Most Christians accept evolution

[RonD1120 62]

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>I've been an air traffic controller and a sport parachutist, never a pilot.

Cool. Good thing all those atheistic, scientific, mathematical, systems networking and programming geniuses provided you with a job and the gear to make skydives with!

Amen! Praise the Lord.

Look for the shiny things of God revealed by the Holy Spirit. They only last for an instant but it is a Holy Instant. Let your soul absorb them.

[quade 4]

Well, my point about radar is pretty much all by itself, it proves the world is older than 6,000 years. If you believe in radar, which, considering his ATC background he probably should, then how can he possibly say the first book of the Bible is the truth? Then, if the first book isn't the truth, why assume the rest of it is?

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[RonD1120 62]

Maybe it is your lame-ass reading. I write and speak from more than one sphere of consciousness. I apologize for not communicating well on your level.

Look for the shiny things of God revealed by the Holy Spirit. They only last for an instant but it is a Holy Instant. Let your soul absorb them.

[Marinus 0]

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Ha ha, funny. Seeking God and understanding the universe are two totally different things. One can be done totally independent of the other. Problems occur when one tries to overlap the two without adequate understanding.

If God exists, then the universe is his greatest creation as far as we know. In my arrogant opinion trying to understand God without trying to understand the universe seem like the idiot thing to do.

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The strange thing I have noticed is that, for some, education creates a sense of inflated self importance instead of reverence and humility.

Nothing humbler than believing you're going to outlast the sun because the creator of the universe deems you important enough to do so.

[kallend 2,146]

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Maybe it is your lame-ass reading. I write and speak from more than one sphere of consciousness.

Yes, it is quite apparent that you are not always in your right mind. Probably all those drugs you did.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[christelsabine 1]

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Maybe it is your lame-ass reading. I write and speak from more than one sphere of consciousness. I apologize for not communicating well on your level.

Wow! How many of them?

Reading your post, I fully agree with you. It's my impression, there is more than just one sphere you're posting in ....

Not everybody's designed to follow those paths, old fellow.

How about some illumination?

dudeist skydiver # 3105

[Shotgun 1]

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The strange thing I have noticed is that, for some, education creates a sense of inflated self importance instead of reverence and humility.

If one is seeking a sense of inflated self-importance, there are many places it can come from: education, religion, skydiving, "success," etc. But of course a lot of people find a sense of reverence and humility in those same things. (Not disagreeing with what you said; I realize you said "for some.")

[jakee 1,593]

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I read all this wonderful scientific stuff. It makes little to no sense to me for one major reason. It does not affect my life in a positive way that I am able to perceive.

Why would that mean it doesn't make sense?

are you sure that's not just an excuse so you don't have to say "I just don't understand it"?

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I wonder what all these atheistic, scientific, mathematical, systems networking, programming geniuses do when they have marital problems, lose their jobs, find out their kids have a serious disease or some other crisis of health, family, employment or social interaction.

I read A Brief History Of Time. Because, obviously, that's what it's for

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Abstract knowledge vs. comfort or peace of mind, I choose the latter.

I choose both.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[jakee 1,593]

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Abstract knowledge vs. comfort or peace of mind, I choose the latter.

I wonder why you think that those are mutually exclusive.....

I have a low aptitude for the former.

So you didn't actually choose, then.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[jakee 1,593]

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Your above list are things I just accept.

Get rid of them. Report back in one year.

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I trust the Lord to show me how to use them that's all they mean to me.

I thought you said you took a course on using computers. The Lord was slacking off that semester, was he?

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[billvon 3,107]

Last warning. No PA's.

[billvon 3,107]

>The strange thing I have noticed is that, for some, education creates a sense of
>inflated self importance instead of reverence and humility.

A little bit does indeed create that for some reason. (Which is where the term "sophomoric" came from; MIT had a publication called "the wise fool" that was targeted at sophomores years ago, which I always thought was apt.)

However, once you get to a certain point in your education you realize how much you really don't know about a given topic (particle physics, biology, whatever.) It is at this point that learning really starts, and is a very good point to get to.

[Marinus 0]

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sphere of consciousness

You don't make a lot of sense, but at least you know your trance music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fbkS5hrUb4

[Coreece 190]

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I strongly suspect that you have:

Electricity
A motor vehicle
Clean water supply
Use of gas/oil
Use of semiconductors
Use of piezo-electrics, ferroelectrics and ferromagnetics
Communication services
High strength materials
If you really skydive, aircraft
and the list goes on and on.

All those things can be great, but I think people put to much stock in them and become dangerously dependent on them. It's a materialistic world where a man is judged by all the great toys he has, but his son wastes his days on video games while his daughter stuffs her fat face with comfort food and his lonely wife hypnotized by reality tv and oprah winfrey.

I think it's beneficial for people to learn how to be happy with themselves first without all this materialism so they can truly appreciate technology for what it is...not because they're seeking a temporary superficial happiness that will soon fade along with that technology, but because they're already happy people.

Technology is great, but lets remember that much of the research and development for what we have today began for military purposes...So when I reflect on the scientific minds that made all of this great technology possible, I'm also reminded of the scientific minds that create biological, chemical, and nuclear weapons while they hold hands with evil men as they look on and destroy the world...and we just sit back distracted with all these wonderful toys they've given us...

Your secrets are the true reflection of who you really are...

[Shotgun 1]

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>The strange thing I have noticed is that, for some, education creates a sense of
>inflated self importance instead of reverence and humility.

A little bit does indeed create that for some reason.

For some people. And for some people, a lot of education creates even more inflated ego. Maybe there is a little bit of a pattern, but I think it's a pretty individual thing.

