Comments on: The Conversation: In the Beginning http://www.sammahlstadt.com/2009/10/21/the-conversation-in-the-beginning/ faith : creativity Mon, 20 Dec 2010 17:17:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Nicole http://www.sammahlstadt.com/2009/10/21/the-conversation-in-the-beginning/comment-page-1/#comment-159 Nicole Thu, 07 Jan 2010 22:10:12 +0000 http://sammahlstadt.wordpress.com/?p=547#comment-159 It is interesting to me that everyone is here to have a real conversation. If we are all telling the truth and just want to learn why others feel/believe the way they do,why are we ripping into one another? I believe that this is the root of why so many 'christians' walk away from christianity. People say that they just want to hear why someone believes they way they do, but in reality they really want to pursuade... To me being a christian is being Christ like...Christ didn't treat people who believed different than him the way we treat people who believe differetly than us. Needless to say, maybe, I am a believer in God and Jesus Christ. I do not pretend that I know it all, and I am far from my little bro.(Sam) in the intelect department. But, what I do know is that I believe in God, and I believe that He loves me. Even though I can not see Him, I can see the effects of Him in my personal life. Sam...I love you and I admire you so much! It is interesting to me that everyone is here to have a real conversation. If we are all telling the truth and just want to learn why others feel/believe the way they do,why are we ripping into one another? I believe that this is the root of why so many ‘christians’ walk away from christianity. People say that they just want to hear why someone believes they way they do, but in reality they really want to pursuade… To me being a christian is being Christ like…Christ didn’t treat people who believed different than him the way we treat people who believe differetly than us. Needless to say, maybe, I am a believer in God and Jesus Christ. I do not pretend that I know it all, and I am far from my little bro.(Sam) in the intelect department. But, what I do know is that I believe in God, and I believe that He loves me. Even though I can not see Him, I can see the effects of Him in my personal life. Sam…I love you and I admire you so much!

]]> By: smahlstadt http://www.sammahlstadt.com/2009/10/21/the-conversation-in-the-beginning/comment-page-1/#comment-158 smahlstadt Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:04:31 +0000 http://sammahlstadt.wordpress.com/?p=547#comment-158 Derian, thanks for joining in. I think the difference is here "there are certain things that simply can't be explained" and as has been mentioned before "eventually science will have an explanation." To me, this represents both as a belief system, Christians believing in a Creator God, and atheists believing in the explanation of science - at the end of the day, we are believing in the hope that someday, our questions will be answered. By what is what separates those beliefs. Anyone care to jump back in? Derian, thanks for joining in. I think the difference is here “there are certain things that simply can’t be explained” and as has been mentioned before “eventually science will have an explanation.”
To me, this represents both as a belief system, Christians believing in a Creator God, and atheists believing in the explanation of science – at the end of the day, we are believing in the hope that someday, our questions will be answered. By what is what separates those beliefs.
Anyone care to jump back in?

]]> By: Derian http://www.sammahlstadt.com/2009/10/21/the-conversation-in-the-beginning/comment-page-1/#comment-157 Derian Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:35:33 +0000 http://sammahlstadt.wordpress.com/?p=547#comment-157 Sam, I am surprised at how your every word has been taken and broken down. I don't know of anyone who could carry on a conversation with every word being taken so literal. I simply don't understand how a person can look at all the little details about life and come to the conclusion that everthing around us has happened by chance. One day there was nothing and then there was this really Big Bang and life happened. And to be at a place in time, thousands of years from the existence of the first human being, we still haven't become smart enough or haven't developed the technology yet to explain where love comes from? Here are some more questions for the conversation: where does the sense of right and wrong come from? Why do we need purpose? Why do we need hope? Why do we have desires? Why do we desire love? I'm not sure how a person could come to reason, ''I'm here to simply walk out a scientific formula placed together to equate the meaning of life, and that meaning is that there is no meaning at all. I'm. really just here fulfilling my place in the chain of evolution.'' There are many things that science can prove, but at the same time science does not have an answer for everything, and this is because there are certain things that simply can't be explained. In other words, they are beyond science. This holds true especially in the area of love. The only other thing I'd like to make mention of us that thus far, this conversation has been extremely focused on the Old Testament with brief mentions of Jesus. When we look at the Bible as a whole and in context, we see an entirely different picture of who God is. I think its important to see God in his entirety and in context. There's my two cents... Sam, I am surprised at how your every word has been taken and broken down. I don’t know of anyone who could carry on a conversation with every word being taken so literal. I simply don’t understand how a person can look at all the little details about life and come to the conclusion that everthing around us has happened by chance. One day there was nothing and then there was this really Big Bang and life happened. And to be at a place in time, thousands of years from the existence of the first human being, we still haven’t become smart enough or haven’t developed the technology yet to explain where love comes from? Here are some more questions for the conversation: where does the sense of right and wrong come from? Why do we need purpose? Why do we need hope? Why do we have desires? Why do we desire love? I’m not sure how a person could come to reason, ”I’m here to simply walk out a scientific formula placed together to equate the meaning of life, and that meaning is that there is no meaning at all. I’m. really just here fulfilling my place in the chain of evolution.” There are many things that science can prove, but at the same time science does not have an answer for everything, and this is because there are certain things that simply can’t be explained. In other words, they are beyond science. This holds true especially in the area of love. The only other thing I’d like to make mention of us that thus far, this conversation has been extremely focused on the Old Testament with brief mentions of Jesus. When we look at the Bible as a whole and in context, we see an entirely different picture of who God is. I think its important to see God in his entirety and in context. There’s my two cents…

