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Where's God in all of this?

By *ntrepid Explorers OP Couple over a year ago

Birmingham

Through no choice either way I find myself with a surprisingly high number of deeply religious, Christian friends. Apparently Christ is indeed Risen... They're also, to a tee, extremely conscious of lockdown rules and being very strict. But I'm not about to ask them where the hell God is whilst all this is happening... What do people in their position tend to say, any clues?

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By *alandNitaCouple over a year ago

Scunthorpe

The view of Christianity, is that God gives us the tools to deal with the situation.

Cal

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By *ntrepid Explorers OP Couple over a year ago

Birmingham

"The view of Christianity, is that God gives us the tools to deal with the situation.

Cal"
Plenty of Christians in Murica refusing to even wear masks though... But if course their BS isn't a reflection on anyone else.

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By *naswingdressWoman over a year ago

Manchester (she/her)

The views of Christians are pretty varied on this sort of thing.

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By *ntrepid Explorers OP Couple over a year ago

Birmingham

"The views of Christians are pretty varied on this sort of thing."
I'd expect so, but my "sort" seem to be broadly aligned. I just don't have the guts to ask them how they can possibly believe their cloud dude is allowing this to happen, unless it some sort of Arc Part Deux masterplan.

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By *naswingdressWoman over a year ago

Manchester (she/her)

"The views of Christians are pretty varied on this sort of thing.I'd expect so, but my "sort" seem to be broadly aligned. I just don't have the guts to ask them how they can possibly believe their cloud dude is allowing this to happen, unless it some sort of Arc Part Deux masterplan. "

Some I know would say it's because of sin, some would say it's to show the righteous among us. Some would say it's part of God's plan.

(I'm not judging, just, it's what the people I know might say)

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

As a Christian I believe in a loving God. He doesn't want anyone to perish.

The whole pandemic issue is certainly dividing even the "Christian" community.

I can understand it is a tough one for those without a faith to get their heads around. & with everything in this World, people do tend to want answers & to find someone/ something to throw the blame at when hardships arise.

God has big shoulders & takes a lot of blame for so many things.

I don't believe the pandemic & everything that has happened & is happening as a result of it is a divine punishment.

We live in a fallen world. Things are no longer perfect and good as they were originally created to be before the fall of man.

Viruses are part of the created order of things, & once were all good, useful and there for a reason.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

If god can sort out an all world conquering driven communist party who will stop at nothing to control every human being and species on the planet, well I will pop along to church every Sunday and sign over my 10% of earnings for the greater good!!!!!

#chinavirus

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By *orthern StarsCouple over a year ago

Durham, North Yorkshire and can travel

I once asked someone who is very religious about why bad things happen to good people. Their reply was that the bad stuff is the devil doing his work, and that also a lot of the bad stuff in life is man-made.

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By *inky_couple2020Couple over a year ago

North West

I'm not sure why the pandemic should have provoked any new questions to the Christian community. What we mean is that, for the first time in a long time, lots of us are touched by an indiscriminate pathogen that can might kill our families and friends with little/no warning. Most of us are not used to that.

It happens in less developed countries more often, either due to diseases like malaria, rotavirus etc or due to malnutrition. Have we questioned why a supposed God allows innocent children in countries far from our minds to be indiscriminately killed by disease?

Presumably the answer is the same as the question being asked about Covid?

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By *naswingdressWoman over a year ago

Manchester (she/her)

"I'm not sure why the pandemic should have provoked any new questions to the Christian community. What we mean is that, for the first time in a long time, lots of us are touched by an indiscriminate pathogen that can might kill our families and friends with little/no warning. Most of us are not used to that.

Presumably the answer is the same as the question being asked about Covid?"

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By *00STERMan over a year ago

nearby

"I once asked someone who is very religious about why bad things happen to good people. Their reply was that the bad stuff is the devil doing his work, and that also a lot of the bad stuff in life is man-made."

My retort to this has always been but if it god is all powerful that means he either decides not to stop the devil doing the bad things (dick move) or the devil is more powerful and Han god (in which case I welcome our great over lord lucifer).

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By *ntrepid Explorers OP Couple over a year ago

Birmingham

"Presumably the answer is the same as the question being asked about Covid?"

I'd wonder if it is. It feels like often the beliefs are adjusted to fit nicely around the changing realities. I was certainly thinking of that Irish TV Stephen Fry clip about the children going blind. These issues are usually far away from our lives. Now they're closer the issues need to be thought of different I expect, but the outcomes, I don't know.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"Through no choice either way I find myself with a surprisingly high number of deeply religious, Christian friends. Apparently Christ is indeed Risen... They're also, to a tee, extremely conscious of lockdown rules and being very strict. But I'm not about to ask them where the hell God is whilst all this is happening... What do people in their position tend to say, any clues? "

A whole variety of things. Plenty of more observed / strict Christians right across to more diluted or alternative bases of Christianity.

Some are really struggling with it, and some just see it as part of the way he wishes the world to be.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Presumably the answer is the same as the question being asked about Covid?"

Bravo, quite right

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By *ornucopiaMan over a year ago

Bexley

If there is a god, then 'it' has probably created covid for a much needed cull of the human race.

Therefore we could well be thwarting said god's plan by not going along with it.

Time will tell.

I can't see where Christianity comes into it, other than Christians believing that their God is the one who matters.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

God is all powerful.

He also has given mankind something called free will!

If he were to intervene every time there was any problem no matter how big or small, humankind would not have freedom to choose to believe, trust & worship him. We would be no more than just puppets & God the divine puppeteer!

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By *ornucopiaMan over a year ago

Bexley

I can't see where Christianity comes into it, other than Christians believing that their God is the one who matters."

I should have said "(Christians') God and, by definition, Judaism's G-d is the one who matters", since they share the same one.

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By *ornucopiaMan over a year ago

Bexley

God is all powerful.

He also has given mankind something called free will!

Whoever transcribed God's motives for his believers' consumption had all potential arguments covered!

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By *ny1localMan over a year ago

READING

I just think he's doing what a lot are..self isolating

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"As a Christian I believe in a loving God. He doesn't want anyone to perish.

The whole pandemic issue is certainly dividing even the "Christian" community.

God has big shoulders & takes a lot of blame for so many things.

I don't believe the pandemic & everything that has happened & is happening as a result of it is a divine punishment.

We live in a fallen world. Things are no longer perfect and good as they were originally created to be before the fall of man.

Viruses are part of the created order of things, & once were all good, useful and there for a reason.

If he made the world in six days i am sure he can stop a virus

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By *00STERMan over a year ago

nearby

God is all powerful.

He also has given mankind something called free will!

Who mentioned free will or mankind I was purely mentioning lucifer getting the blame for the bad things.

The facts are it’s all make believe sky wizards aiming at controlling the weaker masses ..

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By *ools and the brainCouple over a year ago

couple, us we him her.

Problem with religion is that it's open to interpretation and one person may read and understand" the word of God" differently to another.

Hence the bickering between religion's.

Believing it's god's devine will to let us get on with it.

Is frankly ridiculous what's the point of being God if you can't intervene to prevent much suffering and death of your children?

As a parent despite my children having free will I would always intervene if they where suffering and particularly if I had the power to stop it.

Which is why religion and God is a flawed ideology and therefore.

" Where is God in all this"?

Nowhere as he doesn't exist other than in people's head's.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"As a Christian I believe in a loving God. He doesn't want anyone to perish.

The whole pandemic issue is certainly dividing even the "Christian" community.

God has big shoulders & takes a lot of blame for so many things.

I don't believe the pandemic & everything that has happened & is happening as a result of it is a divine punishment.

We live in a fallen world. Things are no longer perfect and good as they were originally created to be before the fall of man.

Viruses are part of the created order of things, & once were all good, useful and there for a reason.

Could not have put it better. X

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By *naswingdressWoman over a year ago

Manchester (she/her)

As a parent despite my children having free will I would always intervene if they where suffering and particularly if I had the power to stop it.

This is where I land too.

You let your kids grow and make mistakes, but at some point you intervene out of love. To prevent the worst pain.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

God is all powerful.

He also has given mankind something called free will!

This makes far more sense. All powerful and loves everyone... so goes with "believe in me but I'm not giving any proof... and hey here is some free will so you can choose to worship me and if you pass my test you get a treat, now this is my newest creation I call it Covid-19" Sounds almost like some sort of devine puppeteer

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By *inky_couple2020Couple over a year ago

North West

"As a Christian I believe in a loving God. He doesn't want anyone to perish.

