Religion

sprinkleeninow

(22,524 posts)

138. The 'Parousia' is specifically the Second Coming.

Mon Mar 26, 2018, 11:04 PM

Mar 2018

But there may be a personal one b4 the big one wherein a 'body' will indubitably experience His Presence if it is ordained/meant to be.

When Orthodox pray, they're not supposed to conjure up any vision or image of the Whom they are praying to.

I have not 'fallen away', but many trials in the last two decades have stolen a synergy from me that I experienced in the early to latter nineties. Several times, once out in the backyard on my knees in the moonlight, I started with words, then none, with tears. A strange and wonderful sense of an Other Presence and a heavily perfumed fragrance overtook me by surprise. It lasted mb not a second. I tried to get it back, but nothing. I knew better than to do that, but in my humanness....

This happened a number of times to me back then. We're not to keep seeking out or expecting an experience like that to repeat itself. I have other experiences, but no fragrance.

'I absolutely positively do not hear and never have heard a voice!" I think I'd be shaken.

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Questions that atheists can provide no good answer for: [View all] guillaumeb Mar 2018 OP

No. There is no creator. MineralMan Mar 2018 #1

Nicely illustrating my premise. guillaumeb Mar 2018 #2

God's first name is Howard. thewhollytoast Mar 2018 #45

Your premise is half-baked. How do theists answer? dchill Mar 2018 #55

Hey, MineralMan PJMcK Mar 2018 #73

I think God was created by man and the Bible written by man similar to our constitution meadowlark5 Mar 2018 #227

Well, that's almost certainly true of all deities. MineralMan Mar 2018 #235

In my little pea brain, deities were created Ferrets are Cool Apr 2018 #276

Why can't we all just get along? Glamrock Mar 2018 #3

If we did, there would be no need for this site. guillaumeb Mar 2018 #4

Hahahaha Glamrock Mar 2018 #6

Agreed. We might agree on most issues. guillaumeb Mar 2018 #8

Why do you feel the need to push your belief onto others? Eliot Rosewater Mar 2018 #27

You gotta wonder if it's because religionists often aren't very certain and hope dawg day Mar 2018 #78

The reason most give is they are required to per Jesus in the bible. Eliot Rosewater Mar 2018 #85

He primarily gave the charge to the disciples. sprinkleeninow Mar 2018 #102

The Great Commission, Matthew 28 : 18-20 Mariana Mar 2018 #126

Guilty as charged. I have a proclivity in that I can be a sprinkleeninow Mar 2018 #98

Additionally, now I'm conflicted as to what I do believe and so gotta go check. sprinkleeninow Mar 2018 #100

What? guillaumeb Mar 2018 #141

why can't this be a deep philosophical discussion WhiteTara Mar 2018 #30

My bone to pick with this unbridled strife is... yallerdawg Mar 2018 #59

there are Christians and there are xtians WhiteTara Mar 2018 #62

I agree with that. marylandblue Mar 2018 #64

And yet you're just fine with Lordquinton Mar 2018 #66

I do not step all over Atheist's posts. yallerdawg Mar 2018 #67

AHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAH Lordquinton Mar 2018 #70

Lying for the Lord. nt. Mariana Mar 2018 #76

Where does Yallerdawg do this? guillaumeb Mar 2018 #148

Don't even try Lordquinton Mar 2018 #208

I thought as much. guillaumeb Mar 2018 #214

Another no substance post Lordquinton Mar 2018 #257

Your title is ironic. guillaumeb Mar 2018 #258

Irony, like literary criticism, are mysteries to you Lordquinton Mar 2018 #259

You insult me again, and claim to be the victim? guillaumeb Mar 2018 #260

Stating facts are not insults Lordquinton Mar 2018 #272

More insults, which are I believe a violation of the TOS. guillaumeb Mar 2018 #273

Done with you Lordquinton Mar 2018 #274

You might try actual dialogue, and cease insulting theists. guillaumeb Apr 2018 #281

QED Lordquinton Apr 2018 #283

Thank you! ollie10 Mar 2018 #152

All of life is choosing. guillaumeb Mar 2018 #142

Petty minds. Igel Mar 2018 #41

I'm an atheist, and I have a perfect idea of what a creator would look like, Croney Mar 2018 #5

The only thing not perfect about this response is that your post number is 660, not 666. CrispyQ Mar 2018 #29

