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Swede Atlanta

(3,596 posts)

72. There is no reason to try to have an adult dialogue with these people......

Reply to nadinbrzezinski (Original post)

Wed Mar 19, 2014, 05:06 PM

Mar 2014

they believe what they believe and they are told that anyone who questions their beliefs are of the devil, are attempting to lead them astray, are trying to corrupt them.

In reality I suspect it is a form of mental disorder. They are unable to reason or think for themselves. That is why they cling tenaciously to these beliefs without ever questioning them.

I am a Christian but I question everything about my faith. To me my faith has to be congruous with the world around me and my life experiences, temporal and spiritual. I have no problem reconciling the Big Bang with the concept of Creation. I don't believe in the 7 day story in Genesis. I think this was written down from oral tradition to explain the origin of everything because they lacked our knowledge. I don't believe in the story of Noah either because it is just too far fetched and in fact follows a similar story from Mesopotamia. It is a morality story about the importance to worship God and not be led astray for fear God might punish mankind. There is no evidence of a world-wide flood other than some theories of a break in the Bosporus Straights that may have inundated communities along the modern day Black Sea.

But those conclusions about what I believe as "fact" and "allegory, explanation, etc." are based on my ability to think critically, examine facts and experiences against my faith and arrive at a deeper understanding.

These people are either too lazy to do that or the prospect of not believing something they have just been told to believe is too daunting for them.

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Today I met an actual flat earther [View all] nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 OP

I really love Cosmos Gothmog Mar 2014 #1

Like they did with the original one nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #7

You should have told her to walk in a straight line ... Fantastic Anarchist Mar 2014 #57

While tempting... nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #60

That's ridiculous zappaman Mar 2014 #61

Of course, you can! Fantastic Anarchist Mar 2014 #62

Well, sorry to be a hard-ass, but FUCK 'em. calimary Mar 2014 #21

Ok It's Official, I have got to watch this show!!! Heather MC Mar 2014 #96

It is a great show Gothmog Mar 2014 #97

JUST WATCHED AND..... Heather MC Mar 2014 #124

Ick Capt. Obvious Mar 2014 #2

Cosmos is not making these people nuts. riqster Mar 2014 #3

But now they feel their life is under attack nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #5

Their brains are under attack. glinda Mar 2014 #31

While that might the case, it is also their lives nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #50

Well young people will just have to be forced to accept religion. Been done before. Enthusiast Mar 2014 #74

Is happening now via Conservative Laws passed and places like Holly Lobby. glinda Mar 2014 #143

They might actually be the cause of Enthusiast Mar 2014 #144

Very true but is it really about abortion? I think it is about other things politically motivated. glinda Mar 2014 #145

I agree. It really isn't about abortion. It's about control. Authoritarianism. Enthusiast Mar 2014 #146

blind faith relieves the person of having to think critically NightWatcher Mar 2014 #4

Exactly, the electricity can't be explained nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #6

If electricity is "God's Will", how does she explain the fact that it didn't come into use until the catbyte Mar 2014 #22

We have possibly the use of some of these lamps in antiquity nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #23

I should have said wide commercial use, sorry! catbyte Mar 2014 #24

You welcome nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #26

You have to be very specific with these people ... Fantastic Anarchist Mar 2014 #59

My mom saw me watching a period piece on TV. "Do you think people really dressed like that?" ieoeja Mar 2014 #79

My dad once asked about the age of the universe nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #100

my grandfather sabbat hunter Mar 2014 #119

He was busy raising a family and getting a business going nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #122

Nadine,,me again. pangaia Mar 2014 #130

Did you go to HS with me? nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #131

Yes, I went to HS with you. pangaia Mar 2014 #132

I said that because of what we all had to take nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #134

