Religion and Ethics and Health BBS

Religion and Ethics and Health BBS
[ Religion and Ethics and Health BBS ]

Our God is a Awesome God.

Posted by yome on May 24, 2026, 12:31 pm

God, if he, she or it exists, is clearly an underachiever

Posted by Mugwump on June 1, 2026, 7:48 am, in reply to "Our God is a Awesome God. "

The truth of it being repeated in such a dramatic way is what I love.

Posted by observer on May 25, 2026, 12:19 pm, in reply to "Our God is a Awesome God. "

Before “Our God”, the God of love, made Himself known, the manmade gods were gods of fear, not love. Earthquakes, floods, fires, disasters of all kinds led them to assuage their God’s anger by sacrificing children and other such dramatic attempts to please their gods. Even later there were those, who did not understand a loving God, practiced self flagellation and other dramatic behaviors because of what they didn’t know.

Still today, people who don’t know their Bibles well, who don’t benefit from hermeneutically correct teaching, are often led to believe other than the truth.

Initially, when one believes in Christ, he is given much as a gift, everything needed spiritually to have a relationship with God, including faith. But that gift has to be unwrapped, opened, and used.

People will say their faith is weak. No, it is not being used. The way these gifts are appropriated is by prayer, Bible Study, worship and fellowship, and hearing God’s Word taught.

It’s not Sunday Sit ‘n Soak. It’s not performance or witnessing performance, it’s not “I do this or that.” It’s God, worshipping Him, praying to Him, reading His Word, fellowshipping with those who also worship Him, praising Him, and being dependent on Him, His guidance as we live in this fallen world with the hope and peace He gives us even now. Our God is an awesome God.

He brings joy unspeakable.

Posted by BornToFarm on May 25, 2026, 9:01 pm, in reply to "The truth of it being repeated in such a dramatic way is what I love."

Joy that overcomes sorrow and hardship and troubles. When we draw near to Him and exchange our will for His, then He is faithful to forgive us and supply our needs.

...and then you die and return to your elementals over time.

Posted by Cheap Seats Shaman *= on May 25, 2026, 9:11 pm, in reply to "He brings joy unspeakable."

fin

Yes, our bodies return to dust.

Posted by BornToFarm on May 27, 2026, 7:37 pm, in reply to "...and then you die and return to your elementals over time."

But my life was lived with joy, and with purpose. And you life?

You've enjoyed your life in ways far different than how I've enjoyed mine...

Posted by Cheap Seats Shaman *= on May 28, 2026, 9:42 am, in reply to "Yes, our bodies return to dust."

I don't need a religious crutch to hold me up or texts full of fallacies and edited by men with an agenda, in order to substantiate it.

Have fun while you can and don't fear your own mortality.

Oh you poor dear..

Posted by BornToFarm on May 29, 2026, 6:25 pm, in reply to "You've enjoyed your life in ways far different than how I've enjoyed mine..."

I'm so glad I'm not a joyless atheist.

Seems as though I've had a lot more fun in my life...

Posted by Cheap Seats Shaman *= on May 29, 2026, 11:07 pm, in reply to "Oh you poor dear.."

...than you have had in your redemption hungry life.

Enjoy it while you can, because that's it!
(unless you have evidence to the contrary)
😎

p.s.

Posted by Cheap Seats Shaman *= on May 28, 2026, 9:44 am, in reply to "You've enjoyed your life in ways far different than how I've enjoyed mine..."

What was your 'purpose'?

That certainly is a wonderful chorus

Posted by BornToFarm on May 24, 2026, 7:36 pm, in reply to "Our God is a Awesome God. "

Our church will sometimes use that chorus from time to time, minus the big production.

That of course is the chorus of Rich Mullins song "Awesome God" from back in the 8o's or 90's if I recall correctly. He wrote so many good one that I remember from the beginning of my Christian life, like "Hold me Jesus", "Creed", and "My Deliverer is Coming" among many others. Too bad his life was cut short by a car accident.

