Random Christianity Discussion

[Siatdiat]

If you attended any maths/physics class, you would realize this behavior is more widespread than you think.

Yes, it's mostly tongue-in-cheek, but there is still some truth behind it, and it's generally involve the increasingly loose usage of mathematics and approximation.

People finding ways to hold themselves superior to others?! You don't say!

Imagine if everyone was a mathematician. Where would that actually take us? On the other end of the spectrum, some people view practical application of knowledge more valuable than theoretical and conceptual investigation. The truth of the matter is that these are different sides of the same coin, and all hold some pertinent value.

If your toilet is running over into your house and going down the stairs, would you call a mathematician or a plumber?

[kuronosan]

Maybe the Jews were elitist and crucified Jesus because he was a political activist that spoke out in favor of the poor and neglected and those in power feared the loss of it.


....Nah. Fuck it. I'll call the mathematician. He'd be able to calculate the exact force to use when plunging my toilet.

[Siatdiat]

"If I had my life to live over again, I'd be a plumber." -Einstein

[Kaylia]

People finding ways to hold themselves superior to others?! You don't say!

Meanwhile on BG, in a completely unrelated thread

So I'm taking some economics and physics this semestre at a fairly low level and it's really crashing down on me how differently mathematics is approached outside of pure math, which is my major. In particular I remember attending a physics colloquium way back in the fall where this Waterloo physics PhD made some funny remarks about the different ways physicists and mathematicians approach problems, which incidentally is a constant source of jokes from my professors, who apparently have nothing but disdain for this. ie.:

"So the limit of derivatives is indeed the derivative of the limits in this series of infinite functions, provided you have uniform convergence which is a sufficient but not necessary condition. Of course if you did calculus like a physicist, all of this would be entirely too confusing and you'd do it without checking."

I know this is good natured trash talking between departments, but I was thinking about doing a write up or two on an interesting theoretical subject that maybe you guys are already familiar with but maybe were given a very application oriented treatment of, or maybe something weird like Galois groups.

What make this different is that there is actually a hierarchy that is one sided. If you look at it in the opposite direction, you will usually get respect for approaching your discipline with the rigour and methods of mathematics, physics or whatever is above your.

Again, I'm not sure why you're being preachy about this specific jokes, it's not really different than all the insult you were throwing earlier in this thread. These jabs probably consist of 95% of the jokes you hear in any sciences departments.

[Yugl]

The video is a 2 hour long cock stroking session where Dawkins and Krauss reach orgasm while admiring each other for being atheists.

Fucking loled. I will skip the video and retain this joke.

I find is exemplary of BG politics (Not the section, but relations between people) that people are fine with Kerb/Ashmada throwing out semantic arguments but bitch about Kaylia when he does the same. Not that I have anything against them, but it's utterly ridiculous.

@ Ashmada, you're mistaken about GG's proposition. He's essentially (and correctly) accusing certain BG posters of upholding gnostic rather than agnostic atheism. I believe he's well aware of the limitations of empirical analysis.

[Rhyis.]

[Kaelan?]

tl;dw: Derren Brown trains a regular (christian, but british, so not crazy) guy to be a Faith Healer, goes to the US, gets church people to believe he's real, gets christian group to support him give a faith healing session. At the end, tells them it was all bullshit. Shows what it's like to live a life behind the pulpit deliberately taking advantage of people everyday.

[Byrthnoth]

Skip to 1:05:00

[Alleya]

I find is exemplary of BG politics (Not the section, but relations between people) that people are fine with Kerb/Ashmada throwing out semantic arguments but bitch about Kaylia when he does the same. Not that I have anything against them, but it's utterly ridiculous.

I think it's because there's a perception that it's the only thing Kaylia does. You can basically rest assured that if he posts in a thread, it's to complain about someone's axioms, and not to contribute.

Not saying that's fair, or even true. Just that it's my feeling that the assumption exists.

[Yugl]

I share your belief that said assumption, among specific people, exists. Simultaneously, I find it dimwitted for said people to infer that complaints about axioms are indifferent to contributing. All complaining about axioms amounts to is complaining about a person's justification for an argument. If we're to ignore this method of reasoning, we would do no more than 'vote' on the issue because we would be able to share our opinions but fail demonstrate the thought that lends itself towards the opinion. It would be no different than two people screaming 'yes' or 'no' back and forth.

[Demosthenes11]

I think it's because there's a perception that it's the only thing Kaylia does. You can basically rest assured that if he posts in a thread, it's to complain about someone's axioms, and not to contribute.

Not saying that's fair, or even true. Just that it's my feeling that the assumption exists.

it's fair, just not always true

kaylia starts posting in a thread -> you can be damn sure he is nitpicking semantics and derails the entire thread into something different. He never argues the issue at hand, just a separate side comment that really means nothing in the name of the discussion.

axioms.

