Asha+Joy=Love

Well, as Nietzche and many of his contemporaries realized is that all things such as the concept of good and evil exist only in human logic. That isn't to say there is no truth behind what we understand as good or evil, but when we use logic to try to rationalize or irrationalize God's existence, we are going down a path of futility...which is what Nietzche meant when he said that God is dead. God (the infinite) is beyond human thought and logic (finite). That is where religion comes into play. Religion, in my opinion should be about human beings grappling with that perpetual disconnect between the infinite and the finite. We can never fully understand or rationalize, but we can and do experience the infinite...which is how we come to know God.

Nietzche was an interesting thinker. It’s so sad how he spend his last 10 years completely insane. I’d like to know more about his life. Steven, can you recommend a good biography?

I have not studied philosophy so if this is a stupid question I apologize but if Nietzche believed human thought and logic were finite how could people continually use thsi finite resource to go from caves to houses to space to who knows where next? What I am trying to ask is, if things exist today that no one even thought could exist 100 years ago how can it be that this resource is finite?

…

I know what finite means but how can something be finite when it is contantly changing and moving forward. In other words Quantum physics didnt exist until someone made a discovery and someone else built upon it. We can say we have reached our limits but history has proven that this is not the case.

Far from being a stupid question, I think you have a rather good criticism of that definition of human thought. I have always been of the opinion that what humans can imagine they can achieve, same justification: historic precedent.

the Jewish faith is a bit older than just 2300 yrs old, and a lot of its traditions are still in place. Epicurus also discounted that one little piece called freedom of choice. frex: are your parents omnipotent to stop you from doing what you want? are they not willing? are they still not your parents, though able and willing to stop the bad in your life... yet let it happen anyways because you grow to adult and can make your own decisions, and they realise that part of that is owning up to the consequences of such decisions... are they not still your parents and still want the best for you?

btw... "you" is used here in generic form .. meaning anyone and everyone.

Absolutely, as much as 1,000 years older. So is Hinduism, etc... I definitely should have put an "as" in front of "practiced", my bad.

I’m not aware that Epicurus ever discounted free will. He advocated making decisions that would result in happiness rather than pain.

Omnipotence is not a quality attributed to parents… but, um... what you are saying is that parents are still parents even if they don’t have the qualities of parents? Like biological parents being parents even if they have never met their child? Valid point. But they would not then have much relevance in the child’s life. Epicurus did not deny the existence of the gods, he rather maintained that they did not necessarily have the qualities attributed to them and could often be regarded as irrelevant to the life of humans.

I was really hoping this thread would be more controversial. I'm pretty bored over here.

Yeah, nothing works like polite discussion to kill the potentially entertaining cat fights.

I probably won't be logging on much over the next few weeks....

I would think not! I'm happy for you, thanks for the POE report!

don't forget the fee for applying for a marriage license when working up the budget.

varies by state, but somewhere between $50-$85.

Whoooooohoooooo!!! It is now confirmed! I just checked my mailbox and there was my NOA2 letter!!!! No second guessing....hehehehehe!!!! Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!

Thanks everyone for the well wishes!!!! It really means a lot!!!! Jinky has already cried many tears of joy!!!!!

Congratulations!

Does your religious faith teach you it is right and just to mistreat or murder me for holding an opinion different from yours?

If the answer is yes, I think you have proven that religion is evil without any outside help.

If the answer is "no", then on to the friendly discussion...

What do you mean by "mistreat"? I can feel mistreated even if you had no intentions to mistreat me.

For example, I do not like being told that I lack morals because I prescribe to no organized religion. That makes me feel mistreated. But certain religious people like to throw that around it seems to me...

No obscure meaning intended.

Mistreat Verb. to treat baddy. Synonyms: maltreat, abuse, insult.

I personally would categorize a religious person telling me I lack morals under 'insult'.

This causes me to be confused by your confusion. Did the people in question try to convince you that no mistreatment was intended as it was a friendly, benevolent and kind insult to your character they were throwing?

Traditional "proofs" of God's Existence

...

Søren Kierkegaard

Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) agreed with Kant that the existence of God could not be proven by reason. However Kierkegaard did not think that it was rational to believe in God, rather one should have faith in God even if this seems to reason to be absurd. To put it another way reason has no place in faith. God is beyond reason.

...

http://www.philosopher.org.uk/god.htm

A friendly discussion about religion! How interesting.

