Following Jesus - a no-brainer?

[Masterblaster]

A message of compassion

What else were you doing today?
Exactly, it's a no-brainer!
If not, why not?
What logic makes it otherwise?

[Masterblaster]

Hello
When is a no-brainer ,a non-starter?

Look at this in the U.S.
"Nationally, 41.9 percent of adults have obesity. Black and Latino adults have the highest obesity rates at 49.9 percent and 45.6 percent respectively. People living in rural communities have higher rates of obesity than people living in urban and suburban areas.21 Sept 2023"

Exercise is a no-brainer. The opportunity to exercise is ever present for most people. You will feel better, you will live longer, you will be happier. Why dont they just do it??

[Masterblaster]

[Replying to boatsnguitars in post #30]

Hello boatsnguitars

This probably does not satisfy your high ideals, but anyway,

https://www.eden.co.uk/blog/five-top-ch ... ists-p1995

[Masterblaster]

Hello
When is a no-brainer a non- starter?

"Around 60 million plastic bottles end up in landfills every single day, and Americans alone send more than 38 billion water bottles to landfills every year, the equivalent of 912 million gallons of oil. That means that 1,500 plastic bottles are thrown away every second of the day."

Why?

[TRANSPONDER]

Hello TRANSPONDER
You say - "after science established that a lot of stuff worked fine without a need for a god, the materialist option became the default, and a god (name your own) wasn't."

9 out of 10 people doing something and that is not the default position. That is a very hollow debate soundbite.. Atheism is an indicator of enquiry and human resourcefulness. I do not think that you are in any danger by virtue of your position as a non follower of Jesus. I thank you for bothering with this discussion.
I was hoping that someone would have attempted to highlight the terrible dangers of this faith. It has not happened yet.

When microwave ovens became common I was on a crusade against their use in my house. They are dangerous, they emit radiation, they do not cook food properly, they are untested, etc, etc
I was 100% wrong/incorrect!
Now I find them indispensable, and my ideological history is being rewritten.
Maybe following Jesus is a useful thing to do and your protestations are a trivial ill founded whim.

I thank you for your kind words and (despite atheism being nothing more than not - accepting any god -claim) atheism is a subset of the rational approach you hint at.

The 'default' (evidential, logical, and scientific, at least) is certainly not what is a popular belief. Scientific truth is not decided by a vote (though expert consensus counts for something). It is based on the evidential case. Personal likes and dislikes is..personal, not empirical. The people swears by hamburgers. I can remember the last time I ate one - start of the 80's. I have never touched one since. But I don't say that people are wrong to like them.

Hello
When is a no-brainer ,a non-starter?

Look at this in the U.S.
"Nationally, 41.9 percent of adults have obesity. Black and Latino adults have the highest obesity rates at 49.9 percent and 45.6 percent respectively. People living in rural communities have higher rates of obesity than people living in urban and suburban areas.21 Sept 2023"

Exercise is a no-brainer. The opportunity to exercise is ever present for most people. You will feel better, you will live longer, you will be happier. Why dont they just do it??

I am reluctant to use the term 'no brainer' at all as it it smacks of the 'It's obvious'fallacy so often used to appeal to human gullibility and superstition. The 'Obvious' benefits of getting weight down may well have more to do with the constant messaging of getting weight down, eating healthy and taking exercise over the past few decades. It is perniciously easy for those brought up in a social zeitgeist that is dinned into them to consider that the obvious way to live, the default and the no - brainer. In fact it often required an evidential validation berfore the message became general to the populace.

Hello
When is a no-brainer a non- starter?

"Around 60 million plastic bottles end up in landfills every single day, and Americans alone send more than 38 billion water bottles to landfills every year, the equivalent of 912 million gallons of oil. That means that 1,500 plastic bottles are thrown away every second of the day."

Why?

Yes, problem noted, but despite generous leeway on topic could we keep this somewhat relevant? Mind you, recycling here was very hit an miss until it got attention and it is (or was until recently) far better than the days of discarded plastic and huge landfill sites.

[Masterblaster]

Hello
My point is that (a) following the core principles of the Jesus message, (b)that doing exercise, (c) that being careful with plastic waste, are probably obvious beneficial pursuits that require little effort to innitiate.
What is the explanation for the obstinacy clearly displayed in resisting these obvious remedies. We have some sort of troop immunity against universal reform. Can you logically explain this.
Surely water should flow downhill?.

