It works for me!
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Faith in Jesus works for me - it's exciting. I love the Bible and believe all of it - though there is mystery. There is mystery everywhere though, right? I am a incredibly happy believer in Jesus. I'm not a theologian, I just believe in Jesus.
I understand you can't make anybody believe in Jesus and the Bible, and I don't personally try to do that. But I highly recommend it from my experience with it. I can't get enough of the Bible or Jesus. I can't imagine trying to navigate through life without it at this point in my life.
I don't think Jesus or God is a thing you can prove to somebody. I heard about it a large percentage of my life and it didn't mean anything to me until a certain point - then that all changed.
So do you guys think that I'm fooling myself, not really happy, you don't believe me, or do you really think I can't be as happy or enlightened as you - are you evangelistic in that sense or what? What is the purpose of this site? Do you have something better to offer? If so, what is your gospel?
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Make up your mind.
You said you don't do any works of obedience at all but God does them through you, i.e. god obeys himself through you.
Now you say you do follow his commands and God doesn't do anything.
As for the winnowing of the Gospel - when you go in with the assumption that you are the wheat, it's not hard to find support for that. It's what Paul and the Gospel writers did to turn Jesus into the Messiah. They wanted it - they made it happen.
"I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions."
— George Carlin
JcGadfly - et al
A sad reality that is unknown to you is the geometry of the love of Christ - it's height, width, breadth. To you the things that are seen are the reality and the unseen is a dream. For me it is the opposite: the material world is the shadow, the unseen spiritual world is the eternal reality. I know it by close examination. You are as if alone in this world - a desperate state.
Thus you lash out at me as if I'm the or a problem. But you carry your own void with you - your own personal foretaste of hell. I'm pointing the laser to the way out of all this: Christ lifted up - height, width, depth of love for you and even anonymouse. That's love I tell you - even more than a mother's love when it comes to the likes of anonymouse.
So Christ is simply warm fuzzy feelings now?
If Christ is so great to you, why are you insulting him by relegating him to the status of a security blanket?
Then again, the security blanket is all important to you, isn't it. Linus?
"I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions."
— George Carlin
I seem to have struck a nerve here.
Not sure why I'm being singled out. Is it because I keep rubbing your face in your own lies ? Or maybe because I keep pointing out that you keep repeating questions that have already been answered, and keep repeating assumptions that we already debunked, many, many, many times before ?
The likes of me, eh ?
Anonymouse,
Lighten up Anonymouse - I wouldn't kid you if I didn't like you.
Wow - finally got some truth out of you.
When you talk about how great Jesus is and how much he loves us...you're kidding.
"I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions."
— George Carlin
Yeeeeeeah........
Okay, I'm going to need a list of all the things you were kidding about in this thread.
JcGadfly,
What you like you regard as truth. What you twist you regard as "truth twists" - yummy.
Noting that you do not dispute the veracity of my statement...
What part of your "truth" am I twisting? Jesus is great? He loves us? It can't be that you're kidding because your posts show that you are here to preach and not help.
I'm well aware you'd like nothing better than to see me turning on a spit in Hell. Unfortunately for you, that attitude might grant you that view from the next spit.
"I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions."
— George Carlin
BobSpence1,
I just watched 20 + minutes of Daniel Dennett speaking to Edinburgh University about religion. It was interesting. Nothing he said had relevance to me, except for some false things I have navigated through. It would be like me lecturing to you some theory about how we would be better off without science (only made up for illustration) after I had worked it up with dedication. I might have some interesting things for you to amuse yourself with.
He looks like a nice guy, actually like guys I have worked for that were Philosophy chairs (3 successive). I've discussed things a little with 2 and quite a bit with 1 and it went a lot like the reasoning in the video, occasionally much more animated. I got to know them in their homes, which is a unique way to get acquainted and see life close up and match up creed and conviction with life.
There is of course some truth in what he is saying. I would agree with a lot of it with respect to false religions. There is a lot to navigate through. I don't know if you're familiar with some of the defenses of fighter planes - they set up a false target for enemy missiles. He sets up a false target then goes about destroying it. I wasn't in his sights.
I'm not a member of an "organization" - but rather a "body". I'm not "religious" - I have faith in the sacrifice of the Lamb of God.
