what is god to you/what do you revere?

**blunthead** · March 13th, 2013

what is god to you?

No.

**Walter Oobleck** · March 14th, 2013

I started this thread 11/11/09 as "bluey lunger"...whose name was changed to "wally wonder" shortly before I executed him...and I'm quoting myself here, below, from page 10, #98...I think it is.

Originally Posted by omm poppa mow mow

There's a couple great quotes I return to, time and again:

"So long as man remains free he strives for nothing so incessantly and so painfully as to find someone to worship."
— Fyodor Dostoyevsky (The Brothers Karamazov)

Men to whom God is dead worship one another.
--Harry Crews, The Gospel Singer, 1968

Elsewhere in one of Dostoyevsky's works, there is this: "in many strong people there seems to be a sort of natural need--to find someone or something to bow down to."

Reading over this thread has been enlightening...in the sense that there are so many various belief systems. Too, it was interesting to note who had posted, who had joined the thread to post a thought, some once and out, some who have been here for years who didn't post on this thread for a time, some who posted repeatedly...nothing wrong w/any of that...I'm simply making an observation. When I originally posted this thread--it was before Under the Dome came out--before I read the story...but I don't think anyone mentions the story in the thread...I could be wrong, but I thought that was curious, too...what w/the storyline of Under the Dome.

In the opening post, I wondered where "ole Harry" is now, what he is doing. He passed away...either last year or the year before...sorry, but time seems to move more quickly and I haven't kept up with him. But he has that great line in the beginning of his The Gospel Singer story, men to whom God is dead worship one another.

Dostoyevsky has that line from The Brothers Karamazov: "So long as man remains free he strives for nothing so incessantly and so painfully as to find someone to worship."

And since posting this that I quote, I've come across this next line, "in many strong people there seems to be a sort of natural need--to find someone or something to bow down to."

The adjective strong seems almost incongruous to what some of the posts above had suggested about some. And perhaps that quote is enough to hear from some of those who do not credit a Christian God the Father, Son, & Holy Spirit.

To what, or to whom, do you find evidence or proof of Dostoyevky's and Crews's statements? If you need to flippant, nothing wrong with that. But perhaps the question will generate responses from those who must find someone, or something...who have a sort of natural need...to worship, for lack of a better word. Is that true? Do we have a need to find someone, or something?

Where do you stand?

Show Spoiler

**Lily Sawyer** · March 14th, 2013

Originally Posted by Walter Oobleck

"So long as man remains free he strives for nothing so incessantly and so painfully as to find someone to worship."

- Sorry, Walter. I don't cotton to lettin' it all hang out on the churchmosquetemple steps with a guy who's changed his moniker here more times than there are personalities in Identity. I also don't agree with Mr. Dostoyevsky's observation that man searches for someone to worship, especially when there's a "as long as he remains free" attached to the claim. I'm pretty sure incarceration of any kind either revs up a person's spiritual journey to warp speed or derails it altogether. Dostoyevsky's assertion depends on the premise of idolatry, and I'm also pretty sure that even back in his day, it was one of those Thou Shalt Not thingies.....bad karma for someone to either admit to it or practice it.

Give me one good reason why I should debate this, Crews' statement, or anything else of religious matter with you when your verbiage includes
"I started this thread 11/11/09 as "bluey lunger"...whose name was changed to "wally wonder" shortly before I executed him".

Given your recent antics in the response thread to Guns, there's no motivation whatsoever for me (and probably most other people) to engage you in informed, unbigoted discourse.

**sonofcana** · March 14th, 2013

Apologies, guido. Sorry for going off at you like that. Whenever I talk about religion, a red mist follows... I'm from Ireland which has been a catholic theocracy for centuries. Happily I went to school at a time when the crimes of the church were being revealed. My parents were not so lucky. If jesus was Irish, he'd be an Atheist! Peace!

