The Goat Pen

Cletus wrote:

innocentbystander wrote:Please say a prayer for our 19 fallen fire fighters.

A little late for that. Too bad your god is such a prick that it felt the need to kill those guys.

As if God, like some kind of mob boss, decieded to knock these guys off. Where do you dream up this shit?

If your god is true, it created all the conditions that led to the fire and created these guys knowing that they would die in the fire. If this god is real, it could easily have prevented any of this but didn't. It's hard to imagine why anyone would worship this god. Fortunately, it's not real.

(sharpens my poking stick)

Maybe "God" did this to test the faith of others. Would you still praise God's name in time of both tragic and despair? Perhaps the Devil caused this fire and tragedy and God's only outcome was to let them perish and offer them entrance into his kingdom.

(stops poking Cletus, runs away giggling like school boy that learned he could say titmouse without getting in trouble)

I blame Bush.

You can still get in trouble for saying titmouse...

If God is indeed real, then what makes you think you have anywhere near the intellect or moral fortitude to question his all-seeing, all-knowing judgment?

Bluecat wrote:If God is indeed real, then what makes you think you have anywhere near the intellect or moral fortitude to question his all-seeing, all-knowing judgment?

He went to Georgetown and lives in Chicage. That's makes him superior to the rest of the world.

God is also a god of judgement. He has cursed all mankind with death and he ain't wringing his hands because Cletus feels it is unfair.

Fifer wrote:As if God, like some kind of mob boss, decieded to knock these guys off. Where do you dream up this shit?

its best not to even dignify their asinine responses with an answer.

"He has cursed all mankind with death and he ain't wringing his hands because Cletus feels it is unfair."

Why do you think of death as a curse?

I guess it depends on the perspective. Your death would not be a curse to the rest of us.

BAM !

You said it was a curse to all mankind, now you're saying it's a matter of perspective. Not that I'm surprised by the vacillations and prevarications of those who claim religious feelings. In fact, I expect them. So thanks for proving me right...

way too much shit unexplained in this universe to discount anything supernatural

for example--http://www.time.com/time/health/article ... 88,00.html

but the idea thaat a god uses us like puppets punishing non believers depending on what your faith. testing all humans with the eternal reward or eternal punishment depending on your performance doesnt seem very saviorlike

How does that article imply the existence of a god or anything supernatural?

What's the difference between a god that is completely undetectable and has no measurable impact on the world (which accurately describes every god that has ever been posited) and a god that doesn't exist at all? I understand why people would want to believe in a god but I don't understand how anyone does. It makes no sense whatsoever.

Cletus wrote:How does that article imply the existence of a god or anything supernatural?

What's the difference between a god that is completely undetectable and has no measurable impact on the world (which accurately describes every god that has ever been posited) and a god that doesn't exist at all? I understand why people would want to believe in a god but I don't understand how anyone does. It makes no sense whatsoever.

Believe whatever you want Cletus, nobody gives a damn if you don't believe in God. If you want to lay in bed on Sunday morning and fuck your old lady instead going to mass, go ahead, nobody gives a rats ass. But whenever anyone makes even the slightest reference to church or religious faith your're on it like a barracuda on bleeding fish. I can't tell you how many times I've baited you on that , and sat back and laughed at your very predicatable response. YOU are demanding that others believe as you do, and that's just not going to happen.

I've never thought Cletus demanded anything from the likes of you, Fifer. I'm pretty sure he knows it's a hopeless cause and at any rate I doubt he gives a shit what you believe, or rather, he doesn't give a shit whether you think like he does or not. Just b/c he thinks your belief system is childish and silly and in many ways worthy of scorn (which scorn he has demonstrated admirably and humorously) doesn't mean he wants you to change. He's just perplexed that you believe in something for which there is not a single shred of evidence, credible or otherwise. Obviously, that enrages you, to the point that you accuse him of doing something he hasn't done. Why did you lie, Fifer?

If there is a god out there, he (it) is at best an entity completely indifferent to human life or really life of any kind. That's at best. At worst, it is a malevolent force and I do at times believe in that god...

Theres lots of evidence. Somebody wrote it in a book, and its more plausible than Tolkien.

hedge wrote:I've never thought Cletus demanded anything from the likes of you, Fifer. I'm pretty sure he knows it's a hopeless cause and at any rate I doubt he gives a shit what you believe, or rather, he doesn't give a shit whether you think like he does or not. Just b/c he thinks your belief system is childish and silly and in many ways worthy of scorn (which scorn he has demonstrated admirably and humorously) doesn't mean he wants you to change. He's just perplexed that you believe in something for which there is not a single shred of evidence, credible or otherwise. Obviously, that enrages you, to the point that you accuse him of doing something he hasn't done. Why did you lie, Fifer?

I'm not going to get into a pissing contest on it. It's a free country, believe whatever you want.

FWIW American Civil War reenactors around the world will be observing a moment of silence at 1.07 PM today. That is the time of day that the first Confederate cannons touched off on Seminary ridge south of Gettysburg, Pa to begin the doomed attack known as Picketts charge, 150 years ago this day.