]]> By: smahlstadt http://www.sammahlstadt.com/2009/10/21/the-conversation-in-the-beginning/comment-page-1/#comment-156 smahlstadt Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:58:53 +0000 http://sammahlstadt.wordpress.com/?p=547#comment-156 People hurt other people. That is a given. When you chose to love someone, you are risking part of yourself. They can chose to return your love or discard you. It is a choice with great risk associated. To me, Jesus embodies this love, he gave his life for us to be reconciled to God, and we can return that love or discard him. It was a choice with great risk associated. Love is action. People hurt other people. That is a given. When you chose to love someone, you are risking part of yourself. They can chose to return your love or discard you. It is a choice with great risk associated.
To me, Jesus embodies this love, he gave his life for us to be reconciled to God, and we can return that love or discard him. It was a choice with great risk associated. Love is action.

]]> By: jesseryan1215 http://www.sammahlstadt.com/2009/10/21/the-conversation-in-the-beginning/comment-page-1/#comment-155 jesseryan1215 Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:11:58 +0000 http://sammahlstadt.wordpress.com/?p=547#comment-155 But why? What leads you to this conclusion? To me, the things I know (know as much as is possible) because they have natural causes and natural reactions. So I'm not sure what would lead someone to think that love is anything but an offshoot of that. What makes love special? Or do you also believe we were created to hate, or suffer? But why? What leads you to this conclusion? To me, the things I know (know as much as is possible) because they have natural causes and natural reactions. So I’m not sure what would lead someone to think that love is anything but an offshoot of that.
What makes love special? Or do you also believe we were created to hate, or suffer?

]]> By: smahlstadt http://www.sammahlstadt.com/2009/10/21/the-conversation-in-the-beginning/comment-page-1/#comment-154 smahlstadt Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:20:12 +0000 http://sammahlstadt.wordpress.com/?p=547#comment-154 We can see and analyze the reaction to love (butterflies, rage, etc) but it doesn't answer the larger question at play that I have been trying to get at; where does love come from? I believe love can be emotional, but is not an emotion. As I mentioned previously, love is as much an action as running or writing. I believe love is innate, and we are created to need and give love. We can see and analyze the reaction to love (butterflies, rage, etc) but it doesn’t answer the larger question at play that I have been trying to get at; where does love come from?
I believe love can be emotional, but is not an emotion. As I mentioned previously, love is as much an action as running or writing.
I believe love is innate, and we are created to need and give love.

]]> By: JesseRyan1215 http://www.sammahlstadt.com/2009/10/21/the-conversation-in-the-beginning/comment-page-1/#comment-153 JesseRyan1215 Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:23:58 +0000 http://sammahlstadt.wordpress.com/?p=547#comment-153 Sam, I understand what you're saying because love is an extraordinary thing, and it seems strange to even try to explian it. But even though it seems strange doesn't make it impossible. You are talking about love, which is a feeling, and one person's feeling of love can be completely different then another person's feeling. You talk about the different things you associate with love, but have you not ever felt one of those symptoms before when not feeling love. I know I've had the butterflys in my stomach before giving a speech in class. They are different, I'm aware because what you are associating with that feeling isn't love, its nervousness, and love comes in tandem with other feelings. What I find difficult to reconcile with your belief of the unexplanablility of love is that the feelings you get from love are physical reactions for the most part, reactions we can associate with other activities other than love. Is love in the same category as nerves, or apprehension, or suprise, or fear? If not what seperates them? Love being a process of evolution is anything BUT shortsighted. If that is the answer, to me, that's so much more amazing than magic. I'm sorry maybe you've answered this already and I forgotten, but what do you think love is? Sam,
I understand what you’re saying because love is an extraordinary thing, and it seems strange to even try to explian it.
But even though it seems strange doesn’t make it impossible. You are talking about love, which is a feeling, and one person’s feeling of love can be completely different then another person’s feeling. You talk about the different things you associate with love, but have you not ever felt one of those symptoms before when not feeling love. I know I’ve had the butterflys in my stomach before giving a speech in class. They are different, I’m aware because what you are associating with that feeling isn’t love, its nervousness, and love comes in tandem with other feelings.
What I find difficult to reconcile with your belief of the unexplanablility of love is that the feelings you get from love are physical reactions for the most part, reactions we can associate with other activities other than love. Is love in the same category as nerves, or apprehension, or suprise, or fear? If not what seperates them? Love being a process of evolution is anything BUT shortsighted. If that is the answer, to me, that’s so much more amazing than magic.

