Bigthink - User Ideas Feed

You tell me...?

Bigthink — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:36:18 +0100

: What is the most important question of all time and why?

Why I appriciate TRUE skeptics

Bigthink — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 02:20:20 +0100

If any of you dont already,please subscribe to two of these free online information websites, Skeptic- the one edited by Michael Shermer

And for a change of perspective also try (it is christian orientated bu strives to remain honest) at khouse.org

The skeptics magazine does a fairly good job putting to rest myths like the 9/11 conspriacy theories, as well as taking on other intellectually dishonest conspirators.

I hope they take on the Zeitgeist movie- skeptic is normally on the attack against organized religon, it would be nice to see them dispel myths purported by the atheist/nonconformist conspirator types

the subscription to khouse will keep you up to date on the most relavant christian issues in science, prophecy, and etc. That way you can keep a good track of whats going on in the most unbiased source of christian literature. Even if you are not a christian or believer or anything i found it has been good for me to always look at both sides of the issue with as much of my own biases put to the side and be a TRUE skeptic-

We should all hate dishonesty and search for the truth, lies will not help us get anywhere, both from the religous front and the un-believing.

http://www.khouse.org/

http://www.skeptic.com/

The term translated faith in the Bible is ay-moon in the Hebrew and pistis in the Greek which are verbs and not nouns. A verb is an action and a noun is a person, place or thing requiring no action. The word Faith has been morphed by traditional religions into meaning belief. The etymological root of both in synopsis means; the circumspect perusal of the evidences to come to the truth and persuaded thereby.

we can all have faith! belief! It takes action, not stagnation. Be involved and be charitable!

ironic?

Bigthink — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 19:00:59 +0100

: The fastest growing sport in America revolves around watching gas-sucking racecars go around in circles for 500 laps or more... ...and our most fastest gorwing economic issue is high gas prices.... ...just a thought

Re: Should people have the right to freedom FROM religion?

Bigthink — Mon, 12 May 2008 21:33:46 +0100

: when in modern history has religon been 'imposed' on any of you?
I dont preach it to anyone who tells me they dont want to hear it, however I will defend myself with it when attacked, if you dont like hearing dont attack me about it...JD, if the word 'impose' means you guys have to hear about it sometimes let think about what impose really means and get back to me if anyone is forcing you to believe something, I ll send the ACLU and theyll clear it up straight away
until then....

diseases and such

Bigthink — Tue, 06 May 2008 18:25:29 +0100

: i've been reading through a lot of literature on the topic of diseases, espically terminal ones. Do any of you out there have personal stories about yourself or those close to you. I would like to hear from ya if you are willing. I m interested in hearing peoples stories about how they approach death when it is layed out before them.

whatchya got against baptists anyways?

Bigthink — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 22:03:00 +0100

Soul freedom: the soul is competent before God, and capable of making decisions in matters of faith without coercion or compulsion by any larger religious or civil body
Church freedom: freedom of the local church from outside interference, whether government or civilian (subject only to the law where it does not interfere with the religious teachings and practices of the church)
Bible freedom: the individual is free to interpret the Bible for himself or herself, using the best tools of scholarship and biblical study available to the individual
Religious freedom: the individual is free to choose whether to practice their religion, another religion, or no religion; Separation of church and state is often called the "civil corollary" of religious freedom

the wiki is pretty accurate check it out and tell me what you think

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baptists

when nations die-the fate of man?

Bigthink — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:00:50 +0100

When Nations Die

Nations and empires actually do have "life cycles." This has been studied by many historians throughout the years and they all have come to about the same conclusion: a lifetime of about two centuries. And they all seem to go through the same life cycle: "from bondage to spiritual faith; from spiritual faith to great courage; from courage to liberty; from liberty to abundance; from abundance to complacency; from complacency to apathy; from apathy to dependency; from dependence back again into bondage (Alexander Tyler, 1750)."

