Angels

[BashfulAnthony]

The sad thing is that it doesn't give very real people credit for something kind or heroic.

Indeed. You see it a lot with medical people being denied gratitude and credit for their phenomenal expertise and hard work, all the thanks going to baby Jesus instead.

Rubbish! I have rarely heard such unsubstantiated tripe, even from you.

[Shaker]

The sad thing is that it doesn't give very real people credit for something kind or heroic.

Indeed. You see it a lot with medical people being denied gratitude and credit for their phenomenal expertise and hard work, all the thanks going to baby Jesus instead.

Rubbish! I have rarely heard such unsubstantiated tripe, even from you.

You should spend more time hanging out on religious forums; I've heard it more times than I can remember. Probably more so from Americans than Britons.

[BashfulAnthony]

The sad thing is that it doesn't give very real people credit for something kind or heroic.

Indeed. You see it a lot with medical people being denied gratitude and credit for their phenomenal expertise and hard work, all the thanks going to baby Jesus instead.

Rubbish! I have rarely heard such unsubstantiated tripe, even from you.

You should spend more time hanging out on religious forums; I've heard it more times than I can remember. Probaly more so from Americans than Britons.

This one is enough, at the present.  I'm surprised you seem to spend time on them, as you must if you can make such assertions as you just have.  Another example of your strange obsession with religion, I suppose!

[Shaker]

This one is enough, at the present. I'm surprised you seem to spend time on them, as you must if you can make such assertions as you just have.  Another example of your strange obsession with religion, I suppose!

I'm interested in why people believe weird things.

[BashfulAnthony]

This one is enough, at the present. I'm surprised you seem to spend time on them, as you must if you can make such assertions as you just have.  Another example of your strange obsession with religion, I suppose!

I'm interested in why people believe weird things.

Interested? No, obsessed!

[Shaker]

Interested? No, obsessed!

No, simply interested.

Though given the amount of damage such people can do, it would pay more people to be more "obsessed," as you put it.

[BashfulAnthony]

Interested? No, obsessed!

No, simply interested.

Though given the amount of damage such people can do, it would pay more people to be more "obsessed," as you put it.

You're slipping, Shaky.  Your posts are becoming less and less convincing.

[Shaker]

Interested? No, obsessed!

No, simply interested.

Though given the amount of damage such people can do, it would pay more people to be more "obsessed," as you put it.

You're slipping, Shaky.  Your posts are becoming less and less convincing.

Only to you, and as somebody immune to rational argumentation, that's hardly a criticism.

[BashfulAnthony]

Interested? No, obsessed!

No, simply interested.

Though given the amount of damage such people can do, it would pay more people to be more "obsessed," as you put it.

You're slipping, Shaky.  Your posts are becoming less and less convincing.

Only to you, and as somebody immune to rational argumentation, that's hardly a criticism.

As I said, less and less convincing!

[Shaker]

Ah, repetition, always a handy substitute for an original thought.

[BashfulAnthony]

Ah, repetition, always a handy substitute for an original thought.

Nothing wrong with repetition;  not when it's the truth. 

[Shaker]

Ah, repetition, always a handy substitute for an original thought.

Nothing wrong with repetition

Apart from the boredom and lack of originality. Sure, nothing wrong apart from that.

[BashfulAnthony]

Ah, repetition, always a handy substitute for an original thought.

Nothing wrong with repetition

Apart from the boredom and lack of originality. Sure, nothing wrong apart from that.

Sorry, but for you, I guess the truth hurts

[Shaker]

Sorry, but for you, I guess the truth hurts

You'd know better than I; you've just had to be told the truth about how most people celebrate Christmas, which doesn't include or involve Christianity in any way.

[BashfulAnthony]

Sorry, but for you, I guess the truth hurts

You'd know better than I; you've just had to be told the truth about how most people celebrate Christmas, which doesn't include or involve Christianity in any way.

You miss my point, still!  It does not bother me in the least how they spend their sad festivals; as long as they are not hypocritical enough to pay lip service to Christian ways  -  as I suspect they all do.

[Shaker]

Suspect on what basis?

You clearly have no evidence of this otherwise you wouldn't have to suspect anything, you'd simply lay it before us. So suspect on what basis?

[BashfulAnthony]

Suspect on what basis?

