Are some rescues just not worth it?

[tniuqs]

OMG I have just realized ..... I AM A LESBIAN !

Thanks AK

[Happiness]

OMG I have just realized ..... I AM A LESBIAN !

Thanks AK

You wish you were a lesbian

[Richard B the EMT]

Just because someone is of any particular religion, or of no religion of any kind, does not make them smarter, dumber,stronger, weaker, kinder, or meaner, than anyone else of that group. I feel the same thing goes for males and females, too.

Then, some take parts of their existing religion, and change it to a "new and improved" religion, claiming a different interpretation of what had been taught of and from that religion, and claiming that any not practicing their new "brand" should be put to death, even those practicing the more traditional version of that religion. Can you say "Taliban"?

At the same time, a recently founded (as within roughly the last 60 years) religion was formed around the writings of a now deceased Science Fiction writer, by the name of L. Ron Hubbard. Due to my complete lack of knowledge on Dianetics, that is all I will say about them.

Due to the actions of a few, nobody should condemn an entire group.

[Aussieaid]

AK, you're such a stirrer!!! Don't you have enough chaos in your life?

Not going to be drawn into a long debate as my time is in short supply right now......but......

Here's a thought: Everything in the universe has it's opposite, hot/cold, winter/summer, girl/boy, etc.

The opposite of God is Satan- so we don't praise Satan for all the good things that happen so why would we blame God for all the bad things that happen?

Carry on....Inshallah!

P.s. You can thank God for me!

[akflightmedic]

Ummm, because god made satan?? Satan exists because god deemed it so since he is the sole creator according to some.

Unless you are implying that god has no control over satan, which would imply satan is some sort of god as well, equally powerful since god has been locked in this eternal battle of good versus evil and he has not destroyed satan (his creation) which further indicates maybe god is NOT all powerful or all knowing, which makes him less of a god. And now since we have two equally strong gods forever locked in this epic cosmic battle....

Wow, I feel like such a science fiction writer when entertaining these ideas...LOL

[Eydawn]

Penn Jilette... what a character. And ferociously intelligent. High up there on my list of "if I could sit in a bar and shoot the shit" folks... I don't care if he's got a doctorate (since I can't figure out what's capitalized in phd) in anything, he's wicked freakin' smart and voices things very well.

On the original topic: Yes, there are rescues that are too dangerous. Me, me, me, my team, those assisting my team, the subject. You must use good judgment, and you will catch flak from the media for situations they don't understand (wow, that NEVER happens with anything EMS related, right?)

Now, to the nice diversion that AK set up for us... (thanks bro!)

I am comfortable in my faith. I am also comfortable with others' non-faith, differing faith, agnosticism and so forth. It is my profound belief that God (or the higher power, or whatever you choose to recognize perceptually) speaks to each individual as they need to be spoken to. Some are meant to question, in my opinion. I worry for those who have never questioned their faith... who have never asked themselves the hard questions and examined what they really believe in. Do I really, really believe in God? Can I believe in God? Do I ascribe to any particular religion? Those are IMPORTANT questions. Those who never ask, who are raised in a religious manner, often shatter when something catastrophic happens to them... and they lose their faith. To me, that seems more traumatic than someone who has analytically approached their beliefs and decided that they do not believe.

Do I, as a Christian, believe that those who question and wrangle with philosophical ideas and vehemently deny the existence of God at some point (or even until they die) will automatically be excluded from "heaven"? Negatory. Do I feel a need to "prove" the existence of God in order to justify my faith? Absolutely not. Do some people need to see that "hard evidence" to lend credence? Absolutely, and I don't think you will be faulted for that. God created the human mind, in all its complexity, with so much that we still don't understand... and God's perception of us, if you accept the omnipotence theory, must be vastly different than our "self-perception"... so much so that it is truly arrogant to assume ANYTHING about what, or who, God will deem worthy.

I have had many experiences that have strengthened my perception of a higher power in this universe. The simple fact that so many millions of minute evolutionary chances had to occur for our existence is one logical thing that corroborates my understanding... (for others, it appears a definite proof AGAINST...) There are other experiences, for which you must know me better for me to share. There are things that I cannot explain, and there are experiences that I have had that demonstrate to me that I am here for a reason... in my understanding of that reason, God exists fundamentally. Ask me to prove it? I can't. I can't show you the inside of my heart and head... the subconscious and spiritual and conscious connections that allow me to hold the things sacred that I do... you just need to take my word for it that this is what works FOR ME. As I said before, that might not work for you. And that doesn't make you a bad person! It just makes you... NOT ME.