Where are we in this cycle? We, too, have gone from bondage to spiritual faith; from faith to great courage which established our precious liberty, which, in turn, has given us unprecedented abundance that has made us the envy of the world. That abundance, however, has led to complacency and apathy. (If you ask the average person, What is the biggest problem in America? Is it ignorance or is it apathy? They will probably respond, "I don't know; and I don't care!")

lets discuss Eliot

Bigthink — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 14:18:27 +0100

: 3. Preludes  I
THE WINTER evening settles downWith smell of steaks in passageways.Six o’clock.The burnt-out ends of smoky days.And now a gusty shower wraps        5The grimy scrapsOf withered leaves about your feetAnd newspapers from vacant lots;The showers beatOn broken blinds and chimney-pots,        10And at the corner of the streetA lonely cab-horse steams and stamps.And then the lighting of the lamps. II
The morning comes to consciousnessOf faint stale smells of beer        15From the sawdust-trampled streetWith all its muddy feet that pressTo early coffee-stands.With the other masqueradesThat time resumes,        20One thinks of all the handsThat are raising dingy shadesIn a thousand furnished rooms. III
You tossed a blanket from the bed,You lay upon your back, and waited;        25You dozed, and watched the night revealingThe thousand sordid imagesOf which your soul was constituted;They flickered against the ceiling.And when all the world came back        30And the light crept up between the shuttersAnd you heard the sparrows in the gutters,You had such a vision of the streetAs the street hardly understands;Sitting along the bed’s edge, where        35You curled the papers from your hair,Or clasped the yellow soles of feetIn the palms of both soiled hands. IV
His soul stretched tight across the skiesThat fade behind a city block,        40Or trampled by insistent feetAt four and five and six o’clock;And short square fingers stuffing pipes,And evening newspapers, and eyesAssured of certain certainties,        45The conscience of a blackened streetImpatient to assume the world. I am moved by fancies that are curledAround these images, and cling:The notion of some infinitely gentle        50Infinitely suffering thing. Wipe your hand across your mouth, and laugh;The worlds revolve like ancient womenGathering fuel in vacant lots.

here is an answer to the unanswerable

Bigthink — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 14:17:13 +0100

ECC 9: 14 There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: righteous men who get what the wicked deserve, and wicked men who get what the righteous deserve. This too, I say, is meaningless. 15 So I commend the enjoyment of life, because nothing is better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany him in his work all the days of the life God has given him under the sun.

16 When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe man's labor on earth—his eyes not seeing sleep day or night- 17 then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all his efforts to search it out, man cannot discover its meaning. Even if a wise man claims he knows, he cannot really comprehend it.

ECC 12:

13 Now all has been heard;
       here is the conclusion of the matter:
       Fear God and keep his commandments,
       for this is the whole duty of man.

14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil.

ECCLISASTES can make for a great philosphy discussion, NIV is the easiest read for anyone who hasnt read it yet...

Ecclesiastes

Bigthink — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 01:41:35 +0100

: If you havent read it in awhile, or ever, lets discuss it. Believer and non believer are welcome, it has stuck out to me as the most phlisopically themed portion of the bible, and wether you believe in god, gods, or no god, or if you dont know what you believe in, i think this reading could illustrate that feeling for those of us who are used to gettin lost in neverending theological debates

to qoute scripture...

Bigthink — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 18:05:41 +0100

people on both sides of the argument like to throw little bits and segemtns of scripture at each other, in discussing and debating the meanings and ideas behine differnt excerpts from the bible i have come to realize that the context of the qoute is often misplaced, and the seperation between the time of LAW and the time of GRACE seems to be an overriding factor in why people accuse the bible of contradicting itself so my questions here is for skeptics and believer alike

1. what is a line or passage you often refer to to affirm/disagree with either why you believe/dont believe

3. have you studied the context of the passage you are using and is you biblical knowledge/theology based on anything more than just memorazation of a few select lines or passages?

Where are You from and how is it different from the rest of the world

Bigthink — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 20:20:24 +0100

: what makes your home special/stand out in the world, also what impact postive or negative do you think its had on you