Ninny. Because Jackpine Radical Mar 2014 #86

It was Lewis Black who said sabbat hunter Mar 2014 #120

"A bit of a dick." Jackpine Radical Mar 2014 #133

Stupid comes in, stupid goes out, you can't explain that hatrack Mar 2014 #67

Did you tell her a Catholic Priest came up with the Big Bang Theory. dilby Mar 2014 #8

I actually did not know that one nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #10

Yeah most people don't but especially the hardcore fundamentalists. dilby Mar 2014 #29

I hate to point this out, which was a shock to me coming from a Catholic country, nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #33

I actually managed to shutup a raving Racist for the past month or so because of that. ieoeja Mar 2014 #84

I hope it does nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #85

George Lemaitre bananas Mar 2014 #148

I love telling people about that Union Scribe Mar 2014 #63

Yeah works for both sides. dilby Mar 2014 #71

In 2014 there are people who exist that believe the earth is flat?? Initech Mar 2014 #9

She honestly believes the sun comes around the earth nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #11

There are certainly people who claim to believe that, on the internet muriel_volestrangler Mar 2014 #14

Just when I think I've seen humanity reach it's lowest point of stupidity... Initech Mar 2014 #15

I've found that giggling helps... Wounded Bear Mar 2014 #12

True, I felt that walking away was a better choice nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #13

This is probably what I would have done. Xyzse Mar 2014 #27

That's what I usually do. And then I feel bad. progressoid Mar 2014 #77

Luxury rehabs? rug Mar 2014 #16

"the big bank" theory pintobean Mar 2014 #17

Those folks huddle on Wall Street. adirondacker Mar 2014 #51

Hahaha, "the big bank." Love it, what a great vision of the ultimate beginning of All Things! enough Mar 2014 #18

I don't know what this is.... yuiyoshida Mar 2014 #19

And that is a scary prospect indeed nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #25

A personal story.... yuiyoshida Mar 2014 #34

We have a US Congressman who is a doctor nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #37

Is he a medical yuiyoshida Mar 2014 #38

Medical nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #40

Just to scare you a little more, Yui, there are bible colleges turning out Nay Mar 2014 #94

She won't last long after an independent chart audit. Aristus Mar 2014 #39

That was a few years ago... yuiyoshida Mar 2014 #41

Undoubtedly. Aristus Mar 2014 #47

Sadly, the USA is full of anti-intellectualism and intellectually lazy people. Arugula Latte Mar 2014 #104

Interestingly, US schools fell behind after losing Ilsa Mar 2014 #107

I'd ask for book, chapter and verse... Xolodno Mar 2014 #20

The flat earth thing was never true, it was made up by some teachers to explain Christopher Columbus dilby Mar 2014 #35

Actually...no Xolodno Mar 2014 #45

Did you read that? dilby Mar 2014 #46

I found out last year that I work with a moon landing denier. PeaceNikki Mar 2014 #28

Head over to te Religion forum. You can deal with that same kind of reasoning daily. cleanhippie Mar 2014 #30

Is there a theory of reverse evolution because it seems to be Cleita Mar 2014 #32

Over the last forty years we have had the far right religious right nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #36

Sure, Obama espoused it in 2008. ieoeja Mar 2014 #87

Yes, it''s called "de-evolution" or "Devo" bananas Mar 2014 #147

I laughed in a believer's face before when they tried telling me that kind of nonsense. Vashta Nerada Mar 2014 #42

Is she ironing her fur long johns with a hot rock? Tierra_y_Libertad Mar 2014 #43

It sucks that one can't even go to a coffee shop without being harassed by zappaman Mar 2014 #44

Bouncy Beef Balls For Soup pintobean Mar 2014 #49

There are plenty of flat earthers in Texas including some running for office Gothmog Mar 2014 #48

First they went nuts because we have a black president...then they get even more nuttier Auntie Bush Mar 2014 #52

Did the gays ever leave? nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #53

And we thought Galileo got that all straightened out some 400 years ago. The Velveteen Ocelot Mar 2014 #54

