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How can you be a True Christian™ if you don't take the Eden story literally?

Subduction Zone

Subduction Zone

Veteran Member
Aupmanyav said:
Kindly keep Advaita Hinduism out of the list. It does not depend on faith. It is no different from the latest in science except for some naming conventions.
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I did include a qualifier. I do not know if what you claim is true or not, but I would have no problem saying that it applies to most religious beliefs.
 
CG Didymus

CG Didymus

Veteran Member
Audie said:
Bahais " who SAY theyve had visions."
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In a way I think it's worse if they did see a vision. If they didn't and say they did they're just lying. If they did then what was it? A hallucination? Or are there spirit beings that can materialize or can appear in human form?

Some Native Americans had visions of spirit animals. And because Catholics see Mary, and Baha'is see Abdul Baha, that's why I'm wondering if they are just conjuring up what they want to see?

If these mini visions aren't real but only hallucinations, then what about people that have supposedly had some grand vision. Like the Baha'i prophet saying that a heavenly maiden came to him and told him that he was God's chosen one.
 
Audie

Audie

Veteran Member
CG Didymus said:
In a way I think it's worse if they did see a vision. If they didn't and say they did they're just lying. If they did then what was it? A hallucination? Or are there spirit beings that can materialize or can appear in human form?

Some Native Americans had visions of spirit animals. And because Catholics see Mary, and Baha'is see Abdul Baha, that's why I'm wondering if they are just conjuring up what they want to see?

If these mini visions aren't real but only hallucinations, then what about people that have supposedly had some grand vision. Like the Baha'i prophet saying that a heavenly maiden came to him and told him that he was God's chosen one.
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Joseph Smith said an angel came to him,
told him where in New York state there was a cave
where he would find two gold books, on which was
the account now known as the book of mormon.

There are sworn and signed statements from those who
held them, held them, described their appearance.

While in the USA, as a convalescent / insomniac I
found a late night a.m. radio show called " coast to coast".

They'd have guests who did such as describe bigfoot
encounters, alien abduction, even visits into the
hollow interior of Earth where a civilization of like reptoids
lives.

All such accouts told in manner such as for a trip to

A natural tendency to assume others will be truthful
and misjudge a convincing manner for sincerity
makes it all too easy for politicians, scammers,
and divers others to convince people.

The so- called " god shaped hole" which I happen to
be free of does make a lot of people very susceptible to
hearing what they want to hear.

I'm no psychologist,, to get it why such as
Paul or Joseph Smith did as they did. If a person
really thinks an angel said they are "gods chosen"
and anything they make up is of god, like that bahai guy
well, that doesn't make their words true.

At least two of that sorry trio was absolutely not
telling the truth.
 
Mark Charles Compton

Mark Charles Compton

Pineal Peruser
Audie said:
How is that different? It's all me me me.
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Well, one is narcissism. The other is social connectedness, or rather the need thereof.
Admiration or excessive love for oneself is narcissism. On the other hand, a need for affirmation or validation usually requires outside sources to reaffirm the inner dialogue. We are social creatures after all.
Audie said:
The external thing is not external at all
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The error is seeking that affirmation or validation from something ineffable, intangible, or unresponsive. The serotonin reward system of our brain will cause one to accept false positives, channel that through a confirmation bias and you'll create in your head an effectual reality that doesn't cope with the objective one.

These are dangers that need to be heeded in realms outside of theology as well. Technology for example, can cause one to gain an inflated view of self or a conflated view of reality.
 
Audie

Audie

Veteran Member
Mark Charles Compton said:
Well, one is narcissism. The other is social connectedness, or rather the need thereof.
Admiration or excessive love for oneself is narcissism. On the other hand, a need for affirmation or validation usually requires outside sources to reaffirm the inner dialogue. We are social creatures after all.

The error is seeking that affirmation or validation from something ineffable, intangible, or unresponsive. The serotonin reward system of our brain will cause one to accept false positives, channel that through a confirmation bias and you'll create in your head an effectual reality that doesn't cope with the objective one.

These are dangers that need to be heeded in realms outside of theology as well. Technology for example, can cause one to gain an inflated view of self or a conflated view of reality.
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My summary is that Believers believe in themselves
 
Audie

Audie

Veteran Member
Mark Charles Compton said:
I can't disagree.

What's strange to me, is that 'believing in yourself' is often considered a good thing and perceived as confidence. Alternatively, doubting yourself can cause all sorts of dilemmas and shortcomings.
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This belief is in one's capacity to detect, communicate with and be
valued by the creator if the universe.

Often it involves being favored "Of" god with infallible ability to know the
True religion.

And it's all so they can get to a E - trnal
reward. With God. That's some self assessmrnt !
 
RestlessSoul

RestlessSoul

Well-Known Member
Trailblazer said:
Too bad some people fill the hole with sex, which they call love.
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Or drugs. Or gambling, or food, booze, money, possessions, status, whatever comes to hand.

At least the addict and the alcoholic knows there is a hole that needs feeling. S/he feels the hunger, but doesn't know that only god can fill the emptiness inside.
 
Mark Charles Compton

Mark Charles Compton

Pineal Peruser
Audie said:
be valued by the creator if the universe.
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If it is the case that there is a creator, it is either indifferent towards its individual creations, or it cares about all of its creations in equilibrium. I suppose it's not impossible that if there were a creator, he could possibly hate or despise his creations, it just seems unlikely.

That is the only explanation to some of the less savory phenomenon that occur naturally, if you ask me.

God created the people that a believer would consider their enemy too, right? A believer must ask; "Did he create them to spite me, or are they held in the same value as myself in his perception?"
 
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