false 4 176 159 true 5629000 read 1 true 5266403 currently-reading 16 true 5266328 to-read http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/239121-dead-mud-cast-into-black-space-rolling-around-an-extinguished-sun Alex made a comment in the Atheists and Skeptics group:

From the context with wich you refer to me as a junkie I assume you mean like a person with a drug addiction, and not a person who is very enthusiastic about something.

'The disorder of addiction involves the progression of acute drug use to the development of drug-seeking behavior, the vulnerability to relapse, and the decreased, slowed ability to respond to naturally rewarding stimuli. '
Part of one deffinition above. But actually this is a natural thing, and I dont hurt anybody because of it, it is not addictive in fact it takes discipline and meditation, and further more I am more likely to do good because of it. I am not dependant on it nore am I abusing anything within myself or outside myself.

You have a bad habit in some of your posts of dropping in insulting remarks or accusations that are often innacurate and work against your arguement. Everything above it was fascinating and well delivered and then you drop in the thing about junkies when junkies are those who frequently use drugs. So the term is totally inappropriate and has caused me to shift my focus away from your previous well reasoned and researched information to junkie discussion.
There could be a few reasons you do this, my guess is because you cant help putting in the boot occasionally, and at the same time you get the thrill of mischeif that accompanies putting down others, you also probably convince yourself that this is just one of your tactics to demystify christianity. For example where you previously derided Jesus and his disciple as drunks and thieves roaming the countryside like a group of louts. But when you make inacurate or blasphemus comments based on your own guesswork or assumptions you do not succeed in your mission to demystify anything for anybody. Those that already dont like the Bible will probably love your rude remarks, but I assume you are not just trying to preach to the converted.
Mostly you have been pretty patient with me, but your occasional lapses make me think that your love for your fellow man is not as genuine as you make it out to be.
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2431981-alex Alex made a comment on Alex's profile:

http://www2.gcsu.edu/library/sc/foc.html ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/206686-alternative-to-christian-morals-in-society Alex made a comment in the Atheists and Skeptics group:

rgb

Your arguement is an old one, you seek to define my beliefs and Christianity as a whole on terms that suit your hypothesis, usually by selecting the extremes, then showing it up as the normal for the purpose of trying to nock down my beliefs.

Your views and many other Amreicans I have met on here are formed by the actions of fundamentalists.

You use these literal readings of the Bible as fodder and to turn peoples eyes from the true message of the scriptures - of compassion, justice, equality, dignity, forgiveness, charity and respect for other people. Even after I have shown that an absolute literal reading of the Bible is unecessary. It is clear to myself and to many people what the true message is.

As the Pope identified in his recent encyclical Caritas in Veritate (Love in Truth): "Love is God's greatest gift to humanity, it is his promise and our hope."
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76175854 to: Shantaram (Paperback) by Gregory David Roberts
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76175710 to: The Zanzibar Chest (Paperback) by Aidan Hartley
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/75453635 to: Amsterdam (Paperback) by Ian McEwan
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/75101295 to: The Exorcist (Mass Market Paperback) by William Peter Blatty
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/19373-my-understanding-of-god Alex made a comment in the Atheists and Skeptics group:

Xox wrote:
\My understanding of the character god is that it is a jerk. And that help people who are irresponsible to do selfish horrible things and still think they are "pure" and "forgiven". \

I think you dont understand what forgiveness is about. We can only be forgiven if we are truly sorry for our sins.
Those people who do horrible things and think they are forgiven without any reflection or sorrow for their deeds and who arent truly sorrow for what they did. Are no different from those athiests who think there is nothing wrong with doing evil, because they think the evil they do is for their own personal good or for the greater good.
Both processes fail to show the healing wonder of forgiveness.

If God can forgive us for our most terrible sins then we can also find within ourselves the strength to forgive ourselves, hopefully learn from the mistake and become a stronger person. In addition if God can forgive us for our sins, we also can forgive others for harming us.
Without forgiveness in the world there is no healing, foregiveness goes hand in hand with love and is the only salve for hate.
I dont know of any other religion that puts so much focus on the importance of forgiveness.

When people do bad things even if their mouths often spout the words of God this does not mean they are doing things for God, but that they are doing the opposite through pride and desire. The Bible teaches us the folly of pride, love of God requires humility. Athiesm on the other hand enourages prideful ways and worship of the self.

You say you hate a god that you are certain doesnt exist, you have hate in you and you are wrongly putting it on God. If you are willing to seek the truth you should be able to see that people do bad things not God. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/72598108 Why Don't Students Like School: A Cognitive Scientist Answers Questions About How the Mind Works and What It Means for the Classroom (Hardcover) by Daniel T. Willingham
bookshelves: to-read
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/71757674 to: A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail (Mass Market Paperback) by Bill Bryson
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