Faith. The African impala can jump to a height of more than 10 feet and cover a distance of more than 30 feet. Yet these magnificent creatures can be kept in an enclosure in any zoo with a three-foot wall. The animals will not jump if they cannot see where their feet will fall. Faith is the ability to trust what we cannot see, and with faith we are freed from the flimsy enclosures of life that only fear allows to entrap us.
I never thought to question my deeply held beliefs until some guy cut me off on the interstate with a smug, divisive, inflammatory bumper sticker. He sure showed me. Thanks aggressive pickup truck driver!
Just kidding, I’m atheist. But let’s be consistent.
The sticker I hate the most is the “Don’t let the car fool you, my treasure is in heaven”. Especially when it’s on a nice car. Then I’m both annoyed and confused.
I used to play a drinking game by counting all the Jesus fish on my way back from work and having that many drinks when I got home.
greytone (#1667)
16 years ago
Also, I don’t know about you guys, but I totally vote based on lawn signs I see on my way to the polls.
@...the3g_ipwn:
This is very true. I hope people also remember that faith does not necessarily mean faith in a religious figure. For instance, if you have faith in your government, you might continue to spend freely, believing that the government will make things okay later on.
I totally get being upset when someone throws their belief in your face and pretends to be superior. What I don’t get is thinking that someone is less intelligent for believing in something. If someone wants to believe that they will be rewarded for being more compassionate towards others, why are you bitching?
greytone (#1667)
16 years ago
@...the3g_ipwn: Who’s bitching about compassion? If you mean my “don’t let the car fool you” bit, I just hate the self-assured smugness of it. I don’t see anyone saying they’re anti-compassion or even that believers are less intelligent.
greytone (#1667)
16 years ago
@...greytone: For that matter why jump in to defend a vague concept of faith? The joke was about the persuasive power of the bumper stick, or lack there of, not religion.
If there’s any jab at the faithful it’s at either a percieved in-your-face sense of superiority or idea that they might convert tailgaters, not that they’re wrong or stupid.
As I tried to point out, the same joke could have been made about political bumper stickers changing one’s mind.
Doesn’t matter if you put a Jesus fish or a Darwin Fish on your car, you’re advertising that you think you’re better than everyone else. If you put a Flying Spaghetti Monster sticker on your car, well you are just a cool cat. Ar!
greytone (#1667)
16 years ago
@...AlecDalek: Agreed. While the Darwin fish was meant as an “oh yeah?” it quickly escalated into a Jesus fish arms race*. Although I’ve enjoyed watching it unravel. I think we’re up to Darwin eats Jesus, Truth eats Darwin, FSM uneaten**.
* A phrase ripe with evolutionary irony.
** More irony.
@...the3g_ipwn: I have more respect for those who are more compassionate because they think it’s a decent thing to do, not because they think they’ll be rewarded for it. But, that’s beside the point. People are free to believe whatever they want, and I respect that.
As long as they aren’t hurting others with it or shoving it into people’s faces. Problem is, religion tends to do just those things in our society ( See a recently passed amendment in California…. ).
I’ve found people are far more likely to be looked down on for NOT having religion than they are for being religious, no matter what the self-proclaimed religious martyrs try to claim.
@the3g_ipwn and dieAntagonista
ok you’re right. i was just driving and i saw a gay pride bumper sticker. i have an overwhelming urge to fuck another guy in the ass now.
greytone (#1667)
16 years ago
@...camel: I saw a bumper sticker that said: “I don’t mind straight people as long as they act gay in public.” Made me laugh.
@...camel: What in the world are you talking about. My comment was a joke. And by the way, gay pride is laughable. Just the same as ‘black pride’. If I was born gay, I wouldn’t be proud about it. Just the same as I’m not proud that I was born a woman. Having a certain sexual preference is not an accomplishment.
And I like how you were assuming I was offended by the picture and that I’m probably against gays. Well guess what, I’m neither,
1. I do get influenced by signs, as in they jar my memory of things I already had interest in, but I never make an entire decision based on advertising.