I’m sorry maybe you’ve answered this already and I forgotten, but what do you think love is?

]]> By: Sam Mahlstadt http://www.sammahlstadt.com/2009/10/21/the-conversation-in-the-beginning/comment-page-1/#comment-152 Sam Mahlstadt Thu, 29 Oct 2009 02:59:26 +0000 http://sammahlstadt.wordpress.com/?p=547#comment-152 Nikel, to me, what makes love irrational at times, is that it can go against the good of society and evolutionary process. So to make the claim that love is a product of environmental factors and exists to enhance the evolutionary process seems a bit short sighted. The question of why we need to be loved and will stop at nothing to get and/or give it seems to be larger than evolution. Make sense? Nikel,
to me, what makes love irrational at times, is that it can go against the good of society and evolutionary process. So to make the claim that love is a product of environmental factors and exists to enhance the evolutionary process seems a bit short sighted. The question of why we need to be loved and will stop at nothing to get and/or give it seems to be larger than evolution. Make sense?

]]> By: Nikel http://www.sammahlstadt.com/2009/10/21/the-conversation-in-the-beginning/comment-page-1/#comment-151 Nikel Thu, 29 Oct 2009 01:51:13 +0000 http://sammahlstadt.wordpress.com/?p=547#comment-151 Yeah love and stuff isn't something we can completely understand yet, but I believe science will be able to explain it when we get smarter or have better technology, etc. I was thinking about something that you said to me on Tuesday night, Sam. You were talking to me about irrational love and how science can't explain that. Am I remembering that right? What makes its irrational exactly? I know we talked about not being able to sleep, being sick to your stomach, just obsessed with someone type stuff, but, if we really think about it, is it really that irrational? Especially if you look at it in terms of evolutionary processes, I feel like maybe that's just how evolution or nature has ensured propagation of the species and the construction of the family unit. Maybe this irrational love is what kicks in to ensure that dudes stay with ladies, commit, and keep it in their pants and stuff. Yeah love and stuff isn’t something we can completely understand yet, but I believe science will be able to explain it when we get smarter or have better technology, etc.

I was thinking about something that you said to me on Tuesday night, Sam. You were talking to me about irrational love and how science can’t explain that. Am I remembering that right? What makes its irrational exactly?

I know we talked about not being able to sleep, being sick to your stomach, just obsessed with someone type stuff, but, if we really think about it, is it really that irrational? Especially if you look at it in terms of evolutionary processes, I feel like maybe that’s just how evolution or nature has ensured propagation of the species and the construction of the family unit. Maybe this irrational love is what kicks in to ensure that dudes stay with ladies, commit, and keep it in their pants and stuff.

]]> By: jesseryan1215 http://www.sammahlstadt.com/2009/10/21/the-conversation-in-the-beginning/comment-page-1/#comment-150 jesseryan1215 Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:49:46 +0000 http://sammahlstadt.wordpress.com/?p=547#comment-150 I would also like Ethan, Steve, John, and Nikel back in to comment on all this, I just have one thing more to say. I am ok with saying I don't know when it comes to science, you have to say I don't know when it comes to science otherwise you can no longer progress. What I'm not ok saying it that it is beyond science, or that we can't know. I think we can know, but to be able to completely explain love it would take much greater knowledge than we currently have. I would also like Ethan, Steve, John, and Nikel back in to comment on all this, I just have one thing more to say. I am ok with saying I don’t know when it comes to science, you have to say I don’t know when it comes to science otherwise you can no longer progress. What I’m not ok saying it that it is beyond science, or that we can’t know. I think we can know, but to be able to completely explain love it would take much greater knowledge than we currently have.

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