What? You think that Hindus don't exist?

Post #231,970

11/1/05 5:54:38 PM

For the record, there are a lot more options than just Judeo-Christian vs science.

The fact that some people who don't believe in God do so because of a particular rational about science doesn't mean that all people who don't believe in God believe that.

Come on, this is basic logic!

Ben

I have come to believe that idealism without discipline is a quick road to disaster, while discipline without idealism is pointless. -- Aaron Ward (my brother)

Post #231,985

by imric

11/1/05 7:18:07 PM

Well said.

And one of the reasons I appreciate so many of your posts on this topic.

[link|http://www.runningworks.com|

]

Imric's Tips for Living

Paranoia Is a Survival Trait
Pessimists are never disappointed - but sometimes, if they are very lucky, they can be pleasantly surprised...
Even though everyone is out to get you, it doesn't matter unless you let them win.

Nothing is as simple as it seems in the beginning,
As hopeless as it seems in the middle,
Or as finished as it seems in the end.

Post #231,991

by boxley

11/1/05 8:06:00 PM

prove hindu's exist

hindu's believe in god, all sorts of them. Good christians should believe in god(s) because they used to fornicate with women and created giants. There is only one G_d, described by men who have no understanding of his nature so amorphise according to their own cultural beliefs and backgrounds. Me included. I can prove this to your satisfaction if we both croak around the same time and before other business at hand is attended to :-)
thanx,
bill

"the reason people don't buy conspiracy theories is that they think conspiracy means everyone is on the same program. Thats not how it works. Everybody has a different program. They just all want the same guy dead. Socrates was a gadfly, but I bet he took time out to screw somebodies wife" Gus Vitelli

Any opinions expressed by me are mine alone, posted from my home computer, on my own time as a free american and do not reflect the opinions of any person or company that I have had professional relations with in the past 49 years. meep
questions, help? [link|mailto:pappas@catholic.org|email pappas at catholic.org]

Post #231,997

by ben_tilly

11/1/05 9:01:00 PM

Look at the survey question

It doesn't say "gods". It says, "a God".

Hinduism (at least as commonly understood) does not have "a God" in anything like the Western understanding of the word. Lots of gods? Sure. But "a God"? Nope.

(Note the capitalization.)

Cheers,
Ben

I have come to believe that idealism without discipline is a quick road to disaster, while discipline without idealism is pointless. -- Aaron Ward (my brother)

Post #232,041

by pwhysall

11/1/05 11:42:43 PM

What's all this "G_d" business?

It's not like you're spelling out the tetragrammaton, or anything.

Post #232,047

by Another Scott

11/1/05 11:56:41 PM

It's a common sign of respect or reverence.

Many religions believe that words have power far in excess of the power that we give them now. To say a being's name was to invoke its power or have power over it.

E.g. [link|http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=50&chapter=1&verse=1&version=9&context=verse|John 1:1]:

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

HTH.

Cheers,
Scott.

Post #232,049

by pwhysall

11/2/05 12:05:24 AM

You'll be referring to me as P_t_r, then, I take it?

The "Word" wasn't a literal word, it was the Word.

Note it reads "the word was God", not "the word was 'God'".

Huge difference.

Post #232,053

by Another Scott

11/2/05 12:22:29 AM

Still...

I didn't explain it as well as I could have, and probably should let Box speak for himself (with the risk that the boxlish would be less intelligible than my comments ;-), but let's go to our favorite [link|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_God_in_Judaism|free (and potentially crappy) encyclopedia]:

Jewish law requires that secondary rules be placed around the primary law, to reduce the chance that the main law will be broken. As such, it is common Jewish practice to restrict the use of the word Adonai to prayer only. In conversation, many Jewish people will call God "HaShem", which is Hebrew for "the Name" (this appears in Leviticus 24:11). Many Jews extend this prohibition to some of the other names listed below, and will add additional sounds to alter the pronunciation of a name when using it outside of a liturgical context, such as kel or elokim. Many Jews also write "G-d" instead of "God". While this last substitution is by no means required by religious law (only the Hebrew name, not the English, is holy), it is done to remind the reader of the holiness attached to God's name. (N.B.: Some Orthodox rabbis, e.g., Shlomo Ganzfried, have held that none of the proper names of God should be erased, blotted out, or discarded, even in translation.)

English translations of the Bible generally render YHWH as "Jehovah" in several locations, while replacing the name altogether as "the LORD" (in small capitals), and Adonai as "Lord" (in normal case). In a few cases, where "Lord YHWH" appears, the combination is written as "Lord GOD".

I stand behind the thoughts expressed in my previous post; the language can probably be argued over. The belief is that the name itself has power and is holy.

Rather than P_t_r, could I call you, "He of the big feet and nice kitchen"?

Cheers,
Scott.

Post #232,056

by pwhysall

11/2/05 1:00:47 AM

But the only "holy" name is the Hebrew one, innit?

If my old feller were still around, I'd ask him; this sort of thing was right up his alley.

And you can call me whatever you like, dear.

Post #232,057

by pwhysall

11/2/05 1:18:27 AM

Interesting comment in the Wikipedia discussion:

While I believe the previous poster was correct as to the original purpose of writing G-d in this way, I see little reason in continuing the practice. The English word God is not the Name of the Jewish god. It is a generic word to describe a deity in a language that was created at least 3000 years after God purportedly told Moses His true name on Sinai. As far as I know, many Orthodox authorities write God as such. I believe the practice is related to the fact that writing the actual Tetragrammaton in Hebrew script is strongly discouraged because of its sanctity and the requirement that the document containing the Name never be destroyed, but afforded the honor of a deceased body (i.e. being buried in a Jewish cemetery). However, this leads to another question: Does the fact that the Tetragrammaton appears in this article constitute a violation of this precept? When I clear my browser's cache, will I be violating this principle by deleting the files that contain the written Name of God? --Spem 05:51, 4 August 2005 (UTC)

Post #232,060

by Andrew Grygus

11/2/05 2:28:51 AM

Well, he'd better convert to Christianity right away . . .

. . then so he can get forgivness for clearing his browser cache (he should note that forgiveness is cheaper in the Protestant churches than in the Catholic).

God,** I'm glad I'm a Pagan and don't have to worry about this crap (or how many angels can dance on the head of a pin or whether the first seven popes were saints or common criminals or whether bears are Catholic and/or the Pope shits in the woods).

** "God" in this sentence is an expression completely devoid of Holy Ghost and is not an invocation of any deity or higher power beyond my own frustration.

[link|http://www.aaxnet.com|AAx]

Post #232,065

by pwhysall

11/2/05 2:46:57 AM

I'm just glad I'm an atheist...

...so I don't have to deal with any of this giant-sky-pixie/tree-hugging/infidel-slaying/flying-spaghetti-monster crap.

Apart from poking at it with a stick, of course.

Post #232,122

by boxley

11/2/05 12:01:18 PM

if you note this is the only forum that I usually do it

Post #232,042

by pwhysall

11/1/05 11:42:48 PM

11/1/05 11:43:07 PM

Dupe

Edited by pwhysall Nov. 1, 2005, 11:43:07 PM EST

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