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Ebone4rock
SFN Regular
USA
894 Posts |
 Posted - 04/26/2010 : 07:05:14
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On my 6 hour return trip with my Christian brother-in-law yesterday we had an interesting discussion that I would like to share.
First a little background about both of us. I find the background of people interesting from an anthropological standpoint. Maybe some of you do too.....or maybe not.
Me- A simple high school educated working class guy born & bred in the Northwoods. I have a few years of military experience which gave me the opportunity for some travel.
Him- Born and raised in South America. Masters degree in engineering.(which made the Engineers discussion particularly interesting to me)Educated in South America, Europe, and the U.S.
The conversation started out about aliens. His position being that he believes that alien abductions have happened. My position being that the fact that the Earth exists with living beings roaming around on it goes to show that it is possible for life to exist on other planets. However I am not convinced by any claims so far of alien visitation.
Here is where it gets really weird. He believes that aliens originate right here on Earth....and they are not really aliens.....THEY ARE DEMONS! Yes! Satan's henchmen are abducting us and performing experiments on us for some reason. I was totally dumbfounded. The only response I had is that I just cannot believe something so outrageous.
Come to find out he believes that Angels and Demons are forces that work on us every day. It is a constant battle between them for our immortal souls. Whenever we are tempted to screw around on our wives or some other type of sin it is the demons trying to get us. If we do not give in to the temptations then it means that the angels won the battle for our souls. He believes these things literally.
Thoughts?
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Haole with heart, thats all I'll ever be. I'm not a part of the North Shore society. Stuck on the shoulder, that's where you'll find me. Digging for scraps with the kooks in line. -Offspring |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 04/26/2010 : 07:27:24 [Permalink]
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Well, it's a worldview, innit? Unfortunately, it's quite a common one.
It is ever so much easier to blame the supernatural for our mistakes and transgressions, and praise it for any good fortune -- making us look pious to the neighbors -- rather than putting the blame/praise where it really belongs. At home.
Are you not sick of hearing some news motormouth describing the rescue and survival of an accident victim(s) as a "miracle?" I sure am. I am glad these people were rescued and wish them well, but I give the credit to where it is due.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist! 
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Ebone4rock
SFN Regular
USA
894 Posts |
Posted - 04/26/2010 : 07:58:16 [Permalink]
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| Well, it's a worldview, innit? Unfortunately, it's quite a common one. |
What baffles me the most is with his level of education and world travel compared to mine that he still sees these things as real.
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Haole with heart, thats all I'll ever be. I'm not a part of the North Shore society. Stuck on the shoulder, that's where you'll find me. Digging for scraps with the kooks in line. -Offspring |
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sailingsoul
SFN Addict
2830 Posts |
Posted - 04/26/2010 : 08:00:37 [Permalink]
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More "twilight zone" thinking, that's all. How is this different than any other hair brain fantasy people dream up which directs their actions. It's what people do. Angels ,demons, aliens, God, Satan same woo different colors and flavors. It's only limited by what limits imagination and ignorance. Look around it's all over. Planet Earth is just one big loony bin. One night you might run up to his front door, wearing a bloody torn shit, screaming you were just attacked by a chupacabra. Print out the picture, take a picture of the print. Tell him you got a picture of the chupacbara and show him this picture in your camera. I bet he freaks. You lucky, you can have years of fun with him. Life is short, enjoy. SS
Edited to add this:
See it, recognize it for what it is and what ever you do, don't make his mistakes. |
There are only two types of religious people, the deceivers and the deceived. SS |
| Edited by - sailingsoul on 04/26/2010 08:12:05 |
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Ebone4rock
SFN Regular
USA
894 Posts |
Posted - 04/26/2010 : 08:13:59 [Permalink]
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| One night you might run up to his front door, wearing a bloody torn shit, screaming you were just attacked by a chupacabra. |
The Beast of Bray Road or the Hodag may be a more effective example coming from my particular geographical location. |
Haole with heart, thats all I'll ever be. I'm not a part of the North Shore society. Stuck on the shoulder, that's where you'll find me. Digging for scraps with the kooks in line. -Offspring |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 04/26/2010 : 14:36:35 [Permalink]
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| Simply put, belief in active angels and demons is a paranoid delusion. No matter how many people share the delusion. |
“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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R.Wreck
SFN Regular
USA
1191 Posts |
Posted - 04/26/2010 : 16:21:39 [Permalink]
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Focus on the Family agrees with your brother-in-law.
When we compare the idea of the aliens being extra-dimensional (that is, coming from the dimension that contains hell itself), some of the strangea ctivity of UFOs is more understandable. For example, if these UFOs are nothing more than demonic manifestations, perhaps using molecular manipulation to appear as a flying object, it is not hard to understand how they could suddenly appear and disappear from radar screens and personal sightings. It would also help to better explain the statements of anabductee, who under hypnosis, stated that she sensed that they not only desired to possess her body but also her spiritual existence. (14) This encounter is indicative of a demons desire to possess a human host (Luke8:27, Acts 16:16).
My assessment is that these beings are not extra terrestrial beings, but demons from the dimension known as hell. They are using this rouse not only to frighten people, but to lure them from the gospel of Jesus Christ and into a false hope that the space brothers are here to aid mankind at this critical juncture of our planets existence. |
Of course the only way to follow this lunacy is with an astounding display of scientific ignorance:
| We must also consider the extreme implausibility of life existing on other planets ex nilo. The fact that the chance of the most basic chemical reaction needed to sustain life (not inert matter brought to life, but life that already exists) occurring on a planet that is already hospitable to life is 10 to the 415th power. |
Tell him he is not alone! |
The foundation of morality is to . . . give up pretending to believe that for which there is no evidence, and repeating unintelligible propositions about things beyond the possibliities of knowledge.
T. H. Huxley
The Cattle Prod of Enlightened Compassion
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Ebone4rock
SFN Regular
USA
894 Posts |
Posted - 04/26/2010 : 16:47:29 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by R.Wreck
Focus on the Family agrees with your brother-in-law.
When we compare the idea of the aliens being extra-dimensional (that is, coming from the dimension that contains hell itself), some of the strangea ctivity of UFOs is more understandable. For example, if these UFOs are nothing more than demonic manifestations, perhaps using molecular manipulation to appear as a flying object, it is not hard to understand how they could suddenly appear and disappear from radar screens and personal sightings. It would also help to better explain the statements of anabductee, who under hypnosis, stated that she sensed that they not only desired to possess her body but also her spiritual existence. (14) This encounter is indicative of a demons desire to possess a human host (Luke8:27, Acts 16:16).
My assessment is that these beings are not extra terrestrial beings, but demons from the dimension known as hell. They are using this rouse not only to frighten people, but to lure them from the gospel of Jesus Christ and into a false hope that the space brothers are here to aid mankind at this critical juncture of our planets existence. |
Of course the only way to follow this lunacy is with an astounding display of scientific ignorance:
| We must also consider the extreme implausibility of life existing on other planets ex nilo. The fact that the chance of the most basic chemical reaction needed to sustain life (not inert matter brought to life, but life that already exists) occurring on a planet that is already hospitable to life is 10 to the 415th power. |
Tell him he is not alone!
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You have got to be kidding me. |
Haole with heart, thats all I'll ever be. I'm not a part of the North Shore society. Stuck on the shoulder, that's where you'll find me. Digging for scraps with the kooks in line. -Offspring |
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Angels & Demons — not the movie
