MarkD checking in from Berkeley, California. I'm married, a retired math teacher and a garden enthusiast who enjoys walking my two furry kids, reading and playing card games.
I'm spiritually feral with a quite limited concept of God. I don't believe God sprang from nothing anymore than I believe She created the cosmos ex nihilo. What really interests me about gods is the question: what accounts for their long time prevalence in the minds of humans? When we figure out how the highly complex cognitive functioning of our species gives rise to our sense of self and an enduring identity we will find out God's nature is very similar. We and She are both evolved, emergent products of consciousness. But from our perspective as conscious minds, God is the personification of our very ground of being. It is this ground of being in consciousness which makes our human reality possible. It puts together the self we take ourselves to be, holds together the representation of the world we behold and periodically provides us insight of a perspective greater than our usual. A good relationship with God is highly desirable but really we're partners and She depends on us as much as we do Her.
Hi Mark, welcome. One of the hosts, who live in further away time zones will be along soon to give you the official stuff, meanwhile an interesting post.
If you take a minute or two to browse the FAQ and 10 Commandments pages (links on the main boards page), they should tell you all you need to know about the different boards, and what's what and who's who.
@Piglet, I have read the FAQs and 10 C's on the forums I've already posted in, this one and Purgatory. The person who recommended this site to me was an intelligent Christian posting at an atheist site which I no longer use as I find it poorly moderated. I'm quite content to participate on a forums which is proactive in regard to vicarious rudeness and personal attack. Freedom of speech in the pursuit of sharing personal beliefs is a very good thing but it doesn't justify hate speech.
Thank you NicoleMR and Lothlorien. It is past lunchtime here on the US west coast. My efforts in the garden gave way to watching the impeachment hearings after eating. Strange times.
Thank you for the welcomes, @Rossweisse and @MaryLouise. I've been warned that my use of the terms "God/gods" is nonstandard. So perhaps switching pronouns will help signal that other assumptions might need to be checked.
A good relationship with God is highly desirable but really we're partners and She depends on us as much as we do Her.
*-
Well I did get in both a She and a Her in that one but I suspect like myself you like the notion of our participation also making a difference. Recognizing interdependence is usually recognized as a feminine trait so surely if there was a god it would have to be female. I'm not female but even I can see that. Thank you for the welcome.
BetteTheRed here. I was occasionally active on the old boards, but had slipped away in recent years. I'm a Canadian, non-theist, United Church of Canada, but parents were Scouse; half of family is C of E, half RCC. I was raised Lutheran. It's a bit awkward.
Much of my family is still in the U.K.; I visit when I can (dogsitting is a huge problem in my life, as my dog is "bad"). Over here, I miss decent cheese, decent beer on tap, and narrowboat holidays...I could also live without the relentless white crap this time of year.
Welcome back, Bette the Red. Piglet, my other host would repeat this but she is currently flying back to Edinburgh to be with family for Christmas after the sudden death of her husband a few weeks ago. So I speak for us both.
[quote="BetteTheRed;c-222690 Over here, I miss decent cheese, decent beer on tap, and narrowboat holidays...I could also live without the relentless white crap this time of year.[/quote]
In the 1800s my forebears were going to emigrate either to Canada or NZ. I am glad they chose the place with less white stuff, although from what I know of Canada that would be my only reason.
Hello -- Diving in after a few months of lurking...
Over the past year or so, I have experienced something very similar to @Timo Pax, described upthread. Since this has already been profitably (prophetically?) discussed at length, I’ll explain no further, except to say thank you for a lively and encouraging debate which needs no retread.
Since then, I have been struggling to align myself. At this stage, I have no specific allegiance to the old faiths, and no intention of inventing any new ones. Christians might call it heresy, atheists definitely call it woo, but I am tentatively calling it natural philosophy, which has at least some historical relevance.
I have read and understood the 10 Commandments. I look forward to meeting you all (possibly in Purgatory, hopefully not in Hell.)
Hello. I'm British, retired, Catholic, living abroad. I arrived here yesterday by clicking on a link in a comment on the Archbishop Cranmer blog, and I'm glad I did. It looks like a place where I'll feel at home.
