?

You seem to be swaying back and forth between a decision. A moment ago you were almost arguing yourself red raw as to the benefits of being a sparrow
to indicate the irony how human life bereft of spirituality loses out to the animal kingdom
- it doesn't work long hours yada yada, now you're telling me that to be an animal is a punishment in comparison to being a "stinky bag of mucus" that has to work half his life just to afford a house.
certainly from the view of a human, or at least a cultured human
You need to get your own thoughts straight. Which is it LG? Are we a stinky bag of mucus living a petty material existence while dogs sleep all day and lick their balls, (something most men wish they could do), completely free from punishment and the consequences of karma, or is it better to be human, struck down with leukemia while having to work for 40 odd years just to then turn into a dog anyway?
not much difference between those two (maybe you could say that the human is in the worse situation since they are completely engaged in materialistic activities, assuming you didn't forget to mention whatever spiritual activities they might be performing on the side - certainly in regards to loss, the human as you have described loses more)- but a human who has some clue of their eternal nature and the means to realize it is certainly in a better position than either of them
The only valid 'punishment' I see in being an animal is when humans are involved. They literally annihilate species while considering themselves somehow better, (which is evidenced clearly in your own posts).
actually humans start causing problems when they are ignorant of their duties - if you want to argue that humans just need to knuckle down and apply themselves to their animal propensities (maybe they do their business on 4 wheels instead of 4 legs) nothing progressive will eventuate

That’s the standard of punishment – if you don’t pay your taxes you may go to jail (and while in jail you live tax free!!) – I guess if you are really in a financially dire situation you could view going to jail as god’s mercy (great – free rent and meals!!!)

That varies. Most prisons you actually have to work if you want any money to afford to buy anything, (same as outside prison but with bars). Your analogy, while lovely, isn't really of much value.
to taxes in jail - no karma in the animal form

-- when or if they are released, it is not expected that they would have learnt their lesson about J walking

Need I really go into repeat offender statistics? Your statement isn't of much worth.
even if the rehabilitation is 1%, it is 1% higher than dogs that J walk

-- so you are arguing that all standards of happiness are equal?

Actually I was arguing that being a dog can't really be considered punishment, (unless he is in a home that beats him etc which happens to humans more, or if he's born in a poor environment where he can't find food and water - which happens to humans more). However, given your earlier statements you would clearly be the last to claim that an animal life is punishment, (I refer of course to your "it doesn't have to work" and "stinky mucus" statements).
if you can't see the punishment in being a dog its because you have no vision of the value of human life

-- given that a living entity just went from the position of the human form

Such an ego.
if you would be happy to be a dog tomorrow it doesn't say much about your previous claim of attaining perfect happiness

-- it gets lost further into ignorance, until it comes to the human form of life again (which may take countless millions of years) – at that time perhaps they might be a bit more cautious about spending 30 years doing nonsense at the risk of spending a few million years that lead to the sniffing of butts and the like

Right, to which my question remains: Seeings that they remember absolutely nothing about ever being a dog, (even for millions of years), what has been learnt? How can they be cautious when they don't even know it happened and, unless they're Indian, wont ever think it happens?
the constant nature of the soul is knowledge - material life hampers or filters that nature - constant acts of stupidity can lead to caution, or conscientious decisions



if as a human being one is simply engaged in doggish engagements’, why not give them the doggish form of life and get rid of such impediments to the pursuit of delight such as human social conventions?

What is a "doggish engagement" that isn't a part of human nature,
the ability to see how things are while simultaneously knowing how things should be
and thus.. natural for humans to do? If it is natural, why have an issue with it? It's like prohibiting sex to a species that can't ever avoid it.
sex life is only a problem, as with sleeping, eating, mating and defending, when it becomes one's sole reason for living

-- if you assume that for a thing to be true it must be perceptible to the senses (specifically yours) then that limits the discussion to the power of your senses

This is where you theists generally slip up. I assume no such thing. The flying spaghetti monster might exist, but until such time where there is evidence to suggest it does exist why should I believe it to be true?
by application of course - if I say that electrons exist, and if you refused the application for determining that knowledge, what then? Would electrons exist?
However, I would contend that if it isn't perceptible to the sense then of what value is it?
the issue is that it is not perceptible to your sense, much like the electron is not perceptible to the sense of the high school drop out - there are certainly indications of persons making claims of the direct perception of god and there are certainly claims by those persons on how to apply oneself to achieve the same perception - the question is have you applied the process - if the answer is no, what is the value of your opinion?
Anyone making the claim is simply guessing without ever being able to support or subtantiate their claims.
amongst persons who cannot/will not/ have not applied the process, yes
If I say there is a hogglethwop and you cannot perceive it with any senses, of what value is the claim?
absolutely none, until you can deliver the application of such knowledge (preferably validated by a historical continuum so as to avoid strolls up the garden path by fantastic claims)

-- perhaps that’s a fitting description of yourself (after all, you have to do something to alleviate the distress of being a stinky bag of mucus) , but not others, and certainly not personalities elevated in spiritual life, what to speak of god

It seems the point flew over your head. The text you have been quoting was written by a human, a guy you'll never know and never meet.
how do you know it was written by a human (given that there is a claim that god is also has a sense of individuality, much like you have an individuality - the difference begins with you inhabiting a mucus bag and god not)
A guy that suffered from all those things that mankind suffer from and all those things that mankind revel in.
assuming god is a mucus bag inhabiting fool subject to lust and loneliness, right?

Anything said by him doesn't have much weight when you know nothing about this person and he believed the gods had elephant heads
apparently you believe that god cannot have an elephant head - it doesn't make your position any stronger (an din fact smacks of th ego issue you accused me of earlier - namely that if god exists he much exist like me)
- the tentative position of your argument should be obvious (even mundane science probably isn't that far from sticking an elephant head on a human)

-- well you can analyze how many of the other statements made in the gita are truthful or philosophically sound – that might be a beginning

This doesn't provide much. There is some truth and philosophy in the stories of King Arthur. That does not make the story true. A man can be a great writer and write a mixture between truth and absolute fiction.
that's why i said 'beginning'

Even more so at a time when he does not know much about the world around him.
are you talking about yourself as a yardstick for determining the nature of god again?
It's no surprise whatsoever that an Indian wrote about elephant gods.
so in other words if god appeared in india he has an Indian passport?
Maybe you should back track a little and explain philosophically why it is impossible for god to appear on the earth

He looks at what is there and sees the elephant - an extraordinarily powerful creature, something that can throw humans around like ragdolls, not even breaking a sweat - and he elevates that creature to godly stature.
or alternatively there are accounts of ganesa (the demigod you are referring to) and how and why his head was severed and replaced with an elephants as a curse (and also explanations why and how such a personality is a demigod outside of the nature of godhead)
But then, he's a human - he considers himself great and so concocts this story whereby mankind becomes all animals and reincarnates because of this desire to be as awesome as the elephant is.
you realize that this is not an argument you are offering since there are no premises - is it sufficient to say something is true/false simply if one can imagine ways that it is true/false?
In doing so this man overcomes his awe and fear of this creature. He has been one, but is now above it - regardless to how much weaker he actually is in reality. A mighty animal indeed, seen nowhere else from a scripural point of view. Does that not speak volumes? That an Indian would create elephant headed gods as opposed to perhaps the snake gods of South America, (a country with a vast amount of deadly snakes)?
There are snake gods (demigods of course) in the vedas as well - there are even snake gods in Fiji, a place where there are no snakes!!! - Tends to indicate that there is a higher personality who's jurisdiction/appearance has something to do with snakes and they have revealed themselves in a variety of time/places and circumstances


-- it certainly is if you are trying to convince me that you really think the only value a Christian sees in their bible is the money they had to shell out for it

I was trying to convince you of no such thing. Again I would ask that you pay more attention.
I tried but you are just being vague - when I asked what 'value' does a christian place on their bible, you dodged the question, as you are continuing to do - since you don't address how a christian would value a bible that came to them free of charge or one that wasn't theirs



Time will tell – given the history of contemporary civilization over the past 100 years and the perplexing issues surrounding how such a show can stay on the road for the next 100 years it certainly does raise the issue how intelligent it was to work under the notion that god doesn’t exist or that god is separate from his creation

I'm sorry, I fail to see how you could consider the past 100 years or indeed the next 100 years as being "under the notion that god doesn't exist".
its obvious - if you are talking ancient history you are talking temples/places of worship etc - if we were all to suddenly drop dead today, what would historians dig up from us?

Needless to say, us atheists are a serious minority.
perhaps in the sense that you don't even superficially try to be religious

It is you (intelligent lol) theists that have led us into this predicament, if you'd call it that.
its the inability to follow religious principles actually, regardless whether one identifies as a theist or atheist

actually you would hard pressed to find a person who could even compose one line like that found in the vedas

I have heard this very same claim from theists of all different types concerning all different scriptures, and I also heard it from a Shakespeare fan. Your subjective opinion is fine, but it doesn't ultimately mean much.
then why don't you or someone else write something like the vedas (BTW some people have tried)

-- coming from a person apparently working in the field of mental health, I can only laugh

On what basis? Coming from a person that doesn't work in the field of mental health I do feel there's very little you can say.
lol
This is undoubtedly where you will try to impress me with your unqualified 'knowledge', (dare I use the word). While I wont speak for everyone, my colleagues and I become concerned with 'not normal' when it becomes a danger or a problem to society.
so in other words the only criteria you require to determine whether having sex with todlers is ok is whether there are a lot of people doing it in a particular time/place and circusmtance?




-- it does however indicate what even a person of average intelligence can fathom, without a need for a plethora of rules and regs

I find the whole thing quite bizarre. You have stated the following:

1) A rule that is written in scripture by god, (circumcision), is not important and

2) An apparent rule that isn't written in scripture is.

Who is the one here going against the gods?
provided one is so foolish that they cannot see the connection between instructions against causing unnecessary pain to others, and having sex with a toldler causing unnecessary pain, it would truly be perplexing


-- he didn’t say anything about hitting oneself in the head with a hammer either – what’s a person to do?

Uhh.. deja vu. Yeah I know that, and I asked a question to it: Is hitting oneself in the head with a hammer against the rules?

Further to which, god did actually prohibit it - treat your body like a temple yada yada.
that says nothing about hitting oneself in the head with a hammer - there are even temples that one rings a bell to announce their entrance, so in the eyes of a fool one could insist on hitting oneself in the head with a hammer in strict accordance with this edict

So now we have read and witnessed that god does not want us to hit ourselves in the head with a hammer. Why does he not prohibit sleeping with children?
hit yourself in the head with a hammer and you may work it out eventually

-- If after apparently delving into the serious issues of spirituality, if all you can see at the end of it is your own mucus bag and the mucus bags of others, the whole exercise was pointless

I would ask that you get over this mucus bag thing that you brought up, especially when it is of no relevance to the statemtents made or questions asked.

"tell me whether I should chop a bit of my penis off or put a red splodge on my head". Which/both/neither?
you are denying that your penis is not part of the whole 'mucus bag' (ie material body) deal?


if you don’t understand that you could make the error of insisting ‘which one is right’, when several out of a given set could be right

Several heh?
sure
just like Mr John Smith is
1) The father of Tim Smith
2) The husband of Alice Jones
3) The employer of Craig Daniels
4) The resident of 22 Thomson Ave

If Mr John can be several things (father, husband, employer, resident) and a whole lot more, why can't god?

-- and indeed, there are some parts of the Vedas that are not valid in this age

And who exactly determines what is valid? Let me guess... you do?
no - the vedas, as explained through a historical continuum - relying on one's own imperfect senses (which is the habit of the empiricist) is not recommended, much like one doesn't buy medicine at the chemist without a doctor's prescription

-- as indicated by the stinky bile thing, the first one is common sense – if you are the same as god, what the hell are you doing here, running the risk of dire consequences if you can't find a bathroom within the next 24 hours?

And there you were thinking I would need a bathroom.. shame on you. It reminds me of this religious nutbag that I ran into in town. He came up to me and started his god preaching. Purely for the fun of it I told him I was god. He then looked at me in shock.. "You're god?? Prove it.. go stand in the middle of the road and when you're run over then come and tell me you're god".

I did. I walked out into the middle of the road and stopped, pretending to do up my shoelaces. A lot of horns later I walked back to the man.
interesting anecdote - still doesn't explain why you have to go to the toilet though
"Silly man", I said "you think god would be run over? No, when I walked out into the road, all the cars stopped".

He looked at me and then did a runner. You two are the same.
so in other words (aside from the man's apparent craziness or sanity) by relying on a play of words you side stepped the essential issue of the challenge, namely if you are god, why are you subject to literally an unlimited number of shortcomings

He can, but then he ultimately kills everyone through the time factor anyway

Not according to the OT. In the OT he kills when he feels like it. Go ahead, try and dismiss an entire religions god because you say so.
then I guess he feels that everyone who comes to the material world must die, which is good news for persons like yourself who can neither tolerate heaven nor the material world

-- on the contrary, the nature of having a material body means that stinkiness is never completely addressed, no matter how many bathrooms you boast your office has

Again this is clearly a personal thing for you. Perhaps you've just had girl/boy friends that have a really bad odour or, and more likely, you actually have an odour problem yourself. We all have hang ups, I can understand that. Call me.. god wont solve your smell problem, I can.
your body stinks - if it didn't, you wouldn't have to buy perfume/after shave or take a bath, even if its only once a month - for one who uses this as the basis for their happiness in this world (and even then, the mucus bag finally gets an overload of mucus some time down the track and drops down dead) the implications should be obvious, regardless of one's diploma in toiletry studies

-- for more makeshift solutions? I think I will pass .....

But why? You're here whether you want to be or not no matter how temporary it might be.. Why not make the most of it?
if by making the most of it you mean explore a wide range of titillating makeshift solutions at the expense of a permanent solution, no thanks

--- you can’t understand whether a person who obeys scripture should have sex with a child or hit them selves in the head with a hammer?

As explained, out of those two one is prohibited by god: (head/hammer).
by your reference, even less clearly than god prohibits having sex with a child

-- it was your argument that a person who has everything has no need to be grateful – if that is the case why would a person who has tons of money appreciate about $7 worth of fruit?

That wasn't my argument at all. Once again I would ask that you try and pay attention. Ok, I understand the posts are long - only respond when you're awake and have time.
you doubt that god is described as possessing a lot of opulences? you asked why would an omnipotent personality desire the welfare of another - I offered an answer
I simply asked why would one have to be grateful to an omnipotent, omniscient sky being?
for the same reason that a rich person may appreciate an apparently insignificant gift
Does it have feelings?
certainly
Does it get hurt? Aww, poor little goddy woddy.
actually you are the one with the mucus bag, not god

--- mototcyclists don’t have...

Let's try again: If a jew tells you that you not having chopped a bit of your penis off is a punishable sin.. on what grounds would you demand he support the claim? When he does support the claim, (biblically), what is your excuse?

No, you wont sit there and say "airbrakes!". How would you excuse yourself from gods law to a fellow theist? (No analogies, just an answer).
you don't get it?
Jew/hindu/christian are designations - there is only one religion - love of god
similarly motorcyclist/truck driver/etc are designations - the rules they follow point to one conclusion - road safety

If you (or others) think that it is essential the way your body looks (although certain standards of hygiene are certainly beneficial) to developing pure unmotivated spontaneous devotion to god, then there is not much hope for progress

So... the bible is wrong, the biblical god is an idiot? Jews aint going to progress etc etc? (yes/no)
or alternatively your understanding of the bible is wrong


--Lets start at being free from sin

We've been through this, it's an impossibility. Only one person ever managed and he was god.
certainly explains why your understanding of the bible is wrong

and I don’t mean splitting ecclesiastical hairs over circumcision – I am talking about the sin which you can see clearly illuminated through out any scripture you care to mention

So.. the biblical god was talking bullshit?
only when espoused through the mouths of the sinful
It's not a sin because LG says so.. Hmm man should I paste some of your own quotes here... It would be a mass slaughter.
how much of the bible deals with circumcision and ho wmuch deals with the nature of lust etc - why didn't circumcision make it into the ten commandments?

--if you can’t determine whether I am lying or not, what is the value of the answer

You will find out the value when you answer the question. Have you met god? Yes or no?
which is why I said,
if I say yes, how can you determine if I am lying
if I say no, how can you determine if I am lying

For instance if I asked have you ever seen water, and you replied yes, it was green and stripey and was difficult to remove from the ceiling, I would know you were lying (or your description was highly unconventional) and if you said it was cool and refreshing to drink it would indicate you were on the right track

In other words this is an opportunity for you to clarify what are the qualities of god in terms of knowledge - so shoot - (otherwise it doesn't really matter what I answer)

--Before newton apples never fell downwards?

Sure they did, but it isn't of any relevance. Pay attention.
then obviously your reference to falling apples as evidence of gravity is not correct since after on e fell on newton's head he had quite a few thing s to say than countless millions of others who had the same perception of evidence

-- depends on their activities, intentions and consciousness – hopefully you can see how being inimical towards him is not a good starting point

Uhh.. I am an atheist. I don't believe in gods... I can't be inimical to something I lack belief in.
you certainly take delight in ridiculing persons who represent him and defacing books held in reverence of him

--how much of the bible is about snipping bits off your penis and how much is about overcoming sin in the form of lust, enviousness etc? – The fact that you haven’t even addressed these points in your whole diatribe about sin indicates the level of your learning

Amusing but worthless.
hardly an answer
I use simple points, (especially with people not versed in biblical scripture) to help you, the unqualified to understand the laws required by god.
if you didn't pick up on the seven deadly sins maybe you shouldn't skim read
For instance, you thought there was no mention of hitting oneself in the head with a hammer - but there is.
and how many references are there about lust,etc?
This is a law stated by god. The same is true of circumcision and by not being circumcised you are now going against gods rules and have fallen into serious sin. Can't you see LG that I am merely trying to save you? How can we debate and discuss if you die and turn into a penguin?
amusing, but it doesn't indicate how your rant about circumcision is a serious issue presented in the bible and lust, etc is not


P.S Life is very much like chess. If you're going to debate you really need to see 10 moves ahead.

That means that if you say something don't let it come back and bite you on the ass 2 moves later. You have argued yourself into a deep dark pit and yet I'm sure you can find your way out if only you'd pay attention to the actual discussion.

I will pray for your animal soul.
all very interesting, but if you didn't pick up on the mention of lust in the bible and only on circumcision, it seems your mind was on other things while you were reading it
 
Last edited:
its certainly what you identify with

Again a reflection of yourself put on me. You don't know the first thing about me and yet here think you can speak for me? Don't do it, it's foolish.

If you think you are the body (which is what you have identified with as the vehicle for experiencing eternal life in), it remains intrinsically stinky

To you, sure. Of what value is that to everyone that thinks otherwise? Answer = none. From what I have observed you seem to have some seriously rooted dislike for human existence. It would seem that if the gods looked upon suicide favourably you'd be one of the first in line at the top of a tall building.

we are talking about the nature of perfection and you are talking about how ridiculous such a notion is for what you identify with as "me"

Umm, no. You claimed that your dentist said that a lack of cavities = perfect teeth. I then challenged your claim that nobody can attain perfect happiness by using the same method of coming to the idea of "perfect" - thus refuting your claim that nobody can attain perfect happiness. If perfect teeth are merely the lack of cavities then perfect happiness is merely the lack of sorrow - which makes me perfectly happy.

given what you identify with as the self

What do I identify as the self? (No LG, don't give me what you reagard as identity of the self).

-- therefore he must be off the bodily platform - otherwise he is happy about something directly or indirectly related to the mucus bag, which is quite a predictable entity in terms of the pursuit of happiness

What are you blithering on about?

its your obsession - its what you identify with as the self

You do like lying/making things up don't you? It was you trying to lump how you view people on to me.

The best a person who identifies with a mucus bag can hope for is the (temporary) absence of misery - as opposed to the positive attainment of happiness

Maybe you, but judging from your state of mind that isn't a surprise. Your statement bears no value to anyone else. It would be perfect happiness regardless to how temporary it was.

one is the happiness of the fool the other is the happiness of the great personality

A meaningless statement.

anyone who claims to be perfectly happy while thinking they are the mucus bag is a liar or a fool (people on drugs are generally foolish - so I guess they are a sub-category of fools)

Well you're the only one I see claiming you're a mucus bag, (while trying to tranish everyone else with the same), and clearly you're not even close to being perfectly happy. I on the other hand do not consider myself or animals/humans as mucus bags and am perfectly happy. Maybe you're just being punished with a miserable existence because of some past transgression.

Secondly: justify your statement that people on drugs are foolish.

as you indicated, there are many qualities that determine perfection, even for something as simple and straightforward as teeth

Certainly, which now shows you that your dentist is wrong. I wonder therefore why you mentioned it in the first place.

I think that you could easily get an objective consensus on what are the general qualities of perfect teeth

Well, you could get a mass of subjective opinions on what makes perfect teeth, aye.

You're not british are you?

No, I'm English.

Any more irrelevant questions you'd like to ask?

to indicate the irony how human life bereft of spirituality loses out to the animal kingdom

You would have to show that a human that has spirituality is somehow much better off than humans that don't and that in either case they lose out to the animal kingdom.

maybe you could say that the human is in the worse situation since they are completely engaged in materialistic activities

You would have to justify how being engaged in materialistic activities is "worse" than anything else.. whatever that might be.

but a human who has some clue of their eternal nature and the means to realize it is certainly in a better position than either of them

How so?

even if the rehabilitation is 1%, it is 1% higher than dogs that J walk

You'd have to support this and you might get an argument from many dog homes. Battersea for instance works with 'offender' dogs and more often than not rehabilitates them. This of course doesn't apply to 'lifers' that maul kids or something. They end up on death row.

if you can't see the punishment in being a dog its because you have no vision of the value of human life

A bold but pointless statement. The actuality of the issue is more that you have no vision to the value of animal life. From what I've observed though, you don't like humans or animals. How about plants?

if you would be happy to be a dog tomorrow it doesn't say much about your previous claim of attaining perfect happiness

The opposite actually. If a person is 'perfectly happy', why would he worry about what form he takes? By being unhappy about turning into a dog, that would negate perfect happiness. Easy one to figure out.

the constant nature of the soul is knowledge - material life hampers or filters that nature - constant acts of stupidity can lead to caution, or conscientious decisions

O...k, but if they have no knowledge of prior actions/events, no knowledge of former existence etc then what has been learnt other than absolutely nothing?

sex life is only a problem, as with sleeping, eating, mating and defending, when it becomes one's sole reason for living

Right, so there's nothing wrong with anything unless it becomes an obsession?

by application of course - if I say that electrons exist, and if you refused the application for determining that knowledge, what then? Would electrons exist?

A) Your advocated process is bogus.

B) If you just said electrons existed without evidence to support the claim, why should I just believe you? Nowhere does anything actually prevent an electron from existing or not existing but without evidence there's no reason to just believe it to be so.

much like the electron is not perceptible to the sense of the high school drop out

I beg to differ in that even a high school dropout can be shown the evidence. Of course he probably wont have much interest in the subject but that does not prevent the showing of evidence.

there are certainly indications of persons making claims of the direct perception of god and there are certainly claims by those persons on how to apply oneself to achieve the same perception - the question is have you applied the process - if the answer is no, what is the value of your opinion?

And having undergone the claimed processes and they provide no 'fruit', what then? Your opinion would be valid, theirs would be under question. What happens then is you theists then negate the value of the process to anyone other than those that have made the claims in the first place. It smells might suspiscious.

amongst persons who cannot/will not/ have not applied the process, yes

And also clearly amongst persons who can/will/ have applied the process too.

(preferably validated by a historical continuum so as to avoid strolls up the garden path by fantastic claims)

You've said this a few times and I keep calling you on it but you have failed to provide an adequate answer. The first Indian man that sat down and saw an elephant headed god certainly had no "historical continuum" to validate his claim. The same goes for every other first, second, third, fourth and so on and so on until it had gone past a certain undefined amount of time for you to then consider it valid on the basis that it's old - not that it's verified.

Indeed when this first Indian dude mentioned blue, 6 armed gods that would have been considered a 'stroll up the garden path' and undoubtedly you'd now be dismissing his claims purely because he could not provide you with this "historical continuum".

how do you know it was written by a human

That's what the evidence suggests. What evidence do you have to say it wasn't written by humans?

assuming god is a mucus bag inhabiting fool subject to lust and loneliness, right?

As opposed to a non-mucus bag fool that writes books for those mucus bag fools on how to love and worship his poor, in need of love and attention, non-mucus bag ass?

apparently you believe that god cannot have an elephant head

It's certainly amusing, but not surprising from people that lived in a place where a lot of elephants live.

are you talking about yourself as a yardstick for determining the nature of god again?

I am talking about ancient men. Wake up.

Maybe you should back track a little and explain philosophically why it is impossible for god to appear on the earth

I didn't make any claims saying such a thing. While you dwell on that for a while, maybe you should get round to providing some evidence that your gods do appear on earth.

or alternatively there are accounts of ganesa (the demigod you are referring to)

This has no value though unless you can show that there are elephant headed gods etc. My statement is much easier to show as a probable cause for an ancient Indian man to anthropomorphise an elephant and elevate it to universally powerful status.

is it sufficient to say something is true/false simply if one can imagine ways that it is true/false?

Certainly not. Thats where evidence comes into it. You have none for anything you've ever said on any post in this forum. Indeed you adopt the policy of something is true/false simply because someone unknown ancient guy imagined that is was true/false. You're the answer to your own question.

there are even snake gods in Fiji, a place where there are no snakes!!!

