Hypotheticals

[Isabelle]

followsthewolf .. I am not very good at this but I will try to explain how I feel about this. Everyone (I think) knows that I have found a church and that I am happy. My life has not changed much. I am still the same person,  doing the same things. I was a good person before I found this church and I think I was going to heaven. For me the church is like a home. I wouldn't want to go to work everyday and not know where I was going to sleep that night, no matter how nice the place I slet was. I like to have a home and know that is where I will be at the end of the day.... always the same place.
My church is like that to me.. it is like a home and I  know where I will be. The people in the church are like a family.. I am sure they have spats and some don't always get along.. that is the nature of people, but I will be kind to everyone and do my best to make this "home" a happy home.
I  would never tell anyone else to go to church any more than I would tell them what kind of a home to buy or how to live there lives.
I hope this explains how I feel  and I don't want to take away from anything you feel.

[followsthewolf]

For what it's worth, I think you have found the faith that fits you.

I am very happy for you. Not many people do.

Too many go to church to be seen there.

I congratulate you on your finding the right "fit."

None of what I said was meant to be critical of your decision.

I apologize if it appeared that way.

[Isabelle]

No, not at all and I didnt mean to imply that I even thought you were  talking about me.  I was just trying to say, well lol its been so long ago that I forgot what I was trying to say.
I was just trying to explain how I felt. I respect your stand also. I would never tell anyone else what to do.
I am still new here and I was just trying to get to know people and to let them know me.
Thank you for your kind reply.

[followsthewolf]

No problem. 

I admire your process of starting to think about the universe and the place each of us has in it.

I admire critical thinking of all kinds.

You are a very welcome addition to the forum.

[pariann]

Thinking critical.  Hmmm. I should probably do more of that myself.

[Isabelle]

Thanks followsthewolf.  I enjoy reading your posts and hearing your ideas.  In my mind, there is always room for new ideas.

[awol]

how much would you pay to save the life of a complete stranger?

situation:  you've found a ransom note with clear directions on where to leave the money and when, but the ammount is missing.

you have never met the person, you will never meet the person, and the person will die if you do nothing...

[pariann]

seeing as how I'm flat busted, I reckon the complete stranger will die unless I pass the note on to someone else.  I think FTW would part wtih a couple of bucks for a complete stranger, so I'll give the note to him.

[followsthewolf]

I'd definitely shell out more for someone I knew, as opposed to a stranger.

I know that sounds a bit callous, but, how do I know that I wouldn't be saving Charles Dahmer or Adolf Hitler? Could reverse that, and say that I'd be saving the person who found a cure for cancer.

Anyway, what I'd pay is directly dependent on what financial condition my family was in at the time.

Very protective of my family.

[Sandy Eggo]

Sorry to be a skeptic, but if I'm never to meet the person, how do I know they exist and the note isn't bogus? 

[pariann]

I had that thought too.  And was thankful that I am flat busted.

[Isabelle]

This may sound mean but have you ever been handed a note that says someything like.. I have 10 kids and I am blind... deaf... crippled.. what ever and I need some money. I hate those notes and for some reason they just don't move me. I don't understand why they don't tug at my heart strings but they don't.

[pariann]

Maybe they should try handing one of those notes over to a bank teller and see how far they get.

[followsthewolf]

My understanding was that we were to assume the note was legitimate, and we were to examine our own moral and ethical codes to determine just how dear we hold human life.

[pariann]

And I believe that many of us would, while doing so, entertain the thought that it was fraudulent. It's all part of the hypothetical.