And in this lecture there is a false element too. He slickly skips over where the cow came from and focuses on "redesigning" the cow. That was a convenient revelation. Yet he goes on with an air that could make the simple believe even he could make a cow.
So you let your full weight down on Daniel Dennett and David Hume (did he really destroy his mother's faith then not even come to her death bed or was that somebody else?). My faith is not in either one, Joseph Smith, Mohammed, Moon, myself, a large % of anybody - but Jesus Christ Who died for me and lives in me. I know Whom I have believed. I would hate to have my faith ruddering through the religions Daniel Dennett mentioned - including his own religion which obviously he is dedicated to.
All are free to make those choices, but I argue the choice because I am confident they have made the wrong choice - just like you are confident I have made the wrong choice. Let me be clear: any choice other than Jesus is the wrong choice. There is only one Name we are saved by: Jesus. That is my confident choice. Eventually we will find out who's right won't we Bob. Until then I'm no more threat to you than you are to me. You are confident I'm wrong. I'm confident you and Daniel Dennett are wrong - at least at the moment of these statements. Things can change, I'm confident of that too - and confident of my product, the Gospel.
Their confidence is based on reason. Yours is, as this thread proves, merely propped up by your dishonesty.
What religion is Daniel Dennett dedicated to?
Our revels now are ended. These our actors, | As I foretold you, were all spirits, and | Are melted into air, into thin air; | And, like the baseless fabric of this vision, | The cloud-capped towers, the gorgeous palaces, | The solemn temples, the great globe itself, - Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve, | And, like this insubstantial pageant faded, | Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff | As dreams are made on, and our little life | Is rounded with a sleep. - Shakespeare
We will never find out who is wrong, that would require there to be an actual afterlife, for which there is virtually zero evidence....
I would not expect to you really appreciate Dennett's arguments, they are way above what you seem to be able to comprehend.
I must check that out next week, when my new high-speed internet connection comes online.
Favorite oxymorons: Gospel Truth, Rational Supernaturalist, Business Ethics, Christian Morality
"Theology is now little more than a branch of human ignorance. Indeed, it is ignorance with wings." - Sam Harris
The path to Truth lies via careful study of reality, not the dreams of our fallible minds - me
From the sublime to the ridiculous: Science -> Philosophy -> Theology
Anonymouse,
Quoting John Bunyan who was imprisoned for twelve years right after he married, wife pregnant, by "organized religion" (the type Daniel Dennett refers to) because he was preaching the gospel but not "ordained".
'But that which was reported with the boldest confidence,
was, that I had my misses, yea, two wives at once, and the
like. Now these slanders, with the others, I glory in,
because but slanders, foolish, or knavish lies, and
falsehoods cast upon me by the devil and his seed; and
should I not be dealt with thus wickedly by the world, I
should want one sign of a saint, and a child of God.
I'm not altogether surprised that you don't see the difference between you and Bunyan so I'll spell it out for you.
Bunyan was lied about - your words are being used against you.
Were you lying then or are you lying now?
"I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions."
— George Carlin
There is no connection between you and this person you are talking about.
I'm not just calling you dishonest, I have also provided proof that you are, in fact, dishonest. Or rather, you provided that proof for me.
Oh, wait...did you forget ?
Again ?
BobSpence1,
I think you'll enjoy your faster internet for sure.
About finding out who is wrong and evidence - there will be plenty of evidence when you are there.
As far as the height of Daniel Dennett's arguments - I think they are above him as well.
NoDeity,
I understand what you're saying but how do you define "highly successful"? Science develops nuclear energy but has it been successful with man's basic need or just escalated threat? I like science, but it's a tool not an answer to life.
Was Christianity ever fulfilling to you? Were you at peace? Were you happy?
And you're back to the one real weapon you have - the threat. I look forward to you actually reading Dennett's work so you can quit speaking from your nether regions.
(hey, a guy can dream)
"I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions."
— George Carlin
Science and technology have made massive improvements in human health, from sewerage systems removing major sources of the spread of infectious diseases, vaccinations to virtually wipe-out many ancient scourges, improved food production to reduce hunger, surgical technology, anti-biotics, etc, etc.
So it very much has made MAJOR contributions to our basic needs. Unless you don't consider health, food, and shelter 'basic needs'.
