Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Gemma Therese · 06-06-2002, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by The Messiah:
Quote: Gemma Theresa

Typhon,
I am not intelligent enough to follow your questions.

Gemma Therese

-------------------------------------------------

I hope this is a humble admission and not a patronising one.

This is exactly the conditions required for religion to propogate. When people are insecure or unsure of themselves, particularly children, thats when they strike. Its horrendously cruel and the biggest obstacle to human happiness in existence.

Hmmm, I can't win, can I? I'm either a mindless, unintelligent person, the perfect victim of religion, following a God who does not exist, and whose existence was created to extinguish any hope of people like me being happy ... or I am a patronizing, arrogant, "holier-than-thou" Catholic.

What a bleak future!

Gemma Therese

DRFseven · 06-06-2002, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Gemma: Hmmm, I can't win, can I? I'm either a mindless, unintelligent person, the perfect victim of religion, following a God who does not exist, and whose existence was created to extinguish any hope of people like me being happy ... or I am a patronizing, arrogant, "holier-than-thou" Catholic.

There's a third possibility, Gemma. You could be an adroit manipulator who feigns lack of awareness when it suits you. Please tell me how people can believe what they don't believe.

[ June 06, 2002: Message edited by: DRFseven ]

Gemma Therese · 06-06-2002, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DRFseven:


There's a third possibility, Gemma. You could be an adroit manipulator who feigns lack of awareness when it suits you. Please tell me how people can believe what they don't believe.

[ June 06, 2002: Message edited by: DRFseven ]

Well, DRF, I'm happy to know you think so highly of me!

Gemma Therese

DRFseven · 06-06-2002, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Gemma: Well, DRF, I'm happy to know you think so highly of me!

I am offering a third alternative to the two choices you have presented; one that might account for the postings you attribute to yourself. In truth, I know nothing about you except that you profess to be Catholic and that you will not answer a question I have put to your own assertion. And how might I interpret that refusal as it relates to your opinion of me?

Gemma Therese · 06-06-2002, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DRFseven:


I am offering a third alternative to the two choices you have presented; one that might account for the postings you attribute to yourself. In truth, I know nothing about you except that you profess to be Catholic and that you will not answer a question I have put to your own assertion. And how might I interpret that refusal as it relates to your opinion of me?

Fortunately, I cannot devote my entire life to posting on a message board. What question have I refused to answer? I will gladly provide an answer if you refresh my memory.

Gemma Therese

[ June 06, 2002: Message edited by: Gemma Therese ]

DRFseven · 06-06-2002, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Gemma: Fortunately, I cannot devote my entire life to posting on a message board. What question have I refused to answer? I will gladly provide an answer if you refresh my memory.

For the fifth time, I ask, How can people believe something they don't believe? But please don't feel pressured to answer.

Gemma Therese · 06-06-2002, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DRFseven:


For the fifth time, I ask, How can people believe something they don't believe? But please don't feel pressured to answer.

You can say, "God, you know I believe in You. Now, help my unbelief!"

Gemma Therese

PS. Are you asking this hypothetically, or because you really want to believe in God?

brighid · 06-06-2002, 12:06 PM

Gemma,

If one lacks the belief in something, specifically the power of a God to interfere with man�s free will through the use of prayer, it would be RIDICULOUS and counterproductive for said person to then ask a God he or she doesn�t believe in for HELP! Try and relate her question to your disbelief in pink dragons and perhaps that will help you understand.

B

Gemma Therese · 06-06-2002, 12:37 PM

Brighid,

Consider this:

St. Therese of Lisieux died of tuberculosis at age 24. For eighteen months, she was horribly ill. Consequently, she began to doubt the existence of an afterlife.

She reflected, "This past year, my faith has been weaker than it ever was before. How have I responded? By performing more acts of faith than at any other time in my life."

Also, during this time, she was in too much pain to sleep. She would sit up in bed and pray. One night, another nun asked her, "What do you say to Jesus?"

Therese responded, "I say nothing. I just LOVE Him!"

Perhaps you should read The Story of a Soul.

Gemma Therese

[ June 06, 2002: Message edited by: Gemma Therese ]

Ion · 06-06-2002, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gemma Therese:

...
...I do not read Exodus as a historical account of history. (Remember -- I am *not* a fundementalist!) So that very well may be true.

However, the lack of veracity of the story of Exodus does not disprove God. It disproves the actual event of the Exodus.
...
Gemma Therese

If the Bible's Exodus was an accurate historical account, then everything in it would be a fact.
It would be a fact regarding God too, the main character in the Exodus.

The Bible's Exodus is viewed by archaeologists as an inaccurate historical account.
(We can go into details of sites excavations, and what tangible proofs regarding that time and location they have produced).
So, Exodus' claims are fiction.
Therefore, the claims describing God in Exodus are disproved.

06-06-2002, 12:37 PM	#169
Gemma Therese Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: new york Posts: 608	Brighid, Consider this: St. Therese of Lisieux died of tuberculosis at age 24. For eighteen months, she was horribly ill. Consequently, she began to doubt the existence of an afterlife. She reflected, "This past year, my faith has been weaker than it ever was before. How have I responded? By performing more acts of faith than at any other time in my life." Also, during this time, she was in too much pain to sleep. She would sit up in bed and pray. One night, another nun asked her, "What do you say to Jesus?" Therese responded, "I say nothing. I just LOVE Him!" Perhaps you should read The Story of a Soul. Gemma Therese [ June 06, 2002: Message edited by: Gemma Therese ]</p>

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

06-06-2002, 12:06 PM	#168
brighid Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: somewhere in the known Universe Posts: 6,993	Gemma, If one lacks the belief in something, specifically the power of a God to interfere with man�s free will through the use of prayer, it would be RIDICULOUS and counterproductive for said person to then ask a God he or she doesn�t believe in for HELP! Try and relate her question to your disbelief in pink dragons and perhaps that will help you understand. B

Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The archives are read only.