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How lucky are you as an accountant?

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11th Jul 2013
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Accountants are generally luckier than lawyers, partly due to the existence of recurring work, in terms of annual accounts and tax returns, and also the fact that accountants are rarely counted among the most hated of professions.

Beyond that broad generalization, is it luck or hard work or a combination of the two that contributes most to your feelings of happiness and success as an accountant?

Perhaps you feel that you benefit from a degree of good luck. Therefore, sometimes bad luck may defer your success for a while.

But what does luck mean in this context? Others have defined luck as a combination of circumstances that are outside of our control and which appear to be conspiring to help or hinder our progress.

I prefer to think of LUCK as Labour Under Correct Knowledge which pretty much sums up a key activity: The need to be doing the right things, the best way for us.

This can also be expressed as: Learning to Use your Current Knowledge. In other words you can make your own luck and I think that’s a far better state of mind than one in which you simply accept that external forces can conspire to help or hinder you.

Thus, to a degree, good luck follows hard work as long as you do not simply continue doing what you have always done and yet expect different outcomes.

If you carry on doing what you've always done, at best, you'll carry on getting what you've always got. In practice you may not even get that. As circumstances around you change so you may find that your standard approach is less successful than it was before.

Hard work and determination are not enough. Andy Murray’s success at Wimbledon was not simply down to these two qualities. He listened to his coach, he adapted and continually improved his game. Plenty of other top tennis players and sportspeople work hard too, but that’s not always enough to enable them to beat the others.

In the same vein, I have never believed that ‘practice makes perfect’. An average tennis player who carries on or practices playing their game the way they have always done will simply become a more experienced average player. A bad driver who carries on or practises driving the way they have always done will simply become a more experienced but still bad driver. Thus, as some might put it, practice makes permanent.

It can be hard to unlearn bad habits and to start doing things differently. So, in our world, simply trying harder to win more clients for example is not, of itself, enough. You may be unlucky, you may be doing the wrong things or you may be doing the right things, but in the wrong way.

How lucky do you think you are as an accountant? Do you invariably find prospective new clients at networking events? Have you found loads of new clients though your online networking activities? Do you get wonderful new clients approaching you out of the blue? Does HMRC, by and large, leave you and your clients in peace?

Do you quickly get through to the right person who can solve your clients’ problems? Do you avoid IT problems most days? Do you luckily have plenty of people who refer clients to you? And do you avoid suffering bad debts and poor cashflow?

If, alternatively, you answered ‘no’ to most of the above questions, do you consider yourself to be unlucky? That might be understandable if you think that all such issues are out of your hands and are caused by ‘luck’. But that would also means that it’s nothing to do with what you do, how you do it or what you don’t do and that by learning to do things differently would not have any impact on your luck. To my mind that is akin to giving up.

Is it simply some accountants’ good fortune to have clients who pay on time such that their cashflow always remains positive? Or is it more a consequence of the accountants’ business practices and communication skills?

Of course there is a degree of luck in the world and another way of looking at this is to consider how you manage risk. For example, the risk of bad luck affecting you as regards your car, your IT systems, your employees and so on. Most of us take out insurance to provide some peace of mind and some recompense in the event that bad luck strikes.

But even here some people blame bad luck if it transpires their insurance was less comprehensive than they hoped, even though they bought it in a hurry and did not consider the exclusions which were not really written in small print.

In 2011 the TV mindbender Derren Brown investigated what makes some people feel lucky, whereas others seem to attract only misfortune.

The programme focused on a town in which Brown had placed a lucky dog statue and on how the statue appeared to change the lives of some of the town’s residents. The theories Brown was testing out were based on a great book The Luck Factor by Professor Richard Wiseman.

One of the conclusions from the programme and the book was that negative people, who believe they aren't lucky, are their own worst enemies. Because of their belief they simply aren't open to 'lucky' things happening, miss many opportunities and instead remember and focus on their bad ‘luck’.

Equally, positive people remember their good luck and this leads to a more positive disposition. Such people then come across as more open, friendly and attractive to deal with. Do you think prospective clients would prefer to deal with a happy accountant or a downbeat one with a negative frame of mind?

