A bit more of your merciful god.

[Meriweather]

It actually makes perfect sense for people who do not believe to read the Bible.

It makes no sense when there is no similar understanding. For example, using no punctuation, call me meriweather can switch meanings depending on how one reads it with punctuation. Call me Meriweather vs Call me, Meriweather.

It is both astonishing and frustrating when one wants to argue biblical accounts based on their own understanding--ignoring the process of delving into the understanding and the purpose of the original author(s), their histories, their cultures, their languages.

 

[Blues Man]

Arguing implies a need to persuade, to evangelize if you will. Why are these hard-core atheists so determined to evangelize for their cause? Is it not enough to be secure in their beliefs and allow everyone to have their own?

evangelize?

Who evangelizes more religious people or atheists? I've never had an atheist knock on my door to hand out religious material.

And not all argument are meant to persuade many times the act of argument is merely an intellectual exercise.

 

[Blues Man]

It makes no sense when there is no similar understanding. For example, using no punctuation, call me meriweather can switch meanings depending on how one reads it with punctuation. Call me Meriweather vs Call me, Meriweather.

It is both astonishing and frustrating when one wants to argue biblical accounts based on their own understanding--ignoring the process of delving into the understanding and the purpose of the original author(s), their histories, their cultures, their languages.

Yeah all religious people do that right?

You know as well as I do that most religious people do not delve that deeply into the bible and on that regard I think people who read the bible critically actually do a deeper dive into it.

 

[Meriweather]

How else can you understand the arguments of those you disagree with?

People of faith, who have an in depth understanding of the Bible based on the original language, history, and culture, are going to have a much different understanding from those who read it in modern English from the viewpoint of current Western culture. When this happens, it is like the two are discussing two entirely different books: More like one is discussing a recipe for chili and the other is discussing the rules of basketball. No wonder each thinks the other is wrong.

 

[Meriweather]

Just because a single carbon atom of your body still exists after you die in no way means you are still alive in any sense.

We are beyond atoms, kind of like we are beyond the soap particles left on our hands.

 

[Blues Man]

People of faith, who have an in depth understanding of the Bible based on the original language, history, and culture, are going to have a much different understanding from those who read it in modern English from the viewpoint of current Western culture. When this happens, it is like the two are discussing two entirely different books: More like one is discussing a recipe for chili and the other is discussing the rules of basketball. No wonder each thinks the other is wrong.

When you read with a predetermined conclusion then of course you will find what you want to find.

It's called confirmation bias.

It is impossible for anyone who is convinced that gods exist and that one of those gods was the creator of the universe and the human race to believe that anything in the bible is not true

 

[Blues Man]

We are beyond atoms, kind of like we are beyond the soap particles left on our hands.

OK so then tell me what subatomic particle carries the entire life experiences memories and the very essence that was you when you were alive into the future?

 

[Meriweather]

Your gods are a unique set of gods. If there is anything written by any gods in my heart, why would you presume the writers are your gods and not some other gods?

I am not the one presuming. I offered a thought from the Bible. As I live with both atheists and people of faith, I conclude that there is something beyond religion, or even faith, that guides people. Our hearts. Some believe that what is in our hearts come from God; some believe it comes from evolution; some even believe it comes from each individual self.

As far as your last question: God is beyond our understanding, but people of faith grope with information our own intelligence, reasoning, and experience provides.

I have always said that the person who has the greatest understanding of God is about a millimeter ahead of the person with the least understanding of God.

 

[Meriweather]

So, your god's laws are written on the hearts of those who worship different gods?

How is it you know that your gods have written anything on anyone's heart? That seems strange because cognitive processes / decision making is a function of the brain. How are messages from the gods written on the heart used by the brain?

You credit me with Paul's thoughts? Paul lived in a society that worshiped different Gods--or had no belief at all. He basically said, no worries, proper behavior is written in your hearts--and for those who do not believe, they will be judged by their own hearts.

 

[marvin martian]

In judges, chapter 11, jephthah made a deal with god if he was victorious over the Ammonites, he would sacrifice the first person to greet him on his return, by burning them alive.
He did indeed win and upon his return, was gleefully greeted by his daughter. Sadly the news was not goid. He cooked her a couple of months later to satisfy this ghost they believed in.
God never said a word apparently but when Abraham prepared his son to be barbecued as a sacrifice, at the very last minute, somehow Abraham got an email from God who suggested he spare him.