The whole pandemic issue is certainly dividing even the "Christian" community.

God has big shoulders & takes a lot of blame for so many things.

I don't believe the pandemic & everything that has happened & is happening as a result of it is a divine punishment.

We live in a fallen world. Things are no longer perfect and good as they were originally created to be before the fall of man.

Viruses are part of the created order of things, & once were all good, useful and there for a reason.

Viruses have never been all good. They're obligate intracellular parasites and exist only to infect and therefore destroy certain cells, including prokaryotic cells (bacteria), plant cells and animal cells.

There's no need to apportion blame, other than to the leaders who failed to listen to those with some level of knowledge and foresight, and who could have, to some extent, mitigated the worst of the situation we find ourselves in.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

I just can’t understand educated adults still holding on to the nonsensical concept of an all seeing, all doing, all powerful imaginary friend

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"I just can’t understand educated adults still holding on to the nonsensical concept of an all seeing, all doing, all powerful imaginary friend "

And I cant understand educated adults mocking someone's beliefs.

You don't have to believe or have a faith but you also don't need to mock those that do.

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By *itty9899Man over a year ago

Craggy Island

I think God is probably self isolating and he couldn't really have his disciples as the rule of six won't allow it and mass gatherings even for our lord saviour rising would be awkward to police.

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By *estivalMan over a year ago

borehamwood

"I just can’t understand educated adults still holding on to the nonsensical concept of an all seeing, all doing, all powerful imaginary friend "

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By *olly_chromaticTV/TS over a year ago

Stockport

This is a big question that theologians have been discussing for thousands of years. Regardless of what particular religion, there is really only one salient point.

Either the universe is completely clockwork, with no choice in the final outcome of anything, with every smallest action and reaction pre-programmed in, and there is no such thing as free will, there is no such thing as consciousness, every atom is just doing what it does being an atom. We are all just zombies with some kind of illusion that we exist (well me anyway, I don't know about any of the rest of you, you might not even have the illusion).

Or the universe is not clockwork, it does have rigorous laws but somehow there is wriggle room in there for free will to exist. In which case we can still have God, but their part in the process is then merely (though it's a bloody big merely!) to have set up the initial conditions and the laws that act in such a way that the universe is something rather than nothing, that there is free will available, and that the laws do allow planets to form, life to evolve, intelligence to form, people to ask themselves "what's it all about?".

The only other option would be that it's all just chaos, there are no laws, there is no causality. But then we wouldn't be here asking those questions in the first place.

In either case, it's a pretty poor sort of god, a poor craftsman, that would have to keep poking their screwdriver into the works and tinkering with it. It's a far better craftsman that never has to do any tinkering. In fact, with a perfectly running universe, even a single infinitesimal intervention would just gum up the works, shatter the whole thing.

So what does God give you? The same as is given to every living and non-living thing - an opportunity to be, rather than not to be. With consciousness and free will (if we do have free will...) comes the responsibility to choose what to do, and to take responsibility for what is done. To collectively, as a race of interconnected beings and as part of an interconnected network of all life, to aim to be better, or to allow ourselves to be worse. Theology and God gives a framework within which we can explore the ideas of good and evil, what is better, what is worse, what things are part of the creation we interact with, what things might lie outside of that knowable creation. Religions outline some of the possible answers to the smaller questions, and help steer societies in directions that may or may not be "good" or "bad".

So where is God when there is a pandemic killing people? Same place that God has always been. Doing that thing 13.5 billion years ago which means that there is something rather than nothing, that means that there are even people to be having a pandemic. And then maybe sitting back and watching - but watching everything, every single atom, electron, photon, neutrino, quark. And giving every microbe the same chance as every human. A chance to be. Or maybe not watching anything, just content to have wound up the clockwork to start with, now off doing universe version two, letting universe version one do it's own thing.

God either cares about everything. Absolutely everything, big picture, little picture, everything in between. Or cares about nothing.

* Disclaimer. Author happens to be a practising Christian, who does lots of thinking about the cosmos, philosophy, theology. Who has her own religious things that she does, but is quite content to allow other people to have their own religious or non-religious things that they do.

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By *icecouple561Couple over a year ago
Forum Mod

East Sussex

God is wherever you want or believe him/her to be. That can range from everywhere to nowhere. Each individual draws their own conclusion on the exact involvement God has in their life and that in my opinion , is between them and who or whatever they perceive God to be.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"This is a big question that theologians have been discussing for thousands of years. Regardless of what particular religion, there is really only one salient point.

The only other option would be that it's all just chaos, there are no laws, there is no causality. But then we wouldn't be here asking those questions in the first place.

God either cares about everything. Absolutely everything, big picture, little picture, everything in between. Or cares about nothing.

Great post. I think I would very much enjoy a conversation with you

All I can succinctly add is that my mother was Shinto, my father was Christian and from early teens, my adoptive parents are Israeli Jews. From my background, and reading with interest all the threads on religion, I can say that no two people have the same definition of what they believe god to be.

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By *ophieslutTV/TS over a year ago

Central

He's all seeing and all knowing, knew it was coming and how it ends. Bit fucked up, if you ask me. It seems a facile explannation of a system designed to create something like 247 CCTV, to get people to behave, before the technology existed, once societies became a bit bigger than just a couple of dozen people in a tribe. It was cheap, no need to pay for surveillance and the citizens paid their taxes to God, via the religious leader. Quids in, all round.

God knows everything. God does nothing about the worst atrocities that he has responsibility for. His so-called representatives on earth, including the Queen, have had a nice earner from it and had the good poor people not really give them much bother. A nice little way to have power and financial control of the masses, whilst you live a peaceful life, laughing all the way to the bank.

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By *ty31Man over a year ago

NW London

Even the bible says that the world is not perfect and contains pain and suffering. According to the bible humans chose to have knowledge of this and live in this world, therefore it is not the responsibility of God and it certainly isn't God creating pandemics or personally going round dishing out illnesses

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By *estivalMan over a year ago

borehamwood

He off playing with his talking leopard he created after he got bored playing with us

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"As a Christian I believe in a loving God. He doesn't want anyone to perish.

The whole pandemic issue is certainly dividing even the "Christian" community.

God has big shoulders & takes a lot of blame for so many things.

I don't believe the pandemic & everything that has happened & is happening as a result of it is a divine punishment.

We live in a fallen world. Things are no longer perfect and good as they were originally created to be before the fall of man.

Viruses are part of the created order of things, & once were all good, useful and there for a reason.

"
God didnt make the virus scientists in labratorys did to de populate and control so a human thing not God

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By *ophieslutTV/TS over a year ago

Central

"As a Christian I believe in a loving God. He doesn't want anyone to perish.

The whole pandemic issue is certainly dividing even the "Christian" community.

God has big shoulders & takes a lot of blame for so many things.

I don't believe the pandemic & everything that has happened & is happening as a result of it is a divine punishment.

We live in a fallen world. Things are no longer perfect and good as they were originally created to be before the fall of man.

Viruses are part of the created order of things, & once were all good, useful and there for a reason.

God didnt make the virus scientists in labratorys did to de populate and control so a human thing not God "

Your evidence for this?

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By *estivalMan over a year ago

borehamwood

Have a listen to motorhead god was never on your side should answer most peeps questions

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Well Amish communities here reached herd immunity. Heavy religious communities.

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By *ocbigMan over a year ago

Birmingham

"I just think he's doing what a lot are..self isolating "

Yes, but for 2000 years plus...wow.

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By *ocbigMan over a year ago

Birmingham

...and who made God?

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By *ornucopiaMan over a year ago

Bexley

"...and who made God?"

Someone who had the incredible foresight to create God in the image of a yet to evolve human!

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By *antmore66Man over a year ago

durham

Sorry there is no god bag of shite this is mother nature at her best simple

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By *inky_couple2020Couple over a year ago

North West

"Well Amish communities here reached herd immunity. Heavy religious communities."

Yes, and a lot of deaths too. From Penn Live Online:

"COVID-19 has been devastating to Pennsylvania seniors, with nine out of every 10 fatalities among those 60 and older. In Lancaster County, 96% of COVID-19 fatalities as of March 17 — 926 of 968 — have been people age 60 or older.

