apologies to thal or anyone else who doesn't like 'religion' topics

[pianistimo]

ok.  here it goes.  i am sorry if anything i said in the religion topics have offended anyone (including thal).  sometimes it's better not to talk politics and religion - but sometimes i have very strong views (and yes, they are not the 'norm').  i tend to take the bible as literally as hillary clinton running for president.  and, yet - there is always an element of faith to whomever seeks God - and there are many ways to find Him.

[shortyshort]

Very brave. I also offer my apologies in return for anything that may have been said.
You and others, (including Thal), are far too important to this forum to be dissappearing.

Have fun,         

Shorty

[gruffalo]

dont think its your content to what you write about religion that offends people, its the way most posts that other people make are turned into a religious squabble. i admire your faith and your pride in believing in God, but we shouldnt make religion the centre of this forum, no matter how much we are told to preach about God. God teaches us not to be ashamed of our religion as opposed cramming every other thread here with biblical quotes. if a topic has an invitation for religion, then excellent, but if not, then we should keep our minds on the topic at hand.

[pianistimo]

just read your post, gruffalo, and agree that religiously challenged posts do not have to express the entire thought process or beliefs of the one who is being challenged.  i mean - we all have the right to express our particular feeling - but in a more closed setting.

i mean - if i started a topic (poll) who believes in evolution?  it shouldn't matter to me if the God-side was winning (as it is for the God poll).  i should consider that a victory in itself and just do a private victory celebration.

[ahinton]

ok.  here it goes.  i am sorry if anything i said in the religion topics have offended anyone (including thal).

Much as your apology is appreciated, I really don;t think that you have "offended" anyone as such by this kind of writing; "annoyed", "irritated", etc. from time to time, perhaps, but not "offended". I have seen nothing in your writings about religious topics that either offends or sets out to offend anyone.

i tend to take the bible as literally as hillary clinton running for president.

Where in the Bible does it prophecy that she will do that? I don't think that there's even a chapter within Exodus that tells of the ejection from office of the (oil-)burning Bush, is there?

Anyway, Hillary Clinton may or may not become President of the Land of the Free, but the Bible will still be there either way...

Best,

Alistair

[pianistimo]

thanks for the reassurance, but it has come to my attention that thal's dislike for brussels sprouts is only second to my 'ignorance' from the way i argue religious topics.  so, i kindly smoked half the peace pipe yesterday and the rest of it this morning.  it's my way of 'being nice.'  to tell you the truth - which i usually try to do - i thought i was on some kind of road to helping thal convert. 

[wishful thinker]

Susan,

You have started a religious thread, something that you said you never did    

[pianistimo]

oh dear!  i can no longer lay claim to that hold.

[thalbergmad]

You do not need to apologise, if anyone does it is me as my frustration has caused me to be extremely rude on occasions.

Your faith and love of God is admirable, but you are extremely irritating to debate with, as you will not yeald a single inch or concede that a single word in the Bible is wrong, even when presented with good evidence to the contrary.

We approach things differently, as you enter into a discussion trying to prove the Bible and i enter into it trying as impartially as possilbe, to find a solution.  I am not a scholar or any kind of expert, but i have spent years studying Egypt and ancient civilisations.

I get the impression that when you see something that challenges the Bible, you go into a panic and search through Christian websites to find one that supports you and then post a link.

I cannot and probably will never understand anybody who believes in every single word of the Bible, but i have to accept that they exist and respect their right to have such a belief.

Thal

[teresa_b]

i mean - if i started a topic (poll) who believes in evolution?  it shouldn't matter to me if the God-side was winning (as it is for the God poll).  i should consider that a victory in itself and just do a private victory celebration.

Here's the thing that I find irritating.  You are setting up a false poll if you set one up on God / Evolution.  There is no "God" side to "win" here--you make it sound like people who understand evolution, by definition, cannot believe in God.  To turn it into a false dichotomy is absurd.

As someone who has studied science and taught medicine, I am getting tired of the attitude of so-called morally-upright religious people who have decreed that for unexplainable reasons, scientists are lying or deluded, and evolution is singularly to be viewed as evil. 

I have no problem with you believing whatever you wish, but it's best not to accuse people of other persuasions of deceit or ignorance when there is no basis for it. 

Personally I hope one day most Americans will embrace good science and still not feel their religion threatened. 

Teresa

[counterpoint]

-

[thalbergmad]

Personally I hope one day most Americans will embrace good science and still not feel their religion threatened. 

Teresa

I hope the whole world will do so.

Even if science/archeology disproves the entire Bible, i will still believe in God.