In the book, Richard Wiseman references 4 essential principles that can be learned. These are:

  • Creating chance opportunities 
  • Thinking lucky 
  • Feeling lucky
  • Denying fate

Elsewhere author Brian Tracy claims that luck is quite predictable. He says that “if you want more luck, you should take more chances, be more active and show up more often”. 

There’s a lot of sense in that. An accountant would have to be very lucky, for example, to win a new client the first time they attend a new networking group. But the more often you are out there, the more likely you are to start winning new clients through your networking activities.

Perhaps my favourite thinking on luck is a quote attributed to many great golfers. When they are congratulated on their good fortune, for example after hitting a hole in one, they confirm they have been “very lucky indeed”. They then each continue: “But I have found the more I practice, the luckier I get”.

What do you need to practice to improve your luck? What do you need to learn properly so that you can get better at? And in what ways do you consider yourself to be lucky or unlucky as an accountant?

Mark Lee is consultant practice editor of AccountingWEB and writes the BookMarkLee blog. This and his ebooks are for accountants who want to stand out and be more successful in practice, online and in life. He is also Chairman of the Tax Advice Network of independent tax experts

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By ShirleyM
11th Jul 2013 14:36

Luck is a state of mind

There are so many things that are not under our control. You can be born into a good family, or a bad one. You can have wealthy parents with influence that give you the best possible start in life, or you can be born to abusive parents and spend the rest of your life trying to escape the horrors you have seen and suffered.

Luck is in the mind. There are those who think they get good things purely because they deserve them, and there are many who take nothing for granted and are thankful that they received an opportunity. You can be the most hard working person on the planet, but unless the right opportunity comes your way it will be an uphill struggle. The lack of opportunities should not always be put down to lack of hard work or intelligence.

You can get identical 'bad' incidents and one guy may say he had terrible bad luck, and another guy may say he was very lucky as it could have been much worse!

EDIT: I fit into the latter category :)

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By sash100
12th Jul 2013 01:13

Interesting Article

Totally agree that you create your own luck.  sometimes it is just being at the right place at right time.   The only way for luck to change is to work hard and just get out there instead of cursing one's luck.

One thing i have learned in life don't expect things to happen as they don't.  Just relax and go with flow.  It it doesn't happen shrug your shoulders and move on.  Negativety breeds mrore negativety and perhaps brings bad luck. 

I have worked very very hard to make use of my limited talents and years ago recall being part qualified accountant thinking how do I got a job.  Found a temporary job which ended up to be my dream job. i.e travelling around the world to my favourite destinations. That was lucky.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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By SecretariuS
12th Jul 2013 11:09

Accountants Luck

Louis Pasteur said that "Luck comes to the prepared mind," a quote I took on board many years ago. I always thank him and Lord Sugar for my luck.  When computers began to be generally available I purchased a 10mb Amstrad 1510 and the original Sage Software programme. and by 1989  found I was experienced enough to apply for jobs paying nearly twice my previous salary simply because of my computer knowledge.  Over the next 10 years I found myself as much a trouble-shooter as an accountant as I was employed by companies to assist and advise in setting up accounting systems and help maintain computer networks. As it became more complicated I settled down to just doing the accounts and keeping up with relevant accounting software and had an enjoyable final 8 years to retirement on a 3 day week with a company as well as developing SecretariuS Limited for private work (Co. Sec and Accounts)  3 years into retirement I still do around 4 hours a day with clients I get on with working mostly from home. This supplements my private pension which I saved for from my 20's due to listening to advice when the Prudential was my employer.

I believe I have made my own luck through hard work, having an open (prepared) mind, and if I am allowed to mention such things, being a regular churchgoer and  following the Christian ideals I have learned through my life.

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Replying to David Heaton:
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By chatman
16th Jul 2013 12:01

Churchgoing can lead to very bad luck indeed.

SecretariuS wrote:
I have made my own luck through hard work, ... being a regular churchgoer and  following the Christian ideals

I doubt that one of the many children raped by pervert Christian priests whose abuse was facilitated by their power-crazed religious bosses would feel the same way. I think they would feel they had been very unlucky.

