Godzilla to get star

[onewyteduck]

Godzilla, the greatest movie monster of all time, is getting a star on the Hollywood walk of fame. About damn time!

Oh no! There goes Tokyo!

Duck

[Worm of Despite]

And there goes this forum!

[Fist and Faith]

Maybe owd could expand a bit? Give us his/her thoughts on the philosophical/religious/spiritual ramifications of the event?

[Worm of Despite]

GODzilla, perhaps?

[ZefaLefeLaH]

Good grief. Really? ACK!


Anyway, I suppose that it is also a joke about the state of this forum. As Variol Son posted, there's a lot less friendly discourse & learning & spiritual expansion than there is a bunch of threads with the sole purpose of beating up on beliefs.

I think there comes a time when you have to decide if someone's personal relationship with God is less important than your desire for debate. It's a given that people will be divided over these issues, but do we have to pollute The Close with it all the time?

Thread after thread after thread of how you too can be a jerk to someone that has some hope in their lives & try to mess with their faith & get them to faulter.

And I don't really care about the Godzilla thing. Like I said, I see another joke about the state of this forum. It's sad really because I'm thinking that we would probably be able to learn from each other. But all of our time is spent on the revolving door of simply proving God's existence which will never happen. Even if I could prove it the most likely response would be that of unbelief. This happened when Jesus was alive. He would perform a miracle & the Pharisees would disbelieve in it & make excuses & call it coincidence. It happened with Moses, when Pharoh would not accept Moses as being legitimate. The vast majority of people don't want to believe in God. But I don't see the benefit of constantly repeating the same arguments again & again & again.

Okay, you don't believe in God. We get that part. You tell us all the time. Great. Okay. Move on. Go to another forum or at least participate here without constantly telling those that do believe in God that you don't. We know. You tell us all the time. It's getting old.

[Worm of Despite]

I for one have learned about other people's perspectives. Yeah, the Close ain't perfect, but . . .

Anyway, not sure if your post is directed to me, Zeph, but I've never been out to disprove anyone's beliefs. Yeah, sometimes I'll sit back and personally question the beliefs of a theist (I wouldn't be an atheist otherwise), but I don't make threads going "prove it". More like threads saying "what do you think", because I'm interested. And if I disagree, I try to reply by RESPECTFULLY stating why I disagree and giving valid reasons, not "you're wrong blah blah blah why can't your God do this do that blah blah".

Sp yeah, 99.9% of the time I'm not interested in arguing. No amount of arguing will change my beliefs, just as it goes for any well-grounded theist I know. I'm just here to get the bigger picture. There's more than what I see from behind these eyes.

Also, I don't see a problem with stating I'm an atheist, but if it bothers someone, I'll refrain.

[ZefaLefeLaH]

Anyway, not sure if your post is directed to me, Zeph,

Then I've framed my statement correctly.

[Avatar]

On the whole, I agree with Lord Foul here. I don't think that any of these discussions are intended to "beat up" on peoples beliefs.

Sure, there are the occaisional "prove it" posts, although much fewer than before, and every now and then, someone perhaps puts his opinion in less than sensitive language, but I don't think that we are "polluting" the Close. (Perhaps Baradakas has an opinion on this?)

I agree that these threads do a lot to provide a more reasonable and human view of the differing perspectives.

There should be no reason why the Theists among us couldn't see them as an opportunity to show faith, and the effects and ramifications thereof to the non-believers.

I haven't really interpreted anyones comments as suggesting that anyone is being a "jerk" to anyone else, or an attempt to convince anybody to "falter" in their faith.

If anything, they seem to be asking for reasons why anybody follows a particular faith, and what their faith means to them. Disagreement, as Foul said, has for the most part been respectful, from both sides of the issue.

We all know that it's unlikely to change anyones mind, and I doubt that anybody is upset by this. We all have the right to our beliefs. We do not question that right, simply the motivations behind the excercise of it.

Any theist who IS offended, is perfectly capable of saying so, and why.

Peoples personal relationships with their god are completely seperate from the desire to debate these questions, and I certainly don't think we should cease debating, questioning, and explaining simply because someone may be unable to seperate them.

There is no compulsion for anyone to participate, nor to enter the Close. If anyone feels uncomfortable at the thought of such debate, they are probably at least aware of the fact that debates such as these will continue for as long as life exists.

Speaking for myself, and possibly the majority of non-believers here, there is no intention to insult or offend anybody. Indeed, one of the greatest pleasures of the Watch in general, and the Close in particular, is that these debates are possible, without the usual emotional upset that often accompanies them.

I put this down entirely to the fact that we approach these matters from a position of genuine curiosity and interest.

As Foul said, "There's more than what I see from behind these eyes."

It is that "more" that we are all looking for, regardless of what exactly it turns out to be, or indeed, if it can be shown to be anything.

