As a Psychology major, I can't believe in free will. I think it's a part of man in the bible, not of God. Because if it's God's will then it is not yours. And I have Autism, which means that I can not function normally in society as far as communication goes. My walk, my senses, my speech, and my perception is different. Different for me and different for others when they view me. I also have ADHD. This means I can't control my impulses (emotions), so when I get angry I react instead of think. When I'm sad, I react instead of think. When i get hyper I run around and do things a kid would do. But I have natural intelligence so I can combat these things, to some extent. The other extent is meds and counseling. Now if we're all predestined by genetics (intelligence, Autism, ADHD, and etc) where is free will? No where, only God's will. We are more like pawns to react. Riddle me this: If God is all powerful and knows everything that will happen AND made you, can you do something that he will not expect? That is, if you REALLY wanted to.

That's exactly what it is. Preaching.

That is absolutely correct. However, preaching just works for receptive ears.
Non-receptive ears should not feel threatened or offended by a preacher.

Tell that to the followers of Jim Jones, David Koresh, and many other men who used religion to incite bad things.

Religion isn't always from God Miguel. Religion is a powerful concept that has been used to control many people. Even well-intentioned religious leaders have caused heartache and pain.

There is a place for preaching. They’re there called churches.

In fact, these forums aren’t even supposed to be used for preaching. They are supposed to be used for discussion which means to discuss topics from many viewpoints.

What you seem to be suggesting is that we allow preachers to use threads for preaching a particular theology with no discussion. But that’s not the purpose of these public forums on this dating site.

It’s actually against the rules here.

Churches are where you go if you want to preach.

This is just the wrong media to do that and it’s against the rules here.

Especially if opposing views are going to be proclaimed as “insults” to a belief.

therefore, it follows that i need to shut up, and not to share things with others who have the same beliefs as myself
just because some may get offended.
My good friend i won't go by that.
If that is the issue well. You should talk with the mods and try to make a forum for believers and other for non-believers.
My right to express my ideas can't be infringed because my good friend this is an open space for ideas from the four corners of the world.

I’m unaware of any who may have told you that you’re views were insulting or disrespectful.

You were the one who suggested the following,…



If someone offers that God has a plan for us.

And someone else offers that God doesn’t seem to be willing to reveal those plans.

How can you say that’s being ‘disrespectful’?

It’s just an honest opinion.

If you believe that God has a plan for you, and that he has revealed it to you. Then more power to you. You are very lucky to have such divine knowledge. Most of us are still waiting for a reply.

Consider yourself very fortunate to have spoken with a supreme being.

If God has something he wants me to do, perhaps it’s just some tiny little thing that I can do right before I die and so there hasn’t been any need to reveal it to me yet. Who knows?

Or maybe I already did it without even realizing it.

Abra,

One thing that is certain to me about you is the fact that you question everything and cause everyone that contemplates your words expressed from your heart very deeply and in sincerity, whether or not you find yourself agreed with, to be respected and attended to with thoughtfulness.

I wish more people exercised such critical thinking in their analysis of things spiritual and encompassing of life and its wonderment.

In that, surely, you realize the great value of your discourse.

You remind me often of Saul of Tarsis.

I am not being facetious, either.

I am sure that the arguments in the Book of Job between men and their respective perspectives is like unto the inquisitive nature of these discussions in this forum.

We are all making judgements and pursuing their respective veracity.

The symbiosis of it all, in part, is found in your expressions.

That brand of oneness is present, consistently.

Where else have we found such a platform as attentive to the expressions we each embrace?

For the moment, it appears that our brotherhood is found here.

I am certain that the Creator is intent upon our discourse, or it would not be tempered with respectful discipline to keep it alive and in the present consciousness of us all so engaged.

I learn much by your input, Abra. Your discourse is a breath of fresh air, though we may disagree on the merits of which any one of us may personally embrace.

It is our collective adamance that seems to feed the continuance of our expressions in so many facets without being facetious.

Invigorating, what?

peace, my friend.

Its the false religion of the alien/human hybrids j/k

Im a Reincarnated Atlantean Pantheist with psychic powers and I think Jesus was too. j/k

See man, fact is that faith and ideas are at the two opposite sides of the fences...since faith doesn't like ideas, just likes more faith and dogma.

To have ideas challenging faith would be "dangerous" for the existence of the dogma.
See inquisition.

Don't mean to threaten the ears of the unbelieving, just convict 'em. Heh heh heh.

And you thought it all started with a, b, c.

I love it when ideas challenge faith. It makes me dig deeper and look for reasons behind what I believe. Challenges and questions help me to learn and grow. So go ahead. Make my day!

dont believe ..i believe we choose our own paths and decide our own destinys

If one believes that life was divinely created for a purpose, and if one further believes that the divinity is unfaultering, than one must also believe that every life fulfills its purpose regardless of their thoughts, actions or beliefs.

Of course this does go against the concept of free will, but hey, I'm not preaching, just reading between the lines.

This is true. I already suggested that if there's divine being that had a purpose for me I may have very well already fulfilled it and not have even realized it.

The only thing I know with certainty is that I never did a damn thing for myself!

So let's hope that someone benefited from my life.

It sure as hell wasn't me.

Each of us is inspired and influenced by a great many unknown benefactors.

It may be better that way, imagine knowing just HOW MUCH you've influenced so many, all the while wondering "Was that it? Have I fulilled my purpose?" "What if all those little things were my purpose?" "Will I die now?" and on and on.

It's far better to proceed with a goal of, self-defined, purpose. Imagine reaching a goal in which you can really say, "I have left a good mark for my being here; now what can I accomplish?"

It's all about control, and who has it, over your life.

Well, having taught college students I know I have had a positive influence on quite a few individuals.

On student in particular started the program with low self-esteem and great doubt in his ability to learn enough to really be good. He came into the program just hoping to get a computer-related job. He was in my program for two years and was a very attentive student. He started out with low grades. I couldn’t help that because that’s just the way things were. But I told him not to worry about the low grades because they would get better exponentially. And they did. He graduated top of the class. He went out and got a really great job and quickly become manager of the computer network of a local newspaper which had several satellite offices. He was the overseer of them all.

He came back to thank me for the education, but he wanted to make it clear that the greatest part of the education was the confidence I instilled in him. I convinced him that he can do whatever he puts his mind to.

I had a similar experience with a very timid young lady. She came into the program very meek, quiet and totally unconfident. She was the only girl in the class and the guys cut her no slack. They treated her like a ‘dumb girl’. I saw what was happening and took action to inspire the whole class to act like professionals. I just came into class one day and said, “Ok its time. You people are going to leave here as professionals so I’m going to start treating you as professionals right now”. And I did. Instead of treating them like students I treated them like they were my employees and I have them ‘projects’ to solve. I even made them put their desks together like conference tables and discuss the ideas. I taught them to brainstorm. I put the girl in charge of a group of guys. At first she balked and didn’t even want to do it, but I pulled the ‘professional crap’ on her and said, “I’m your boss, this is what I’ve asked you to do”

Then I explained that you never tell your boss you can’t do something. You just take the job and do it the best you can no matter what happens. I basically forced her to express her ideas and take charge of the group.

I noticed that as time passed she dressed more professionally and carried herself with more respect. When the program was over and the class was leaving, she came to me and said, “I can do this!”

I just said, “Well whoever thought you couldn’t?”

I miss those days.

I guess I’m just at the wrong end of life now. I wanna go back to being a baby again.

and the beat goes on....Come Lord Jesus!