Games, analysis and discussion

Updated version 20.0 of my personal religious beliefs (& religious experiences):

Based on an old chesstalk blog post of mine:

I'm currently a very unorthodox Christian. Here are some of my beliefs:

1. Where people end up:

Reincarnation is possible and may well be commonplace. Happens to those not good enough for one well known place, nor bad enough for the other. Even those who may go to the other may ultimately be saved from there if they haven't been too bad. It's possible that after a long, long time ALL will be forgiven who need to be, no matter where or who they are. Incidentally, I have heard that in Orthodox Judaism, the possibility of reincarnation isn't ruled out.

[1st update: Below is a link that discusses belief by some in reincarnation.]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reincarnation#Judaism

[2nd update: Below is a link re: a famous Christian mystic who believed in reincarnation.]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Cayce

[3rd update: Below is a link that discusses so-called Christian Universalism, a belief by some in ultimate forgiveness for all sin.]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Universalism

2. Is the apocalypse nigh?:

I believe there is a big chance we're soon about to be spared from that, and possibly from far worse.

[4th update: Below is a link that alludes to various interpretations of the Book of Revelation, for those who believe it must be fulfilled as it stands.]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ...ological_views

[5th update: Below is a link including discussion of the possible consequences of any large scale nuclear war.]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_holocaust

3. Are science and technology necessarily bad things?:

If too little attention is paid to spiritual matters, things will go south regardless. Secularism is resulting in a society that's decaying morally, as there are far fewer absolute values that remain, if any, and insufficient concern for consequences. We see this with the justice system, and our politicians, alone, almost daily. As for technology in particular, the internet alone has created new types of crimes that are frightfully common, thanks to so many people seriously lacking in morals.

[6th update: Below is a link discussing moral decline.]

http://www.conservapedia.com/Moral_decline

[7th update: Below is a link discussing moral relativism, as opposed to absolute values.]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_relativism

[8th update: On points 1 & 2 in particular, bear in mind that at the moment I suspect what used to be in the bible long ago may have in places been lost in translation sessions. Thus, as much as I'd prefer not to, I believe what my heart tells me whenever what I read does not make sense to me from experience (but with an open mind regarding miracles).]

[9th update: Below is a link concerning the notion of biblical inerrancy, including some known criticisms of such.]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblical_inerrancy

[10th update: Below is a link including deuterocanonical books of the New Testament alone (i.e. that weren't universally accepted by the early church, including the Book of Revelation).]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deuter...terocanonicals

[11th update: One thing I definitely do not believe is that just any rich man has very little chance of entering heaven. I happen to believe in guardian angels. I think (and pray) there is a good chance a completely accurate version of the bible will once again see the light of day before all or the worst of the so-called End Times would have to become reality, however they were designed to unfold. I have little reason to doubt the following four out of five fundamentalist tenets (i.e. excluding the inerrancy of scripture - in its present form - which, as I wrote, I'm not at all sure of):

A. Virgin birth of Jesus;
B. Belief that Christ's death was the atonement for sin;
C. Bodily resurrection of Jesus;
D. Historical reality of the miracles of Jesus.

My belief in these four tenets is reinforced by at the least the many reported visions of Mary (e.g. at Fatima) and of Jesus (not to mention the still real possibility that the Shroud of Turin is genuine).]

[12th update: Below is a link including various Christian views on wealth and poverty; note the apparent contrast on this subject between the Old and New Testaments (as they stand at present).]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ..._Old_Testament

[13th update: Below is a link about the idea of guardian angels.]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guardian_angel

[14th update: Below is a link including discussion of Christian Fundamentalism.]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamentalism#Christian

[15th update: Below is a link concerning reported visions of Mary and Jesus.]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visions_of_Jesus_and_Mary

[16th update: Below is a link about the Shroud of Turin.]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shroud_of_Turin

[17th update: Further reinforcement for my belief in the above four tenets is provided by my own admittedly subjective religious experiences (both good and bad) over the course of my life, which might well be dismissed as hallucinations and/or manifestations of schizophrenia. Seeing a man on a cross on the sun in my boyhood (and then soon after mysteriously forgetting it for many years) is one example.

[edit: Here's a IMHO somewhat less convincing sighting of Jesus someone captured:]

https://www.foxnews.com/faith-values...-was-enchanted

Another example is that as a young man in my early twenties, I picked up two pieces of paper in a library, one page on each of two seperate visits, and each time I hardly read the contents. On the first occasion the paper was about religious matters in a general way, but ending with a gentle joke, the point of which made sense only years later, in about my thirties, when I wondered to myself if God had a sense of humour (the joke was: "Who says God doesn't have a sense of humour?"). On the second occasion, the other paper was in contrast blasphemous in places. On each occasion I put the paper back down and looked away for just a second, turned back and the paper was gone (being accustomed to dull everyday things, I thought little of these happenings at the time). Perhaps even more convincing to me in times of great doubt, however, is the uncanny timing of some such experiences.

An example would be reading the bible as a teen, then upon beginning to strongly believe in the existence of God, I right away began to hear a constant low level background ringing in my ears. Later, someone I knew who was a non-believer told me the mind can play tricks (after all, science is the new religion), and I stopped being a believer, and the ringing also ceased at that time.

Years later as a troubled young man about thirty, the thought of believing in God occured to me, and I began to read the bible again (having forgotten all about the ringing I had years earlier). After some time, it occured to me I ought to repent in a general way, aloud, for things that had gone wrong in my life. At that moment, the low level background ringing in my ears began again, and I receive it even today. For anyone who may ever become aware that they are in great spiritual peril, I can suggest that they ask aloud to please be saved (in the name of the Lord JC).]

[18th update: Below is a link discussing religious experiences.]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_experience

[19th update: Below is an anagram, for diversion, and then links re: UFOs & ghosts (interesting subjects I can't quite fathom, each with more than 1 possible explanation or type; I believe the devil if allowed can cause sensations including at least some UFO sightings or nightmares). A final note: sometimes people ask wwjd?; one thing might be to donate blood if eligible.]

HTE RRTISECSPU REA FLEDDIE YM AEMN AWS PPLIIH SSROOM I IDDE NI FOXDRO S1380 I YRPA OFR MEHT OT EGNHAC KCBA

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interd...nal_hypothesis

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost#...o-Christianity

A link to a poll-thread re: religion:

http://www.chesscanada.info/forum/sh...s-your-beliefs

Fwiw, here's a link to a purely hypothetical political platform of mine that I once posted within another blog entry (I consider politics ultimately of more academic interest to me):

http://www.chesscanada.info/forum/en...tical-platform

Also fwiw, a link to my views on humanity's future (largely not taking religion into account):

http://www.chesscanada.info/forum/en...m-links-added)

On link re: # persons involved to endanger a conspiracy:

http://www.chesscanada.info/forum/en...l-a-conspiracy

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
Hamlet (1.5.167-8), Hamlet to Horatio.