The boasts of atheists (Atheist self-deception)

Unprovable, religious rhetoric?

You mean act as if the self-defined purpose is actually and objective one. "I really believe that what I do makes a difference and that this is one of the core meanings of life I teach here". For if you didn't then you would, in effect, be saying that their jobs (and hence lives) are purposeless in which case you could expect to be separated sheep and goat fashion. Defeatist talk is not welcome

I love the look on the faces of respectful sales people who gush on about how important to our excellent process and products their new machine would be:"Lets face it guys, what we produce here is rubbish. Mutton dressed as lamb. If we and those like us closed down tomorrow the world would a better place. Your not trying to tell me that processed food is anything but crap are you. C'mon - lets get real here! The world wants it, they fall for the convenience and packaging - but you and I know its all a con - but I agree, you machine will help us produce this crap cheaper and more efficiently"When they trust that I'm not kidding them they look relieved - its like they too can say "the emporer has no clothes on!!"So far I have all but the MD here in real mode about what we produce. You would be proud of me Robin

My despairing Polish neighbour had good news a few weeks ago. She works for Microsoft and out of the blue she got this bonus thing. Not much - about a $1000. She was over the moon - not because of the money but because of the pat on the back for a good job done.Thing is, nobody in her division put her up for the award. Not her boss or her bosses boss. She got a standard letter from some HR head office in the States congratulating her.The pat on the back is come computer generated thing based on some programme or other they have for measuring a persons key performance indicators such a projects arriving on time, time keeping, sick days etc.And she still sees it as a her being valued by people - rather than be valued by a well worked out cost-benefit HR system.Its so sad

Much the same for me. Looking around and seeing pointlessness in what people so valued as being purposeful and realising that all my own purpose were illusionary too. There was the sense of making a big discovery in this - even if the realistion was depressing - failing a way out of itThe storm before the calm...

Of course. But a far less dangerous position to occupy that the self-satisfied-all-is-well-with-the-world stanceThe thinner the camel the easier He can squeeze it through the eye of a needle

You mean like the cooperative society we have to day. Co-operative society: a contradiction in terms if ever I saw one. The Hawthorne effect has a ways to go LarniA pat on the back from a computer programme designed by psychology aimed at "keeping the worker happy and productive".Give me a "Well done (or even "moderately done", or even "a little less than absolutely uselessly done") good and faithful servant" from someone who I respect - anyday.

Sure I hope. And the relief from tension would be welcome to. This is knocking years off my life.

Robin a fifth columnist? Hmm, a not impossible angle - though I reckon he has the words "Ecclesiastes Man Personified" running down through him like a stick of rock

Robin a Christian? Bar for the nihilistic fly in the ointment he could well be. He's even got a fundi-like pile on going.Robin, just to be certain. I want you to say after me "Jesus Christ is not my Lord"Edited by iano, : No reason given.

What's disrespectful about saying "Jesus Christ is not my Lord"? He either is or he isn't - I would have thought.He is mine. Is he yours?

The 'religion' under discussion will not offended. Rather than get bogged down in the bi-sexual-like, have-it-both ways position of agnosticism, it would be sufficient to say "He is not my Lord at this time"I'm curious now.

No good, I'm afraid Faith.It is only by Gods action in a person that they can say "Jesus is Lord". Very specific words. And very specific words to deny. Faced with lions I would wriggle in all directions - who would not? But I would not say "Jesus is NOT my Lord"Unto death.And I just want to be sure that there isn't a Christian who is more cunning as a fox than I can even imagine out there. For if there is - I won't pray and hope and worry about him any longer

I'm curious. Let it play...

That is not for you or I to decide. Nor for you or I to declare.