Favorite oxymorons: Gospel Truth, Rational Supernaturalist, Business Ethics, Christian Morality
"Theology is now little more than a branch of human ignorance. Indeed, it is ignorance with wings." - Sam Harris
The path to Truth lies via careful study of reality, not the dreams of our fallible minds - me
From the sublime to the ridiculous: Science -> Philosophy -> Theology
He's already told you that. Apparently you weren't paying attention. If it's so easy for you to forget what we tell you, and you can't be bothered to re-read posts even when I tell you exactly where to start, then what exactly would be his motivation to repeat himself, yet again ?
Just go back and re-read his posts. While you do that, you'll notice a lot of questions you left unanswered. That's all this thread is : You ignoring our questions and asking us questions in return, and then instantly forgetting what we told you.
Btw, that whole "the devil and his seed" thing, were you kidding there too, or where you genuinely trying to be insulting ?
tired browsing a thousand posts since this is my first view of the thread. but boy did i get a laugh from this.
Not only can water float a boat, It can sink it also.
BobSpence1,
Some of my favorite science products: GPS, laser leveling, computer, electronic stud finder, internal combustion engine, zip lock bags. All tools.
For this Daniel Dennett to lecture about faith in God from a scientific base is as out of place as bringing political campaigning into worship. They don't mix.
God - also a tool. One created by humans to control and assault others.
One you use quite well, I might add.
It even comes with a no-responsibility guarantee. Whatever you do (no matter how vile) can be explained by "God told me to do it", "It's God's will", "For the zeal of thine house has eaten me up...".
It's the only tool that users claim can use them.
"I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions."
— George Carlin
JcGadfly,
You know I have to attribute your characterization of God to ignorance. Surely you are among the group, "they know not what they do"; otherwise you would be in league with the devil and not only a aspiring partaker in the blasphemy challenge but a full-fledged hopeless qualifier.
You remind me of Red Green and Harold dressing for halloween and arguing who gets to be which end of the horse. Short of Anonymouse you are the last I would go to for a lecture about God.
He didn't characterise god, he characterised the way you use god. Big difference, which you apparently didn't notice.
Btw, it's not just us atheist who have pointed this out. Some theist have created an account here for the sole purpose of pointing this out to you. But I guess you forgot all about that as well.
Instead of giving me cameos in your half-baked insults, you might want to try reading my actual posts and answering my questions.
Oh heck, I'll spare you even that little effort and repeat myself yet again.
All I want to know is, why do you lie ? Why do you lie even about things that have nothing to do with religion ? Why do you do that ?
I'm not characterizing the god of the Bible - you've never read that book so such an effort would be meaningless to you.
I wouldn't even attempt to characterize your God-construct. You are the foremost expert on that.
I simply reminded of you of who created gods and their original purpose. I also mentioned how well you follow that tradition.
It was a compliment - you should thank me.
"I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions."
— George Carlin
Interesting that you avoided the main point of my post, about the massive benefits to science that you ignored with your post where you said that:
Strictly speaking, it is Technology that is the 'tool', Science is how we pursue and gain knowledge. Religion is the pursuit of ignorance.
Favorite oxymorons: Gospel Truth, Rational Supernaturalist, Business Ethics, Christian Morality
"Theology is now little more than a branch of human ignorance. Indeed, it is ignorance with wings." - Sam Harris
The path to Truth lies via careful study of reality, not the dreams of our fallible minds - me
From the sublime to the ridiculous: Science -> Philosophy -> Theology
[sarcasim/] Oh wow thank you for enlightening me, i'm going to go and worship God now [\sarcasim]
Do you hounestly beleive you will convert any Atheists that way?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You cannot disprove the existance of God, but you also cannot disprove the existance of an all powerfull, incomprehesible, pink elephant that lives in the boot of my car.
DarkSam,
Nice to meet you Sam. I got the sarcasm. I'm not able to convert anybody - just sharing the truth that salvation by faith in
Jesus really works for me. It just gets better and better. I would hope that it would work for others, but that's a miraculous hope. I do have that hope though. Do you have hope?
Did you ever think that your approach might be more effective if you didn't hold yourself up as the sole example of what a Christian looks like?
"I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions."
— George Carlin
Hey BobSpence1,
I thought you had already mentioned those so I mentioned others. I could have mentioned flame spectrometer. It's pretty broad.
