Nathan_Jr

Not sure I understand the questions. To me, critical thinking is about honest, free investigation, examination, evaluation, inquiry, doubt. It's the opposite of prejudice, closed mindedness, confirmation bias, blind allegiance to authority or dogma.

Right. Agreed. Lots of bullshonta on social media. But Bolshe said, “reading the internet.” I’m trying to understand what he means. Does he mean social media? It’s an important distinction.

Hmmm… motivational tool? Not following…, Critical thinking as a way to find out. Short on spiritual perception and awareness. Late 1960s. 1967 or 1968. Someone knows.

Even though I attended fellowship with an open mind and heart, I felt gross and filthy and exhausted within minutes. Within the first 30 seconds of the PFAL video, I knew that little charlatan was a fraud. Within 60 seconds, I received the 2nd revelation - that established it. Its so, SO important to teach our children how to be critical thinkers.

How is trust earned if people are reading books? How is trust earned if people are reading magazines or newspapers or the flier announcing the county fair? Expanding on your logic: How is trust earned if people are riding bicycles? How is trust earned if people are eating mangoes? The internet had a goal? I find doors of opportunity open all the time while using the internet, but mainly because I seek the opportunity. It’s interactive. Different strokes, I guess. Victor had a goal of suppressing his followers ability to find out. Literally, their ability to find out about anything at all. One way he did this was by crushing people’s opportunity to pursue education. Russell and Huxley and Orwell warned of hucksters like vp.

Facecrime... uh, I mean Facebook

That's how I took it.

Thanks, T-Bone. I always find these vignettes of the "good old days" fascinating - and so, so revealing! (I read the linked posts, also.) The obvious question (you know, the one victor loves to hate: his anti-idol) is what happened? After all that confusion and drama and victor's cups running over with the fear of being found lout, was there no explanation? What better opportunity to clear the shonta from the waters! Real leadership would have seized this opportunity to clarify. At that time, the dogmatic, five-senses, natural, privately-interpreted, old man doctrine should have been taught with mathematical accuracy and scientific precision. Was it?

I'm not making assumptions about what you think or believe, though I can. That's why I asked. What was taught to me in the class, and reiterated by you here, is God is weak and limited and fumbling and unsteady and incapable and always a step behind the adversary. I was taught that God is far away and incompetent and indecisive and waffling. I was taught he is a constructed image of a deeply carnal man's imagination. I was taught explicitly, and in the gaps, that the real power is the god of this world. I was taught above all that fear is the focus, not God. So much devil spirit was taught, so little God. That's why I asked.

Serving two masters.

Indeed. Lots of asserted claims. Lots of descriptive limits. Lots of assumptions and lots of conclusions. Not one omni- modifier. Not one. Still, the question is open. Just a simple "I beleeeve God is...."

Open question for anyone willing to answer. (I don't think Mike is able to handle it.) What is victor's concept of God? What does victor mean when he says God? What/who is God, according to victor?

Now, on to the first and most important question: What is your and victor's concept of God? Focus. Avoid distractions. Compose thoughtful sentences.

Oh, I don't feel bad at all. And he's copping out about God speaking audibly in the carnal universe to a carnal, natural, five senses old man who had lost all faith and believing. God can only community with what he his, spirit, except when he's speaking audibly so that your five senses ears can hear him.

Seriously, Waysider, your recall of all this never ceases to amaze me.

I'm perfectly calm. Just say so. Just say you need to think about it. I would that you gave my dead serious questions some thought and answer them directly with well-composed, intelligent sentences, than to attack, deflect and cop out.

Always with the cop outs and deflections. I'm talking about MY questions. My dead serious, relevant questions that go to the heart of the matter. It's very telling that you always avoid my questions and comments. I'll let anyone reading decide for themselves what it's telling of. My questions and comments must make you uncomfortable. Perhaps, they should.

Zero. You haven't answered any of my questions today.

Good point... brainstorming... Maybe the audible voice victor heard in 1942 was a devil spirit counterfeiting as God.

Let's say it took the rest of the week. If spirit can only talk to spirit, what was the audible voice victor heard with his five senses, old man ears?

We're talking about the limits of God's communication, right? Not snow.

I should have known you'd cop out in this way. You won't answer most of my questions. You're the only one. I suspect it's because you can't, but I don't know, because you won't. It took you forever to answer my question about what the word is. And you've left dozens more unanswered. Victor hated serious questions, too. HATED them. I suspect it's because his cup runneth over with fear. I'm unafraid to inquire. I'm unafraid of the truth. I'm unafraid to be wrong. My questions are serious. Dead serious.

Yep.

Either God didn’t REALLY speak audibly to victor’s natural ears, or victor didn’t REALLY hear from God and just made the whole thing up.

Always speaking the truth is limited? It's less than speaking both truth AND lies? This is a self imposed limit? God free will chooses to limit himself to always speak true? He could lie if he REALLY wanted to? HOWEVER, God has the self discipline to resist lying? (Well, thank God for that!) We will always talk past each other until I understand your answer to the following: What is your definition of God? What do you mean when you say God? What or who is God?