Sign up to Singletrack Premier

Singletrack Mountain Bike Magazine

  • Home
  • News
  • MagArchive
  • Forums
  • Reviews
  • Trail Guide
  • Blogs
  • Shop
  • Subscribe
  • Advanced Search
  • Overview
  • Bike Forum
  • Chat Forum
  • For Sale
  • Wanted
  • Forum Help
  • Classified Rules

Chat Forum

[closed]

Has anyone been on the Alpha Course?

  • 751 posts & 110 voices | Started 2 years ago by steelfan | Latest reply from simonfbarnes

Tags:

  • Brainwashing idiots
  • christ on a bike
  • flying spaghetti monster
  • God knows your lonely soul
  • intolerance society day out
  • just two attention seeking buffoons left now
  • pray for MrWoppit's immortal soul
  • religion marketing
  • spiders thread is better
  • sweet zombie jesus
  • unicorns
Pages: « Previous123…22Next »
  1. rj - Member

    PS: Other useful questions...

    "Given that the description of the figure of Mary as a "virgin" is the result of a mistranslation of the Hebrew word "Young Woman", how much else of the text is as unreliable?"
    Doesn't prove that she wasn't a virgin, or that any of the rest of the text is false

    "How did the "Devil" show "Jesus" all the kingdoms of the earth from a "High place" on a spherical planet?"
    You assume that an omniscient being sees the world the same way that you do. It's entirely possible that 'a high place' refers to a state of higher understanding rather than geography.

    "What is the process whereby a ghost can impregnate a virgin and give birth to itself?"
    It flows up her chuff, waits 9 months then pops back out again

    "Why is there no mention of any of the New Testament stories in any text of the time from any part of the Roman Empire or Jewish Nation, but only in writings from at least 70 years after the supposed events took place?"
    It suited the prevailing powers at the time to suppress the evidence. That would never happen now, would it?

    "Why do the four books of the New Testament contradict each other about the same events?"
    Ask four different people about the same thing and you'll get 4 different stories. It would be much more suspicious if they all agreed perfectly.

    And so on...

    Incidentally, I'm an atheist. I'm just a stickler for a well constructed argument.

    Posted 2 years ago #
  2. cinnamon_girl - Member

    steelfan - I have nothing to add from a religious perspective. However I can empathise with 'difficult times' as over the last 18 months I have ticked most of the boxes in 'life's most stressful events'.

    Firstly you need to have some self-belief that you can get through whatever your difficulty is, that will be followed by an even stronger self-belief that you will come through the other side. You can become a different person.

    Accept that mistakes will be made along the way, admit to them, apologise to people.

    Riding my bike has kept me sane but it's OK to have the odd bad moment. The one thing that has surprised me is how kind folk can be and I'm pretty much an old cynic.

    I do hope you work things out and wish you well.

    Posted 2 years ago #
  3. BillyBull - Member

    As someone who was involved in evangelism when younger I can say I don't believe in it any more. It's a crutch. They would not do the alpha if they didn't think it would bring people to their god. Even Jonathan Edwards doesn't believe now does he? And to think sbout the fuss he made about Sundays!

    Posted 2 years ago #
  4. Aristotle - Member

    I was brought up in a family of regular church-goers, have relatives in the clergy and attended church until the age of 16. Despite this up-bringing I have a questioning mind and do not believe in the teachings of any of the world's organised religions.

    Of course, it's impossible to say that there isn't a god, but there's certainly no evidence that there is and, for that matter, why should there be?

    Unless it's just a means by which to control people, I struggle to understand how 'blind faith' can be considered such a virtue.

    Just because something is not immediately understood shouldn't instantly lead to a belief in it being brought about by an omnipotent, omnipresent 'higher being'.

    Those who compare atheists with evangelical preachers miss the point entirely. Given evidence, the atheists would be prepared to the existence of a god. Evangelical preachers believe in the existence of a god (and all of the associated man-made dogma and tradition) despite any evidence.

    I saw a poster the other day.
    Does God Exist?
    Yes
    No
    Probably

    Now is it just me or is the choice of answers offered to that question slightly loaded?

    Posted 2 years ago #
  5. teagirl - Member

    I feel sure steelfan is a genuine guy in need of good friends to help him through his period of emotional difficulty but, I know I'm being cynical, I hope this is not an ad for the Alpha? The ST reader profile fits Alpha target audience.

    Religion and politics.......

