Female COC preacher

[Cootie Brown]

I’ve never had a paranormal experience, religious or otherwise. When it comes to UFO’s there is an abundance of verifiable evidence for their existence. What they are, where they originated, and their purpose remains unknown.

There is also an abundance of claims by people saying they’ve been abducted by life forms that are not human. The evidence for this is exclusively hearsay. Many, however, have passed lie detector test and hypnosis analysis. There is, as far as I know, no physical evidence of these life forms though or verifiable evidence that people have been abducted by aliens.

Since I have never had a paranormal experience I have no way of relating to those that have. The human mind is capable of many amazing things. According to studies I’ve read scientist can produce an artificial out of body experience by stimulating certain parts of the brain with electrodes.

That suggest, but doesn’t prove, paranormal experiences may originate in the persons mind. I’m open minded enough to say that it’s possible a paranormal realm exists and some people have experienced it.

I acknowledge a paranormal experience could be interpreted as a religious encounter with the supernatural, but that is pure speculation on my part because I never experienced anything like that when I was a Christian. My “faith” was based on the Bible being literally and historically true. As a Christian I never experienced a eureka moment where I felt the literal presence of God. Other say they have and I accept that. Unfortunately, I’ve never had such an experience.

[Sean]

What exactly counts as an "abundance of verifiable evidence" for UFOs ? Just curious where I can go verify this?

[Cootie Brown]

What exactly counts as an "abundance of verifiable evidence" for UFOs ? Just curious where I can go verify this?

Hundred and sometimes thousands of people witnessing the same UFO at the same time. Thousands of photos, videos, etc that have been validated as unedited originals. Thousands of Radar contacts and U.S. Fighter intercepts of these objects. Radioactive sites where these objects were reported to have landed.

Many eyewitness reports come from private and commercial pilots. Crews and passengers on commercial flights confirm these sightings. At the same time radar confirms the presence of these objects when pilots report the sightings.

Military pilots, at the risk of their careers, have reported sightings these objects. Several countries have agency’s that investigate these sightings now because they are so numerous. The U.S. shut down project Blue Book but continued investigating these incidents, off the official books, because they are now considered a legitimate threat to national security.

At one time military pilots would have ruined their careers if they report encountering a UFO, now they are encouraged to report them. The most recent incident that has been declassified by the Navy involved a flight of F18 Super Hornets operating off the USS Nimitz. Radar contact by a high tech cruiser vectored the F18’s to investigate the contact.

The F18’s found a fleet of “flying tic tacks” as they called them. They were doing impossible maneuvers at impossible speeds. This incident is available on YouTube. The F18’s filmed the entire event on their gun cameras. This event was witnessed by several career Navy Pilots. They had the film and radar contacts as proof of what they witnessed.

Rendlesham Forest Suffolk England incident in 1980 @ 3AM Dec.26. This was/is a joint U.S. British Air Force Base named Woodbridge. Lights were seen in the surrounding forest. Security was dispatched to investigate. They found a UFO that had landed. The rest of the story is intriguing. If you‘re interested it’s on YouTube and also the internet.

A huge flying triangle has been seen by thousands of people, but that mysterious vehicle has been identified. It’s a nuclear prototype U.S. Air Force experimental craft.

That noted UFO’s & USO’s (unidentified submerged objects) are just that. They are either airborne or submerged objects that have yet to be identified. Aside from that there is still the mystery of the crop circles and animal mutilations that are sometimes linked to the UFO phenomenons.

Just google UFO sightings/incident and you’ll find literally thousands of accounts of these encounters.

I’m fully aware that no amount of evidence will convince a skeptic of anything they choose not to believe. I’m simply complying with your request I’m not attempting to convince you of anything.

[candace]

I thought it was very interesting. How many cofc women through the years have missed their "calling" as preachers, teachers, or ministers because they weren't permitted to speak? I would guess thousands through the years.

In one cofc church I attended, decades ago, there women who were far more intelligent and more educated in the bible (and academically) than the most of the men. But could they share their knowledge? Only in limited circumstances, and under the control and oversight of the far less capable men in the group. Never in the public assembly. What a waste.

Women in the ultra-conservative CofC groups have been perpetually gagged-and-bound to the pew and subjugated to the whims of often unqualified elders for what seems like eons. Christian women are treated like second-class members, at least during the “worship service”, and basically taught to keep their mouth shut ... I’m surprised they’re even allowed to sing.

Same here! I am so glad I left that form of theology. I am in an church now that allows women to teach and preach publicly...

[Lerk]

Evolution from pond sludge to humans is OK because of reasoned arguments however there is no eye-witness nor is it reproducible.

Some plants and animals evolve very fast, and it can be seen in nature and in the lab. That's one reason they use fruit flies in the lab -- you can get through a lot of generations in a hurry, and yes, become an eye-witness. Additionally, DNA research shows the relationships back through time of various organisms, although when evolution first started as a field you are right -- there was very little beyond reasoned arguments back then.

Everyone should really read Jerry Coyne's "Why Evolution is True". He makes it very easy to understand, and the book really helped me out after a lifetime of creationism.

[Ivy]

Evolution from pond sludge to humans is OK because of reasoned arguments however there is no eye-witness nor is it reproducible.

Some plants and animals evolve very fast, and it can be seen in nature and in the lab. That's one reason they use fruit flies in the lab -- you can get through a lot of generations in a hurry, and yes, become an eye-witness. Additionally, DNA research shows the relationships back through time of various organisms, although when evolution first started as a field you are right -- there was very little beyond reasoned arguments back then.

Everyone should really read Jerry Coyne's "Why Evolution is True". He makes it very easy to understand, and the book really helped me out after a lifetime of creationism.

You’re preaching to the choir with most of us here, Lerk.

[agricola]

Coyne's book is really good and clear! I enjoyed it.

Sean - sorry to burst your bubble of misinformation, but actually humans HAVE documented evolutionary change in a whole variety of organisms, from the flu virus to fruit flies to lizards (in the Mediterranean islands), including a few varieties of bacteria which now live on plastic - which didn't even EXIST until after World War II - but bacteria has a lot of 'generations' in a short time.

Antibiotic resistance in bacteria is a form of evolutionary change.

Species extinction (we are in the midst of the sixth Great Extinction of life on this planet) is a form of evolutionary change.

The very existence of Covid-19 is an example of evolutionary change.

The ability in humans - SOME subgroups of humans - to be able to digest milk in adulthood is an evolutionary change.

[Lerk]

Evolution from pond sludge to humans is OK because of reasoned arguments however there is no eye-witness nor is it reproducible.

Some plants and animals evolve very fast, and it can be seen in nature and in the lab. That's one reason they use fruit flies in the lab -- you can get through a lot of generations in a hurry, and yes, become an eye-witness. Additionally, DNA research shows the relationships back through time of various organisms, although when evolution first started as a field you are right -- there was very little beyond reasoned arguments back then.

Everyone should really read Jerry Coyne's "Why Evolution is True". He makes it very easy to understand, and the book really helped me out after a lifetime of creationism.

You’re preaching to the choir with most of us here, Lerk.

Sean seems to have doubts, and I was attempting to answer those doubts.

[Ivy]

Sean seems to have doubts, and I was attempting to answer those doubts.

No idea about that. I was just speculating that most people here on the board, as far as I know, understand and accept the concepts of evolution and a very old earth.

I will make a mental note about Coyne's book.

[B.H.]

Why Evolution Is True by Jerry Coyne can be found online for free.