Of course there's a downside. Believing in this "higher power" that no one can really knows exists causes people to base their actions on what happens post-death rather than focusing on improving our very short time on earth.

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Ecclesiastes 5:8

belief in a higher power makes me focus intently on improving my short time on earth.

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

To use a phrase from our board podcaster, it's a difference without a distinction.

"I believe in one God..." is the first phrase of a Creed used by many Christians and most definitely by Lutherans. It is a part of divine revelation. If you are a Christian, you can know it by accepting what Christ revealed.
Or not.

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Well said. The idea that somebody who doesn't support discrimination is just as intolerant as bigots and racists, is utterly absurd. I'm not surprised that Mini Larieta believes that.

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Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

So you tend to believe and follow a tradition, brought to earth by the tradition's namesake, wherein he clearly stated and explained who God is?

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That's a pretty jaded view. The vast majority of stuff I hear in church would cause one to try to be a better person in this life. At least in Jesus' case, he provides a moral compass for his followers, although MANY of them seem to miss his message. I guess if you believe in nothing, then you may or may not have a moral compass to guide your interactions with other people. Who wants to end up with a ferret as a tool of intimidation?

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Hawaii (fuck) You

Whatever answer you want from me, that is my answer. And it can be your little secret.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

Lutherans are good. If you think about it, Martin Luther was the original poster.

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That is certainly the case for some. I know for a fact that Seacrest does a lot to help people here during his time on earth. Still, the fact remains that having one eye- and often both eyes- on what happens in the afterlife is often a recipe for all kinds of bad shit that occurs on earth.

I've obviously expressed unabashedly pro-Israel views on many occasions, but the views of the religious right-wing settlers that land has been deeded to them by G_d is just egregious. The end of the world cannot come fast enough for these people.

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Ecclesiastes 5:8

It comes from people misusing the message I hear in church. They like to use religion as a weapon like not serving gays. Didn't Jesus teach his flock to reach out to those who no one else wants to deal with.......

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Hawaii (fuck) You

Whatever you want christianity to be is not what it actually is. And it is definitely not supposed to be kept a secret.

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There is a philosophy known as "Pascal's wager" would make sense for every person to follow.

"Pascal argues that a rational person should live as though God exists and seek to believe in God. If God does actually exist, such a person will have only a finite loss (some pleasures, luxury, etc.), whereas they stand to receive infinite gains (as represented by eternity in Heaven) and avoid infinite losses (eternity in Hell)."

I think you have to ask whether you think there such a thing as a moral law and a moral lawgiver. Because if there is no God there is no such thing as good or evil. If there is no God there is no reason to condemn any action. You can lie, rape, steal and murder all you like and there isn't any consequence in the life to come. The irony is that if there is no heaven or life beyond death then things like murder and abortion are significantly worse than they first appear because a person is being deprived of their only chance at life.

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God is the uncaused cause of the universe. He had no beginning and has no end. He is not bound by the laws of the universe he created.

Obviously, I have never been to your church. However, there is plenty of support for doing awful things based on the ancient doctrines of most religions. Justification can be found. That's the current issue with Islam. Too many Muslims are finding it.

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Ecclesiastes 5:8

sorry you need a fairy tale to tell you what's right and wrong

I honestly don't care about an afterlife. If there is one fine. If so I doubt it is anything my mind could conceive of now, so I don't worry about that.

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

I seek photographers to take my picture; bakers to make me a cake; florists to send me flowers; and United Health to pay for my wife's medical bills.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

There is no basis for such thought in Christian theology since good works don't get one into the Kingdom of Heaven. Nothing but an acceptance of Jesus Christ can do that.

Anyway, which God does Pascal suggest I act as if exists? I'm not sure if I should cut the head off an infidel or kill a goat.

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Ecclesiastes 5:8

That reminds me of that essay making the rounds years ago about whether Hell is endothermic or exothermic. Part of it says:



Seems legit.

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And any goof that took a philosophy class can easily argue against your conclusion on Pascal's Wager. The philosophy teacher at my Catholic College even argued against it. Your view that without god there is no good or evil is insulting and wrong. People like you are the exact reason we need to protect the separation of church and state.

The baker!

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

This has come full circle. There are bakers who don't think gay cakes are normal.

When I owned a bakery my partner decided she wanted to ban cakes with cocks on them. Believe it or not, cock cakes are pretty "normal" as horny broads apparently love them for bachelorette celebrations.

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Ecclesiastes 5:8

"Jesus is alive... He's in my trunk!"

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JORR is the CFMB's own John Gotti. What haven't you owned a piece of?

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

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Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

Here is an example.

Imagine an Asian man walks into a burger place and orders moo shu beef. He will be told sorry we don't make that here and obviously that is fine.
Now imagine the same man walks into a burger place and orders a burger and he is told sorry we don't provide burgers to Asians. That is wrong.

Now replace Asian with gay, burger with cake, and moo shut beef with an inappropriate cake design.

If a baker will bake a cake that says congrats to a man and a woman they should do the same for a man and a man.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

As long as the cock cakes are banned for all people that is fine. You can have standards. They can't change based on sexual orientation.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

And doing so is in no way a violation of anybody's religious freedom.

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Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

I know I've told this ridiculous story more than once:

viewtopic.php?f=75&t=99579&p=2444178&hilit=genital+cakes#p2444178

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Ecclesiastes 5:8

What if two grooms are banned for all people?

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Ecclesiastes 5:8

The primary question that anyone considering any faith should consider is whether that faith is true. In the case of Christianity if Jesus was in fact raised from the dead then that pretty much settles the issue of whether it is true.

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God is the uncaused cause of the universe. He had no beginning and has no end. He is not bound by the laws of the universe he created.