My last attempt (2 Viewers)

[DaveXA]

That was a good Tim Allen movie

Obviously, that's a controversial comment. I'm trying to remember a good movie Tim Allen was in. I'm drawing a blank here.

Now we talkin'. Pascal's wager. If Santa is real, if you believe in him, you get gifts and live happily ever after. If you don't, you get no gifts, and will live an empty life. If he's not real, if you believe in him, you really haven't lost anything, still get gifts and live happily ever after. If you don't believe...profit.

 

[Booker]

Obviously, that's a controversial comment. I'm trying to remember a good movie Tim Allen was in. I'm drawing a blank here.

Galaxy Quest? And the Toy Story movies (if they count). Beyond that it's slim pickins.

 

[insidejob]

I'm not a Catholic, but it's my recollection that praying to the saints doesn't negate or contradict the idea of God's omnipotence (power). Rather, the saints are intermediaries. They don't do anything per se, but rather are ambassadors on our behalf. It's nearly 40 years since I last took a catechism class, so I might be wrong, but that what I remember of it.

I get it, I was raised Catholic. And you're basically right from what I was taught. I just never was able to wrap my head around even needing the intermediary if God were omnipotent in the first place.

 

[insidejob]

Obviously, that's a controversial comment. I'm trying to remember a good movie Tim Allen was in. I'm drawing a blank here.

Now we talkin'. Pascal's wager. If Santa is real, if you believe in him, you get gifts and live happily ever after. If you don't, you get no gifts, and will live an empty life. If he's not real, if you believe in him, you really haven't lost anything, still get gifts and live happily ever after. If you don't believe...profit.

I always liked the guy on the other side of the fence in Home Improvement. I don't think the show would have lasted as long as it did without that character.

 

[DaveXA]

I get it, I was raised Catholic. And you're basically right from what I was taught. I just never was able to wrap my head around even needing the intermediary if God were omnipotent in the first place.

Indeed, I basically thought the same as well. I mean, I understand how it all came about, it was never something I really agreed with or understood well. I've never really bought into the idea of needing an intermediary. It sorta makes sense though. Never was a deal breaker for me.

 

[Brennan77]

Not if you're talking to Hindus. There are about a billion of them in India who believe in a plethora of gods with all their heart. The cartoon points out the fundamental flaw in western religion believing there can ONLY be one God.

Every religion isn't monotheistic and they aren't any less legitimate than your Catholic faith. It's almost hypocritical considering Catholics pray specifically to 1000's of different saints for different specific reasons, even though they claim there's only one God controlling things.

And the polytheistic religions generally mean something very different when they say the word god. Look, I understand the argument being presented. It goes something like this...

There are many differing beliefs on the matter of God or gods. We cannot make qualitative judgement between those claims and beliefs. Therefore they are all equally incorrect (or correct).

The second sentence is false and leads to a false conclusion. We can in fact make rational/meaningful distinctions between philosophies and theologies. And we can start with the fundamental metaphysical differences in a proposed plurality of deities vs a monotheistic view.

The above mistake leads to sophomoric memes like the flying spaghetti monster, which seeks to dismiss with condescension by equating something completely ridiculous with what people mean by God. The problem is that it fails to even engage the question properly construed.

As for petitioning saints, it is seen in much the same way as if I asked a fellow Christian to pray for my intentions. If you'd like to better understand the practice and theology behind it, you might look into the 'Communion of Saints'.

 

[superchuck500]

Obviously, that's a controversial comment. I'm trying to remember a good movie Tim Allen was in. I'm drawing a blank here.

Now we talkin'. Pascal's wager. If Santa is real, if you believe in him, you get gifts and live happily ever after. If you don't, you get no gifts, and will live an empty life. If he's not real, if you believe in him, you really haven't lost anything, still get gifts and live happily ever after. If you don't believe...profit.

The joy that Santa brings is gift enough for me.

 

[superchuck500]

Galaxy Quest? And the Toy Story movies (if they count). Beyond that it's slim pickins.

I never saw Galaxy Quest until recently. My wife noticed it had like 3,000 reviews on Prime and they were all five-star. Then I pulled up Rotten Tomatoes and it’s 90%. So we were like “let’s watch it!”

I really enjoyed it. Great premise, excellent execution. All around good time.

 

[FLEA]

The joy that Santa brings is gift enough for me.

NOT ME....Give me some stuff.

 

[DaveXA]

I never saw Galaxy Quest until recently. My wife noticed it had like 3,000 reviews on Prime and they were all five-star. Then I pulled up Rotten Tomatoes and it’s 90%. So we were like “let’s watch it!”

