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Power Corrupts in General
Grain of Salt
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Member # 6652
 written Monday, April 24 2006 01:29 Profile #104
quote:
Originally written by Dolphin.:

Okay, I'll use Hinduism and an example. Siva is a God all loving and worshiped, but will not send you to hell or smite you for your misdeeds. Yama is the God of death, and the judge of your fate, but you are not judged for your faith but rather your actions. Almost all faiths and cultures have a symbol of death/carrier to the thereafter, and is often thought of as a God. So some God's are all forgiving and all merciful, and others do the smiting.

Your statement was referring to the nature of "the God" and how it pertains to the bible. Your challenge would hold more ground if you asked me to present a faith that follows a single God.
Ah, but even Hinduism has books of laws saying that you should not kill, should not lie, etc. Hinduism believes that all forms of God (all the "different gods") are actually one, and in order for man to understand God, he must be seen as different forms. Hindusim also believes in reincarnation. When you die, the body you get in the next life depends on what you did in this life. Unless we add in another, unkind element to do the judging, then God does it. God punishes you for misdeeds. (If anyone else knows anything more about Hinduism please correct me. I got this all from the first site of a "Hindu moral code" google search)
quote:
Originally written by Dolphin.:

Following the notion that we actually have freewill it should be fairly apparent how human might use that to cause themselves and others suffering. You could say that babies are born with afflictions, what could they have done to deserve that? Well, those cases are often due to the parents' life choices, as well as genetics. I suppose God could save you from every pit and falling rock, but for that to happen God would have to more or less prevent you from doing everything.

My eyes are tired from being on the computer all day; should God stop me from reading anymore posts to protect me from further discomfort?
Sitaution A: A man walks along on a trail and stumbles over a rock, falling flat on his face. He is hurt.
Sitaution B: A man walks along a trail. God places information inside the man's head that there is a rock. The man notices the rock and steps aside. The man is not hurt.

Remember, God could do anything. He need not stop you from reading more posts; he could simply cure your eyes. In the situation with the rock, God could cause the rock to disappear, transport the man to an alternate universe where there is no rock for several seconds, or a billion other things. God could do this in every human's life for every second of every day, being omnipresent and omnipowerful.

As for Lazarus, I think that argument has been proved wrong already. If it wasn't it certainly is now. I respectfully ask people to stop quoting it.

If, however, we strip down this argument into a basic question of God and remove all assumptions about goodness or laws, as Student of Trinity does, the argument comes to a standstill. Neither side can prove anything. The athiests say "How did God come to exist, then?" and the theists reply "How did the Big Bang come to exist, then?"

EDIT: Big Bang. Not "Big Band". Stupid keyboard.

[ Monday, April 24, 2006 01:56: Message edited by: I Would Have Been Your Daddy ]

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But I don't want to ride the elevator.
Posts: 420 | Registered: Sunday, January 8 2006 08:00
Power Corrupts in General
Grain of Salt
Infiltrator
Member # 6652
 written Sunday, April 23 2006 14:47 Profile #93
My brief euphoria at not having my arguments dissected and pounded on with a sledgehammer has vanished. Ah well.

quote:
Originally written by Student of Trinity:

quote:
Originally written by I Would Have Been Your Daddy:

If God exists, why does he not come out and tell us?
We're not talking about Superman, who could prove he was super by leaping a tall building. No event that humans could take in -- not speaking with a booming voice from the sky, stopping the rotation of the Earth, or changing the color of the Sun -- would be beyond the power of an advanced alien race as portrayed on Star Trek. Yet even an entity capable of manipulating galaxies would be nothing compared to the editor of reality, at whose whim every atom and all of space persists from instant to instant. So how could God declare to us God's existence in any convincing way?
Even if direct communication would not necessarily prove God's existence, it would convince many people. People tend to believe what they see and hear, especially if the said and heard things causes a huge earthquake or somesuch.

Also apologies for putting words in your mouth, but it looked like it at first glance.
quote:
Originally written by Dolphin.:

[quote]If God wants us to have free will, why is the Bible full of laws and horrible curses that come on you if you disobey those laws?
This just goes back to the questions "do we really have free will" and "was the bible actually written by God". Just because the bible contradicts itself doesn't mean there is no God. There are other faiths, and other holy texts in the world.[/quote]I challenge you to show me a religion or religious text that believes in God, but has no moral code and does not believe God is benign.

quote:
Originally written by Dolphin.:

[quote]Why does God permit suffering in the world if he is all-powerful and benign?.
Karma.[/quote]What? Please explain.

