The_Barnacle wrote on Jan 30^th, 2021 at 11:56am:


It's not about love or hate, it's about control and how they use it. Especially when it comes to "witnesses." And this is where it becomes insidious.

When witnesses go out into the world many of them lament that people often get angry when they try to share the word of god.

That is because proselytising is specifically designed to be uncomfortable for the other person, because it isn't about converting them to your religion, it's about manipulating you so you can't leave yours.

If this tactic was about converting people it would be considered a massive faliure. It recruits almost no one who isn't already willing to join. School fetes are a more effective recruiting tool.

On the other hand, it is extremely effective at creating a deep tribal feeling among its own members.

The rejection they receive is actually more important than the few people they convert. It causes them to feel a level of discomfort around the people they attempt to witness to. These become the "others." These uncomfortable feelings go away when they come back  to their congregation, the "Tribe."

If you take a good look at the process it becomes fairly clear. In most cases, the religious person starts out from their own group, who are encouraging and supportive. They are then sent out into the harsh world where people repeatedly reject them.

These brave witnesses then return from the cruel world to their congregation, where they are treated like returning heroes. They are now safe. They bond as they share their experiences of reaching out to the godless people to bring them the truth. They share the "otherness" they experience.

Once again they will learn that the only place they are accepted is with the people who think as they do. "It isn't safe to leave the group. The world is your enemy, but we love you."

This is a pain reward cycle that is a common brainwashing technique. The participants become more and more reliant on the "Tribe" because they know that "others" reject them.

Combine it with some ritualised chanting, a bit of monotonous repetition of instructions, add a dash of fear of judgement by an unseen but all powerful entity who loves you as long as you do what you are told and you get a pretty powerful mix.

issuevoter wrote on Feb 11^th, 2021 at 10:14pm:


I agree with you, on this.

All men, only have their experience of the 'reality' of this life and of this world [experienced in their waking hours].

Some people dream, and some read the bible [or some other 'holy' text].

And they have an active imagination.

I know that i have a very, very active imagination.      

And i often have interesting dreams, and, i read my bible.



I do not know, 'what' God is.

But in myself, i know that he is very real, and i know, that his angels [spirits] are very real.

I know that God, is a spirit, but then i do not know, 'what', the spirit realm really is.

Some people do believe, in the existence of spirt beings, and other do not.



Yadda said....
http://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1412086346/27#27
Quote:

The_Barnacle wrote on Feb 12^th, 2021 at 10:57am:



Barnacle,

You are misrepresenting what i have said.



If you are serious in your accusation,      then find specific quotes of what i have said, about.....
Muslim
Leftists
Homosexual
Black

and i will address what i have said in MY ACTUAL QUOTES.


For example.

Moslems:

I do not care if moslems want to be followers of ISLAM, and if they want to kill each other.

But, i do not want the followers of ISLAM, to be able to bring their religion to Australia.

And why not ????

Because the followers of ISLAM are taught by ISLAM, that it is lawful for the moslem to intimidate and kill those who are not moslems.

And as a non-moslem, i do not want the followers of any religion which teaches that, to live in Australia.

Yadda said.....

"I love moslems,        ....in Syria, and in Iraq, and in Egypt, and in Libya, and in Somalia, and in Iran, and in Saudi Arabia."

.


Yadda said.....
https://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1570367530/9#9
Quote:

Yadda wrote on Feb 11^th, 2021 at 10:47pm:

issuevoter wrote on Feb 12^th, 2021 at 4:59pm:






Yes i do.

No, i am not.

Anyone can know what i [and what many others] know.
e.g.
Reading is a specialised skill.       I know how to read, because when i was a child, i took the time to learn how to read text.
e.g.
Swimming, is a specialised skill.        If a person is willing to apply himself, on how, to learn to swim, invariably, he will eventually, be able to learn how to become a confident swimmer.





The influence and distractions, of this world,    ...are natural to everyone who has been, born into,    ...this world.

Atheists ['i believe in, only what i can understand, and see, and what i can touch'] are choosing to live within a very, very small universe.

Good for you !!


1 Corinthians 13:11
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.


John 3:6
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.


Romans 8:5
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.



issue,

Go your own way.

We all do.


.


Conscience

Truth


To ignore evil is to become an accomplice to it.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.


"And what is good, Phaedrus?
And what is not good?
Need we ask anyone to tell us these things?
- Plato

[quote author=Raven link=1611971766/25#25 date=1613392573]
[i][/i]
Yadda

[b]Belief and knowledge are two different things.[/b]

Raven's son believes in the tooth fairy. Raven knows it's not real.

The tooth fairy was created to give children comfort and a purpose "you've lost your tooth, don't worry. Put it under your pillow and the tooth fairy will reward you."

[/quote]

They are, but belief [u]and[/u] knowledge [and experience], can and do merge, in supposition.

Normally, many people call that [convicted suppositions] 'science'.

[do not suppose, that what we know as 'science', is a fixed knowledge.     science is NOT a fixed knowledge.    very, very [u]definitely[/u] not ! ]


I can confess here, that i once 'believed' in the tooth fairy.   I remember, i had a loose tooth come out [with the help of a piece of string, attached to a door handle, and my tooth], and someone told me to put my tooth under my pillow that night, and that in the morning i may find a 6d pence in its place. And, the next morning, i did !!! But even at that young age, i can remember, in the morning, i suspected, that my carer had placed that coin there.     :)



.



[quote author=Raven link=1611971766/25#25 date=1613392573]
[i][/i]
Like Raven's son your knowledge of [b]the reality of God's existence is based on incomplete information[/b]. But you want to believe he is real and therefore choose to believe he is. [b]But you can't really know for certain.[/b]

[/quote]

That is true.

But my belief and knowledge of this subject, lead me to suppose that God [a spirit being] is very real.

I cannot prove that my own 'supposition' is correct.

And atheists, who are [also, like myself] not omniscient, cannot prove that my God does not exist.



I find life here, is like a dream.

Is it real ?

Or are all of the cogent moments i 'experience' here, really just something which i am imagining ?

I don't know.

But i am content, to keep interacting with this present 'reality' - until the end, of this dream.

But what an adventure it has been.


.


[b][i][color=#0000ff]"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."[/color][/i][/b]
Hamlet, William Shakespeare


Psalms 102:7
I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.