Wow.. all those exclamation marks while obviously overlooking the aptly named "Fiji snake" - a poisonous snake from the cobra family native to.. uhh.. Fiji. They also have the pacific boa and a lot of sea snakes. In short: you're wrong.

Tends to indicate that there is a higher personality who's jurisdiction/appearance has something to do with snakes and they have revealed themselves in a variety of time/places and circumstances

Not really no. What it does tend to indicate is that many parts of the world have dangerous snakes. These snakes can be deadly but small - people very rarely even notice the snake before being bitten. As such it goes without saying that ancient cultures would have many snake stories pretty much almost globally imaging that snake as an evil being. Yes, even in Fiji. The Fiji snake itself is still largely seen as a evil omen when found.

when I asked what 'value' does a christian place on their bible, you dodged the question, as you are continuing to do

I answered many times. I concurred with your statement that like Winnie the Pooh they might consider it as valuable. My problem came with your claim that I know its 'sacred', when I agree with no such thing. Valuable, certainly.

its obvious - if you are talking ancient history you are talking temples/places of worship etc - if we were all to suddenly drop dead today, what would historians dig up from us?

Churches, mosques, bibles in hotel rooms, money that says "in god we trust", a corpse wearing a wooden sign saying "repent the end is nigh" and perhaps a computer with internet access showing global statistics concerning those that believe a god exists.

perhaps in the sense that you don't even superficially try to be religious

Well of course, it's quite unlikely an atheist would be religious.. uhh..

However that's not relevant to the statement. Atheists are a minority.

its the inability to follow religious principles actually, regardless whether one identifies as a theist or atheist

Of which you are clearly just as much to blame.. "circumcision.. who cares?" It is a law commanded by god. You choose to ignore it. You can't really fault anyone else for doing the same.. It's that "60 in a 50 zone" again.

then why don't you or someone else write something like the vedas (BTW some people have tried)

What do you mean? Again I've heard this statement from a whole host of other people concerning other religious texts etc but I don't personally see the value in writing a book about elephant headed people. What you need to do is justify how these texts are any better than Shakespeare, Twain or even the Mr Men books. You perceive some value in that text that someone else wont, and likewise someone will perceive value in the Mr Men books that you wont. Who is the authority on the matter?

so in other words the only criteria you require to determine whether having sex with todlers is ok is whether there are a lot of people doing it in a particular time/place and circusmtance?

Uhhh no. Read my statement again, you've seemingly got confused.

provided one is so foolish that they cannot...

Not an answer. Try again:

You have stated the following:

1) A rule that is written in scripture by god, (circumcision), is not important and

2) An apparent rule that isn't written in scripture is.

Who is the one here going against the gods?

that says nothing about hitting oneself in the head with a hammer

Yes it does, unless one is too foolish to not understand it. Treat your body like a temple, do not abuse it etc etc. Some religions even outlaw things like tattoos because it's against treating the body like a temple.

there are even temples that one rings a bell to announce their entrance, so in the eyes of a fool one could insist on hitting oneself in the head with a hammer in strict accordance with this edict

Certainly. That wouldn't change gods laws to any degree would it? No, so why does he not prohibit sleeping with kids? Why, when he tells you to chop a bit of your penis off, do you ignore him?

you are denying that your penis is not part of the whole 'mucus bag' (ie material body) deal?

? Let me ask again, it seems you got lost somewhere..

tell me whether I should chop a bit of my penis off or put a red splodge on my head". Which/both/neither?

If I listen to one am I a sinner for ignoring the other, if I do both does that mean you're a sinner because you haven't and if I do neither is that justified on the basis that I don't believe in your book or your gods laws, (like you seemingly don't believe in the words written by god in the bible)?

no - the vedas,

Why not the enuma elish or the bible etc? Why the vedas specifically?

still doesn't explain why you have to go to the toilet though

Same reason a god would need to rest after a weeks work, have a head transplant or engage itself in the affairs of little humans.

by relying on a play of words you side stepped the essential issue of the challenge, namely if you are god, why are you subject to literally an unlimited number of shortcomings

Incorrect. I showed him that those shortcomings you mentioned were his and his alone. Of course you only view them as 'shortcomings' from your limited human perspective.

which is good news for persons like yourself who can neither tolerate heaven nor the material world

Again trying to project your feelings on to me. No I don't want an eternal existence, but I love the material world.

your body stinks - if it didn't, you wouldn't have to buy perfume/after shave or take a bath, even if its only once a month - for one who uses this as the basis for their happiness in this world (and even then, the mucus bag finally gets an overload of mucus some time down the track and drops down dead) the implications should be obvious

Perhaps your nose is too sensitive? Maybe one of your shortcomings?

if by making the most of it you mean explore a wide range of titillating makeshift solutions at the expense of a permanent solution

Why would a temporary solution be at the expence of a permanent one? Given your earlier statements.. you smell. Why buy after shave etc and have a bath when it's just a temporary solution? You're now arguing against yourself.

by your reference, even less clearly than god prohibits having sex with a child

Show me where.

for the same reason that a rich person may appreciate an apparently insignificant gift

So.. gods are like humans? As pointed out on my last thread I have seen you liken gods to humans in every single instance. It's bizarre considering you're the one that had a pop at me for even trying to do the same.

actually you are the one with the mucus bag, not god

I don't get the problem. What is it exactly?

Jew/hindu/christian are designations - there is only one religion - love of god

And clearly if you love god you would obey his commands. So now tell me, how would you justify that you dismiss and ignore those commands on the basis that you consider them of no importance - although according to gods word, he does not?

certainly explains why your understanding of the bible is wrong

Oh please, from what I have seen you don't know one word that's in the bible, (not surprising for a theist that isn't jewish or christian). I on the other hand have studied it in depth and have discussed those issues since you were probably a sperm or a dog in your past life or something.

only when espoused through the mouths of the sinful

Is ignoring a law of god a sin?

how much of the bible deals with circumcision and ho wmuch deals with the nature of lust etc - why didn't circumcision make it into the ten commandments?

It didn't need to.. god wrote a whole book remember? What are you saying exactly, if it isn't in the 10 c's it can be ignored? *gets permanent marker and smudges out the NT*

I can imagine your conversation when you're dead:

"Well I'm sorry god, but you hadn't written about it enough for me to consider it of any importance. I mean, well, I was expecting a novel concerning circumcision, clearly a one line command is not enough! If you want me to follow something you have to give it more than one chapter"

:bugeye:

which is why I said,
if I say yes, how can...

To which I answered: We'll get to that once you answer the question. Yes or no?

you certainly take delight in ridiculing persons who represent him and defacing books held in reverence of him

So.. I'm inimical to people and books?

and how many references are there about lust,etc?

What is its relevance? We're not talking about lust here but a simple commandment of gods that you have failed to follow - thus falling into sin.

What you gonna say to him when you're dead? "You spent more time talking about lust so surely none of your other commands were of any importance"?

:bugeye:

but it doesn't indicate how your rant about circumcision is a serious issue presented in the bible and lust, etc is not

Both are serious issues. You're ignoring one for no justified reason. We're not talking about lust here, or Adam and Eve, or the flood, or anything else. We're talking about gods law that you must be circumcised. You're ignoring his law. You're a sinner. How can I be expected to told of gods by someone that doesn't obey them? By a sinner? Would you have a person that sins and is apparently happy to do so teach your child how to be a good hindu? I say you should refrain from trying to instruct others about god until you are in a position where you listen to him. I'd hate for others to go wrong by following you.

P.S Where did anyone say anything about the seriousness or lack thereof of lust? Was it a different conversation you were having with an invisible person perhaps?
 
Last edited:
Snakelord


its certainly what you identify with

Again a reflection of yourself put on me. You don't know the first thing about me and yet here think you can speak for me? Don't do it, it's foolish.


If you think you are the body (which is what you have identified with as the vehicle for experiencing eternal life in), it remains intrinsically stinky

To you, sure. Of what value is that to everyone that thinks otherwise? Answer = none. From what I have observed you seem to have some seriously rooted dislike for human existence. It would seem that if the gods looked upon suicide favourably you'd be one of the first in line at the top of a tall building.
It seems you are in denial about the nature of material life - to put it quite simply, if your body doesn't stink, why do you take a bath (even if its only once a month)?

we are talking about the nature of perfection and you are talking about how ridiculous such a notion is for what you identify with as "me"

Umm, no. You claimed that your dentist said that a lack of cavities = perfect teeth. I then challenged your claim that nobody can attain perfect happiness by using the same method of coming to the idea of "perfect" - thus refuting your claim that nobody can attain perfect happiness.
the problem is that the vehicle you use for perfect happiness is the material body - which is why I am talking about that being a stinky idea
If perfect teeth are merely the lack of cavities then perfect happiness is merely the lack of sorrow - which makes me perfectly happy.
then it remains to be seen whether what you are taking shelter of in the name of relief from sorrow is merely the cause of future sorrow (a prime example would be the material body, which apart from being stinky is also temporary)

given what you identify with as the self

What do I identify as the self? (No LG, don't give me what you reagard as identity of the self).
"mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the stinkiest one of all"
:D

-- therefore he must be off the bodily platform - otherwise he is happy about something directly or indirectly related to the mucus bag, which is quite a predictable entity in terms of the pursuit of happiness

What are you blithering on about?
lol - nevermind


The best a person who identifies with a mucus bag can hope for is the (temporary) absence of misery - as opposed to the positive attainment of happiness

Maybe you, but judging from your state of mind that isn't a surprise. Your statement bears no value to anyone else. It would be perfect happiness regardless to how temporary it was.
temporary happiness is not perfect however - if you can't understand that you had better cash in your diploma in mental health


one is the happiness of the fool the other is the happiness of the great personality

A meaningless statement.
you don't see any distinction between the happiness of the fools and the sane?

anyone who claims to be perfectly happy while thinking they are the mucus bag is a liar or a fool (people on drugs are generally foolish - so I guess they are a sub-category of fools)

Well you're the only one I see claiming you're a mucus bag, (while trying to tranish everyone else with the same), and clearly you're not even close to being perfectly happy.
actually I am in a good mood - I just took prasadam
I on the other hand do not consider myself or animals/humans as mucus bags and am perfectly happy.
if you are not a mucus bag, what else does that leave you to identify with (maybe that thin layer of skin that covers your mucus bag?)
Maybe you're just being punished with a miserable existence because of some past transgression.
not just me - you too

Secondly: justify your statement that people on drugs are foolish.
you have never seen the antics of a person on drugs?



I think that you could easily get an objective consensus on what are the general qualities of perfect teeth

Well, you could get a mass of subjective opinions on what makes perfect teeth, aye.
if you can't subjectively perceive an objective phenomena, how else do you perceive it?

You're not british are you?

No, I'm English.

Any more irrelevant questions you'd like to ask?
lol - certainly explains the bath thing

to indicate the irony how human life bereft of spirituality loses out to the animal kingdom

You would have to show that a human that has spirituality is somehow much better off than humans that don't and that in either case they lose out to the animal kingdom.
unless there is some major transgression, a person who has spirituality doesn't go to the animal kingdom (even a person who has a solid foundation of 'moral' principles has a pretty good chance of making it to the human form again) - remember there are three options - upwards, sideways and downwards

maybe you could say that the human is in the worse situation since they are completely engaged in materialistic activities

You would have to justify how being engaged in materialistic activities is "worse" than anything else.. whatever that might be.
worse because the margin for error is greater - for instance if you fell 30cm it would not be the same as falling 10 storeys due to a greater margin - to hav e the human form of life and to waste it on animal propensities is a greater margin of error compare to an animal

but a human who has some clue of their eternal nature and the means to realize it is certainly in a better position than either of them

How so?
the religious discussion thread on sciforums for a start

even if the rehabilitation is 1%, it is 1% higher than dogs that J walk

You'd have to support this and you might get an argument from many dog homes. Battersea for instance works with 'offender' dogs and more often than not rehabilitates them. This of course doesn't apply to 'lifers' that maul kids or something. They end up on death row.
they successfully rehabilitate dogs that J walk? (the length of these posts hasn't caused you to forget that we are talking about how the transgressions of the same rules by both animals and humans is not met by the same retribution, either in terms of mundane or greater laws)

if you can't see the punishment in being a dog its because you have no vision of the value of human life

A bold but pointless statement. The actuality of the issue is more that you have no vision to the value of animal life. From what I've observed though, you don't like humans or animals. How about plants?
if you cannot see the specific benefits that the human form of life offer, what else could it mean - however just because one can see the benefits of having the human form doesn't make them hateful of dogs - actually it makes them more compassionate, since such an outlook is the primary basis for a vegetarian diet (not that you are probably in the habit of eating dogs)

if you would be happy to be a dog tomorrow it doesn't say much about your previous claim of attaining perfect happiness

The opposite actually. If a person is 'perfectly happy', why would he worry about what form he takes?
kind of like saying that if a person is perfectly happy with their environment (or as you would say, your current material status, ie the mucus bag), why should they worry about taking a 6 month vacation to iraq

By being unhappy about turning into a dog, that would negate perfect happiness. Easy one to figure out.
true - there is a state of divine consciousness where one is not affected by material conditions due to being absorbed in th eternal nature of the self - given your aversion to the mere concept of eternity, its obvious that your happiness is based on the temporal nature of the self (ie the mucus bag)

the constant nature of the soul is knowledge - material life hampers or filters that nature - constant acts of stupidity can lead to caution, or conscientious decisions

O...k, but if they have no knowledge of prior actions/events, no knowledge of former existence etc then what has been learnt other than absolutely nothing?
it is kind of difficult to establish what is the foundation of conscientious acts (at least by empiricism) - of course there are a few hints directed at early childhood etc but there are many acts of the conscience that cannot be adequately traced - this is the dim reflection of the soul's eternal knowledge - of course you can whine on about evidence etc, but remember we are talking about subjects (god, eternity, the soul, etc) which by definition cannot stand within the parameters of empiricism (unless you can establish how one could perceive an eternal thing with one's blunt senses)

sex life is only a problem, as with sleeping, eating, mating and defending, when it becomes one's sole reason for living

Right, so there's nothing wrong with anything unless it becomes an obsession?
as a further clarification, they become a problem when they are utilized for the purposes they ar enot designed for - like for instance the best way to develop health problems is to eat food that is tasty yet unhealthy (eating is meant for nourishment, although its goal is often taken as otherwise)

by application of course - if I say that electrons exist, and if you refused the application for determining that knowledge, what then? Would electrons exist?

A) Your advocated process is bogus.
since you know that the process is bogus, maybe you could say what it is (last time we approached this topic you claimed the process was "just to ask' or something like that)
B) If you just said electrons existed without evidence to support the claim, why should I just believe you?
thats the same shoes as the high school drop out
Nowhere does anything actually prevent an electron from existing or not existing but without evidence there's no reason to just believe it to be so.
hence application is what it is all about (and not just any old application but the correct one)

much like the electron is not perceptible to the sense of the high school drop out

I beg to differ in that even a high school dropout can be shown the evidence. Of course he probably wont have much interest in the subject but that does not prevent the showing of evidence.
sure, you can show the evidence, but unless they are also steeped in a bit of the application, the evidence won't mean much

there are certainly indications of persons making claims of the direct perception of god and there are certainly claims by those persons on how to apply oneself to achieve the same perception - the question is have you applied the process - if the answer is no, what is the value of your opinion?

And having undergone the claimed processes and they provide no 'fruit', what then?
two possibilities
1 - the claim is bogus
2 - one applied the incorrect process

to work out the answer will depend greatly upon your explanation of the process you applied
Your opinion would be valid, theirs would be under question. What happens then is you theists then negate the value of the process to anyone other than those that have made the claims in the first place. It smells might suspiscious.
if a person is making a claim and also a claim of a process, you have to respect that the process is a valid part of the claim - even in science, a little error or deviation from the given process (from th egiven person making the given claim) gives dud results

amongst persons who cannot/will not/ have not applied the process, yes

And also clearly amongst persons who can/will/ have applied the process too.
you've jumped the gun by saying you have applied the process without explaining what it is- what is the process? Placing one's backside on a chair in a building that has "church" written out the front (or on the floor of a building that has "temple" written out the front, o r placing one's backside at a desk in a building that has 'university' written out the front etc etc
(preferably validated by a historical continuum so as to avoid strolls up the garden path by fantastic claims)

You've said this a few times and I keep calling you on it but you have failed to provide an adequate answer. The first Indian man that sat down and saw an elephant headed god certainly had no "historical continuum" to validate his claim.
actually you don't have a historical continnum to validate this apparent incident in history regarding the indian man - there are parts of the vedas that deal with the chronological development of things (from the first mortal creature, Brahma, down to the human dynasties that ebb and flow through the partial universal devastations until the universe finally expires) - in otherwords there is no claim of an indian man seeing an elephantheaded god as being the first person with claims of direct perception, either in empiricism or scripture, so its not clear why you are trying to pass your tentative claim off as insoluble
The same goes for every other first, second, third, fourth and so on and so on until it had gone past a certain undefined amount of time for you to then consider it valid on the basis that it's old - not that it's verified.
isn't that how all bodies of knowledge operate on (who goes to university with the task of reinventing the wheel?)
Indeed when this first Indian dude mentioned blue, 6 armed gods that would have been considered a 'stroll up the garden path' and undoubtedly you'd now be dismissing his claims purely because he could not provide you with this "historical continuum".
as already mentioned, the historical continuum doesn't exist like that - in fact there are specific mentions on who ganesa is, what era he appeared, and what era he will demise etc

how do you know it was written by a human

That's what the evidence suggests. What evidence do you have to say it wasn't written by humans?
by indications given in the books themselves (in previous eras, due to a higher grade of intelligence, persons were capable of remembering scriptural information - which is originally attributed to god - , but with the onset of degradation, sages could determine this ability would diminish and thus set about the task of compiling scriptures) - there is of course a clear distinction between an author and a compiler - at least in terms of copyright

assuming god is a mucus bag inhabiting fool subject to lust and loneliness, right?

As opposed to a non-mucus bag fool that writes books for those mucus bag fools on how to love and worship his poor, in need of love and attention, non-mucus bag ass?
something like that, although generally its seen that its the mucus bags the luck out and not god

apparently you believe that god cannot have an elephant head

It's certainly amusing, but not surprising from people that lived in a place where a lot of elephants live.


are you talking about yourself as a yardstick for determining the nature of god again?

I am talking about ancient men. Wake up.
but you are talking about why there is something inherently wrong about god displaying a form that is not like yours (hence your repeated indication of the elephant head) - my point is that this is the egoism of using oneself as a yardstick to determine the nature of god (which is of course pointless)

Maybe you should back track a little and explain philosophically why it is impossible for god to appear on the earth

I didn't make any claims saying such a thing. While you dwell on that for a while, maybe you should get round to providing some evidence that your gods do appear on earth.

you claimed that because some of the incidents narrated in the vedas are in india, that all the personalities mentioned are indian - so basically it is your argument that god (or demigods) cannot appear on the earth (unless your argument is something like a human who goes to mars is a martian)


or alternatively there are accounts of ganesa (the demigod you are referring to)

This has no value though unless you can show that there are elephant headed gods etc.
which gets back to the whole issue of empiricism being limited by the power of one's senses, and as a mucus bag admiring atheist you are quite low on the rungs of practical application
My statement is much easier to show as a probable cause for an ancient Indian man to anthropomorphise an elephant and elevate it to universally powerful status.
as I said - it is all tentative and is hardly a compelling argument (since it is dealing with a subject thats very basis is beyond empiricism - maybe you could make your argument better by explaining how there is nothing compelling beyond empiricism ..... good luck)

is it sufficient to say something is true/false simply if one can imagine ways that it is true/false?

Certainly not. Thats where evidence comes into it.
you realize that you have no evidence for your anthropomorphizing view of ganesa

You have none for anything you've ever said on any post in this forum.
at least I have the claim of direct perception that can be arrived at after application - do you have a claim of direct perception of the imaginative indian man who compiled the vedas due to being inspired by elephants? Do you have a claim of the process that can enable such perception?
Well?
Indeed you adopt the policy of something is true/false simply because someone unknown ancient guy imagined that is was true/false. You're the answer to your own question.
you assume it is imagined, but then you are outside the parameters of qualification, much like the high school drop out in regards to the electron


there are even snake gods in Fiji, a place where there are no snakes!!!

Wow.. all those exclamation marks while obviously overlooking the aptly named "Fiji snake" - a poisonous snake from the cobra family native to.. uhh.. Fiji.
exclusively found on Viti Levu actually

They also have the pacific boa and a lot of sea snakes. In short: you're wrong.
certainly makes your tenative claim that due to an animal being prominent in an area the next logical conclusion is that they anthropomorphize it into a god

when I asked what 'value' does a christian place on their bible, you dodged the question, as you are continuing to do

I answered many times. I concurred with your statement that like Winnie the Pooh they might consider it as valuable. My problem came with your claim that I know its 'sacred', when I agree with no such thing. Valuable, certainly.
still balking on the gideon bible scenario eh?

its obvious - if you are talking ancient history you are talking temples/places of worship etc - if we were all to suddenly drop dead today, what would historians dig up from us?

Churches, mosques, bibles in hotel rooms, money that says "in god we trust", a corpse wearing a wooden sign saying "repent the end is nigh" and perhaps a computer with internet access showing global statistics concerning those that believe a god exists.
amongst thousands of sky scrapers dedicated to the acquisition of bits of paper with funny numbers on it

perhaps in the sense that you don't even superficially try to be religious

Well of course, it's quite unlikely an atheist would be religious.. uhh..

However that's not relevant to the statement. Atheists are a minority.
compared to atheists in the guise of theists, yes

its the inability to follow religious principles actually, regardless whether one identifies as a theist or atheist

Of which you are clearly just as much to blame.. "circumcision.. who cares?" It is a law commanded by god. You choose to ignore it. You can't really fault anyone else for doing the same.. It's that "60 in a 50 zone" again.
more like you can't blame a motorcyclist for not checking his air brakes

then why don't you or someone else write something like the vedas (BTW some people have tried)

What do you mean? Again I've heard this statement from a whole host of other people concerning other religious texts etc but I don't personally see the value in writing a book about elephant headed people.
thats ok - the idea is to write a book that deals with aspects of philosophy that people will find pertinent for thousands of years - as a mere poster on sci forums, you have a lot of work ahead of you ....

What you need to do is justify how these texts are any better than Shakespeare, Twain or even the Mr Men books.
perhaps I can't justify them to you, since the nature of these books makes you all wheezy - but it s easily justified since the books you compare them to have only been around a few hundred years at best and even in their prime never had such a big print run or readership as scripture
You perceive some value in that text that someone else wont, and likewise someone will perceive value in the Mr Men books that you wont. Who is the authority on the matter?
then why did you suddenly change the topic and ask me - personally - to justify the value of scripture to you - personally - when you personally see no value in them (despite the prominent trends of the rest of humanity for the past 2000 years)

so in other words the only criteria you require to determine whether having sex with todlers is ok is whether there are a lot of people doing it in a particular time/place and circusmtance?

Uhhh no. Read my statement again, you've seemingly got confused.
erm ..... read it yourself


provided one is so foolish that they cannot...

Not an answer. Try again:

You have stated the following:

1) A rule that is written in scripture by god, (circumcision), is not important and
for someone who whines that their posts are not read you seem to make the same error - do you think my lengthy statements about how its ridiculous for a motorcyclist to check his air brakes means that checking air brakes is not important?
2) An apparent rule that isn't written in scripture is.

Who is the one here going against the gods?
the rule isn't written to one who cannot see any tenable connection between repeated instructions to do good to others and not to unnecessarily cause them grief and pain and how having sex with a child violates that

that says nothing about hitting oneself in the head with a hammer

Yes it does, unless one is too foolish to not understand it. Treat your body like a temple, do not abuse it etc etc. Some religions even outlaw things like tattoos because it's against treating the body like a temple.

there are even temples that one rings a bell to announce their entrance, so in the eyes of a fool one could insist on hitting oneself in the head with a hammer in strict accordance with this edict

Certainly. That wouldn't change gods laws to any degree would it? No, so why does he not prohibit sleeping with kids? Why, when he tells you to chop a bit of your penis off, do you ignore him?
In short - if you don't want to follow scripture, you can always find an excuse - if you cannot see the connection between having sex with children and causing children pain there is probably a lot of other things you can't see

you are denying that your penis is not part of the whole 'mucus bag' (ie material body) deal?