[Masterblaster]

Hello
I have been accused of being 'judgy' which is a fair debate comment. Am I castigating fat people for being helpless. This is a very nuanced issue. Once you make a call ,you are 'judgy' I published obesity figures for the U.S.

This is what obesity is:
"Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health. A body mass index (BMI) over 25 is considered overweight, and over 30 is obese."

My judgy nature might now be construed as a concerned, caring one. My real feelings on this issue are ones of bewilderment.

Following Jesus's core principles is a no-brainer, positive thing that would reap amazing benefits for all and yet its uptake and level of real engagement are palsy and sporadic. The Jesus principles are sprinkled lightly on political mantras globally without having real effect in areas such as waste management,justice,conservation, health, economics,etc. The Jesus message is more like ice-cream when it should be a staple diet.

I can take it or leave it, I can exercise or not, I can throw my plastic bottle in the bin if I like.
Sure you can, but something wants you to do better!

[Masterblaster]

Hello
Sin

Welcome to the 'fat' word of theology, 'sin'. This is the point where skeptics cognitively disengage from real discussion.

Sin emerges as a theological reality from this obvious human ineptitude and fragility that I have been alluding to with regard to our capacity to look after ourselves effectively.

This glitch is one component of our complex D.N.A., but it is a glitch that can be overcome. When we feel God within us we are encouraged to do better. We are dragged from our clay boots to fully participate in this Kingdom of God. This work starts in a very direct and simple way, by exercising effort to love God and love our fellow human beings. We need to resist the sin of the contrary, our laziness, our fear, our various weaknesses and our doubts. It is logically plausible that if we try harder we will get better. A no-brainer!

[otseng]

[Replying to boatsnguitars in post #30]

Hello boatsnguitars

This probably does not satisfy your high ideals, but anyway,

https://www.eden.co.uk/blog/five-top-ch ... ists-p1995

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[Masterblaster]

Hello
How can a no-brainer be a non-starter?

When does an obese person start to exercise.
When does a person stop buying bottled water.
When does a person decide to follow Jesus.

A friend if mine has introduced two new aspects to this from the world of Occupational Therapy, volition and motivation.

The tipping point of action requires an undefined push of some sort, to create a kind of conversion to realization. This explains why religious recruitment is deemed necessary and also why it is often most effective on susceptible people such as the young, the disenfranchised and the weak. You can take a horse to the water but you cannot make it drink. Now, apparently you can!

[TRANSPONDER]

Hello
Sin

Welcome to the 'fat' word of theology, 'sin'. This is the point where skeptics cognitively disengage from real discussion.

Sin emerges as a theological reality from this obvious human ineptitude and fragility that I have been alluding to with regard to our capacity to look after ourselves effectively.

This glitch is one component of our complex D.N.A., but it is a glitch that can be overcome. When we feel God within us we are encouraged to do better. We are dragged from our clay boots to fully participate in this Kingdom of God. This work starts in a very direct and simple way, by exercising effort to love God and love our fellow human beings. We need to resist the sin of the contrary, our laziness, our fear, our various weaknesses and our doubts. It is logically plausible that if we try harder we will get better. A no-brainer!

The problem there is not even the sidelining of humanists as though they couldn't do the good without Jesus, but sidelining all other religions.

Now, I would not sideline myself the inspiration to do good that might come with one religion or another, but if skeptics disengage with the theology, there is for sure good logical reason for doing so.

It takes a few brain - cells to think of that, though so maybe thinking that Jesus is the only way to overcome Sin is the No - brain conclusion.

Hello
How can a no-brainer be a non-starter?

When does an obese person start to exercise.
When does a person stop buying bottled water.
When does a person decide to follow Jesus.

A friend if mine has introduced two new aspects to this from the world of Occupational Therapy, volition and motivation.

The tipping point of action requires an undefined push of some sort, to create a kind of conversion to realization. This explains why religious recruitment is deemed necessary and also why it is often most effective on susceptible people such as the young, the disenfranchised and the weak. You can take a horse to the water but you cannot make it drink. Now, apparently you can!

Well, you appear to have noticed the motivation of evangelism, and as soon as possible. At the very least I see that as ample counter - justification for atheists, sketpics and the like damnable sinners to evangelize however we can the secular alternative and need neither justify it nor apologise for it.