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POPSUnderstanding does not diminish Awe "The religious experience is, at best, a stunted variety of this feeling. Awe without understanding, or at least the desire for understanding, degenerates into mysticism: viewing a mystery not as a challenge to be solved, but something to be worshipped for its own sake. Mysticism states that ignorance is a desirable condition, a state we should glory in. This attitude only keeps us frightened and ignorant, and worst of all, robs us of the deeper and more genuine awe that comes with comprehension. I say, let us explore. There may be problems too high or too deep for us, mysteries we cannot penetrate - but so far, we haven't found any, and if there are any, they will not need to be protected from our investigations."
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POPSKissing Hank's Ass Choice A: Kiss it-Get A Million Dollars-someday Choice B: Don't Kiss It-Hank Will Kick Your Ass Note: Nobody knows WHO Hank is but Karl is pretty sure that he exists. More news at 11!
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POPSAgnostics and atheists Using this definition (which seems right to me) most atheists I've met are open minded enough to be called agnostic atheists, whereas most theists are (in my experience) pretty close minded gnostic theists; they tend to confuse "believing" and "knowing".
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POPSEinstein's Idea Of Religion A crucial point is that Einstein stated categorically that he did not believe in a personal God, of the kind assumed by most practising religious people. Einstein detested the idea of a personal God who rewarded or punished his creatures, or exercised his will by interfering in events. He felt such an idea was intrinsically connected with human selfishness, merely 'a reflection of human frailty' So what was Einstein's religion? He called it 'cosmic religion' and it was a sense of awe at 'the nobility and marvellous order which are revealed in nature and in the world of thought.. Einstein's view of traditional religion was somewhat ambivalent. He detested any idea of indoctrination or fundamentalism, but admitted that conventional religions had a role in setting ethical standards
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POPSJesus-The Imaginary Friend I know I saw this site clipped waaay back last year sometime (maybe by John W??) , but with all the "Jesus-talk" on here lately....I figured it was high time we all took another look at the evidence (and lack of it) for these supernatural claims. ******************************************* It's a really fascinating site: www.jesusneverexisted.com
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POPSAtheists are non-existent! This blog, whose link was posted in a pro-Huckabee comment on a Christian Post article, is so full of misinformation and illogical rambling, I'm not sure if it's more sad or funny.
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POPSThe Church must be one St. Cyprian (c. 250AD) - "God is one and Christ in one, and one is His Church, and the faith is one, and His people welded together by the glue of concord into a solid unity of body. Unity cannot be rent asunder, nor can the one body of the Church, through the division of its structure, be divided into separate pieces." (On the Unity of the Church, 23) Tertullian (c. 197AD) - "We are a society with a single religious feeling, a single unity of discipline, a single bond of hope," (Apology 39, 1) St. Hilary (c. 4th century) - "In the Scriptures our people are shown to be made one, so that just as many grains collected into one and ground and mingled together, make one loaf, so in Christ, who is the heavenly bread, we know there is one holy, in which our whole company is joined and united" (Treatise 62, 13)