As far as ignoring main points I don't think we're ignoring main points. I think you see my main point and I see yours. It's not that we are ignoring them, we just don't buy them. I'm not asking you to be dishonest with me and I'm not with you. You're not ignoring my point that science is a great tool that can be used for good, for bad - but not forever; you just don't buy it, right? True science has no conflict with God. False science, science that has taken another's seat will be humiliated before the eternal onlookers. You get the point of this and the application to Daniel D - you just don't buy it, your choice not mine.
Religion may be the pursuit of ignorance for all I know. I'm not pursuing religion. I'm pursuing Christ. You're ignoring that point which isn't for sale. Maybe it's a treasure you'll stumble across.
I think I just saw Christ! He ran off that cliff over there, if you hurry I bet you can catch him!
Faith is the word but next to that snugged up closely "lie's" the want.
"By simple common sense I don't believe in god, in none."-Charlie Chaplin
Nice to meet you to. I'm happy that believing in Jesus has made you happy. No offence, but I hounestly don't care. I don't see what part of believing in what was written in a book 2000 years ago would be so great. It makes no sense that you would have hope that others would beleive in this myth. It sounds to me like you are just preaching. I have hope. I have hope that oneday all humans will be able to see rationally and not believe in fictional beings, we could then go on with our lives, and advance in sciences and fill the gaps in our knowledge so people no longer need to be ignorant and say, " God did it".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You cannot disprove the existance of God, but you also cannot disprove the existance of an all powerfull, incomprehesible, pink elephant that lives in the boot of my car.
I am sorry, Fonzie, but that response was still pretty much irrelevant to what I was saying there.
I was not, and still am not, interested, in this context, in talking about some of the tools OF science.
Do you accept that Science, and its application thru Technology, have actually addressed many of man's basic needs? Such as health, food and shelter. An issue which you had questioned. And which belief in God made essentially zero contribution to. In fact belief in God makes it easier to ignore those issues I mentioned, which had millions of people suffering unnecessary disease, starvation, and death.
"Just pray to God, follow Jesus, and he'll take care of things until you reach heaven".
Favorite oxymorons: Gospel Truth, Rational Supernaturalist, Business Ethics, Christian Morality
"Theology is now little more than a branch of human ignorance. Indeed, it is ignorance with wings." - Sam Harris
The path to Truth lies via careful study of reality, not the dreams of our fallible minds - me
From the sublime to the ridiculous: Science -> Philosophy -> Theology
robj101,
Actually the Devil is the one leading off the cliff - no deposit no return.
There's nothing more helpless than sheep (like myself) but thankfully we have the Great Shepherd leading us to still water, green pasture, and a level place. He's all we need.
So you just a sad lost sheep needing guidance from a 2000 year old fictional hero with supernatural powers?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You cannot disprove the existance of God, but you also cannot disprove the existance of an all powerfull, incomprehesible, pink elephant that lives in the boot of my car.
BobSpence1,
I think all you're saying is - in all toil there is profit. People work at solving things. They use reasoning, materials, experiment, get organized (like Eli Whitney with interchangeable parts), and invention. There's nothing new about this under the sun. Don't ask of it more than it has to give.
Then you mischaracterize salvation through faith in Jesus again. Last time it was pursuit of religion. This time it's "fold your hands and make a sweet wish to Jesus and do nothing". I'm talking about the real thing not your fancy fair.
People are inspired to work, invent, help, reason and suffer from different motives: money, security, and altruism. You dismiss the spiritual root of man's creative and dynamic as non existent or a dream, but you're wrong, wrong, wrong. Next you find bad examples and parade them. Then you talk only about some good examples of science and stay on the rocks so you avoid all the bad uses of science. And the problem of man remains unsolved by your doctrine and your idol.
Bob gives you facts, and this is all you can do ?
Also, I see you're again claiming you're being honest with people. Since I've already shown that you're not, I wonder why you keep lying.
You do realise that lies don't exactly prove your point, right ? If it works for you, then why do you need to lie ?
Where might this green pasture, still water (you do know still water stagnates quickly) and this level place be? In heaven? That place that can only be formed in your mind?
This forum is for people to debate, not to post that they just "know". You see, I have more proof from your posts that you are a deluded idiot than any proof of a god. You are one of those that is proof of no god and mans need/want to believe in something higher than himself, even without any real evidence but what man himself has concocted. You are a victim of your own mind and fantasy. You manage to "feel" gods imaginary love, and to completely ignore all the bad things ancient man wrote about said imaginary god because they do not fit in your little world.