There is a certain segment that would love to burn him today nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #56

So anything that exists is "God's will" then. Did she address that? nt Sarah Ibarruri Mar 2014 #55

I did not want to get into that debate to be honest nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #58

They don't even attempt to imitate the God they worship, do they? nt Sarah Ibarruri Mar 2014 #73

You mean the god who told them to keep their religion in the Temple? nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #76

Any of them, actually. lol They're modeling themselves more on the stereotype of satan nt Sarah Ibarruri Mar 2014 #83

i agree w/ NDT, there is no debating these people. pansypoo53219 Mar 2014 #64

I am not sure I wanted that mental!!! nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #65

They say they dont go by the Old Testaments anymore ErikJ Mar 2014 #66

Evil nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #70

Actually for the time period most of those laws were pretty legit. dilby Mar 2014 #90

I've only encountered this sort of aggresively satisfied and schmuckiness in the Anglosphere MisterP Mar 2014 #68

"But all this is coming out because of Cosmos. It is making these people nuts." awoke_in_2003 Mar 2014 #69

Well when Tyson declares that nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #78

Wait- are you saying women weren't created awoke_in_2003 Mar 2014 #80

I know a shocker nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #81

I am a man... awoke_in_2003 Mar 2014 #82

There is no reason to try to have an adult dialogue with these people...... Swede Atlanta Mar 2014 #72

I personally believe people can have faith nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #75

my daughter's Catholic school has Niceguy1 Mar 2014 #102

Yes, yes it was nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #103

They are indeed out there... South_Street Mar 2014 #88

She (flat earther) is already burning in her own hell of denial. nt Bernardo de La Paz Mar 2014 #89

Like only being able to see with one eye in black and white ErikJ Mar 2014 #91

Did she really say the earth was flat? And not a sphere? panader0 Mar 2014 #92

We did not get into that detail nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #98

I'm sorry you had to experience that.... malokvale77 Mar 2014 #93

We will pay a prize for this idiocy as a nation nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #99

yes... malokvale77 Mar 2014 #116

Agreed, though just one small qualifier nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #118

Of course you're right... malokvale77 Mar 2014 #121

I know, I happen to know my county extremely well nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #123

They are sneaking in everywhere... malokvale77 Mar 2014 #125

Oh they won't nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #126

Excellent malokvale77 Mar 2014 #127

I would have asked if hell was endothermic or exothermic. AtheistCrusader Mar 2014 #95

Wow....you should really go into the deep rural south.... VanillaRhapsody Mar 2014 #101

HBO is running a documentary on creationist flakes and Darwin. Ilsa Mar 2014 #105

That might be a reason to finally get HBO nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #106

HBO has some excellent documentaries. Ilsa Mar 2014 #109

The last time I watched HBO was over 20 years ago nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #111

Understandable. I loathe the fact that Ilsa Mar 2014 #115

True, there is that nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #117

So which member of congress was it? n/t JoeyT Mar 2014 #108

Scarily, a local member of congress does visit (rarely) that coffee shop nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #112

scary, ain't it? spanone Mar 2014 #110

I am glad I live in the land of fruit and nuts nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #113

The stupid burns malaise Mar 2014 #114

Hey there, Nadine. There really IS a hell. pangaia Mar 2014 #128

LMAO nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #129

I'd find another coffee shop! PasadenaTrudy Mar 2014 #135

Why should I punish the owner? And it is independent, nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #136

I was kidding... PasadenaTrudy Mar 2014 #137

I know, but I do treasure my local coffee shop nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #138

Do you know this person, or was she a stranger? Orrex Mar 2014 #139

When somebody in a public square almost screams nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #140

I'm not faulting you for getting involved; I'm just contrasting our experience Orrex Mar 2014 #141

I do not intend to change their views nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #142

I just don't get it Tree-Hugger Mar 2014 #149

As you wrote, you are the step child nadinbrzezinski Mar 2014 #150