The same appears to be true for the elderly in the Plain community, as Hoover estimated most deaths were 70 and older.

Cooper said she signed “plenty” of death certificates during that time.

But the death toll may never be known."

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By *ty31Man over a year ago

NW London

"Well Amish communities here reached herd immunity. Heavy religious communities.

Yes, and a lot of deaths too. From Penn Live Online:

The same appears to be true for the elderly in the Plain community, as Hoover estimated most deaths were 70 and older.

Cooper said she signed “plenty” of death certificates during that time.

But the death toll may never be known.""

Maybe, but it was similar in Hasidic Jewish communities both in UK and New York wasn't it?

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By *inky_couple2020Couple over a year ago

North West

"Well Amish communities here reached herd immunity. Heavy religious communities.

Yes, and a lot of deaths too. From Penn Live Online:

The same appears to be true for the elderly in the Plain community, as Hoover estimated most deaths were 70 and older.

Cooper said she signed “plenty” of death certificates during that time.

But the death toll may never be known."

Maybe, but it was similar in Hasidic Jewish communities both in UK and New York wasn't it?"

Traditional Jewish communities definitely had very high numbers of cases, yes. I don't know if anyone has decided they've achieved herd immunity or anything similar.

The caveat is that we don't know to what extent natural immunity achieved to earlier variants will protect against new variants, so we'd still recommend vaccines and continuing mitigation measures like social distancing, masks etc.

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By *rHotNottsMan over a year ago

Dubai / Nottingham

Some I know would say it's because of sin, some would say it's to show the righteous among us. Some would say it's part of God's plan.

(I'm not judging, just, it's what the people I know might say)"

I would say none of the above , if you want to understand the nature of God and the role of faith in suffering and misery ? Then you’re asking the right questions.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

In my experience, deeply religious people such as devout (fill in the blank)'s follow their leader.

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By *eoeclipseWoman over a year ago

glasgow

According to the book 'god's funeral' there has been a steady demise in religious following since the end of ww2, the demise begun with science batting up against the teachings particularly in Christianity.

There is much to be said about spirituality and how people view and accept death, those whom are spiritual believing in an afterlife, circle of life or that they rejoin loved ones & ancestors are far more likely to see death as just another journey in life and accept it more.

The drive in advancing medical treatments over past century in particular does appear to make many people think we are entitled to immortality in this life, That death and old age should be abolished typically a thought only regarding the human species though, they often care not about all the other creatures who make up this world & their roles in it which support out own and fail to understand anything about life's balances or the level of resources used, where they come from & what is lost in order for that gain.

A typical one is the shear amount of animals who are subjected to torture & death every day to approve medicines/vaccines to keep us alive for just a little longer or even worse just to make your feel pretty.

I'm more in line with the indigenous thinkings on those fronts. There is always a cost to some living being.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"Well Amish communities here reached herd immunity. Heavy religious communities.

Yes, and a lot of deaths too. From Penn Live Online:

The same appears to be true for the elderly in the Plain community, as Hoover estimated most deaths were 70 and older.

Cooper said she signed “plenty” of death certificates during that time.

But the death toll may never be known."

Maybe, but it was similar in Hasidic Jewish communities both in UK and New York wasn't it?

Traditional Jewish communities definitely had very high numbers of cases, yes. I don't know if anyone has decided they've achieved herd immunity or anything similar.

I'm off to check out Israel's world ranking score on Worldometer

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By *inky_couple2020Couple over a year ago

North West

"Well Amish communities here reached herd immunity. Heavy religious communities.

Yes, and a lot of deaths too. From Penn Live Online:

The same appears to be true for the elderly in the Plain community, as Hoover estimated most deaths were 70 and older.

Cooper said she signed “plenty” of death certificates during that time.

But the death toll may never be known."

Maybe, but it was similar in Hasidic Jewish communities both in UK and New York wasn't it?

Traditional Jewish communities definitely had very high numbers of cases, yes. I don't know if anyone has decided they've achieved herd immunity or anything similar.

I'm off to check out Israel's world ranking score on Worldometer"

Israel isn't a community entirely composed of traditional/Orthodox or Hasidic Jews, just FYI. It's a very mixed society in terms of level of religious engagement (or none) and obviously includes communities of Christians and Muslims too.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

I'm more in line with the indigenous thinkings on those fronts. There is always a cost to some living being."

This is why I believe that mankind came from the planet Mars. And is also why I believe that mankind will terraform the planet Mars to be welcoming to humans. Whilst being unable to terraform planet earth to be welcoming to humans.

We need to start from scratch. That is why Mars is more of a challenge. And believe you me, even the most basic supermarket shelf filler needs a challenge.......

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By *inky_couple2020Couple over a year ago

North West

We need to start from scratch. That is why Mars is more of a challenge. And believe you me, even the most basic supermarket shelf filler needs a challenge......."

Do you have any evidence for this assertion?

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By *eoeclipseWoman over a year ago

glasgow

I'm more in line with the indigenous thinkings on those fronts. There is always a cost to some living being.

We need to start from scratch. That is why Mars is more of a challenge. And believe you me, even the most basic supermarket shelf filler needs a challenge......."

And in the attempt to get there the resources are being taken from this planet, out of the resources required for life here, not there! It will take millenia to make mars habitable (if it ever can be again) all the while making life worse on this planet an leaving no where to return to should it all go wrong. Even this new BS of harvesting materials from the moon & bringing them here, over time & greedy mining will affect the moon's mass, whilst raising earths (omitting already on earth factors atm) this will affect its orbit in time, the moon help with water flow & weather systems even right down to behaviours of creatures (see increase in police arrests every full moon). We are affected by things we have little understanding of yet still think we know better than nature & universal balance. There's an old egyptian god Thoth who was the god of the moon, knowledge, wisdom, writing & magic, according to his writings in the book of the dead goes along the lines of this

"humans should not be privy to all the knowledge of the universe as the concepts as to great for them to grasp"

- see the end of every advanced civiliastion who knew too much, by means of nature, mayans, inca, egyptians, atlantis etc all disappeared along with the expanse of knowledge they had gained. Btw all before christ. All lasting between 2-4 thousand years in each.w

How about we look after the one we've got & do our jobs as caretakers instead of behaving like gods ourselves, like we are the only species that matters.

I personally don't think mars travel will be realised nor the moon, the wreckage here has yet to fully hit, covid is just the first in a long line of issues we'll face over next century, the climate & other creatures are far too under valued by the human evil of selfishness & greed (as a whole species). That will be rectified by a universal rebalance, we wont go extinct but will be greatly reduced in numbers.

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By *uckandbunnyCouple over a year ago

In your bed

People of whatever faith or none do not tend to be a homogeneous group.

I think it would be insulting to suggest that a one size fits all response would cover the range of difference in peoples individual beliefs.

There has always been illness and death and religious belief has coexisted with it before.

I find faith a wonderful thing and I wish I still had it. I would never try to knock someone else's belief as that illusion (if you want to call it that) is a great gift.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

We need to start from scratch. That is why Mars is more of a challenge. And believe you me, even the most basic supermarket shelf filler needs a challenge.......

Do you have any evidence for this assertion?"

Yep, Mars is, was, might be, maybe in the "habitable zone".

Other than that I only have the already debunked Cydonia, face on mars and the fact that mankind is seemingly hell bent on making Mars habitable whilst making earth uninhabitable.

Hope that helps.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

As with all religion's,its possible to manipulate it to suit the believer.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

I'm more in line with the indigenous thinkings on those fronts. There is always a cost to some living being.

We need to start from scratch. That is why Mars is more of a challenge. And believe you me, even the most basic supermarket shelf filler needs a challenge.......

"humans should not be privy to all the knowledge of the universe as the concepts as to great for them to grasp"

How about we look after the one we've got & do our jobs as caretakers instead of behaving like gods ourselves, like we are the only species that matters.

You had me at the bracketed phrase "if it ever can be again"

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By *rHotNottsMan over a year ago

Dubai / Nottingham

I'm more in line with the indigenous thinkings on those fronts. There is always a cost to some living being."

That’s interesting but many other studies show significant growth since 1910. I goes a lot depends how you count and where you look.

