From an outside rational observer's standpoint, Christianity is kind of absurd

[guno]

Think about it from a non Christian's viewpoint. Belief in an invisible man who was his own father, lived over 2,000 years ago in a series of backwater towns in the Middle East, was killed by some religious zealots, and then was magically raised from the dead three days later, after which he floated up into the sky and disappeared, thus becoming the invisible man Christians now believe in and pin all their hopes to. On top of that, Christians believe in other invisible beings: angels and demons—who are all around us, helping and influencing us. Meanwhile, another invisible Spirit (the Holy Spirit) is constantly at work behind the scenes around the earth, keeping the whole thing straight and intervening whenever He can.

Do christian realize how bizarre this seems to rational thinking people, just as other religions seem to Christians

 

[guno]

An observation I also find it interesting is that Christians usually only pray for things that could happen on their own by coincidence. For example, they might pray for someone’s cancer to go into remission (something that can happen naturally), but they won’t bother praying for an amputee to grow his arm back.

I suspect this is because deep down they know it's not true, but they don’t want to break the illusion by praying for something that is obviously impossible. So they continue to pray for simple things–a better job, a better marriage, etc – but always things that have at least a small chance of happening anyway.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Guno, I hope you'll accept Jesus as your Savior so he can melt all that hatred and free yourself from your personal Hell

 

[guno]

Guno, I hope you'll accept Jesus as your Savior so he can melt all that hatred and free yourself from your personal Hell

Cannot have a ration conversation, can you frankie

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Guno, I hope you'll accept Jesus as your Savior so he can melt all that hatred and free yourself from your personal Hell

Cannot have a ration conversation, can you frankie

Jesus loves you Guno even when you hate yourself

 

[amrchaos]

Guno, I hope you'll accept Jesus as your Savior so he can melt all that hatred and free yourself from your personal Hell

In this thread, what has Guno said that was 'hatefull'?

If anything, Guno is ignoring symbolism and taken the Gospel accts literally--which is a strange way to approach the meaning behind miracles.

 

[chikenwing]

Not nearly as irrational as your hate and bigotry shown here daily,get some help.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

Think about it from a non Christian's viewpoint. Belief in an invisible man who was his own father, lived over 2,000 years ago in a series of backwater towns in the Middle East, was killed by some religious zealots, and then was magically raised from the dead three days later, after which he floated up into the sky and disappeared, thus becoming the invisible man Christians now believe in and pin all their hopes to. On top of that, Christians believe in other invisible beings: angels and demons—who are all around us, helping and influencing us. Meanwhile, another invisible Spirit (the Holy Spirit) is constantly at work behind the scenes around the earth, keeping the whole thing straight and intervening whenever He can.

Do christian realize how bizarre this seems to rational thinking people, just as other religions seem to Christians

Think from the inside too hence the thousands of different versions.

 

[Avatar4321]

You would have to make a rational characterization before you could claim your perspective is rational. Dealing with caricatures isn't rational. It's dishonest.

 

[hadit]

One notes yet another outburst of irrational fear and hatred from the usual source. One also notes that God cares about what puny humans consider to be "rational" as much as an adult human cares what ants on a sidewalk consider "rational".

Tribesman 1: I was on a hunting trip and saw a giant silver bird fly over a very high mountain peak. It had huge wings that did not move, and it made a loud noise. As I watched in wonder, it pooped something out that made a huge fire when it hit the ground.

Tribesman 2: Obviously, you are deranged and delusional. Think rationally, please. No bird is that big or that color, and they all move their wings to fly. In addition, none can fly over that mountain, it is too high and none of them can poop out fire. You are clearly stupid, and our scientists declare you a danger to the tribe. They have shown definitively in the lab that what you say you saw could not possibly have happened. Now go, stay in the crazy tent with the women who are having PMS.

The bottom line remains, insisting God does not exist because your sensory, emotional and intellectual capacities cannot comprehend Him is ultimately fruitless.

 

[alang1216]

In defense of Christianity, it is no more absurd than any other religion. Once you accept the existance of the supernatural there are really no boundaries to what is possible to believe.

 

[TheOldSchool]

Drink my blood and eat my flesh!!! That's metal as FUCK!

 

[Avatar4321]

That is true. Jesus was pretty metal.

 

[featherlite]

An observation I also find it interesting is that Christians usually only pray for things that could happen on their own by coincidence. For example, they might pray for someone’s cancer to go into remission (something that can happen naturally), but they won’t bother praying for an amputee to grow his arm back.

I suspect this is because deep down they know it's not true, but they don’t want to break the illusion by praying for something that is obviously impossible. So they continue to pray for simple things–a better job, a better marriage, etc – but always things that have at least a small chance of happening anyway.

... for the 7,345,900,000 time you are wrong and still stuck on demanding proof.

 

[amrchaos]

You know--

I can go on youtube and find crazy (insertname here) all day?

Atheist, Catholics, Baptists, Muslim, Jews, Agnostics, Buddhists, etc. etc.

Hell, have you seen the one about the Psychologist?

One notes yet another outburst of irrational fear and hatred from the usual source. One also notes that God cares about what puny humans consider to be "rational" as much as an adult human cares what ants on a sidewalk consider "rational".

Tribesman 1: I was on a hunting trip and saw a giant silver bird fly over a very high mountain peak. It had huge wings that did not move, and it made a loud noise. As I watched in wonder, it pooped something out that made a huge fire when it hit the ground.

Tribesman 2: Obviously, you are deranged and delusional. Think rationally, please. No bird is that big or that color, and they all move their wings to fly. In addition, none can fly over that mountain, it is too high and none of them can poop out fire. You are clearly stupid, and our scientists declare you a danger to the tribe. They have shown definitively in the lab that what you say you saw could not possibly have happened. Now go, stay in the crazy tent with the women who are having PMS.

