The Paradigmsearch Definition of Religion

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   paradigmsearchposted 12 years ago

   The gathering of people with similar philosophical beliefs. There is nothing wrong with that. In fact, it enables one to have a support group and to even do networking. There's nothing wrong with that either.
   
   Have a nice day.

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      klarawieckposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      If that were the case then there would be a Junkie Religion, a Beachbum Religion, a Live-Off-The-Government Religion, and many more...

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         paradigmsearchposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         There are! They're just not officially recognized by the IRS.

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         Chris Nealposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Ever been to a Dead concert?
         
         No, I haven't, but the people who used to invite me to them (a long time ago, long before I became a Christian,) seemed a little religious to me.

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            Eric Newlandposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Juggalos are pretty religiously dedicated.

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               Chris Nealposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               Not surprised. Phish and Dave Matthews both have pretty dedicated followings as well (I think Phish sort of inherited the Deadheads.)

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         Hubert Williamsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         These organizations do exist, they are just not called religions, they are called liberals. With the exception of junkies, but they do have very helphful and effective support groups for those with the will to fight the addiction.

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      kessposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Thus strenghtening each other in their delusion...until they die.
      
      It is good that delusions die that Truth may live.

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         Chris Nealposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Agreed, and when Jesus returns, all delusions will finally die!

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            aka-djposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            All ateists will believe.
            
            
            Bit late!

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               Jesus was a hippyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               Why would it be late? What makes you think that a LOVING god would punish me for not believing a story that my mind deems unbelievable?
               
               After all, didn't this LOVING god create me like this? I can't force myself to believe anything. I hope you can see the problem here.

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                  Hubert Williamsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  Force is not required only faith and the willingness to ask questions. What you believe after that is at least based on some kind of inquiry. Not just "I don't believe".

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                     Jesus was a hippyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                     If I think that a story sounds ridiculous (like talking donkeys and snakes and a 900 year old man building a ark and collecting animals from all over the world) then how on earth can I make myself believe such a stupid story?
                     
                     I asked question when I was a kid and not one person could answer them. Not nuns, priests not even the arch bishop.
                     
                     Why should I believe what some guy is telling me when he cant even explain it?
                     
                     How about when these stories are in direct contradiction with proven facts?
                     
                     You are not asking for faith, you are asking for ignorance of knowledge.
                     
                     The word "gullible" exists for a reason.

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                        Hubert Williamsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                        I don't blame you for not believing stories related in that way, you can't build a foundation for belief based on fishermen's exaggerations. Bible translations and transliterations were done by men with very little if any knowledge of the language they were translating. Use what you know, or feel very strongly, is proven fact and make your own comparisons. I am not saying that you will instantly see a bright light and see the truth, "Hallelujah" But you can at least disbelieve based on your own study, not the words of so-called holy men. If what I say makes me burn in hell then that would be up to God, not holy men, or any other kind of man. Men can only destroy my body, not my soul. I wasn't condemning you for what you believe. Just don't sell yourself short.

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                           Jesus was a hippyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                           But that is all we have. The only things telling of a god are scriptures (in any religion) that were all written by men.

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                        Chris Nealposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                        Your story illustrates a sad reality, and no, not that you don't believe. That is sad, but not in a pathetic sort of way.
                        
                        No the sad reality is that all believers are Jesus' representatives on Earth, and it's us who usually turn people away from Him.
                        
                        And we will certainly answer for that...

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                     Chris Nealposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                     Well said!

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                  Chris Nealposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  Because the LOVING God has already given you all the information you need, and you didn't believe it! He's made it pretty clear that He isn't going to accept those in the next world who didn't accept Him here.
                  
                  I know that seems harsh to a lot of people, and maybe it is, but it is Biblical.

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                     Cagsilposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                     And BS.

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                        Chris Nealposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                        You mean God made it clear He will accept those who didn't accept Him?

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                           Cagsilposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                           No. I didn't mean that. I meant your post was BS, much more than it is biblical.

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               Chris Nealposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               Yes, indeed!

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                  Cagsilposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  

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                     Chris Nealposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                     

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            Jesus was a hippyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            If Jesus appeared that would be AWESOME. Of course I don't see him anywhere.......

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               Chris Nealposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               That's because He hasn't returned yet.
               
               I would also like to think it will be awesome when Jesus returns, but after reading the Bible I tend to think that the world will be in an even worse condition that it is now and for most people, Jesus' return will not be seen as a good thing...

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      aka-djposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks.
      I will!
      You too!

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      A Troubled Manposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Are you saying that support groups and networking can't exist without the need to believe in myths and superstitions that divide us and cause conflict and hatred between the groups?

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   Cagsilposted 12 years ago

   Up to your usual tricks huh Para. More pointless threads.

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      paradigmsearchposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      It's what I live for...

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         Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Somehow I don't doubt that.