    Posted 2 years ago #
  6. miketually - Member

    And I'd always ask the question of the church who use hell as the threat to make people do what they want, who's the person more deserving of going to heaven - the christian who leads a christian life in order to get to heaven or the atheist who behaves in a "Christian" manner because they think it's the right thing to do?

    If it helps, many Christians ask the same question.

    There's a lot of bollocks spouted about religion on here, often by people who seem rather too keen on Dawkins.

    Posted 2 years ago #
  7. clubber - Member

    If it was an ad (which I'm pretty sure it's not) then it's not working very well

    Posted 2 years ago #
  8. clubber - Member

    Mike - if that's true and based on my opinion that the answer is self evident, presumably they stop practising organised religion?

    (haven't read Dawkins btw )

    Posted 2 years ago #
  9. Aristotle - Member

    miketually - Member
    If it helps, many Christians ask the same question.

    It doesn't help, but it's interesting to know that christians are just as puzzled by what they are doing as I am about them doing it

    Posted 2 years ago #
  10. Mr Woppit - Member

    1: Already married. Described as a young woman. A child was born. "Virgin" not mentioned until the mistranslation. To accept the possibility you suggest, you would have to believe the self-evidently impossible, ie: have "faith".

    2: I don't assume the presence of an omniscient being at all. Higher knowledge than that possessed at the time would be that the earth is spherical, however - they thought the earth was flat, yet it would still have been impossible to see Rome - and they knew it existed. Unless the whole thing was a drug-induced hallucination, which hardly gives it any more credence than the rambling of some addled self-deluder. Also, if the only presences were "the Devil" and the alleged Jesus, who was there to report it?

    3: There is no record in all of the Roman texts for instance, to suggest that the entire Jewish nation was ordered to remove itself to individual places of birth for the purposes of taxation,a huge event that would not be unrecorded - and a ludicrous idea in the first place. Also, there are extant records of other uprisings and disturbances. None of the alleged Nazarene and his followers, however. Hardly an efficient censorship if you are trying to misrepresent the feelings of the time.

    4: Oh, of course. Silly me.

    5: The reason is that the authors lived in a completely different eras than the one which they are reporting, from stories handed down by word of mouth over 70 years in one case. More in the others. Word of mouth is the most innaccurate method of communication, subject to change over time like no other. They might as well have been describing something that began as a story-make-up game one evening in the local garrison by bored roman soldiers living in a land of what they regarded as a bunch of nutcases anyway, what with the popularity of various mendicants and "prophets" all over the place... Seventy years later, it's morphed into a series of real events.

    Posted 2 years ago #
  11. samuri - Member

    We had some friends who out of the blue suddenly tried to convince us to attend Alpha sessions. They showed us a video of 'new' recruits being introduced to the doctrines. Now my experience of the modern christian church was previously one of reasonably subtlety, no more fire and brimstone from the pulpit (a bad thing IMO - after all, what is organised religion if it's not putting the willies up people? ).

    But this video was the most hamfisted attempt at brainwashing I'd seen in my life. Not one of the people in it was a 'newbie' be any stretch of the imagination, you could have combed your hair in the reflection in their cheeks. Their questions and answers were so obviously scripted I was embarrased for them and the dirty great white line of indocrination was so bright it almost blinded me.

    You could almost see them driving out of the car park not indicating before the video had even finished.

    I don't know if their methods have changed at all but as above, if you want to believe in a higher deity go for it but steer clear of organised religion. If there is a god I'm fairly certain all he asks for is faith. You can do that without bothering anyone else. Which begs the question, why do these people bother anyone else?

    Posted 2 years ago #
  12. Mr Woppit - Member

    But, having said all that, I am perfectly happy to accept that there is a god. All anyone has to do is present verifiable, convincing evidence. Then all us atheists can sit downand have a nice, scientific chat with god and work out a theory on how he fits into the known quantum universe and then we can move on. Despite the fact that, when examined, all the evidence points to a universe that doesn't have a god in it.

    Posted 2 years ago #
  13. clubber - Member

    @samuri - The usual reasons. Power/money.

    @woppit - I'd actually argue that from a scientific viewpoint, there's no evidence either way...

    Posted 2 years ago #
  14. Singlespeedpunk - Member

    "Good people will do good, evil people will do evil. But to get good people to do evil it takes religion"

    Hmmm...not heard great things about it. Dressed up brianwashing by do-gooders. Think for you self, the universe could not give a flying **** about you. Get over it.