You clearly have no evidence of this otherwise you wouldn't have to suspect anything, you'd simply lay it before us. So suspect on what basis?

Because they either admit to following religious aspects, or do not deny it - in case you haven't noticed.  But then, you are probably too busy visiting various religious forums.

[Shaker]

Suspect on what basis?

You clearly have no evidence of this otherwise you wouldn't have to suspect anything, you'd simply lay it before us. So suspect on what basis?

Because they either admit to following religious aspects, or do not deny it - in case you haven't noticed.  But then, you are probably too busy visiting various religious forums.

No, I haven't noticed atheists following religious aspects of Christmas. Which atheists and which religious aspects are they following? Specifically, I mean.

[SusanDoris]

This one is enough, at the present. I'm surprised you seem to spend time on them, as you must if you can make such assertions as you just have.  Another example of your strange obsession with religion, I suppose!

I'm interested in why people believe weird things.

Agreed. Also in however small a way hoping that browsers on the net might read and think about what non-believers say.

[Alan Burns]

How do you tell the difference between an angel who appears as an ordinary person and, well, an ordinary person who's not an angel, then?

The "angel" who rescued us in the Algarve may well have been a kind person just passing in his boat at the right time (but I have never come across a man in a rowing boat in the Algarve before or since).  The inspired words of the angel in the opening post could not have come from an ordinary mortal.  And the angel who rescued the young girl knew exactly what was needed, and somehow caused the military to disappear.

There are many such personal testimonies, as in the book mentioned by SweatPea, which seem to indicate that the angels posess qualities or inspired words beyond the scope of mere humans.

[Rhiannon]

I have a friend who is well known in NA circles as an 'angel teacher' - as it happens she's very popular with Catholics in Ireland. I think she's sincere, but it's utter nonsense - angels don't communicate through crystals or leave feathers as messages.

[Shaker]

How do you tell the difference between an angel who appears as an ordinary person and, well, an ordinary person who's not an angel, then?

The "angel" who rescued us in the Algarve may well have been a kind person just passing in his boat at the right time (but I have never come across a man in a rowing boat in the Algarve before or since).

And?

The inspired words of the angel in the opening post could not have come from an ordinary mortal.

Why not?

There are many such personal testimonies, as in the book mentioned by SweatPea, which seem to indicate that the angels posess qualities or inspired words beyond the scope of mere humans.

That gives every show of being the reappearance of our old enemy, personal incredulity again. Ironically combined with a high degree of credulity.

[BeRational]

Almost certainly not.

You said "Almost".  Could this be a chink of hope?   

Not really its just that I do not claim absolute certainty much like I also say its almost certainly not magic pixies or leprechauns or any other mythical thing.

[BashfulAnthony]

Suspect on what basis?

You clearly have no evidence of this otherwise you wouldn't have to suspect anything, you'd simply lay it before us. So suspect on what basis?

Because they either admit to following religious aspects, or do not deny it - in case you haven't noticed.  But then, you are probably too busy visiting various religious forums.

No, I haven't noticed atheists following religious aspects of Christmas. Which atheists and which religious aspects are they following? Specifically, I mean.

Never sent or received a Christmas card, or been to a carol service, or nativity, joined in with carols, or just enjoyed listening to them, given or received Christmas presents, said "Happy Christmas" to someone, etc, etc.  Any atheist who denies doing any, or all those things, is an arrant liar.

[Red Giant]

Suspect on what basis?

You clearly have no evidence of this otherwise you wouldn't have to suspect anything, you'd simply lay it before us. So suspect on what basis?

Because they either admit to following religious aspects, or do not deny it - in case you haven't noticed.  But then, you are probably too busy visiting various religious forums.

No, I haven't noticed atheists following religious aspects of Christmas. Which atheists and which religious aspects are they following? Specifically, I mean.

Never sent or received a Christmas card, or been to a carol service, or nativity, joined in with carols, or just enjoyed listening to them, given or received Christmas presents, said "Happy Christmas" to someone, etc, etc.  Any atheist who denies doing any, or all those things, is an arrant liar.

When the Church was in charge of Christmas it was thoroughly miserable.  Their idea of celebrating was to have a midnight mass in an unheated church in the middle of winter.

But I expect they sent a good few people to meet their Maker.