Christian Intelligence

[darkbeaver]

The ancient axiom is wrong, and there's plenty of evidence from neuroscience that the mind is a manifestation of physical activity--matter and energy interacting--in the brain. Electromagnetic stimulation of brain tissue can evoke very specific memories and physical injury to the brain clearly can affect the mind. You could hardly ask for clearer evidence than that, but as usual, just as your understanding of physics hasn't progressed beyond Maxwell's equations for electromagnetism, your knowledge of the science is at least a century out of date. And if you're citing fictitious Egyptian deities like Horus, maybe 5000 years would be a better estimate of how far behind you are.

There was no mention of energy in your post preceding mine, there was only material interactions. Yes I know we can make a dead frogs leg twitch with a shock. If you can do something to matter without the intervention of mind first I would like to see it. You seem to believe that random particles put in motion by other random particles over the course of billions of years built a hummingbird. Mythical is the correct word, the old gods certainly aren't fictitious. All myth explains by symbolism natural physics and as proof of it's power and utility you have those great mythical stories to thank for your existence today and you consistently fail to give them their due. They invented science. Five thousand years ago they built Giza and thousands of other structures which mock modern convention. I wish I had their five thousand year old perspective and their knowledge of physics. Your behind is chronological straw anyway.
Hope you enjoy the summer sinister.

 

[Cliffy]

But if you believe in God you have a religion.

No. There is a difference between religion and spirituality. You should check it out. Spirituality is a personal journey, religion is a package deal, like a cruise ship. Some people are on a personal journey that does require a god and some do. Religion requires all members to believe basically the same things.

 

[Walter]

No. There is a difference between religion and spirituality. You should check it out. Spirituality is a personal journey, religion is a package deal, like a cruise ship. Some people are on a personal journey that does require a god and some do. Religion requires all members to believe basically the same things.

Check it out.
re·li·gion
noun 1. a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.

 

[tay]

 

[Walter]

Like the magician Gore. It hasn't warmed in 17 years.

 

[Motar]

But if you believe in God you have a religion.

Semantically-speaking, there is great potential for disagreement on the matter of religion, Walter. People define religion differently. Supposing that Gandhi and Cliffy are referencing "organized religion" and having witnessed Jesus' response to the religiosity of the Jews, I would agree that "God has no religion".

That being said,

"Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (James 1:26, 27 NIV)

 

[Motar]

"Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (James 1:26, 27 NIV)

Personal tongue-control and care for the vulnerable are comprehensible.

But what is "keeping oneself from being polluted by the world"? Is the world a toxic waste dump? Should I invest in a HazMat suit and wear it when I leave my home? What is James promoting here ?

 

[Cliffy]

Personal tongue-control and care for the vulnerable are comprehensible.

But what is "keeping oneself from being polluted by the world"? Is the world a toxic waste dump? Should I invest in a HazMat suit and wear it when I leave my home? What is James promoting here ?

I believe the guy or guys who wrote under the pen name James was talking about spiritual pollution. You would do well to protect yourself from all the lunatics who are coming out of the woodwork these days.

 

[darkbeaver]

Personal tongue-control and care for the vulnerable are comprehensible.

But what is "keeping oneself from being polluted by the world"? Is the world a toxic waste dump? Should I invest in a HazMat suit and wear it when I leave my home? What is James promoting here ?

A warning against materialism. Do not fall in love with the bag of matter you're in because it's not permanent. Matter is the false idol. Christians of course disobeyed almost immediately and began worshiping the body of Jesus.

 

[Motar]

But what is "keeping oneself from being polluted by the world"? What is James promoting here ?

From a biblical perspective, "the world" as referenced in James 1:27 incorporates Old Testament (Hebrew) and New Testament (Greek/Christian) context. It includes the earth, its supporting environment and its inhabitants. "The world" James references is the Christ-less created order.

A warning against materialism. Do not fall in love with the bag of matter you're in because it's not permanent. Matter is the false idol.

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.' ... 'And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them." (Luke 12:22-23, 29-30 NIV)

Here in Luke is the first New Testament reference to "the world" as the material-centered (Christ-less) created order, DB.

 

[darkbeaver]

From a biblical perspective, "the world" as referenced in James 1:27 incorporates Old Testament (Hebrew) and New Testament (Greek/Christian) context. It includes the earth, its supporting environment and its inhabitants. "The world" James references is the Christ-less created order.



"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.' ... 'And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them." (Luke 12:22-23, 29-30 NIV)

Here in Luke is the first New Testament reference to "the world" as the material-centered (Christ-less) created order, DB.

Yup,

Crucifixion in matter, that is the fate of souls.

 

[Nuggler]

? Anyone else said this: Christian Intelligence is an oxymoron.

I know I'm not the first, but maybe the first in this thread..8O

"The first priest was the first rogue who met the first fool." [Voltaire]

 

[darkbeaver]

If you own and operate an religion is your point still valid?

 

[Cliffy]

The world, the Earth, is not just some rock spinning in space, a platform for human life to live on and exploit. The Earth is a living being. The biosphere is a single mass of life that we are only a part of. All the various forms of living creatures, big and small, are all interrelated and interdependent - the web of life. What we do to that web affects us as much as any other creature that coexist with us. Some call this Mother Earth, some call it the Body of Christ. It is the whole, the complete body of which we are but a small part. If we do not live in balance with the rest of life, then we run the risk of causing it serious harm. We already are. We are becoming a disease in the body of the whole.

What have they done to the Earth?
What have they done to our fair sister?
Ravaged and plundered and ripped her and bit her
Stuck her with knives in the side of the dawn
And tied her with fences and dragged her down - the Doors

​

 

[Motar]

? Anyone else said this: Christian Intelligence is an oxymoron.

"kind and gentle"?

What have they done to the Earth?
What have they done to our fair sister?
Ravaged and plundered and ripped her and bit her
Stuck her with knives in the side of the dawn
And tied her with fences and dragged her down - the Doors

What have "we" done to the Earth? What have "we" done to our fair sister? As (former) inhabitants, are Jim (presumed lyricist), Ray, John and Robby in any way accountable for the condition of the planet, Cliffy?

 

[Cliffy]

"kind and gentle"?

What have "we" done to the Earth? What have "we" done to our fair sister? As (former) inhabitants, are Jim (presumed lyricist), Ray, John and Robby in any way accountable for the condition of the planet, Cliffy?

I think you missed the point. "We" is all inclusive. We are all responsible. Either you are trying to avoid that responsibility, you are trying to deflect blame or you are nowhere near as bright as you think you are.

 

[darkbeaver]

The cosmos is a living being, the earth is an appendage for life forms, billions of them generation after generation of new living things, eternal regeneration, infinite regeneration, that's what powers the big mind, infinite sparks of conscious intelligenc
alwys moving

 

[Motar]

I think you missed the point. "We" is all inclusive. We are all responsible. Either you are trying to avoid that responsibility, you are trying to deflect blame or you are nowhere near as bright as you think you are.

Agree, Cliffy. We are all responsible. The version you posted says "they", not "we" : )

 

[Cliffy]

Agree, Cliffy. We are all responsible. The version you posted says "they", not "we" : )

Sorry, I missed that. Guess I'm the one who ain't so swift.

 

[Nuggler]

? Anyone else said this: Christian Intelligence is an oxymoron.

I know I'm not the first, but maybe the first in this thread..8O

"The first priest was the first rogue who met the first fool." [Voltaire]

Wally the red didn't like that. boo hoo.8O