Binary

[Gary Childress]

Are you tormented by your quest for single, absolute answers in a vastly diverse world of endless possibilities and unknown potential?

Not so much as tormented by people who avoid answers to questions that are either true, false, or unknown or unknowable.

Oh, you mean like the answers you don't know but that you insist must be answered in a certain way?

Yes. They need to be answered in a "certain way" if I'm going to believe them. Answers need to show me that the speaker has evidence and that the evidence is credible enough for me to consider credible. If someone wants to insist that Christ is God who "created all that is" then I take that to mean that Christ created all that is. I want to see the evidence. I'm sorry. If people are making claims that I don't think they are able to make, then I'm going to speak up. If you don't want to listen to me, then there's nothing I can do about it, however, I'm going to speak up because there's nothing you can do about me either except have me imprisoned or shot (which certainly isn't inconceivable on the part of those who hide behind lies in this world and have the authority and power to enforce adherence to those lies).

[Dontaskme]

If people are making claims that I don't think they are able to make, then I'm going to speak up.

People making claims of 'Christ is God' happens, and there is nothing you can personally do to unable the claims or make the claims unhappen.

But so what, all that matters really, is what you personally through self evident direct experience can see, hear, smell, taste, and touch in the here and now, which is you're only source of evidence of something. Everything else, not seen, heard, smelt, tasted or touched and not connected with or relevant to the something in the self-evident experience of the here and now.. and surely this is obvious?

[Gary Childress]

If people are making claims that I don't think they are able to make, then I'm going to speak up.

People making claims of 'Christ is God' happens, and there is nothing you can personally do to unable the claims or make the claims unhappen.

Me speaking up cannot "unhappen" either. Deal with it and/or do what you have to do and can't "unhappen" yourself.

[Dontaskme]

If people are making claims that I don't think they are able to make, then I'm going to speak up.

People making claims of 'Christ is God' happens, and there is nothing you can personally do to unable the claims or make the claims unhappen.

Me speaking up cannot "unhappen" either. Deal with it and/or do what you have to do and can't "unhappen" yourself.

Everything spoken about happens and cannot unhappen, so there is nothing to deal with, there is no time machine to undo this happening.

[Gary Childress]

People making claims of 'Christ is God' happens, and there is nothing you can personally do to unable the claims or make the claims unhappen.

Me speaking up cannot "unhappen" either. Deal with it and/or do what you have to do and can't "unhappen" yourself.

Everything spoken about happens and cannot unhappen, so there is nothing to deal with, there is no time machine to undo this happening.

Yes. Yes. "Manifest Destiny". How can anyone argue with that? The only people who want change in the world are the ones whose head is on the chopping block.

[Dontaskme]

I'm sorry. If people are making claims that I don't think they are able to make, then I'm going to speak up.

Won't change anything, there will always be said claims made, and also, there will also be the capacity to make claims against said claims that they are not able to be made, but clearly are. And none of this claim and counter claiming, changes anything, life will continue on, the same as it ever was.

[Gary Childress]

I'm sorry. If people are making claims that I don't think they are able to make, then I'm going to speak up.

Won't change anything, there will always be said claims made, and also, there will also be the capacity to make claims against said claims that they are not able to be made, but clearly are. And none of this claim and counter claiming, changes anything, life will continue on, the same as it ever was.

Then be a friend and don't respond to my posts.

[Dontaskme]

Then be a friend and don't respond to my posts.

Why don't you want me to respond to posts you make?

[Gary Childress]

Then be a friend and don't respond to my posts.

Why don't you want me to respond to posts you make?

Because you seem to be telling me in your responses that me saying something and me not saying something have the same effect. If that is true, then what difference does it make if I say what I say or not?

[Gary Childress]

Bah humbug. Philosophy is a joke. The world is a joke. continue as you all were.

[Dontaskme]

Because you seem to be telling me in your responses that me saying something and me not saying something have the same effect. If that is true, then what difference does it make if I say what I say or not?

But how can you not say something without saying something, for example by saying you are not saying something?

So I do not understand what you mean by that now.

[Dontaskme]

Bah humbug. Philosophy is a joke. The world is a joke. continue as you all were.

Yes, having these thoughts, are also what's happening, and there is nothing anything can do about these thoughts happening, to make them unhappen or undo them.

Can't erase reality because there is nothing making anything happen, so nothing to make this apparent happening not-happen or unhappen.

[Gary Childress]

Bah humbug. Philosophy is a joke. The world is a joke. continue as you all were.

Yes, having these thoughts, are also what's happening, and there is nothing anything can do about these thoughts happening, to make them unhappen or undo them.

