I see so many atheist debating the contents of the bible.  But do we really have to open it to see its bull.  No we don't.  Why, because of the basic questions anyone would ask about any book that might come across your desk.

1.  What kind of book is it? 

2.  Why was it written?

3.  Who wrote it?

There are many more but we only need the first one.

To believers it is the absolute truth and not subject to any change.  To me, a person who has never been introduced to any religion other then personal academic curiosity, its is any odd concept in itself.  I mean, I have been told to read a lot of books, but never has a biology teacher dropped a book on my desk and said this is the absolute truth, and is never subject to change.  If a teacher told me this, I would instantly know they were full of crap and a liar.  To me this is the most damming peace of evidence against most religions. 

I would also like to note that not all religions make absolute claims.  For example Tibetan Buddhism does not.

Of Necessity and Deity
 

A god is a being which exists without owing its existence to another being (that is, a self-existent being). Any god must be able to serve as the source of existence (e.g. its own) (by definition of self-existent).

 

QUESTION - Whether there is a god.

PRIMARY ASSUMPTION – The Law of Contradiction holds true universally; a thing cannot both “be” and “not be”, in the same manner and at the same time.

PRIMARY PRAXIS – If the conclusion to a line of thought violates the Law of Contradiction, it will be discarded (because to violate that Law is to reject its universal command, which we have assumed).

1.  For a universe to exist, a god must exist. Because...

• Whether a universe self-exists or exists without self-existing, it follows that a god exists. Because...

-If it self-exists, a god exists, as it itself is a god (by definition of god).

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/apr/01/usa.religion

Well look at that, a someone being charged with manslaughter, for causing the death of a toddler because they decided prayer was far better than modern medicine. FINALLY some good news from these types of murders. Maybe, just maybe they might smarten up....naw.

A perusal of this site never ceases to engender a host of thoughts about - and please forgive me as I have assigned intentionality to my thoughts - the contemporary intellectual condition. However, what I have noticed is the often gratuitous use of the words "free-thinking". I wish to pose then the following question: How is it that one fancies himself a free-thinker? More specifically, what are the essential and/or accidental properties that distinguish a free-thinker from a thinker in bondage to one or more thoughts, the sum of which renders one entirely susceptible to the opprobrium of the contemporary intellectual elites. Thus, if I were to hold to a certain set of beliefs about the external world that conflicted with say that of the hard empiricist, for example the audacious notion that metaphysical pronouncements may in fact be meaningful, do such beliefs then negate in substance the propensity for "free-thought"? Your comments are most welcome............ Augustine

So I was reading my local newspaper today and there was an article from the Associated Press http://www.douglasdispatch.com/articles/2008/03/29/news/religion/doc47eea0fa38a8a497123803.txt about this website I doubt God.com where pastors respond to skeptical questions. The main pastor said that basically the biggest question they get from skeptics are about the problem of evil (he actually said that it was about suffering not mentioning that it that called the problem of evil) . I thought his response was interesting

It seems to me that this is, given the fact that Yahweh is omnipotent, undermines his omnipotence by saying that God couldn't make it so that we did the same meaning with out the suffering involved. (Nevermind the fact that if God is omnipotent he could just give us without the suffering part). I was wondering what others thought of this?

The problem with using "reason" to evaluate the "reason" behind a concept so far from the vast majority of human perception/comprehension (let alone written expression) such as an unlimited God is that the very dimension we are experiencing is one where duality exists. IE, Hot and Cold exist, and hot is not equal to cold. While I personally think this is quite a sound concept while referring to most earthly things, when used as a lens to examine All-mighty God, it's quite inappropriate.

The basic fallacy is the simple fact that the law of non contradiction (a=a) cannot be proven without using itself as a proof. Therefore, it actually really means jack shit, and everything is actually true.

OK, let's restate that by saying that let's say for example, anything at all exists . To say that "God does not exist" is the equivalent of saying, "There is a thing (God) which does not exist," or p=/=p Well, make up your mind then. What is this thing "God" which exists which does not exist? I think the only thing that doesn't exist is that which doesn't exist. Then again, I guess am pretty far off my rocker.

The "logic" of this statement is even further aggravated by the fact that the word "God" refers to everything. As a matter of fact, it's practically tantamount to saying "Nothing exists." Nothing could be further from the truth, my friends. Then again, that's only my belief, the "disease" you guys talk about so often, and if you share it, then God must exist.

What is morality?  It's a simple question, isn't it?  Morality is right and wrong.  It's acting good or bad.  It's a description of the way people ought to behave.

Of course, thinking people realize it's not nearly as simple as that.  This thread is in no way intended to be a complete explanation of morality, but it's a good place to start for the basics.  There will be a much more comprehensive book page coming up in the future, but for the time being, I want to address one aspect of morality in particular.

If you've followed my writing at all, you know that I simply won't listen to a "should statement" unless I know what's at the end of the sentence.  You should act this way towards your neighbor... so that X, Y, and Z happen.

This is the heart of morality.  People behave in a certain way towards other humans because the net result is a compromise, of sorts, between competing desires by not only both people, but all the other people who might be affected.

Q. What is the unforgivable sin?

Luke 12:10 (see also Matthew 12:32 and Mark 3:29) says:

"And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven." (NIV)

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is to reject His grace. Not allowing the Holy Spirit to work in our lives is blasphemy: It is saying "I know more than God does about what is right for me" which takes away the principle which makes it possible to ask for forgiveness. This manifests itself in four ways: 1) despair concerning the possibility of salvation; 2) presumption of God's mercy and forgiveness; 3) denial of the truths of faith; and 4) final impenitence and refusal to turn to God. Sins against the Holy Spirit are the most grave because they reject the dignity of the One sent by the Father to sanctify us and restore us to full union with Him. Belief that if anyone fails to be open to the workings of the Holy Spirit in their lives, even once, automatically condemns them to Hell forever is not the teaching of this passage in Holy Scripture. This passage addresses the condition of the soul at the moment of death; prior to that moment, every person has the opportunity to turn to God, have their sins forgiven, and be welcomed home like the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32)

http://biblia.com/apparitions/virgin-zeitun-16gg.jpg How can millions of people see the Virgin Mary appear at Zeitun, Egypt in 1968, including cameras if there is no such thing as the Virgin Mary?? Remember, it is not opinion or personal experience if a camera sees it too! Check out this video and then respond if you have the guts! http://youtube.com/watch?v=LTcZXb5wGDU