The priests might feel they had made their own luck, though.

BTW what are Christian ideals?

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Replying to lionofludesch:
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By hockleyaccountant
16th Jul 2013 13:47

Churchgoing can lead to very good luck indeed

Chatman, I have considered a long response to what superficially appears to be an attack on the church, but I am mindful that this is an accountancy website, not a religious one, so I will be brief. One Christian ideal that I hold to is one of acceptance of the religious beliefs of others. I am among millions of people worldwide who derive great strength from their spiritual beliefs ( I prefer the term spiritual beliefs as "religion" seems to require dominance) which enables many of us to do our best to serve others, in mine and many others' case through accountancy services. I feel very lucky (or blessed) that I have a personal relationship with God.

BTW try googling "Christian Ideals" - you will see many people have different ideas so good luck with that!

If we can focus on supporting rather than attacking each other on this website I think we will all feel much luckier.

 

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By SecretariuS
12th Jul 2013 12:24

Accountants Luck

I agree that "pure" luck is winning the lottery, but I would prefer the definitions from the article and from Pasteur's premise.  It is often possible to make our own luck by looking for and seeing opportunities and then grabbing them. Be aware though that an opportunity can fail.  Luck can be be interpreted as chance. We need to be aware of chances in life and making the most of them. Going around with our eyes shut or completely lacking in ambition will seriously reduce the chances of success.  In order to win the lottery, for example, you do need to first buy a ticket.

 

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By Ken Howard
12th Jul 2013 13:56

You can put yourself in a position to increase your chances

Good or bad luck doesn't have to be random and chances aren't equal for everyone,   We can all put ourselves in a better position to improve our chances of being lucky.  As the above poster says, you have to buy a lottery ticket to have a chance of winning - however lucky you are, you won't win it without.

Two of the jobs I had earlier in my career were obtained solely because I knew the business owners personally.  Some would say that I was lucky to get those jobs.  But, I'd counter that by saying that I wouldn't have got those jobs if I wasn't good at my job and if my personality wouldn't have fitted it with them.  So, whilst "luck" had a part for the introduction, it was my other skills that sealed the deal.  In both cases, it didn't work out for me and I ended up leaving after relatively short time, so rather than "good" luck, you could say that I had "bad" luck with those jobs.

Lots of people talk about being in the right place at the right time, but you can put yourself in a better position to put yourself in the right place.  You can open yourself to be receptive to new opportunities, personal and business, Luck is only half the story - no amount of being lucky will help you if you're blind to, and not receptive to, opportunities that are within your grasp.

 

 

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By johnjenkins
15th Jul 2013 09:40

I think personality

plays a large part of the perception of being "lucky" . What's the old saying "bullshit baffles brains" another one is "if you fell in a bucket of smelly stuff you would come up smelling of roses".

Is it "lucky" to win £160m on the lottery? It's certainly lucky if your numbers come up but winning a large amount could be just as "unlucky" as "lucky". Many would say "I wouldn't mind a bit of that "unluck".

Some people think they have a "guardian Angel" looking after them etc. 

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By Lockhartca
16th Jul 2013 11:36

Luck

Who's quote was 'It seems that the harder I try, the luckier I become'? Or, indeed, how many successful people put this down to being in 'the right place at the right time', or 'getting a lucky break'?

I reckon that people put themselves in the right place, at the right time and make the conditions right for the lucky break to happen....

On the other hand, the same people don't seem to be cursed with bad luck - setbacks occur and there are failures along the way, but these seem to be temporary. When asked, they will attribute their successes to good luck, and their setbacks to themselves.

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Replying to aschwal1:
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By chatman
16th Jul 2013 12:03

Luck, by definition, cannot be made.

Lockhartca wrote:
Who's quote was 'It seems that the harder I try, the luckier I become'?

Anyone who wants to imply that their luck was actually down to their own skill and/or hard work. There are a lot of these people about.

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7om
By Tom 7000
16th Jul 2013 12:31

Glass half full or half empty?

