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Author Topic:   Where are all the gods?
Dr Adequate
Member (Idle past 284 days)
Posts: 16113
Joined: 07-20-2006


Message 46 of 122 (568492)
07-06-2010 10:00 AM
Reply to: Message 43 by riVeRraT
07-06-2010 12:54 AM


Hasn't that story always struck you as monstrously implausible? I mean, the Jews get to see the plague of blood, the plague of frogs, the plague of lice, the plague of flies, the plague of livestock, the plague of boils, the plague of hail, the plague of locusts, the plague of darkness, the death of the firstborn, the parting of the Red Sea, the rain of manna, the miracle of Horeb, the pillar of smoke by day and fire by night ... and they remain profoundly unimpressed. Yahweh, they think, is not so much, and they needn't worry about pissing him off by making their own god and worshiping that.
Meanwhile, today, when God never shows up (and you get all offended if someone suggests he might think to put in an appearance once in a while) this same god has 2.2 billion worshipers based just on something they read in a book. Which is rather less impressive.
And you suggest that the Jews "forgot all the things God did for them"? Two million of them? Damn, if only they'd had diaries back then, then at least one of them could have made a note of it: "Memo to self: don't piss Yahweh off. THIS IS IMPORTANT".
Now, accepting for the sake of argument the magical elements of the Exodus story, does the behavior of the Jews sound remotely like anything anyone would ever actually do? It's more implausible than the miracles themselves.
As G. K. Chesterton wrote:
It really is more natural to believe a preternatural story, that deals with things we don’t understand, than a natural story that contradicts things we do understand. Tell me that the great Mr Gladstone, in his last hours, was haunted by the ghost of Parnell, and I will be agnostic about it. But tell me that Mr Gladstone, when first presented to Queen Victoria, wore his hat in her drawing-room and slapped her on the back and offered her a cigar, and I am not agnostic at all. That is not impossible; it’s only incredible. But I’m much more certain it didn’t happen than that Parnell’s ghost didn’t appear; because it violates the laws of the world I do understand.
Edited by Dr Adequate, : No reason given.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 43 by riVeRraT, posted 07-06-2010 12:54 AM riVeRraT has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 66 by riVeRraT, posted 07-19-2010 10:28 AM Dr Adequate has replied

  
dronestar
Member
Posts: 1407
From: usa
Joined: 11-19-2008


Message 47 of 122 (568493)
07-06-2010 10:28 AM
Reply to: Message 45 by Jumped Up Chimpanzee
07-06-2010 4:32 AM


RSV-PO'd
And why not hang around? At least stay for a coffee.
Actually, I had a small gathering at my house over the holiday weekend. God PM'ed me saying he would stop by. But, you know what? He never made it. Really made me mad. Not only did it screw up my seating assignments, but also because he was supposed to have brought the cold cuts.

This message is a reply to:
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Replies to this message:
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Theodoric
Member
Posts: 9076
From: Northwest, WI, USA
Joined: 08-15-2005
Member Rating: 3.7


Message 48 of 122 (568495)
07-06-2010 10:33 AM
Reply to: Message 47 by dronestar
07-06-2010 10:28 AM


Re: RSV-PO'd
He probably didn't show because he couldn't find any good cold cuts without pork in them.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 47 by dronestar, posted 07-06-2010 10:28 AM dronestar has replied

Replies to this message:
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dronestar
Member
Posts: 1407
From: usa
Joined: 11-19-2008


Message 49 of 122 (568497)
07-06-2010 10:43 AM
Reply to: Message 48 by Theodoric
07-06-2010 10:33 AM


Re: RSV-PO'd
He probably didn't show because he couldn't find any good cold cuts without pork in them.
Possibly. But I think the real reason is because God knows I invited the Hendersons. And Mr. Henderson, with his one lazy eye, is an affront that is particularly upsetting to God's perfect nature.

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Practical Prodigy
Junior Member (Idle past 5013 days)
Posts: 30
From: IN, USA
Joined: 06-30-2010


Message 50 of 122 (568502)
07-06-2010 11:00 AM
Reply to: Message 40 by Jumped Up Chimpanzee
07-04-2010 8:06 AM


I have not the faintest idea what all that incoherent off-topic drivel is supposed to mean but you get an A for effort


This message is a reply to:
 Message 40 by Jumped Up Chimpanzee, posted 07-04-2010 8:06 AM Jumped Up Chimpanzee has replied

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Jumped Up Chimpanzee
Member (Idle past 4942 days)
Posts: 572
From: UK
Joined: 10-22-2009


Message 51 of 122 (568523)
07-06-2010 11:51 AM
Reply to: Message 50 by Practical Prodigy
07-06-2010 11:00 AM


I have not the faintest idea what all that incoherent off-topic drivel is supposed to mean but you get an A for effort
That's the first "A" I've ever got!
No, really, it is.
I was just pulling your wotsit because your Chimp in Pink is a lot cooler and tougher than my Chimp in Pink and I'm jealous.