In Notts there is a huge growth in the younger generations theres 3 huge famous Sunday night churches that have had to build new buildings in the last 10-15 years and in some cases extend, split and rebuild, average 500-1000 per service, 3-5 staggered services on a Sunday. Vineyard uk also has a big one here for the university population. I know of similar growth in Manchester, Bradford, Leeds, London many cities with student populations but at the same time the smaller older churches they don’t do push new ideas or make the word relevant or produce albums, books, media, TV, global or local outreach and projects won’t survive it’s not what people want anymore. They want to be connected to something authentic and relevant not traditional and stuffy

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By *inky_couple2020Couple over a year ago

North West

We need to start from scratch. That is why Mars is more of a challenge. And believe you me, even the most basic supermarket shelf filler needs a challenge.......

Do you have any evidence for this assertion?

Yep, Mars is, was, might be, maybe in the "habitable zone".

Other than that I only have the already debunked Cydonia, face on mars and the fact that mankind is seemingly hell bent on making Mars habitable whilst making earth uninhabitable.

Hope that helps."

Not really. We have no evidence that Mars was habitable by any life form. It has barely any atmosphere and what thin layer is present is almost entirely carbon dioxide. There's possible water ice deep down and but evidence of any sort of fossil or otherwise preserved evidence of life, even though the atmosphere might have been thicker in the past. It's also fecking freezing there. Just because humans want to explore it doesn't mean any life form has lived there before. We've landed men on our Moon, but there's no life on it. I'm sure we'd land people on other planets if we could but it doesn't mean that any life has previously existed on them.

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By *ocbigMan over a year ago

Birmingham

I know supermarket shelf fillers with ambition of that helps

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Free will, doesn’t intervene.

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By *ocbigMan over a year ago

Birmingham

Free Willy is better

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

We need to start from scratch. That is why Mars is more of a challenge. And believe you me, even the most basic supermarket shelf filler needs a challenge.......

Do you have any evidence for this assertion?

Yep, Mars is, was, might be, maybe in the "habitable zone".

Other than that I only have the already debunked Cydonia, face on mars and the fact that mankind is seemingly hell bent on making Mars habitable whilst making earth uninhabitable.

Hope that helps.

Back in 1995 (I remember it well, Windows 3.1 was just being replaced and I was running up BT bill with compuserve because AOL was too expensive) an university graduated biologist told me that viruses might very easily be coming to earth from "space".

I simply asked her, "how come, if viruses depend upon life forms to exist, and there are no life forms beyond earth, then how come viruses might be travelling through space? We have established that they are coming here, but from where have they come?"

None of which changes my next question - how come mankind is hell bent on terraforming Mars into a habitable planet when mankind can't even keep it's own planet earth in a habitable condition?

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By *arakiss12TV/TS over a year ago

Bedford

God only gets involved for the ones who believe, have faith and pray.

The rest are left to their own devices, until some realize the error of their ways an ask for forgiveness.

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By *inky_couple2020Couple over a year ago

North West

We need to start from scratch. That is why Mars is more of a challenge. And believe you me, even the most basic supermarket shelf filler needs a challenge.......

Do you have any evidence for this assertion?

Yep, Mars is, was, might be, maybe in the "habitable zone".

Other than that I only have the already debunked Cydonia, face on mars and the fact that mankind is seemingly hell bent on making Mars habitable whilst making earth uninhabitable.

Hope that helps.

None of which changes my next question - how come mankind is hell bent on terraforming Mars into a habitable planet when mankind can't even keep it's own planet earth in a habitable condition?"

Viruses fall from the sky, but they do not originate from space. They're sneezed out of noses in one part of the world and transported around in the water vapour, on the wind etc.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/13/science/virosphere-evolution.html

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

We need to start from scratch. That is why Mars is more of a challenge. And believe you me, even the most basic supermarket shelf filler needs a challenge.......

Do you have any evidence for this assertion?

Yep, Mars is, was, might be, maybe in the "habitable zone".

Other than that I only have the already debunked Cydonia, face on mars and the fact that mankind is seemingly hell bent on making Mars habitable whilst making earth uninhabitable.

Hope that helps.

None of which changes my next question - how come mankind is hell bent on terraforming Mars into a habitable planet when mankind can't even keep it's own planet earth in a habitable condition?

Viruses fall from the sky, but they do not originate from space. They're sneezed out of noses in one part of the world and transported around in the water vapour, on the wind etc.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/13/science/virosphere-evolution.html"

Yeah, I got that, but if it weren't for the new york times, where would the viruses have come from?

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By *inky_couple2020Couple over a year ago

North West

We need to start from scratch. That is why Mars is more of a challenge. And believe you me, even the most basic supermarket shelf filler needs a challenge.......

Do you have any evidence for this assertion?

Yep, Mars is, was, might be, maybe in the "habitable zone".

Other than that I only have the already debunked Cydonia, face on mars and the fact that mankind is seemingly hell bent on making Mars habitable whilst making earth uninhabitable.

Hope that helps.

None of which changes my next question - how come mankind is hell bent on terraforming Mars into a habitable planet when mankind can't even keep it's own planet earth in a habitable condition?

Viruses fall from the sky, but they do not originate from space. They're sneezed out of noses in one part of the world and transported around in the water vapour, on the wind etc.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/13/science/virosphere-evolution.html

Yeah, I got that, but if it weren't for the new york times, where would the viruses have come from?"

They evolved on Earth, just like other organisms (not that viruses are actually organisms, per se. They are particles made from protein and bits of genetic info). Viruses cannot replicate without a host cell or cells, so unless outer space is secretly hosting bacterial, plant or animal cells, it's pretty much impossible for viruses to have originated there.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

We need to start from scratch. That is why Mars is more of a challenge. And believe you me, even the most basic supermarket shelf filler needs a challenge.......

Do you have any evidence for this assertion?

Yep, Mars is, was, might be, maybe in the "habitable zone".

Other than that I only have the already debunked Cydonia, face on mars and the fact that mankind is seemingly hell bent on making Mars habitable whilst making earth uninhabitable.

Hope that helps.

None of which changes my next question - how come mankind is hell bent on terraforming Mars into a habitable planet when mankind can't even keep it's own planet earth in a habitable condition?"

In answer to your last paragraph, it's always a possibility that it is not actually humans that are ruining the Earth and that any degradations are due natural occurrences. Mars is thought to have been habitable once, by some, and as yet - no evidence of intelligent life to have caused it to develop into its current uninhabitable state.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

We need to start from scratch. That is why Mars is more of a challenge. And believe you me, even the most basic supermarket shelf filler needs a challenge.......

Do you have any evidence for this assertion?

Yep, Mars is, was, might be, maybe in the "habitable zone".

Other than that I only have the already debunked Cydonia, face on mars and the fact that mankind is seemingly hell bent on making Mars habitable whilst making earth uninhabitable.

Hope that helps.

None of which changes my next question - how come mankind is hell bent on terraforming Mars into a habitable planet when mankind can't even keep it's own planet earth in a habitable condition?

But I grew up in the days of Patrick Moore, and The Sky at Night. Look at the BBC and so how they were wrong about Jimmy.

Might they not be just as wrong about life on mars?

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

God doesn't exist I'm afraid

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

got enough friends without imaginary ones, but if people want to believe, then fair enough, your choice, but you only have to look at all the bad things in the world to wander , the thing that really pisses me off, the coe is the richest institution in the country by far, and they preach to be good to fellow man, i once asked a vicar, why doesnt he open his church doors at night for the homeless to sleep in, he had no answer, kind of sums it up for me, hypocrits all of them

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By *wosunloversCouple over a year ago

Witney

Clearly, God doesn't intervene in human affairs directly on a regular basis. If He did, there would not only be no suffering such as the Wuhan Virus, but we would never physically die, which plainly is not the case. Only small children expect divine intervention in that way and are usually disabused of this early on.

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By *inky_couple2020Couple over a year ago

North West

"got enough friends without imaginary ones, but if people want to believe, then fair enough, your choice, but you only have to look at all the bad things in the world to wander , the thing that really pisses me off, the coe is the richest institution in the country by far, and they preach to be good to fellow man, i once asked a vicar, why doesnt he open his church doors at night for the homeless to sleep in, he had no answer, kind of sums it up for me, hypocrits all of them"

Many churches host homeless shelters in church halls etc. Church buildings are not often equipped with or are large enough/suitable for such things. You'd need enough loos, some sort of kitchen etc. Also other faiths do the same.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

not around here they dont

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

not around here they dont"

It seems a shame to base your prejudice on lack of knowledge.

