Will humanity continue to exist?

I think George Carlin had the most humorous perspective when he postulated that the Earth just kept us around because it had some mysterious need for styrofoam.

#34. That's all I have to say.

Comray004 said:

I felt a presence of comfort and I felt love and I dropped to my knees and cried but I was being comforted and it was the most amazing thing ever. I didn't want to leave that moment. Time ceased to exist, and I was just there crying as the band played and I wanted it to last forever. That's what happens to people when they encounter God.

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Honest question here: How does one know, if they aren't just being easily worked up by events/from others around them into such hysterics that one ends up feeling an emotional high?

I've felt that same emotional high, when I went to an electronica music concert years back. It was a very euphoric experience.

iWhat said:

Honest question here: How does one know, if they aren't just being easily worked up by events/from others around them into such hysterics that one ends up feeling an emotional high?

I've felt that same emotional high, when I went to an electronica music concert years back. It was a very euphoric experience.

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Actually you've probably felt that same high when you hear the ice cream truck roll down your street.

Comray004 said:

I'm a Christian. I'm a Bible-Thumping avid Christian.

Just thought I'd throw that out there first.

... We don't have a responsibility to each other though, ...

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Sorry, i just can't let that one slide.

Based on that comment, you should go back to your Bible and do a little more reading, understanding and much prayer related to God's purpose for Man if you believe your full "responsibility" is to the animal kingdom and not to men.

(The word used in the Bible is "dominion", not "responsibility" btw.
These two words have very different meanings. It is used in the context of "dominion over the earth", not "responsibility to animals".)

And I am not talking about God's purpose for you or anyone else as an individual. (That may very well be related to taking some responsibility toward animals.) But, how does your Individual responsibility apply to His purpose for Man. You might start researching with the term "Bride".

I see all too often, too many "Christians" wanting to lay down the Law. We are not in the age of the law. That time is passed. We are now in the age of Re-birth and new Life.

bobtomay said:

Sorry, i just can't let that one slide.

Based on that comment, you should go back to your Bible and do a little more reading, understanding and much prayer related to God's purpose for Man if you believe your full "responsibility" is to the animal kingdom and not to men.

(The word used in the Bible is "dominion", not "responsibility" btw.
These two words have very different meanings. It is used in the context of "dominion over the earth", not "responsibility to animals".)

And I am not talking about God's purpose for you or anyone else as an individual. (That may very well be related to taking some responsibility toward animals.) But, how does your Individual responsibility apply to His purpose for Man. You might start researching with the term "Bride".

I see all too often, too many "Christians" wanting to lay down the Law. We are not in the age of the law. That time is passed. We are now in the age of Re-birth and new Life.

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I would give you rep, but I must spread it around first.

bobtomay said:

I see all too often, too many "Christians" wanting to lay down the Law.

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While is see that as well. I don't really consider them Christians, at least not based on their actions. I believe Jesus' message regarding non-believers was essentially: MATTHEW 10:14 "And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet." Basically, carry the message and if refuted then be on your way, and not kill 'em all and let God sort 'em out. Of course, I see the Muslims and others acting this way as well. I think it was the British government survey which recently found (a Wikileaks leaked document by the way) that 1/3 of Muslim men in the UK believe violent Jihad is justified against non-believers and that Sharia Law should take precidence over secular law. Dhimmitude is apparently viewed as a still viable form of governmental contract even in the Europe we seem to aspire to emulate. Just an example of how it's not exclusively Christians who act like idiots sometimes.

bobtomay said:

We are not in the age of the law. That time is passed. We are now in the age of Re-birth and new Life.

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That's one opinion. Assuming you are defining "law" in a Biblical or Halakhah sense. I'd agree in that science, legal code, social engineering and secular philosophy seem to be the order of the day lately. Still, I would suggest that there seems to be an equally compelling case that the pendulum is swinging back in many places as we see some recent (last 50 years) examples of the marriage of theocracy and state in forms of government. I oppose this completely. I would not presume to force my religion on anyone anymore than I would accept another's religion forced upon me. Some religions feel that it is an affront to seperate God, government, finance, morality, education and war in that God is the giver and arbiter of all of these things. Mix these tenets of belief in with the authority and resources we cede to State-level actors and you have can wind up with one point of view (that is not open to argument, compromise or persuasion) controlling most of the larger aspects of life. To me, that is just as bad as having a purely socialist regime where religion is a anathema or at least marginalized significantly enough to lose relevence to the human condition. Finding a balance is always the tough call IMHO.

XJ-linux said:

I would not presume to force my religion on anyone anymore than I would accept another's religion forced upon me.

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Well it's nice you feel this way. I feel the same. Even my best friend is muslim in a way and I'm a christian. And I'm ok with it. But a lot of people feel differently. Been happening throughout history. Holy Crusades, many of the civil wars the world has seen, The Nazi party, communism, and the list goes on. So many people back then and today who believe their religion is it and everyone else is a heathen if you don't believe in their religion or way of thinking.

the8thark said:

So many people back then and today who believe their religion is it and everyone else is a heathen if you don't believe in their religion or way of thinking.

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I have no problem if they feel that way, just as long as they don't use that as an excuse to take away my civil liberties or my rights. They have every right to feel that, just as you have every right to feel that's not ok.

Interesting, and on the whole fairly civil discussion.

I wouldn't classify myself as a 'Bible-thumper' (too many negative connotations I guess) though I do believe it to be absolutely true (but that it often doesn't really say what we have imagined it to say). Having said that, "religious people" are a real turn off to me. And, probably to their great horror, many would learn that you don't have to be a "believer" to be religious.

There are just as many religious atheists as there are believers (Christian, Muslim, Hindu etc). This may not be the book definition of religious, but to me being religious is characterized by anger when others express counter viewpoints, inability to listen openly and discuss, and ultimately totally shutting out the other person (sometimes including violence).

The truth (if there is one as I believe) can stand up for itself as surely as light stands against darkness. It doesn't require shouting on my behalf to defend it. My responsibility is as I see it is to testify objectively if I have experience positive or negative to validate the arguments (as some have done here) and respectfully state my beliefs if appropriate and listen with the same respect to others.

My opinion and personal experience FWIW is Jesus is the only thing that makes any sense in this crazy Universe.