No, it's been proven that we are turning more fat and stupid everyday. Seems like we do have nothing anymore...

We'll always have eachother ninpie. Nothing will ever come between us. 

I... I love you.

"Still doesn't answer my questions. @underlined Why does he want to meet you halfway? What is the point? "

It shows initiative. He appreciates when people personally approach him with their problems. It's just the way it is.

"@underlined You would argue that? Then the burden of proof is on you."

Well no, I can't 'argue' that. I'd say it's likely though. We have no way of knowing if it's true or not.

"That's a very liberal use of the word 'fact' you're using. Of course I don't believe them, that's why I challenged the statements you've made. The question here was "if he really does answer prayer, why does practically every study on prayer show that it doesn't work?" Your answer wasn't very convincing, based on the fact that it was based on the "God works in mysterious ways" argument, which is full of too many holes to be taken seriously. And the answer never explained why answered prayers that could not of happened by chance lack any evidence."

I believe this question was already answered in the following paragraph. Like with most things concerning religion, this cannot be proven nor disproven.

"@underlined Right, as do many Muslims know what caused their changes, as do Hindus know what caused their changes, as do Scientologists know what caused their changes... etc. Certainly didn't lead them to Christianity. The argument from personal experience holds no weight. "

As I said, I cannot prove nor disprove any of this. Of course my experience is a weak argument. I believe I've said that already. I told you that you could believe me if you found my words likely, though I know you won't.

"I used to be like you to, and as a result of keeping an open mind & heart I'm in the position I'm in now. Do I know the truth of the universe? Not with any certainty, not at all. But it's a hell of a lot clearer than what it used to be."

I applaud you willingness to keep an open-mind and I'm certain that you will find the truth through your own experience.

Alright Jay, I think we don't have many things left to pick apart and we won't really convince eachother either way. I think it mostly comes down to a difference of opinion and worldviews at this point in the discussion, I don't see much reason going on as we'll simply be sharing or comparing our worldviews, which is fine, but I think we already have a general understanding of what we each think and how it differs.

It was a good talk, I'm sure we'll have another like this, probably in another THE1 thread.

@the last sentence Right back at you ;)

Though I'm non-religious, I remember reading somewhere that church and praying is a form of meditation. It most likely aids in the reduction of stress, I guess.

Look at your father.

How many times you said that you loved him or showed him affection of some sort?
How many times did you asked for his help on something that you needed, whatever that was?
How many times have you praised what`s good in him?
How many times did you apologized for something wrong you did or for having hurt him?
How many times have you helped him by easing his pain when he was sad or mad?
Haven`t you ever said thank you, for all that he gave you, for taking care of you and for being a good person?

God is your father and what you both have is a relationship.
When people pray, they thank Him, they ask for His help, His guidance, His forgiveness not just for you but for others. Praying is also an act of trust and courage, a showing to yourself and to God that the love and faith you have in you... you want to live it and for it to grow. The same way when you love someone.

One keeps being fixated on the Calvinistic view of God, and harps on it, in order to get people to lose their faith in their religion.  This was laid out in a prior thread.

As a person who has an interested in actually practicing and living the life Jesus would be interested in, I do find what happens with Christianity in America annoying, really annoying.  People confuse being a fan of Jesus with being a Christian.  And I see churches pander to this, out of fear of not being able to pay the rent.  With the financial meltdown and lots of people suffering, its placating middle class individuals with marginal teaching that tweak and enrich lives, but don't call for a new foundation (and a means of doing it), really leave me perplexed.  I guess i get annoyed at it in the same way I see how conservatism has been dumbed down immensely by the likes of Fox News and Newscorps offerings.  And then there is a fusion who argue about a "War on Christmas" and miss more major issues.  And then I see hybrid individuals who will argue "Islam is evil" and then go off and say Jesus has nothing to say on economics  or whatever, but they are Christians.  Really?

So, in this, I guess the many will be surprised on Judgement Day would end up being very likely true.