God Created Us "In His Image"?

[Bigdaddydvo]

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Obviously , you are saying this is not the case. How do you know? Can you prove it? If so, please do so for my benefit and Country.

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It should be easy to prove that the bread turns into flesh or the wine turns into blood. I've talked to Catholics about this, and ... never got a firm answer. But, if it does indeed turn into human flesh & blood, then just test it for DNA. If it's not there, then it's not flesh. If it is, then I will become a Catholic cannibal... not because I like eating flesh & blood, but because that would be sufficient evidence for me to believe in miracles, and thus, God.

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Catholics believe that, following the Consecration during Mass, bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ. The physical properties or "accidents" of bread and wine remain. The spiritual substance, absent prior to the Consecration, becomes God.

How this happens is a central Mystery of the Catholic Faith. I am not prepared to explain how it happens, except to tell you that I believe with my entire heart, mind, body and soul that it does.

[Bigdaddydvo]

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Far from nutty, the institution of the Holy Eucharist is the greatest gift Christ left the Church prior to His death and resurrection. It's an awesome thought, really, that every time us Catholics witness the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, we see God before our very eyes. Explainable, no.

Incredible, absolutely.


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The fact that a graduate of West Point, and thus presumably a high ranking US military officer, is capable of making himself believe this has me scared shitless.

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I think you have it backwards. I've had these beliefs since I was a small child. These beliefs often gave me the strength to endure four years at the Academy, as well as fighting the war in Iraq.

From first hand experience, spirituality in difficult situations (ranging from having my ass chewed as a freshman to having IEDs blow up in my face in Iraq) is a tremendous asset.

[kbfc]

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From first hand experience, spirituality in difficult situations (ranging from having my ass chewed as a freshman to having IEDs blow up in my face in Iraq) is a tremendous asset.

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From reading the most important text ever, I've learned that it is possible for one decision to have +EV, yet still be incorrect because another one has even greater +EV. Thank you, David Sklansky.

[jokerthief]

For clarification: this is a protestant view specifically within the Grace doctirne.

The point is that angels, animals, and plants are not capable of emitting a selfless love. Some theorize (but they could never know for sure) that this selfless love is a higher dimentional plane that in the afterlife the "physics" of which would be like one of our 4 dimentions that we now occupy.

[RJT]

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From first hand experience, spirituality in difficult situations (ranging from having my ass chewed as a freshman to having IEDs blow up in my face in Iraq) is a tremendous asset.

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From reading the most important text ever, I've learned that it is possible for one decision to have +EV, yet still be incorrect because another one has even greater +EV. Thank you, David Sklansky.

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For clarification, can you tell me what that "even greater +EV" is in your mind? I am not saying that choice is incorrect, just that I don't follow your thinking that it has greater +EV.

[kbfc]

I'm not saying anything specific. I'm just pointing out an apparent flaw in his reasoning.

One choice having a positive value can still be incorrect if there's another choice with a greater positive value. He seems to have ignored that possibility.

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Far from nutty, the institution of the Holy Eucharist is the greatest gift Christ left the Church prior to His death and resurrection. It's an awesome thought, really, that every time us Catholics witness the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, we see God before our very eyes. Explainable, no.

Incredible, absolutely.


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The fact that a graduate of West Point, and thus presumably a high ranking US military officer, is capable of making himself believe this has me scared shitless.

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I think you have it backwards. I've had these beliefs since I was a small child. These beliefs often gave me the strength to endure four years at the Academy, as well as fighting the war in Iraq.

From first hand experience, spirituality in difficult situations (ranging from having my ass chewed as a freshman to having IEDs blow up in my face in Iraq) is a tremendous asset.

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It's nutty to me. I'm sure it was perfectly logical when you came to these beliefs as a child. I'm not looking to prove you wrong, but you shouldn't be looking to make me think it isn't nutty, either. Fair enough? Believe what you want... I know where you are, and I'm sure your faith brings you much comfort. And, you believe it's true. No problem. I have no qualms with people believing whatever they want to believe, as long as they aren't forcing those beliefs on others or using their beliefs to hurt people.

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Just curious what that is supposed to mean. I doubt that even most religious people take that statement seriously. But for those who do (and that seems to include Not Ready), I'm curious what they think that means, especially considering his "infinite nature".

Is he three dimensional?

Is he higher than three dimensional but his three dimensional "shadow" is like us?

Does he use legs to stand on something? Is there gravity where he is?

Does he have a pancreas? Eyes?

I mean cmon. I could ask an endless number of questions like this that make the "in his image" comment seem ridiculous in light of other attributes he is supposed to have. So to those who believe that comment, what gives?

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It means god likes to take gigantic sloppy shits in the toilet bowl after eating too much enchilada at La Hacienda like I do. He also appreciates a nice set of boobs or just one fantastic boob adjacent to an oblong and somewhat smaller tit. He also loves baby corn from the can.

[vulturesrow]

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Far from nutty, the institution of the Holy Eucharist is the greatest gift Christ left the Church prior to His death and resurrection. It's an awesome thought, really, that every time us Catholics witness the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, we see God before our very eyes. Explainable, no.

Incredible, absolutely.


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The fact that a graduate of West Point, and thus presumably a high ranking US military officer, is capable of making himself believe this has me scared shitless.

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Well then be doubly scared, as I am a graduate of the Naval Academy. My journey to faith was a little different than Bigdaddy's but his post was pretty spot on as far as spirituality being a big plus in tough situations.

[NotReady]

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So to those who believe that comment, what gives?


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Image of God

(5) Broader and Narrower View. The dominant view of Reformed and Presbyterian churches is that the image of God may be spoken of in broader and narrower senses.13 The imago dei in the narrower sense, consisting of knowledge, righteousness and true holiness, was wholly lost at the fall, but the imago dei in the wider sense, which includes man’s "intellectual power, natural affections and moral freedom," was retained.14