A quick question to all discussion partners first:

Does your religious faith teach you it is right and just to mistreat or murder me for holding an opinion different from yours?

If the answer is yes, I think you have proven that religion is evil without any outside help.

If the answer is "no", then on to the friendly discussion...

One of the most persistent issues concerning belief in God is the problem of evil. A reasoned, rational and irrefutable statement of this difficulty was made by the Greek philosopher Epicurus some 2300 years ago, thus predating every modern religion practiced by man.

The Epicurean paradox (or the riddle of Epicurus)

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?

Then he is not omnipotent.

Is he able, but not willing?

Then he is malevolent.

Is he both able and willing?

Then whence cometh evil?

Is he neither able nor willing?

Then why call him God?

The forecast was made by Dr Oliver Curry, who spent two months investigating the ascent and descent of man over the next 100 millennia.

Why are you worrying about something that going to happen in the next 100,000 years? According to you Bush/Republicans or global warming is going be the end of us all a long time before 100,000.

Tricky. I say the chances are 50/50. Either Bush will wipe out the human race or he will be remembered as the main ancestor of the dim-witted, ugly, squat goblin-like race.

This has to be accurate, I mean, who would question a research associate from the London School of Economics who spent two entire months investigating the genetic evolution of humans for the next 100,000 years and came up with a prediction that men would have big penises and women pert breasts?

Hi there, I just got an snail mail of NOA2 on october 17 and letter show that they approved my case on october 10 and there is no update on the website, after october 11th touch, this is very strange, I was so worried before that what is going on after that last touch, but I was surprise today to see approval in mail, I appriciate your help alot, and what sould I have to do now? I mean for my fiance to get ready all document, what kind document do we need for the packet 3 after recieving to the consulate abroad, I am hoping that they NVC will recieve my case in 2 or 3 weeks.

Congratulations! Wonderful news!

We are so happy for you both!!!!

Hope the rest of the process is fast and smooth.

And a question too: did you not receive email notification of the approval?

YAY! Wonderful news!

Congratulations!

We are so happy for you both!!!!

Alhamdulilah, my husband has been here quite a while (one year tomorrow ). Unfortunatley, we didn't make it to the one year mark without his first encounter with blatent bigots. We were stopped at a light yesterday, windows rolled down to enjoy the beautiful unfall like weather. A bunch of lovely young gentlemen were standing by the bar on the corner. My husband glanced in their direction and was treated to a "Sand ***! You wife's a towel head!" He didn't understand what they said at first, and after I explained it, alhamduililah, he took it well and chose to ignore them.

I, on the other hand, was attempting to come up with some witty responses to throw back, but alas, my brain doesn't like to work under pressure. The light changed and I drove off without saying anything.

So, in a situation like this, would you attempt to throw back a witty response or would you ignore them? What would you say if you would chose to respond? I'm not a mean person (despite my mean girl role here), so I don't want anything that's too rude or nasty, just something to play with their minds. One would think I would already have ready responses to these things, considering I've heard them all before, but meh. I'm looking for responses to the following common slurs:

Sand ***

Towel Head

Rag Head

Camel Jockey

When some idiot treats you in a degrading fashion, it's hard to resist the urge to get a little satisfaction by illustrating what a fool they are. Witty comebacks to throw at them are comforting, but the bottom line is that there is nothing funny about ethnic slurs that bigots throw around, and bigots being hateful by nature, can be damn dangerous people. You did well to ignore them and drive on in this situation, you kept yourself and your husband safe.

A witty remark can be taken lightly, and racism isn't a light topic. I find that I don't want bigots to feel foolish, I want them to feel deep shame, and most of all I want them to feel the desire to change. I tend to try to come up with words to use to that end -when it will not endanger me- so i'm afraid I have no wit to offer you. When you do find those witty comebacks, use them for obnoxious co-workers and relatives. Stay safe from the thugs on the corner. ~Asha

Received the approval last night. Congrats to all the others I see got the approval also.

It is also good. I´m here with Carol and we got to see it at the same time.

Congratulations!

Hi everyone!

We just received our NOA2!!!! We're so happy! Good luck everyone else!! I hope its fast for you!

Michaela

Congratulations!

Congratulations!

Wow, i miss the mountians. Do you have snow in Park City yet?

SENT IMBRA RFE 09/22 NEXT DAY AIR USPS. THEY GOT IT MONDAY, NOA2 TODAY 09/29.

Congratulations!