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Swami
Eggshell Walker
Registered: 01/18/00
Posts: 15,413
Loc: In the hen house
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"Prayer helped me to quit smoking"
#4419351 - 07/18/05 02:23 PM (18 years, 8 months ago) |
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My mom quit after 50 years of two packs of Marlboros per day - yeah! It took extreme bronchitis to shock her as she coughed non-stop for three weeks.
I talked to her recently and asked how it was going. She said, "It was God's strength that has helped me to overcome my addiction." When I asked how atheists were able to quit without divine help, her answer was, "Well, I know I could not have done it alone."
This comes to my point. (Warning: over-generalization!) It seems as if atheists are able to believe in themselves (internal) and religious people don't trust their own strength and need to believe in something outside themselves (external).
-------------------- The proof is in the pudding.
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Sinbad
Living TheMoment
Registered: 12/23/04
Posts: 2,571
Loc: Under The Bodhi Tree
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Re: "Prayer helped me to quit smoking" [Re: Swami]
#4419432 - 07/18/05 02:35 PM (18 years, 8 months ago) |
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Buddhism could be considered and atheistic religion that does not conform to the said generalization, could it not?
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Swami
Eggshell Walker
Registered: 01/18/00
Posts: 15,413
Loc: In the hen house
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Re: "Prayer helped me to quit smoking" [Re: Sinbad]
#4419478 - 07/18/05 02:42 PM (18 years, 8 months ago) |
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Millions of Buddhist actually worship Buddha though that seemingly goes against the core teachings. Prayer wheels are an example of looking for outside assistance.
-------------------- The proof is in the pudding.
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freddurgan
Techgnostic
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Re: "Prayer helped me to quit smoking" [Re: Swami]
#4419576 - 07/18/05 03:08 PM (18 years, 8 months ago) |
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I doubt any Buddhists worship the Buddha. And if they DO, they are terribly misguided in that attempt. He's not a god. That's the WHOLE POINT! Anyone can be a Buddha, not just Siddhartha.
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Sinbad
Living TheMoment
Registered: 12/23/04
Posts: 2,571
Loc: Under The Bodhi Tree
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Re: "Prayer helped me to quit smoking" [Re: Swami]
#4419589 - 07/18/05 03:10 PM (18 years, 8 months ago) |
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This is sadly very true.
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Swami
Eggshell Walker
Registered: 01/18/00
Posts: 15,413
Loc: In the hen house
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Re: "Prayer helped me to quit smoking" [Re: freddurgan]
#4419596 - 07/18/05 03:11 PM (18 years, 8 months ago) |
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You are a westerner reading about Eastern thought and not ensconced in the culture where Buddhism flourishes.
Can a so-called Christian nation wage war if they follow the core teachings of Christ? Absolutely not!
-------------------- The proof is in the pudding.
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Icelander
The Minstrel in the Gallery
Registered: 03/15/05
Posts: 95,368
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Re: "Prayer helped me to quit smoking" [Re: Swami]
#4419622 - 07/18/05 03:16 PM (18 years, 8 months ago) |
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You have a point, and we all can use outside help from time to time if you look into it deeply. It's good to rely on oneself and it's good to ask for help at times. It's good to know when each will benefit one the most, and it's good to know when you are using something as a crutch.
If we were islands unto ourselves we would want no one else for love or material survival.
-------------------- "Don't believe everything you think". -Anom. " All that lives was born to die"-Anom. With much wisdom comes much sorrow, The more knowledge, the more grief. Ecclesiastes circa 350 BC
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Sinbad
Living TheMoment
Registered: 12/23/04
Posts: 2,571
Loc: Under The Bodhi Tree
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Re: "Prayer helped me to quit smoking" [Re: Swami]
#4419623 - 07/18/05 03:17 PM (18 years, 8 months ago) |
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Exactly, i find it crazy that Bush considers himself a Christian. Whatever happend to "Thou shalt not kill".
It was Ghandi who said "I like your christ, but i dont like your christains", or something to that effect.
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Edited by Sinbad (07/18/05 03:23 PM)
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Swami
Eggshell Walker
Registered: 01/18/00
Posts: 15,413
Loc: In the hen house
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Re: "Prayer helped me to quit smoking" [Re: Icelander]
#4419648 - 07/18/05 03:25 PM (18 years, 8 months ago) |
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Outside help from people and "help" from an imaginary entity are two separate things.
-------------------- The proof is in the pudding.
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Huehuecoyotl
Fading Slowly
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Posts: 10,689
Loc: On the Border
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Re: "Prayer helped me to quit smoking" [Re: Swami]
#4419683 - 07/18/05 03:35 PM (18 years, 8 months ago) |
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With many people prayer serves as a type of meditation that can have a galvanizing effect on the will. It focuses their inner strength. It is merely a tool. Total self reliance and confidence is NOT typical of all atheists. It is only typical of self reliant people...religious or not.
