1. Existence and Nature are full of wonders. Be wondrous at what exists.

2. Whatever caused things to be is doubtless enigmatic, compelling and wonderful - you may call it God, or nature - it doesn't really matter. Be appreciative for everyday.

3. Life is beautiful. Live it to the fullest.

4. What's the need for this or that division: we are human - members of a great and rising brotherhood. Hand in hand we should stand. We are the world.

4. Love is all there is. Give it.

5. Be still. . .

Oh, no! I had an e-dream last night. It is explained now.

The Field Marshall who will refuse to get into a scuffle where lesser folks would pull out a gun.
Will reply a rude post with a logical one.
Has more energy for debating than Peter has for boxing.
Is particularly noted for his high intelligence, stubbornness and reliance on sound logical reasoning over anything else.
Be Still. . .

Who you dey feel like? @deepsight

Deep Sight:

1. Existence and Nature are full of wonders. Be wondrous at what exists.

2. Whatever caused things to be is doubtless enigmatic, compelling and wonderful - you may call it God, or nature - it doesn't really matter. Be appreciative for everyday.

3. Life is beautiful. Live it to the fullest.

4. What's the need for this or that division: we are human - members of a great and rising brotherhood. Hand in hand we should stand. We are the world.

4. Love is all there is. Give it.

5. Be still. . .

This could as well read - Satan's 5 point agenda to desensitize the human soul to His desperate need for salvation. It is a bunch of lies wrapped up in flowery but meaningless words.

1. Existence and Nature are full of wonders. Be wondrous at what exists. - Being "wondrous" at what exists is a waste of time, you will still lose your soul in hell if you arent saved.

2. 2. Whatever caused things to be is doubtless enigmatic, compelling and wonderful - you may call it God, or nature - it doesn't really matter. Be appreciative for everyday. - This could as well have been the serpent's words to Eve. John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

3. Life is beautiful. Live it to the fullest. - What of eternity?

4. Love is all there is. Give it. - God is love.

5. Be still. . . - and do what?

Deep Sight:

1. Existence and Nature are full of wonders. Be wondrous at what exists.

2. Whatever caused things to be is doubtless enigmatic, compelling and wonderful - you may call it God, or nature - it doesn't really matter. Be appreciative for everyday.

3. Life is beautiful. Live it to the fullest.

4. What's the need for this or that division: we are human - members of a great and rising brotherhood. Hand in hand we should stand. We are the world.

4. Love is all there is. Give it.

5. Be still. . .

davidylan:

This could as well read - Satan's 5 point agenda to desensitize the human soul to His desperate need for salvation. It is a bunch of lies wrapped up in flowery but meaningless words.

1. Existence and Nature are full of wonders. Be wondrous at what exists. - Being "wondrous" at what exists is a waste of time, you will still lose your soul in hell if you arent saved.

2. 2. Whatever caused things to be is doubtless enigmatic, compelling and wonderful - you may call it God, or nature - it doesn't really matter. Be appreciative for everyday. - This could as well have been the serpent's words to Eve. John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

3. Life is beautiful. Live it to the fullest. - What of eternity?

4. Love is all there is. Give it. - God is love.

5. Be still. . . - and do what?

Dramaland

is this a final goodbye from deepsight?

It seems that the self annointed prophet of OOI has failed to get any convert into his new movement here on NL and has decided to move on.

toneyb:

It seems that the self annointed prophet of OOI has failed to get any convert into his new movement here on NL and has decided to move on.

the same mission atheists have unsuccessfully embarked on for years

noetic16:

the same mission atheists have unsuccessfully embarked on for years

. Go read, there are people who have stated that they began questioning their religious beliefs and later became atheist just by coming to nairaland. I have seen some of their posts. It actually means nothing to me personally, since I only come here to have fun and try understand why people believe in whatever they believe.

toneyb:

. Go read, there are people who have stated that they began questioning their religious beliefs and later became atheist just by coming to nairaland. I have seen some of their posts. It actually means nothing to me personally, since I only come here to have fun and try understand why people believe in whatever they believe.

the kind of lies u tell urself every night just to make u feel good. . , ,

noetic16:

the kind of lies u tell urself every night just to make u feel good. .  ,  , 

Actually, toneyb is quite right.  I am a living testimony to that fact, though I'm not an atheist, yet. . lol (I still don't know how to define my belief system).   I used to be very active on this Religion board (I've been on Nairaland since 2005), and fellows like shahan, syrup, m4malik, bari_kade, stimulus, tellyb, and a host of others used to be my "brethren in Christ" .  If I tell you my former Nairaland ID - before I got banned (I'm not willing to tell, so don't ask ), you'll be shocked (you must have seen some of my old posts around here).  I've been cool on this forum ever since though.

Purist:

Actually, toneyb is quite right.  I am a living testimony to that fact, though I'm not an atheist, yet. . lol (I still don't know how to define my belief system).   I used to be very active on this Religion board (I've been on Nairaland since 2005), and fellows like shahan, syrup, m4malik, bari_kade, stimulus, tellyb, and a host of others used to be my "brethren in Christ" .  If I tell you my former Nairaland ID - before I got banned (I'm not willing to tell, so don't ask ), you'll be shocked (you must have seen some of my old posts around here).  I've been cool on this forum ever since though.

I will like to know ur present belief system. . . . .perhaps I could learn from you. Since u have been able to make sense of the atheist arguments and rationalised it. . .I would honestly like to hear ur expression of ur belief/disbelief. . . . .

noetic16:

I will like to know your present belief system. . . . .perhaps I could learn from you. Since u have been able to make sense of the atheist arguments and rationalised it. . .I would honestly like to hear your expression of your belief/disbelief. . . . .

Well, I'm not sure I'm willing to drag myself into any debate right now.  But as I said before, I haven't even defined my belief system yet, I instead label myself, a seeker.  But put simply, I'll just say that I've come to realise that when you subscribe to religion, you're in a "box", you're confined.  Your reasoning ability is limited, and your thinking faculty gradually becomes eroded - no matter how educated you are - because you're now expected to hold on to dogma; just have faith - blind faith.  You're expected to believe everything in your religion, hook, line and sinker - no questioning!  Suspend common sense!  Dismiss logic!  Even when it's clearly nonsense, you cook up so many bizarre, unthinkable nonsense to further explain the nonsense.  The moment you begin to think outside of this box, and you express these thoughts, you're labeled a heretic - a backslider.  All these, I'm afraid, I've got a problem with.

P.S.  I saw the thread where toneyb declared he'd be leaving Nairaland due to personal reasons, perhaps, he perceived his posts were having negative effects on fragile minds here.  I don't think that would be solid enough a reason to quit, if that's actually why @toneyb.  Personally, my change of belief started some 3 years ago, and it wasn't entirely triggered by the atheists' posts here, though I won't deny they had quite an impact.  I've always been very skeptical and inquisitive, even as a kid. . . "God" made me that way .  The atheists here probably just made me bolder in my skepticism.  I've seen so many threads here where atheists engaged theists in debates, and theists could only offer ridiculous explanations for what they believe in.  Even as a Christian then myself, I found the logic of the non-religious really biting, and the theists (Christian) responses only just begged many of their questions.  Most recent very good example I can remember is that of DeepSight's "The Noetic Interview. . .". It was of course difficult for me to accept that there are loopholes in what I've been brought up to believe.  But I refused to allow some nonsense dogma overshadow reason.  It was really depressing facing some harsh realities, like knowing that the basic characteristics (omnipotent, omnibenevolent, omniscient etc) we humans have attributed to God (which are logical by the way) can barely be reconciled with the whole concept of freewill, and worse still, predestination.  Funny enough, there are pointers to these discrepancies even in the bible, but somehow, we choose to overlook them, or pretend that they're inconsequential, even though we're usually quick to capitalise on them when they suit us.