? Let me ask again, it seems you got lost somewhere..

tell me whether I should chop a bit of my penis off or put a red splodge on my head". Which/both/neither?
let me repeat again - if after reading scripture one can only see the different things different people should do with their mucus bags, the whole affair was pointless
If I listen to one am I a sinner for ignoring the other, if I do both does that mean you're a sinner because you haven't and if I do neither is that justified on the basis that I don't believe in your book or your gods laws, (like you seemingly don't believe in the words written by god in the bible)?

sigh - what is a motorcyclist to do if they find out truck drivers should check their air brakes - won't the whole pursuit of road safety be jeopardized unless the motorcyclist checks his air brakes ...
no - the vedas,

Why not the enuma elish or the bible etc? Why the vedas specifically?
pay attention



me -- and indeed, there are some parts of the Vedas that are not valid in this age

you -- And who exactly determines what is valid? Let me guess... you do?

still doesn't explain why you have to go to the toilet though

Same reason a god would need to rest after a weeks work, have a head transplant or engage itself in the affairs of little humans.
indeed - thats why these definitions tend to suggest demigods rather than the supreme omnipotent being

by relying on a play of words you side stepped the essential issue of the challenge, namely if you are god, why are you subject to literally an unlimited number of shortcomings

Incorrect. I showed him that those shortcomings you mentioned were his and his alone.
you did nothing of the sort

which is good news for persons like yourself who can neither tolerate heaven nor the material world

Again trying to project your feelings on to me. No I don't want an eternal existence, but I love the material world.
so in the course of our discussion you have decided that eternal material life would be ok after all?

your body stinks - if it didn't, you wouldn't have to buy perfume/after shave or take a bath, even if its only once a month - for one who uses this as the basis for their happiness in this world (and even then, the mucus bag finally gets an overload of mucus some time down the track and drops down dead) the implications should be obvious

Perhaps your nose is too sensitive? Maybe one of your shortcomings?
Don't take bath for 3 months and see how people treat you then

if by making the most of it you mean explore a wide range of titillating makeshift solutions at the expense of a permanent solution

Why would a temporary solution be at the expence of a permanent one?
because as far as the the pursuit of happiness goes (material/spiritual) they are binary opposites
Given your earlier statements.. you smell. Why buy after shave etc and have a bath when it's just a temporary solution? You're now arguing against yourself.
actually cleanliness is a good prerequisite for spiritual life
by your reference, even less clearly than god prohibits having sex with a child

Show me where.
at the expense of all the scriptural quotes dealing with prohibitions against lust, injury/grief to others, you somehow think that its biblically sound to have sex with kids

for the same reason that a rich person may appreciate an apparently insignificant gift

So.. gods are like humans? As pointed out on my last thread I have seen you liken gods to humans in every single instance. It's bizarre considering you're the one that had a pop at me for even trying to do the same.
human in the sense of consciousness (which is what we are talking about - gratitude) not in the sense of not taking a bath for 3 months and stinking to high heaven

actually you are the one with the mucus bag, not god

I don't get the problem. What is it exactly?
the material body literally stinks ... and thats just the beginning - wait till you get a visit from old age, disease and death

Jew/hindu/christian are designations - there is only one religion - love of god

And clearly if you love god you would obey his commands. So now tell me, how would you justify that you dismiss and ignore those commands on the basis that you consider them of no importance - although according to gods word, he does not?
SB 11.3.44: Childish and foolish people are attached to materialistic, fruitive activities, although the actual goal of life is to become free from such activities. Therefore, the Vedic injunctions indirectly lead one to the path of ultimate liberation by first prescribing fruitive religious activities, just as a father promises his child candy so that the child will take his medicine.

SB 11.12.14-15: Therefore, My dear Uddhava, abandon the Vedic mantras as well as the procedures of supplementary Vedic literatures and their positive and negative injunctions. Disregard that which has been heard and that which is to be heard. Simply take shelter of Me alone, for I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead, situated within the heart of all conditioned souls. Take shelter of Me wholeheartedly, and by My grace be free from fear in all circumstances.

at a certain point, rules inhibit love (and at another point, without rules, there is no possibility of developing love)

certainly explains why your understanding of the bible is wrong

Oh please, from what I have seen you don't know one word that's in the bible, (not surprising for a theist that isn't jewish or christian). I on the other hand have studied it in depth and have discussed those issues since you were probably a sperm or a dog in your past life or something.
you maybe be well versed in the passages of the bible, but as far as your conclusion or ideas on what is to be done/not to be done - you don't have a clue

only when espoused through the mouths of the sinful

Is ignoring a law of god a sin?
certainly - the main one being always remember god and never forget him

how much of the bible deals with circumcision and ho wmuch deals with the nature of lust etc - why didn't circumcision make it into the ten commandments?

It didn't need to.. god wrote a whole book remember? What are you saying exactly, if it isn't in the 10 c's it can be ignored? *gets permanent marker and smudges out the NT*
doesn't answer the question - how much deals with circumcision and ho wmuch deals with being free from vice?





which is why I said,
if I say yes, how can...

To which I answered: We'll get to that once you answer the question. Yes or no?
whats the point in answering to a person who cannot qualify it either way? - no matter what I answer I could be cheating you

you certainly take delight in ridiculing persons who represent him and defacing books held in reverence of him

So.. I'm inimical to people and books?
certainly inhibits your ability to understand anything in the books


and how many references are there about lust,etc?

What is its relevance?
the relevance is to sin, and how it is a disqualification for understanding god - so once again how much is about lust and how much is about circumcision?





but it doesn't indicate how your rant about circumcision is a serious issue presented in the bible and lust, etc is not

Both are serious issues.

then show that they both get equal representation in the bible
 
If you think you are the body (which is what you have identified with as the vehicle for experiencing eternal life in), it remains intrinsically stinky

While your personal views on the human body are fine, you must understand that they are just that - personal views. I do not perceive the human body the way you do, you need to try and grasp that fact. You cannot say "the body is what I say it is", that's simple foolishness - so no, it only remains intrinsically stinky... to you.

It seems you are in denial about the nature of material life - to put it quite simply, if your body doesn't stink, why do you take a bath (even if its only once a month)?

To remove dead skin cells. It seems you are in denial that others perceive the body in a different way to you. You think bananas taste disgusting, I love them. It's neither here nor there.

the problem is that the vehicle you use for perfect happiness is the material body - which is why I am talking about that being a stinky idea

If my body is stinky and horrible but I am perfectly happy, of what relevance is my body?

then it remains to be seen whether what you are taking shelter of in the name of relief from sorrow is merely the cause of future sorrow

Future sorrow is of no relevance to my perfect happiness right now.

"mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the stinkiest one of all"

I did specifically say: "No LG, don't give me what you reagard as identity of the self". Can you not follow simple instructions?

temporary happiness is not perfect however - if you can't understand that you had better cash in your diploma in mental health

Nobody ever said it was. Your dentist stated that a lack of cavities = perfect teeth. That is just a temporary state of your teeth though - they will eventually get cavities/fall out whatever. It does not negate that they are still 'perfect teeth' during that temporary period where they lack cavities. I am perfectly happy right now absolutely regardless to whether that temporary or not.

if you are not a mucus bag, what else does that leave you to identify with (maybe that thin layer of skin that covers your mucus bag?)

I dunno, just something that would make your gods look competent. I mean c'mon, you believe that your gods created mankind with their awesome powers and yet we're just stinky mucus bags. That doesn't say much for the ability of your gods now does it? I dunno LG, if I believed there was a perfect god that created something, I would never resort to calling it a stinky, mucus bag. No sir, I'd most likely claim it the most wonderful, pleasing of things. All this time and energy spent trying to impress me with the idiocy of your gods. My gods are different... Just spend 10 seconds looking at a vagina and you'll see that the human body is a work of art. It should be shown off with all it's apparent smelliness - smells that we should truly love given that they were created by the perfect gods. You must have a lowly view of the ability of your gods - why, you're telling me the perfect create the imperfect and you're clearly displeased by what they have created. How shockingly tragic.

What am 'I'? I am the culmination of the creation of the greatest, most perfect intellects in the universe. I am a work of art.

You can keep your whole "mucus bag" ideas, they're worthless.

you have never seen the antics of a person on drugs?

Which ones? I prescribe drugs that help people. Do you mean serious hardcore drugs like morphine? It helps people. Sorry, be specific.

lol - certainly explains the bath thing

Let's not go down that road. Some flea infested mudhole dweller wont last long in a racial/stereotype battle against an Englishman.

unless there is some major transgression, a person who has spirituality doesn't go to the animal kingdom (even a person who has a solid foundation of 'moral' principles has a pretty good chance of making it to the human form again) - remember there are three options - upwards, sideways and downwards

Doesn't answer the question. You would have to show that being an animal is a bad thing. Given your earlier statements concerning the easy life animals have, you'd be hard pressed.

worse because the margin for error is greater - for instance if you fell 30cm it would not be the same as falling 10 storeys due to a greater margin

That's great, now you just have to show how being engaged in material activities is worse than anything else or how it is relevant to falling 10 storeys.

they successfully rehabilitate dogs that J walk?

Doggy school does. Much like a human school teaches humans not to J walk. Some still will certainly, in both cases they might be caged for doing so. They can then get rehabilitated by going back to school as it were.

if you cannot see the specific benefits that the human form of life offer

List them.

kind of like saying that if a person is perfectly happy with their environment (or as you would say, your current material status, ie the mucus bag), why should they worry about taking a 6 month vacation to iraq

If a person is perfectly happy with where they are, you're right.. they wouldn't need to go to Iraq on vacation. People generally go on holiday because they're not happy where they are.

of course there are a few hints directed at early childhood etc but there are many acts of the conscience that cannot be adequately traced - this is the dim reflection of the soul's eternal knowledge - of course you can whine on about evidence etc, but remember we are talking about subjects (god, eternity, the soul, etc) which by definition cannot stand within the parameters of empiricism (unless you can establish how one could perceive an eternal thing with one's blunt senses)

So, given your statements.. there's really no point talking about any of it? This is all vaguely interesting make-believe and little else. As a result can I just say that my god whoops your god with ultimate punch v3.0. Pwned. (Gotta love internet chat style).

But what you're saying now is that this kid is born and has knowledge that he was once a dog. It doesn't hold up under scrutiny.

since you know that the process is bogus, maybe you could say what it is (last time we approached this topic you claimed the process was "just to ask' or something like that)

Shows you don't pay attention. Last time we spoke about it I mentioned that there are those that advocate that all one needs to do is ask - it says so in the bible. You would need to justify how your claimed process is more valid than theirs. Do we look at numbers for this? Would you denounce the million of christians that claim ther process has worked? On what basis?

thats the same shoes as the high school drop out

That's not an answer to the question. Here it is again:

"If you just said electrons existed without evidence to support the claim, why should I just believe you?"

Emphasis on the 'why'.

hence application is what it is all about (and not just any old application but the correct one)

And.. how to determine the correct one? Seems you can't say anything about the christian process some advocate or the Lenny process I have advocated unless you've done them, which you have not. As a result you, by your own words, can't say anything about them. Strange then because you have.. several times. Instant dismissal without any application. It's hypocrisy.

two possibilities
1 - the claim is bogus
2 - one applied the incorrect process

to work out the answer will depend greatly upon your explanation of the process you applied

But more greatly upon the person you're talking to: ergo a christian process would never be considered bogus by a christian, but certainly by a hindu. They will always have a way to state that you did the process wrong. It must have been done wrong the way they see it, otherwise you'd agree with them and all you're left with are unsupportable claims.

if a person is making a claim and also a claim of a process, you have to respect that the process is a valid part of the claim

You didn't seem to show that respect when it came to the process of finding Lenny. Hypocrisy?

actually you don't have a historical continnum to validate this apparent incident in history regarding the indian man - there are parts of the vedas that deal..

You clearly missed the point. The first person to write/claim or see god would have had no 'historical continuum' with which to support his claims. Anything he said would therefore, according to you, be a stroll up the garden path. If however he got away with it, everyone who read what he said and believed it would be as far up the garden path as he, fallaciously thinking that it's valid because of 'historical continuum'.

by indications given in the books themselves

So.. the book says it was written by gods and thus that's evidence that the book was written by gods? That's some funny, but equally sickening, shit right there.

are you talking about yourself as a yardstick for determining the nature of god again?

Nonsensical waffle. The evidence would suggest that these early people imagined gods and created an appearance for those gods on what they could see around them. As a result India has elephant headed gods whereas ancient Egypt had crocodile and vulture gods.

but you are talking about why there is something inherently wrong about god displaying a form that is not like yours (hence your repeated indication of the elephant head)

Not exactly. I repeated the 'elephant head' statement because it should indicate that the gods image was created by early people, (which is who we're talking about), based upon what they observed around them. The gods can look like whatever they want to.. they can stroll around the cosmos looking like a pile of skunk poo for all I care, the point wasn't that they can't, but that the evidence of what specific cultures claim they look like actually indicates a imagined creation on the part of humans.

you claimed that because some of the incidents narrated in the vedas are in india, that all the personalities mentioned are indian - so basically it is your argument that god (or demigods) cannot appear on the earth (unless your argument is something like a human who goes to mars is a martian)

I don't see how you get from one to the other.

as I said - it is all tentative and is hardly a compelling argument

Somehow more compelling an argument is that there really are elephant headed gods around that turn people into dogs, create stinky bodies etc etc? That's a more compelling argument than to state that the gods were imagined by people with what they observed around them as a template? Lol.. do me a lemon.

you realize that you have no evidence for your anthropomorphizing view of ganesa

Inaccurate. It has happened across many cultures - each reflecting something that they observe in nature which then becomes the image of their god/s. It is also an insanely common activity of humans in general. That is certainly more pertinent than to state there's some blue, six armed dude in space that wants you to love him.

at least I have the claim of direct perception that can be arrived at after application - do you have a claim of direct perception of the imaginative indian man who compiled the vedas due to being inspired by elephants? Do you have a claim of the process that can enable such perception?

At least? Oh please.. I have the claim of direct perception of Lenny that can be arrived at after application. Sorry LG, of what worth is that other than fuck bugger all?

We do not have direct perception of say the big bang, but there is still evidence to suggest it. Lack of direct perception does not ultimately mean lack of evidence.

you assume it is imagined

No, it's what the evidence suggests.

exclusively found on Viti Levu actually

Which is... Fiji.

amongst thousands of sky scrapers dedicated to the acquisition of bits of paper with funny numbers on it

So.. if, along with biblical text, churches and whatnot you dug up from Roman times you found some coins with Caesar's head on them and some pots and pans, or a fighting arena you would ultimately consider these people as being "under the notion that god didn't exist"? That's foolish LG.

thats ok - the idea is to write a book that deals with aspects of philosophy that people will find pertinent for thousands of years - as a mere poster on sci forums, you have a lot of work ahead of you ....

Joseph Smith seems to have done ok, as does L Ron Hubbard. What is your point exactly? Here's where you undoubtedly try to convince me that what they said was crap - which kinda negates the point of any of this. I think the vedas are crap.

perhaps I can't justify them to you, since the nature of these books makes you all wheezy - but it s easily justified since the books you compare them to have only been around a few hundred years at best and even in their prime never had such a big print run or readership as scripture

So once again the value of something is determined by how long ago it was written? Excuse me but we'll have to put this discussion on hold for a few millennia at which time I can then come back to you and say "look, Mark Twain rocks". As for readership... how many people have honestly read the bible/vedas front to back and actually enjoyed it? We'd have to drag up some statistics somewhere I suppose. As a result of that your "readership" claim has to be put on hold until such time where you can support it.

then why did you suddenly change the topic and ask me - personally - to justify the value of scripture to you - personally

I asked which scripture was valid, you said the vedas, I said who determines it's valid? Your whole argument seems to be that it's old.

for someone who whines that their posts are not read you seem to make the same error - do you think my lengthy statements about how its ridiculous for a motorcyclist to check his air brakes means that checking air brakes is not important?

I think you need to stop lowering yourself into foolish analogies. Let's try this one more time. god, the only god, the one true boss of the cosmos told you that you must be circumcised. Why aren't you? This one true god did not say ride a motorbike and it's ok.

the rule isn't written to one who cannot see any tenable connection

So.. the rule is meaningless to a person that can't see why they should listen to it? Impressive.

there are even temples that one rings a bell to announce their entrance, so in the eyes of a fool one could insist on hitting oneself in the head with a hammer in strict accordance with this edict

How so? However, this would indicate, as you have stated, that this guy is a fool. Are you a fool LG? If not what is your excuse for not following the law of god?

if you cannot see the connection between having sex with children and causing children pain

Where does the bible outlaw causing children pain? Indeed it advocates killing them with stones many times.

let me repeat again - if after reading scripture one can only see the different things different people should do with their mucus bags, the whole affair was pointless

Let me ask once again because you're under the delusion that this issue is the "only" thing that is seen. It isn't, but it is the current topic of discussion and clearly you're trying your utmost to avoid it. Should I obey these commands of the gods or can I ignore them because I feel like it or consider gods rules as no importance in my life? If I must obey gods laws, why don't you?

so in the course of our discussion you have decided that eternal material life would be ok after all?

No. Let's play a game.. Go through your quote and figure out where you went wrong. I'll give you a clue, it starts with 'e' and ends with 'ternal'.

Don't take bath for 3 months and see how people treat you then

Guess their noses are too sensitive aswell.

because as far as the the pursuit of happiness goes (material/spiritual) they are binary opposites

But both the pursuit of happiness. So where is the difference?

actually cleanliness is a good prerequisite for spiritual life

Why, do floaty spirits have nostrils?

at the expense of all the scriptural quotes dealing with prohibitions against lust, injury/grief to others, you somehow think that its biblically sound to have sex with kids

You can have sex with children without harming them, lusting after them or causing them grief, (as seen in the press some school kids have even enjoyed it).

the material body literally stinks ... and thats just the beginning - wait till you get a visit from old age, disease and death

Damn the gods for creating such imperfection lol. They're either incomptent or bastards.. :bugeye:

You should stop using deodorants and after shave right now. Why try and do away with the smells that the gods created for you? Why get materialistic, trying to go against the way the gods intentionally created you to be?

You see yourself as stinky, I consider myself a glorious work of art. Oh you materialistic arseholes worrying about such material trivialities.

SB 11.3.44: Childish and foolish people are attached to materialistic, fruitive activities

Such as having a bath and spraying after shave trying to cover up the way the gods made them.

but as far as your conclusion or ideas on what is to be done/not to be done - you don't have a clue

Coming from you? I laughed so hard my lungs flopped out my mouth.

certainly - the main one being always remember god and never forget him

And that main one would not be fulfilled if you did not obey his other laws. Why aren't you circumcised?

doesn't answer the question - how much deals with circumcision and ho wmuch deals with being free from vice?

It's relevance? You can negate something because something else is mentioned more, (although it isn't specifically)? So the fact that god prohibiting murder only takes up a short amount of space in comparison to the amount of times god tells people to kill people means murder is now ok? Hmm..

whats the point in answering to a person who cannot qualify it either way? - no matter what I answer I could be cheating you

For the final time... We will get to that once you answer the damn question lol. It's a yes or no LG, why are you being such an ass?

the relevance is to sin, and how it is a disqualification for understanding god - so once again how much is about lust and how much is about circumcision?

Both are sins. You ignore one.. why?

then show that they both get equal representation in the bible

Your statement is utter idiocy. There is not equal representation between not sleeping with ones mother and how to pray. Does that mean it's ok to sleep with ones mother? Don't be a fool.
 
Snakelord

If you think you are the body (which is what you have identified with as the vehicle for experiencing eternal life in), it remains intrinsically stinky

While your personal views on the human body are fine, you must understand that they are just that - personal views. I do not perceive the human body the way you do, you need to try and grasp that fact. You cannot say "the body is what I say it is", that's simple foolishness - so no, it only remains intrinsically stinky... to you.
you may say the body is stinky or you may say the body is not stinky - either way, to be accepted as a sane person in human society you must concede the fact that the body is stinky and regularly take bath

It seems you are in denial about the nature of material life - to put it quite simply, if your body doesn't stink, why do you take a bath (even if its only once a month)?

To remove dead skin cells.
do dead skin cells tend to stink after sometime?

It seems you are in denial that others perceive the body in a different way to you. You think bananas taste disgusting, I love them. It's neither here nor there.
bananas may or may not be on someone's shopping list, but taking bath regularly to combat the issue of stinkiness clocks up on all charts

the problem is that the vehicle you use for perfect happiness is the material body - which is why I am talking about that being a stinky idea

If my body is stinky and horrible but I am perfectly happy, of what relevance is my body?
quite simply, if it gets too stinky, your ability to be 'perfectly' happy diminishes

then it remains to be seen whether what you are taking shelter of in the name of relief from sorrow is merely the cause of future sorrow

Future sorrow is of no relevance to my perfect happiness right now.
lol - famous last words



temporary happiness is not perfect however - if you can't understand that you had better cash in your diploma in mental health

Nobody ever said it was. Your dentist stated that a lack of cavities = perfect teeth. That is just a temporary state of your teeth though - they will eventually get cavities/fall out whatever. It does not negate that they are still 'perfect teeth' during that temporary period where they lack cavities.
therefore the issue of cavities is important for perfect teeth, but perfect teeth are not an issue for perfect happiness
I am perfectly happy right now absolutely regardless to whether that temporary or not.
this is called 'ignorance'

if you are not a mucus bag, what else does that leave you to identify with (maybe that thin layer of skin that covers your mucus bag?)

I dunno, just something that would make your gods look competent. I mean c'mon, you believe that your gods created mankind with their awesome powers and yet we're just stinky mucus bags.
no - not at all
That doesn't say much for the ability of your gods now does it? I dunno LG, if I believed there was a perfect god that created something, I would never resort to calling it a stinky, mucus bag. No sir, I'd most likely claim it the most wonderful, pleasing of things.
actually my question was whether there was anything greater than the mucus bag to identify with, since you hotly refuse to accept such a designation
All this time and energy spent trying to impress me with the idiocy of your gods. My gods are different... Just spend 10 seconds looking at a vagina and you'll see that the human body is a work of art.
internet porn and masturbation has added value to your life?
What does your wife think of this?

It should be shown off with all it's apparent smelliness - smells that we should truly love given that they were created by the perfect gods. You must have a lowly view of the ability of your gods - why, you're telling me the perfect create the imperfect and you're clearly displeased by what they have created. How shockingly tragic.
as you clearly illustrate, one of god's potent creations is the element that throws us in ignorance
What am 'I'? I am the culmination of the creation of the greatest, most perfect intellects in the universe. I am a work of art.

You can keep your whole "mucus bag" ideas, they're worthless.
whatever - just as long as at the end of the day you remember to take a bath and not act in a way as to be embarrassed in front of your wife or employer

you have never seen the antics of a person on drugs?

Which ones? I prescribe drugs that help people. Do you mean serious hardcore drugs like morphine? It helps people. Sorry, be specific.
I was talking more specifically of the crowds you are likely to encounter on New years eve at 12.00am

lol - certainly explains the bath thing

Let's not go down that road. Some flea infested mudhole dweller wont last long in a racial/stereotype battle against an Englishman.
perhaps 100 years ago, but things have changed - except the bath thing

unless there is some major transgression, a person who has spirituality doesn't go to the animal kingdom (even a person who has a solid foundation of 'moral' principles has a pretty good chance of making it to the human form again) - remember there are three options - upwards, sideways and downwards

Doesn't answer the question. You would have to show that being an animal is a bad thing. Given your earlier statements concerning the easy life animals have, you'd be hard pressed.
you are right - at least male dogs get to have sex with real female dogs

worse because the margin for error is greater - for instance if you fell 30cm it would not be the same as falling 10 storeys due to a greater margin

That's great, now you just have to show how being engaged in material activities is worse than anything else or how it is relevant to falling 10 storeys.
kind of difficult - its just like trying to explain to a person who has eaten nothing but boiled potatoes that there is anything better to eat

they successfully rehabilitate dogs that J walk?

Doggy school does. Much like a human school teaches humans not to J walk. Some still will certainly, in both cases they might be caged for doing so. They can then get rehabilitated by going back to school as it were.
remember we are talking specifically about how animals and humans are treated differently due to transgressing the same law, in this case J walking - ar ethe J walking dogs rehabilitated?

if you cannot see the specific benefits that the human form of life offer

List them.
the ability to control one's senses for a start

kind of like saying that if a person is perfectly happy with their environment (or as you would say, your current material status, ie the mucus bag), why should they worry about taking a 6 month vacation to iraq

If a person is perfectly happy with where they are, you're right.. they wouldn't need to go to Iraq on vacation. People generally go on holiday because they're not happy where they are.
but you just said that your 'perfect' happiness was independent of external influence and comes from within - do you want to change that definition now?

of course there are a few hints directed at early childhood etc but there are many acts of the conscience that cannot be adequately traced - this is the dim reflection of the soul's eternal knowledge - of course you can whine on about evidence etc, but remember we are talking about subjects (god, eternity, the soul, etc) which by definition cannot stand within the parameters of empiricism (unless you can establish how one could perceive an eternal thing with one's blunt senses)

So, given your statements.. there's really no point talking about any of it?
there's no point of whining about empirical evidence, yes - but alternatively one can purify the consciousness by refraining from sin - namely acts of lust and the like - and make steady progress in understanding the subject

This is all vaguely interesting make-believe and little else.
no doubt you have other make believe things on your mind

But what you're saying now is that this kid is born and has knowledge that he was once a dog. It doesn't hold up under scrutiny.
actually thats not what I said - I said that the impetus that drives one from conscience is a dim reflection of the soul's eternal knowledge - in other words what we 'feel' to be right and wrong is an indication of what situations we have experienced in a previous life (or alternatively what we can anticipate to experience in the future)

since you know that the process is bogus, maybe you could say what it is (last time we approached this topic you claimed the process was "just to ask' or something like that)

Shows you don't pay attention. Last time we spoke about it I mentioned that there are those that advocate that all one needs to do is ask - it says so in the bible. You would need to justify how your claimed process is more valid than theirs.
And as I replied, most christian authorities don't advocate the "just ask' process - at least not those tied in with the historical continuum of it (what great advocates of the 'just ask' process are there in christian practice? St Francis? Mother Theresea? Or do they also advocate aspects of purity too?)
Do we look at numbers for this? Would you denounce the million of christians that claim ther process has worked? On what basis?[/QUOTE
thats my point - millions of christians don't actually follow your half baked analysis of their process

thats the same shoes as the high school drop out

That's not an answer to the question. Here it is again:

"If you just said electrons existed without evidence to support the claim, why should I just believe you?"

and its the same shoes as the high school drop out - there is no reason to accept it, because they are not in the position to verify it (of course there could be reasons like charisma or other perceptions of credibility, but they are not entirely valid)

hence application is what it is all about (and not just any old application but the correct one)

And.. how to determine the correct one?
historical continuum, while not infallible, is a good place to start
Seems you can't say anything about the christian process some advocate or the Lenny process I have advocated unless you've done them, which you have not.
I have however talked about the historical continuum behind both issues and pulled you up on both

As a result you, by your own words, can't say anything about them.
but by the historical continuum you can look at the words (or as is the case of the lenny thing, the absence of words) of others in a more qualified stance (philosophically, scriptural reference etc)
Strange then because you have.. several times. Instant dismissal without any application. It's hypocrisy.
the lack of historical continuum of your version of christianity and your lenny trip indicates a lack of application - in otherwords if you want to reinvent the means to approach god (or lenny) there is a heavy onus on you since there is a historical continuum already deeply established on the topic (some of those st patricks day craft manuals are quite exhaustive in their bibliographies)

two possibilities
1 - the claim is bogus
2 - one applied the incorrect process

to work out the answer will depend greatly upon your explanation of the process you applied

But more greatly upon the person you're talking to: ergo a christian process would never be considered bogus by a christian, but certainly by a hindu.
I never said that the christian process was bogus.
I said that your half baked version of it is.
Prove me wrong by establishing a historical continuum (You know - real people with a real influence in history)

They will always have a way to state that you did the process wrong.
seems like the are in agreement with me so far, since all i have advocated is that one refrain from sinful activity, namely acts of lust/wrath/etc
It must have been done wrong the way they see it, otherwise you'd agree with them and all you're left with are unsupportable claims.
I am not disagreeing with them, even though you try to split ecclesiastical hairs with your 'motorcyclist' vs 'truck driver' rules and regs in the pursuit of 'road safety'

if a person is making a claim and also a claim of a process, you have to respect that the process is a valid part of the claim

You didn't seem to show that respect when it came to the process of finding Lenny. Hypocrisy?
because you lucked out on the historical continuum

actually you don't have a historical continnum to validate this apparent incident in history regarding the indian man - there are parts of the vedas that deal..