Those who truly believe in God know that He works best when we get out of the way and quit trying to micromanage everything. Live your life well, carry love and kindness to others, and do not judge... and you'll be surprised at the experiences you have... walk around intentionally "showing how to proselytize" and you will turn people away from you and maybe from their own comfort in exploring theological ideas.

And that's all I've got for now, since I should be studying for my fluid/electrolyte/acid-base exam at 8am. ;-)

Wendy

CO EMT-B

[Richard B the EMT]

Wendy: From what I remember, all these years later following Bible Studies, God gave us all Free Will, meaning we can follow God's teachings, or not, as taught us by followers of Moses, Jesus, Mohammed, and for lack of proper terms or names, the "Spokesmen and Women" of other religions.

No offence intended, I just lack that knowledge of names and reference terms.

[Just Plain Ruff]

Ummm, because god made satan?? Satan exists because god deemed it so since he is the sole creator according to some.

Unless you are implying that god has no control over satan, which would imply satan is some sort of god as well, equally powerful since god has been locked in this eternal battle of good versus evil and he has not destroyed satan (his creation) which further indicates maybe god is NOT all powerful or all knowing, which makes him less of a god. And now since we have two equally strong gods forever locked in this epic cosmic battle....

Wow, I feel like such a science fiction writer when entertaining these ideas...LOL

That's true AK, God did create Satan. I believe that Satan was one of God's chosen angels who wanted to do things his way and he was cast out and so goes the rest of the story. So yes, according to what I know and have read in the bible that God did create satan. He's the creator so God created him.

[akflightmedic]

So if god created satan and god is omnipotent, omniscient, etc...then he knew satan would do his thing as it was he himself who planned it. It certainly should not have been a surprise unless he is not as all powerful as he claims...and I think we all know a little someone in our lives who is the best, the smartest, the whatever...all you have to do is ask them and they will tell you.

Anyways, so god decided to create evil to test all the people he loved so much. He likes testing them to determine their worthiness, to determine if they praise him enough, boost the old ego per se.

He even went so far as to rape a virgin teen to give birth to himself so he could kill himself so he could make himself alive again all to atone for the sins which he created in the first place. Pretty sadistic... (yes it is rape as he did not ask this 14 year old if she wanted to birth a baby).

So why just cast away the evil, why not do away with it? Because we need him to torment, to threaten and to test everyone (if you subscribe to the christian thought).

There are no boogeymen in my child's closet or under their bed and their is no boogeyman in a fictional place called hell waiting to roast my ass for all eternity. BUT for the sake of the argument, I will choose hell because that is where a lot of great thinkers of our human history are going in theory and I have not been overly impressed by those with a pre-stamped gate pass to the pearly gates. Nor has there been an interesting enough description of "heaven" to really maintain my interest for eternity.

[Just Plain Ruff]

Well see there we go again, there is no way I can convince you that your reality is wrong and there is no way for you to convince me that my reality is wrong.

We are at what we call an impasse.

For your sake, I hope you are wrong. I'd hate to see AK roasting like a marshmallow in hell but remember, I've never once pushed my christian views upon you and I won't begin to start today. That's not what I want to do. I'd love to see you on my side of the argument but that won't happen so all I can do is hope you are wrong.

Let me ask you this one question. You are all for removing all forms of religion from all segments of public life, I get that. But doesn't that make you as bad as organized religion? OR doesn't it make your arguments of a completely secular society as stifling as the religious argument that we need God in our lives? If you say that I as a Christian cannot openly show my faith nor can I do it in public then doesn't that make you as unbending as you accuse christians of being. To me those who promote a secular society and want to push religion out of society are as narrow minded as those who push religion upon those who do not want it pushed upon them.

I'm sure you have some sort of reasoning why Christianity should be relegated to the church buildings and the home. So care to share why by pushing a secular society on those who don't want it pushed makes it right in your eyes.