Gotta love that hammered dulcimer.

Re: That certainly is a wonderful chorus

Posted by yome on May 24, 2026, 9:21 pm, in reply to "That certainly is a wonderful chorus"

I remember having his cassette tape years ago.

I still think of the song below when I witness a beautiful sunset.

How so? And how does your entity compare to others in awesomeness?

Posted by Cheap Seats Shaman *= on May 24, 2026, 3:19 pm, in reply to "Our God is a Awesome God. "

You'll have to describe this supposed awesome behavior.

Maybe…

Posted by Islar Gepen on May 28, 2026, 3:14 am, in reply to "How so? And how does your entity compare to others in awesomeness?"

….you are a homosexual?

An odd question...

Posted by Cheap Seats Shaman *= on May 28, 2026, 9:59 am, in reply to "Maybe…"

...from an obviously odd individual.
🤪

Simple: LIGHT and LIFE.

Posted by GOG on May 25, 2026, 6:18 am, in reply to "How so? And how does your entity compare to others in awesomeness?"

And everything of all and else.

It looks like simple biological and cosmological processes still amaze you...

Posted by Cheap Seats Shaman *= on May 25, 2026, 8:21 am, in reply to "Simple: LIGHT and LIFE."

...as much as it amazed our ignorant cave dwelling ancestors who prophesied by the light of their campfire.

No loss for me...

You don't have to be religious to have awe or wonder

Posted by Trish on May 25, 2026, 12:50 pm, in reply to "It looks like simple biological and cosmological processes still amaze you..."

The amazing machine the body is.

the incredible beauty of a meadow in bloom..

The giggle of a child, so pure and honest

the stars twinkling as if they're winking

so much more. When I was an agnostic, these things were still wonderful to me. No faith necessary

Awe of the creation, not the Creator. Not the same.

Posted by observer on May 25, 2026, 7:45 pm, in reply to "You don't have to be religious to have awe or wonder"

Enjoy it while you can, because when you die, it's all gone.

Posted by Cheap Seats Shaman *= on May 25, 2026, 9:04 pm, in reply to "Awe of the creation, not the Creator. Not the same."

One of my simple philosophies.

I understand my mortality. Everything dies...

Oh, no, there’s more to come, much more!

Posted by observer on May 26, 2026, 1:20 am, in reply to "Enjoy it while you can, because when you die, it's all gone."

Too bad that you have no evidence.

Posted by Cheap Seats Shaman *= on May 26, 2026, 8:24 am, in reply to "Oh, no, there’s more to come, much more!"

All you have is Hope and Faith which only serves you and your fragile mind while alive.

Who returned from the dead to tell you of this supposed "Paradise After Death"?

No documented cases that I'm aware of...🥱

My life is not influenced by the same limits you appear to have.

Posted by observer on May 26, 2026, 2:41 pm, in reply to "Too bad that you have no evidence."

"Limits"? Do you mean like the limits religion puts on it's adherents?

Posted by Cheap Seats Shaman *= on May 27, 2026, 10:48 am, in reply to "My life is not influenced by the same limits you appear to have."

Religion fails when exposed to knowledge and logic.

I agree that mere religion can be as you describe, but the

Posted by observer on May 28, 2026, 1:19 pm, in reply to ""Limits"? Do you mean like the limits religion puts on it's adherents?"

practiced Biblical Christian life is about a relationship with God, it’s a love thing. Because He first loved us, we love him and want to live in a way that honors him (as the hymn goes) “for His glory
and our good”.

And the first step is the biggie: choosing to believe in God and His son Jesus. Nothing else happens before that, no understanding, no faith, no spiritual growth et al. It’s after that we feel the proof.
“Faith has to be tried before the reality of faith is actual.” But, it’s a journey where one is actually seeking to know. Bible Study, prayer, hearing the preached Word of God (as opposed to homilies and subjective experiences). Then fellowship with other believers plays a key role in the journey, the growth, the maturity. It is a lifestyle.