Not sure what you mean by non theist but I'm an atheist Farmer-Rick Mar 2018 #7

I understand your point, guillaumeb Mar 2018 #10

All due respect, that's not 'how logic works', my friend ... mr_lebowski Mar 2018 #32

God's 'location' is everywhere. Beartracks Mar 2018 #57

Um, "the force" is a fictional creation in a syfy tale, as is the concept of "god". nt procon Mar 2018 #165

you have a provable basis? WhiteTara Mar 2018 #33

Faith and proof are different concepts. guillaumeb Mar 2018 #144

you must be bored today. WhiteTara Mar 2018 #145

Never bored. guillaumeb Mar 2018 #147

I'm not sure what you mean Farmer-Rick Mar 2018 #113

If a concept isn't defined, then it can't exist marylandblue Mar 2018 #9

So relativity did not exist prior to the 20th century? guillaumeb Mar 2018 #11

The concept could be defined, only nobody had bothered to marylandblue Mar 2018 #14

I don't know if Gil's Creator is undefinable. Mariana Mar 2018 #20

I would say such a Creator probably doesn't exist marylandblue Mar 2018 #23

Personally I believe that the Universe has simply always existed ... mr_lebowski Mar 2018 #49

Well all evidence is that time started with the Big Bang marylandblue Mar 2018 #53

Imagine that there's been infinity 'big bangs' and you'll get where I'm going ... mr_lebowski Mar 2018 #61

It's possible the universe is oscillating marylandblue Mar 2018 #63

Also think it MAY be possible that we are simply missing a piece of the equation ... mr_lebowski Mar 2018 #71

The Big Bang is the current theory. ... spin Mar 2018 #106

Hello mary land blue, sprinkleeninow Mar 2018 #97

I'm not Marylandblue, but I would reconsider. Mariana Mar 2018 #117

It's all good! 🤗 sprinkleeninow Mar 2018 #122

Yes I would reconsider marylandblue Mar 2018 #120

Okay then. A thought 'tho. sprinkleeninow Mar 2018 #121

Parousia. That's a new one to me, I had to look it up. marylandblue Mar 2018 #137

The 'Parousia' is specifically the Second Coming. sprinkleeninow Mar 2018 #138

If all of experience is "our own brains generating thoughts", guillaumeb Mar 2018 #146

That is one interpretation, but it is not mine nt marylandblue Mar 2018 #150

It is clearly a tactical argument. Voltaire2 Mar 2018 #74

Well, then there's Galileo, who used the term himself. longship Mar 2018 #68

I think your premise is flawed. Here are examples. Lint Head Mar 2018 #12

What specifically are you looking for? guillaumeb Mar 2018 #13

we are looking for some impact edhopper Mar 2018 #16

You might have found none. Others have. guillaumeb Mar 2018 #143

I have been asking for years for edhopper Mar 2018 #151

You are asking for evidence that you will accept. guillaumeb Mar 2018 #153

So others have not seen edhopper Mar 2018 #156

I cannot speak for these others. guillaumeb Mar 2018 #158

so the answer to this, edhopper Mar 2018 #173

What form could the Creator take? Major Nikon Mar 2018 #25

A few months ago I was a passenger in a car full of people driving through Denver. CrispyQ Mar 2018 #31

Ramen! opiate69 Mar 2018 #51

Actually we do the opposite marylandblue Mar 2018 #34

That is simply a dishonest argument. Voltaire2 Mar 2018 #37

Gil is a very unusual sort of Christian. Mariana Mar 2018 #79

My guess is, it's more deceitful than that. trotsky Mar 2018 #118

You're probably right about the nature of Gil's Christianity. Mariana Mar 2018 #139

We don't need to have an idea of those things about a creator edhopper Mar 2018 #15

the bible says god looks like a human male, human males being created in his own image and all msongs Mar 2018 #17

God let Moses look at his backside Mariana Mar 2018 #21

Yeah, remember that time when God mooned Moses? MineralMan Mar 2018 #140

The question religion can't answer is who created the creator? Binkie The Clown Mar 2018 #18

Atheism is not an answer. It's the rejection of an answer Major Nikon Mar 2018 #28

Another question religionists fail to answer is why did they choose their one particular god Binkie The Clown Mar 2018 #38

Some religionists are exclusionists while others are not Major Nikon Mar 2018 #42