    This

    and this

    are worth watching

    SSP

    Posted 2 years ago #
  15. Verbal-Kint - Member

    Just been to see the guy do his God Collar show SSP. a couple of hours of great entertainment

    Posted 2 years ago #
  16. Mr Woppit - Member

    The universe acts the way it does by a series of indentifiable and observable relationships between events, each one of which events are caused by a previous event and leads on to the next. On all levels in predictable sequences. Events which do not fit the current picture are available for hypothesising ("dark matter" for instance), investigation and testing, followed by establishing a theory. All theory is able to be disproved so that the knowledge base improves over time. Everything changes in recognisable cause and effect patterns. There is no evidence of "miraculous" (ie: unexplainable), intervention on any level, macro or microcosmoligically, biologically or otherwise. Evolution, for instance, is a crane, not a skyhook.

    It is true that the last place often claimed by the religious where god hides, "before" the big bang, is unexplained by science. That does not mean that "god did it". It simply means that science has not yet progressed to the point where this can be explained. ie: "We don't know". To that I would add - yet.

    Posted 2 years ago #
  17. Singlespeedpunk - Member

    Marcus Brigstock is playing Cheltenham soon...might book tickets!

    Mr Woppit: Science evolves with increases in understanding - religion is stagnent and fixed.

    I know which I prefer.

    SSP

    Posted 2 years ago #
  18. fennesz - Member

    Just make sure you speak in tongues. You'll be having a private dialogue with God. Or you'll just be making up & repeating sounds. One of the two.

    Posted 2 years ago #
  19. FoxyChick - Member

    Holy shit.

    Posted 2 years ago #
  20. sootyandjim - Member

    The Alpha Course is just Christians trying to fight back against Scientology etc working 'their' turf. Its all a crock of sh!t whichever way you spread it.

    Posted 2 years ago #
  21. higgo - Member

    The reason I asked the original question is that I'm going through a bit of a difficult time at the moment and I wanted to see if the Alpha course had made any real difference to peoples lives.

    Imaginary friends can't help you.

    The Alpha course is bottom feeding, bumping up the numbers in a struggling church with the weak, the needy and the impressionable.

    Posted 2 years ago #
  22. DaveGr - Member

    I went to see Cannon & Ball on their evangelical tour. I even enjoyed it!!! There, it's out in the open and I'm not ashamed.

    Posted 2 years ago #
  23. ernie_lynch - Member

    When I had a peak at this thread earlier, I thought I would make a comment later. But looking at the way it has gone, I don't think I'll bother now.........all really rather predictable.

    Posted 2 years ago #
  24. Capt. Kronos - Member

    If there is a God the fecker certainly doesn't believe in me, so why should I bother with him/her/it?

    Given the last year or two I don't believe in much anymore.

    Posted 2 years ago #
  25. BillyBull - Member

    You mean not the same views as yourself?

    Posted 2 years ago #
  26. bullheart - Member

    I have faith. Faith in human nature, that folks will choice the right moral thing to do, and I think sometimes its easier to lump faith and religion together than go through the process of compartmentalising them.

    I was brought up a Catholic, but struggled with the discrepancies between the Old Testament and New Testament. It felt as though the church was losing its grip on the people with the 'fire and brimstone', and therefore started to offer [i]Diet Religion in the form of an all-loving God to keep people interested.

    I had some close friends a few years ago that were evangelical christians, and we got on really well. When my ex and I split up, I encouraged her to talk to them because they'd been so supportive, but they proceeded to tell her that our demise was through God's anger/disappointment that we'd been 'living in sin'. That was clarification to me...

    However, who am I to critique the methods folk use to find comfort and solace? If someone who has encountered loss or pain benefits from organised religion, then who am I to argue? Once we're gone, we're gone - it doesn't matter what are views are before.

    Foxy Chicks response made me laugh out load though!

    Posted 2 years ago #
  27. tegski - Member

    Make your own mind up.
    Go along - ask questions and see what you find out.
    I happen to believe in God. I guess I can't believe all of this world happened by chance - too much faith required for that.
    My experience with the Alpha course was that it was an open friendly place with all questions accepted and treated seriously - have a go.

    Posted 2 years ago #
  28. Junkyard - Member

    I happen to believe in God. I guess I can't believe all of this world happened by chance - too much faith required for that

    WTF is your defintion of faith? Please give me the biblical version or shall i do it for you ?
    Your doctrine requires faith because it is utter b0llocks.
    As many have said all the science beleivers [as you like to call us] are more than happy to be proved wrong on religion, psychic powers, phrenology, homeopathy you just need to simply produce some evidence and we will shut the f*ck up, admit we were wrong and change our mind.