**guido tkp** · March 15th, 2013

ker-slam, Lil'....

um...in all fairness...i used to be monty, but got full...so then i was python, but i shed...then i was flying: NO NET !!

now i'm just a circus...three rings and midget named sparky yellin' all the time

i don't even know what that means

HeY !! at least bluey/wally/oobster can own up to being internetally psychotic...unlike some, right ??

**Robert Gray** · March 15th, 2013

Originally Posted by Walter Oobleck

I started this thread 11/11/09 as "bluey lunger"...whose name was changed to "wally wonder" shortly before I executed him...and I'm quoting myself here, below, from page 10, #98...I think it is.

There is a type of person (often called a Troll) that just likes to go around and stir things up. I'm very hesitant to call anyone a Troll because I think it is thrown around all too often these days. In fact, I dislike the term because it is generally applied to anyone someone disagrees with. Genuine Trolls (for lack of a better term) have a few telltale traits. One of them is a constant shifting of names. This is often done because the person in question says or does something so stupid that it inhibits their ability to have their "little fun." In short, people have come to recognize them as nothing but fools and largely ignore them. Thus, a new name is necessary for the show to go on.

Now, I'm not going to assume you are this kind of person. I think most of the stuff you have posted has been dribble, but there are lots of people I feel the same about and I don't assume they are Trolls. I would like a clear explanation as to why you feel you need to do the regular name swap though?

Why change brand names?

**Walter Oobleck** · March 15th, 2013

Originally Posted by Lily Sawyer

- Sorry, Walter. I don't cotton to lettin' it all hang out on the churchmosquetemple steps with a guy who's changed his moniker here more times than there are personalities in Identity. I also don't agree with Mr. Dostoyevsky's observation that man searches for someone to worship, especially when there's a "as long as he remains free" attached to the claim. I'm pretty sure incarceration of any kind either revs up a person's spiritual journey to warp speed or derails it altogether. Dostoyevsky's assertion depends on the premise of idolatry, and I'm also pretty sure that even back in his day, it was one of those Thou Shalt Not thingies.....bad karma for someone to either admit to it or practice it.

Give me one good reason why I should debate this, Crews' statement, or anything else of religious matter with you when your verbiage includes
"I started this thread 11/11/09 as "bluey lunger"...whose name was changed to "wally wonder" shortly before I executed him".

Given your recent antics in the response thread to Guns, there's no motivation whatsoever for me (and probably most other people) to engage you in informed, unbigoted discourse.

Thank you for your kind response, Lily Sawyer.

I'm channeling my inner childe.

And...I'm hoping to begin plowing Son of a B!tch...the farmer's in the field. Go the other way.

The blood that flows through you
flows through me,
when I look in any mirror,
it's your face that I see.
Take my hand,
lean on me,
We're almost free,
Wandering boy.
--Rodney Crowell

And I read a great line in Laura Warholic last night that applies, as well. Wish I had it handy. Although I can say that it describes the field and the conditions therein.
Incarceration, as you said, of any kind either revs up a person's spiritual journey to warp speed or derails it altogether.

This is how it began for me. There is nothing new under the sun. And maybe when it is all said and done, I don't do anything or say anything different. The poet Pessoa comes to mind, as well.
Anyway, I believe others will comment from time to time. When I started this thread, I wasn't interested in joining the debate...was taken back, a bit, with that idea. Although there has
been debate here...I'm more interested in viewpoints and how they are articulated.

Thank you again.

**Walter Oobleck** · March 15th, 2013

Originally Posted by Robert Gray

There is a type of person (often called a Troll) that just likes to go around and stir things up. I'm very hesitant to call anyone a Troll because I think it is thrown around all too often these days. In fact, I dislike the term because it is generally applied to anyone someone disagrees with. Genuine Trolls (for lack of a better term) have a few telltale traits. One of them is a constant shifting of names. This is often done because the person in question says or does something so stupid that it inhibits their ability to have their "little fun." In short, people have come to recognize them as nothing but fools and largely ignore them. Thus, a new name is necessary for the show to go on.