I really enjoyed it. Great premise, excellent execution. All around good time.

Well then, I'll have to check it out. Thanks for the recommendation!

 

[insidejob]

And the polytheistic religions generally mean something very different when they say the word god. Look, I understand the argument being presented. It goes something like this...

There are many differing beliefs on the matter of God or gods. We cannot make qualitative judgement between those claims and beliefs. Therefore they are all equally incorrect (or correct).

The second sentence is false and leads to a false conclusion. We can in fact make rational/meaningful distinctions between philosophies and theologies. And we can start with the fundamental metaphysical differences in a proposed plurality of deities vs a monotheistic view.

The above mistake leads to sophomoric memes like the flying spaghetti monster, which seeks to dismiss with condescension by equating something completely ridiculous with what people mean by God. The problem is that it fails to even engage the question properly construed.

As for petitioning saints, it is seen in much the same way as if I asked a fellow Christian to pray for my intentions. If you'd like to better understand the practice and theology behind it, you might look into the 'Communion of Saints'.

It's all good and I wasn't trying to be antagonistic or anything. Just want to make that clear. I respect any and all faiths and the people who practice them, genuinely. Who am I to say what's right or wrong when it comes to something that literally relies on believing in something that we can't actually scientifically prove exists? That's what makes faith, well, faith. At the same time, it's why I take exception to things like this being stated in the OP: "We are in the last days. The final generation. The Bible is very clear on this. I have tried to reach out to you as brothers. In 1948 God restored Israel. The Bible says that the generation of this event will see the Lord's return." Making a claim like that seems rather arrogant to me considering it's one person's interpretation of scripture and does not leave room for any interpretation other than his own.

I know from your posting history that your a very devout Catholic and take it very seriously. I respect that more than you probably think I do. I agree about flying spaghetti monster memes and things of the like sheetting on religion in general being ridiculous and unnecessary and definitely not helpful to promoting genuine discussion on the matter of practicing religion.

When I go to mass with my mom there's a time towards the end of mass where the priest asks the congregation to call out whomever or whatever the congregants would like others to pray for. That's actually my one of my favorite parts of going to such a small Catholic congregation. Everybody seems to really know everybody and can trust that their prayer requests will be taken seriously. It's also refreshing to hear Christians asking the congregation to pray for Muslims being slaughtered overseas for ridiculous reasons and things like that. I don't go to Catholic services anymore other than at the ICC so I don't know if this is something that actually happens in the majority of Catholic masses around the world. I hope it does.

As I explained to Dave's response, I just never understood the place of intermediaries like saints if God is omnipotent. The same goes for the different deities in Hinduism, which I'm rather well versed in from nearly marrying a practicing Hindu born in India. When we got a place together, we had to get a three bedroom so there could be a prayer room.

Later down the line I will look into the Communion of Saints, but as of right now, I'm up to my ears in spiritual scripture and books on spirituality in practice that I'm reading right now for a better understanding of my own faith and how to apply it in difficult times.

 

[sfidc3]

I was raised Methodist went to a catholic HS....I strongly believe that organized religion has done much more harm than good....I also have the pagan belief that god is in nature (the woods water trees mountains)....also strongly believe in the concept of karma....and reincarnation....the good deeds you do in this life carry over the next....see I don’t believe god is judgemental about how and when and why we worship him....because maybe to him it’s not so much about....him.....

 

[SystemShock]

And the polytheistic religions generally mean something very different when they say the word god. Look, I understand the argument being presented. It goes something like this...

There are many differing beliefs on the matter of God or gods. We cannot make qualitative judgement between those claims and beliefs. Therefore they are all equally incorrect (or correct).

It doesn't go like that. It goes: what makes your god real and the other 2999 false?

 

[Loco Hornet Fan]

I never saw Galaxy Quest until recently. My wife noticed it had like 3,000 reviews on Prime and they were all five-star. Then I pulled up Rotten Tomatoes and it’s 90%. So we were like “let’s watch it!”

I really enjoyed it. Great premise, excellent execution. All around good time.

I was excited when I heard that actor/comedian/comic book writer (and “How did this get made” podcast host), Paul Scheer was working on a “Galaxy Quest” tv series for Amazon.

Unfortunately, it seems like internal issues have stalled (and possibly terminated) the development of the show.

 

[soupcan dan]

so i'm at costco----------- need laundry soap...288 washes for 10.50. or do i just go to dollar general and go with a halfpint for a buck.

this armegeddon shirt is costing me big savings!