The first example that comes to mind is medical doctors - I've met some whose egos are quite over-inflated because of their status/education, and I've met others who seem humbled by the position they are in. (And I'm certainly a lot more likely to trust the doctor who realizes and admits that he doesn't know everything.)

[rehmwa 2]

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The strange thing I have noticed is that, for some, education creates a sense of inflated self importance instead of reverence and humility...

it's not the subject that causes this, it's the individual - if one person would use education to feel superior, I suspect the same person would use their faith, or whatever else is handy to shore up their ego if education wasn't a divider.

hell, look at most newbie skydivers in non-skydiving social scenarios, it's comical sometimes - they think they've found some kind of special club

edit: ooops - Keely beat me too it
edit: edit - apparently twice, once responding to the first post, the second to Billvon's stock over generalization on the topic - people are individuals, I don't think generalized rules are really value added in terms of social judgment calls (IMO)

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[rehmwa 2]

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However, once you get to a certain point in your education you realize how much you really don't know about a given topic (particle physics, biology, whatever.) It is at this point that learning really starts, and is a very good point to get to.

I suspect that you assume you've reached this point and therefore this position makes you feel very good about yourself.......

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[billvon 3,107]

>I suspect that you assume you've reached this point and therefore this position
>makes you feel very good about yourself.....

Well, I don't know about that . . .

[jakee 1,593]

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I think it's beneficial for people to learn how to be happy with themselves first without all this materialism

How do they do that? If everyone took a coming of age sabbatical in the woods with only a bow and arrow and a knife then the woods would get pretty crowded.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[RonD1120 62]

Let's go back to the beginning of yours and other's current replies.

Do you understand the difference between affect and effect?

ETA: Reference my post #1351

Look for the shiny things of God revealed by the Holy Spirit. They only last for an instant but it is a Holy Instant. Let your soul absorb them.

[deltron80 0]

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The strange thing I have noticed is that, for some, education creates a sense of inflated self importance instead of reverence and humility.

Learning more about the world around you is rarely a detrimental or damaging thing. Religious institutions tell you it's a bad thing because it leads to more understanding and knowledge, which usually leads one away from religion and superstition. Religious schools skip over the more 'dangerous' ideas so their students' carefully cultivated religious minds won't be corrupted by critical thinking. I'd rather have the chance to make up my own mind, wouldn't you?

Religious folks should try occasionally reading a book not written by someone who works for a church or hosts a radio show. Try challenging your conceptions about reality instead of just propping up your fantasy world.

[billvon 3,107]

>It's a materialistic world where a man is judged by all the great toys he has, but his
>son wastes his days on video games while his daughter stuffs her fat face with comfort
>food and his lonely wife hypnotized by reality tv and oprah winfrey.

Definitely. But that's probably better than a non-materialistic world (say, people living in the woods) where a man spends all his time screwing around with the neighbor's wife and his son spends his time beating the crap out of his sister. You might say "well, if the son had something else to do his sister wouldn't have broken ribs" and "if that guy could get out once in a while he wouldn't be screwing that hussy all the time" - but really that's a reflection on the people, not their environment (or lack of technology.)

[RonD1120 62]

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>It's a materialistic world where a man is judged by all the great toys he has, but his
>son wastes his days on video games while his daughter stuffs her fat face with comfort
>food and his lonely wife hypnotized by reality tv and oprah winfrey.

Definitely. But that's probably better than a non-materialistic world (say, people living in the woods) where a man spends all his time screwing around with the neighbor's wife and his son spends his time beating the crap out of his sister. You might say "well, if the son had something else to do his sister wouldn't have broken ribs" and "if that guy could get out once in a while he wouldn't be screwing that hussy all the time" - but really that's a reflection on the people, not their environment (or lack of technology.)

Thank God I was able to escape California.

Look for the shiny things of God revealed by the Holy Spirit. They only last for an instant but it is a Holy Instant. Let your soul absorb them.

[RonD1120 62]

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Maybe it is your lame-ass reading. I write and speak from more than one sphere of consciousness. I apologize for not communicating well on your level.

Wow! How many of them?

Reading your post, I fully agree with you. It's my impression, there is more than just one sphere you're posting in ....

Not everybody's designed to follow those paths, old fellow.

How about some illumination?

Think in terms of a spiritual world. If the Christian reference is repulsive think in terms of the artist's or the Buddhist's world.

Look for the shiny things of God revealed by the Holy Spirit. They only last for an instant but it is a Holy Instant. Let your soul absorb them.

[Coreece 190]

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>The strange thing I have noticed is that, for some, education creates a sense of
>inflated self importance instead of reverence and humility.

A little bit does indeed create that for some reason. (Which is where the term "sophomoric" came from; MIT had a publication called "the wise fool" that was targeted at sophomores years ago, which I always thought was apt.)

This reminds me of the sophists that Paul vehemently addressed to the Corinthian church way back in the day...and I didn't have to pay $40,000 a year at MIT to learn it - what a bunch of sophists!

-side note-
Since we're on the subject of "sophism," I've always found it interesting many here seem to have adopted this tactic. If you familiarize yourself to the modern usage of the term, a few people here should immediately come to mind, particularly in this thread and others like it.

From Wiki:
Sophism - Modern Usage
"A sophism is taken as a specious argument used for deception. It might be crafted to appear logical while actually representing a falsehood, or it might use obscure words and complicated sentence constructions in order to intimidate the opponent into agreement out of fear of feeling foolish. Other techniques include manipulating the opponent's prejudices and emotions to overcome their logical faculties."

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However, once you get to a certain point in your education you realize how much you really don't know about a given topic (particle physics, biology, whatever.) It is at this point that learning really starts, and is a very good point to get to.

Excellent post...this certainly holds true for Christianity as well, and again reflects Paul's sentiments to the Corinthians:

"If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know."

Your secrets are the true reflection of who you really are...