Now, I'm not going to assume you are this kind of person. I think most of the stuff you have posted has been dribble, but there are lots of people I feel the same about and I don't assume they are Trolls. I would like a clear explanation as to why you feel you need to do the regular name swap though?

Why change brand names?

Without going in my particular brand of neuroses, Robert...something that I've considered over and over again, believe me you.

When I left as "Whitey Appleseed"...I did not believe I'd be coming back. But. King is addictive, no? When Whitey was deleted--there was a "delete" button available at the time...I didn't stop reading King.
I came here, originally, after reading King's afterword to Bag of Bones, where he writes about Hearts in Atlantis, where he says tell me what you think about it. My wife had given me both stories for Christmas and Hearts touched me like no other story I've read. I wanted to thank the man. I did.

So I've come back time and again because I have enjoyed his stories. I've read them time and again. Most of my paperbacks are tatters. I assume that Ms Mod would confirm my contention that I'm a fan.
I bragged on another thread about a past life...all dribble, sure...but there's nothing wrong w/dribble, in the right context and if a little speed is put on the ball. We could all use a little dash.

And so...yeah, this is my...4th life here. Do I need to list them all again? Whitey Appleseed, bluey lunger...whose name was changed to wally wonder (something all my friends called me) before being executed...and then omm poppa mow mow...who left sometime around December, 2011. I was not here for all of 2012...my join date is visible.

Does that answer your question?

**Robert Gray** · March 15th, 2013

Originally Posted by Walter Oobleck

When I left as "Whitey Appleseed"...I did not believe I'd be coming back. But. King is addictive, no? When Whitey was deleted--there was a "delete" button available at the time...I didn't stop reading King.

So why did you depart as Whitey Appleseed, with the expectation that you weren't coming back? Since you are fan, and Sai King's books are addictive, I can only assume your departure from this site was due to some discussion that disagreed with you, or perhaps you had disagreed with others? This is the only logical assumption I can make based upon what you have given us.

I came here, originally, after reading King's afterword to Bag of Bones, where he writes about Hearts in Atlantis, where he says tell me what you think about it. My wife had given me both stories for Christmas and Hearts touched me like no other story I've read. I wanted to thank the man. I did.

This explains why you first came but not why you first left (or the regular name changes).

So I've come back time and again because I have enjoyed his stories. I've read them time and again. Most of my paperbacks are tatters. I assume that Ms Mod would confirm my contention that I'm a fan.
I bragged on another thread about a past life...all dribble, sure...but there's nothing wrong w/dribble, in the right context and if a little speed is put on the ball. We could all use a little dash.

In fairness, I think most of what I myself write is nothing but dribble. That is beside the point, however, as talking about our personal writing styles and the fact that you are a fan merely misdirects from the original questions. If you came back because you are fan, then logically that would lead you to discussions about the books. It does not logically follow that you would return to the more contentious areas of discussion now does it? Those would seem to have nothing to do with your purpose for coming originally or coming back. In fact, we must logically deduce it was your discussions in these other areas that likely led to your departure and name changes. I trust you see what I'm getting at here.

And so...yeah, this is my...4th life here. Do I need to list them all again? Whitey Appleseed, bluey lunger...whose name was changed to wally wonder (something all my friends called me) before being executed...and then omm poppa mow mow...who left sometime around December, 2011. I was not here for all of 2012...my join date is visible.

No. Nobody asked you to list them. This is another misdirection, a careful dance to avoid what was asked you. I don't care who you were in all your various incarnations. Chances are I can spot you simply by your writing style. What I asked isn't for a list of your aliases, but rather WHY you feel the need to go through them.

Does that answer your question?

Obviously, no. As I stated above, you talk a bit about things I didn't ask you but you have not addressed the questions at hand.