You clearly missed the point. The first person to write/claim or see god would have had no 'historical continuum' with which to support his claims.
the only person in the vedas who fits the bill as not having a historical continuum to work out of is Lord Brahma - the reason being that he is the first living entity in the material creation
Anything he said would therefore, according to you, be a stroll up the garden path. If however he got away with it, everyone who read what he said and believed it would be as far up the garden path as he, fallaciously thinking that it's valid because of 'historical continuum'.
and if they also came to the point of direct perception, over time you would have what is called a historical continuum in a given field of knowledge


by indications given in the books themselves

So.. the book says it was written by gods and thus that's evidence that the book was written by gods? That's some funny, but equally sickening, shit right there.

the evidence that it directly the sound representation of god is that by following the instructions (beginning with refraining from sin, namely acts of lust/wrath etc) one gradually becomes more aware of the subject.
You however said that there is evidence that the vedas was written by some man - what is that evidence?
are you talking about yourself as a yardstick for determining the nature of god again?

Nonsensical waffle. The evidence
what is that evidence?
would suggest that these early people imagined gods and created an appearance for those gods on what they could see around them. As a result India has elephant headed gods whereas ancient Egypt had crocodile and vulture gods.
you do know the distinction between the words 'evidence' and 'tentative claim' don't you?

but you are talking about why there is something inherently wrong about god displaying a form that is not like yours (hence your repeated indication of the elephant head)

Not exactly. I repeated the 'elephant head' statement because it should indicate that the gods image was created by early people, (which is who we're talking about), based upon what they observed around them.
so far you have no evidence for your tentative claim
The gods can look like whatever they want to.. they can stroll around the cosmos looking like a pile of skunk poo for all I care, the point wasn't that they can't, but that the evidence of what specific cultures claim they look like actually indicates a imagined creation on the part of humans.
you also see that in the different cultures around the world there are many different styles of painting trees (Japanese, Indian, European etc) - basically materialisticly driven religiousity is like a cultural representation of a tree (an image of an objective phenomena, namely trees, reflected through existing norms) and pure religiousity would be something like a photograph - thus there is a notion of the distinction between primary and secondary religious principles - and as a further point, it is not uncommon to uncover elements of both primary and secondary principles in any given scripture - hence the whole task of approaching the conclusions of scripture without someone established in the field is commonly fraught with misconceptions and apparent contradictions

you claimed that because some of the incidents narrated in the vedas are in india, that all the personalities mentioned are indian - so basically it is your argument that god (or demigods) cannot appear on the earth (unless your argument is something like a human who goes to mars is a martian)

I don't see how you get from one to the other.
if appearing in india makes god the indian god and if appearing in america makes god the american god, what of a god that appears in both america and india?

as I said - it is all tentative and is hardly a compelling argument
Somehow more compelling an argument is that there really are elephant headed god around that turn people into dogs, create stinky bodies etc etc?
actually these are not the allotted duties of ganesha

you realize that you have no evidence for your anthropomorphizing view of ganesa

Inaccurate. It has happened across many cultures - each reflecting something that they observe in nature which then becomes the image of their god/s. It is also an insanely common activity of humans in general. That is certainly more pertinent than to state there's some blue, six armed dude in space that wants you to love him.
you realize that this is a tentative claim and that it is not evidence

at least I have the claim of direct perception that can be arrived at after application - do you have a claim of direct perception of the imaginative indian man who compiled the vedas due to being inspired by elephants? Do you have a claim of the process that can enable such perception?

At least? Oh please.. I have the claim of direct perception of Lenny that can be arrived at after application. Sorry LG, of what worth is that other than fuck bugger all?
it would certainly help your case to differentiate between the words 'evidence' and 'tentative claim', since they are not interchangeable
We do not have direct perception of say the big bang, but there is still evidence to suggest it.
more correctly, theories based on empirical evidence

Lack of direct perception does not ultimately mean lack of evidence.
hence there are schools of philosophy that deal with rationalism (the use of logic) that help distinguish between what is a false and what is a factual claim - for instance this is the essence of your argument regarding god and anthropomorphism
people are commonly seen to anthropomorphize objects through all cultures and time eras
therefore anyone with a claim of an entity that merges states of perceived human existence with other states is also making an anthropomorphic error.
its not sufficient to say that because 1 person is doing something the wrong way, everyone is doing something the wrong way


you assume it is imagined

No, it's what the evidence suggests.
correction - its what you tentatively claimed

exclusively found on Viti Levu actually

Which is... Fiji.
yes, one island of fiji

amongst thousands of sky scrapers dedicated to the acquisition of bits of paper with funny numbers on it

So.. if, along with biblical text, churches and whatnot you dug up from Roman times you found some coins with Caesar's head on them and some pots and pans, or a fighting arena you would ultimately consider these people as being "under the notion that god didn't exist"? That's foolish LG.
are you saying that the ration of construction work of places of worship to business has remained constant in the past 2000 years?

thats ok - the idea is to write a book that deals with aspects of philosophy that people will find pertinent for thousands of years - as a mere poster on sci forums, you have a lot of work ahead of you ....

Joseph Smith seems to have done ok, as does L Ron Hubbard.
thousands of years?
What is your point exactly?
writing a scripture is not such a thing that can be easily assigned to the creative genius of an artist - especially since you are of the view that such persons were socially primitive and awed by lightning and the sort (which somehow makes them inferior to awing hulk hogan and oprah)
Here's where you undoubtedly try to convince me that what they said was crap - which kinda negates the point of any of this.

I think the vedas are crap.
given what you posted earlier

My gods are different... Just spend 10 seconds looking at a vagina and you'll see that the human body is a work of art. It should be shown off with all it's apparent smelliness

I am not surprised

perhaps I can't justify them to you, since the nature of these books makes you all wheezy - but it s easily justified since the books you compare them to have only been around a few hundred years at best and even in their prime never had such a big print run or readership as scripture

So once again the value of something is determined by how long ago it was written?
thats generally how it goes - if someone writes something and it is still held as pertinent 2000 years later, it is to be understood that what they written was valuable
Excuse me but we'll have to put this discussion on hold for a few millennia at which time I can then come back to you and say "look, Mark Twain rocks".
thats why I said even when Twain was in vogue, his readership never approached what is estimated for scripture - even less so now
As for readership... how many people have honestly read the bible/vedas front to back and actually enjoyed it?
you mean aside from yourself?

We'd have to drag up some statistics somewhere I suppose. As a result of that your "readership" claim has to be put on hold until such time where you can support it.
lots of stats there on google - hundreds of millions of scriptures published - what to speak of the books that rely on scripture for their significance, like Shakespeare etc

then why did you suddenly change the topic and ask me - personally - to justify the value of scripture to you - personally

I asked which scripture was valid, you said the vedas,

I said who determines it's valid? Your whole argument seems to be that it's old.
the primary way to determine the validity of a given object is to utilize it in the fashion it is suited - for instance the best way to determine the value of gold is sell it on the market - one could also find secondary values for 3 lbs of gold - like you could use it as a paperweight
so the primary way to determine the value of scripture is to apply it (begininng with getting free from the cycle of lust/envy/wrath/etc) - failing that (or, as in your case, refusing that) there are secondary characteristics, which admittedly pale in comparison - being established in the historical tradition of human culture is one such pale secondary qualities

for someone who whines that their posts are not read you seem to make the same error - do you think my lengthy statements about how its ridiculous for a motorcyclist to check his air brakes means that checking air brakes is not important?

I think you need to stop lowering yourself into foolish analogies. Let's try this one more time. god, the only god, the one true boss of the cosmos told you that you must be circumcised. Why aren't you? This one true god did not say ride a motorbike and it's ok.
Let's try this one more time. The RTA (road traffic authority), the only RTA, the one true boss of rules governing road safety told you that truck drivers must check their air brakes. Why didn't you?
(What? You ride a motorbike?)

the rule isn't written to one who cannot see any tenable connection

So.. the rule is meaningless to a person that can't see why they should listen to it? Impressive.
people in high security prison are often their due to the same force of ignorance

there are even temples that one rings a bell to announce their entrance, so in the eyes of a fool one could insist on hitting oneself in the head with a hammer in strict accordance with this edict

How so? However, this would indicate, as you have stated, that this guy is a fool. Are you a fool LG?
at the very least I can see inextricable connections between repeated instructions to refrain form acts of lust and violence and having sex with children - how about you?
If not what is your excuse for not following the law of god?
I have the fortune of having gleaned my understanding of scripture from persons established in the historical continuum rather than relying on my own imperfect senses I guess

if you cannot see the connection between having sex with children and causing children pain

Where does the bible outlaw causing children pain?
Indeed, where does it say that children are human beings

Indeed it advocates killing them with stones many times.
so I guess that must mean its okay to have sex with them right?

let me repeat again - if after reading scripture one can only see the different things different people should do with their mucus bags, the whole affair was pointless

Let me ask once again because you're under the delusion that this issue is the "only" thing that is seen. It isn't, but it is the current topic of discussion and clearly you're trying your utmost to avoid it. Should I obey these commands of the gods or can I ignore them because I feel like it or consider gods rules as no importance in my life? If I must obey gods laws, why don't you?
Its more a case of if you haven't developed the understanding that the mucus bag is not the all in all, you should read it again, since no matter what you do (get circumcised or don't get circumcised) the result will be the same


Don't take bath for 3 months and see how people treat you then

Guess their noses are too sensitive aswell.
if thats what you think it must be true

because as far as the the pursuit of happiness goes (material/spiritual) they are binary opposites

But both the pursuit of happiness. So where is the difference?
one is in the medium if ignorance (aka - the mucus bag) the other is in the medium of knowledge (aka - the soul)

actually cleanliness is a good prerequisite for spiritual life

Why, do floaty spirits have nostrils?
its more a case that if one is not phased by uncleanliness, its not a positive indication of their future


at the expense of all the scriptural quotes dealing with prohibitions against lust, injury/grief to others, you somehow think that its biblically sound to have sex with kids

You can have sex with children without harming them, lusting after them or causing them grief, (as seen in the press some school kids have even enjoyed it).
I guess for a person such as yourself that cannot perceive an inherent distinction between long and short term happiness, its all good

the material body literally stinks ... and thats just the beginning - wait till you get a visit from old age, disease and death

Damn the gods for creating such imperfection lol. They're either incomptent or bastards..
and ironically, its due to such a mindset that you got a material body in the first place
You should stop using deodorants and after shave right now. Why try and do away with the smells that the gods created for you?
sorry ol chap - cleanliness is next to godliness
Why get materialistic, trying to go against the way the gods intentionally created you to be?
sorry there chum, but I have something else than a mucus bag to consider
You see yourself as stinky, I consider myself a glorious work of art.
then you are a stinky work of art


SB 11.3.44: Childish and foolish people are attached to materialistic, fruitive activities

Such as having a bath and spraying after shave trying to cover up the way the gods made them.
no - more along the lines of refusing to participate in any activity that doesn't swell their name, fame, prestige or financial status in the world

but as far as your conclusion or ideas on what is to be done/not to be done - you don't have a clue

Coming from you? I laughed so hard my lungs flopped out my mouth.
I think most people would consider someone who cannot use the scripture to discriminate whether they should have sex with children or not a few bread sticks short of a salad

certainly - the main one being always remember god and never forget him

And that main one would not be fulfilled if you did not obey his other laws. Why aren't you circumcised?
If you feel that circumcision helps you fulfill this, by all means go ahead

doesn't answer the question - how much deals with circumcision and ho wmuch deals with being free from vice?

It's relevance?
we are talking about sin - specifically what it intrinsically involves

You can negate something because something else is mentioned more, (although it isn't specifically)?
certainly indicates what is intrinsic
So the fact that god prohibiting murder only takes up a short amount of space in comparison to the amount of times god tells people to kill people means murder is now ok?
time place and circumstance always bewilder a person bereft of the foundation of knowledge



whats the point in answering to a person who cannot qualify it either way? - no matter what I answer I could be cheating you

For the final time... We will get to that once you answer the damn question lol. It's a yes or no LG, why are you being such an ass?
because you have a habit of venturing on to topics bereft of the proper foundation - its kind of like desire to elaborate on what pi is when one is not too sure if 1+1 = 3 or 4

the relevance is to sin, and how it is a disqualification for understanding god - so once again how much is about lust and how much is about circumcision?

Both are sins. You ignore one.. why?
sva dharma and sanatana dharma - do you want me to explain them again?

then show that they both get equal representation in the bible

Your statement is utter idiocy. There is not equal representation between not sleeping with ones mother and how to pray. Does that mean it's ok to sleep with ones mother? Don't be a fool.
we are talking specifically about sin as a category, thus representation is an important factor
It one accepts that the ultimate sin is to forget god, its not inconceivable how an uncircumcised person could be sinless, ...yet its inconceivable how a lusty person can be sinless
 
do dead skin cells tend to stink after sometime?

Perhaps, my nose is not that sensitive. However, if they do would it not be pertinent to state that the body doesn't stink, just some dead cells on top of it? If you put a dead skunk on your head that would smell too, but it wouldn't be your body that was ultimately stinky. :D I never said dead things didn't smell.

quite simply, if it gets too stinky, your ability to be 'perfectly' happy diminishes

Only if you're not perfectly happy, (i.e have hangups concerning your body). If you have no hangups concerning your body and don't care about the smell of dead cells then you'd still be perfectly happy.

lol - famous last words

Perhaps, but then given that I am perfectly happy, it doesn't matter what my last words will be.

this is called 'ignorance'

I beg to differ. You can be ignorant of something and thus happy because you're unaware of that which would make you unhappy, but you can also not be ignorant of things but perfectly happy simply because they do not bother you.

no - not at all

1) You believe that mankind was created by the gods.

2) You stated that mankind is a smelly mucus bag.

3) Your gods must have created that smelly mucus bag.

actually my question was whether there was anything greater than the mucus bag to identify with, since you hotly refuse to accept such a designation

I told you already: a work of art. Spend some time at an art gallery looking at the human form. It's incredible. If you are so upset that mankind poop and sweat I would advise you take it up at the next annual god gathering.

internet porn and masturbation has added value to your life?
What does your wife think of this?

A slightly amusing but largely childish statement of no real relevance or worth to what I said. However, to many I am certain internet porn and masturbation has a lot of value.

as you clearly illustrate, one of god's potent creations is the element that throws us in ignorance

Unfortunately once again it's of little relevance to what I said. You have expressed your deep dissapointment at the way mankind have been made. You stink and you're a mucus bag. Have you ever asked your gods why they made you like that?


Is that agreement? Do you concur that humans are a work of art - above the status of "stinky mucus bag" or do you still contend that your gods made us just that?

just as long as at the end of the day you remember to take a bath and not act in a way as to be embarrassed in front of your wife or employer

Or whip my clothes off and let some budding artists paint my beautiful form?

I was talking more specifically of the crowds you are likely to encounter on New years eve at 12.00am

Ohhhhhhhhhhh those kind of antics. It's called "having fun". You should try it sometime.

perhaps 100 years ago, but things have changed

Yeah, you finally figured out the best thing to do was to move to London.

you are right - at least male dogs get to have sex with real female dogs

An attempt at wit.. Guess jokes don't traverse cultures.

remember we are talking specifically about how animals and humans are treated differently due to transgressing the same law, in this case J walking - ar ethe J walking dogs rehabilitated?

Yeah, in doggy school.

but you just said that your 'perfect' happiness was independent of external influence and comes from within - do you want to change that definition now?

I did? Where?

However, I don't see how your question is relevant as I haven't changed anything I have originally said. I work on the statements made by you concerning your dentist and how perfect simply means a lack of cavities completely irregardless to tooth shape, tooth colouring or indeed a complete and utter lack of teeth. After all, you could have no teeth whatsoever which means you wouldn't have any cavities and thus.. by your definition would have perfect teeth :bugeye:

In saying that I am perfectly happy merely because I am not upset about anything. Perhaps you would like to change your definition of perfect?

yes - but alternatively one can purify the consciousness by refraining from sin - namely acts of lust and the like

Purely out of interest in the discussion, what is ultimately wrong with lust? - and, if you cite extreme cases where lust leads to stalking which leads to rape and murder (example) would you then espouse that lust in itself isn't a sin but that the possible further actions that might follow lust are the actual sins? In short: Lust isn't a sin, stalking/rape and murder are?

in other words what we 'feel' to be right and wrong is an indication of what situations we have experienced in a previous life (or alternatively what we can anticipate to experience in the future)

So, if one tries to suck his own thingy it's because he was once a dog? Is there a defined way of telling what a specific action would indicate happened in a past life or what they were in that past life?

And as I replied, most christian authorities don't advocate the "just ask' process - at least not those tied in with the historical continuum of it (what great advocates of the 'just ask' process are there in christian practice? St Francis? Mother Theresea? Or do they also advocate aspects of purity too?)

See you keep bringing up this historical continuum and famous person crapola and despite repeated requests cannot show why something is valid on that basis. Kindly do so.

From a historical/famous person persepctive however, I can give you the most famous of them all - jesus. He said it.

thats my point - millions of christians don't actually follow your half baked analysis of their process

Pretty much every single jew on the face of the planet doesn't stone their naughty kids to death at the town gates. Not following a law doesn't mean it isn't a law. Likewise not undergoing a particular process does not change it from being a valid process.

there is no reason to accept it

Thank you.

historical continuum, while not infallible, is a good place to start

On what basis?

I have however talked about the historical continuum behind both issues and pulled you up on both

And yet failed to justify why that is an issue. The former is a problem because I am the first person to actually see and know Lenny. What now? I have given you the process to get to know Lenny and you refuse solely on the basis that he wasn't known about 3,000 years ago? Lol.

but by the historical continuum you can look at the words (or as is the case of the lenny thing, the absence of words) of others in a more qualified stance (philosophically, scriptural reference etc)

When it comes to Lenny I am the qualified. Furthermore, tell me how a book is in any way going to confirm his existence or lack thereof, (even though there is one) and how him being spoken about 3,000 years ago makes a blind bit of difference.

I never said that the christian process was bogus.

I didn't say you did. What is the christian process btw?

Prove me wrong by establishing a historical continuum (You know - real people with a real influence in history)

First show me why that is of any value.

seems like the are in agreement with me so far, since all i have advocated is that one refrain from sinful activity, namely acts of lust/wrath/etc

Seems you're mistaking process with law intended to save your soul as opposed to getting to know god. jesus does not say "if you refrain from lust you will gain direct perception [in this life]". What is advocated by many christians is to say a prayer much like this one:

"Lord Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. Please forgive my sins and give me the gift of eternal life. I ask you in to my life and heart to be my Lord and Savior. I want to serve you always."

And in doing so, (just asking), you will gain perception of god. You will know god, feel him in your heart blah de blah.

You'll find that the majority of christians espouse that no human is free from sin, and that's why they have jesus - to forgive them for that fact. They will still sin why having this 'knowledge' or direct perception of god but are forgiven because they asked for god to come into their lives. They are "born again" on that basis, not because they no longer sin.

you also see that in the different cultures around the world there are many different styles of painting trees

Certainly. They take what is around them and make an image out of it. Oriental countries of course having a lot of celebration and whatnot with dragons, (as opposed to elephants).The environment has a large impact on what you imagine, (i.e elephant headed gods/vulture gods etc).

if appearing in india makes god the indian god and if appearing in america makes god the american god, what of a god that appears in both america and india?

Such as? (No, not one the stories of one that were transported from one place to the other by travellers). How many elephant headed gods have ever been seen anywhere outside of India? How many Egyptian vulture gods have been seen anywhere outside of Egypt?

actually these are not the allotted duties of ganesha

Nice way of avoiding the point.

you realize that this is a tentative claim and that it is not evidence

Not really, no. It works on the same principle as a survey: You take a look across cultures and witness something readily apparent. That in the majority of instances the gods were given the attributes of things found within that environment. Now, you could claim that the gods play dress up, and specifically make themselves look like something in the region so as to blend in, but that would be the tentative claim.

yes, one island of fiji

Yes indeed.. Fiji.

are you saying that the ration of construction work of places of worship to business has remained constant in the past 2000 years?

Churches need to outnumber other buildings for you to consider this anything other than being "under the notion that god doesn't exist"? Foolishness.

thousands of years?

Not yet. Why is that a requirement?

writing a scripture is not such a thing that can be easily assigned to the creative genius of an artist - especially since you are of the view that such persons were socially primitive and awed by lightning and the sort

I don't see any value in your claim. People can, and have been able to for a long time, write what they feel and believe. They can write about the laws, about what they see around them etc etc. I don't see how that makes it so special, (although certainly interesting from a historical perspective).

My gods are different... Just spend 10 seconds looking at a vagina and you'll see that the human body is a work of art.

1) So you disagree that the vagina is awesome?

2) So you disagree that the human body is a work of art?

if someone writes something and it is still held as pertinent 2000 years later, it is to be understood that what they written was valuable

The same is true of something written 10 minutes ago - it can still be considered valuable. But being valuable and being true are completely different ball parks, completely different games, completely different bloody continents. So explain to me how 'old age' means something is true. Don't try and back out considering you have dismissed Lenny as even existing purely on the basis that he wasn't written about thousands of years ago.

thats why I said even when Twain was in vogue, his readership never approached what is estimated for scripture - even less so now

You would need to provide data concerning readership. Can you?

lots of stats there on google - hundreds of millions of scriptures published

Kindly provide a link to one that shows how many people have actually read the bible etc.

the primary way to determine the validity of a given object is to utilize it in the fashion it is suited - for instance the best way to determine the value of gold is sell it on the market - one could also find secondary values for 3 lbs of gold - like you could use it as a paperweight

So.. the best way to determine the validity of claims that a god exists is.. to see how long ago a book was written about it? That's what we were talking about..

so I guess that must mean its okay to have sex with them right?

That's the point, there's no law prohibiting it. We know we can't be homosexual because the law states it. Why bother stating it? I mean c'mon, it's blatantly obvious that a penis does not belong up a bumhole. That is what you're espousing and yet cannot justify why the one law is there and the other isn't. So what you do is give pointless little one-liners that don't actually answer anything.

since no matter what you do (get circumcised or don't get circumcised) the result will be the same

A rather pathetic copout. You're going to die LG, why bother breathing? That's what you're saying.

its more a case that if one is not phased by uncleanliness, its not a positive indication of their future

I thought the purpose was to try and get away from such materialistic nonsense? If you're so caught up on materialistic activities concerning the mucus bag it is less time spent focusing on the you that is a wafty thingy without nostrils.

and ironically, its due to such a mindset that you got a material body in the first place

That puts your mindset and my mindset in exactly the same place doofus.

sorry ol chap - cleanliness is next to godliness

So we should be concerned with material endeavours?

more along the lines of refusing to participate in any activity that doesn't swell their name, fame, prestige or financial status in the world

So.. we should refuse to do things unless they swell our fame and financial status?

I think most people would consider someone who cannot use the scripture to discriminate whether they should have sex with children or not a few bread sticks short of a salad

I think most people with both bread sticks and salad would have recognised the point and the purpose of the question without getting all nancy boy over it. By that very same token most people would consider themselves as having the ability to discriminate whether they should bonk another man or not. There is a law prohibiting it nonetheless. Why does no law appear prohibiting child sex regardless to whether people can figure it out for themselves or not? (Especially given the high % of paedophilia since the dawn of man - including priests - which clearly indicates that it would have been better served to include the damn law). Would god get wrist ache by writing an extra 10 words?

Now.. if you're going to pathetically try the old "lust/and violence" routine then the same would apply to homosexuality. Homosexuality was specifically prohibitied by god regardless to that. As such your "lust" crap is worthless.

its kind of like desire to elaborate on what pi is when one is not too sure if 1+1 = 3 or 4

Wouldn't it have been easier to say "yes" or "no" than waffle on about pi? That's simply retarded.