Thank you, @Cathscats! Yes, and we could all do with some cats in our lives, too. We have one and we seem to be in the process of acquiring a second one, a stray or feral cat who turns up on our doorstep most evenings for a bowl of cat food and a saucer or three of milk.
If you've been lurking for a while, you probably have a good idea of what's what and who's who. The 10 Commandments and FAQ pages (links on the main home page) should tell you anything else you need to know.
Perhaps I should say hello again. Reactivating my account after a long absence. Maybe this time I'll not fall overboard and learn to become a worthy shipmate.
Comments
Mary Louise, Purgatory Host
I'm spiritually feral with a quite limited concept of God. I don't believe God sprang from nothing anymore than I believe She created the cosmos ex nihilo. What really interests me about gods is the question: what accounts for their long time prevalence in the minds of humans? When we figure out how the highly complex cognitive functioning of our species gives rise to our sense of self and an enduring identity we will find out God's nature is very similar. We and She are both evolved, emergent products of consciousness. But from our perspective as conscious minds, God is the personification of our very ground of being. It is this ground of being in consciousness which makes our human reality possible. It puts together the self we take ourselves to be, holds together the representation of the world we behold and periodically provides us insight of a perspective greater than our usual. A good relationship with God is highly desirable but really we're partners and She depends on us as much as we do Her.
Enjoy your exploration of the Ship.
Hello, @MarkD, and welcome!
If you take a minute or two to browse the FAQ and 10 Commandments pages (links on the main boards page), they should tell you all you need to know about the different boards, and what's what and who's who.
Happy sailing!
Piglet, All Saints host
@Piglet, I have read the FAQs and 10 C's on the forums I've already posted in, this one and Purgatory. The person who recommended this site to me was an intelligent Christian posting at an atheist site which I no longer use as I find it poorly moderated. I'm quite content to participate on a forums which is proactive in regard to vicarious rudeness and personal attack. Freedom of speech in the pursuit of sharing personal beliefs is a very good thing but it doesn't justify hate speech.
Lothlorien, All Saints Host with Piglet.
MaryLouise, Purgatory Host
Well I did get in both a She and a Her in that one but I suspect like myself you like the notion of our participation also making a difference. Recognizing interdependence is usually recognized as a feminine trait so surely if there was a god it would have to be female. I'm not female but even I can see that. Thank you for the welcome.
All well so far but can this discussion go no further on this thread which is strictly a welcome thread. Start one somewhere else, possibly Purgatory
Thanks all.
Lothlorien, AS Host
Much of my family is still in the U.K.; I visit when I can (dogsitting is a huge problem in my life, as my dog is "bad"). Over here, I miss decent cheese, decent beer on tap, and narrowboat holidays...I could also live without the relentless white crap this time of year.
In the 1800s my forebears were going to emigrate either to Canada or NZ. I am glad they chose the place with less white stuff, although from what I know of Canada that would be my only reason.
Welcome back.
Over the past year or so, I have experienced something very similar to @Timo Pax, described upthread. Since this has already been profitably (prophetically?) discussed at length, I’ll explain no further, except to say thank you for a lively and encouraging debate which needs no retread.
Since then, I have been struggling to align myself. At this stage, I have no specific allegiance to the old faiths, and no intention of inventing any new ones. Christians might call it heresy, atheists definitely call it woo, but I am tentatively calling it natural philosophy, which has at least some historical relevance.
I have read and understood the 10 Commandments. I look forward to meeting you all (possibly in Purgatory, hopefully not in Hell.)
Fixed broken code
Piglet, AS host
Piglet, AS host
MaryLouise, Purgatory Host.
Mary Louise, Purgatory Host
Happy sailing with us!
Piglet, AS host
If you've been lurking for a while, you probably have a good idea of what's what and who's who. The 10 Commandments and FAQ pages (links on the main home page) should tell you anything else you need to know.
Happy sailing!
Piglet, AS host
Happy sailing!
Piglet, AS host