I would like to investigate these cases and speak to both patient and physician. I think I'd start with a case of retinitis pigmentosa I heard about in the last year or so.
dealing with rude people in western nations
Jonny C <<<But I don't believe he was god. I believe in science and evolution but respect other's rights to believe whatever they want to believe. >>>
You know I was just like you studying Darvin, Marx and Lennin at school .. untill 2002. It's a strane I heard the good news not from some relatives, neither from someone close to me. I read forums just like you. In a moment I was absoultely convinced that Jesus came as my saviour. From this moment strange thing has happened. I started to go to church every Sunday. It was like a flash which enlightened whole my life.
You know I was just like you studying Darvin, Marx and Lennin at school .. untill 2002. It's a strane I heard the good news not from some relatives, neither from someone close to me. I read forums just like you. In a moment I was absoultely convinced that Jesus came as my saviour. From this moment strange thing has happened. I started to go to church every Sunday. It was like a flash which enlightened whole my life.
You know I heard about so many things but nothing like that : And forgive to those who hate you and pray for them. Love your enemy, if someone slapped you from one side give him other side. Love each other as I loved you.
Damian, I for one wish to be close to god, and so, therefore, I stay far away from religion.
"I fear we have landed slap!....wham!... bang! in the middle of the infamous American Bible Belt"
Casting stones, are we?
"I fear we have landed slap!....wham!... bang! in the middle of the infamous American Bible Belt"
Casting stones, are we?
***Casting stones, are we?***
Far be it for me to do such a thing, Wintereis......no way am I qualified to do so. I was brought up to follow a faith, that which was the one time established religion of this country until it was replaced by that of an adulterous self seeking gross megalomaniac (King henry VIII of England) and subsequently by hypocritical raucous evangelistic types (eg John Knox of Scotland) for ever promising eternal hell and damnation to all who do not follow the flock.
For me, personally, my faith (religion if you like) is an entirely private matter, which is why I firmly believe that religion and politics of any kind should never intermingle - they should remain entirely separate from each other. I really think it's fair to point out that the UK has absolutely no equivalent of the so called American "Bible Belt" neither does religion have any direct involvement in State affairs in spite of the fact that the British Monarch is linked to the established Church as such.
Having said that, though, I really do think that more people here in Britain could do with basing their lives more on the guidelines provided by some kind of private, personal faith outside of themselves which I believe would strengthen the need to live according to conscience, and without the need to shout anything from the rooftops or going all "happy clappy" in the presence of pulpit rabble rousers.
Far be it for me to do such a thing, Wintereis......no way am I qualified to do so. I was brought up to follow a faith, that which was the one time established religion of this country until it was replaced by that of an adulterous self seeking gross megalomaniac (King henry VIII of England) and subsequently by hypocritical raucous evangelistic types (eg John Knox of Scotland) for ever promising eternal hell and damnation to all who do not follow the flock.
For me, personally, my faith (religion if you like) is an entirely private matter, which is why I firmly believe that religion and politics of any kind should never intermingle - they should remain entirely separate from each other. I really think it's fair to point out that the UK has absolutely no equivalent of the so called American "Bible Belt" neither does religion have any direct involvement in State affairs in spite of the fact that the British Monarch is linked to the established Church as such.
Having said that, though, I really do think that more people here in Britain could do with basing their lives more on the guidelines provided by some kind of private, personal faith outside of themselves which I believe would strengthen the need to live according to conscience, and without the need to shout anything from the rooftops or going all "happy clappy" in the presence of pulpit rabble rousers.
Laura Braun wrote: (beautifully, I should add)
<<It's a strane I heard the good news not from some relatives, neither from someone close to me. I read forums just like you. In a moment I was absoultely convinced that Jesus came as my saviour.>>
How blessed you are to have received a manifestation of god's power and spirit in your life. I am happy for you and though I'm not a Christian, I see beyond the form of the religion and I see the love (as Eckheart Tolle would say) and when I do that Laura, I am humbled by your devotion and your relationship to the Source or Universe or God or whatever anyone wants to call it.