It one accepts that the ultimate sin is to forget god

The ultimate sin I believe is to curse the holy ghost.
 
Snakelord

do dead skin cells tend to stink after sometime?

Perhaps, my nose is not that sensitive. However, if they do would it not be pertinent to state that the body doesn't stink, just some dead cells on top of it? If you put a dead skunk on your head that would smell too, but it wouldn't be your body that was ultimately stinky. I never said dead things didn't smell.
so taking the dead skunk as an optional head dress, the body stinks either way

quite simply, if it gets too stinky, your ability to be 'perfectly' happy diminishes

Only if you're not perfectly happy, (i.e have hangups concerning your body). If you have no hangups concerning your body and don't care about the smell of dead cells then you'd still be perfectly happy.
if you can be perfectly happy living outside human society since nobody can tolerate living with you due to body odor ...

lol - famous last words

Perhaps, but then given that I am perfectly happy, it doesn't matter what my last words will be.
on the contrary, that perfection hinges on a variety of things - the most obvious being the state of your body (leukemia would probably ruin your day), but others include whether your family members decide they are better off living without you and also whether your employers decides to keep you on the pay role

this is called 'ignorance'

I beg to differ. You can be ignorant of something and thus happy because you're unaware of that which would make you unhappy, but you can also not be ignorant of things but perfectly happy simply because they do not bother you.
hence such issues of ignorance are clarified through recognizing the distinction between long and short term happiness

no - not at all

1) You believe that mankind was created by the gods.

2) You stated that mankind is a smelly mucus bag.

3) Your gods must have created that smelly mucus bag.
then there is also the issue about what is the relationship between the material world, the living entity and god ....
actually my question was whether there was anything greater than the mucus bag to identify with, since you hotly refuse to accept such a designation

I told you already: a work of art. Spend some time at an art gallery looking at the human form. It's incredible.
the same form, 80 years down the track is a mess



internet porn and masturbation has added value to your life?
What does your wife think of this?

A slightly amusing but largely childish statement of no real relevance or worth to what I said. However, to many I am certain internet porn and masturbation has a lot of value.
for you, I don't doubt it

as you clearly illustrate, one of god's potent creations is the element that throws us in ignorance

Unfortunately once again it's of little relevance to what I said. You have expressed your deep dissapointment at the way mankind have been made. You stink and you're a mucus bag. Have you ever asked your gods why they made you like that?
once again - the relevance is the nature of illusion - actually the question "why am I suffering" (ie inhabiting a mucus bag) is a good intro to the subject


just as long as at the end of the day you remember to take a bath and not act in a way as to be embarrassed in front of your wife or employer

Or whip my clothes off and let some budding artists paint my beautiful form?
whatever, but for the sake of your child and wife I recommend that you keep your day job


you are right - at least male dogs get to have sex with real female dogs

An attempt at wit.. Guess jokes don't traverse cultures.
I am sure that the dogs in britain get to have real sex with real dogs


yes - but alternatively one can purify the consciousness by refraining from sin - namely acts of lust and the like

Purely out of interest in the discussion, what is ultimately wrong with lust? - and, if you cite extreme cases where lust leads to stalking which leads to rape and murder (example) would you then espouse that lust in itself isn't a sin but that the possible further actions that might follow lust are the actual sins? In short: Lust isn't a sin, stalking/rape and murder are?
in short, lust gives rise to insatiable desire with limited resources to fulfill it, hence unchecked lust commonly leads to frustration which in turn leads to wrath and which in turn leads to a plethora of criminal acts that even mundane law recognizes

in other words what we 'feel' to be right and wrong is an indication of what situations we have experienced in a previous life (or alternatively what we can anticipate to experience in the future)

So, if one tries to suck his own thingy it's because he was once a dog?
either that or something lower
Is there a defined way of telling what a specific action would indicate happened in a past life or what they were in that past life?
the laws of karma are intricate and difficult to get precise on - kind of like trying to determine what crimes a person specifically did with only the knowledge that they got a ten year jail sentence

And as I replied, most christian authorities don't advocate the "just ask' process - at least not those tied in with the historical continuum of it (what great advocates of the 'just ask' process are there in christian practice? St Francis? Mother Theresea? Or do they also advocate aspects of purity too?)

See you keep bringing up this historical continuum and famous person crapola and despite repeated requests cannot show why something is valid on that basis. Kindly do so.
otherwise anyone could just make anything up about anything - if you remove the historic continuum from science you have Issaac asimov
From a historical/famous person persepctive however, I can give you the most famous of them all - jesus. He said it.
then the next q is why nobody after jesus said it.



historical continuum, while not infallible, is a good place to start

On what basis?
fine tuning theory to the point of practice

I have however talked about the historical continuum behind both issues and pulled you up on both

And yet failed to justify why that is an issue. The former is a problem because I am the first person to actually see and know Lenny. What now? I have given you the process to get to know Lenny and you refuse solely on the basis that he wasn't known about 3,000 years ago? Lol.
then there is also the existing phenomena of leprechaun culture .....

but by the historical continuum you can look at the words (or as is the case of the lenny thing, the absence of words) of others in a more qualified stance (philosophically, scriptural reference etc)

When it comes to Lenny I am the qualified.
somethings become a problem when there is only one person on a planet with a history of billions who is at the point of direct perception
Furthermore, tell me how a book is in any way going to confirm his existence or lack thereof, (even though there is one) and how him being spoken about 3,000 years ago makes a blind bit of difference.
I mentioned the book thing since you were arguing that there was a historical continuum - since you have just recently dropped that aspect, its no longer an issue

I never said that the christian process was bogus.

I didn't say you did. What is the christian process btw?
same as any other - reduce sin and worship god

Prove me wrong by establishing a historical continuum (You know - real people with a real influence in history)

First show me why that is of any value.
if you are arguing from the stance of an established historical continuum it s kind of essential

seems like the are in agreement with me so far, since all i have advocated is that one refrain from sinful activity, namely acts of lust/wrath/etc

Seems you're mistaking process with law intended to save your soul as opposed to getting to know god.
how are those two things different?
jesus does not say "if you refrain from lust you will gain direct perception [in this life]". What is advocated by many christians is to say a prayer much like this one:

"Lord Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. Please forgive my sins and give me the gift of eternal life. I ask you in to my life and heart to be my Lord and Savior. I want to serve you always."
so a person who continues sinning with out blinking an eye after saying such a prayer is obviously not sincere
And in doing so, (just asking), you will gain perception of god. You will know god, feel him in your heart blah de blah.
not if you don't give a damn about the nature of sin and sacrifice performed by jesus
You'll find that the majority of christians espouse that no human is free from sin, and that's why they have jesus - to forgive them for that fact.
and if they continue sinning as their constitutional right, they are first class cheats
They will still sin why having this 'knowledge' or direct perception of god but are forgiven because they asked for god to come into their lives. They are "born again" on that basis, not because they no longer sin.
god is not perceived by such persons, much like the vision of a person with a diseased eye is not perfect

you also see that in the different cultures around the world there are many different styles of painting trees

Certainly. They take what is around them and make an image out of it.
trees being an objective phenomena (you do believe in trees don't you?)


if appearing in india makes god the indian god and if appearing in america makes god the american god, what of a god that appears in both america and india?

Such as? (No, not one the stories of one that were transported from one place to the other by travellers).
I am just talking about something theoretical to you at the moment since you insist on arguing that god becomes the instant property of what ever culture he appears in


you realize that this is a tentative claim and that it is not evidence

Not really, no. It works on the same principle as a survey:
surveys are tentative claims (especially when they take the form of " 1 in every 10 .....")



are you saying that the ration of construction work of places of worship to business has remained constant in the past 2000 years?

Churches need to outnumber other buildings for you to consider this anything other than being "under the notion that god doesn't exist"? Foolishness.
actually we were talking about the relationship between the construction of abodes of worship as an indication on how religiously inclined a society is - I was arguing that it has been on the wane for the past few hundred years at least - you were arguing the opposite - do you want to keep with this or do you want to change the topic?

thousands of years?

Not yet. Why is that a requirement?
well we were discussing historic credibility ....

writing a scripture is not such a thing that can be easily assigned to the creative genius of an artist - especially since you are of the view that such persons were socially primitive and awed by lightning and the sort

I don't see any value in your claim. People can, and have been able to for a long time, write what they feel and believe.
yet scripture stands above such writings, at least in terms of accepting normative descriptions, print runs and the like
They can write about the laws, about what they see around them etc etc. I don't see how that makes it so special, (although certainly interesting from a historical perspective).
the difference is that such writings don't have such a grand social effect

My gods are different... Just spend 10 seconds looking at a vagina and you'll see that the human body is a work of art.

1) So you disagree that the vagina is awesome?
certainly not the first thing I would compliment a woman on if thats what you mean
2) So you disagree that the human body is a work of art?
its a spark of the splendour of spiritual existence - even the woman who possesses the most 'awesome' genitals becomes instantly repulsive the moment she is dead)

if someone writes something and it is still held as pertinent 2000 years later, it is to be understood that what they written was valuable

The same is true of something written 10 minutes ago - it can still be considered valuable. But being valuable and being true are completely different ball parks, completely different games, completely different bloody continents. So explain to me how 'old age' means something is true.
I was explaining how something was valuable - do you want to keep with this topic or do you want to change to a discussion on how something is 'true'?



thats why I said even when Twain was in vogue, his readership never approached what is estimated for scripture - even less so now

You would need to provide data concerning readership. Can you?
certainly - there are records about the publication and production of scripture even before the printing press - the first publication of the printing press was the Gutenburg Bible




the primary way to determine the validity of a given object is to utilize it in the fashion it is suited - for instance the best way to determine the value of gold is sell it on the market - one could also find secondary values for 3 lbs of gold - like you could use it as a paperweight

So.. the best way to determine the validity of claims that a god exists is.. to see how long ago a book was written about it? That's what we were talking about..
no - but if its a book about god and it gives a process to validate his existence, it may pay to apply that process


since no matter what you do (get circumcised or don't get circumcised) the result will be the same

A rather pathetic copout. You're going to die LG, why bother breathing? That's what you're saying.
breathing or not breathing, doesn't make any difference either if a person is bereft of proper knowledge


its more a case that if one is not phased by uncleanliness, its not a positive indication of their future

I thought the purpose was to try and get away from such materialistic nonsense?
at a certain point perhaps, but initially, particularly if one is awestruck by female genitals, it could pay to be a bit attentive in this field
If you're so caught up on materialistic activities concerning the mucus bag it is less time spent focusing on the you that is a wafty thingy without nostrils.
certainly better than meditating on a few other adolescent stumbling blocks

and ironically, its due to such a mindset that you got a material body in the first place

That puts your mindset and my mindset in exactly the same place doofus.
hardly

sorry ol chap - cleanliness is next to godliness

So we should be concerned with material endeavours?
simply to maintain a platform of stability, its better to be concerned with high grade material endeavours than low grade ones at the hands of lust

more along the lines of refusing to participate in any activity that doesn't swell their name, fame, prestige or financial status in the world

So.. we should refuse to do things unless they swell our fame and financial status?
no
we should strive only to perform our service to god and god's representatives and be neither attached nor repulsed by fame, money etc

I think most people would consider someone who cannot use the scripture to discriminate whether they should have sex with children or not a few bread sticks short of a salad

I think most people with both bread sticks and salad would have recognised the point and the purpose of the question without getting all nancy boy over it. By that very same token most people would consider themselves as having the ability to discriminate whether they should bonk another man or not. There is a law prohibiting it nonetheless. Why does no law appear prohibiting child sex regardless to whether people can figure it out for themselves or not?
perhaps there were higher grades of understanding what was 'awesome' back then ....
(Especially given the high % of paedophilia since the dawn of man - including priests - which clearly indicates that it would have been better served to include the damn law). Would god get wrist ache by writing an extra 10 words?
priests and the dawn of man eh?
quite an interesting merging of histories there ....
what to speak of the statistics you gleaned from such an era ......
Now.. if you're going to pathetically try the old "lust/and violence" routine then the same would apply to homosexuality. Homosexuality was specifically prohibitied by god regardless to that. As such your "lust" crap is worthless.
you can't see the connection between sex and lust ?

its kind of like desire to elaborate on what pi is when one is not too sure if 1+1 = 3 or 4

Wouldn't it have been easier to say "yes" or "no" than waffle on about pi? That's simply retarded.
well would it be relevant to talk about asserting what pi is or isn't to a person who wasn't sure whether 1+1=3 or 4?

It one accepts that the ultimate sin is to forget god

The ultimate sin I believe is to curse the holy ghost.
that sin also requires that one forget gods nature
 
on the contrary, that perfection hinges on a variety of things - the most obvious being the state of your body (leukemia would probably ruin your day), but others include whether your family members decide they are better off living without you and also whether your employers decides to keep you on the pay role

Yes, I have already stated that 'perfection', given your statements, only need concern itself with the current moment - not with some possible events further down the line. To reiterate: You stated that "perfect teeth" were teeth that lack cavities. Now, it is likely to state that at some stage in the future those very same teeth will get cavities. It does not prevent them from being perfect teeth right now. By using that very same basis, my perfect happiness is perfect.. right now. What happens later is neither here nor there to my current state of perfect happiness.

hence such issues of ignorance are clarified through recognizing the distinction between long and short term happiness

What it would come down to is you being more precise. You made the claim that only a fool or drug addict would claim they could be perfectly happy. You did not at that time stipulate that the happiness in question would only be considered if it was.. long term, (eternal I guess). Let's clarify.. It was you that claimed teeth were perfect merely by lacking cavities, and you that claimed anyone saying they were perfectly happy was a liar. By using your own claims against you and your lack of detail I have shown that you are wrong. A person can be perfectly happy without being a junkie or foolish.

then there is also the issue about what is the relationship between the material world, the living entity and god ...

Ok, we'll move on to that once we come to agreement on this.

1) You believe that mankind was created by the gods.

2) You stated that mankind is a smelly mucus bag.

3) Your gods must have created that smelly mucus bag.

Yes or no?

the same form, 80 years down the track is a mess

You're allowed that personal opinion I suppose, but I would disagree.

for you, I don't doubt it

O..k. I can picture you giggling to yourself like the little child you're currently portraying yourself to be.

the relevance is the nature of illusion - actually the question "why am I suffering" (ie inhabiting a mucus bag) is a good intro to the subject

So... you're dissapointed and consider yourself as suffering. That's what you need to understand, and although it should be plainly obvious you haven't seemed to grasp it. You have stated that people are attached to material existence - materialist bastards if you wish. They, surely by being well into this material existence could not be "suffering", because they actually enjoy it, (and end up going through it a billion times in a billion different forms). In saying, the only person that is "suffering" is you, the one that doesn't want to be that "mucus bag".

See there's the point, a materialistic weasel such as myself does not view humans as mucus bags. I consider us to be a work of art - purely because I'm a materialistic weasel. That's why I told you not to put your beliefs on to me. The only person suffering and viewing humans as mucus bags is you, because you don't want to be a human, but a floaty wafty thingy instead. Therefore the only relevance is to yourself and other immaterialistic weasels.

whatever, but for the sake of your child and wife I recommend that you keep your day job

It's of no consequence to anything. If push comes to shove I just sit at home and ebay. Problem solved all around. See how simple it actually is if you give it more than 3 seconds thought?

I am sure that the dogs in britain get to have real sex with real dogs

O........k :bugeye:

in short, lust gives rise to insatiable desire with limited resources to fulfill it, hence unchecked lust commonly leads to frustration which in turn leads to wrath and which in turn leads to a plethora of criminal acts that even mundane law recognizes

Yeah, I'm aware of this which is why I asked whether lust itself is a sin or whether it's actually the "wrath" etc that might follow. You didn't answer, you just kinda repeated what I'd already said. Odd.

Lust in and of itself actually does no harm whatsoever. It can lead to things that do cause harm, but then wouldn't they be the sin? It's like saying it's a sin to own knives because they might end up being used to stab people. Surely the sin is the murder and not the knife?

either that or something lower

Why lower? I get this distinct impression you're afraid of the penis, or consider it some dirty thing that should be kept locked up at all costs. Go ahead, grasp it.. it wont bite. I get the feeling that you and Happeh would be best of friends.

the laws of karma are intricate and difficult to get precise on

Ok, but how does one determine that these are past life memories, as it were, instead of current life experiences that lead people down certain paths?

otherwise anyone could just make anything up about anything

They do, still can and have always been able to. What, because someone lived 3000 years ago they didn't have the ability to make shit up? Do me a lemon.

then the next q is why nobody after jesus said it

Because: Word has it that jesus is god. god has not returned to earth since he killed himself a couple of millennia ago. He will of course return some day, but wont specifically say anything now because he hasn't come back yet. Many people since the time of jesus might come and make claims. You might even call them famous people from history, but according to him they are merely wolf in sheeps clothing. They are fakes, so sayeth jesus, and are not worth listening to.

then there is also the existing phenomena of leprechaun culture .....

There were "ideas" concerning the gods long before, (as you might see it), someone actually sat down and spoke about how they really are. This is indeed seen as theism progresses from polytheism to monotheism. In the eyes most certainly of christians it would seem that the earlier polytheists had got it all wrong - although they were at least trying. Monotheism comes along and people realise that the earlier polytheism, while generally talking about the same issue, wasn't actually correct.

Yes, there is a history concerning leprechauns - written by people that had got small glimpses or ideas concerning their existence. They are the 'polytheists' in this example. I know Lenny well. I am the original monotheist - the christian that realises all those polytheists were actually incorrect - and I know this because I know Lenny, because I have direct perception.

somethings become a problem when there is only one person on a planet with a history of billions who is at the point of direct perception

Not really, no. As it stands L Ron Hubbard used to be the only one person on the planet with the history of billions to know what he knew. The same goes for Joseph Smith who was the only person on the planet that knew what he knew. The same goes for David Koresh. The same goes for Adam and Eve. The same goes for Moses, for Abraham, for Jesus, for Mohammed, For Ganesh or whoever wrote about Ganesh etc. At some stage in time they were the only people that knew what they knew.

same as any other - reduce sin and worship god

This surely could not apply to 'born again' christians that actually become born again by finding god, (usually after an accident or something similar), and then decide to worship it/reduce sin etc etc because of the experience?

so a person who continues sinning with out blinking an eye after saying such a prayer is obviously not sincere

Not entirely, no - as evidenced especially with born agains who seem to work in reverse, (knowledge then process). As with the prayer itself, it says "forgive me for my sins", showing that they do sin. If that prayer is answered and they get direct perception then sure, they will probably certainly try to sin less - but that is after gaining the knowledge, the direct perception - it is not a part of the process to gaining direct perception.

not if you don't give a damn about the nature of sin and sacrifice performed by jesus

Not according to them. Now you need only justify why you're the authority.

and if they continue sinning as their constitutional right, they are first class cheats

After direct perception, aye.. Not before - showing that it isn't a part of the process to come to direct perception.

god is not perceived by such persons

Unjustified statement.

trees being an objective phenomena (you do believe in trees don't you?)

Certainly. Elephants are an objective phenomena too.

I am just talking about something theoretical to you at the moment since you insist on arguing that god becomes the instant property of what ever culture he appears in

I have asked you to show me one case of an elephant headed god appearing out of India. The minute you do it my "insisting" goes down the pan.. doesn't it?

surveys are tentative claims (especially when they take the form of " 1 in every 10 .....")

It's debateable. I would personally consider the shape of say Africa and the land right of it as being 'evidence' that the land mass was once the same land mass. It would, to me at least, seem self evident given what we have to work with. This works on the same basis. What we have to work with are many texts from many different cultures that feature 'gods' that appear like the creatures etc that inhabit that area, (sometimes exclusively). It is the single biggest giveaway to show that christmas has nothing to do with jesus - unless one is to state that christmas trees grow in the middle east. It is most certainly evidence, but yes.. you can claim that there are gods with elephant heads and snake gods and vulture gods and so on and so forth. I will not stop you from doing that.

actually we were talking about the relationship between the construction of abodes of worship as an indication on how religiously inclined a society is - I was arguing that it has been on the wane for the past few hundred years at least - you were arguing the opposite - do you want to keep with this or do you want to change the topic?

You stated, and I quote: "– given the history of contemporary civilization over the past 100 years and the perplexing issues surrounding how such a show can stay on the road for the next 100 years it certainly does raise the issue how intelligent it was to work under the notion that god doesn’t exist"

That is to say that for the past 100 years mankind has been working "under the notion that god doesn't exist". The evidence would show otherwise. On the wane? That's not what you said.

well we were discussing historic credibility ....

You still need to justify why something is considered credible because it's old.

yet scripture stands above such writings, at least in terms of accepting normative descriptions, print runs and the like

Purely because of worldwide religiosity. How many people in Africa? To average religiosity over the whole of Africa you'd end up around 92%. It's therefore not surprising that religious text would outrank Mark Twains tales of 'Nigger Jim'.

Further from that we have to include several other pertinent things. To quote Dire Straits.. "first came the churches, then came the schools". You have a belief - that belief is established among the uneducated before anything else. It is taught first verbally and then via scripture for millennia. It becomes so engrained in society that you couldn't escape it if you wanted to. This doesn't mean the story is credible, merely that it was so deeply rooted into society that people, for millennia, wouldn't even dare question it. One need only point at numerous examples in history - indeed even English history where something was taught and it was death for teaching/reading anything contrary. To quote one such example:

Elizabeth restored England to Protestantism. The Act of Supremacy, passed by Parliament and approved in 1559, revived the antipapal statutes of Henry VIII and declared the queen supreme governor of the church, while the Act of Uniformity established a slightly revised version of the second Edwardian prayer book as the official order of worship. Elizabeth's government moved cautiously but steadily to transfer these structural and liturgical reforms from the statute books to the local parishes throughout the kingdom. Priests, temporal officers, and men proceeding to university degrees were required to swear an oath to the royal supremacy or lose their positions; (1)absence from Sunday church service was punishable by a fine; royal commissioners sought to ensure doctrinal and liturgical conformity. Many of the nobles and gentry, along with a majority of the common people, remained loyal to the old faith, (2) but all the key positions in the government and church were held by Protestants who employed patronage, pressure, and propaganda, as well as threats, to secure an outward observance of the religious settlement.

Anyone ever do that with Twain? Of course not, and that is where your figures come from. None of that actually supplies credibility.

certainly not the first thing I would compliment a woman on if thats what you mean

Fair enough but at least we're getting somewhere. The fact that you'd actually compliment a woman shows it can't all be stinky mucus bags.

its a spark of the splendour of spiritual existence - even the woman who possesses the most 'awesome' genitals becomes instantly repulsive the moment she is dead)

I know very few people that would call a corpse repulsive. Indeed most say they look quite the opposite, (of course that depends on how they die. A bus smack to the head would probably leave the corpse quite 'ugly', but that's not the person, that's the impact of the bus). And no, you "spriritual people" see the body as a stinky mucus bag. Us materialistic people see the body as a work of art. Can you really argue with that? It would seem evident to state that someone that wants to be immaterial wouldn't like the material and someone that does want to be material would like the material. By saying material beauty is a spark of the immaterial is to accept that the material is beautiful, (albeit because of something else) - which I know you wouldn't do considering you view humans as stinky mucus bags.

but if its a book about god and it gives a process to validate his existence, it may pay to apply that process

But there is the point. The process continually fails and there is absolutely no way to justify whether the process is wrong and the claim is bogus or whether the person did the process wrong. You'll probably make many mighty claims without realising that none of them come under justification.

at a certain point perhaps, but initially, particularly if one is awestruck by female genitals, it could pay to be a bit attentive in this field

This is irrelevant to the point. One will be immaterial - female genitals wont exist, nor will smells.. So why must the spiritual concern itself with cleanliness?

its better to be concerned with high grade material endeavours than low grade ones at the hands of lust

So ultimately being materialistic is a good thing? (As long as you choose the right type of materialism)? Btw, you still have to tell me what is wrong with lust.

we should strive only to perform our service to god and god's representatives

All due respect, but doesn't that seem a tad pathetic? The most awesome intellects in the universe, eternal beings of absolute power and this is what it comes down to? Being worshipped by a stinky mucus bag? What a pile of old pants. They even go to such length to turn humans into dogs and whatever just so they can come to the understanding that their entire goal and purpose in life is to worship eternal, omnipotent sky beings that clearly have nothing of more worth to do with their time than to get a stinky mucus bag to bow down to them. I find it the biggest fucking idiocy this side of the cosmos. And, to top things off, if you manage to succeed in worshipping them correctly you get the grand prize of worshipping them forever but being a little less stinky and a little more floaty. Excuse me, but I have never witnessed such blatant worthlessness in my life.

perhaps there were higher grades of understanding what was 'awesome' back then ...

So these people could figure out that they shouldn't sleep with kids, (although it happened), but could not figure out that a penis does not belong up a bumhole? You call this a "higher grade of understanding"?

what to speak of the statistics you gleaned from such an era ......

Yeah great, how about you answer the question?

you can't see the connection between sex and lust ?

Certainly, but you clearly can't see the point of what I am asking. However, I believe and would indeed say I know you can, you just can't answer it.

well would it be relevant to talk about asserting what pi is or isn't to a person who wasn't sure whether 1+1=3 or 4

It's very lucky then that we're not talking about pi. Yes or no, have you had direct perception of god/s?

that sin also requires that one forget gods nature

One cannot curse him if one does not remember him. One can curse him if they know his nature but think he's an ass nonetheless. Try again.
 