-------------------- "A warrior is a hunter. He calculates everything. That's control. Once his calculations are over, he acts. He lets go. That's abandon. A warrior is not a leaf at the mercy of the wind. No one can push him; no one can make him do things against himself or against his better judgment. A warrior is tuned to survive, and he survives in the best of all possible fashions." ― Carlos Castaneda
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Veritas
Registered: 04/15/05
Posts: 11,089
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Re: "Prayer helped me to quit smoking" [Re: Huehuecoyotl]
#4419860 - 07/18/05 04:28 PM (18 years, 8 months ago) |
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Swami
Eggshell Walker
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Re: "Prayer helped me to quit smoking" [Re: Veritas]
#4419868 - 07/18/05 04:32 PM (18 years, 8 months ago) |
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Hamilton Wright Mabie
or Mabie not...
Some how I don't picture you as a cheerleader type.
-------------------- The proof is in the pudding.
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Veritas
Registered: 04/15/05
Posts: 11,089
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Re: "Prayer helped me to quit smoking" [Re: Swami]
#4419895 - 07/18/05 04:39 PM (18 years, 8 months ago) |
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Just experimenting with new Smileys.
I was cheering for Hue's response AND your Mom quitting smoking.
My mother has smoked for 46 years, has major health problems, and doesn't believe that God or anybody else can help her quit. If only she had the power of blind faith!
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Icelander
The Minstrel in the Gallery
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Posts: 95,368
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Re: "Prayer helped me to quit smoking" [Re: Swami]
#4420255 - 07/18/05 06:16 PM (18 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
Swami said: Outside help from people and "help" from an imaginary entity are two separate things.
How do you know it is imaginary? Were are the studies proving there isn't a god? Just curious as to your sources.
-------------------- "Don't believe everything you think". -Anom. " All that lives was born to die"-Anom. With much wisdom comes much sorrow, The more knowledge, the more grief. Ecclesiastes circa 350 BC
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FurrySheep
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Re: "Prayer helped me to quit smoking" [Re: Icelander]
#4420411 - 07/18/05 06:53 PM (18 years, 8 months ago) |
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^ he's got a point
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Gomp
¡(Bound to·(O))be free!
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Re: "Prayer helped me to quit smoking" [Re: FurrySheep]
#4420790 - 07/18/05 08:34 PM (18 years, 8 months ago) |
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""able to believe in themselves (internal)""
""need to believe in something outside themselves (external)""
You did it again!
need to be able, vs able to need... :P
-------------------- -------------------- Disclaimer!?
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Fucknuckle
Dog Lover
Registered: 04/24/04
Posts: 6,762
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Re: "Prayer helped me to quit smoking" [Re: Swami]
#4420797 - 07/18/05 08:37 PM (18 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
Swami said: This comes to my point. (Warning: over-generalization!) It seems as if atheists are able to believe in themselves (internal) and religious people don't trust their own strength and need to believe in something outside themselves (external).
Warning strong reaction!!!!!!!
Well I think for a few this may be correct but for many many people this is completely wrong.
Do you think it is your outlook on believers and your experience with it that leads you to such a conclustion ? How can you assume so much about others ? I mean what are you " God " to be able to know so much about others ?
Yes it is true people reach out in times of need. To trust in the unseen is not weak. In fact to trust in the unseen, to develope Faith takes Balls. I think your mistaken.
Maybe you might have started this thread...... " I think " or "It is my conclustion based on my ideals" Etc... You can not speak for me. I am not weak
And besides God is within not outside myself
One more point..... Are you full of all the answers ? I mean what is wrong with seeking answers outside yourself ? IF all was found within then this entire board would be a great big waste of time. To learn from outside sources is the entire factory of mental development. We all would be infants for ever. Knowledge and wisdom come from everywhere..... Including God and sometimes even you
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crunchytoast
oppositional
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Re: "Prayer helped me to quit smoking" [Re: Fucknuckle]
#4421012 - 07/18/05 09:25 PM (18 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
It seems as if atheists are able to believe in themselves (internal) and religious people don't trust their own strength and need to believe in something outside themselves (external).
that's an interesting interpretation, swami why do you think religious people dont trust their strength and atheists do?
-------------------- "consensus on the nature of equilibrium is usually established by periodic conflict." -henry kissinger
Edited by crunchytoast (07/18/05 09:31 PM)
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Swami
Eggshell Walker
Registered: 01/18/00
Posts: 15,413
Loc: In the hen house
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Re: "Prayer helped me to quit smoking" [Re: Fucknuckle]
#4421504 - 07/18/05 11:03 PM (18 years, 8 months ago) |
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Maybe you might have started this thread...... " I think " or "It is my conclustion based on my ideals" Etc... Why don't you tell everyone else the exact same thing? Are you not aware that this is implied unless an external source is referenced?
I mean what is wrong with seeking answers outside yourself ? Why would you ask me about something I never stated?
Knowledge and wisdom come from everywhere..... Including God Knowlegde comes from study, inquiry, observation and experimentation.
Inventors and creative types are hardly limited to God believers. This is a pretty clear indicator that God is superfluous in any knowledge search or creative expression. If I can do something with my mind and hands and you need your mind, your hands and God's assistance, then it is obvious that God is an unnecessary variable to add to the equation.
-------------------- The proof is in the pudding.
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Le_Canard
The Duk Abides
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Posts: 94,392
Loc: Earthfarm 1
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Re: "Prayer helped me to quit smoking" [Re: Swami]
#4421609 - 07/18/05 11:42 PM (18 years, 8 months ago) |
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Well, does it really matter what helped her to quit? Now you'll have your mom around for a few more years.
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