I am not a believer in organized religions because man will always pervert them and subvert them, inserting himself into the work towards his own needs in the name of God.
But Laura, at this stage of your journey just know you are where you are supposed to be. You Rock!
<<It's a strane I heard the good news not from some relatives, neither from someone close to me. I read forums just like you. In a moment I was absoultely convinced that Jesus came as my saviour.>>
How blessed you are to have received a manifestation of god's power and spirit in your life. I am happy for you and though I'm not a Christian, I see beyond the form of the religion and I see the love (as Eckheart Tolle would say) and when I do that Laura, I am humbled by your devotion and your relationship to the Source or Universe or God or whatever anyone wants to call it.
I am not a believer in organized religions because man will always pervert them and subvert them, inserting himself into the work towards his own needs in the name of God.
But Laura, at this stage of your journey just know you are where you are supposed to be. You Rock!
<<Having said that, though, I really do think that more people here in Britain could do with basing their lives more on the guidelines provided by some kind of private, personal faith outside of themselves which I believe would strengthen the need to live according to conscience, and without the need to shout anything from the rooftops or going all "happy clappy" in the presence of pulpit rabble rousers.>>
Why would they need religion to live according to conscience if ethics were thouroughly taught? Why one of your own countrymen was able to establish this in a single paragraph without the use of religion or the aesthetic or morality:
The only freedom which deserves the name is that of pursuing our own good in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it. Each is the proper guardian of his own health, whether bodily, or mental or spiritual. Mankind are greater gainers by suffering each other to live as seems good to themselves, than by compelling each to live as seems good to the rest.--John Stuart Mill
Couple this with texts on the importance of the individual to serve the greater good, and you have done away with all need of organized religion.
"When I became convinced that the universe is natural – that all ghosts and gods are myths, there entered into my brain . . . the joy of freedom. . . . I was free – free to think, to express my thoughts . . . free to live for myself and those I loved . . . free to investigate, to guess and dream and hope . . . free to reject all ignorant and cruel creeds, all the ‘inspired’ books that savages have produced . . . free from popes and priests . . . free from sanctified mistakes and holy lies . . . free from the fear of eternal pain . . . free from devils, ghosts and gods. . . . There were no prohibited places in all the realms of thought . . . no following another’s steps . . . no need to bow, or cringe, or crawl, or utter lying words." Robert Ingersoll
Why would they need religion to live according to conscience if ethics were thouroughly taught? Why one of your own countrymen was able to establish this in a single paragraph without the use of religion or the aesthetic or morality:
The only freedom which deserves the name is that of pursuing our own good in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it. Each is the proper guardian of his own health, whether bodily, or mental or spiritual. Mankind are greater gainers by suffering each other to live as seems good to themselves, than by compelling each to live as seems good to the rest.--John Stuart Mill
Couple this with texts on the importance of the individual to serve the greater good, and you have done away with all need of organized religion.
"When I became convinced that the universe is natural – that all ghosts and gods are myths, there entered into my brain . . . the joy of freedom. . . . I was free – free to think, to express my thoughts . . . free to live for myself and those I loved . . . free to investigate, to guess and dream and hope . . . free to reject all ignorant and cruel creeds, all the ‘inspired’ books that savages have produced . . . free from popes and priests . . . free from sanctified mistakes and holy lies . . . free from the fear of eternal pain . . . free from devils, ghosts and gods. . . . There were no prohibited places in all the realms of thought . . . no following another’s steps . . . no need to bow, or cringe, or crawl, or utter lying words." Robert Ingersoll
<<Why would they need religion to live according to conscience if ethics were thouroughly taught?>>
Because most people are too weak or lazy to do so without a quick fix religion to organise themselves.
Because most people are too weak or lazy to do so without a quick fix religion to organise themselves.