Last edited:
Snakelord
on the contrary, that perfection hinges on a variety of things - the most obvious being the state of your body (leukemia would probably ruin your day), but others include whether your family members decide they are better off living without you and also whether your employers decides to keep you on the pay role

Yes, I have already stated that 'perfection', given your statements, only need concern itself with the current moment
such a view is not perfect for obvious reasons
- not with some possible events further down the line.
perfect things tend to be reliable
To reiterate: You stated that "perfect teeth" were teeth that lack cavities. Now, it is likely to state that at some stage in the future those very same teeth will get cavities.
so if you had three sets of teeth, they would be perfect in this order
1 - teeth that doesn't have and will not get cavaties in the near future
2 - teeth that doesn't have but will get cavaties in the near future
3 - teeth that has cavaties

(BTW - these three states bear a similarity to the three modes of nature, namely goodness, passion and ignorance)

BG 18.37: That which in the beginning may be just like poison but at the end is just like nectar and which awakens one to self-realization is said to be happiness in the mode of goodness.

BG 18.38: That happiness which is derived from contact of the senses with their objects and which appears like nectar at first but poison at the end is said to be of the nature of passion.

BG 18.39: And that happiness which is blind to self-realization, which is delusion from beginning to end and which arises from sleep, laziness and illusion is said to be of the nature of ignorance.
It does not prevent them from being perfect teeth right now. By using that very same basis, my perfect happiness is perfect.. right now. What happens later is neither here nor there to my current state of perfect happiness.
Your happiness is in the mode of passion because it is based on things that will shortly not exist

hence such issues of ignorance are clarified through recognizing the distinction between long and short term happiness

What it would come down to is you being more precise. You made the claim that only a fool or drug addict would claim they could be perfectly happy.
correct
You did not at that time stipulate that the happiness in question would only be considered if it was.. long term, (eternal I guess).
most people are intelligent enough to understand that they are not perfectly happy because their plans for happiness, even if realized, will not last

Let's clarify.. It was you that claimed teeth were perfect merely by lacking cavities, and you that claimed anyone saying they were perfectly happy was a liar.
not a liar, but either a fool or a great personality
By using your own claims against you and your lack of detail I have shown that you are wrong. A person can be perfectly happy without being a junkie or foolish.
while you are apt to present yourself in whatever way for the sake of argument, I am sure that there are many obligations in your life as an employed householder (bereft of any insight beyond the mundane) that are far from perfect

then there is also the issue about what is the relationship between the material world, the living entity and god ...

Ok, we'll move on to that once we come to agreement on this.

1) You believe that mankind was created by the gods.

2) You stated that mankind is a smelly mucus bag.

3) Your gods must have created that smelly mucus bag.

Yes or no?
there are two basic energies from god - one is the material (atoms, molecules and particles) and the other is the conscious living being - when they come together you have the mucus bag (and a sufficient level of ignorance to keep oneself occupied)

the same form, 80 years down the track is a mess

You're allowed that personal opinion I suppose, but I would disagree.
you think its a coincidence that old people like to talk about health complaints?
for you, I don't doubt it

O..k. I can picture you giggling to yourself like the little child you're currently portraying yourself to be.
actually you are the one who comes across as a person with adolescent habits and the internet

the relevance is the nature of illusion - actually the question "why am I suffering" (ie inhabiting a mucus bag) is a good intro to the subject

So... you're dissapointed and consider yourself as suffering.
thats the platform of intelligent inquiry - thats why virtually any philosophy you care to mention concludes on the point that happiness in the material world is a utopianism at best
That's what you need to understand, and although it should be plainly obvious you haven't seemed to grasp it. You have stated that people are attached to material existence - materialist bastards if you wish. They, surely by being well into this material existence could not be "suffering", because they actually enjoy it, (and end up going through it a billion times in a billion different forms).
I don't deny that there is happiness in the material world, otherwise why would people work so hard to achieve it - I am saying however that such happiness has concomitant factors of suffering - the most obvious one being the mucus bag (but you could also talk about inherent sufferings from the macrocosm, ie the physical environment of existence, and the mesocosm, the way we have relationships with other similarly unfortunate life forms, as well as the microcosm, our own body and mind)
In saying, the only person that is "suffering" is you, the one that doesn't want to be that "mucus bag".
for a person who has only ever eaten cold pizza, the notion of eating fresh hot pizza seems alien and an over-endeavour.
See there's the point, a materialistic weasel such as myself does not view humans as mucus bags. I consider us to be a work of art - purely because I'm a materialistic weasel. That's why I told you not to put your beliefs on to me.
still remains however, that this work of art is quickly depreciating in value
The only person suffering and viewing humans as mucus bags is you, because you don't want to be a human, but a floaty wafty thingy instead.
no
old age, disease and death visit everyone equally
Therefore the only relevance is to yourself and other immaterialistic weasels.
its not an issue of belief its an issue of fact - old age, death and disease, edge us forward in pursuits of hankering and lamentation, thus happiness leaves the picture (or at least the perfect constant variety of it)

whatever, but for the sake of your child and wife I recommend that you keep your day job

It's of no consequence to anything. If push comes to shove I just sit at home and ebay. Problem solved all around. See how simple it actually is if you give it more than 3 seconds thought?
my advice still stands

I am sure that the dogs in britain get to have real sex with real dogs

O........k
can't say the same about humans, since internet porn doesn't really count

in short, lust gives rise to insatiable desire with limited resources to fulfill it, hence unchecked lust commonly leads to frustration which in turn leads to wrath and which in turn leads to a plethora of criminal acts that even mundane law recognizes

Yeah, I'm aware of this which is why I asked whether lust itself is a sin or whether it's actually the "wrath" etc that might follow. You didn't answer, you just kinda repeated what I'd already said. Odd.


Lust in and of itself actually does no harm whatsoever.
neither does pulling a loaded gun out in public, but still there are laws against it
It can lead to things that do cause harm, but then wouldn't they be the sin? It's like saying it's a sin to own knives because they might end up being used to stab people. Surely the sin is the murder and not the knife?
interesting - since you cannot even bring a bicycle chain or a nail file on an international flight these days, what to speak of a knife

either that or something lower

Why lower? I get this distinct impression you're afraid of the penis, or consider it some dirty thing that should be kept locked up at all costs.
no
I consider it something that has a purpose.
and performing oral sex on oneself certainly seems a strange use for it
(at the very least its not the sort of thing you would want your wife, child or employer to know about)
Go ahead, grasp it.. it wont bite. I get the feeling that you and Happeh would be best of friends.
simple pleasures for simple minds

the laws of karma are intricate and difficult to get precise on

Ok, but how does one determine that these are past life memories, as it were, instead of current life experiences that lead people down certain paths?
one determines these things by applying spiritual processes - namely getting free from the influence of things made awesome by lust

otherwise anyone could just make anything up about anything

They do, still can and have always been able to. What, because someone lived 3000 years ago they didn't have the ability to make shit up? Do me a lemon.
it s a different story when you have a historical continuum of persons applying the same process to get the same result

BG 4.10: Being freed from attachment, fear and anger, being fully absorbed in Me and taking refuge in Me, many, many persons in the past became purified by knowledge of Me — and thus they all attained transcendental love for Me.

then the next q is why nobody after jesus said it

Because: Word has it that jesus is god. god has not returned to earth since he killed himself a couple of millennia ago. He will of course return some day, but wont specifically say anything now because he hasn't come back yet. Many people since the time of jesus might come and make claims. You might even call them famous people from history, but according to him they are merely wolf in sheeps clothing. They are fakes, so sayeth jesus, and are not worth listening to.

what a mess - with a theoretical foundation like that, no wonder you are an atheist

then there is also the existing phenomena of leprechaun culture .....

There were "ideas" concerning the gods long before, (as you might see it), someone actually sat down and spoke about how they really are.
its a case of out with the old and in with the old

BG 4.8: To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium.

This is indeed seen as theism progresses from polytheism to monotheism.
actually its the eternal cycle between thesis, antithesis and thesis again
In the eyes most certainly of christians it would seem that the earlier polytheists had got it all wrong - although they were at least trying. Monotheism comes along and people realise that the earlier polytheism, while generally talking about the same issue, wasn't actually correct.
and earlier than polytheism has everyone scratching their head (although if you are involved in anthropology you may get a pay cheque for scratching your head)
Yes, there is a history concerning leprechauns - written by people that had got small glimpses or ideas concerning their existence. They are the 'polytheists' in this example. I know Lenny well. I am the original monotheist - the christian that realises all those polytheists were actually incorrect - and I know this because I know Lenny, because I have direct perception.
what can I say - you have a lot of work ahead of you
:D

somethings become a problem when there is only one person on a planet with a history of billions who is at the point of direct perception

Not really, no. As it stands L Ron Hubbard used to be the only one person on the planet with the history of billions to know what he knew. The same goes for Joseph Smith who was the only person on the planet that knew what he knew. The same goes for David Koresh. The same goes for Adam and Eve. The same goes for Moses, for Abraham, for Jesus, for Mohammed, For Ganesh or whoever wrote about Ganesh etc. At some stage in time they were the only people that knew what they knew.

yes, all are details on the nature of god ... and your exact point is?

same as any other - reduce sin and worship god

This surely could not apply to 'born again' christians that actually become born again by finding god, (usually after an accident or something similar), and then decide to worship it/reduce sin etc etc because of the experience?
regardless whether one comes up a rolled out red carpet or through the floorboards like a rat in winter, when one is established on the path of religion, the primary duty (at least on the conditioned platform) is to reduce sin and worship god (the idea being that sin inhibits one's ability to perceive god and getting god's mercy enables one to surmount illusion and sin)

so a person who continues sinning with out blinking an eye after saying such a prayer is obviously not sincere

Not entirely, no - as evidenced especially with born agains who seem to work in reverse, (knowledge then process). As with the prayer itself, it says "forgive me for my sins", showing that they do sin.
hence my emphasis on the unblinking eye thing
If that prayer is answered and they get direct perception then sure, they will probably certainly try to sin less - but that is after gaining the knowledge, the direct perception - it is not a part of the process to gaining direct perception.
the process of sinning whimsically until one comes to the point of direct perception of god is certainly the long road of religious pursuits

not if you don't give a damn about the nature of sin and sacrifice performed by jesus

Not according to them. Now you need only justify why you're the authority.
Jesus died for their sins and they still keep on haphazardly sinning regardless? And to top it off they say "I love jesus'? Where would the question of gratitude arise, much less love?

and if they continue sinning as their constitutional right, they are first class cheats

After direct perception, aye.. Not before - showing that it isn't a part of the process to come to direct perception.
performing sinful acts willfully on the strength of religious merits tends to undo the fabric of religious merits


I am just talking about something theoretical to you at the moment since you insist on arguing that god becomes the instant property of what ever culture he appears in

I have asked you to show me one case of an elephant headed god appearing out of India. The minute you do it my "insisting" goes down the pan.. doesn't it?

http://www.sciforums.com/showpost.php?p=1255078&postcount=1

surveys are tentative claims (especially when they take the form of " 1 in every 10 .....")

It's debateable. I would personally consider the shape of say Africa and the land right of it as being 'evidence' that the land mass was once the same land mass. It would, to me at least, seem self evident given what we have to work with. This works on the same basis. What we have to work with are many texts from many different cultures that feature 'gods' that appear like the creatures etc that inhabit that area, (sometimes exclusively). It is the single biggest giveaway to show that christmas has nothing to do with jesus - unless one is to state that christmas trees grow in the middle east. It is most certainly evidence, but yes.. you can claim that there are gods with elephant heads and snake gods and vulture gods and so on and so forth. I will not stop you from doing that.

there are different grades of knowledge - if you get a spare moment try examining the differences between inductive, deductive and abductive knowledge


actually we were talking about the relationship between the construction of abodes of worship as an indication on how religiously inclined a society is - I was arguing that it has been on the wane for the past few hundred years at least - you were arguing the opposite - do you want to keep with this or do you want to change the topic?

You stated, and I quote: "– given the history of contemporary civilization over the past 100 years and the perplexing issues surrounding how such a show can stay on the road for the next 100 years it certainly does raise the issue how intelligent it was to work under the notion that god doesn’t exist"

That is to say that for the past 100 years mankind has been working "under the notion that god doesn't exist". The evidence would show otherwise. On the wane? That's not what you said.
I think that you would agree that contemporary society has found 'better' things to spend their money on in the past few hundred years - architectual trends clearly illustrate this

well we were discussing historic credibility ....

You still need to justify why something is considered credible because it's old.
so you would rather talk about credibility rather than historic credibility?

yet scripture stands above such writings, at least in terms of accepting normative descriptions, print runs and the like

Purely because of worldwide religiosity.

How many people in Africa? To average religiosity over the whole of Africa you'd end up around 92%. It's therefore not surprising that religious text would outrank Mark Twains tales of 'Nigger Jim'.
I think you would be hard pressed to find anyone who extracted normative descriptions from Mark Twain, let alone use it as an example on par with scripture
Further from that we have to include several other pertinent things. To quote Dire Straits.. "first came the churches, then came the schools".

You have a belief - that belief is established among the uneducated before anything else.........
....... thats ok - but your specific challenge was to produce or reference something that could yield a stronger belief
:shrug:


certainly not the first thing I would compliment a woman on if thats what you mean

Fair enough but at least we're getting somewhere. The fact that you'd actually compliment a woman shows it can't all be stinky mucus bags.
thats because most women one would care to compliment would be living ones (with consciousness) and not merely just mucus bags

its a spark of the splendour of spiritual existence - even the woman who possesses the most 'awesome' genitals becomes instantly repulsive the moment she is dead)

I know very few people that would call a corpse repulsive. Indeed most say they look quite the opposite, (of course that depends on how they die. A bus smack to the head would probably leave the corpse quite 'ugly', but that's not the person, that's the impact of the bus).
just when you had almost climbed out of your sexual voyeurisms you want to slip into necrophilia?
And no, you "spriritual people" see the body as a stinky mucus bag. Us materialistic people see the body as a work of art.
an art work with occasional bad aromas and prone to variety of malfunctions on the way to death, yes
Can you really argue with that? It would seem evident to state that someone that wants to be immaterial wouldn't like the material and someone that does want to be material would like the material.
even materialistic philosophy (even freud) concludes that there is no possibility of happiness in the material world
By saying material beauty is a spark of the immaterial is to accept that the material is beautiful, (albeit because of something else) - which I know you wouldn't do considering you view humans as stinky mucus bags.
regardless of a persons stance in regard to god, it seems that most people prefer the objects of their attraction to be living rather than dead - and on a side note, most of them would prefer them to not stink either

but if its a book about god and it gives a process to validate his existence, it may pay to apply that process

But there is the point. The process continually fails and there is absolutely no way to justify whether the process is wrong and the claim is bogus or whether the person did the process wrong.
first come to the position of becoming free from lust and its concomitant results and then determine whether it fails or not
You'll probably make many mighty claims without realizing that none of them come under justification.
at the very least, no less mighty than your .... The process continually fails and there is absolutely no way to justify whether the process is wrong and the claim is bogus or whether the person did the process wrong. .... basically your statement comes across as a person who is unwilling or incapable of giving up lust

at a certain point perhaps, but initially, particularly if one is awestruck by female genitals, it could pay to be a bit attentive in this field

This is irrelevant to the point. One will be immaterial - female genitals wont exist, nor will smells.. So why must the spiritual concern itself with cleanliness?
its kind of like foundation work to enable the contemplation of things that are actually awesome

its better to be concerned with high grade material endeavours than low grade ones at the hands of lust

So ultimately being materialistic is a good thing? (As long as you choose the right type of materialism)?
trying to catch a plane requires that one goes to the airport, even if your departing flight comes over your backyard - the air port is necessary yet not sufficient however

- in the same way, approaching god requires coming to a level of material
goodness - that is also necessary yet not sufficient - meditating on 'awesome' things in the mode of passion is just like jumping up and down in your backyard
Btw, you still have to tell me what is wrong with lust.

I already did and you already said you knew


in short, lust gives rise to insatiable desire with limited resources to fulfill it, hence unchecked lust commonly leads to frustration which in turn leads to wrath and which in turn leads to a plethora of criminal acts that even mundane law recognizes

Yeah, I'm aware of this which is why I asked whether lust itself is a sin or whether it's actually the "wrath" etc that might follow. You didn't answer, you just kinda repeated what I'd already said. Odd.



we should strive only to perform our service to god and god's representatives

All due respect, but doesn't that seem a tad pathetic? The most awesome intellects in the universe, eternal beings of absolute power and this is what it comes down to? Being worshipped by a stinky mucus bag?
not really - the cause of inhabiting a mucus bag in the first place is due to being socialized around many 'awesome' things in the material world, thus re-establishing one's dormant spiritual identity is probably the best thing happening to a conditioned living entity in the past 10 billion years
What a pile of old pants. They even go to such length to turn humans into dogs and whatever just so they can come to the understanding that their entire goal and purpose in life is to worship eternal, omnipotent sky beings that clearly have nothing of more worth to do with their time than to get a stinky mucus bag to bow down to them. I find it the biggest fucking idiocy this side of the cosmos.
I guess you will just have to learn to be satisfied with other 'awesome' things
And, to top things off, if you manage to succeed in worshipping them correctly you get the grand prize of worshipping them forever but being a little less stinky and a little more floaty. Excuse me, but I have never witnessed such blatant worthlessness in my life.
No doubt you will find other things to worship - and experience gleaned from such devotion will reveal the inherent value of your worshipable objects

well would it be relevant to talk about asserting what pi is or isn't to a person who wasn't sure whether 1+1=3 or 4

It's very lucky then that we're not talking about pi. Yes or no, have you had direct perception of god/s?
you have no foundation in understanding what is meant by the word 'god', so it doesn't matter how I answer

that sin also requires that one forget gods nature

One cannot curse him if one does not remember him. One can curse him if they know his nature but think he's an ass nonetheless. Try again.

hence it requires forgetfulness of his qualities
 
such a view is not perfect for obvious reasons

It is fully in line with your claims regarding 'perfection' as your dentist sees it. If you have issue with it, I suggest you take it up with him - and indeed yourself given that I even went to lengths to clarify with you that that was what was actually claimed.

so if you had three sets of teeth, they would be perfect in this order
1 - teeth that doesn't have and will not get cavaties in the near future
2 - teeth that doesn't have but will get cavaties in the near future
3 - teeth that has cavaties

(BTW - these three states bear a similarity to the three modes of nature, namely goodness, passion and ignorance)

Alas you fall once again into black and white mode. We could add dozens if not hundreds of additions to that, i.e:

1) teeth that don't have cavities and wont get cavities but are crooked and miscoloured

2) teeth that don't have cavities, might eventually get cavities, are not crooked but have a slight chip on the edge.

Etc etc etc.

You stated that perfect teeth were teeth that simply lacked cavities. I responded asking you to confirm your statement, you did so. It seems you were wrong - although of course you wouldn't dare acknowledge that fact.

Your happiness is in the mode of passion because it is based on things that will shortly not exist

Entirely inconsequential to the point - which was merely made because of a claim you made.

most people are intelligent enough to understand that they are not perfectly happy because their plans for happiness, even if realized, will not last

I am amazed that you still have not realised the worthlessness of your "most people are intelligent enough" nonsense - although undoubtedly you have but somehow think adding it is a way of convincing someone that you have even the slightest clue what you're talking about. We can end all this once you retract your statement that started this whole thing off - namely that teeth that lack cavities are "perfect teeth".

not a liar, but either a fool or a great personality

Incorrect. You stated, and I quote: "there is no possibility of perfect happiness in the material world - anyone who says otherwise is either a fool, on drugs, or lying "

I am sure that there are many obligations in your life as an employed householder (bereft of any insight beyond the mundane) that are far from perfect

There probably are, but if none of them bother me or my happiness in the slightest then it is of no relevance.

there are two basic energies from god - one is the material (atoms, molecules and particles) and the other is the conscious living being - when they come together you have the mucus bag (and a sufficient level of ignorance to keep oneself occupied)

Was that a yes or a no?

actually you are the one who comes across as a person with adolescent habits and the internet

Only in your childlike mind. However, I will now provide you the opportunity to show me that internet porn is specifically an 'adolescent habit'.

thats the platform of intelligent inquiry - thats why virtually any philosophy you care to mention concludes on the point that happiness in the material world is a utopianism at best

So, you're dissapointed and are suffering?

I am saying however that such happiness has concomitant factors of suffering - the most obvious one being the mucus bag

To the person that considers themselves as a "mucus bag", ergo.. you?

for a person who has only ever eaten cold pizza, the notion of eating fresh hot pizza seems alien and an over-endeavour.

Probably, and he would be happy with cold pizza. Therefore, as I stated, you're the one suffering.

still remains however, that this work of art is quickly depreciating in value

Of what difference does that make when you'll just get born anew?

old age, disease and death visit everyone equally

But you keep telling me it's just temporary and keep telling me that temporary things aren't worth worrying about, so what possible difference does it make? It's not like it really matters that you got stung by a wasp 600 lives ago.. it's irrelevant to a being, (us), that has billions upon billions of lives.

its not an issue of belief its an issue of fact - old age, death and disease, edge us forward in pursuits of hankering and lamentation, thus happiness leaves the picture (or at least the perfect constant variety of it)

Happiness leaves the picture temporaily. You've been telling me that what is temporary is not worth blinking an eyelid over.

interesting - since you cannot even bring a bicycle chain or a nail file on an international flight these days, what to speak of a knife

They have a duty to ensure the safety of their passengers, but the point is and was that there is no law against owning a knife even though that knife can be used to kill. The knife itself is surely not the 'sin', but the murder that might follow?

Now, you can get rid of all knives to ensure that nobody murders anyone, but then they'd just do it with something else if they were that way inclined. The same scenario stands here because it is not just 'lust' that can lead to the harm of others. Love itself can lead to the death of others, so is love considered a sin because of what might possibly happen or is it only the resulting action that is the sin?

one determines these things by applying spiritual processes - namely getting free from the influence of things made awesome by lust

How does getting free from 'things made awesome by lust'? indicate that they learnt something in a past life?

it s a different story when you have a historical continuum of persons applying the same process to get the same result

And your claim rests on scriptural text that makes the claim? (eg bg4:10) Lol. How circular can it get?

what a mess - with a theoretical foundation like that, no wonder you are an atheist

All mouth no balls. Kindly point out what you had specific issue with.

what can I say - you have a lot of work ahead of you

Most things usually do take work. That's the way it goes.

yes, all are details on the nature of god ... and your exact point is?

Support your claim. In the meantime figure out what the point was.

when one is established on the path of religion, the primary duty (at least on the conditioned platform) is to reduce sin and worship god

Sure, when "one is established". In the case of born agains, they gain direct perception before process. Your claimed process to come to direct perception is to get free from sin, but it doesn't hold up under scrutiny of born agains.

the process of sinning whimsically until one comes to the point of direct perception of god is certainly the long road of religious pursuits

Perhaps, but clearly whatever methods you employ are not doing that well either as you're still here occupying a mucus bag, having done so billions of times and still with no direct perception of the gods. They get direct perception without even doing a process and you can't while claiming you know all about required processes. It's amusing.

Jesus died for their sins and they still keep on haphazardly sinning regardless? And to top it off they say "I love jesus'? Where would the question of gratitude arise, much less love?

The same reason you're still a mucus bag I suppose.


I'll have to look further into it, namely if it's an import or not.

I think that you would agree that contemporary society has found 'better' things to spend their money on in the past few hundred years - architectual trends clearly illustrate this

Building a McDonalds does not mean people are "under the notion that god does not exist". You need to justify your claim but clearly can't.

so you would rather talk about credibility rather than historic credibility?

Eh?

I would like you to justify why something is considered credible merely because it's old - which is what you have implied many times.

I think you would be hard pressed to find anyone who extracted normative descriptions from Mark Twain, let alone use it as an example on par with scripture

I guess you'd need to give me a pertinent scriptural example.

thats because most women one would care to compliment would be living ones (with consciousness) and not merely just mucus bags

Right then, so the "me" I was talking about that you kept claiming was just a mucus bag isn't actually just a mucus bag? You are now arguing against your own former statements. Keep up the good work.

just when you had almost climbed out of your sexual voyeurisms you want to slip into necrophilia?

Just when I thought you'd matured a little you slip right back into childish idiocy.

an art work with occasional bad aromas and prone to variety of malfunctions on the way to death, yes

They're only temporary, relax.

even materialistic philosophy (even freud) concludes that there is no possibility of happiness in the material world

And if Freud said it it must be an absolute. You and your 'famous people' lol.

first come to the position of becoming free from lust and its concomitant results and then determine whether it fails or not

I am free from lust.

its kind of like foundation work to enable the contemplation of things that are actually awesome

That 'awesome' thing, (being a spirity thingy), having no nose to smell with and nothing to smell. As such why is cleanliness important to a spiritual existence?

trying to catch a plane requires that one goes to the airport, even if your departing flight comes over your backyard - the air port is necessary yet not sufficient however

Eh? The airport is not "sufficient" for what?

not really - the cause of inhabiting a mucus bag in the first place is due to being socialized around many 'awesome' things in the material world

All of those "awesome" things in the material world created specifically by those "awesome" gods of yours.. right? They made them so the mucus bags they also created could learn to dislike the things they had created and therefore no longer be the mucus bag the gods had created, instead becoming something immaterial that the gods had created but hidden from mankind until such time when he would hate being a mucus bag that he was created to be and hate everything material that the gods created? What a mind fuck.

No doubt you will find other things to worship

I don't worship anything. If there was anything I would actively worship it would be my children. If you and your gods see that as wrong, fair enough.

you have no foundation in understanding what is meant by the word 'god', so it doesn't matter how I answer

If it doesn't matter how you answer, then give me any answer. Such ongoing purposeful avoidance merely shows that the answer is no. My understanding or lack thereof of gods is not really relevant to the question.

hence it requires forgetfulness of his qualities

Inaccurate. It simply requires dislike for those qualities.
 