As for ADS's post, I admire your position but question that logic. By simply creating a complicated explanation for every logic flaw, I can prove that the CIA is controlled by aliens and that the entire eastern hemisphere does not exist.

EDIT: Anyone pleasantly surprised that Jeff hasn't closed this topic yet?

[ Sunday, April 23, 2006 14:56: Message edited by: I Would Have Been Your Daddy ]

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But I don't want to ride the elevator.
Posts: 420 | Registered: Sunday, January 8 2006 08:00
does any1 like in General
Grain of Salt
Infiltrator
Member # 6652
 written Sunday, April 23 2006 12:01 Profile #14
Modest anime? What modest anime?

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But I don't want to ride the elevator.
Posts: 420 | Registered: Sunday, January 8 2006 08:00
Power Corrupts in General
Grain of Salt
Infiltrator
Member # 6652
 written Sunday, April 23 2006 11:38 Profile #86
I consider there to be evidence of why God does not exist. It is not cold, hard, physical evidence that is studied in a laboratory, but it is logical evidence. If God exists, why does he not come out and tell us? If God wants us to have free will, why is the Bible full of laws and horrible curses that come on you if you disobey those laws? Why does God permit suffering in the world if he is all-powerful and benign? The general answers to these questions are convoluted and defy quite a bit of logic.

You pointed out in your post that there is hardly any evidence either way. You then asserted later that God is like a quark. There is evidence for quarks, however, and you said yourself that there is no such evidence for God.

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But I don't want to ride the elevator.
Posts: 420 | Registered: Sunday, January 8 2006 08:00
does any1 like in General
Grain of Salt
Infiltrator
Member # 6652
 written Sunday, April 23 2006 11:06 Profile #7
Goldenking has the right to correct spelling and grammar. Not the right to correct RP etiquette, though.

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But I don't want to ride the elevator.
Posts: 420 | Registered: Sunday, January 8 2006 08:00
An RP in the World of Avernum *Reloaded* in General
Grain of Salt
Infiltrator
Member # 6652
 written Sunday, April 23 2006 02:19 Profile #313
In the town of Angel's Rest, earlier that day, all was well. At least on the surface. For two people were locked in a struggle for life and death.

A bandit wearing a black cloak ran down the alley. He was close to his prey now. He could practically smell it. He plowed straight into a group of pedestrians and paid no notice, not even falling. His prey was near.

The prey ran in the streets before him, always a turn or so ahead. He spotted a stable and hurried toawrds it, figuring that he could steal a horse and get back to the Dominion before the bandit maniac behind him caught up. Who was he, anyway?

Neither the predator nor the prey, what with the chase, noticed all the commotion at the front of the town.

The Agent slammed open the stable doors, frightening the stable's owner. Barely giving him time to blink, he grabbed a horse and ran out the other door.

Right into the face of a demon. Or at least somehting that looked like a demon. It was catlike, but stood on two legs. It had a long, reddish robe. It also had an axe. A very, very big axe.
The Agent tried to dodge the blow, but the thing was too fast. It knocked him clean off the horse, severing several limbs and penetrating the heart. A quick kill.

The Looter pursuer rounded the corner, wand out. He also saw the cat too late. It threw a bolt of force at him, pinning him against the wall. It drew it's axe lazily, as if it had all the time in the world. And it did. How could the target escape now?
The Rakshasi advanced slowly, softly purring. Ahhh... carnage. He brought the axe down...

...and missed. The human had dodged! Impossible! The rakshasi threw a fireball but missed due to his anger. The human rolled behind him and drew his sword. He feinted, ducked, and then lunged, cutting off the Rakshasi's arm.
A strange and unpleasant sensation flooded the Rakshasi's body. Pain. The Rakshasi had never known pain. He was used to being the master, the winner, the king. In a fierce rage born of frustration the cat clawed a deep gash in the human's chest, who stumbled and gasped. Ha! Let him feel pain! But the human foguht no longer. He turned and ran, bleeding.

-----------------------------------

Drale mulled over the news. A bleeding, half-crazed man that Drale identified as one of his ten assassins had rode up towards them, shouted about demons attacking Angel's Rest, and then fainted from blood loss. This report was consistent with what many of his other informants had said. The demons, though there were only about fifty of them, were incredibly powerful. They smashed through the town guard without a single casualty, like it wasn't there at all.
Drale sighed. The Dominion would doubtless try to pin it on the Anama, and the Anama on the Dominion. It would take a unified force to fight a force so strong.
But first came defense. "Tell Lrell to double the guard on the mountains, and give them new wands."

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But I don't want to ride the elevator.
Posts: 420 | Registered: Sunday, January 8 2006 08:00
The Best Weapons in Avernum 4
Grain of Salt
Infiltrator
Member # 6652
 written Sunday, April 23 2006 02:09 Profile #3
Look at the Item List.

