Who is really in charge of inspiration?

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What you are really talking about is tolerance, I think. I think a truly tolerant person is one who has a firm belief himself. I have met many a sloppy person who has no clue what to believe. They are simply clueless about the meaning of their lives. They fancy themselves as very tolerant.

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But I want you to first show me someone who has a firm belief in something, perhaps something he would even be willing to die for. Then in the light of those strong convictions we can see if he is "tolerant" of others who have a different belief.

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To which i respond with-

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The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.

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Socrates > biblical authors, imho.It has NOTHING to do with tolerance, or strength of belief; just the opposite. Someone who has such a firmness of religious belief that they would die for their belief is an intolerant fool, not a tolerant genius.Experience has taught me that "sloppy idiots," tend to be the most intolerant and least wise. It takes great strength of character and intellect to accept the fact that your belief's MAY be wrong, and to listen to others' insight. The one who will die before questioning himself is the simplest and most vain form of idiot. In religious terms, he or she is a total fundamentalist, indoctrinated not to question their sacred doctrine. If this is how people lived, the world would be a horrible place.You, jaywill, are begging the question. When asked how you know the bible is not a fabrication of an evil diety by nij, you keep responding using the bible as source. Edited by Damouse, : No reason given.Edited by Damouse, : No reason given.

Fixed it for you : )You keep saying "god told us" when in fact you're not sure if he did.Seeing as this is a thread about divine inspiration, i thought this was relevant. The bible was not a fax from god.

The majority of your post is begging the question.You say that jesus was god, and he made one hell of a god. This jesus, he told you all about god.Now you sit here and say that because youve heard so much about god from the one who people call god, youve noticed that the person telling the story seems remarkably godlike.He's telling the story. Of course he fits the role. I find the fact that youd rather live your life worshiping a lie that you knew was false disgusting.Debate should attempt to find the truth, and youve just confessed that the truth is not as important to you as is an imaginary fix. Im filled with revulsion.Edited by Damouse, : No reason given.

Thats not the question at all. You keep saying you know youre on the right track in terms of god because the word of god has told you on the right track.Thats what it means to beg the question. You're answering with the question. For you, maybe. In the quest to convince others of their worth, you cant really base your argument as proof, as its anecdotal.For example, i believe the gospels are a bunch of stories told around a campfire. I have no illusions about the powers of persuasion of humanity, i have no doubt such a thing can be fabricated.You again beg the question by proving that the gospels are legitimate by showing convincing gospels. This isnt a fact, its a psychological manifestation which you attribute to an imaginary friend. Its not proof. Its your own messed up mind finding messed up closure.In essence, whatever floats your boat. But you cant expect to parade your floated boat as fact. Your opiate is not fact. Thats not the point i made.The point was that you said that even if god wasnt everything you thought he was, you would still believe.That is what i was repulsed by. In another thread, the purpose of life was mentioned and ran with by creos. If your purpose of life is to worship, then you are but a slave. If you would worship even if your master was a lie, then you are a stupid slave, with no core or pride. Yes. Living for the sake of living. Enriching yourself in the world around you, not considering it just a proving ground, just an ant farm in the grand scheme of things.That you would continue your slathering worship in the absence of anything to worship, that you would still throw a perfectly good life away idealizing the impossible while ignoring the beauty and life around you, is horrific to me. You dont know. You believe.And i believe humanity has a way with attributing significance where none is needed. The last quote in my signature is my mantra for dealing with this situation.Things are what they are. People like you strive and sweat to make them more, and would be devastated if they were not so, but why? Is your pride so great that you MUST be special? We are what we are. And what you strive to be is a mindless worshiper.Edited by Damouse, : No reason given.

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This statement is false.Tell the blunt, honest truth in the starkest, darkest way. And what will be, will be. What will be, should be.

Power. Respect. Money. All the things men crave. The smart ones knew people like you would flock to them.The "campfire" is a bit of a joke. It took thousands of years to put together and canonize, but the result is the same. No. No room for that. Because even if i believed the whole story of the big JC, there would be massive logical discrepancies with the world around me. Now jaywill, you've been a remarkably composed and stoic debator so far, don't ruin it by misrepresenting what ive been saying.You are right, my philosophical mantra demands that i cast this down as a lie and deal with the world as it is.However, my political and social mantras demand a sense of politeness and tolerance. This doctrine will never be for me; it is a waste of life and potential. But no part of any of my mantras demands that i make others believe as me.And so i dont have to prove anything to you about my beliefs. They are what they are. Even if i had produced proof, im not sure you would accept it, as you have already said you would still worship if JC were a lie.Furthermore, my lack of belief in god doesnt put the burden of proof on me, my friend. Quite the opposite, as these things go. Yes, and i told you what it is. Its called realism. Reality is calling. The time of theism is long gone. People got smarter. We have been becoming more and more secular as history has slogged on, and very soon i imagine its going to be left behind all together. You can label your religion with whatever undying imagery you'd like, but people are moving away from their crutches. The masses are being weaned off their opium. Why does an omnipotent god need slave help to build a kingdom...?Fun? Yeah, id love to spend my mortal years prostrate with worship and my eternal years in utter bliss, with nothing to occupy my attention or provoke any intelligent thought. Also, id be in eternal slavehood/worship, it seems.How the hell does that sound fun?Fool or not, i will be damn sure im no fool to people seeking my money or seeking to control me. If you have to use the crutch that is religion to live your life, so be it. But i will be my own man in the only world we get, and no one will command my worship.

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This statement is false.Tell the blunt, honest truth in the starkest, darkest way. And what will be, will be. What will be, should be.