I am half lucky..

 

....if I was really lucky I would be managing partner of PWC,,actually make that Goldman Sachs 

If I was really unlucky I would have been Enron  partner at  Arthur Andersen

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By Tom 7000
16th Jul 2013 14:06

christian ideals

In 1988 there was a knock on the door of my flat and a young lady asked me if I believed in god and did I want to be a jehovas witness etc. I was studying for PE11 that day which was why I was in at 2.30pm. I said I didnt sorry...she said what do you believe in then? and I said The ICAEW and she said whats that and I showed her the members handbook and said it was my bible.

 

She was very pleased with the reply and as I recall she was off to ring up the people at moorgate to enlist as a trainee.... I may have converted her...

 

Well the first bits true anyway :)

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Replying to Justin Bryant:
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By hockleyaccountant
16th Jul 2013 14:25

christian ideals

Ho Ho :) most of us have a sense of humour

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By chatman
16th Jul 2013 14:28

Defending Evil

hockleyaccountant wrote:
Churchgoing can lead to very good luck indeed

How?

hockleyaccountant wrote:
One Christian ideal that I hold to is one of acceptance of the religious beliefs of others.

What do you mean by "acceptance of the religious beliefs of others"? I accept that people have different beliefs to mine: sexist one, racist ones, religious ones etc; but I do not have to agree with them. If I believe a belief is wrong I question it; if I believe an organisation, such as the Catholic or Anglican church, is harmful, I will say so, and if I think that raping children is wrong, or discriminating against women and homosexuals, I will say so too. What is wrong with that? Do you mean I should refrain from criticising practices that I consider harmful? If not, then what do you mean?

In any case, to be a specifically Christian ideal, it would have to be an ideal not held by the majority of the human race, otherwise it is just a human ideal. Do you have any evidence that Christians are more accepting of other religious beliefs than non-Christians? And have you ever heard of the Spanish Inquisition? I understand they were not all that accepting of the religious beliefs of others.

hockleyaccountant wrote:
I am among millions of people worldwide who derive great strength from their spiritual beliefs which enables many of us to do our best to serve others

How sad that you require a religion in order to help other people. Most people I know seem to manage to do good of their own accord. As far as I know, this is a normal human trait.

hockleyaccountant wrote:
"religion" seems to require dominance

I agree. How sad.

hockleyaccountant wrote:
try googling "Christian Ideals" - you will see many people have different ideas so good luck with that!

My question was what Lockhartca meant by "Christian ideals". How will Google know what he or she means? Feel free to tell me what you think they are.

hockleyaccountant wrote:
If we can focus on supporting rather than attacking each other on this website I think we will all feel much luckier.

I agree that we should refrain from attacking each other; that is why I did not attack any AWeb member, although I admit I may have offended any paedophile priest who might have been reading this thread.
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By hockleyaccountant
16th Jul 2013 14:47

Accepting each other

Chatman, thanks for the response. Found the last bit very amusing.

As to your question "How" please reread my post. I will pray for divine intervention that you understand how.

As to the rest I found your response interesting and thought provoking but my lunch hour is over. Never used permalink before but if helps to contact you more directly I might find the time to look into this tomorrow. Anyway, as your post has nothing to do with luck perhaps a new subject matter post might be more appropriate. Don't think people looking how to be lucky will want to see a debate of this nature! They will think how unlucky they were - not good! 

 

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Replying to Ruddles:
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By chatman
16th Jul 2013 16:30

Rewrite the post

hockleyaccountant wrote:
As to your question "How" please reread my post. I will pray for divine intervention that you understand how.

Reread it. Definitely doesn't answer the question. Suggest you try again, I wouldn't recommend praying, unless you have any convincing evidence that it does anything other than make the prayer feel they have done something useful.