It seems to me that belief in science alone is a method that gives only what can be observed, what is tangible, but does not offer a moral compass, a clear definition of good and evil, but more important to me is the very real presence and guidance God gives.

I have non-believers in all generations in my family and for the most part they’re all good people, and We love each other. But the ones who have influenced my thinking and made me want what they had in terms of relationships, responses to life’s problems
are Christians.

I don’t expect you to understand that. But that Christian label doesn’t always mean a life lived Biblically. And a life lived Biblically is not a perfect life, but a journey, often a struggle, to follow Christ. So if you’re judging Christianity by examples other than a purely Biblical one, it doesn’t represent Biblical Christianity, which, imo, is necessarily the correct representation.

That’s why I consider non belief as limited, very limited.

"Words of gods" written by man...

Posted by Cheap Seats Shaman *= on May 28, 2026, 3:07 pm, in reply to "I agree that mere religion can be as you describe, but the"

...and quite heavily edited by men to serve their agenda and full of fallacies including rampant incest and men living impossibly long lives.
(and where did the people in the Land of Nod come from?)

I've seen nothing which suggests they were spoken by a mythological entity.

And don't forget, the religion you've saddled yourself to, is really a rather new religion.

Your belief, not mine.

Posted by observer on May 28, 2026, 4:49 pm, in reply to ""Words of gods" written by man..."

I believe those words are God inspired as the Bible says. And much of the science you believe in is very new.

I still say you are limited. For one thing, you have no credible Biblical knowledge. You certainly don’t know how it’s correctly understood, interpreted according to the language, the culture, the audience being addressed, the various books whether history, law, poetry, prophecy etc al. You speak from a vacuum.

Written by men: Fact not belief...Divinely inspired: Belief not fact...

Posted by Cheap Seats Shaman *= on May 28, 2026, 6:36 pm, in reply to "Your belief, not mine."

Your beliefs sound rather malleable to suit your means...almost cultlike.

Regardless, the texts upon you base these beliefs are quite unbelievable.

How young were you when your religious indoctrination began? You were likely too young to even remember. Luckily I was never subjected to this form of child abuse by my parents and I never subjected my children to it, either.

As I said in the previous post . . .

Posted by observer on May 28, 2026, 7:20 pm, in reply to "Written by men: Fact not belief...Divinely inspired: Belief not fact..."

Apparently, you don't know the difference between fact and belief...

Posted by Cheap Seats Shaman *= on May 29, 2026, 9:16 am, in reply to "As I said in the previous post . . ."

Belief: An entity created everything in 7 days.

Fact: The universe is approximately 14 billion years old, and Earth about 4 billion years.

When your holy writings begin with fallacies, then logically what follows is also fallacy.

(and where did Cain's wife come from?)

It’s something you know nothing about, so you are clueless

Posted by observer on May 29, 2026, 9:26 am, in reply to "Apparently, you don't know the difference between fact and belief..."

about how ridiculous your challenges sound. Remember “Faith
has to be tried before the reality of faith is actual”. When you limit yourself, as you do, to tangible things, your experience is limited.

So, may I ask what facts do you base your life on, remembering that science alone is a method that addresses only the material world, not the moral world?

Your tapdancing around facts is cute, yet futile...

Posted by Cheap Seats Shaman *= on May 29, 2026, 9:37 am, in reply to "It’s something you know nothing about, so you are clueless"

For you to believe differently is heresy against your doctrine.

Your mind is closed. Don't fear your mortality. Every living thing dies. You too.

Let me know if you have evidence that conflicts with that fact. Nothing comes back from the dead except it's elementals.

You attack my faith, but refuse to answer the most important

Posted by observer on May 29, 2026, 10:38 am, in reply to "Your tapdancing around facts is cute, yet futile..."

question. What is your truth? What do you base your way of living on ? Do you think there are any absolutes, or do you merely attack others’?

"Attack" your faith? Your faith must not be as strong as you suggest...