    Posted 2 years ago #
  29. TandemJeremy - Member

    steelfan - Member

    Have I opened a can of worms? The reason I asked the original question is that I'm going through a bit of a difficult time at the moment and I wanted to see if the Alpha course had made any real difference to peoples lives. Not necessarily becoming a devout Christian but has it made them view their lives in a different light. To be honest I dont know what believe in at the moment. I'm willing to explore all avenues during this difficult time.

    If you are having a difficult time I would suggest non religious counselling. Using religion as a crutch is pretty dangerous IMO

    Posted 2 years ago #
  30. erbii - Member

    @joolsburger I don't think you need to ridicule faith. It can be an essentially good & powerful emotion. The religious propaganda that is attributed to it though can be nonsense..

    Posted 2 years ago #
  31. LoulaBella - Member

    Well, Im an out and out born again Christian, as a result of Alpha a few years back. I studied Philosophy at Uni and was a total atheist, had a total spiritual experience and became a Christian. Since than I've spent 3 years with the British Forces in Germany as lay Christian Preacher/Minister, which was rather daunting at 23! I loved the whole experience and respect the fact that everyone has there own beliefs.
    Im now back in the U.K and taking a break, I work as a cycle guide and preach about how great cycling is! Its a hugely emotional lifestyle living as Christian and very moving to try and live as Christlike as possible, its not for everyone, but I love it!
    Alphas a good thing but like I said not everyones cup of tea!

    Posted 2 years ago #
  32. sv - Member

    Good to see a big response about God, discussion always good to have.

    Posted 2 years ago #
  33. tegski - Member

    Junkyard - since you ask:
    Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Hebrews ch11 v1
    As I see it, you put your faith in something - either Science or God. You choose.
    It is a personal decision.
    That is why my suggestion was to go along and ask questions - if the people running the Alpha course do not have answers, they will say so... but will try to get an answer for you by the next time.
    I can only answer from my personal experience - when I am riding (or in the mtns skiing) I look at the view and marvel at God's creation. My feelings.

    Posted 2 years ago #
  34. erbii - Member

    mmm pg tips.. i have faith in that, always total confidence! that's my cup of tea

    Posted 2 years ago #
  35. buzz-lightyear - Member

    I really like the forum, but the God-bashing that goes on here is surprisingly ignorant.

    I strongly suspect the atheist fundamentalist gob-sh1tes on here haven't actually attended an alpha-course. But that does not stop them preaching their ignorance does it?

    Adults with imaginary friends are stupid

    Ha! I must cheated my way through my science and engineering degrees then.

    Posted 2 years ago #

RSS feed for this topic

Pages: « Previous123…22Next »

Topic Closed

This topic has been closed to new replies.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Don't miss…

  • News
  • Reviews
  • Blogs
  • It's the weekend
  • SRAM XX1
  • Fresh Goods Friday 168
  • Shimano Singletrack Classic Weekender Rider Profile: Singular Sam
  • Stolen: Continental Team Orange Alpine 160
  • Midweek Mini Movies 100!
  • Maxxis High Roller 2
  • Nukeproof/DT Swiss 29in custom wheel build
  • Cannondale Jekyll 3
  • Bionicon C-Guide V2
  • Review: Charge Bikes Sponge Grips
  • Review: Whyte 146 S
  • Diary of a Megavalanche Virgin Part 3: Win some, lose some...
  • County Contrast
  • Diary of a Megavalanche Virgin Part 2: Skills Time
  • Green's Gravity Enduro: An introduction
  • Diary of a Megavalanche Virgin Part 1: A hill in Wales
  • New Year - New Bike!

Advertisement

Advertisement

road.cc cycling website

Advertisement

Singletrack Magazine
  • Log In

Skip to top


Forgotten your password?

Not got an account?

Register now!

  • Singletrack

  • Magazine Stockists
  • Publication Dates
  • Premier Club
  • Contact Us
  • it’s not easy being green
  • Website & Forums

  • Forum Overview
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Classified Rules
  • Forum Help
  • Website Help
  • Exits

  • road.cc
  • ST on Twitter
  • ST on Facebook
  • ST on Vimeo
  • News Feeds
Issue 73