Snakelord
such a view is not perfect for obvious reasons

It is fully in line with your claims regarding 'perfection' as your dentist sees it. If you have issue with it, I suggest you take it up with him - and indeed yourself given that I even went to lengths to clarify with you that that was what was actually claimed.
perfect teeth requires certain standards be met
perfect happiness requires that different standards be met

so if you had three sets of teeth, they would be perfect in this order
1 - teeth that doesn't have and will not get cavaties in the near future
2 - teeth that doesn't have but will get cavaties in the near future
3 - teeth that has cavaties

(BTW - these three states bear a similarity to the three modes of nature, namely goodness, passion and ignorance)

Alas you fall once again into black and white mode. We could add dozens if not hundreds of additions to that, i.e:

1) teeth that don't have cavities and wont get cavities but are crooked and miscoloured

2) teeth that don't have cavities, might eventually get cavities, are not crooked but have a slight chip on the edge.

Etc etc etc.
indeed - thats why I just presented a simplified version of it, for fear of going through issues which we have previously gone through

Your happiness is in the mode of passion because it is based on things that will shortly not exist

Entirely inconsequential to the point - which was merely made because of a claim you made.
the happiness of fools is foolish

most people are intelligent enough to understand that they are not perfectly happy because their plans for happiness, even if realized, will not last

I am amazed that you still have not realised the worthlessness of your "most people are intelligent enough" nonsense - although undoubtedly you have but somehow think adding it is a way of convincing someone that you have even the slightest clue what you're talking about. We can end all this once you retract your statement that started this whole thing off - namely that teeth that lack cavities are "perfect teeth".
cavities were just an obvious indication on what commonly frustrates people's pursuit of perfect teeth

not a liar, but either a fool or a great personality

Incorrect. You stated, and I quote: "there is no possibility of perfect happiness in the material world - anyone who says otherwise is either a fool, on drugs, or lying "

so which one are you?

I am sure that there are many obligations in your life as an employed householder (bereft of any insight beyond the mundane) that are far from perfect

There probably are, but if none of them bother me or my happiness in the slightest then it is of no relevance.
therefore you have settled with a grade of happiness that is not perfect - granted it may be the best you can manage though

there are two basic energies from god - one is the material (atoms, molecules and particles) and the other is the conscious living being - when they come together you have the mucus bag (and a sufficient level of ignorance to keep oneself occupied)

Was that a yes or a no?
the material elements emanate from god
the living entity emanates from god
if a living entity winds up in the material world (with a mucus bag) they have a degree of responsibility since they weren't forced to be envious of god (although being envious of god forces one to venture into the material atmosphere)

actually you are the one who comes across as a person with adolescent habits and the internet

Only in your childlike mind. However, I will now provide you the opportunity to show me that internet porn is specifically an 'adolescent habit'.
maybe you should discuss such topics with your wife or employer, or maybe someone involved in mental health

thats the platform of intelligent inquiry - thats why virtually any philosophy you care to mention concludes on the point that happiness in the material world is a utopianism at best

So, you're dissapointed and are suffering?
no - But I can see the material world for what it is - namely the source of suffering an disappointment - the question is however, why you claim to be perfectly happy in the material world, when no philosopher, even the atheistic variety, has ever been able to philosophically present how that it is possible for an intelligent person

I am saying however that such happiness has concomitant factors of suffering - the most obvious one being the mucus bag

To the person that considers themselves as a "mucus bag", ergo.. you?
when you get sick you may not consider yourself sick, yet you may throw up and be unable to take yourself to the bathroom to evacuate
when you get old you may not consider yourself old, yet you may break a rib if you sneeze too violently
when you die, you may not consider yourself repulsive, but your immediate relatives will scream at the sight of you and make hasty arrangements to have you burnt, buried or otherwise disposed of

for a person who has only ever eaten cold pizza, the notion of eating fresh hot pizza seems alien and an over-endeavour.

Probably, and he would be happy with cold pizza. Therefore, as I stated, you're the one suffering.
therefore I stated that you are the one with a lower grade of happiness (the imperfect variety)

still remains however, that this work of art is quickly depreciating in value

Of what difference does that make when you'll just get born anew?
to a person who is actually conscious of the fact, absolutely none

old age, disease and death visit everyone equally

But you keep telling me it's just temporary and keep telling me that temporary things aren't worth worrying about, so what possible difference does it make? It's not like it really matters that you got stung by a wasp 600 lives ago.. it's irrelevant to a being, (us), that has billions upon billions of lives.
its only an issue for a person who considers the mucus bag a work of art - for others it is a question of utility

its not an issue of belief its an issue of fact - old age, death and disease, edge us forward in pursuits of hankering and lamentation, thus happiness leaves the picture (or at least the perfect constant variety of it)

Happiness leaves the picture temporaily. You've been telling me that what is temporary is not worth blinking an eyelid over.
so dealing with the issues of these things (death etc) in a materialistic fashion simply accelerates the suffering (since the achievement of materialistic happiness has equal concomitant factors of unhappiness)


interesting - since you cannot even bring a bicycle chain or a nail file on an international flight these days, what to speak of a knife

They have a duty to ensure the safety of their passengers, but the point is and was that there is no law against owning a knife even though that knife can be used to kill. The knife itself is surely not the 'sin', but the murder that might follow?

Now, you can get rid of all knives to ensure that nobody murders anyone, but then they'd just do it with something else if they were that way inclined. The same scenario stands here because it is not just 'lust' that can lead to the harm of others. Love itself can lead to the death of others, so is love considered a sin because of what might possibly happen or is it only the resulting action that is the sin?
assuming you are talking about love turned sour, or crimes of passion, such sins are carried out through the avenue of lust - as for the knife thing, I illustrated how a certain person in a certain situation can be charged with criminal intent - like say a burglar - of course its not the business of mundane law to place punishments on people's consciousness because it is beyond their jurisdiction (it is however with the jurisdiction of god)

one determines these things by applying spiritual processes - namely getting free from the influence of things made awesome by lust

How does getting free from 'things made awesome by lust'? indicate that they learnt something in a past life?
they no longer find them "awesome' - of course familiarity breeds contempt with everyone - the question is whether they are intelligent enough not to seek freshness with another mundane object that will take them down the same path of contempt

it s a different story when you have a historical continuum of persons applying the same process to get the same result

And your claim rests on scriptural text that makes the claim? (eg bg4:10) Lol. How circular can it get?
no
it was just an indication since I doubt you are willing to spend your time examining extensive evidence in the way of persons who have successfully applied scriptural conclusions

what a mess - with a theoretical foundation like that, no wonder you are an atheist

All mouth no balls. Kindly point out what you had specific issue with.
in short - practically every premise - thats why I called it a mess -



when one is established on the path of religion, the primary duty (at least on the conditioned platform) is to reduce sin and worship god

Sure, when "one is established". In the case of born agains, they gain direct perception before process. Your claimed process to come to direct perception is to get free from sin, but it doesn't hold up under scrutiny of born agains.
I would argue that born agains merely gain inspiration - since one of the benefits of directly perceiving god and coming under his personal protection is the ability to refrain from sin
in sanskrit one could say they are at the stage of sadhu sangha (seeing the benefit of associating with theists) or bhajana kriya (seriously applying religious principles) and not even necessarily nistha (capable of maintaining religious principles through all instances of material happiness and distress) ... and quite a distance from asakto (feeling great awkwardness in the absence of spiritual substance - ie it becomes practically impossible to perform sin) and further ....

the process of sinning whimsically until one comes to the point of direct perception of god is certainly the long road of religious pursuits

Perhaps, but clearly whatever methods you employ are not doing that well either as you're still here occupying a mucus bag, having done so billions of times and still with no direct perception of the gods. They get direct perception without even doing a process and you can't while claiming you know all about required processes. It's amusing.
to a degree you are correct, since we have all arrived here by the same acts of stupidity - there is the issue however of addressing the nature of that stupidity which allows for a further distinction between fools

Jesus died for their sins and they still keep on haphazardly sinning regardless? And to top it off they say "I love jesus'? Where would the question of gratitude arise, much less love?

The same reason you're still a mucus bag I suppose.
I don't think I ever mentioned being in possession of a mucus bag is a disqualification for perceiving god's nature - I think I did indicate quite profusely however that according to what one does with the mucus bag (ie the consciousness that drives the sack of sugar and spice and all things nice) certainly bears an effect ....


I think that you would agree that contemporary society has found 'better' things to spend their money on in the past few hundred years - architectual trends clearly illustrate this

Building a McDonalds does not mean people are "under the notion that god does not exist". You need to justify your claim but clearly can't.
it certainly does if Mcdonalds has nothing to do with religion and, as a singular branch of literally thousands of multinational franchise chains, almost has a bigger revenue/assets than the combined efforts of the thousands of branches of christianity

so you would rather talk about credibility rather than historic credibility?

Eh?

I would like you to justify why something is considered credible merely because it's old - which is what you have implied many times.
the same credibility a person might hold for knowing that their toothbrush is in a red cup since they stored it in a red cup in the bathroom for the past 20 years

I think you would be hard pressed to find anyone who extracted normative descriptions from Mark Twain, let alone use it as an example on par with scripture

I guess you'd need to give me a pertinent scriptural example.
I can't guess why you would need me to give you one - certainly haven't seen any shrines or altars dedicated to Mark twain in my world travels (although there could conceivably be one or two in his place of birth or the like)

thats because most women one would care to compliment would be living ones (with consciousness) and not merely just mucus bags

Right then, so the "me" I was talking about that you kept claiming was just a mucus bag isn't actually just a mucus bag? You are now arguing against your own former statements. Keep up the good work.
No - of course you are not a mucus bag - the problem is that you think you are

just when you had almost climbed out of your sexual voyeurisms you want to slip into necrophilia?

Just when I thought you'd matured a little you slip right back into childish idiocy.
so, your declarations on the awesome god like qualities of female genitalia aside, do you want to take back or redefine your statements concerning how most people you associate with find dead people attractive (aren't you a tad bit too old to be emoing?)


even materialistic philosophy (even freud) concludes that there is no possibility of happiness in the material world

And if Freud said it it must be an absolute. You and your 'famous people' lol.
given your awe and reverence for genitals I thought he might be on your altar - perhaps you are too self involved for such an endeavour - but regardless, the question still arises how is it that snakelord, the genital worshipping gross materialist, has come to an intellectual platform of perfect happiness in the material world, when there is not a single philosopher in history who has been able to adequately present such a thing - is he merely pulling his ...erm ... I mean our leg?

first come to the position of becoming free from lust and its concomitant results and then determine whether it fails or not

I am free from lust.
perhaps between the moments when you doze off and wake up with no recollection of your dreams

its kind of like foundation work to enable the contemplation of things that are actually awesome

That 'awesome' thing, (being a spirity thingy), having no nose to smell with and nothing to smell. As such why is cleanliness important to a spiritual existence?
what makes you think that spiritual things don't have sense perception?

trying to catch a plane requires that one goes to the airport, even if your departing flight comes over your backyard - the air port is necessary yet not sufficient however

Eh? The airport is not "sufficient" for what?
not everyone who goes to the airport can catch a plane, since there are further qualifications to be met - such as having a valid ticket and passport as well as clearing customs

not really - the cause of inhabiting a mucus bag in the first place is due to being socialized around many 'awesome' things in the material world

All of those "awesome" things in the material world created specifically by those "awesome" gods of yours.. right?
all to fulfill the 'awesome' desires of the foolish living entity - until of course they come to the point of surmounting such objects
They made them so the mucus bags they also created could learn to dislike the things they had created and therefore no longer be the mucus bag the gods had created, instead becoming something immaterial that the gods had created but hidden from mankind until such time when he would hate being a mucus bag that he was created to be and hate everything material that the gods created? What a mind fuck.
indeed - not just you but practically everyone here in mucusville has some real issues to resolve

No doubt you will find other things to worship

I don't worship anything.

If there was anything I would actively worship it would be my children. If you and your gods see that as wrong, fair enough.
then you will have to deal with the concomitant factors of worshiping something that is not god (although worshiping your children is a step higher than your previously stated object of worship,even if it is a natural consequence of sch intentful meditation)

you have no foundation in understanding what is meant by the word 'god', so it doesn't matter how I answer

If it doesn't matter how you answer, then give me any answer. Such ongoing purposeful avoidance merely shows that the answer is no. My understanding or lack thereof of gods is not really relevant to the question.
yes, no, maybe, definitely, absolutely not -- take your choice

hence it requires forgetfulness of his qualities

Inaccurate. It simply requires dislike for those qualities.
or alternatively, attributing him qualities that re not his because one has forgotten what his qualities actually are
 
perfect teeth requires certain standards be met
perfect happiness requires that different standards be met

The question is, whos standards? They all differ and there is the point. Your dentist thinks it only requires that they be cavity free. This is not in keeping with many other peoples views on what makes perfect teeth.

the happiness of fools is foolish

Whether you consider it foolish or it is foolish is not of any relevance. To them it would still be happiness. Much like I would say that considering the lack of cavities as "perfect teeth" is foolish, (thus making you and your dentists fools), it doesn't stop you having your belief that you have perfect teeth any less perfect to you. Now all you would have to do is show how it is foolish.

cavities were just an obvious indication on what commonly frustrates people's pursuit of perfect teeth

All due respect, but that's not how you presented it. I even asked for clarification - you gave it. It's a little too late in the day to try and back track.

so which one are you?

You now indicate that your claim is true because you say it is. You would have the task right now to show beyond doubt that I am any of them.

therefore you have settled with a grade of happiness that is not perfect

Once again: Whos idea of perfect? I have already pointed out to you that "perfect" is subjective, (as evidenced with your dentists claims that teeth without cavities are "perfect teeth").

You need to establish whos idea of perfect we are using in this discussion.

the material elements emanate from god
the living entity emanates from god
if a living entity winds up in the material world (with a mucus bag) they have a degree of responsibility since they weren't forced to be envious of god

1) You would have to show something to support your claim that anyone inhabiting a body, (i.e all 6 billion of us + the animals), 'envy' your gods.

2) Regardless to whether you claim all 6 billion of us are envious of the gods is quite irrelevant. They specifically, with the greatest of intellect, created a stinky mucus bag - something that you despise. In short you are stating that you despise what the gods have created.

maybe you should discuss such topics with your wife or employer, or maybe someone involved in mental health

I took your advice and did. Both of them concur that internet porn isn't specifically an 'adolescent' thing. Your claim is that internet porn is for adolescents. You would need to verify that claim.

the question is however, why you claim to be perfectly happy in the material world, when no philosopher, even the atheistic variety, has ever been able to philosophically present how that it is possible for an intelligent person

Well, all of those intelligent or otherwise famous folk clearly do/did not share my state of happiness or had differing subjective opinions on what 'perfection' entailed. I'm sure some of them considered perfection as being able to fly, breather underwater yada yada. These things do not come under my subjective opinion on perfect happiness - and thus I am perfectly happy - but clearly not in regards to yours or their subjective opinion on perfect happiness.

I would ask that you cease this continual appeal to authority. It is fallacious.

therefore I stated that you are the one with a lower grade of happiness (the imperfect variety)

Imperfect... to your subjective opinion of perfection.

assuming you are talking about love turned sour, or crimes of passion, such sins are carried out through the avenue of lust

Your wife in a coma on life support. Because of love you turn it off. She dies. No lust involved, just love and yet it is still the killing of another human being. It makes a mockery of "thou shalt not kill" unless god decides to include an "unless..."

Both instances: love and lust, can end up with someone dying. So again, is lust/love the sin, or the killing? Is the knife the sin or is the murder?

they no longer find them "awesome' - of course familiarity breeds contempt with everyone - the question is whether they are intelligent enough not to seek freshness with another mundane object that will take them down the same path of contempt

You and your fallacious "intelligent enough" statements. It's getting rather tedious to be honest. You do not convince someone in such manner, it is a weak and dishonest approach. Show me how not having lust for something is evidence that they learnt it in a past life.

it was just an indication since I doubt you are willing to spend your time examining extensive evidence in the way of persons who have successfully applied scriptural conclusions

Your doubts are irrelevant and rather petty given their context. I have noticed with you this tendency to argue in such manner: claim the opponent lacks intelligence, is a fool, is a liar or on drugs, is lazy etc etc and so on. This is really not the way to debate issues LG, and I shouldn't have to point that out to you with your 4,000 posts. I would ask that you stop attacking the poster and attack the post instead. Thank you.

Now, I want you to show me how something being old makes it credible, which you have implied countless times.

in short - practically every premise - thats why I called it a mess -

Such as?

1) Do you claim that jesus did not say the things I stated he did, (about people coming saying they are prophets etc)?

2) Do you claim that jesus isn't god?

3) Do you claim that jesus has returned since his time on earth a couple of millennia ago?

Which of these do you have issue with? Be specific.

I would argue that born agains merely gain inspiration

You would have to support that claim and would probably be better off doing so against some born again people - who would undoubtedly adamantly deny your claim. Of course if you don't have the direct perception they claim to have then you would have very little to argue - given your own earlier arguments.

to a degree you are correct, since we have all arrived here by the same acts of stupidity - there is the issue however of addressing the nature of that stupidity which allows for a further distinction between fools

You certainly do like saying "fools" I'll give you that. The distinction of course is merely yours - a fellow stinky mucus bag. Would that not be a fool calling another fool a fool while thinking he is exempt from such a title?

it certainly does if Mcdonalds has nothing to do with religion

So your argument is that if anyone builds something that has nothing to do with religion that they are "under the notion that god doesn't exist"?

as a singular branch of literally thousands of multinational franchise chains, almost has a bigger revenue/assets than the combined efforts of the thousands of branches of christianity

So your argument is that if there are many such buildings that have nothing to do with religion and earn more than religion, (I didn't realise religion was but a money making business), then they're living "under the notion that god doesn't exist"?

the same credibility a person might hold for knowing that their toothbrush is in a red cup since they stored it in a red cup in the bathroom for the past 20 years

I don't quite follow your line of reasoning. However, you are ultimately arguing that something is credible because it is old. This would unoubtedly make the Epic of Gilgamesh genuine. Is that what you would conclude?

I can't guess why you would need me to give you one - certainly haven't seen any shrines or altars dedicated to Mark twain in my world travels (although there could conceivably be one or two in his place of birth or the like)

1) You don't need to guess, I'll tell you: I would like you to.

2) There is the Twain museum, the Twain prize, his books were/are part of the school curriculum

3) What we have here is an appeal to popularity. It is fallacious and I would ask that you cease and desist from such activity.

No - of course you are not a mucus bag - the problem is that you think you are

1) Your statement here is in direct contradiction to your earlier statements telling me that "I" am a mucus bag whether I think I am or not.

2) As evidenced throughout our discussion, "I" do not see myself as a mucus bag, that was your view and your view alone. Indeed you have been trying to get me to concur that I am a mucus bag using several different arguments, (including that I must be a stinky mucus bag because I need a bath and will be repulsive when I'm dead).

Your statement is in direct contradiction to your earlier statements. Please make your thoughts clear and try not to contradict them.

do you want to take back or redefine your statements concerning how most people you associate with find dead people attractive

Not at all. Most funerals involve open coffins. This would never happen if people were repulsed by the dead. Most statements from those that have seen dead people are that they "look calm and peaceful". Statements do not usually include "he looked like a stinky repulsive mucus bag". We could then look at those that have not seen a dead body but have seen dead animals - of which I am sure most of us have. They do not look repulsive whatsoever, merely dead. Sure, when the maggots start eating it might not look that nice, but that's not because of the dead body, that's because of the maggots.

the question still arises how is it that snakelord, the genital worshipping gross materialist, has come to an intellectual platform of perfect happiness in the material world, when there is not a single philosopher in history who has been able to adequately present such a thing - is he merely pulling his ...erm ... I mean our leg?

The question was answered earlier, but I shall explain again.

1) I do not 'worship' genitals, but yes I do like vaginas.

2) Your appeal to authority is fallacious.

3) I wouldn't consider myself a "gross materialist", I just utilize that which exists. Is it my fault that I eat 'real' material food as opposed to imaginary immaterial food? Ooh yummy, that invisible donut tasted rather nice :bugeye:

4) Perfection is subjective. You and your dentist consider teeth without cavities as "perfect teeth". I do not. That's not to say that my image of perfection is more or less than yours, it's simply different. Your dentists teeth lack cavities. They are, to him, perfect teeth. My teeth would have to include things that differ to your opinion before I would consider them perfect. Likewise, I am perfectly happy. You and your dentist might require different things to consider yourselves as "perfectly happy" and that is fine, but it does not hinder or intrude upon my perfect happiness.

perhaps between the moments when you doze off and wake up with no recollection of your dreams

Justify your statement. Where in my life do I "lust"?

what makes you think that spiritual things don't have sense perception?

But without anything to smell, (i.e stinky mucus bags), what is the purpose in having the ability to smell or the importance of material cleanliness?

However, I will give you the opportunity to tell me how it is as an immaterial being incase I made error.

all to fulfill the 'awesome' desires of the foolish living entity

Those "awesome desires" also created by your gods. Are you claiming that man created these things himself? The gods supposedly created you and everything about you. Your conscience, your morality, your feelings, your entire persona. We did not create amongst ourselves to be sexually aroused when seeing a woman, or angry when someone swears at us, or upset when we fall over and hurt ourselves etc - those were all creations of the gods. Mankind did not create any of this - his brain, his being was a specific and planned creation by the most awesome intellects in existence. If one is awed by the material it is because he was made so. If he is a fool, it is because he was made so.

then you will have to deal with the concomitant factors of worshiping something that is not god

Perhaps, that doesn't change anything. It is my nature as created by those gods of yours. I can no more change it than you can change what bacon tastes like to your taste buds.

yes, no, maybe, definitely, absolutely not -- take your choice

I asked you. Kindly desist from this silliness and just answer it. I wont bite you.
 
Snakelord
perfect teeth requires certain standards be met
perfect happiness requires that different standards be met

The question is, whos standards? They all differ and there is the point. Your dentist thinks it only requires that they be cavity free. This is not in keeping with many other peoples views on what makes perfect teeth.
if a person had a standard of perfect teeth that didn't address the issues of cavities, that would make their standard a bit below the general consensus

the happiness of fools is foolish

Whether you consider it foolish or it is foolish is not of any relevance. To them it would still be happiness. Much like I would say that considering the lack of cavities as "perfect teeth" is foolish, (thus making you and your dentists fools), it doesn't stop you having your belief that you have perfect teeth any less perfect to you. Now all you would have to do is show how it is foolish.
once again, it s a question of what is substantial and what is ephemeral - if you do not consider the absence of cavities integral to perfect teeth, that is your foolishness - similarly. Short term happiness is no great feat of intelligence since even a fool can determine such things

therefore you have settled with a grade of happiness that is not perfect

Once again: Whos idea of perfect? I have already pointed out to you that "perfect" is subjective, (as evidenced with your dentists claims that teeth without cavities are "perfect teeth").[/QUOTE
imperfect in the sense that you have to settle for a grade of happiness that involves concomitant factors of misery (beginning with the mucus bag)
You need to establish whos idea of perfect we are using in this discussion.
by the standard of your own desires - if you have desires for happiness that are impeded on a regular basis, your standard of happiness not perfect - just like when you get sick, old and eventually die - these thing swill impede your happiness (or even to take it to a less grand level, if your happiness is perfect, why do you take holidays from work? Why don't you sleep at your workplace (if you have the perfect job)? - or alternatively if you have the view that homelife is perfect, why don't you stay home and not go to work)

the material elements emanate from god
the living entity emanates from god
if a living entity winds up in the material world (with a mucus bag) they have a degree of responsibility since they weren't forced to be envious of god

1) You would have to show something to support your claim that anyone inhabiting a body, (i.e all 6 billion of us + the animals), 'envy' your gods.
they envy each other and they exploit the resources of material nature (which is an energy of god - at the very least its certainly not produced by humans)
2) Regardless to whether you claim all 6 billion of us are envious of the gods is quite irrelevant. They specifically, with the greatest of intellect, created a stinky mucus bag - something that you despise. In short you are stating that you despise what the gods have created.
only a fool would desire to inhabit a prison, even if it is designed by the greatest architect in the universe

maybe you should discuss such topics with your wife or employer, or maybe someone involved in mental health

I took your advice and did. Both of them concur that internet porn isn't specifically an 'adolescent' thing. Your claim is that internet porn is for adolescents. You would need to verify that claim.
did you also go on to explain your personal views?
namely ....

My gods are different... Just spend 10 seconds looking at a vagina and you'll see that the human body is a work of art.


the question is however, why you claim to be perfectly happy in the material world, when no philosopher, even the atheistic variety, has ever been able to philosophically present how that it is possible for an intelligent person

Well, all of those intelligent or otherwise famous folk clearly do/did not share my state of happiness or had differing subjective opinions on what 'perfection' entailed.
given the statement, "perfect happiness is only available to great personalities or fools", that is one option .....
I'm sure some of them considered perfection as being able to fly, breather underwater yada yada.
not necessarily - just something as elementary as being able to fulfill ones' desires without impediments
These things do not come under my subjective opinion on perfect happiness - and thus I am perfectly happy -
yet you still have to go to work, have arguments with your wife about the quality of tea she makes, get sick more frequently as you progress in old age and eventually die - ahhhh yes, perfection
but clearly not in regards to yours or their subjective opinion on perfect happiness.
its your desires that are getting impeded
I would ask that you cease this continual appeal to authority. It is fallacious.
its fallacious that you try and present that you have perfect happiness, a type not capable of being asserted by any philosopher in the material world (atheist or otherwise) and then undermine the definition of the word by glossing over the 'highlights' of your life

assuming you are talking about love turned sour, or crimes of passion, such sins are carried out through the avenue of lust

Your wife in a coma on life support. Because of love you turn it off. She dies. No lust involved, just love and yet it is still the killing of another human being. It makes a mockery of "thou shalt not kill" unless god decides to include an "unless..."

