Belief in God, the devil falls to new low: Gallup
Belief in God, the devil falls to new low: Gallup
Americans’ belief in God, the devil and other spiritual entities has fallen to a new low, according to a Gallup poll released on Thursday. Seventy-four percent of Americans said they believe in God…
Americans’ belief in God, the devil and other spiritual entities has fallen to a new low, according to a Gallup poll released on Thursday. Seventy-four percent of Americans said they believe in God…
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I understand not believing in God, but if you don't believe in demons, you're likely being victimized by one.
I understand not believing in God, but if you don’t believe in demons, you’re likely being victimized by one.
I presume you mean metaphorically? Literal demons don't exist.
Maxwell's demon is making my bedroom too hot.
I think you'll find that there is no difference between metaphorical demons and literal demons if you look close enough. Human beings are merely vehicles for memes.
I think you’ll find that there is no difference between metaphorical demons and literal demons if you look close enough. Human beings are merely vehicles for memes.
Creatures that do not exist are incapable of holding ideas in their minds and spreading them.
Demons aren't physical creatures, they're the ideas that prompt demonic behavior. They don't die because they're born of ignorance, hatred, and fear.
Demons aren’t physical creatures, they’re the ideas that prompt demonic behavior. They don’t die because they’re born of ignorance, hatred, and fear.
So, a metaphor for ideas that lead to ugly human behavior. Got it. XD
I also believe that we are the information we contain. The problem with referring to sociopathic memes that lead to bad behaviors as literal demons is that there are significant numbers of people who believe that there are literally physical monstrous evil creatures from hell that tempt people into bad behaviors, (as evidenced in the link.) Using the same language they do is likely to reinforce their absurd beliefs even though you mean something different.
I'm telling you there's no difference. Ideas are more alive than man. Look at Kenneth Copeland, Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis. They're possessed with murderous ideas and they will destroy themselves and everyone around them before they'd seek forgiveness and absolution.
I’m telling you there’s no difference.
I just spelled out the difference.
Ideas are more alive than man.
Have more longevity != more alive. See the definition of life here. Ideas/memes are not comprised of matter with biological processes.
Look at Kenneth Copeland, Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis. They’re possessed with murderous ideas and they will destroy themselves and everyone around them before they’d seek forgiveness and absolution.
I agree that they all contain, spread, and celebrate many sociopathic ideas, but that does not life make. Memes are interesting in that they propagate in a similar way to biological organisms, like pathogens do, and can be studied in many similar ways, but that does not make them alive.
I think most of the confusion here has to do with your use of the term, "literally," which you are literally using incorrectly.
Ok, I can see you're limited by your materialist mindset. I don't need to convince you. I will only tell you that understanding that there are angelic and demonic ideas that can possess and control our lives allows you to develop a tactic to counter or utilize their effects. Everything that's known about resisting and defeating demons is reflective of the necessary tactics one needs to resist and defeat demonic ideas. The Temptations of Christ are parables designed to teach the reader how to avoid the temptations of ignorance and malice. Everything known about invoking angels and Gods is reflective of what needs to be done to utilize those ideas in your life.
Ok, I can see you’re limited by your materialist mindset. I don’t need to convince you. I will only tell you that understanding that there are angelic and demonic ideas that can possess and control our lives allows you to develop a tactic to counter or utilize their effects. Everything that’s known about resisting and defeating demons is reflective of the necessary tactics one needs to resist and defeat demonic ideas. The Temptations of Christ are parables designed to teach the reader how to avoid the temptations of ignorance and malice. Everything known about invoking angels and Gods is reflective of what needs to be done to utilize those ideas in your life.
Hoo boy, sorry to discover you have a propensity for magical thinking. Yes, I am proudly a materialist, and my beliefs are founded in physical evidence. Since beliefs that are not founded in evidence are seldom dispelled by it I'm going to wish you a good day and stop wasting my time here.
to teach the reader how to avoid the temptations of ignorance
I think you failed that one. We passed it though.
If Yahweh doesn't speak to you he doesn't listen to you either. The first thing would be just as easy as the 2nd thing.
You got a good enough idea: that humans embody the demonic ideas and essentially become the demon they act out while they act it out. I can agree with that but not in a literal sense, only figuratively/metaphorically.