I practice exclusionistic religion. sprinkleeninow Mar 2018 #99

By "eternal fall down go boom" do you mean Mariana Mar 2018 #124

Separation from God. sprinkleeninow Mar 2018 #127

Thank you. Mariana Mar 2018 #132

The answer is quite simple hueymahl Mar 2018 #198

Ah, so the creator IS a turtle after all! Binkie The Clown Mar 2018 #200

Turtles all the way down hueymahl Mar 2018 #206

How is this still an issue? OneBro Mar 2018 #19

"What should we do, and what should we believe?" yallerdawg Mar 2018 #22

You don't need a god to have a purpose marylandblue Mar 2018 #36

Certainly correct in a biological sense. yallerdawg Mar 2018 #40

Correct we have no more purpose than an amoeba marylandblue Mar 2018 #43

And there you have it. yallerdawg Mar 2018 #46

What question? marylandblue Mar 2018 #48

I think I have an assumption and expection of a Creator. sprinkleeninow Mar 2018 #103

Well, Sartre would say-- dawg day Mar 2018 #80

What would Kierkegaard say? yallerdawg Mar 2018 #81

He would say it's between you and God marylandblue Mar 2018 #87

-- Bertrand Russell, 1952 Major Nikon Mar 2018 #24

I love his writing. What an intellect. Voltaire2 Mar 2018 #75

Nature elleng Mar 2018 #26

Neither side has proof of their belief. gibraltar72 Mar 2018 #35

Logic and reason give consistently useful results. Mumbling prayers gives no results. Binkie The Clown Mar 2018 #39

Gandhi? MLK? yallerdawg Mar 2018 #52

okay, you choose to believe- dawg day Mar 2018 #82

You are compelled to comment for some reason. yallerdawg Mar 2018 #84

Not only that, only one side requires belief as a condition Major Nikon Mar 2018 #88

If it exists, it probably looks like this: MineralMan Mar 2018 #44

I love that movie. thucythucy Apr 2018 #278

Yes. It's one of my favorite's too. MineralMan Apr 2018 #279

You put this bee in my bonnet thucythucy Apr 2018 #284

I have seen no proof Angry Dragon Mar 2018 #47

Your first question is a non-sequitur randr Mar 2018 #50

Alpha to Omega MaryMagdaline Mar 2018 #54

Infinity CrispyQ Mar 2018 #229

Thank you. I look forward to checking out the site MaryMagdaline Mar 2018 #249

This is why I'm agnostic. I tend to think that staunch atheists are the other side of the Neema Mar 2018 #56

Equating atheists to fundamentalists doesn't really have much merit Major Nikon Mar 2018 #89

I have relatives who are staunch atheists and think anyone religious or agnostic is a total Neema Mar 2018 #90

Not surprising to have either relatives or close friends that are going to impose such expectations Major Nikon Mar 2018 #91

I'm only speaking in personal terms. Absolutes from anyone bother me. Neema Mar 2018 #95

Politics and religion tend to be sensitive topics for a lot of folks Major Nikon Mar 2018 #110

Your relatives are assholes. Mariana Mar 2018 #92

Actually they're not assholes, even though I don't agree with their absolutism. Neema Mar 2018 #96

I apologize for rude, ugly, unexpected comments you get here in the Religion forum. yallerdawg Mar 2018 #112

LOL. No worries. Neema Mar 2018 #114

"Irony" has found a home here! yallerdawg Mar 2018 #116

Sorry you don't get to apologize for me... uriel1972 Mar 2018 #271

They think anyone who is religious is a total idiot Mariana Mar 2018 #119

There is no belief edhopper Mar 2018 #93

Maybe that's how you think. Neema Mar 2018 #94

Okay edhopper Mar 2018 #107

I appreciate that. Neema Mar 2018 #115

'Mysteries'. I like that you hit on that term. 🙂 sprinkleeninow Mar 2018 #123

Thanks. Neema Mar 2018 #125

No hippy dippy. I think in a 'spiritual' manner. 🤗 sprinkleeninow Mar 2018 #128

I left the kitchen table premises and returned to say this: sprinkleeninow Mar 2018 #131

It's wonderful to see so many Pastafarians are members nocoincidences Mar 2018 #58

I myself maintain that there's no proof either way Downtown Hound Mar 2018 #60

I have to agree your premise. Butterflylady Mar 2018 #65

I just say tazkcmo Mar 2018 #72

Funny, that's the top of the lit of "Questions that theists can provide no good answer for" Lordquinton Mar 2018 #69