Winchester Churches Nightshelter are a very well known charity local to you.

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By *irtylittletramp100TV/TS over a year ago

Notts

God is trying to make the world work together and as a side line he is also cutting emissions and saving the planet for us and other animals, God has lots to look after

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

not around here they dont

It seems a shame to base your prejudice on lack of knowledge.

Winchester Churches Nightshelter are a very well known charity local to you."

youve just made my point, its paid for and run by the public, not the church

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

God is absent in this.

As he always is.

For he died eons ago.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

not around here they dont

It seems a shame to base your prejudice on lack of knowledge.

Winchester Churches Nightshelter are a very well known charity local to you.

youve just made my point, its paid for and run by the public, not the church"

It's a charity - of course it's paid for by the public and volunteers! The point is, they use church premises, amongst others, to accommodate homeless people which you believed they did not.

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By *inky_couple2020Couple over a year ago

North West

not around here they dont

It seems a shame to base your prejudice on lack of knowledge.

Winchester Churches Nightshelter are a very well known charity local to you.

youve just made my point, its paid for and run by the public, not the church"

This is how its funded:

Financial report 2019 – 2020

Total income:

£411,425

Donations & Gift Aid – £183,030

Local Authority Grants – £101,511

Housing Benefits & Residents’ Payments – £125,967

Total expenditure:

£361,226

Staff costs – £144,391

Running costs – £96,497

Resident support and wellbeing – £120,338

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By *inky_couple2020Couple over a year ago

North West

not around here they dont

It seems a shame to base your prejudice on lack of knowledge.

Winchester Churches Nightshelter are a very well known charity local to you.

youve just made my point, its paid for and run by the public, not the church

It's a charity - of course it's paid for by the public and volunteers! The point is, they use church premises, amongst others, to accommodate homeless people which you believed they did not."

I'm sure many of the volunteers will be church goers too.

I find it quite quaint that its based on Jewry Street too

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Let's be real here if churches opend their doors to homeless ect a few bad ones would spoil it for the good ones

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

not around here they dont

It seems a shame to base your prejudice on lack of knowledge.

Winchester Churches Nightshelter are a very well known charity local to you.

youve just made my point, its paid for and run by the public, not the church

This is how its funded:

Financial report 2019 – 2020

Total income:

£411,425

Donations & Gift Aid – £183,030

Local Authority Grants – £101,511

Housing Benefits & Residents’ Payments – £125,967

Total expenditure:

£361,226

Staff costs – £144,391

Running costs – £96,497

Resident support and wellbeing – £120,338"

and as my origional post said, they are the richest institution in the country, by far, why cant the church fund it?

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

its all about giving, aslong as the church doesnt have to dip its hands in its own pockets

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Mercy me.

I might be risen, just like christ, but

I won't fuck your wife, just like christ.

Hope that helps.

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By *inky_couple2020Couple over a year ago

North West

"Let's be real here if churches opend their doors to homeless ect a few bad ones would spoil it for the good ones "

Churches (and mosques, temples etc) countrywide DO open up for the homeless, either overnight provision, day centres, food hand outs or combinations of them all.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

and dont even start me on all the kiddie fiddling that went on, maybe still does, it happened to a school friend of mine, he comited suicide because of it, the church covered it up, and the person involved was never brought to justice, awafull institution, i would happily burn all the churches tbh

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

and thats me out of this debate, night all

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

I'm not religious but god or god's have checked out an left the building

But just a thought is god or god's fed up an gave humanity this covid because he's fed up of what you've become??

Just a thought

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By *angbangFantasyWoman over a year ago

London

"and dont even start me on all the kiddie fiddling that went on, maybe still does, it happened to a school friend of mine, he comited suicide because of it, the church covered it up, and the person involved was never brought to justice, awafull institution, i would happily burn all the churches tbh"

Burn all the churches? Mosques and temples too? Sounds a bit terrorist-y to me

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By *ucka39Man over a year ago

Newcastle

Wow going a little bit extreme your forgetting most of it started via national television and the BBC station still has a statue up that was made by a pea and they won't remove it and only people who are able to save are those who have learned the art of knowledge and understanding

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By *eoeclipseWoman over a year ago

glasgow

We need to start from scratch. That is why Mars is more of a challenge. And believe you me, even the most basic supermarket shelf filler needs a challenge.......

Do you have any evidence for this assertion?

Yep, Mars is, was, might be, maybe in the "habitable zone".

Other than that I only have the already debunked Cydonia, face on mars and the fact that mankind is seemingly hell bent on making Mars habitable whilst making earth uninhabitable.

Hope that helps.

None of which changes my next question - how come mankind is hell bent on terraforming Mars into a habitable planet when mankind can't even keep it's own planet earth in a habitable condition?

Humans certainly are affecting the earth by drastically speeding and enabling the process with our waste, over uses of resources mostly for things we don't need and pollution, never mind the fact that we seem to think it appropriate to control other species population levels but fail to even consider that with our own despite population numbers increasing 4 fold in less than a century and having birth control. Just a thought.

Mar's uninhabitable state is said to similar to what earth is said to doing now, the poles are moving aka switching which weakens the magnetic field and if at the same time the sun kicks of some large solar flares it can destroy the ozone layer aka our atmosphere leaving no protection from the sun's UV rays.

(though it is a long process)

btw at no time did I suggest humans or other humanoids lived on mars, just that it hosted life at some point in the past, which could have just been plants & insects, which are still life.

as for viruses needing a host, well that isn't to dissimilar to how the soul is perceived, the soul exists somewhere out in the quantum universe as an energy and is transported into a body, sometimes the wrong one (explains TV/TS to me and things like my ADHD being a genetic code in my body yet separate from my personality (the 2 are almost complete opposites tbh)). I suppose it's similar thinking to the Hindu reincarnation and indigenous spirits/animals.

there is life in space, the are called tarragon bears, tiny little creatures so small they exist in the quantum realms!! (ant man & sequel is good way to explain haha)

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By *esi_Dingg_DonggCouple over a year ago

london

This world has good and bad, ease and hardships. Without one the other would not exist. God is perfect but the world is not perfect by the will of God. Helping each other is a test and those who pass the tests with belief in God are the successful ones in the eternal life

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By *naswingdressWoman over a year ago

Manchester (she/her)

A god that allows this to happen and claims to act out of love does not deserve even the luxury of my liquid shit after a dodgy curry.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

A god that allows this to happen and claims to act out of love does not deserve even the luxury of my liquid shit after a dodgy curry."

Not that I'm religious or whatevs, but I think you've missed a few steps. God didn't do anything for or against it.

Allegedly gain of function research went rather wrong and set off a chain of events which were entirely the fault of humans. Do you want freewill or not?

'God' didn't do this. Humans did. Why should he/she/it stop it?

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By *esi_Dingg_DonggCouple over a year ago

london

A god that allows this to happen and claims to act out of love does not deserve even the luxury of my liquid shit after a dodgy curry."

Your reply shows no intelligence or respect. Please refrain from stupid comments it does no good to any debates and makes you look like a complete idiot

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By *naswingdressWoman over a year ago

Manchester (she/her)

A god that allows this to happen and claims to act out of love does not deserve even the luxury of my liquid shit after a dodgy curry.

Not that I'm religious or whatevs, but I think you've missed a few steps. God didn't do anything for or against it.

Allegedly gain of function research went rather wrong and set off a chain of events which were entirely the fault of humans. Do you want freewill or not?

'God' didn't do this. Humans did. Why should he/she/it stop it? "

If you believe that claptrap I've got a bridge to sell you

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By *esi_Dingg_DonggCouple over a year ago

london

A god that allows this to happen and claims to act out of love does not deserve even the luxury of my liquid shit after a dodgy curry.

Not that I'm religious or whatevs, but I think you've missed a few steps. God didn't do anything for or against it.

Allegedly gain of function research went rather wrong and set off a chain of events which were entirely the fault of humans. Do you want freewill or not?

'God' didn't do this. Humans did. Why should he/she/it stop it? "

To understand the design of the world, people need to understand God and Satan and good and evil. Then it makes sense otherwise it’s like a jigsaw puzzle with no pieces

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By *ouple in LancashireCouple over a year ago

in Lancashire

A god that allows this to happen and claims to act out of love does not deserve even the luxury of my liquid shit after a dodgy curry.