[Siatdiat]

I don't mind discussing shit here with Kaylia. Maybe if Jefe posted more people would remember there are people who actually do suck at adding anything of value to almost any discussion.

[Moosey]

Well, this thread certainly took off, not quite in the way I was hoping though. For what it's worth, I would like to apologize to Sera, and anyone else that was offended by my comment that she quoted earlier in the thread. It was insensitive of me and I admit I was in the wrong.

With that said, I really would like to attempt to get on with discussing people's thoughts, disagreements, concerns, or any comments on Christianity, in the most rational way.

tl;dw: Derren Brown trains a regular (christian, but british, so not crazy) guy to be a Faith Healer, goes to the US, gets church people to believe he's real, gets christian group to support him give a faith healing session. At the end, tells them it was all bullshit. Shows what it's like to live a life behind the pulpit deliberately taking advantage of people everyday.

While I don't necessarily agree on the fact that he set-up a bunch of people in a lie, I agree with his idea that most of the televangelist/faith healer dudes like that are a load of crap. I do believe there are people out there in the world with that ability, but they aren't parading around on stage in fancy suits smacking people in the head and shouting at people like that.

[Kerberoz]

I do believe there are people out there in the world with that ability

Why?

[Siatdiat]

Why?

Because that is one of the spiritual gifts from the bible. The bible says it man so its true duh. It helps that god is evident so clearly in all incidents of prayer for healing. If you recover, then obviously god did it, if nothing happens, then god is doing it in his own time. If you die, then either you didn't have enough faith or it is part of gods plan. I would think the intervention of god is clearly evident here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiritual_gift

[Moosey]

Because that is one of the spiritual gifts from the bible. The bible says it man so its true duh. It helps that god is evident so clearly in all incidents of prayer for healing. If you recover, then obviously god did it, if nothing happens, then god is doing it in his own time. If you die, then either you didn't have enough faith or it is part of gods plan. I would think the intervention of god is clearly evident here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiritual_gift

You definitely got the first part right. God is always doing things in his own "time", but God's perspective of "time" is not like our own, as he is outside of "time". As for not having enough faith? You either have it or do don't. There is no middle ground where faith is concerned, so "not enough" doesn't really apply here.

[Jefe]

I don't mind discussing shit here with Kaylia. Maybe if Jefe posted more people would remember there are people who actually do suck at adding anything of value to almost any discussion.

You, you must be borderline psychotic to think you've contributed anything remotely of "value" to this horrible, horrible thread. I mean you have to be. By the way, if you truly want to learn anything about religion what is stopping you from visiting the local church, synagogue, etc.? Know why? Because you're not interested in learning, you just want to spew your vitriol around.

[Siatdiat]

You, you must be borderline psychotic to think you've contributed anything remotely of "value" to this horrible, horrible thread. I mean you have to be. By the way, if you truly want to learn anything about religion what is stopping you from visiting the local church, synagogue, etc.? Know why? Because you're not interested in learning, you just want to spew your vitriol around.

I guess dude. I grew up in the christian church. I'm reading a book right now called Manna and Mercy at my best friends behest. I'm far from close minded whatever you might think. But once again great post.

[Greatguardian]

I guess dude. I grew up in the christian church. I'm reading a book right now called Manna and Mercy at my best friends behest. I'm far from close minded whatever you might think. But once again great post.

Because that is one of the spiritual gifts from the bible. The bible says it man so its true duh. It helps that god is evident so clearly in all incidents of prayer for healing. If you recover, then obviously god did it, if nothing happens, then god is doing it in his own time. If you die, then either you didn't have enough faith or it is part of gods plan. I would think the intervention of god is clearly evident here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiritual_gift

This is a pretty prime example of being closed minded. Just sayin'.

I honestly wish Moosey could just stay banned, though.

[Siatdiat]

This is a pretty prime example of being closed minded. Just sayin'.

I honestly wish Moosey could just stay banned, though.

Explain how that is close minded. I'm working from personal experience here. A prophecy was said about me in my church when I was twelve years old, the specifics I won't go into. I was also told that I had the spiritual gift of discernment of spirits. Everything I wrote was told to me many times over by people in the church when I was young and since then in discussions. Despite being born into that culture, I was unable to accept it as truth and questioned too much. At a very young age before I even knew that science had explanations for how we came to be, I already knew that there was no truth to be found in the religion I was raised in. Too many questions I asked could not be answered and all had the simple reservation of "god is myterious and works in mysterious ways."

The bible is write in one regard though. The truth will set you free. It's just mistaken about what the truth is.