EDIT: The location appears to not be on there. South Honeycomb, then. The ooze cave.

[ Sunday, April 23, 2006 02:11: Message edited by: I Would Have Been Your Daddy ]

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But I don't want to ride the elevator.
Posts: 420 | Registered: Sunday, January 8 2006 08:00
The Best Weapons in Avernum 4
Grain of Salt
Infiltrator
Member # 6652
 written Sunday, April 23 2006 01:53 Profile #1
I understand that the Oozing blade is among the best weapons. I myself sold it because I judge how good a weapon is on price, and it doesn't sell for all that much :( .

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But I don't want to ride the elevator.
Posts: 420 | Registered: Sunday, January 8 2006 08:00
A new low: in this thread, we hold a conversation using images in General
Grain of Salt
Infiltrator
Member # 6652
 written Sunday, April 23 2006 01:37 Profile #1
IMAGE(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0002HR1I0.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg)
IMAGE(http://www.ralphmag.org/1/letter-R-186x184.gif)

IMAGE(http://www.originalicons.com/images/icons/Emotions/Crazy/1118423858_1769956104.gif)

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But I don't want to ride the elevator.
Posts: 420 | Registered: Sunday, January 8 2006 08:00
Power Corrupts in General
Grain of Salt
Infiltrator
Member # 6652
 written Saturday, April 22 2006 05:39 Profile #59
Why is anyone else participating in this debate? A combination of those reasons, I think. I'm not trying to impress anyone, I just want my opinion to be heard.

Let's just stop veering this topic off-course and agree to disagree.

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But I don't want to ride the elevator.
Posts: 420 | Registered: Sunday, January 8 2006 08:00
Power Corrupts in General
Grain of Salt
Infiltrator
Member # 6652
 written Saturday, April 22 2006 04:43 Profile #56
I was quoting the source because I thought it was a good argument and did not want to be accused of plaigirism, not because I think people are more likely to agree with Douglas Adams than me. Can I not use an argument just because someone else said it?

If you want me to remove the name I will.

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But I don't want to ride the elevator.
Posts: 420 | Registered: Sunday, January 8 2006 08:00
Power Corrupts in General
Grain of Salt
Infiltrator
Member # 6652
 written Saturday, April 22 2006 04:17 Profile #54
quote:
Originally written by Thuryl:

If Douglas Adams already said it, why are you bothering to say it again?

We want original and interesting ideas here, folks.
I am quoting a source for the purposes of my argument. Is that not allowed? I thought it was encouraged.

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But I don't want to ride the elevator.
Posts: 420 | Registered: Sunday, January 8 2006 08:00
Geneforge without the Geneforge in Geneforge Series
Grain of Salt
Infiltrator
Member # 6652
 written Saturday, April 22 2006 03:13 Profile #6
BoG won't exist. If it does, it won't have custom graphics. You need about two hundred for one monster because of real-time animation.

But I think we need another storyline as well. It's been the same thing with minor variations straight through the trilogy. How about a massive creation revolt?

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But I don't want to ride the elevator.
Posts: 420 | Registered: Sunday, January 8 2006 08:00
Power Corrupts in General
Grain of Salt
Infiltrator
Member # 6652
 written Saturday, April 22 2006 03:08 Profile #51
quote:
Originally written by Mc 'mini' Thralni:

Well, that's what religion is, basically. Combine the problems, and blame them all together to one super-problem: God. Now try to find an explanation for god himself, and you're done.
This is basically why religion was started. People got upset when someone died. Therefore, to comfort themselves, they decided that that person went to Heaven. Later, some bright philosopher wondered how the entire race of humans came to exist. They decided that a powerful being created them. Then, some other bright philosopher decided to combine the beliefs, and write them down. There you have religion.

Think about it. Out of all the other possibilities, is it likely that god exists? No. There is no proof of god existing. There is in fact much proof of god not existing. Therefore, what could cause the majority of humans to go along with that belief? Comfort, and later bandwagon.

I would also like to quote the spirit, if not the letter, of a point Douglas Adams (an atheist) made in a speech. People have debates about politics. The different sides routinely call the other sides wrong. Yet no one worries about offending a viewer who just happens to subscribe to one side over the other. But hold a debate about religion, call someone's religion wrong, and everyone's all over you.

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But I don't want to ride the elevator.
Posts: 420 | Registered: Sunday, January 8 2006 08:00
Power Corrupts in General
Grain of Salt
Infiltrator
Member # 6652
 written Friday, April 21 2006 16:39 Profile #23
Ehhh? I'd sure like to live in paradise. Don't know about you. I'm pretty certain that I know what I'd truly want.