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tomato
Member (Idle past 4302 days)
Posts: 39
Joined: 10-11-2009


Message 52 of 122 (568592)
07-07-2010 12:07 AM
Reply to: Message 47 by dronestar
07-06-2010 10:28 AM


Re: RSV-PO'd
Dronester, maybe God was present at your house in the spiritual sense.
The Jehovah's Witnesses expected Jesus and the 11 disciples (12 minus Judas) to return in 1914.
They were so sure of this that they bought a lot and built a house for their newcomers.
They tried to register the house in Jesus's name at the clerk's office, but the clerk wouldn't accept that.
The 1914 came and passed, alas, with no sign of Jesus and his worthy followers.
So the JW's auctioned off the property.
Then they said that Jesus returned in 1914 in the spiritual sense, and that Satan reacted to his appearance by starting World War I.

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tomato
Member (Idle past 4302 days)
Posts: 39
Joined: 10-11-2009


Message 53 of 122 (568596)
07-07-2010 12:28 AM


I can name two religious groups which purport to answer your question.
If I understand correctly, the Urantia cult claims that God has his throne in the center of the Universe, on the Isle of Paradise:
Master Universe - Horizontal
According to the Mormons, God lives on a planet called Kolob with thousands of wives.
You and I and everyone else in this world lived a previous life in this world, where we could see God with our own eyes.
We chose to come to this world, realizing that it is in the interest of our spiritual growth.
Here, our faith in God is tested, since we cannot see God here.
If you live a good Mormon life, tithe regularly to the Mormon church, and get married in a Mormon temple, you may someday get equipped with your own two worlds, just like the God which which we live under.
Lost in Space Mormon Doctrine « Book of Mormonisms
Forbidden

  
Rahvin
Member
Posts: 4032
Joined: 07-01-2005
Member Rating: 9.2


Message 54 of 122 (568639)
07-07-2010 12:10 PM


I already told you...
...I have a god trapped in my closet!
Why do you refuse to believe in him?
FEAR HIS UNDETECTABLE WRATH!

Replies to this message:
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AZPaul3
Member
Posts: 8513
From: Phoenix
Joined: 11-06-2006
Member Rating: 5.3


Message 55 of 122 (568646)
07-07-2010 1:02 PM
Reply to: Message 54 by Rahvin
07-07-2010 12:10 PM


Re: I already told you...
...I have a god trapped in my closet!
Why do you refuse to believe in him?
FEAR HIS UNDETECTABLE WRATH!
I believe you, Rahvin, I truly do. But, as to this undetectable wrath stuff, I think you drastically underestimate the timidity of these things. Please see Message 58.

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Taq
Member
Posts: 9972
Joined: 03-06-2009
Member Rating: 5.5


Message 56 of 122 (568657)
07-07-2010 2:13 PM
Reply to: Message 54 by Rahvin
07-07-2010 12:10 PM


Re: I already told you...
Message 568639 says it, I believe it, and that settles it!!!
Surely no one can argue against it now that it is written down.

This message is a reply to:
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Phat
Member
Posts: 18262
From: Denver,Colorado USA
Joined: 12-30-2003
Member Rating: 1.1


Message 57 of 122 (568704)
07-14-2010 7:55 AM
Reply to: Message 41 by ringo
07-05-2010 7:57 PM


OP writes:
Where are all the gods?
Ringo writes:
Cleveland.
The only god that Cleveland ever had left for Miami.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 41 by ringo, posted 07-05-2010 7:57 PM ringo has replied

Replies to this message:
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ringo
Member (Idle past 412 days)
Posts: 20940
From: frozen wasteland
Joined: 03-23-2005


Message 58 of 122 (568738)
07-14-2010 1:48 PM
Reply to: Message 57 by Phat
07-14-2010 7:55 AM


Phat writes:
OP writes:
Where are all the gods?
Ringo writes:
Cleveland.
The only god that Cleveland ever had left for Miami.
I don't know who you mean. The gods I was refering to are in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Maybe I'm too subtle for EvC.
"If there's a rock and roll heaven, you know they've got a hell of a band."

I rode off into the sunset, went all the way around the world and now I'm back where I started.

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Replies to this message:
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Theodoric
Member
Posts: 9076
From: Northwest, WI, USA
Joined: 08-15-2005
Member Rating: 3.7


Message 59 of 122 (568744)
07-14-2010 3:41 PM
Reply to: Message 58 by ringo
07-14-2010 1:48 PM


Lebron James
He was referring how Lebron stiffed Cleveland to go to the Miami Heat.
I tend to agree with you, the gods are still in Cleveland. I think some of us did get the subtle reference.

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bluescat48
Member (Idle past 4189 days)
Posts: 2347
From: United States
Joined: 10-06-2007


Message 60 of 122 (568846)
07-18-2010 9:43 AM
Reply to: Message 58 by ringo
07-14-2010 1:48 PM


Cleveland
I don't know who you mean. The gods I was refering to are in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Maybe I'm too subtle for EvC.
It just goes to show what people think of as gods. I also caught the Rock & Roll aspect but would in no way assume Lebron James was what you were referring to.

There is no better love between 2 people than mutual respect for each other WT Young, 2002
Who gave anyone the authority to call me an authority on anything. WT Young, 1969
Since Evolution is only ~90% correct it should be thrown out and replaced by Creation which has even a lower % of correctness. W T Young, 2008

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