Again, just to make myself clear, I do not shape my belief with the compelling logic of atheists/agnostics/etc here on Nairaland.  I only just seem to find a reinforcement of many of my personal, innate beliefs from these guys.  You'll probably come here now to tell me that I was never a true Christian and similar stuffs.  But really, I was genuine, at heart.  I still honestly want these things to be real.  You know, like having some "Jesus", "Holy Spirit", etc that I can constantly commune with; like dying now and be so sure I'll literally be spending eternity in some utopia.  The world is so insecure after all, so who wouldn't relish the thought and reality of having some supreme, benevolent spiritual aid?  But then, I realise they're things that I've been brought up to believe, and somewhere in my subconscious, I'd created that "sense of reality" that made everything so real to me.  Right now, somehow, all these things do not just add up anymore.

When the Bible warns christians to be sober, watchful, avoid, abstain from all appearances of evil. Christians especially baby christians wouldn't hear. Now their fingers are getting burned, others should learn. Be simply concerning evil, itks pretending to know better than paul. Self confidence results in self delusion. Jesus is coming soon

There is awful pollution everywhere, in every religion, world view and walk of faith, from Christianity to Wicca. They have all been polluted for matters of gain and personal benefit.

Reasoning like Purist did, IMHO, is like saying I will never drink water again because my lab tests show that most water sources have traces of pollution.

Skip time forward and find the atheists' carcasses on an island with pure fountain springs; agnostics dead with their heads one inch from the clean water, sniffing the fragrance but sipping none; these two groups tried hard but gave up too easily. And of course, many theists dead from muddy lakes, wells, rivers and the salt water surrounding the island. Some robust theists will be found alive, sipping from the unending spring anyway.

Purist:

Actually, toneyb is quite right. I am a living testimony to that fact, though I'm not an atheist, yet. . lol (I still don't know how to define my belief system). I used to be very active on this Religion board (I've been on Nairaland since 2005), and fellows like shahan, syrup, m4malik, bari_kade, stimulus, tellyb, and a host of others used to be my "brethren in Christ" . If I tell you my former Nairaland ID - before I got banned (I'm not willing to tell, so don't ask ), you'll be shocked (you must have seen some of my old posts around here). I've been cool on this forum ever since though.

It is a shame you had to abandon christianity, whilst i agree with you that there is a lot wrong with how christianity is practised today and a lot of seeming inconsistencies in church doctrines, i believe the problem is man made. I am also a "seeker" and i earnestly search for the truth. I can confidently say i have found a lot of truths in the undiluted teachings of Jesus who i believe was sent of God with a message to mankind. True chrisitanity is being christ like and adhering to the teachings of christ and not neccessarily everything in the bible becos the old testament is essentially not christianity but the jewish religion which was the old way Jesus brought to an end. I urge you as a brethen to take another look at the chistian faith based strictly on the direct teachings of Jesus in the bible devoid of the teachings of others and church dogma. If you do this and meditate on it, you would begin to appreciate the deeper truths about the christian faith. As the good teacher said "narrow is the path that leads to life and very few would find it"

Jesus said, "Those who seek should not stop seeking until they find. When they find, they will be disturbed. When they are disturbed, they will marvel, and will reign over all. [And after they have reigned they will rest.]" >>> Quote from the Gospel of thomas.

Purist:

P.S. I saw the thread where toneyb declared he'd be leaving Nairaland due to personal reasons, perhaps, he perceived his posts were having negative effects on fragile minds here. I don't think that would be solid enough a reason to quit, if that's actually why @toneyb.

This is my last post here, I am leaving because I found out that my post here were having some negative impact on some reader here, I will not go into details because its personal. I completely appreciate that some religious people are far too wrapped up in their own beliefs to ever even begin to question them and I don't think any amount of reasoning is ever really likely to help in such circumstances. All religious beliefs are nothing but cultural ways of living developed by various men for various reasons at different times.