Posted by Cheap Seats Shaman *= on May 29, 2026, 11:11 am, in reply to "You attack my faith, but refuse to answer the most important"

My life doesn't need a purpose or any kind of hope, faith or redemption.

If throwing my fact based knowledge on your newfound cult-like religion and it's practices is an attack on your faith, then what is "faith" or it's strength?

You deal with the intangible and unknown, while I deal in the tangible and realistic. Logic, knowledge and education has served me well and has led to my happy and fulfilling life for almost 3/4 of a century.

That argument is fragile at best, and in the end a “mere opinion”.

Posted by observer on May 29, 2026, 3:28 pm, in reply to ""Attack" your faith? Your faith must not be as strong as you suggest..."

So much for logic. AI addresses it this way, and is a rational response that does explain you do have a purpose:

“Instead of viewing faith as religious dogma, frame it as foundational trust. Everyone relies on faith daily—trusting that the brakes in your car will work, that your employer will pay you, or that the sun will rise. It is simply the act of moving forward despite uncertainty.Normalize "Purpose": Purpose does not need to be a grand, cosmic destiny. It can be entirely self-created and ordinary, such as the daily drive to learn new things, care for loved ones, or simply enjoy hobbies.Reframe "Redemption": Mistakes and regrets are universal. Redemption doesn't require a spiritual savior; it can be understood psychologically as the process of learning from failures, making amends, and continuously growing into a better version of yourself.Ultimately, even the conscious rejection of these concepts is, in itself, a chosen purpose: the active pursuit of personal autonomy and self-reliance.

That fact that man hasn't destroyed his foolish self

Posted by yome on May 25, 2026, 12:10 pm, in reply to "It looks like simple biological and cosmological processes still amaze you..."

That fact that man hasn't destroyed his fool self off the face of the planet is proof enough.

Have a look at a calender

Posted by BornToFarm on May 25, 2026, 4:50 am, in reply to "How so? And how does your entity compare to others in awesomeness?"

Do you believe your magical entity invented the calendar?

Posted by Cheap Seats Shaman *= on May 25, 2026, 8:15 am, in reply to "Have a look at a calender"

Sorry but every calendar mankind has devised(of which there have been many) was the work of...men and not mythological entities with magic powers.

When you look at a calendar..

Posted by BornToFarm on May 25, 2026, 8:55 pm, in reply to "Do you believe your magical entity invented the calendar?"

..the year is 2026. Some time ago, that was changed from BC/AD to BCE and CE. Now it is Current Era and Before Current Era. Obviously something significant happened for us to measure time forward and backwards from that point in time. The change from AD to CE even emphasizes that even more.

And what is that point in time? It isn't Buddha, or Muhammad. Neither Krishna, nor Zeus. Not George Washington or Queen Victoria. The French even tried to restart the calendar at year 1 with their bloody revolution, but that didn't last long.

So, what was that event that separates time? That approximates the time of the birth of Jesus Christ, my savior. He was so important and had such an impact on the world that we divide history at the point of his coming. Before him, and after him. Every time someone writes that date, they declare him, whether they want to or not. And, that is just one very small reason, that I believe that he is AWESOME.

Humans have always needed standardization but don't always succeed......

Posted by Cheap Seats Shaman *= on May 25, 2026, 9:30 pm, in reply to "When you look at a calendar.."

Some Asians still use a Lunar calendar, but it still generally follows the science of our solar orbit of 365.25 days, plus or minus minutes and seconds.

Even now, we are divided between things like Metric and SAE. I actually use both in my hobby, but generally metric. (It IS a smarter measurement)

Like I said, the year is standardized to Jesus Christ

Posted by BornToFarm on May 27, 2026, 7:35 pm, in reply to "Humans have always needed standardization but don't always succeed......"

The Gregorian calendar is the calendar most commonly used for international deals and business transactions worldwide. It serves as the standard civil calendar in most countries.

And the year 2026 honors Jesus Christ, not some other god, not some politician, or some scientist, or celebrity. When folks write, 2026, they honor him.