Also why does that description of the creator end up so different - dawg day Mar 2018 #83

If this book is wrong on literally every point Lordquinton Mar 2018 #204

"So what's a description of the creator? You claim one exists, so you should have an idea." trotsky Mar 2018 #109

Simple questions are brutal opression Lordquinton Mar 2018 #203

Sorry, that doesn't make sense dawg day Mar 2018 #77

I see the Creator in the bluebirds that come and feed daily. sprinkleeninow Mar 2018 #104

Do you see the creator in a deer that's killed in a forest fire? Or in a child dying of cancer? CrispyQ Mar 2018 #233

Yes, I do. I see sprinkleeninow Mar 2018 #240

If God created everything, didn't God also create evil? -nt CrispyQ Mar 2018 #241

Yes, and that deity admitted that, too, as recorded in Isaiah. MineralMan Mar 2018 #242

The life given to us should be considered as a whole. sprinkleeninow Mar 2018 #243

You talk in riddles. CrispyQ Mar 2018 #263

Your opening salvo is flawed TlalocW Mar 2018 #86

The creator does exist! Kablooie Mar 2018 #101

Actually, we know exactly what "the Creator" looks like ExciteBike66 Mar 2018 #105

Not only that He hates the same people you do Major Nikon Mar 2018 #111

Man created God to control woman. -nt CrispyQ Mar 2018 #130

LMFAO trotsky Mar 2018 #108

Magic is an easy answer for everything. JNelson6563 Mar 2018 #129

trying to comprehend the universe rownesheck Mar 2018 #133

My opinion.... BigOleDummy Mar 2018 #134

But then ..... BigOleDummy Mar 2018 #135

All are a reflection of the Creator. guillaumeb Mar 2018 #149

Soooooooooo......... BigOleDummy Mar 2018 #159

Uhhh, theists can't provide a good answer for that question either. PoindexterOglethorpe Mar 2018 #136

They can provide a personal, non-provable, answer. guillaumeb Mar 2018 #155

But an answer isn't required for a question that you made up. trotsky Mar 2018 #162

Question no good theist has an answer for exboyfil Mar 2018 #154

Faith versus science. guillaumeb Mar 2018 #157

Says the guy presenting a religious answer to a scientific question in his OP. Act_of_Reparation Mar 2018 #160

So the faith Christian Dominionists is equally as valid as yours. trotsky Mar 2018 #163

Yeah, arguing with me about my "beliefs" SonofDonald Mar 2018 #161

The OP claims to understand the thing he calls the Creator. Mariana Mar 2018 #166

There is loads of evidence that prove gods DO NOT exist.. BigRig Mar 2018 #164

The evidence disproves nothing. guillaumeb Mar 2018 #167

If you understood this position marylandblue Mar 2018 #169

I do not dismiss the point, guillaumeb Mar 2018 #171

Of course not marylandblue Mar 2018 #174

Say someone walks up to you and tells you that they can fly using nothing BigRig Mar 2018 #170

We are not arguing about proven science. guillaumeb Mar 2018 #172

The most significant evidence against gods... trotsky Mar 2018 #168

If no gods existed, then we wouldn't expect there to be a universe at all, would we? DanTex Mar 2018 #175

Why? edhopper Mar 2018 #180

Because it would be simpler, and there would be no reason to believe otherwise. DanTex Mar 2018 #183

We simply don have enough knowledge edhopper Mar 2018 #185

That's true. But even when we do. DanTex Mar 2018 #191

I think you have made edhopper Mar 2018 #223

There is no purely physical explanation for the existence of anything at all, including physics. DanTex Mar 2018 #224

I understand that edhopper Mar 2018 #226

I am speculating that without a higher power, nothing would be the default, yes. DanTex Mar 2018 #228

yes, nobody knows, edhopper Mar 2018 #231

But it's also speculation that the existence of a universe without a higher power is even possible. DanTex Mar 2018 #232

And then we have to ask edhopper Mar 2018 #234

Yes, of course. So there's no satisfactory answer there either. DanTex Mar 2018 #236

People used to have a problem imagining edhopper Mar 2018 #237

Yes, I enjoyed the discussion too, and I get your viewpoint also. Thanks. DanTex Mar 2018 #238

All solutions start with the existence of the universe marylandblue Mar 2018 #187