EDIT: And this topic was pretty darn derailed already, I'd say.

[ Friday, April 21, 2006 16:41: Message edited by: Wonko The Sane ]

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But I don't want to ride the elevator.
Posts: 420 | Registered: Sunday, January 8 2006 08:00
Scenario Processing in Blades of Exile
Grain of Salt
Infiltrator
Member # 6652
 written Friday, April 21 2006 16:38 Profile #20
The hardest part is clearly resisting the urge to play Halo compulsively in the middle of development.

I have so far failed. Maybe I'll stop when I beat the campaign.

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But I don't want to ride the elevator.
Posts: 420 | Registered: Sunday, January 8 2006 08:00
change shaper graphics? in Geneforge Series
Grain of Salt
Infiltrator
Member # 6652
 written Friday, April 21 2006 16:33 Profile #10
Given that Geneforge is real-time animated, wouldn't there be about two hundred individual graphics for a character? That's a lot of copying and pasting.

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But I don't want to ride the elevator.
Posts: 420 | Registered: Sunday, January 8 2006 08:00
Power Corrupts in General
Grain of Salt
Infiltrator
Member # 6652
 written Friday, April 21 2006 16:27 Profile #20
Aha! A religion debate topic! Time to throw out one of my questions.

If god is infinitely fogiving and benevolent, why did he not let us back in to the Garden of Eden?

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But I don't want to ride the elevator.
Posts: 420 | Registered: Sunday, January 8 2006 08:00
avernites vs the empire worms in Avernum 4
Grain of Salt
Infiltrator
Member # 6652
 written Friday, April 21 2006 16:14 Profile #4
I also severely doubt that a small party of four people could take on the entire world. The Vahnhatai (sp? I never get that right), Avernites, and the Empire are going you regard you as insane and try to kill you. Powerful your mage may be, but no one takes on an entire army.

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But I don't want to ride the elevator.
Posts: 420 | Registered: Sunday, January 8 2006 08:00
OoC Thread for "An RP in the World of Avernum... *Reloaded*" in General
Grain of Salt
Infiltrator
Member # 6652
 written Wednesday, April 19 2006 04:03 Profile #361
K, just waiting for TM's response then.

You see, being a huge group of bandits and all, all I can really do is fight. You can use poisons and clever plans and propaganda, but I'm either fighting or doing nothing. Since the Dominion is the only foe left, I figured I should attack it.

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But I don't want to ride the elevator.
Posts: 420 | Registered: Sunday, January 8 2006 08:00
US Conflict Avatars in General
Grain of Salt
Infiltrator
Member # 6652
 written Tuesday, April 18 2006 14:26 Profile #94
It wouldn't really be Alec's style.

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But I don't want to ride the elevator.
Posts: 420 | Registered: Sunday, January 8 2006 08:00
The Final Spire - Beta call in Blades of Exile
Grain of Salt
Infiltrator
Member # 6652
 written Tuesday, April 18 2006 01:02 Profile #9
Umm... I think the call's over, Desert Plah.

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But I don't want to ride the elevator.
Posts: 420 | Registered: Sunday, January 8 2006 08:00
A Change of Structure in General
Grain of Salt
Infiltrator
Member # 6652
 written Monday, April 17 2006 14:18 Profile #67
I'm a......

Mercenary? Awwwww. I was hoping for something different from everyone else.

Hey! Here's an idea. How about we get to customize our own custom titles!

[ Monday, April 17, 2006 14:19: Message edited by: Wonko The Sane ]

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But I don't want to ride the elevator.
Posts: 420 | Registered: Sunday, January 8 2006 08:00
What do u like in G3 in Geneforge Series
Grain of Salt
Infiltrator
Member # 6652
 written Monday, April 17 2006 01:53 Profile #2
'Cause he's trying to tell us that Halo is better than Spiderweb or something :rolleyes: .

Felix, slow down. SSSSSSLLLLLOOOOOWWWW DDDDDOOOOOWWWWNNN. Seriously. You've posted in every single freaking topic on this page of the forum, and said nothing useful in any of them. You've created 4 entirely useful topics. If this keeps up you will be banned.

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But I don't want to ride the elevator.
Posts: 420 | Registered: Sunday, January 8 2006 08:00
US Conflict Avatars in General
Grain of Salt
Infiltrator
Member # 6652
 written Monday, April 17 2006 01:49 Profile #28
Take me away.

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But I don't want to ride the elevator.
Posts: 420 | Registered: Sunday, January 8 2006 08:00

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