Your reply shows no intelligence or respect. Please refrain from stupid comments it does no good to any debates and makes you look like a complete idiot "

Irony beyond satire, well done..

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By *naswingdressWoman over a year ago

Manchester (she/her)

A god that allows this to happen and claims to act out of love does not deserve even the luxury of my liquid shit after a dodgy curry.

Your reply shows no intelligence or respect. Please refrain from stupid comments it does no good to any debates and makes you look like a complete idiot

Irony beyond satire, well done..

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

If they are friends like you say just ask them, fab forum opinion won't help you understand your friends

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By *ty31Man over a year ago

NW London

Always strikes me as how pathetic threads like this get. People queuing up to bash God/Christianity whilst displaying even a basic understanding of either.

It's also pathetic reading comments from people insulting or degrading a faith which is of great importance and deeply personal to many, whilst its these same people who would cry out and take great offence if somebody were to criticise things such as sexuality, gender identity or abortion from a religious standpoint.

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By *esi_Dingg_DonggCouple over a year ago

london

"Always strikes me as how pathetic threads like this get. People queuing up to bash God/Christianity whilst displaying even a basic understanding of either.

Well said. Sadly the world is full of idiots like those you described

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"Always strikes me as how pathetic threads like this get. People queuing up to bash God/Christianity whilst displaying even a basic understanding of either.

Lots of like for this. Well said

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By *orny PTMan over a year ago

Peterborough

"Always strikes me as how pathetic threads like this get. People queuing up to bash God/Christianity whilst displaying even a basic understanding of either.

Lots of like for this. Well said

Is this the same faith that has been through the Great Schism, Dissolution of the Monasteries and destruction of many religious buildings, sent out the Spanish Inquisition, burnt people at the stake/drowned them for being falsely labeled as witches, made Catholics fear for their lives from Protestants, then with a change of monarch put the boot on the other foot?

You only have to look at America and see how hiding behind the Bible has created such intolerance.

Rant over.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"Always strikes me as how pathetic threads like this get. People queuing up to bash God/Christianity whilst displaying even a basic understanding of either.

whats wrong with people having a different view ?? its no different to being preach at when you dont want it ???? two side to every story both need to be heard as there vile in both side as far back as history takes us ....

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By *olly_chromaticTV/TS over a year ago

Stockport

I was going to sit down and write something about the universe, life, theology, philosophy, free will, determinism... Then I found out that I already wrote exactly what I want to say, just over six months ago in this very forum thread. So here's the link to what I would be writing now, if I hadn't written it already.

https://www.fabswingers.com/forum/virus/1140269#message_27202941

(Admin: I'm assuming that it's okay to post links to previous forum posts, even though fab is not listed as an allowed site within the allowed links section of the forum rules!!)

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By *I TwoCouple over a year ago

Cookstown

"The view of Christianity, is that God gives us the tools to deal with the situation.

Cal"

He or she definitely gave us plenty of tools ..

Amen

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By *ty31Man over a year ago

NW London

"Always strikes me as how pathetic threads like this get. People queuing up to bash God/Christianity whilst displaying even a basic understanding of either.

I'm all for different views, constructive criticism and open debate. It's when it simply becomes childish insults and slanging matches that's when it bothers me.

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By *ty31Man over a year ago

NW London

"Always strikes me as how pathetic threads like this get. People queuing up to bash God/Christianity whilst displaying even a basic understanding of either.

Lots of like for this. Well said

You only have to look at America and see how hiding behind the Bible has created such intolerance.

Rant over."

The core principles of Christianty are very sound and a solid base from which to build a good and fair society. The trouble is that throughout the centuries is that men have disregarded it or bent it to suit their own greed and desires.

The intolerance mentioned, to me at least, is at odds with the message of the New Testament.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

The Christian God hates everything apparently.

This is because it is man made and didn't even exist in the earliest writings of mankind.

Man made rubbish in order to control.

It's a political control tool without the fun of BDSM.

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By *ob198XaMan over a year ago

teleford

God and religion are a human construct

Viruses are (largely) a construct of nature

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"God and religion are a human construct

Viruses are (largely) a construct of nature"

Are humans not of nature then?

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By *orny PTMan over a year ago

Peterborough

"God and religion are a human construct

Viruses are (largely) a construct of nature

Are humans not of nature then?"

Nope: they're man-made!

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By *ob198XaMan over a year ago

teleford

"God and religion are a human construct

Viruses are (largely) a construct of nature

Are humans not of nature then?

Nope: they're man-made!"

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By *ob198XaMan over a year ago

teleford

"God and religion are a human construct

Viruses are (largely) a construct of nature

Are humans not of nature then?"

I don’t see nature putting penis shaped rockets into orbit. Man is of nature but mans nature is not always natural

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"God and religion are a human construct

Viruses are (largely) a construct of nature

Are humans not of nature then?

Nope: they're man-made!"

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"God and religion are a human construct

Viruses are (largely) a construct of nature

Are humans not of nature then?

I don’t see nature putting penis shaped rockets into orbit. Man is of nature but mans nature is not always natural"

Good last sentence, I'm going to pinch that

But my point was, if man is made by nature, everything man does is by definition, natural. I don't believe in a specific god, and certainly no religion by association, but I do believe that everything in the world and the universe is explainable by natural science. If you replace the word "god" in the Christian bible with the word "nature", it actually makes a lot more sense.

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By *V-AliceTV/TS over a year ago

Ayr

I'm not a believer but, if you are, have at it. Some people need faith in God.

On the free will thing, he was so annoyed with what we did with it, that he wiped nearly all of us out in a flood (if you believe that).

So, a couple of things:

1. After WWII, why didn't he do it again; especially after what happened to his chosen (according to them) people?

2. If He's perfect, how come he makes millions of human beings so flawed that they won't believe in Him and all his goodness; and gives every single one of them the capacity for wrongdoing, even evil?

If you want to blame that last bit on Satan, then you have to wonder why God created such an evil bastard in the first place.

We didn't invent him from our own free will anymore than we invented God.

Or did we?

As Dave Allen said, "May your God go with you."

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By *V-AliceTV/TS over a year ago

Ayr

"God only gets involved for the ones who believe, have faith and pray.

The rest are left to their own devices, until some realize the error of their ways an ask for forgiveness.

Should I ask for forgiveness over my sexuality?

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By *irldnCouple over a year ago

Brighton

[Removed by poster at 21/10/21 07:42:59]

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By *irldnCouple over a year ago

Brighton

I have always found being religious* and a swinger to be something of an oxymoron.

Surely all three of the major monotheist religions would frown upon non-monogamous out of wedlock sexual activity?

I find the “free will” argument to be the mist singularly convenient excuse ever conceived.

*note I said religious not believing in God. Two different things.

**deleted first post due to typos grrr

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Was chatting to god down at the pub the other night 2 pints of larger and a packet of pork scratchings

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By *rHotNottsMan over a year ago

Dubai / Nottingham

"I have always found being religious* and a swinger to be something of an oxymoron.

Surely all three of the major monotheist religions would frown upon non-monogamous out of wedlock sexual activity?

I find the “free will” argument to be the mist singularly convenient excuse ever conceived.

*note I said religious not believing in God. Two different things.

**deleted first post due to typos grrr"

You make a good point , being religious is more about following traditions and customs whereas faith, spirituality and belief is something quite different. You can divide the main religions into those where what you believe is more important than what you do ,and vice versa, but others will argue if you truly believe in something you are compelled to act in a certain way, a mixture of obedience & submission , trusting God knows best etc but never blindly following without questioning. You can debate these things forever but you will never understand faith properly until you experience it

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By *irtylittletramp100TV/TS over a year ago

Notts

"God is trying to make the world work together and as a side line he is also cutting emissions and saving the planet for us and other animals, God has lots to look after

This! perhaps god is mother nature? i also see religion and god as 2 separate things, religion is groups of people, normally men, using GOD as a reason for them to behave how they like! Or they might use the devil!

Im not sure if you can chemically induce love and bottle it, (not sex) but that also has to be in the running as god! I dont see how anyone can really argue with the ten commandments as a template for life

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By *orny PTMan over a year ago

Peterborough

"God and religion are a human construct

Viruses are (largely) a construct of nature

Are humans not of nature then?

