h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

hi again Caught your last entry on the Christians forum and actually your experience isn't that odd. I stopped believing in the religious stuff we were fed when after being told of one of those heroic dog-type-save-the-human stories I asked if the dog went to heaven and was told no ..."animals don't have souls ". Thought that was absolutely silly and totally unfair !
Was going to add this quote on the Christian forum but it might be inappropriate...
"God is omnipresent, omniniscient, and omnipotent.....it says so right here on the label ".....Robert Heinlein.
Have a great day !

Hello, Keeza. How nice of you to drop by again. Sorry I've been slow in some of my responses, but I wasn't feeling well over the weekend. It's just that the Christians get me riled up enough to feel I have to answer; otherwise, everything just runs around in my head, getting in the way of more constructive things.

And no priest could possibly tell me that my Alice (the cat) doesn't have a soul. I sometimes feel like I see things more clearly than the religious sorts, but then I tell myself I'm being a bit pretentious if I think that.

And now I'm off to take a self-defense class. First one: wish me luck!!!

bp

Wow...self defense ? ...is that to defend yourself against those nasty car bashers or the insurance guys ? Seriously ...what sort - a martial art or a class that teaches basic techniques from a combination of sources ? I tried Tae Kwon Do and a little Karate and while I liked doing the kartas it was all a little too violent for me. Tai chi I thought was great but sadly only done in the mornings and my work hours are rather uncivilised - 5am starts - so I would miss too many classes but the steps and patterns are very nice.
Like everything else I might just have to get some videos some time and do a little self learning.
I don't think you are being pretentious at all ....what you believe is obviously right for you. I notice that many prefer to call themselves atheists ?sp rather than agnostics. I kinda like agnostic 'cos I believe there are forces - don't have a strong concept of what the forces are other than there seems to be a purpose and sense in the world and I get strong internal "feelings" about people and events...not really premonitions...just a sort of intuition.Really interested in some of the Wiccan concepts but haven't done much reading or study.
I enjoy playing the questioner on debates like Christians on h2g2 - yes - devils advocate - but as an intellectual exercise.The only time I find it frustrating is when harm is done in Christ's name and justified.Faith as a concept to me is like Hope...and essential to human existence...whatever that faith happens believe as long as it is spread by example rather than compulsion.

Hullo, Keeza. Sorry I've been so long in answering, but it seems I have less free time every day. How DOES that happen?

Funny what you said about the self-defense, because when we were practicing our kicks and things, I kept picturing insurance adjusters at the receiving end!!

As for religion, I do consider myself an atheist in the Christian sense of the word, as I don't believe in a God-figure. I DO believe that the universe itself is a powerful and mysterious thing that we can't even begin to understand. But I don't believe it has any real concern with our well-beings as individuals. And, in fact, I believe we have a lot more choice in the situations we find ourselves in than we realize. I've sometimes even wondered if we choose to be born into the situations we're born into. Scary thought, huh?

So I consider myself an atheist, with Taoist and Wiccan leanings. And the whole Christians on H2G2 thing started as an intellectual exercise (I have great respect for ddombrow, even though I disagree with 90% of what he says.) But too many people started coming into the conversation, and a few of them, unfortunately, were a bit derogatory. (Not that I myself haven't said some things that, on further thought, I realized perhaps I shouldn't have). And the whole thing started to unwind a bit.

If you have time or inclination, I invite you to stop by the Queen's Court at http://www.h2g2.com/forumframe.cgi?forum=29432&thread=39102

You can pick up a title (discount rates), or just stop by as a visitor. Everyone is welcome (though Queen bluDragon is often away on weekends, so she may not be there to welcome you.) Did I already invite you, or not....? Sometimes I lose track of what I told whom here in the Virtual World.

Great fun is to be had by all. Click on the "Dragon Queen of Damogran" link on the top of the page for some background info, and then just stop in and say "hi". The Queen loves gifts, by the way. And I am a Lady of the court. Tee-hee.

G'night,
bp