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Replying to LJCASE:
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By hockleyaccountant
18th Jul 2013 15:09

How best to spend lunch time

Wow. After reading through your latest post I realised that what started out as what I felt was a lighthearted almost frivolous string started by the original author, it has taken on a much deeper tone. I do not have the time to carefully construct every word I write on a lighthearted post - I (obviously nievely) did not consider that what I wrote would be looked at in so much detail by anyone. Anyway, I will as briefly as possible attempt to answer a few of your questions:

I wrote:

I am among millions of people worldwide who derive great strength from their spiritual beliefs which enables many of us to do our best to serve others

You wrote:

How sad that you require a religion in order to help other people. Most people I know seem to manage to do good of their own accord. As far as I know, this is a normal human trait.

So a better word instead of "enabled" would have been "helped". I do not require a religion at all - I have a direct connection to God, the Church is a means of strengthening this connection. I do my best to do good of my own accord, and my spiritual beliefs assist this - like a turbocharger. I find it sad that many people restrict their potential because they have no spiritual dimension.

You wrote:

Reread it. Definitely doesn't answer the question. Suggest you try again, I wouldn't recommend praying, unless you have any convincing evidence that it does anything other than make the prayer feel they have done something useful.

The question - How?

I feel very lucky (or blessed) that I have a personal relationship with God. - original post

OK, to be more correct in my construction I should have added "Churchgoing can lead to very good luck indeed" if it strengthens your connection to God because in my personal opinion it will lead to more confidence and conviction in your purpose in life. I do not have time to go into this further - I am an accountant, not a theologist or philosopher!

http://www.guideposts.org/answered-prayer-stories

http://epistle.us/answeredprayer.html

http://101prayer.com/

btw, if you want convincing evidence prayer works, I suggest following these links as above

If you and I were in the pub having a philosophical debate, I would be happy to have this discussion further as there is much to unpack in your comments. It is obvious chatman that you like to chat. I am happier serving my clients so I am going to do that now.

I will not be returning to this string until my work/life balance is more balanced!

 

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Replying to Chris.Mann:
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By chatman
19th Jul 2013 22:21

I do not see how religion can help anyone other than a priest

hockleyaccountant wrote:

I wrote:
I am among millions of people worldwide who derive great strength from their spiritual beliefs which enables many of us to do our best to serve others
You wrote:
How sad that you require a religion in order to help other people. Most people I know seem to manage to do good of their own accord. As far as I know, this is a normal human trait.
So a better word instead of "enabled" would have been "helped". I do not require a religion at all - I have a direct connection to God, the Church is a means of strengthening this connection. I do my best to do good of my own accord, and my spiritual beliefs assist this - like a turbocharger. I find it sad that many people restrict their potential because they have no spiritual dimension.

How does your religion help you to be a good person and what potential is restricted by having no "spiritual dimension" (by which I assume you mean believing in gods and venerating priests)?
hockleyaccountant wrote:
You wrote:
Reread it. Definitely doesn't answer the question. Suggest you try again, I wouldn't recommend praying, unless you have any convincing evidence that it does anything other than make the prayer feel they have done something useful.
The question - How?
I feel very lucky (or blessed) that I have a personal relationship with God. - original post

You appear to be confusing cause and effect. If good luck led you to going to your temple and having a personal relationship with a god, then this relationship didn't cause the luck, the luck caused the relationship.
[quote=hockleyaccountant]"Churchgoing can lead to very good luck indeed" if it strengthens your connection to God because in my personal opinion it will lead to more confidence and conviction in your purpose in life.[quote] How could this possibly be true?

[quote=hockleyaccountant]I do not have time to go into this further - I am an accountant, not a theologist or philosopher![quote] I don't think anything more than basic reasoning skills are required, although priests might say otherwise, to make their business sound more complicated and to discourage people from arguing with them.

[quote=hockleyaccountant]
http://www.guideposts.org/answered-prayer-stories
http://epistle.us/answeredprayer.html
http://101prayer.com/
btw, if you want convincing evidence prayer works, I suggest following these links as above[quote]
I looked at the first one. It was a story about someone who prayed that something would happen, and it happened. There seems to be some implication that praying for the thing caused it to happen. This appears to fail the most basic scientific test of proof, as there is no way of knowing whether the thing would have happened if the person had not prayed. I really cannot see how anyone could consider this to be convincing evidence. George Carlin did a great sketch about religion and he covered the praying thing. I highly recommend it. You can see it here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjVLJKR6g7U

Incidentally, I find it amazing that people believe that God will accede to their requests for special treatment like ensuring they arrive at a dinner in time (the first example on the first page you linked to), but then go and starve a little child, or a whole population, to death. How arrogant and self-important can a person possibly be?