I don’t see nature putting penis shaped rockets into orbit. Man is of nature but mans nature is not always natural"

Have you ever seen the multinational cartoon series, once upon a time man? Their intro show nails your above comment perfectly.

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By *orny PTMan over a year ago

Peterborough

"God is wherever you want or believe him/her to be. That can range from everywhere to nowhere. Each individual draws their own conclusion on the exact involvement God has in their life and that in my opinion , is between them and who or whatever they perceive God to be. "

My gripe lies with the intolerance that religion encourages compulsorynon-consentual enrolment. How many baby boys have consented to a non medical removal of their foreskins and a lifetime membership to their parent's religion. Being a leaver or apostate in some cases, carries so much guilt, shame, hatred and even death threats.

Religion is so peaceful and loving.

Never mind coming out with being gay or bisexual, try coming out with being an atheist. This is the last unsupported taboo.

Some countries will lock you up for being a god denier and even class you as a terrorist.

Never mind the two black lives matter organistions, go free lives matter too.

Religious freedom means freedom from religion too. Even the insurance companies use the term Act-of-god.

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By *uddy laneMan over a year ago

dudley

God is the reflection of yourself.

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By *irtylittletramp100TV/TS over a year ago

Notts

god is a huge penis spewing forth his seed all over that slut mother nature.... there sorted it

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By *intage PrincessWoman over a year ago

Herts

I guess one Christian view point is we are all here to suffer on some level.

This is accepted as God suffered in letting his only son die on the cross so he could save us all.

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By *ilf and old fartCouple over a year ago

Between Ely and Mildenhall

Which God ? The Catholic one, Church of England one, Allah, Budda etc (the list is endless) Religion is a load of bollocks and has caused a huge amount of wars, civil unrest and ethnic cleansing due to religious intolerance. The Bible is the biggest work of fiction ever written yet people believe that water was parted, 5 fish fed 5000, a bloke packed a boat with every creature in existence and a woman gave a bloke an apple. Any party political broadcast has said more truth than the Bible.

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By *fucksakeCouple over a year ago

cuffilly

There is no fucking god.its just humans insanity.the same reason we go to war.

we are just fuckin nuts deep down.

if you were born in bagdad you would probably me muslim ,if born in jerusalem a jew, born up the amazon probably belive in some simular nonsensical bullshit.

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By *enuineguy76Man over a year ago

Glasgow

Maybe God tried “follow the science” and got lost ? Or he got confused and gave up.

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By *orny PTMan over a year ago

Peterborough

"Maybe God tried “follow the science” and got lost ? Or he got confused and gave up."

Does that explain Christian Science and Scientology?

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By *irtylittletramp100TV/TS over a year ago

Notts

"God is trying to make the world work together and as a side line he is also cutting emissions and saving the planet for us and other animals, God has lots to look after

In reply to which God etc etc

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By *esmond and Molly JonesCouple over a year ago

Watford

God is a fairy story. About time we ditched superstition and ignorance.

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By *esmond and Molly JonesCouple over a year ago

Watford

"There is no fucking god.its just humans insanity.the same reason we go to war.

we are just fuckin nuts deep down.

if you were born in bagdad you would probably me muslim ,if born in jerusalem a jew, born up the amazon probably belive in some simular nonsensical bullshit."

Well said. Your god depends on the society you were brought up in. How about we all realise that if all of the gods out there are seen by others of a different god as wrong, then ALL of them are wrong!

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

God is all powerful.

He also has given mankind something called free will!

Love this, thank you

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

May get told of for sharing a link, but I’m told that this booklet gives a clear Christian perspective on the question. Hope it answers your questions!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Where-Coronavirus-World-John-Lennox/dp/1784985694/ref=nodl_

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By *irtylittletramp100TV/TS over a year ago

Notts

"There is no fucking god.its just humans insanity.the same reason we go to war.

we are just fuckin nuts deep down.

if you were born in bagdad you would probably me muslim ,if born in jerusalem a jew, born up the amazon probably belive in some simular nonsensical bullshit.

So people from all over world amazon forest to mountain tribes believe in devine beings, but have never met, to share daft ideas? So why do they all do it? One God many names

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By *ubal1Man over a year ago

Newry Down

There is no such phenomenon as (a) God, or any other deities.

It is a figment of humankind's imagination and is a wholly inadequate and discredited construct that does nothing to explain the context in which humans subsist.

It is nonsensical verbiage that clerical manipulators have used for two millennia to keep ignorant, uneducated and mostly unintelligent people in a state of fear, guilt and subjugation.

The sooner we abandon this verbiage, and demolish all buildings that point towards the sky, specifically churches, chapels and other places of worship to nonexistent deities, the better.

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By *fucksakeCouple over a year ago

cuffilly

"There is no fucking god.its just humans insanity.the same reason we go to war.

we are just fuckin nuts deep down.

if you were born in bagdad you would probably me muslim ,if born in jerusalem a jew, born up the amazon probably belive in some simular nonsensical bullshit.

So people from all over world amazon forest to mountain tribes believe in devine beings, but have never met, to share daft ideas? So why do they all do it? One God many names

quite simply fear. fear of the unknow.

fear due to lack of knowledge they used to think their crops failed because they upsted some god or other....well if there was a god he it is a cunt.lettng all the meisery go on when it could be stopped . its just buncum bullshit and thand fuck due to knowledge and science humans will slowly get the message.

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By *igelloMan over a year ago

wakefield

Gods got nothing to do with this its the lies and manipulation of the unseen hand lying and controlling the sheeple fear is the currency of control

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

God is all powerful.

He also has given mankind something called free will!

Love this, thank you

You're welcome

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By *ougie321Man over a year ago

Milford Haven

It is believe or don’t believe, why comment on something you do not believe in that’s strange in itself quite worrying. I still believe after losing mother ,father, sister ( 35 )and son (26) amongst other relatives which is my option entirely. To blame anyone else for life’s tragedies if there is blame does not belong to god. Amen

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

We need to start from scratch. That is why Mars is more of a challenge. And believe you me, even the most basic supermarket shelf filler needs a challenge.......

Do you have any evidence for this assertion?

Yep, Mars is, was, might be, maybe in the "habitable zone".

Other than that I only have the already debunked Cydonia, face on mars and the fact that mankind is seemingly hell bent on making Mars habitable whilst making earth uninhabitable.

Hope that helps.

None of which changes my next question - how come mankind is hell bent on terraforming Mars into a habitable planet when mankind can't even keep it's own planet earth in a habitable condition?

Viruses fall from the sky, but they do not originate from space. They're sneezed out of noses in one part of the world and transported around in the water vapour, on the wind etc.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/13/science/virosphere-evolution.html

Yeah, I got that, but if it weren't for the new york times, where would the viruses have come from?

Its the theory Panspermia

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

This discussion is relevant to those who have for and against opinions as to what they believe however, I find it impossible to stand in either camp for the singular uncertainty of not knowing what ‘god’ is. Therefore placing historical stories to one side, in these modern times can anyone enlighten me?

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By *andlingswingersCouple over a year ago

Woodbridge

God is all powerful.

He also has given mankind something called free will!

So, like Adam and Eve then? Puppets, who the second they exercised free will fell from grace?

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

God is all powerful.

He also has given mankind something called free will!

So, like Adam and Eve then? Puppets, who the second they exercised free will fell from grace?

Well lets be fair here

God told them not too

They used their free will to do it

They paid the price for doing it

Seems pretty straight forward to me

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By *irtylittletramp100TV/TS over a year ago

Notts

"There is no such phenomenon as (a) God, or any other deities.

It is a figment of humankind's imagination and is a wholly inadequate and discredited construct that does nothing to explain the context in which humans subsist.

It is nonsensical verbiage that clerical manipulators have used for two millennia to keep ignorant, uneducated and mostly unintelligent people in a state of fear, guilt and subjugation.

The sooner we abandon this verbiage, and demolish all buildings that point towards the sky, specifically churches, chapels and other places of worship to nonexistent deities, the better.

Or your the one who's imagining there's not a god

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By *esmond and Molly JonesCouple over a year ago

Watford

[Removed by poster at 21/10/21 22:20:14]

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By *irtylittletramp100TV/TS over a year ago

Notts

"Gods got nothing to do with this its the lies and manipulation of the unseen hand lying and controlling the sheeple fear is the currency of control "

That's the religious leaders! Not God, his pretend disciples are a law unto them selves!