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            mischeviousmeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            When I'm not posting inane threads, I'm selling drugs to orphans... Like we fence sitters do. We create more fence sitters so the game will will have more viewers.

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               Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               That's certainly one way to draw attention to yourself. By all means, you do whatever it is you want, however, I'd be a bit more careful about being vocal about it.

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               janesixposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Me too!!
               
               That is such a weird coincidence.

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   paradigmsearchposted 12 years ago

   I wonder if religion hubs get much traffic and clicks. I could write some good ones...

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      Xenonlitposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      You should! Or, just keep us happy in the forums!

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   klarawieckposted 12 years ago

   And we're all going to reincarnate together as a scattered big family... all of us being the illegitimate children of paradigmsearch. But we'll come together as a musical band (American folk music) like a bunch of hillbillies and we'll write songs about our fatherless condition, and we'll get our DNA tests done to prove that Para is, in fact, our father, and we'll sue him and his weird religious sect that supported his urge to "spread his seed across the earth", and we'll get some serious cash for all the years of abandonment and therapy!

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      Hollie Thomasposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I always knew there was something about PDS that I could not quite put my finger on. And now, I discover he is my dad. As a Brit Klarawieck, I'm not to familiar with American folk music, could you throw a few lyrics my way so I can practice for our up and coming family reunion, Sister.

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         Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         

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         klarawieckposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Well, we should really work on an original repertoire, but meanwhile we can settle for Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama and Cagsil will have to work on the solo for Freebird. He's our best guitarist, or so I've been told.

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            Hollie Thomasposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Sounds good. However, Cags seems somewhat bemused by our virtual family gathering.

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               klarawieckposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               He's just worried about the long solo he's going to have to memorize!

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5. 60

   Druid Dudeposted 12 years ago

   Praise be to P.S. Hosannah, hosannah, hosanah. All bow to paradigmsearch, creator and father of us all!

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   paradigmsearchposted 11 years ago

   Well, it's a lazy, peaceful Sunday here. I might even glance upward a time or two. Actually, who knows? Maybe I'll even get something productive done today.

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   prettydarkhorseposted 11 years ago

   you are productive already.
   
   Your definition of religion is sociological. It benefits some people.

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   Jeramiposted 11 years ago

   Jesus was a hippywrote
   If I think that a story sounds ridiculous (like talking donkeys and snakes and a 900 year old man building a ark and collecting animals from all over the world) then how on earth can I make myself believe such a stupid story?
   
   = - =
   
   me
   Use the scientific method.  ...  take a black magicmarker and remove that part of the story. Continue this process then look at what is left.          We would do this same thing with the encyclopedia.
   
   ==================================
   JWAH
   I asked question when I was a kid and not one person could answer them. Not nuns, priests not even the arch bishop.
   
   Why should I believe what some guy is telling me when he cant even explain it?
   
   How about when these stories are in direct contradiction with proven facts?
   
   
   =.= ,,=  =-=
   Me
     WWSHD?   
   Sherloch Homes would use a scientific method.  ...  take a black magicmarker and remove that  part of the story which he can not believe. Continue this process then examine what is left.           
    
   We would not throw the entire encyclopedia away, or all of our medical books away for the sake of a few bad stories.
   
   ===================================
   JWAH
     You are not asking for faith, you are asking for ignorance of knowledge.
   
   The word "gullible" exists for a reason.
   
   = - = -
   
   me
     I have got to agree,  To throw away the entire medical book just because certain practices have been proven nonefective would not be of benefit to mankind. 
   
     Black out every part of the bible that we do not agree with or can't understand, and then read what remains.  Then,right or wrong, whatever you choose to do,   you will have made an informed decision.

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      Jesus was a hippyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Ok, so I black out the unbelievable parts of the bible and what am I left with? A few stories about some social interactions with some people a few thousand years ago.
      
      A lot of these stories are not really relevant today and the ones that are relevant today are pretty much basic knowledge anyway.

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         Jeramiposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         OK  at least you tried.
         
           When I did it I was left with more than that.

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            Jesus was a hippyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            If you omit all the parts of the bible that go against the law of physics and what is known to be true, then you shouldn't be left with much.
            
            Either you are lacking knowledge about what is known to be physically possible, or you are gullible.

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               Jeramiposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               I can't argue with that   seeing as how    I'm A thinkin we are all gulible to one extent/topic  or another.
               
                 We all think that we know most all of that which we need to survive.

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   paradigmsearchposted 11 years ago

   
   But there is nothing wrong in assigning a high probability.

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      paradigmsearchposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Oh, my! This post just cost me a follower.

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      Eric Newlandposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      He looks thrilled.

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         paradigmsearchposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         He does, doesn't he?

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         prettydarkhorseposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         He is a "high waist" serious dude!!

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            Druid Dudeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Nothing doesn't seem to exist anywhere in nature. Statement is unfounded.

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