When I write the year, I'm not honoring anything...

Posted by Cheap Seats Shaman *= on May 28, 2026, 9:54 am, in reply to "Like I said, the year is standardized to Jesus Christ"

...but following legal precedence and for organizational purposes.

If you wish to imprint a divine purpose to it, it's your right to do so.

I do it because it's required by law.

Go ahead and live in denial

Posted by BornToFarm on May 29, 2026, 6:17 pm, in reply to "When I write the year, I'm not honoring anything..."

You asked why I consider Jesus superior and I told you. It is approximately 2026 years since his coming and most of the world divides time into years before and after his coming because that was a time of such significance.

No, I asked about your god, not your mythological martyr...

Posted by Cheap Seats Shaman *= on May 29, 2026, 11:14 pm, in reply to "Go ahead and live in denial"

...of which mankind has had plenty.

Pope Gregory

Posted by trish on May 28, 2026, 7:30 am, in reply to "Like I said, the year is standardized to Jesus Christ"

The older Julian system miscalculated the solar year by about 11 minutes. Over 1,600 years, this caused the calendar to drift by roughly 10 days. This drift concerned church leaders because Easter was drifting further away from the spring equinox.

To fix this, Pope Gregory XIII issued the papal bull Inter gravissimas in 1582, based on the design of astronomer Aloysius Lilius. The reform aimed to accomplish two goals:

1. Recalibrate the calendar so the spring equinox fell on March 21.

2. Adjust the leap year rule so the calendar would stay synchronized with the seasons.

The 1582 Shift to realign the calendar, 10 days were skipped in October 1582. In Catholic nations, October 4 was immediately followed by October 15.

Global Adoption Because it was introduced by a pope, non-Catholic countries initially rejected the new calendar, causing a temporary logistical headache in Europe where a short border crossing could mean jumping 10 days into the future or past

An interesting overview of calendars

Posted by trish on May 25, 2026, 12:54 pm, in reply to "Do you believe your magical entity invented the calendar?"

Solar Calendars Based entirely on the Earth's revolution around the Sun (a tropical year, or roughly 365.24 days). The year is divided into 12 months, with leap days added to keep seasons consistent.

Gregorian Calendar: The standard international calendar used globally for civil purposes.

Julian Calendar: A precursor to the Gregorian calendar, still used by some Orthodox churches.

Persian (Solar Hijri) Calendar: The official calendar of Iran and Afghanistan, which is astronomically aligned with the spring equinox.2.

Lunar Calendars Based entirely on the phases of the Moon. A 12-month lunar year consists of roughly 354 days, meaning the months cycle backward through the solar seasons.

Islamic (Hijri) Calendar: A strictly lunar calendar used by Muslims worldwide to determine the timing of religious events and holidays.

Lunisolar CalendarsTrack both the Moon's phases and the Sun's position. Because lunar and solar years don't align perfectly, these systems periodically add an extra "leap" month to ensure seasons match up.

Hebrew Calendar: Determines the dates of Jewish holidays.Chinese Calendar: Used for traditional festivals (like Lunar New Year) and agriculture.

Other Notable Systems Ethiopian Calendar: Uses 13 months—12 months of 30 days and a 13th month of 5 or 6 days. Because of how it calculates the Annunciation of Jesus, it operates about 7 to 8 years behind the Gregorian calendar.

Buddhist Calendar: A lunisolar calendar used in several Southeast Asian countries, counting time from the Buddha's death.Mayan Calendar: An ancient Mesoamerican system that tracked sacred cycles (260 days) and solar cycles (365 days

You still living

Posted by yome on May 24, 2026, 9:17 pm, in reply to "How so? And how does your entity compare to others in awesomeness?"

Aren't you?

My biological mechanisms are still operational after 3/4 of a century...

Posted by Cheap Seats Shaman *= on May 24, 2026, 10:00 pm, in reply to "You still living "

Nothing awesome about that.

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