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By *esmond and Molly JonesCouple over a year ago

Watford

"There is no such phenomenon as (a) God, or any other deities.

It is a figment of humankind's imagination and is a wholly inadequate and discredited construct that does nothing to explain the context in which humans subsist.

It is nonsensical verbiage that clerical

manipulators have used for two millennia to keep ignorant, uneducated and mostly unintelligent people in a state of fear, guilt and subjugation.

The sooner we abandon this verbiage, and demolish all buildings that point towards the sky, specifically churches, chapels and other places of worship to nonexistent deities, the better.

Or your the one who's imagining there's not a god

Exactly this. Are we so infantilised by our upbringing that we need to continue this nonsense?

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"There is no such phenomenon as (a) God, or any other deities.

It is a figment of humankind's imagination and is a wholly inadequate and discredited construct that does nothing to explain the context in which humans subsist.

It is nonsensical verbiage that clerical

manipulators have used for two millennia to keep ignorant, uneducated and mostly unintelligent people in a state of fear, guilt and subjugation.

The sooner we abandon this verbiage, and demolish all buildings that point towards the sky, specifically churches, chapels and other places of worship to nonexistent deities, the better.

Or your the one who's imagining there's not a god

Exactly this. Are we so infantilised by our upbringing that we need to continue this nonsense?"

Why do we care so much about what others believe?

Be a nice person and live your own life instead of trying to find fault and ridicule others

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By *esmond and Molly JonesCouple over a year ago

Watford

"There is no such phenomenon as (a) God, or any other deities.

It is a figment of humankind's imagination and is a wholly inadequate and discredited construct that does nothing to explain the context in which humans subsist.

It is nonsensical verbiage that clerical

manipulators have used for two millennia to keep ignorant, uneducated and mostly unintelligent people in a state of fear, guilt and subjugation.

The sooner we abandon this verbiage, and demolish all buildings that point towards the sky, specifically churches, chapels and other places of worship to nonexistent deities, the better.

Or your the one who's imagining there's not a god

Exactly this. Are we so infantilised by our upbringing that we need to continue this nonsense?

Why do we care so much about what others believe?

Be a nice person and live your own life instead of trying to find fault and ridicule others "

Because, unfortunately, the manic religious of this world won't leave the rest of us alone.

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By *esmond and Molly JonesCouple over a year ago

Watford

God is nowhere and not required. The world works perfectly without such a concept.

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By *irtylittletramp100TV/TS over a year ago

Notts

"God is nowhere and not required. The world works perfectly without such a concept."

clearly that is not true, a huge percentage of the worlds population wants to believe in god and finds comfort from that. I bet when your kids rabbit dies you dont say, lets eat him, you say, hes gone to heaven now..... hypocrites! nanna will just rot in the ground and be eaten by worms... no her soul has gone to a better place....

some people want to believe in love! as if that exists in this shitty world (i am joking) but i could easy argue it doesnt! God when used correctly is a good thing, but read the label

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By *inky_couple2020Couple over a year ago

North West

"God is nowhere and not required. The world works perfectly without such a concept.

some people want to believe in love! as if that exists in this shitty world (i am joking) but i could easy argue it doesnt! God when used correctly is a good thing, but read the label

I've never told my kids fairy stories about what happened to pets or dead family members. My 4yo knows her Great Grandad died and that's it. She understands he's not coming back. When we had pets and our son was younger, he wanted to bury them in the garden, which we did and yes, we explained what happened to their bodies in the ground.

There's no need to tell children lies to get them to understand the concept of death. All this "they've gone to a better place" malarkey - no. My Grandad went into a giant fridge and then a wooden box and then was burned to ashes. It strikes me that my sofa is a better place than where he ended up, but death is a given in life.

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By *irtylittletramp100TV/TS over a year ago

Notts

"God is nowhere and not required. The world works perfectly without such a concept.

some people want to believe in love! as if that exists in this shitty world (i am joking) but i could easy argue it doesnt! God when used correctly is a good thing, but read the label

yes but they most likely have grown up to be mass murders and twist the heads off their dolls, they wake up in cold sweats thinking grandad is in the fridge and wont go in it late at night no matter how much they want a cold drink.....

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By *inky_couple2020Couple over a year ago

North West

"God is nowhere and not required. The world works perfectly without such a concept.

some people want to believe in love! as if that exists in this shitty world (i am joking) but i could easy argue it doesnt! God when used correctly is a good thing, but read the label

Not the last time I checked. Which was yesterday on the 19yo and about 10mins ago on the 4yo. Both well adjusted and lovely children.

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By *irtylittletramp100TV/TS over a year ago

Notts

"God is nowhere and not required. The world works perfectly without such a concept.

some people want to believe in love! as if that exists in this shitty world (i am joking) but i could easy argue it doesnt! God when used correctly is a good thing, but read the label

Not the last time I checked. Which was yesterday on the 19yo and about 10mins ago on the 4yo. Both well adjusted and lovely children.

yeah all the real psychos appear normal! Well I hope youve told them sponge bob square pants is just a fucking drawing, santa is a commercial rip off, peter pan is just a story and that theyll most likely die of some inherited disease given to them by your genes! wouldnt want to wrap it up in sparkly paper, frozen is just more disney bullshit! Happy childhoods kiddies

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By *irtylittletramp100TV/TS over a year ago

Notts

night night sweet dreams!

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By *inky_couple2020Couple over a year ago

North West

"God is nowhere and not required. The world works perfectly without such a concept.

some people want to believe in love! as if that exists in this shitty world (i am joking) but i could easy argue it doesnt! God when used correctly is a good thing, but read the label

Not the last time I checked. Which was yesterday on the 19yo and about 10mins ago on the 4yo. Both well adjusted and lovely children.

I told my daughter today that ghosts weren't real, so we'll get to that list in good time. I'm happy with our parenting thanks. If you have kids, you do it your way

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By *lackMetalMan over a year ago

Centre

"This is a big question that theologians have been discussing for thousands of years. Regardless of what particular religion, there is really only one salient point.

The only other option would be that it's all just chaos, there are no laws, there is no causality. But then we wouldn't be here asking those questions in the first place.

God either cares about everything. Absolutely everything, big picture, little picture, everything in between. Or cares about nothing.

Great post. I think I would very much enjoy a conversation with you

Wow, thinking the same. Now that's a fascinating mind that is worth exploring over a convo. Super interesting!

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Confused about which God people are talking about.

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By *irty_DeedsMan over a year ago

Teesside

"Maybe God tried “follow the science” and got lost ? Or he got confused and gave up.

Does that explain Christian Science and Scientology?"
Well scientology is basically just terrible science fiction, turned into an elaborate ponzi scheme by an awful writer.

All religions are no better than cults in my eyes and until society as a whole outgrows the need for a great sky fairy, we'll keep repeating the same mistakes over and over. Thankfully, as the years go by humanity seems to be waking up.

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By *irldnCouple over a year ago

Brighton

I know I said this higher up but note that nobody was brave enough to address it (or it was just boring

)

How do people who follow a major monotheist religion (Christianity in many forms, Judaism, Islam in different forms) justify that they are swingers having non-monogamous sex out of wedlock?

Doesn’t it redefine the meaning of love thy neighbour?

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By *anddXXXCouple over a year ago

London

God isn't a full member here and only has a limited account, have patience and he'll get around to answering you soon.

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By *irldnCouple over a year ago

Brighton

"God isn't a full member here and only has a limited account, have patience and he'll get around to answering you soon."

Ha ha although I do not think God, if he/she/they exist, is an issue, it is the (hu)manmade societal constructs called religion that seem to be contradictory to a swinger lifestyle.

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By *acksparrow99Man over a year ago

Canary Wharf, London

There is no god. Sorry for the disappointment.

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By *irty_DeedsMan over a year ago

Teesside

"I know I said this higher up but note that nobody was brave enough to address it (or it was just boring

)

How do people who follow a major monotheist religion (Christianity in many forms, Judaism, Islam in different forms) justify that they are swingers having non-monogamous sex out of wedlock?

Doesn’t it redefine the meaning of love thy neighbour?"
At a guess, the same way other things forbidden in their religions are justified. You pick and choose which rules apply to you, if you get enough people agreeing with you, you get a fancy new name for your cult and a nice tax exemption.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

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