Thal

[thalbergmad]

sometimes it's better not to talk politics and religion

Indeed, but things would perhaps get rather boring if we did not.

[ahinton]

You do not need to apologise, if anyone does it is me as my frustration has caused me to be extremely rude on occasions.

Your faith and love of God is admirable, but you are extremely irritating to debate with, as you will not yeald a single inch or concede that a single word in the Bible is wrong, even when presented with good evidence to the contrary.

We approach things differently, as you enter into a discussion trying to prove the Bible and i enter into it trying as impartially as possilbe, to find a solution.  I am not a scholar or any kind of expert, but i have spent years studying Egypt and ancient civilisations.

I get the impression that when you see something that challenges the Bible, you go into a panic and search through Christian websites to find one that supports you and then post a link.

I cannot and probably will never understand anybody who believes in every single word of the Bible, but i have to accept that they exist and respect their right to have such a belief.

Thal

Good for you, Thal; you echo my sentiments well, but that's neither here nor there, for what really matters here is that you think as you do and have expressed your thoughts as you have.

I'm quite sure that Susan will appreciate what you've written here as much as I do, or anyone else who thinks about it all may do.

Best,

Alistair

[pianistimo]

i do appreciate the reciprocity.   i try to think like cash cab and come up with questions that are non-ponderous now and have a direct answer.  simple ones.  like 'what did you have for breakfast' or what are the three states of yucatan?  things that don't create controversy.  unless of course, you just ate another person.  in which cas - i really was wondering about that comment of prometheus that some people say human flesh is delicious.  who said that?  someone in the donner party?  they must have been awfully hungry.  well, back to simpler non-argumentative topics...

[teresa_b]

  things that don't create controversy.  unless of course, you just ate another person. 

Did you read a couple of years ago about that German guy who put in a classified ad looking for someone willing to be eaten, and some guy actually answered it?  And they presumably both got what they were looking for.   

Teresa

[pianistimo]

eww.

[emill]

xxxx.... but you are extremely irritating to debate with, as you will not yeald a single inch or concede that a single word in the Bible is wrong, even when presented with good evidence to the contrary.

I cannot and probably will never understand anybody who believes in every single word of the Bible, but i have to accept that they exist and respect their right to have such a belief.
Thal

It's called FAITH.  It's the absolute belief that God can not commit a mistake, a wrong and that the bible, through his apostles, is His word .  That is what we were taught in school here ... by the Jesuits and later the Dominicans.  That is why,  many will not concede even an inch, a millimeter, a single word of the bible to be wrong, for to do so is anathema to faith, to one's God and His infallibility.

And often that is the root of the irritation, annoyance, frustration among those who discuss religion-politics-science on the basis of what the records, the evidence; on what the senses have measured against those who rely on faith, the bible and God as their beacon.  It is a sure-fire formula for disagreement and soon the annoyance, frustration, irritation and finally the anger will follow.

Well, I fully agree that these types of issues are better avoided unless brought up.
   

[mycrabface]

I haven't read all the replies yet, but here's a great tip: Censorship. If you don't like what you're reading, just scroll down to the next reply - immediately. The more you read, the more it can be harder to stop.

[rebby]

i am very pleased that some one or some thing has inspired you to aplolgise to tahl and co. I do agree with thal though, it was not needed but you have so that is all i can say. I am sure everyone appreciates it, and by the way, i would like to give you a round of appause for being brave enough to say sorry. Can i say to the rest of the world though, be appreciative that she has appologised, she didn't need to, but she has been brave well done susan.

Best
 Rebby xx

[shortyshort]

I would like to congratulate pianistimo for her self control recently.

I'm sure there has been times when she wanted to quote from her book, but hasn't as far as i can see.

Also, her posts have been quite direct and to the point, not the 2 or 3 pages of nonsense that I used to scroll past.

Well done Susan.

And I would like to say well done to everyone else for not provoking her back into her old habits. 

Shorty

[ahinton]

i am very pleased that some one or some thing has inspired you to aplolgise to tahl and co. I do agree with thal though, it was not needed but you have so that is all i can say. I am sure everyone appreciates it, and by the way, i would like to give you a round of appause for being brave enough to say sorry. Can i say to the rest of the world though, be appreciative that she has appologised, she didn't need to, but she has been brave well done susan.

I would like to congratulate pianistimo for her self control recently.

I'm sure there has been times when she wanted to quote from her book, but hasn't as far as i can see.

Also, her posts have been quite direct and to the point, not the 2 or 3 pages of nonsense that I used to scroll past.

Well done Susan.

And I would like to say well done to everyone else for not provoking her back into her old habits. 

Endorsed wholeheartedly!

Best,

Alistair