Peace
--Avatar

[Iryssa]

Any theist who IS offended, is perfectly capable of saying so, and why.

*grin* Darns straight...and you know I would

I've got no problem with debating religious issues...I'm always up for a good chat about it, and if I feel myself getting too defensive about something, I usually just shut my mouth until I've cooled off and can approach it with a little more of an objective look(so if you're wondering why I sometimes disappear from conversations for a while... )...well, as objective as I can be, being a Believer and all and therefore being kinda biased when it comes to that kind of thing...but you know what I mean *grin* I actually like debating this in a forum better than I do in RL...it gives me a chance to take that step back when I have to, and to word things a little better (I hope) than I'm able to do out loud.
Also, don't worry about this dragging down my faith or causing me to doubt it...most of the time it just builds it up.

[[Syl]]

www.plastic.com/article.html;sid=04/10/ ... ;cmt=38#n1

[ZefaLefeLaH]

On the whole, I agree with Lord Foul here. I don't think that any of these discussions are intended to "beat up" on peoples beliefs.

You certainly don't.

But yes, it happens more than it should.

This should be like a sanctuary from that sort of thing. I don't mind it coming up once in a while, but sheesh, it just gets tiresome. It's like a kid in the back seat asking, "Are we there yet?" every 5 seconds.

I wish I could make a pop-up everytime someone posts here that reads, "No, we can't prove it. There's no need to bash God here because you feel wronged or because you don't believe it. Thanks."

[Baradakas]

On the opposite side of the coin, just looking at the threads, I see more christian based topics here than anything, which only opens up more opportunity for some of us to feel slighted when someone says something like that. I imagine if we had a few more Wiccan, satan worshipping or agnostic topics, we might find more to talk about than there is a God/there isnt a God. Any Buddhists/Wiccans/Agnostic/Cannibalists in here? Or is it all Athiesm/Theism?

[[Syl]]

Zen Solipsist, sorry.

[Worm of Despite]

Or is it all Athiesm/Theism?

Pretty much! Although, I'd like to get into Zen, but too lazy/preoccupied with college studies.

[ENDLESS SUMMER]

I have a dream book, and according to my friend that is Satanism.

[onewyteduck]

Oh good grief! Can't a person express pleasure over an event without it causing a controversy?



Interesting link Caer. Thanks!

Duck

[Avatar]

...I actually like debating this in a forum better than I do in RL...it gives me a chance to take that step back when I have to, and to word things a little better (I hope) than I'm able to do out loud.

I agree, although more for the sake of the people I'm debating with than for myself as I don't tend to get worked up about it.

Also, don't worry about this dragging down my faith or causing me to doubt it...most of the time it just builds it up.

Exactly!

Baradakas-- an excellent point, but if we've got people outside of the mainstream religions, they're being very quiet about it. (Except for me and the thread regarding my "religion" still seems stuck in Limbo) There is a Wiccan thread somewhere in here, but it seems to have expired.

Perhaps we should re-do the "Watchers Religions" thread? Regardless, there is certainly no lack of participation in these threads, and the theists seem just as happy to debate as the athiests/agnostics/whatever.

Sorry Duck, I now return us to your topic. (one of the reasons I go OT so easily is that I tend to just reply to the last post, without always considering the bigger picture.)

--Avatar

[Gadget nee Jemcheeta]

OK, first of all, I am spiritually opposed to giant monsters getting stars in hollywood. Especially monsters as hackneyed and stale as Godzilla.
And second, I have to tell you, this is the most peaceful forum for religious and philosophical debate that I have ever been a part of, in or out of a university setting. For sure.

[The Dreaming]

Man, if I had known what was REALLY going on in this thread, I would have posted in it a lot earlier. I think it is extremely important to debate one's own beliefs, refining and refining them from having to defend them. This is how people shape convictions. "The most open mind is an empty one". People who are real people aren't going to have their belief structure changed every time someone makes a valid point against them. Of course, to be completely closed to criticism of one's beliefs is equally dangerous. That is why debate is important. I would like to say that Avatar and Baradakas do an excellent job modding this forum. I am glad that no matter what I post, Avatar will always have a well thought out reply to it.

My point is that there is pretty much no way that anyone is going to debate me into believing the non-existence of God. If I make a particularly inflammatory post, I want people to disagree so I can refine my own beliefs.

I guess there is a difference between wanting everyone to believe the same thing as you and wanting to hear what the other side has to say for themselves.

P.S. Sorry to completely derail your attempt to bring this thread back on topic Jem, I just had to put in my say.

[Gadget nee Jemcheeta]

Curse you the dreaming! Curse you to the nine hells! There shall be retribution for your derailment...no.... DEBASEMENT of the godzilla topic!
Godzilla, COME! HEED MY COMMAND, and CRUSH HIM!
..............................................
......
err, no big deal, dreaming..eh heh... It's all good.