God was made by man, we must pull our heads out of our deluded asses, get past needing an invisible daddy and live this life. That is my "gospel".
Faith is the word but next to that snugged up closely "lie's" the want.
"By simple common sense I don't believe in god, in none."-Charlie Chaplin
Fonzie, I'm seeing a pattern here. Whenever someone replies to your post giving evidence that God doesen't exist or isn't needed, because you don't have a refuting argument, you respond with preachy babble. If you want us to take you seriously you are going to have to do alot better.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You cannot disprove the existance of God, but you also cannot disprove the existance of an all powerfull, incomprehesible, pink elephant that lives in the boot of my car.
Fonzie, I am pointing out that Science has provided far more positive benefits to mankind, saved many more lives, than Jesus, or belief in him, ever has.
And you keep trying to ignore or trivialize and downplay it.
Even if you subtract the deaths that can be directly attributed to scientific discoveries, I think you will find the lives saved are way ahead.
I guess you will dismiss this because those lives saved were only their merely mortal lives, which don't really count in the grand scheme of things, as you see it.
So perhaps you would claim that Howard Florey and his team of scientists were working their butts off to make penicillin available in sufficient quantities to save all the lives they knew it could for trivial reasons, rather than a genuine dedication to the welfare of humanity...
In the past, all we could do was just 'pray' for them, which does nothing for the dying, it only makes it easier for the person praying to cope.
Favorite oxymorons: Gospel Truth, Rational Supernaturalist, Business Ethics, Christian Morality
"Theology is now little more than a branch of human ignorance. Indeed, it is ignorance with wings." - Sam Harris
The path to Truth lies via careful study of reality, not the dreams of our fallible minds - me
From the sublime to the ridiculous: Science -> Philosophy -> Theology
BobSpence1,
It's not that I'm ignoring your tribute to science - it's that I totally disagree. You seem to think that just because you make a statement that you like or you agree with or several fellow atheists agree with that proof has been dispensed. Your faith is your faith. Your statements about science which you view as something independent from Jesus through Whom all things were created and hold together - are your doctrine from your faith. Your summary of your perspective is what you honestly see happening, but I see something totally different from my faith perspective. Your accolades of science are like a flea saying, "my dog" and aren't proof at all because you don't even know what you are talking about when you mention Jesus or try to compare Him to anything - and He doesn't compare, He is Above Everything.
You say I trivialize your faith (it is faith Bob because you can't comprehend the universe God made and compare it to God and Jesus and make a judgment) - while you trivialize God and what He will do in response to prayer and what He has done for man through His Son becoming flesh. You are settling cheap with that. And your buyer doesn't give a hoot about you.
It's interesting to read how you disparage science while using it. I also enjoy it when the most disparaging thing you can think of to say is "You're just like me". It really shows how much you value Jesus.
Do you know why people view science as separate form Jesus? Simple - no Christian has been persecuted in the name of science. Christianity can't say the same about their treatment of scientists and other knowledgeable folk.
Your faith perspective vs. what we see in reality falls down and goes "boom!" when faced with Occam's blade. Why? When you invoke faith you add an unnecessary step. Actually, I shouldn't call it a step - it's just hand-waving and distraction.
A flea shouldn't look at his universe as "my dog" but you can inhabit the universe and claim Yahweh as "your God"? Do you have all understanding now? Or is this based on your claim that an omnimax deity gives enough of a damn about you to be your friend? Given your attitude towards God (God wants to see new people and make new friends and you want to keep him for yourself because you believe you're the only one who deserves him.) you're less of a friend and more like a stalker.
You have no room to talk about trivializing God. Why do you feel a need to lie about this one you claim to love?
"I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions."
— George Carlin
Uhm...no, that's not what he thinks, so the rest of your post is irrelevant.
In fact, the idea that you can somehow create factual truth out of thin air, just by believing something, that's what you've been selling, not us.
Here's an example : I accuse you of being dishonest. I provide proof in the form of your own words. By contrast, you accuse me of being somehow controlled by "the devil". You provide no proof at all. Are you even noticing the difference here ?
