There is something like too much devotion, to anything. I have learnt to not lose your health to a cause, a career or a person. Secondly, family is everything.
Ask HN: Did you learn any life changing lessons this year?
71–80 of 99 posts
Re: Ask HN: Did you learn any life changing lessons this year?
#72This year I learned that God is real. I'd been an atheist since 14 and have spent the majority of my life an atheist. I believed that there was insufficient evidence for the existence of God. In many ways I still believe that. I dont believe in a magic transdimensional entity most people believe in when they talk about God. However, much like you feel the spirit of celebration when your team scores a goal, or the spi…
> To be clear, I'm Christian now, as of August. I take the Bible seriously now. But to be extra clear, I believe it's all metaphor.
Isn't that an odd position to take when parts of the Bible insist that it is not metaphorical? (e.g. Paul's argument in 1 Corinthians 15 about why he believes in Jesus' bodily resurrection and his conclusion that "If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.") I can understand those who believe the Bible to be true (mixed in with some metaphor) and I can understand those who do not believe it to be true. It seems odd, though, to believe that it is entirely metaphorical and decide to take it seriously, given some of what it says.
In Romans 7, Paul makes the argument that he cannot set himself free from sin and he needs God. If you believe the Bible is entirely metaphorical but take it seriously, do you believe you are setting yourself free?
Re: Ask HN: Did you learn any life changing lessons this year?
#73Earlier quoted context omitted.
I do not make any claims about souls or afterlife. I explicitly stated that the Bible is metaphor. Almost nobody is a young earth creationist anymore, including myself. Almost nobody who isn't Muslim believes in killing non believers anymore, including myself. Empirical data man.
> “Almost nobody is a young creationist anymore... Almost nobody who isn’t Muslim believes in killing non believers anymore...” Wow, not sure where you live but come check out rural Texas. I’ve lost friends to Christian extremism here. These guys are stockpiling weapons and organizing. Also, I’m sure you caught the last presidential election? Even if they don’t directly believe those things, they support someone who…
Strange claim. From what I can tell Trump has likely never practiced and would probably be an "agnostic" if not for seeking the Republican nomination. He might be the first atheist president actually. It's hard to tell.
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trumps-religious-tal...
As someone who "stockpiles" weapons and ammunition and with a large number of religious friends who also do so, I can say religion plays no part. It's about readiness to defend the country against totalitarianism.
That being said, I'm truly interested in what you think the demon is here. And I'm also interested in the mechanism behind losing friends to Christian extremism. I don't doubt that it happened, but I have no reason to believe you were innocent in the exchange either.
Re: Ask HN: Did you learn any life changing lessons this year?
#74This year I learned that God is real. I'd been an atheist since 14 and have spent the majority of my life an atheist. I believed that there was insufficient evidence for the existence of God. In many ways I still believe that. I dont believe in a magic transdimensional entity most people believe in when they talk about God. However, much like you feel the spirit of celebration when your team scores a goal, or the spi…
> “God is, at least, a very real force that exists, in part, within us all in Western culture. We've inherited God. That's my conclusion anyway.“ That’s some strong Kool-aid you’re sipping on.
Please don't do religious flamewar on HN. If a comment is provocative in some way, please resist the provocation.
Re: Ask HN: Did you learn any life changing lessons this year?
#75This year I learned that God is real. I'd been an atheist since 14 and have spent the majority of my life an atheist. I believed that there was insufficient evidence for the existence of God. In many ways I still believe that. I dont believe in a magic transdimensional entity most people believe in when they talk about God. However, much like you feel the spirit of celebration when your team scores a goal, or the spi…
Have you read the novel Snow Crash? You should if you haven't.
Re: Ask HN: Did you learn any life changing lessons this year?
#76Immigrated to a new country and went back to school. Both academically and socially, learnt the same lesson - don't quit. Also learnt that there's a time and place for everything - if you miss that window of opportunity, it doesn't matter how hard you grind later on.
Re: Ask HN: Did you learn any life changing lessons this year?
#77This year was my first year in a paid job of any kind. I was 27, 28 now. That's relatively late in one's life to have one's first job, but I was a professional student — I kept studying post-grad until there was nothing left for me to do.
I really enjoyed working, and I don't know why I put it off for so long. That said, I miss academia, too. So, life goal, maybe get a job in a uni or college so I can dip my toes back into academic stuff when it's feasible to do so.
Probably idealistic, but I feel invigorated and ready to take on whatever challenges lie ahead to achieve my goals, something I was a bit scared to do before this year.
Re: Ask HN: Did you learn any life changing lessons this year?
#78It's all about the people.
As a very task-oriented person, this is a lesson I've known for years I ought to learn, but only really understood this year. Of course, executing a task well is important - but in the end, if you don't do it to help other people, what's the point?
I've been a leader and a teacher this year, two jobs whose technical aspects/tasks I very much enjoy. And yet I found the most fulfilling thing about them to be the input I get to have into other peoples' lives; the fact that I get to invest myself into others. Because it's all about the people.
Re: Ask HN: Did you learn any life changing lessons this year?
#79Earlier quoted context omitted.
> “Almost nobody is a young creationist anymore... Almost nobody who isn’t Muslim believes in killing non believers anymore...” Wow, not sure where you live but come check out rural Texas. I’ve lost friends to Christian extremism here. These guys are stockpiling weapons and organizing. Also, I’m sure you caught the last presidential election? Even if they don’t directly believe those things, they support someone who…
Strange claim. From what I can tell Trump has likely never practiced and would probably be an "agnostic" if not for seeking the Republican nomination. He might be the first atheist president actually. It's hard to tell. http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trumps-religious-tal... As someone who "stockpiles" weapons and ammunition and with a large number of religious friends who also do so, I can say religion plays…
The issue for me is that both Trump and his followers operate off of belief. In my opinion, belief is the most dangerous force in the universe. It leaves infinite room for manipulation. No amount of evidence can change the mind of someone that just believes and that’s truly terrifying. Sure, Trump may not actually believe everything he claims to but his followers absolutely do and that makes them easy to manipulate and control. When I say “I’ve lost friends to Christian extremism”, I mean that I’ve watched them slowly lose there cognitive abilities and become vantriliquist dolls spewing whatever they hear on Fox News without question. I prefer to talk to people that can have their minds changed based on new evidence. These friends used to be capable of this. This happened when they started identifying themselves as extreme right wing Christians. These used to be decent people but are now entirely consumed by a perceived attack on race and religion. Christianity in itself is not bad but what it enables is: Belief.
Re: Ask HN: Did you learn any life changing lessons this year?
#80This year I learned that God is real. I'd been an atheist since 14 and have spent the majority of my life an atheist. I believed that there was insufficient evidence for the existence of God. In many ways I still believe that. I dont believe in a magic transdimensional entity most people believe in when they talk about God. However, much like you feel the spirit of celebration when your team scores a goal, or the spi…
If you haven't seen it yet, this video might lend an interesting counterpoint to your "all metaphor" perspective, it has a discussion from Jonathan and Matthieu Pageau who claim "there are no metaphors in the Bible". It tends to fit better with a more traditional/orthodox Christian view.