I first came here to see if they were some atheist amongst Nigerian and see if my hypothesis about people's beliefs are true, which unsurprisingly turned out to be true. Most religions are misleading because they begin or start by castigating others. This is obviously harmful in every other aspect of anyone's life, considering religious people treat others according to unsubstantiated beliefs they have been inculcated with as a result of society and culture.

Religions purport to be in possession of the absolute truth and morality and that belief is dangerous.
This precludes any possibility of attaining more knowledge or being flexible. In the case of morality, this is highly dangerous; if you're in possession of absolute truth and adhere to absolute morality, everyone who's in disagreement with you is either ignorant or evil. This to me is just plain wrong and silly. Cheers.

^^
Toney I really implore you not to leave, you are a breath of fresh air in this section comprising worthless people whose sole purpose in life is to create multiple ID's on nairaland and their equally hypocritic friends who applaud them.

But seriously, why are all the good peeps leaving? Tarry with us a little longer will ya?

Purist:

Well, I'm not sure I'm willing to drag myself into any debate right now.  But as I said before, I haven't even defined my belief system yet, I instead label myself, a seeker.  But put simply, I'll just say that I've come to realise that when you subscribe to religion, you're in a "box", you're confined.  Your reasoning ability is limited, and your thinking faculty gradually becomes eroded - no matter how educated you are - because you're now expected to hold on to dogma; just have faith - blind faith.  You're expected to believe everything in your religion, hook, line and sinker - no questioning!  Suspend common sense!  Dismiss logic!  Even when it's clearly nonsense, you cook up so many bizarre, unthinkable nonsense to further explain the nonsense.  The moment you begin to think outside of this box, and you express these thoughts, you're labeled a heretic - a backslider.  All these, I'm afraid, I've got a problem with.

purist, I would like to say a few things without in any way antagonising ur position or debating.

1. Christianity is not and was not intended to be a religion. Its IMO more of a relationship with God. I can confidently stand by my faith simply because I have seen things showed to me in the spirit realm by God that enlightens me and makes real my faith and beliefs. For example, one of the things I hated the most in xtianity was the attitude of prayer. . .I mean why do we have to pray and ask the same things incessantly over and over again to a caring God?. . . . .I used to praise God rather than pray but was faithful to my beliefs, held my faith and stayed away from all forms of sin. . . .until GOD taught me how to pray I was also shown the holy hill of God that was described in psalm 24. . , I saw several things that I cannot mention/describe.

You Cannot enjoy xtianity if u dont experience God. And to experience God u must believe that Him for who He says He is (faith) and live a holy life. In essence holiness and faith are the secrets of seeing God.

2. The best way to identify false prophets is to see those who make a religion or sect out of xtianity. They are all over the place, pastors who end every sermon with a demand for seed. . . .pastors who equate God's blessings to material po-cessions. . . .pastors who preach love but do not act with love. , . .pastors who preach themselves and not JC . . . .

They are all over town attempting to make a religion out of a relationship. The perfect example of a religion is islam. It does not in any way prepare u for an encounter with God, all it does is encourages u to do things to please an invisible God.

P.S.  I saw the thread where toneyb declared he'd be leaving Nairaland due to personal reasons, perhaps, he perceived his posts were having negative effects on fragile minds here.  I don't think that would be solid enough a reason to quit, if that's actually why @toneyb.  Personally, my change of belief started some 3 years ago, and it wasn't entirely triggered by the atheists' posts here, though I won't deny they had quite an impact.  I've always been very skeptical and inquisitive, even as a kid. . . "God" made me that way .  The atheists here probably just made me bolder in my skepticism.  I've seen so many threads here where atheists engaged theists in debates, and theists could only offer ridiculous explanations for what they believe in.  Even as a Christian then myself, I found the logic of the non-religious really biting, and the theists (Christian) responses only just begged many of their questions. 