Can't erase reality because there is nothing making anything happen, so nothing to make this apparent happening not-happen or unhappen.

Philosophy is still a joke. I can no longer "unhappen" that I said that. Sophistry was far more fertile.

[Lacewing]

Oh, you mean like the answers you don't know but that you insist must be answered in a certain way?

Yes. They need to be answered in a "certain way" if I'm going to believe them.

So, see, then you impose limits on what the answers can be, based on the limits/comfort of your understanding. Any of us might do that: we miss what we can't see or hear, yet we keep insisting we will recognize 'the truth' (as if there's only one) if we see or hear it.

Answers need to show me that the speaker has evidence and that the evidence is credible enough for me to consider credible.

Well, sure, I think it works this way for most people. But people see supposed 'evidence' and 'credibility' differently. One example: All the different ways people see Trump.

If someone wants to insist that Christ is God who "created all that is" then I take that to mean that Christ created all that is. I want to see the evidence. I'm sorry.

There is no reason to be sorry. But if you haven't seen evidence by now, are you going to keep looking for it? Why? Are you afraid of what the alternative might be? It seems you want to believe... but you can't (for reasons that make good sense to you)... and so you thrash around in a frustrated state of wrestling with, and railing against, a god you don't actually believe in. Maybe at some point you'll discover another way of being in this world that feels more peaceful and accepting to you. Yes, heaven and hell are in your mind: it's what you learn to make of all of it. There are no single answers that apply to everyone and everything. Think of how magnificently VAST and free that is and what we can do within it!

Religion, politics, and cultural beliefs tether people to certain places, as if we can't function without or beyond them. Yes, we can.

There is MUCH beauty and freedom and joy to be experienced regardless of how you do it -- it is not exclusively gained from any platform. For me, the problem with platforms is that, like you, I am not convinced of all the other stuff associated with the platform. I don't believe things (and probably never will) just because people say them, even if those people are reputable. We all have our own perspectives -- and it seems that's a crucial thing to make peace with. It's not as much about what's going on 'out there', but what's going on inside each of us.

[Gary Childress]

Oh, you mean like the answers you don't know but that you insist must be answered in a certain way?

Yes. They need to be answered in a "certain way" if I'm going to believe them.

So, see, then you impose limits on what the answers can be, based on the limits/comfort of your understanding. Any of us might do that: we miss what we can't see or hear, yet we keep insisting we will recognize 'the truth' (as if there's only one) if we see or hear it.

Answers need to show me that the speaker has evidence and that the evidence is credible enough for me to consider credible.

Well, sure, I think it works this way for most people. But people see supposed 'evidence' and 'credibility' differently. One example: All the different ways people see Trump.

If someone wants to insist that Christ is God who "created all that is" then I take that to mean that Christ created all that is. I want to see the evidence. I'm sorry.

There is no reason to be sorry. But if you haven't seen evidence by now, are you going to keep looking for it? Why? Are you afraid of what the alternative might be? It seems you want to believe... but you can't (for reasons that make good sense to you)... and so you thrash around in a frustrated state of wrestling with, and railing against, a god you don't actually believe in. Maybe at some point you'll discover another way of being in this world that feels more peaceful and accepting to you. Yes, heaven and hell are in your mind: it's what you learn to make of all of it. There are no single answers that apply to everyone and everything. Think of how magnificently VAST and free that is and what we can do within it!

Religion, politics, and cultural beliefs tether people to certain places, as if we can't function without or beyond them. Yes, we can.

There is MUCH beauty and freedom and joy to be experienced regardless of how you do it -- it is not exclusively gained from any platform. For me, the problem with platforms is that, like you, I am not convinced of all the other stuff associated with the platform. I don't believe things (and probably never will) just because people say them, even if those people are reputable. We all have our own perspectives -- and it seems that's a crucial thing to make peace with. It's not as much about what's going on 'out there', but what's going on inside each of us.

It frustrates me that either I am wrong or all the people who believe Christ = God = creator of all that is are wrong. I mean, I suppose I could just let them be wrong or else let myself be wrong, but what happens to those who are "wrong" in this world? Do the wrong not further perpetuate what is wrong? I don't want to be wrong and I don't want other people to be wrong and potentially pay a penalty for it.

Personally, I think we should all try to be as agnostic as possible regarding matters of "life after death" or "heaven and hell" or whether there was a creator of the universe or whether that creator was good or bad, male or female, or anything else. HOWEVER, we ought not be overly agnostic about everything that does happen in this world while we are alive--things that we are logically and technically able to know.

Do you disagree with my assertions? If so, what have I said that is not acceptable?