Its a shame your merciful god didn't show the same compassion for jephthats daughter as ge did for Isaac. This is the stuff you teach little kids.
How can you be part of such horrific and wicked teachings of your filthy god? Is that where you get your morals from?

^^^What kind of scumbag shits on other peoples' religions? You're a piece of shit.

 

[Meriweather]

I think people who read the bible critically actually do a deeper dive into it.

A deeper dive into English and Modern Western culture? If you wish to read the Bible critically, learn the original languages--or at least read commentaries of those who were working off the original languages.

 

[Hollie]

I am not the one presuming. I offered a thought from the Bible. As I live with both atheists and people of faith, I conclude that there is something beyond religion, or even faith, that guides people. Our hearts. Some believe that what is in our hearts come from God; some believe it comes from evolution; some even believe it comes from each individual self.

As far as your last question: God is beyond our understanding, but people of faith grope with information our own intelligence, reasoning, and experience provides.

I have always said that the person who has the greatest understanding of God is about a millimeter ahead of the person with the least understanding of God.

I have no reason to accept a Bible as authoritative about particular gods writing anything on my heart. All the flowery language about Our Hearts has nothing to do with your desire to impose your gods on others.

It is just a little bit contradictory to claim that (your) god is beyond our understanding yet you insist on adding attributes and actions undertaken by your gods which you claim to know with certainty.

 

[Meriweather]

It is impossible for anyone who is convinced that gods exist and that one of those gods was the creator of the universe and the human race to believe that anything in the bible is not true

Your bias shows best with that statement. For example, is it your position that we all believe that a donkey talked? That a flood covered the entire planet?

 

[Meriweather]

I have no reason to accept a Bible as authoritative about particular gods writing anything on my heart. All the flowery language about Our Hearts has nothing to do with your desire to impose your gods on others.

How am I imposing God on anyone? Please be specific, as I am curious.

 

[hadit]

evangelize?

Who evangelizes more religious people or atheists? I've never had an atheist knock on my door to hand out religious material.

And not all argument are meant to persuade many times the act of argument is merely an intellectual exercise.

An Evangelical Christian has incentive to proselytize because he's thinking of your eternal situation. The atheist has no such incentive, so why the hard-core evangelizing from them? What do they gain?

 

[Hollie]

You credit me with Paul's thoughts? Paul lived in a society that worshiped different Gods--or had no belief at all. He basically said, no worries, proper behavior is written in your hearts--and for those who do not believe, they will be judged by their own hearts.

I'm crediting you with your thoughts. What is the message written on our hearts? Do practitioners of competing religions have a message from the Christian gods written on their hearts they are unaware of?

 

[Hollie]

How am I imposing God on anyone? Please be specific, as I am curious.

You insist there is a message from your gods written on my heart. I'm curious to know what that message is and how you know it came from your gods.

Please be specific about the message.

 

[Meriweather]

It is just a little bit contradictory to claim that (your) god is beyond our understanding yet you insist on adding attributes and actions undertaken by your gods which you claim to know with certainty.

Again, you have lost me. Certainly people are capable of understanding God to the extent it is possible for humans to understand that which is greater than themselves. Do you believe it is possible to have complete understanding of a being greater than we are?

My "certainty" is a reasonable conclusion. If you have a different conclusion about lesser beings having a complete understanding of a greater being, why not share it?

 

[JustAGuy1]

Now you are starting to think son.
I've had these debates a thousand times and not once has a godbotherer proven one word about their beliefs and neither will you.

Nobody has to prove anything to you at all.

 

[Hollie]

Again, you have lost me. Certainly people are capable of understanding God to the extent it is possible for humans to understand that which is greater than themselves. Do you believe it is possible to have complete understanding of a being greater than we are?

My "certainty" is a reasonable conclusion. If you have a different conclusion about lesser beings having a complete understanding of a greater being, why not share it?

You wrote just a few posts ago that ''God is beyond our understanding''. You now write ''people are capable of understanding God to the extent it is possible for humans to understand that which is greater than themselves''.

So... we can understand the gods... kinda', sorta'.

Otherwise, reasonable conclusions are not derived about supernatural entities. Reasonable conclusions are derived from facts, evidence, prior examples and predicted outcome relative to past history.

What reasonable conclusions about gods can we predict using facts, evidence, prior examples and predicted outcome relative to past history when it applies to supernatural agents?