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By carnmores
16th Jul 2013 16:20

@chatman

Gary Player perhaps.  luck is inversely proportional to lack of self discipline

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Sarah Douglas - HouseTree Business Ltd
By sarah douglas
18th Jul 2013 14:05

I am lucky

Hi .   According to my friends and family I am lucky.  I win quite a lot of raffles.  I have won on my premium bonds quite a bit .   For example I  have won the school Christmas Hamper loads of times, which is full of great goodies and vouchers.    I went to my  a work do  with my husband and I won 3 prizes .   I also believe in what goes around comes around in Karma.     I have over the years had  many a person pay for my train fair at the station because I lost  my wallet, but saying that I have as also helped people out when there stuck and I don,t know them because of people helped me out.  Sometimes you can just find yourself stuck that's life and I believe the majority of people are okay.  To be honest I don,t like to think any other way as it would just stress me out and then I would be miserable.

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Replying to EnglishRose:
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By chatman
19th Jul 2013 18:49

Karma

sarah douglas wrote:
I also believe in what goes around comes around in Karma. I don,t like to think any other way as it would just stress me out and then I would be miserable.

I agree. I don't think Karma is anything to do with some magical afterlife; I think if you have a nasty attitude I think it makes you bitter and unhappy, and if you think nicely about others it makes you happier. That's karma as I see it.

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By johnjenkins
18th Jul 2013 15:54

Booze talk eh?

you can't beat it, especially after the 3rd beer, which I will be having in a couple of hours (day off tomorrow).

There are many spiritual feelings. Some people feel warm when they go into a house. I walked into my office and new it was for me (not been easy though).

I think we probably all agree that some people are more fortunate than others and it has nothing to do with Accountancy or any other ancy.

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7om
By Tom 7000
19th Jul 2013 14:14

ancy

Ive been there its in france...nice town with a river through it and handy for the alps

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By SecretariuS
19th Jul 2013 14:40

Accountants Luck

When I joined this debate last Friday and mentioned my faith I little realised it would start such a lively debate.  Thanks to all who joined in anyway as it has given me the basis of my sermon for the Parish Eucharist next Sunday. Lucky me, lucky congregation perhaps.   Hopefully it will raise an interesting debate from within the congregation.  God Bless.

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By carnmores
19th Jul 2013 15:54

i read in the paper yesterday that Religion is in the top 3

when it comes to people altering WIKIPEDIA entries , given the above i am not surprised

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Replying to Jafer:
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By chatman
19th Jul 2013 18:45

Wikipedia

carnmores wrote:

when it comes to people altering WIKIPEDIA entries , given the above i am not surprised

Yeah, Israel is the top one. There is always a massive propaganda effort by the Zionists and that is part of it.

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By chatman
19th Jul 2013 22:25

I do not see how religion can help anyone other than a priest

hockleyaccountant wrote:

I wrote:
I am among millions of people worldwide who derive great strength from their spiritual beliefs which enables many of us to do our best to serve others
You wrote:
How sad that you require a religion in order to help other people. Most people I know seem to manage to do good of their own accord. As far as I know, this is a normal human trait.
So a better word instead of "enabled" would have been "helped". I do not require a religion at all - I have a direct connection to God, the Church is a means of strengthening this connection. I do my best to do good of my own accord, and my spiritual beliefs assist this - like a turbocharger. I find it sad that many people restrict their potential because they have no spiritual dimension.