1. Toneyb is simply exaggerating his influence on this forum. His posts could NOT have had a negative influence on anyone. They were simply opinions which were usually countered by opinions. No one on nairaland presents facts and when facts are rarely presented, there are divergent interpretations. I for one DO NOT believe that toneyb's post had a negative influence on anyone.

2. Scepticism is Good. but whats the use if it does not lead us to the truth? can anyone produce a scientifically plausible evidence that God does not exist, if they can, I will question my beliefs.

Most recent very good example I can remember is that of DeepSight's "The Noetic Interview. . .".

How did this thread have a negative influence on you?. . . .For all I know, I answered every question directed at me, until u made an attack on my person. And after going through that thread, I dont see anything raised there that was not clarified. . unless u are refering to Deepsight and kunleoshob's fraudulent attempt to smuggle disbelievers into heaven

It was of course difficult for me to accept that there are loopholes in what I've been brought up to believe.  But I refused to allow some nonsense dogma overshadow reason.  It was really depressing facing some harsh realities, like knowing that the basic characteristics (omnipotent, omnibenevolent, omniscient etc) we humans have attributed to God (which are logical by the way) can barely be reconciled with the whole concept of freewill, and worse still, predestination.  Funny enough, there are pointers to these discrepancies even in the bible, but somehow, we choose to overlook them, or pretend that they're inconsequential, even though we're usually quick to capitalise on them when they suit us.

I would like to open a new thread to in the very least attempt to explain the concept of freewill and predestination from God's perspective (with regards to my understanding) . . . .and would like u to also highlight any posers/discrepiances that u might find disturbing in the bible.

Know for sure that I do not have all the answers. . . . but I strongly believe that ur posers are within the confines of my understanding. . . .please let me know if u want me to proceed with thread.

Again, just to make myself clear, I do not shape my belief with the compelling logic of atheists/agnostics/etc here on Nairaland.  I only just seem to find a reinforcement of many of my personal, innate beliefs from these guys.  You'll probably come here now to tell me that I was never a true Christian and similar stuffs.  But really, I was genuine, at heart.  I still honestly want these things to be real.  You know, like having some "Jesus", "Holy Spirit", etc that I can constantly commune with; like dying now and be so sure I'll literally be spending eternity in some utopia.  The world is so insecure after all, so who wouldn't relish the thought and reality of having some supreme, benevolent spiritual aid?  But then, I realise they're things that I've been brought up to believe, and somewhere in my subconscious, I'd created that "sense of reality" that made everything so real to me.  Right now, somehow, all these things do not just add up anymore.

1. on the contrary, I do not think that u were/are not a true xtian. I think that u have just exposed some of the weakness of the church as we have it today. . .such that those growing up in faith have no elders to look up to for real-sight understanding of theological and spiritual matters.

I fall into the same category with u, with regards to the above. . . .when I started hearing God speak to me, it was strange. there was no one who could understand what I was going through. . . .the people I was supposed to look up to as spiritual leaders have never spoken to or heard from God in such detailed manner. The only thing that made me survive, was the prophecy that was foretold of my encounter with God (and my God ordained destiny) many years ago.

2. I attest to the fact that the Holy spirit does speak, guide and direct like we read in the bible . . . .I am a living testimony to that. . .but I have no evidence to give to u.

3. with regards to spiritual aid . . . many times this aid comes, but we are so locked up in our preconceived beliefs that we hardly see God's miracle. Take for instance many belief that miracles must naturally involve angels. . .but millions of miracles happen every day without angels.

gospel of thomas my nose, little wonder you remain a seeker

@InesQor

InesQor:

Reasoning like Purist did, IMHO, is like saying I will never drink water again because my lab tests show that most water sources have traces of pollution.

The comparison you attempt to draw here is incongruous. Actually, I am in fact saying that I don't drink water anymore, because I have found water very bad for my health.