Both instances: love and lust, can end up with someone dying. So again, is lust/love the sin, or the killing? Is the knife the sin or is the murder?
the murderer, under the influence of lust, obviously

they no longer find them "awesome' - of course familiarity breeds contempt with everyone - the question is whether they are intelligent enough not to seek freshness with another mundane object that will take them down the same path of contempt

You and your fallacious "intelligent enough" statements. It's getting rather tedious to be honest. You do not convince someone in such manner, it is a weak and dishonest approach. Show me how not having lust for something is evidence that they learnt it in a past life.
well wouldn't you define intelligence as the ability to learn from mistakes, or even the ability to learn from the mistakes of others?

it was just an indication since I doubt you are willing to spend your time examining extensive evidence in the way of persons who have successfully applied scriptural conclusions

Your doubts are irrelevant and rather petty given their context. I have noticed with you this tendency to argue in such manner: claim the opponent lacks intelligence, is a fool, is a liar or on drugs, is lazy etc etc and so on.
you are the one who claims to have attained perfect happiness (along side with a lifestyle that doesn't even lift its nose out of material affairs) - if there is not a single philosopher (atheistic or otherwise) who has been able to philosophically present such a claim, the question remains, are you greater that 2000 years of intelligent thinkers or are you are fool? What would an 'intelligent' person think in such circumstances?
This is really not the way to debate issues LG, and I shouldn't have to point that out to you with your 4,000 posts. I would ask that you stop attacking the poster and attack the post instead. Thank you.
if you can't see how your claim is incongruent to the claim of persons who are obviously more intelligent (and also of the same value system) as yourself, this point has to be addressed
Now, I want you to show me how something being old makes it credible, which you have implied countless times.
doesn't science also look for repeatable observances to validate substance?


I would argue that born agains merely gain inspiration

You would have to support that claim and would probably be better off doing so against some born again people - who would undoubtedly adamantly deny your claim. Of course if you don't have the direct perception they claim to have then you would have very little to argue - given your own earlier arguments.
I indicated that in the rest of the post
to a degree you are correct, since we have all arrived here by the same acts of stupidity - there is the issue however of addressing the nature of that stupidity which allows for a further distinction between fools

You certainly do like saying "fools" I'll give you that. The distinction of course is merely yours - a fellow stinky mucus bag. Would that not be a fool calling another fool a fool while thinking he is exempt from such a title?
to put it simply - the most dangerous type of fool is one who is oblivious to their foolish nature

it certainly does if Mcdonalds has nothing to do with religion

So your argument is that if anyone builds something that has nothing to do with religion that they are "under the notion that god doesn't exist"?
no - but if they build a 100 story building for the acquisition of wealth and renovate an old scout hall for a place of worship, it certainly indicates where they sit on the scale of things

as a singular branch of literally thousands of multinational franchise chains, almost has a bigger revenue/assets than the combined efforts of the thousands of branches of christianity "

So your argument is that if there are many such buildings that have nothing to do with religion and earn more than religion, (I didn't realise religion was but a money making business), then they're living "under the notion that god doesn't exist"?
since all opulence owes its source to god, it would behoove persons gracious of this fact to utilize a portion of it in his service don't you think?

the same credibility a person might hold for knowing that their toothbrush is in a red cup since they stored it in a red cup in the bathroom for the past 20 years

I don't quite follow your line of reasoning. However, you are ultimately arguing that something is credible because it is old. This would unoubtedly make the Epic of Gilgamesh genuine. Is that what you would conclude?
to run with the analogy, what would be the established oldness of gilgamesh in regards to persons making some repeatable claim to the nature of this world? (like in scripture there is the nature of god existing, backed up by processes - namely getting free from the effects of sin) - as a process of verification and with the toothbrush there is the fact that it has been in a red cup everyday for the past twenty years)

I can't guess why you would need me to give you one - certainly haven't seen any shrines or altars dedicated to Mark twain in my world travels (although there could conceivably be one or two in his place of birth or the like)

1) You don't need to guess, I'll tell you: I would like you to.
I didn't indicate one in the above passage?
2) There is the Twain museum, the Twain prize, his books were/are part of the school curriculum
one could question whether it would possible to even fully comprehend the subtleties of twain's work bereft of the foundation of christianity (espevially since satire played a part in his work)
3) What we have here is an appeal to popularity. It is fallacious and I would ask that you cease and desist from such activity.
first establish how Mark Twain could exist as anything but a sub category of a christian culture

No - of course you are not a mucus bag - the problem is that you think you are

1) Your statement here is in direct contradiction to your earlier statements telling me that "I" am a mucus bag whether I think I am or not.
you may forget that you are obligated to take a term of existence as a mucus bag, bu t that will not prevent the mucus bag from doing its thing, namely stinking (and stinking a whole lot more when it eventually drops down dead)
2) As evidenced throughout our discussion, "I" do not see myself as a mucus bag,
that is your foolishness, since the mucus bag will do its own thing under the influence of the time factor
that was your view and your view alone. Indeed you have been trying to get me to concur that I am a mucus bag using several different arguments, (including that I must be a stinky mucus bag because I need a bath and will be repulsive when I'm dead).
at the very least it seems that you have taken the mucus bag as a potentially unsightly piece of luggage (that can be dressed up in a number of artful ways to appear otherwise) that you can't get rid of
Your statement is in direct contradiction to your earlier statements. Please make your thoughts clear and try not to contradict them.
in short - ultimately the living entity is not a mucus bag, however under th e influence of illusion they are obliged to inhabit one for a period of time - its also the nature of illusion that even while inhabiting the mucus bag, one can forget about the intrinsic nature of the mucus bag (namely that it is temporary and has a predictable conclusion)
In other words you hav e no idea what you are, since you can only answer the question "Who am I" (which started this whole mucus bag direction) with replies like "the entity responding to you) - of course you can try and say things like "I am the brain" but such things belong more to the field of science fiction than science

do you want to take back or redefine your statements concerning how most people you associate with find dead people attractive

Not at all. Most funerals involve open coffins. This would never happen if people were repulsed by the dead.
and why do the corpses undergo a make over at the morgue first?
Most statements from those that have seen dead people are that they "look calm and peaceful".
do they look better than when they were alive?
Statements do not usually include "he looked like a stinky repulsive mucus bag".
if they didn't get cleaned up at the morgue before they made an appearance such statements might be a bit more common - at the very least the aroma of surgery theaters are quite distinct
We could then look at those that have not seen a dead body but have seen dead animals - of which I am sure most of us have. They do not look repulsive whatsoever, merely dead.
the issue is however, which state do they appear more attractive in - their dead state or living state?
To get back to the original statement, if an 'awesome' supermodel dies, why does that spell the end of her modeling career (after all, the body is still there)?
Sure, when the maggots start eating it might not look that nice, but that's not because of the dead body, that's because of the maggots.
its just a few mm of skin that keeps the whole package marketable

the question still arises how is it that snakelord, the genital worshipping gross materialist, has come to an intellectual platform of perfect happiness in the material world, when there is not a single philosopher in history who has been able to adequately present such a thing - is he merely pulling his ...erm ... I mean our leg?

The question was answered earlier, but I shall explain again.

1) I do not 'worship' genitals, but yes I do like vaginas.
lol
2) Your appeal to authority is fallacious.
so in other words it okay for you to make philosophical claims that have not been validated in 2000 years of philosophy (by pretending that you don't have material desire s that are impeded in the course of material life)?
3) I wouldn't consider myself a "gross materialist", I just utilize that which exists.
... utilize for who Mr. Gross Materialist?
Is it my fault that I eat 'real' material food as opposed to imaginary immaterial food?
then why is it okay for other people's families to starve while yours must remain well fed?


perhaps between the moments when you doze off and wake up with no recollection of your dreams

Justify your statement. Where in my life do I "lust"?
you view your ultimate identification as the body (of course you hotly deny this, yet you talk of grand objects in relation to this false identity, namely the female reproductive system, and I am sure that if we looked at all your desires we would see that they all hinge on you occupying the current combination of bile mucus and air you haphazardly refer to as "me")

what makes you think that spiritual things don't have sense perception?

But without anything to smell, (i.e stinky mucus bags), what is the purpose in having the ability to smell or the importance of material cleanliness?
what makes you think that there is no activity for the senses in spiritual existence?
However, I will give you the opportunity to tell me how it is as an immaterial being incase I made error.
material senses have material objects (like for instance having one set of genitals makes for being attracted by another set of genitals -usually but not always the opposite to what one has)
spiritual senses have spiritual objects (in short the appreciation of god's name , form, quality and pastimes)

all to fulfill the 'awesome' desires of the foolish living entity

Those "awesome desires" also created by your gods.
the government also builds prisons, but not with the view to increasing the number of criminals in society

Are you claiming that man created these things himself?
no
The gods supposedly created you and everything about you. Your conscience, your morality, your feelings, your entire persona. We did not create amongst ourselves to be sexually aroused when seeing a woman, or angry when someone swears at us, or upset when we fall over and hurt ourselves etc - those were all creations of the gods.
just to say god created something, doesn't mean that we are bereft of responsibility
Mankind did not create any of this - his brain, his being was a specific and planned creation by the most awesome intellects in existence.
hence the only thing a living entity is responsible for is their desires

If one is awed by the material it is because he was made so.
if one is awed by the material it is because they have not applied themselves to discerning the nature of the spiritual

If he is a fool, it is because he was made so.
in some ways yes - but even a fool can apply themselves to spiritual life - failing that they ar etruly foolish, even if they have great academic credentials, heaps of money, a beautiful family, etc (since all these things are lost at the point of death)

then you will have to deal with the concomitant factors of worshiping something that is not god

Perhaps, that doesn't change anything. It is my nature as created by those gods of yours.
your nature is the result of your previous desires
I can no more change it than you can change what bacon tastes like to your taste buds.
if you had lost the human form of life, perhaps, but since you have acquired it somehow, you have the ability to be self controlled in various ways

SB 7.11.8-12: These are the general principles to be followed by all human beings: truthfulness, mercy, austerity (observing fasts on certain days of the month), bathing twice a day, tolerance, discrimination between right and wrong, control of the mind, control of the senses, nonviolence, celibacy, charity, reading of scripture, simplicity, satisfaction, rendering service to saintly persons, gradually taking leave of unnecessary engagements, observing the futility of the unnecessary activities of human society, remaining silent and grave and avoiding unnecessary talk, considering whether one is the body or the soul, distributing food equally to all living entities (both men and animals), seeing every soul (especially in the human form) as a part of the Supreme Lord, hearing about the activities and instructions given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead (who is the shelter of the saintly persons), chanting about these activities and instructions, always remembering these activities and instructions, trying to render service, performing worship, offering obeisances, becoming a servant, becoming a friend, and surrendering one's whole self. O King Yudhiṣṭhira, these thirty qualifications must be acquired in the human form of life. Simply by acquiring these qualifications, one can satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

yes, no, maybe, definitely, absolutely not -- take your choice

I asked you. Kindly desist from this silliness and just answer it. I wont bite you.
thats my point - its a silly question because you don't know what is meant by the word 'god' so an answer in any way is as suitable as any other
 
it s a question of what is substantial and what is ephemeral - if you do not consider the absence of cavities integral to perfect teeth, that is your foolishness - similarly.

It seems you are purposely trying to shove the issue down a different path. Let's get this straight: You stated that your dentist said, (and the implication was that you agree), that teeth are 'perfect' merely by lacking cavities. Who is the fool?

by the standard of your own desires - if you have desires for happiness that are impeded on a regular basis, your standard of happiness not perfect

Let us once and for all clarify the situation: You stated that your dentist said, (and the implication was that you agree), that teeth are 'perfect' merely by lacking cavities. By using YOUR own claims in reverse we come to the basis that "perfect happiness" is attained merely by lacking sorrow.

What you are doing here is arguing against your own claims. You have stated that teeth that lack cavities are perfect teeth. I even asked you to confirm the statement, which you did and then stated that by using your same understanding of "perfect", one would have perfect happiness merely by lacking sorrow.

You really need to get your argument straight - with many issues, (more examples to come in this post), before continuing.

Do you LG now state that you were wrong to claim that "perfect teeth" are teeth that merely lack cavities? If so, the "perfect happiness" issue is no longer an issue because it was only brought up because of claims you made.

they envy each other and they exploit the resources of material nature (which is an energy of god - at the very least its certainly not produced by humans)

So now we come down to you claiming that man envies each other and envies the gods. However, this is neither here nor there to what was asked of you - which was to "show something to support your claim that anyone inhabiting a body, (i.e all 6 billion of us + the animals), 'envy' your gods."

only a fool would desire to inhabit a prison, even if it is designed by the greatest architect in the universe

So you consider the human body as a prison and do not want to inhabit it while anyone that does is a fool? It must be quite tough being you. Of course the same conclusion still applies: you despise that which your gods created.

did you also go on to explain your personal views?
namely ....

My gods are different... Just spend 10 seconds looking at a vagina and you'll see that the human body is a work of art.

As immature as your question is, I will get on the phone right now and ask. Can I also point out to them the alternative view, your view, that it is indeed a stinky, mucus bag that nobody should want to have as a part of them? While I understand you are not qualified in any related field, which of us do you think would be in more need of help? A man that likes vaginas or a man that doesn't even want to inhabit his body? Hmmm...

its fallacious that you try and present that you have perfect happiness, a type not capable of being asserted by any philosopher in the material world (atheist or otherwise) and then undermine the definition of the word by glossing over the 'highlights' of your life

1) You need to note right now, and I am going to ask that you take the time to pay full attention to it: YOU stated that teeth merely required a lack of cavities to be perfect. I even got you to confirm your statement, which you did. I on the other hand had previously stated otherwise - namely that teeth should be evenly spaced, not discoloured etc etc, but you were adamant that perfect teeth are perfect merely by lacking cavities. What is fallacious is that you try and dispute my 'perfect happiness', the claim of which was only made and worked under the basis of your stated ideas of what makes something "perfect".

2) I would ask if any of these philosophers were working under the LG definition of perfect? If they weren't then you cannot use them in this argument - or, by doing so, are actually arguing against your own claim. Let it be stated for the record once more: You were the one that made the original claim (teeth that lack cavities are perfect teeth). I used your claim with regards to perfect happiness, (the lack of sorrow and nothing more).

3) Sort yourself out. Right now all I need to do is grab some popcorn and watch you argue against your own claims.

the murderer, under the influence of lust, obviously

Your statement is flawed. The "sin" is the action, not the person that commits the action - thus a "murderer" cannot be a sin, while the muder itself can.

Once again: what is the sin? The murder or the lust that might lead to murder in people so inclined? In analogy form: is the knife the sin or is the stabbing to death of a person the sin?

well wouldn't you define intelligence as the ability to learn from mistakes, or even the ability to learn from the mistakes of others?

Your question has no place here. Let me state again: "Show me how not having lust for something is evidence that they learnt it in a past life."

How does your question answer that?

you are the one who claims to have attained perfect happiness

Certainly, by using your claim on what perfection is, (your perfect teeth claim). If you see problem with it, continue arguing with yourself.

if there is not a single philosopher (atheistic or otherwise) who has been able to philosophically present such a claim, the question remains, are you greater that 2000 years of intelligent thinkers or are you are fool? What would an 'intelligent' person think in such circumstances?

1) An intelligent person would notice that the claim has indeed stemmed from you, that you were the one espousing that teeth that lack cavities are perfect teeth - absolutely bloody regardless to whether they're crooked, chipped, discoloured and so on. I even got you to confirm your claim - you did. That is foolish.

2) By using your claim I stated that I have perfect happiness, (which by using your methods), is merely the lack of sorrow.

3) Who therefore is the fool, the one that thinks they're greater?

if you can't see how your claim is incongruent to the claim of persons who are obviously more intelligent (and also of the same value system) as yourself, this point has to be addressed

1) Your claim to "obviously more intelligent" falls apart when it comes from you, merely because you haven't even worked out where your error is yet.. Namely:

2) If you can't see how my claim was made because of and in comparison to your claim then there's a lot we still need to address.

doesn't science also look for repeatable observances to validate substance?

That is not an answer to what was asked of you.

to put it simply - the most dangerous type of fool is one who is oblivious to their foolish nature

Now you would need to justify how that fool, the dangerous fool that is oblivious to them being a fool, is not you. (No, this is not an insult, it's a valid question). If they're "oblivious", how would you determine that it isn't you?

no - but if they build a 100 story building for the acquisition of wealth and renovate an old scout hall for a place of worship, it certainly indicates where they sit on the scale of things

None of which in itself actually means they live "under the notion that god doesn't exist".

since all opulence owes its source to god, it would behoove persons gracious of this fact to utilize a portion of it in his service don't you think?

1) Does any of the money given actually make it's way to god?

2) If so, for what purpose? Are there shops in heaven that god likes to buy things from?

3) 'And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him'

It would seem that god does not require large expensive buildings with which to give him 'service'. Indeed the opposite, just go in a quiet room at home. The answer to your question therefore is no.

what would be the established oldness of gilgamesh in regards to persons making some repeatable claim to the nature of this world? (like in scripture there is the nature of god existing, backed up by processes - namely getting free from the effects of sin) - as a process of verification

1) You would have to show beyond doubt that anyone is "free from sin" in order to be able to make the claim that a claimed process is indeed backed up. Is there anyone on this planet "free from sin"? I do know that no christian on this planet would agree with you, (other than to say jesus is which can't be used in this argument).

2) You're dragging this down a different road. You have stated and implied that something is credible merely because it is old. In saying, Gilgamesh really did battle ogres and build a city, (that has been found), and was a demi god merely because ancient text says so.

one could question whether it would possible to even fully comprehend the subtleties of twain's work bereft of the foundation of christianity

While I fail to see it's relevance, of course christianity was a large basis of his work considering he was an active atheist. He scorned the idiocy known as religion many a time.

you may forget that you are obligated to take a term of existence as a mucus bag, bu t that will not prevent the mucus bag from doing its thing, namely stinking (and stinking a whole lot more when it eventually drops down dead)

We need to clear this up right now because this is yet another example of you arguing against your own statements and claims.

1) You stated that mankind are stinky mucus bags whether they think they are or not

2) You then contradict this completely by saying "no, of course you're not a mucus bag, you only think you are"

Yes or no LG? Kindly spend some time exploring your own brain until you come up with one answer instead of two that contradict each other. All that time, all that energy adamantly telling me that humans are mucus bags only to then turn round and tell me they're not. Seems there's 3 people in this discussion. Me and the two of you.

that is your foolishness, since the mucus bag will do its own thing under the influence of the time factor

Blimey guvnor! Now we're back to being a stinky mucus bag again, even though a few seconds earlier you said "no, of course you're not a stinky mucus bag". You should be an actor in "Lost".

at the very least it seems that you have taken the mucus bag as a potentially unsightly piece of luggage

No. You consider the mucus bag that we are, no wait - we aren't, yes we are, no we're not, shuttup we are! No you shuttup we aren't *end sarcasm* as unsightly. Indeed you have expressed to me that you don't want to inhabit it. It would seem that you're only in it because suicide is frowned upon by the gods. I am happy with this apparent mucus bag that I am, am not, am too, no I'm not *end sarcasm* and don't see it the way you do.

in short - ultimately the living entity is not a mucus bag

Arggg!

In other words you hav e no idea what you are, since you can only answer the question "Who am I" (which started this whole mucus bag direction)

Incorrect, pay attention. I said "I" do not want an eternal existence to which you then labelled that "I" a mucus bag. I didn't, the discussion just followed down the path you laid, under the way you view yourself and everyone else. I have an idea of 'what' I am but you never asked, you merely called me a mucus bag. And here we are once again with you telling me what I can or can't do. This whole discussion has been laid down by you and argued against by you.

And you telling me what "I can only do" or what I have "no idea" of stems from where exactly? Oh yes, me telling you you contradicted yourself. You're all over the place LG.

of course you can try and say things like "I am the brain" but such things belong more to the field of science fiction than science

Says the person that believes in elephant headed gods and that we reincarnate into dogs. Are you not being a tincy wincy bit of a hypocrite?

Anyway, one day when you have quite finished giving me your version of me, let me know so I can give you mine heh?

and why do the corpses undergo a make over at the morgue first?

Well, they're generally cut open using a variety of sharp instruments, their internal fluids are sucked out etc etc. Perhaps you have never seen someone that has just recently died, but they don't look any different from someone that is alive except that they breathe and move considerably less. Once they're chopped up and sucked dry it's quite obvious why they would have a makeover.

do they look better than when they were alive?

Yes and no. It depends on the person.

which state do they appear more attractive in - their dead state or living state?

Well, they certainly seem more active in their living state. If we were to be objective we would certainly state that a dead person doesn't really look "unattractive" unless of course they got smacked by the 3:15 London to Glasgow.

so in other words it okay for you to make philosophical claims that have not been validated in 2000 years of philosophy

Ask yourself, you made the claim, (teeth that lack cavities are perfect teeth).

... utilize for who Mr. Gross Materialist?

Was there an actual mature question or would you like to continue with your kiddie games?

then why is it okay for other people's families to starve while yours must remain well fed?

Who said it was ok? Where is this relevant to what I said? i.e: "Is it my fault that I eat 'real' material food as opposed to imaginary immaterial food?"

you view your ultimate identification as the body (of course you hotly deny this, yet you talk of grand objects in relation to this false identity, namely the female reproductive system, and I am sure that if we looked at all your desires we would see that they all hinge on you occupying the current combination of bile mucus and air you haphazardly refer to as "me")

Inaccurate. YOU view me in that way. Enough with your dishonesty LG.

what makes you think that there is no activity for the senses in spiritual existence?

Lay it out straight for me LG, (try not to contradict yourself this time). What activity is there for the senses in an immaterial existence?

spiritual senses have spiritual objects (in short the appreciation of god's name , form, quality and pastimes)

I see. And to appreciate god etc you have taste, smell, sight, hearing, and touch even though they're all immaterial?

the government also builds prisons, but not with the view to increasing the number of criminals in society

They certainly do - but the analogy is flawed. Perhaps if you stated that the government hands out free guns and ammo and booklets on how to hate other people, (which they have done), then the analogy would work.

just to say god created something, doesn't mean that we are bereft of responsibility

So, a robot created by you that goes on a murderous rampage because you programmed it to do so is somehow responsible for going on a murderous rampage?

if one is awed by the material it is because they have not applied themselves to discerning the nature of the spiritual

Because they were created in such fashion where the spiritual is of no importance. What I want you to do now is to conduct this experiment: Sit in front of a mirror.. Look at yourself. Now, squeeze real hard - the hardest you've ever squeezed and see if you can ever convince your mind that leprechauns exist - and honestly believe that they do. You have no say in the matter LG, you cannot change what you don't believe - it has been created in you - that is your nature. By that same token, someone can squeeze all day long did their head explodes and their pants turn brown and never "discern the spiritual". Not because they have any choice in the matter, but because that is their nature as created by the gods.

Now, it's likely you'll waffle on about process this and process that without realising the worthlessness of such a thing. Indeed the answer can be found within. Ask yourself why you did not undertake the leprechaun process I advocated. It wasn't specifically difficult and would have only taken 2 minutes of your life. The answer is that you can't because it is not in your nature. Your nature as given to you by the gods states that leprechauns are fiction. Any process advocated to find those leprechauns is by default equally bogus and not subject to debate - and you will reel off excuses until the cows come home merely because your nature dictates that you do so. The only plausible way that your nature will change to believe in leprechauns is if you accidentally stumble into one, (born agains). By creating a specific nature that is completely unopen to the suggestion of reincarnation and whatnot, it can by no means be the fault of the person operating under that nature. Again, he can sit in front of the mirror and squeeze himself into a coma, it changes nothing.

in some ways yes - but even a fool can apply themselves to spiritual life - failing that they ar etruly foolish, even if they have great academic credentials, heaps of money, a beautiful family, etc

Only if it is in that fools nature to do so. Otherwise he can squeeze himself rigid and get nowhere. He is only a fool - truly or otherwise [untruly?] because he was created so.

your nature is the result of your previous desires

1) You would need to substantiate that

2) If we follow that line of thinking as far back as we can go you will see it still comes to the same conclusion: Your gods created that nature.

SB 7.11.8-12: These are the general principles to be followed by all human beings: truthfulness, mercy, austerity (observing fasts on certain days of the month), bathing twice a day, tolerance, discrimination between right and wrong, control of the mind, control of the senses, nonviolence, celibacy, charity, reading of scripture, simplicity, satisfaction, rendering service to saintly persons, gradually taking leave of unnecessary engagements, observing the futility of the unnecessary activities of human society, remaining silent and grave and avoiding unnecessary talk, considering whether one is the body or the soul

The "celibacy" now at least explains why you are so adverse to vaginas. I would question here why we even have these organs if they are not intended to be used, (kinda like the gods creating wisdom teeth and extra nipples).

thats my point - its a silly question because you don't know what is meant by the word 'god' so an answer in any way is as suitable as any other

1) As stated earlier, whether I know what is meant by the word god or not is utterly irrelevant to the question.

2) Give me an answer. Is this one of your tactics? Keep avoiding a question for as long as you can in the hope that the person asking will eventually forget why they even asked? Hmmm.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top