The bottom line remains, insisting God does not exist because your sensory, emotional and intellectual capacities cannot comprehend Him is ultimately fruitless.

You know, until tribesman 1 can show proof of what he saw, it is safer to follow the reasoning of tribesman 2(although somethings that tribesman 2 say is unnecessary)

Don't worry--eventually every tribesman will see a silver(or white) airplane and Tribesman 1 will be redeemed.

But until then, he should be doubted and questioned

 

[Skull Pilot]

ALL religions are absurd from an objective rational viewpoint

 

[hadit]

You know--

I can go on youtube and find crazy (insertname here) all day?

Atheist, Catholics, Baptists, Muslim, Jews, Agnostics, Buddhists, etc. etc.

Hell, have you seen the one about the Psychologist?

One notes yet another outburst of irrational fear and hatred from the usual source. One also notes that God cares about what puny humans consider to be "rational" as much as an adult human cares what ants on a sidewalk consider "rational".

Tribesman 1: I was on a hunting trip and saw a giant silver bird fly over a very high mountain peak. It had huge wings that did not move, and it made a loud noise. As I watched in wonder, it pooped something out that made a huge fire when it hit the ground.

Tribesman 2: Obviously, you are deranged and delusional. Think rationally, please. No bird is that big or that color, and they all move their wings to fly. In addition, none can fly over that mountain, it is too high and none of them can poop out fire. You are clearly stupid, and our scientists declare you a danger to the tribe. They have shown definitively in the lab that what you say you saw could not possibly have happened. Now go, stay in the crazy tent with the women who are having PMS.

The bottom line remains, insisting God does not exist because your sensory, emotional and intellectual capacities cannot comprehend Him is ultimately fruitless.

You know, until tribesman 1 can show proof of what he saw, it is safer to follow the reasoning of tribesman 2(although somethings that tribesman 2 say is unnecessary)

Don't worry--eventually every tribesman will see a silver(or white) airplane and Tribesman 1 will be redeemed.

That will actually happen in this case, BTW:

It is written: “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’”

But until then, he should be doubted and questioned

This is why I've always maintained that it would be pointless for God to come down and do a great miracle so everyone would believe. Disbelief would immediately set it in, and within a handful of generations man would be right back to where he is now, wondering why God doesn't show Himself and insisting the evidence of the past is false. The point remains, though, that not having the same experience as another person in no way invalidates their experience.

 

[amrchaos]

You know--

I can go on youtube and find crazy (insertname here) all day?

Atheist, Catholics, Baptists, Muslim, Jews, Agnostics, Buddhists, etc. etc.

Hell, have you seen the one about the Psychologist?

One notes yet another outburst of irrational fear and hatred from the usual source. One also notes that God cares about what puny humans consider to be "rational" as much as an adult human cares what ants on a sidewalk consider "rational".

Tribesman 1: I was on a hunting trip and saw a giant silver bird fly over a very high mountain peak. It had huge wings that did not move, and it made a loud noise. As I watched in wonder, it pooped something out that made a huge fire when it hit the ground.

Tribesman 2: Obviously, you are deranged and delusional. Think rationally, please. No bird is that big or that color, and they all move their wings to fly. In addition, none can fly over that mountain, it is too high and none of them can poop out fire. You are clearly stupid, and our scientists declare you a danger to the tribe. They have shown definitively in the lab that what you say you saw could not possibly have happened. Now go, stay in the crazy tent with the women who are having PMS.

The bottom line remains, insisting God does not exist because your sensory, emotional and intellectual capacities cannot comprehend Him is ultimately fruitless.

You know, until tribesman 1 can show proof of what he saw, it is safer to follow the reasoning of tribesman 2(although somethings that tribesman 2 say is unnecessary)

Don't worry--eventually every tribesman will see a silver(or white) airplane and Tribesman 1 will be redeemed.

That will actually happen in this case, BTW:

It is written: “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’”

But until then, he should be doubted and questioned

This is why I've always maintained that it would be pointless for God to come down and do a great miracle so everyone would believe. Disbelief would immediately set it in, and within a handful of generations man would be right back to where he is now, wondering why God doesn't show Himself and insisting the evidence of the past is false. The point remains, though, that not having the same experience as another person in no way invalidates their experience.

There is something else to point out.

I made the assumption that eventually every tribesman will see an airplane earlier. I can be wrong.

If no planes fly over the area the tribe inhabits, they too, will not come to believe in the existence of airplanes.

This leads to an interesting question: Without 'proof' of airplanes, why are airplanes important to the tribe?

God has to established existence in order for that quote to become fulfilled. Until then, if there is a then, treating God like God does not exist does not affect the 'tribe'.

 

[Dot Com]

guno is right AGAIN. Back then, given human's limited knowledge base, they needed to invent a sky pixie to explain away the unexplainable. Modern man doesn't need such mythological artifice now

 

[percysunshine]

Think about it from a non Christian's viewpoint. Belief in an invisible man who was his own father, lived over 2,000 years ago in a series of backwater towns in the Middle East, was killed by some religious zealots, and then was magically raised from the dead three days later, after which he floated up into the sky and disappeared, thus becoming the invisible man Christians now believe in and pin all their hopes to. On top of that, Christians believe in other invisible beings: angels and demons—who are all around us, helping and influencing us. Meanwhile, another invisible Spirit (the Holy Spirit) is constantly at work behind the scenes around the earth, keeping the whole thing straight and intervening whenever He can.

Do christian realize how bizarre this seems to rational thinking people, just as other religions seem to Christians

Of course, explaining Mother Teresa's selfless help of the poor, downtrodden, and needy as being completely irrational is going to occupy 99% of your neurons for eternity.

So you have that going for you...

.