How does your religion help you to be a good person and what potential is restricted by having no "spiritual dimension" (by which I assume you mean believing in gods and venerating priests)?

hockleyaccountant wrote:
You wrote:
Reread it. Definitely doesn't answer the question. Suggest you try again, I wouldn't recommend praying, unless you have any convincing evidence that it does anything other than make the prayer feel they have done something useful.
The question - How?
I feel very lucky (or blessed) that I have a personal relationship with God. - original post

You appear to be confusing cause and effect. If good luck led you to going to your temple and having a personal relationship with a god, then this relationship didn't cause the luck, the luck caused the relationship.
[quote=hockleyaccountant]"Churchgoing can lead to very good luck indeed" if it strengthens your connection to God because in my personal opinion it will lead to more confidence and conviction in your purpose in life.[quote] How could this possibly be true?

[quote=hockleyaccountant]I do not have time to go into this further - I am an accountant, not a theologist or philosopher![quote] I don't think anything more than basic reasoning skills are required, although priests might say otherwise, to make their business sound more complicated and to discourage people from arguing with them.

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By chatman
19th Jul 2013 22:28

I do not see how religion can help anyone other than a priest (2

[quote=hockleyaccountant]btw, if you want convincing evidence prayer works, I suggest following these links as above[quote]

I looked at the first one. It was a story about someone who prayed that something would happen, and it happened. There seems to be some implication that praying for the thing caused it to happen. This appears to fail the most basic scientific test of proof, as there is no way of knowing whether the thing would have happened if the person had not prayed. I really cannot see how anyone could consider this to be convincing evidence. George Carlin did a great sketch about religion and he covered the praying thing. I highly recommend it. You can see it here  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjVLJKR6g7U

Incidentally, I find it amazing that people believe that their gods will accede to their requests for special treatment like ensuring they arrive at a dinner in time (the first example on the first page you linked to), but then go and starve a little child, or a whole population, to death. How arrogant and self-important can a person possibly be?

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By johnjenkins
22nd Jul 2013 08:52

Isn't Vatican City

one of the (if not THE) richest cities in the world. Some temples and mosques are quite richly clad. Does religion need these riches? Then, of course, you have religious wars. What's that all about?

I have strong beliefs in common sense. Now that could have come from RI in school, but when someone tells me that you can walk on water etc. (other than Dynamo) then I start losing interest.

However, as long as it doesn't affect me, whatever turns you on. 

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By ShirleyM
22nd Jul 2013 09:37

I'm not a religious person

Being religious doesn't make you better than anyone else, or more 'righteous' than anyone else. I have met a good few religious hypocrites in my time who are, quite frankly, extremely bigoted and very unpleasant people. They somehow use religion to justify their callous attitude and actions.

Likewise, not being religious doesn't make you a bad person, or less 'righteous' than anyone else. It's how you live your life, and how you treat others, that determines whether you are 'good' or 'bad'.

The danger is when 'religion' is used for the wrong reasons, ie. as John said, to start wars, to act selfishly ie. do as I say, not as I do, and to discriminate against others that may not hold the same beliefs. How can that be justified?

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Replying to Manchester_man:
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By chatman
22nd Jul 2013 10:43

Right reasons for using religion?

ShirleyM wrote:
The danger is when 'religion' is used for the wrong reasons
Reading this a bit more carefully, Shirley, makes me wonder, what would be the right reasons for using religion?
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By chatman
22nd Jul 2013 10:41

Agree with John and Shirley

Absolutely agree with John and Shirley except that I also object to religion when it affects others, especially the vulnerable and impressionable, such as children.

They say that morality is doing what is right, regardless of what you are told, and that religion is doing what you are told, regardless of what is right.

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By ShirleyM
22nd Jul 2013 20:20

@chatman

The right reason? I can only think of one  .... and that is to give hope when there is no hope.

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Replying to DMGbus:
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By chatman
22nd Jul 2013 20:20

Uses of Religion

ShirleyM wrote:
The right reason? I can only think of one .... and that is to give hope where there is no hope.

Yes, I suppose so, but hope of what? Sam Harris addressed that idea. He said "It is time we learnt to address our emotional needs without embracing the preposterous"

I feel that religion creates more needs than it fulfils.

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By carnmores
23rd Jul 2013 10:04

esoteric but perhaps themost unlikely thread of the year

well done Mark!

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