Your inflexibility makes your illustration very fragile though. Insisting you mean literally in the dictionary sense will break your idea over from "ok, sure maybe" into "this fellow's mind may not be fully functioning as it normally would"
I'm not here to call you names like conspiracy theorist, but you're insisting in the same style as one, which is a major turn off.
That said, ideas live longer than man, that is easily seen. The fascism you're talking about is just that, weird fascist leavings of some of the worst parts of our society that have been left alone to simmer for too long now. What do you think about that? It being political rather than it being demons?
All I can say is that before you judge my perspective, you should ask yourself if you've got the necessary theological and spiritual background to understand what you're critiquing. I'm not talking about pop-religion. I'm referring to ancient concepts and frameworks for understanding reality that existed long before modern capitalist materialist concepts of the mind.
“My point, once again, is not that those ancient people told literal stories and we are now smart enough to take them symbolically, but that they told them symbolically and we are now dumb enough to take them literally.” ― John Dominic Crossan
Well, not gonna lie, I wasn't expecting to be insulted. If you're just going to question my intelligence when I try to engage in good faith with what you posted, you would have done better to have just not responded.
There's a "mystical stuff that only I can understand so I won't bother explaining" air that you have about your reasoning that is very representative of people who have nothing to back up what they're trying to say. I'm calling you out as ignorant of what you're saying now, partially because I'm annoyed at you, partially because I'm pretty certain you can not coherently put a narrative together that will make any sense.
That's a direct challenge to you to tell your story and theories. If you don't want to, that's totally fine, you don't have to, but don't insult my intelligence when I'm trying to give you so many benefits of the doubt that you've done nothing to earn.
@TrismegistusMx I love this response!
Well that's the dumbest fucking thing I've ever heard
Really? Because I would say your response is dumber. You're just throwing insults like a child.
When you're dealing with people that believe in childish made-up bullshit, you have to dumb down your level of discussion.
Mmm nope. My response makes sense. Your circular logic is objectively fucking stupid. Sorry you were brainwashed, but the real world actually exists and is completely free from supernatural bullshit of any kind.
You have made no effort to understand anything other than your own perspective. Dunning-Kruger club, represent.
It's really fucking funny that you can confidently say things like "if you don't believe in LITERAL DEMONS that means you're possessed by one!" while being aware of the Dunning-Kruger effect.
Well look at yourself, taunting, insulting, mocking. Do you think you might have some hitchhikers in your psyche? What possessed you to go online and be an asshole today?
Well I clicked on an article that indicated we are (painfully slowly) advancing as a civilization, and there's a fundie dipshit in the comments hollering about demons. I felt, and continue to feel, the desire to call out your ridiculous fantasy horseshit. You are confusing reality with a series of children's tales from a thousand years ago.
You are arguing with your own fantasy about what you think I believe, and you think I'm an idiot. That's fundie projection right there.
And you are spouting mythology as if it had basis in fact. I would say the indoctrination into supernatural belief causes far more harm, and is far dumber, than tossing about some insults to an internet stranger.
Go LARP with your own kind.
You're triggered by the word demon. That's the only mythology I've mentioned. How sad.
You are talking about "demon" on an atheist magazine, what else did you expect? Why don't you rephrase for clarity? Because otherwise I see no discussion possible.
I should limit my speech because you're incapable of increasing your understanding? No, I won't be doing that.
So far you have taken a lot of liberties talking down to people.
Can you rephase your arguments by not using the word "asshole" or can you not?
Actually no. It's the best word for this situation.
So far you have taken a lot of liberties talking down to people.
Can you rephase your arguments by not using the word "asshole" or can you not?
TrismegistusMx, 29 minutes ago
Actually no. It’s the best word for this situation.
Don't say that I didn't give you a fair chance.
Then it's settled. By your own admission you cannot follow the very first article of "Rule 1".
Quick question, why is it okay to be an asshole here but not okay to call out assholes?
Totally. Its like not believing in the speed of love.
Actually, it's like not believing in Love. If you don't believe in Love you'll never find it. You had to add "speed" to your argument to make it more ridiculous.
why do you think believing in love is ridiculous or that it has velocity? I really had thought you got it man.
Can you please have just a little bit of integrity, or do the demons whispering in your ear demand that you make an ass of yourself?
I accept you idea demons and the idea angels that let you know about them. Your lucky you got those but they won't help you with everything. You close your mind off and there are some hills youll never see.
You don't get it. You only think you do.