I'm not saying that it proves the existence of god. DanTex Mar 2018 #193

"is most definitely not the state of affairs that anyone would expect if there were no god" trotsky Mar 2018 #230

How is it simpler with god(s) in the mix? Mariana Mar 2018 #190

I'm not sure if it's simpler or not. DanTex Mar 2018 #192

Logically, we don't know if there should be a universe. Mariana Mar 2018 #194

Well, at the very least there's no logical reason why there should be. DanTex Mar 2018 #197

You appear to be engaging in the logical fallacy Mariana Mar 2018 #209

I don't think so, but maybe. DanTex Mar 2018 #225

Interesting, this question was ignored Lordquinton Mar 2018 #199

How on earth does that logically follow? trotsky Mar 2018 #186

I didn't say "can", I said "expect". DanTex Mar 2018 #188

"If there were just nothing... what I would expect is for there to just be nothing else." trotsky Mar 2018 #189

A god or a creator... tonedevil Mar 2018 #256

This OP is amazing SCantiGOP Mar 2018 #176

Thats the basis of all mythology Major Nikon Mar 2018 #211

No, that it not the thesis. guillaumeb Mar 2018 #212

Your argument is an obvious appeal to ignorance fallacy Major Nikon Mar 2018 #216

So if I accept your thesis SCantiGOP Mar 2018 #217

Please elaborate pandr32 Mar 2018 #177

Ancient Questions Progressive2020 Mar 2018 #178

Why must you have an answer? Cary Mar 2018 #179

You're on to something, if I might say so myself. sprinkleeninow Mar 2018 #181

I make no definitive statement Cary Mar 2018 #184

Whatever works for you. sprinkleeninow Mar 2018 #205

Since gods are made up, yes, a god can be anything you want. trotsky Mar 2018 #196

I don't understand why people don't understand metaphor Cary Mar 2018 #207

Simplicity. guillaumeb Mar 2018 #210

You are certainly entitled to your view, no matter how wrong it may be. trotsky Mar 2018 #222

non-believers don't insist on literalism marylandblue Mar 2018 #218

But when I insist on metaphor they invariably change the subject Cary Mar 2018 #245

What is the metaphorical meaning of the genocide in the book of Joshua? marylandblue Mar 2018 #246

That is hardly the only atrocity in the Bible. Cary Mar 2018 #250

Hint: it's not the nonbelievers engaging in the behavior I described. trotsky Mar 2018 #221

And yet, here you are, in this very post Mariana Mar 2018 #215

Except I'm not Cary Mar 2018 #220

Yeah, you did. trotsky Mar 2018 #239

What difference does it make? Cary Mar 2018 #244

It was a declarative statement. trotsky Mar 2018 #247

Nonsense. Cary Mar 2018 #251

I quoted you. That's how I know what you think. trotsky Mar 2018 #252

You're being rude Cary Mar 2018 #254

I'm being rude by repeating your quote? trotsky Mar 2018 #261

I can do many things Cary Mar 2018 #262

Alright, sorry I asked you to defend your statement. n/t trotsky Mar 2018 #264

That's not what you should apologize for. Cary Mar 2018 #265

What you should apologize for is deliberately missing my point. Cary Mar 2018 #266

Once again, I quoted you. trotsky Mar 2018 #267

So you respond to being deliberately obtuse Cary Mar 2018 #268

And you double down on the insults against me. trotsky Mar 2018 #269

Part 2 trotsky Mar 2018 #248

This came up again, and I wanted to reply again! ExciteBike66 Mar 2018 #182

Who said there are no dumb questions? Curmudgeoness Mar 2018 #195

Who created to the creator? Jayster84 Mar 2018 #201

Ask the Creator. guillaumeb Mar 2018 #213

No matter was lying around marylandblue Mar 2018 #219

Betsy DeVos is smiling Freethinker65 Mar 2018 #202

We are the Creator! sdfernando Mar 2018 #253

The only creator(s)that I know of are mom & dad YOHABLO Mar 2018 #255

Gosh how ignorant... uriel1972 Mar 2018 #270

Which creator? Thor? There have been thousands. lindysalsagal Apr 2018 #275

You've become the Black Knight in "Monty Python & the Holy Grail" Freelancer Apr 2018 #277

Well, it depends what you mean by a "good" answer. thucythucy Apr 2018 #280

Happy Easter to you and yours also. guillaumeb Apr 2018 #282