Fonzie persists in trying to trivialize or deny the FACT that the scientists who developed antibiotics and vaccines, among other things, have benefited far more people in far more positive ways, like saving their lives, than religion ever has. And they did what they did with dedication and intent, not as an incidental effect of their personal hobby or 'faith'.
There have been no wars in the name of Science.
All Fonzie can do is claim with no justification other than "It works for me!", that it makes him feel great, that following Jesus is somehow benefiting anyone in any real way.
He is demonstrating in every response just what is wrong with religion and religious faith.
Favorite oxymorons: Gospel Truth, Rational Supernaturalist, Business Ethics, Christian Morality
"Theology is now little more than a branch of human ignorance. Indeed, it is ignorance with wings." - Sam Harris
The path to Truth lies via careful study of reality, not the dreams of our fallible minds - me
From the sublime to the ridiculous: Science -> Philosophy -> Theology
I can smell the brimstone from across the entire Internet.
Everything makes more sense now that I've stopped believing.
yup, the closest thing to a war was the space race.
Some wars started by religion:
1. The French Wars of Religion
2. The Thirty Years War.
3. The Reconquista.
4. The Troubles (N.Ireland).
5. Henry VIII's purges
6. Daughter Mary's purges
7. Sister Liz's purges.
8. The English Civil War
9. The First Crusade
10. The Second Crusade
11. The Third Crusade
12. The Fourth Crusade
13. Albigensian Crusade
14. Children's Crusade
15. The Fifth Crusade
16. The Sixth Crusade
17. The Seventh Crusade
18. The Eighth Crusade
19. The Ninth Crusade
20. Northern Crusades
And thats just some of the many wars started by religion
Are you smoking the Bible in you image? Just a thought that came to mind.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You cannot disprove the existance of God, but you also cannot disprove the existance of an all powerfull, incomprehesible, pink elephant that lives in the boot of my car.
You, like most people of "faith" have to believe that everyone has this "faith". Your faith is based on what you think, our faith is based on what can be proven and what we know or may not know. The only way you could assume faith in an atheists case is in the fact that if we do not know something, I have faith that one day we may. Is that really faith when based on a possibility?
You have faith because you want an answer right now. This blind faith gives you that answer, god did it. If you don't know something you can easily blame it on god. As I have stated there is no reason whatsoever to attempt to debate or argue with someone of your nature. You have "faith" and you are here to rub our noses about in it.
You are arrogant in the extreme and self righteous to no end. You point at scripture, you point at faith, both are irrelevant in a real conversation. The scriptures were written by men and you have absolutely no evidence that a god had a hand in any of it. Faith is in your mind and you can not project it on someone who knows better than to blindly accept frivilous nonsense.
If you truly want to discuss and debate you will have to open your mind to other possibilities, or is your faith too weak for that? Can you not open your mind and imagine?
I suspect you can't and wont even admit to that. You are a bane to society for this reason.
good day
Faith is the word but next to that snugged up closely "lie's" the want.
"By simple common sense I don't believe in god, in none."-Charlie Chaplin
robj101,
I think you must have faith in something unseen to lay out your discourse on what I believe and think on a hunch. You are laying out your impression of unseen ideas and have faith in your grasp of them. I see a lot of atheist ideas here that drive way ahead of dim headlights. You guys can talk your atheist by-words then proceed on with confidence in confidence itself and it's like a feather in a centrifuge - it just doesn't impact anything.
It's my opinion that in your thinking I'm arrogant because I honestly have a different experience and different confidence than you hold. And don't get me wrong it's your privilege to hold your idea and defend it axe in hand; for instance, you have an unimpressed view of Scripture. To me it is the Living Word of God that produces wheat every time winnowed. It's miraculous and produces faith - just like God spoke the world into existence his Word brings life to the spiritually dead. You might want to give it a try.
To you it is written by men; however, to me it is as it says, not of any man's interpretation but men wrote as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. It was God writing Scripture through men. You have a different idea, so you think I'm arrogant. You have faith in that view. I'm confident in mine. Who's necessarily arrogant since we are on opposite sides of that? How can you have confident faith in your vaporous idea that it's me?
As far as opening my mind to other possibilities, you may not have had the experience of searching frustration making the heart sick then the tree of life of finding it. I have found what I'm looking for and it is increasing in brilliance every day. Your darkness isn't touching it. If you found your car keys, why would you be upset with me telling you you lost them? I've found what I'm looking for and that's the truth from my side.