2. I used to steal those Jesus fish magnets throughout HIgh School so that by the time I went to college, my fridge was covered in them. My roommates were confused for about 5 months. O_o
I make a conscious effort to avoid the products that are advertised to me. Thus the more I see a billboard or bumper sticker of anything, the more opposed I am to it. Same applies to fast food and and any product being sold to me. If it is advertised on TV or on a bus stop or a bus side, I will vandalize it before I ever give it a penny. I only buy products and items that sell themselves, (presuming I cannot grow or create them myself) that have such obvious and credible use in my life that I can see it as essential *without* the hypnosis. The same applies to spiritual, religious or political concepts.
Truth is that which you can easily recognize as something you have always known.
I have FAITH that we’re all just really egocentric and we just made up that whole “souls” business in order to have an afterlife we can look forward to because we’re so great we think not even death can stop us!
@...the3g_ipwn: Wait. The Impala has no faith in what it cannot see, otherwise it would jump, right? It seems like fear is keeping it from making what would be a very simple leap for it.
Kind of like those that are afraid to question religion, right?
I just don’t get your analogy. If it did have faith in it’s ability to make the jump, it would instantly have sold evidence that would be readily presentable to the other impalas. If it didn’t make the jump, then all that faith was in vain.
What was the point of faith then? I’d go on, but this is too easy to deconstruct.
This metaphor presents another metaphor derived from the same circumstance- An impala will willingly allow itself to be confined in a small, limited space for the entirety of its life simply because it is uncertain of what lies beyond a small man-made barrier. I’d rather take the leap and assume a pride of hungry lions aren’t on the other side, and life my life free of imprisonment.
greytone (#1667)
16 years ago
If I were an Impala I’d leap around within my (snicker) confined space to see what’s over the wall, then jump.
Faith. The African impala can jump to a height of more than 10 feet and cover a distance of more than 30 feet. Yet these magnificent creatures can be kept in an enclosure in any zoo with a three-foot wall. The animals will not jump if they cannot see where their feet will fall. Faith is the ability to trust what we cannot see, and with faith we are freed from the flimsy enclosures of life that only fear allows to entrap us.
@the3g_ipwn
hey look, there goes the point. aww you missed it.
What? But it does work. I saw an ad the other day, 6 beers for the price of 3. It made me wanna buy it and I don’t even like beer.
@...the3g_ipwn: Impressive.
@...dieAntagonista: Thank You!
@...camel: = Dickturd
@...the3g_ipwn: But blind faith leads us to jumping over cliffs….
I never thought to question my deeply held beliefs until some guy cut me off on the interstate with a smug, divisive, inflammatory bumper sticker. He sure showed me. Thanks aggressive pickup truck driver!
Just kidding, I’m atheist. But let’s be consistent.
The sticker I hate the most is the “Don’t let the car fool you, my treasure is in heaven”. Especially when it’s on a nice car. Then I’m both annoyed and confused.
I used to play a drinking game by counting all the Jesus fish on my way back from work and having that many drinks when I got home.
Also, I don’t know about you guys, but I totally vote based on lawn signs I see on my way to the polls.
@...greytone:
In neighborhoods where people talk to each other, the signs can encourage discussion (hopefully peaceful)
@...greytone:
Why wait?
@...the3g_ipwn:
This is very true. I hope people also remember that faith does not necessarily mean faith in a religious figure. For instance, if you have faith in your government, you might continue to spend freely, believing that the government will make things okay later on.
I totally get being upset when someone throws their belief in your face and pretends to be superior. What I don’t get is thinking that someone is less intelligent for believing in something. If someone wants to believe that they will be rewarded for being more compassionate towards others, why are you bitching?
@...the3g_ipwn: Who’s bitching about compassion? If you mean my “don’t let the car fool you” bit, I just hate the self-assured smugness of it. I don’t see anyone saying they’re anti-compassion or even that believers are less intelligent.
@...greytone: For that matter why jump in to defend a vague concept of faith? The joke was about the persuasive power of the bumper stick, or lack there of, not religion.
If there’s any jab at the faithful it’s at either a percieved in-your-face sense of superiority or idea that they might convert tailgaters, not that they’re wrong or stupid.
As I tried to point out, the same joke could have been made about political bumper stickers changing one’s mind.
Whoops, I meant @...the3g_ipwn not @...myself. Hurr!
Doesn’t matter if you put a Jesus fish or a Darwin Fish on your car, you’re advertising that you think you’re better than everyone else. If you put a Flying Spaghetti Monster sticker on your car, well you are just a cool cat. Ar!
@...AlecDalek: Agreed. While the Darwin fish was meant as an “oh yeah?” it quickly escalated into a Jesus fish arms race*. Although I’ve enjoyed watching it unravel. I think we’re up to Darwin eats Jesus, Truth eats Darwin, FSM uneaten**.
* A phrase ripe with evolutionary irony.
** More irony.
@...greytone: I wasn’t directing that at you. Simply pointing out the uselessness of the entire delima.
@...the3g_ipwn: I have more respect for those who are more compassionate because they think it’s a decent thing to do, not because they think they’ll be rewarded for it. But, that’s beside the point. People are free to believe whatever they want, and I respect that.
As long as they aren’t hurting others with it or shoving it into people’s faces. Problem is, religion tends to do just those things in our society ( See a recently passed amendment in California…. ).
I’ve found people are far more likely to be looked down on for NOT having religion than they are for being religious, no matter what the self-proclaimed religious martyrs try to claim.
Very nice trolling attempt, but I have equipped my +5 cloak of defense.
@greytone:
Sounds like a drinking game we used to play; WHILE we were driving!
@the3g_ipwn and dieAntagonista
ok you’re right. i was just driving and i saw a gay pride bumper sticker. i have an overwhelming urge to fuck another guy in the ass now.
@...camel: I saw a bumper sticker that said: “I don’t mind straight people as long as they act gay in public.” Made me laugh.
@...camel: Really liking that cloak.
@...camel: What in the world are you talking about. My comment was a joke. And by the way, gay pride is laughable. Just the same as ‘black pride’. If I was born gay, I wouldn’t be proud about it. Just the same as I’m not proud that I was born a woman. Having a certain sexual preference is not an accomplishment.
And I like how you were assuming I was offended by the picture and that I’m probably against gays. Well guess what, I’m neither,
@dieAntagonista
what the hell just happened?
did you just start a new conversation with bizarro camel or something? that guy is nuts.
I like nuts. It’s all good, I’m nuts too.
1. I do get influenced by signs, as in they jar my memory of things I already had interest in, but I never make an entire decision based on advertising.
2. I used to steal those Jesus fish magnets throughout HIgh School so that by the time I went to college, my fridge was covered in them. My roommates were confused for about 5 months. O_o
I make a conscious effort to avoid the products that are advertised to me. Thus the more I see a billboard or bumper sticker of anything, the more opposed I am to it. Same applies to fast food and and any product being sold to me. If it is advertised on TV or on a bus stop or a bus side, I will vandalize it before I ever give it a penny. I only buy products and items that sell themselves, (presuming I cannot grow or create them myself) that have such obvious and credible use in my life that I can see it as essential *without* the hypnosis. The same applies to spiritual, religious or political concepts.
Truth is that which you can easily recognize as something you have always known.
I have FAITH that we’re all just really egocentric and we just made up that whole “souls” business in order to have an afterlife we can look forward to because we’re so great we think not even death can stop us!
Toothpastefordinner.com is fun. His videos are even more fun!
@...the3g_ipwn: Wait. The Impala has no faith in what it cannot see, otherwise it would jump, right? It seems like fear is keeping it from making what would be a very simple leap for it.
Kind of like those that are afraid to question religion, right?
I just don’t get your analogy. If it did have faith in it’s ability to make the jump, it would instantly have sold evidence that would be readily presentable to the other impalas. If it didn’t make the jump, then all that faith was in vain.
What was the point of faith then? I’d go on, but this is too easy to deconstruct.
This metaphor presents another metaphor derived from the same circumstance- An impala will willingly allow itself to be confined in a small, limited space for the entirety of its life simply because it is uncertain of what lies beyond a small man-made barrier. I’d rather take the leap and assume a pride of hungry lions aren’t on the other side, and life my life free of imprisonment.
If I were an Impala I’d leap around within my (snicker) confined space to see what’s over the wall, then jump.