| Jun 4, 2008 @ 11:58 PM |
10 Questions Every Intelligent Christian must answer
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LanceVarden7
Posts: 1,092
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1. Why won’t god heal amputees?
2. Why are there so many starving people in our world?
3. Why does God demand the death of so many innocent people?
4. Why does the bible contain so much anti-scientific nonsense?
5. Why is God a proponent of slavery in the bible
6. Why do bad things happen to good people
7. Why didn’t any of Yeashua’s miracle leave evidence
8. How do you explain the fact the Yeashua has never appeared to you?
9. Why would Yeashua want you to eat his body and drink his blood?
10. Why do Christians get divorced at the same rate as non-Christians
I will give it my best shot
1. Why won’t god heal amputees?
He does. Yeashua regrew the ear that was cut off just before he was arrested and tried. Of course that is a biblical account, and if you don't believe in the bible than it doesn't prove much. Yeashua had a closer relationship with God than any of the modern fair of Christians. We are told tory to follow him, but we can never be him. My experience is that divine healings are few and far apart.
2. Why are there so many starving people in our world?
3. Why does God demand the death of so many innocent people?These two are basically the same as the first. Basically asking, "Why doesn't God intervene more?" I believe it is sort of like the Prime Directive in Star Trek. Not to interfere/upset a normal growing culture. Also Revealations points to this when Paul is asked not to write things that everyone who read would suddenly believe. Think of it. Did you want your child to hug you, because he loves you, or becuase he wants you to buy him an ice cream?
4. Why does the bible contain so much anti-scientific nonsense?
Jonah being in the whale, the flood and all the other stuff that defies natural law is plausible, if you allow for a supreme being who created it in the first place. For the most part, God seems to choose not to interefere/disrupt the laws of nature and science, but obviously, if he exists he can. Also, we haven't got it all figured out. Every day things that were scientifically impossible are being proved palusible. According to science, a bumble-bee cannot fly, but he obviously does. We cannot trust in our won understanding, for it constantly in creases. The sci-fi of 30 years ago is reality today.
5. Why is God a proponent of slavery in the bible
THis is old testament. I am not up for defending the old testament. I think the OT is totally hosed, and Yeashua was sent to fix the religion. I will let someone else take a shot at defending the OT.
6. Why do bad things happen to good people
7. Why didn’t any of Yeashua’s miracle leave evidence
See above "Why sin't there proof?" type explanations.
8. How do you explain the fact the Yeashua has never appeared to you?
I have never seen him, or heard him adibly. I have felt his intimate prescence once, and that was pretty overwhelming. Many people claime to have seen/heard him. Even if I was one of those, what difference would it make to anyone who does not believe? I would be more in a big sack of people who had a delusional hallucination.
9. Why would Yeashua want you to eat his body and drink his blood?Well actually, they ate bread and wine that was to symbolize his body and blood. I thnk that meant a few things.
1st. We are the body of Christ. We are the arms that reach out to other. We are the eyes that try to see a payh. We are the voice that spreads his message
2nd. By symbolicy eating his body and blood, we are acknowledging that he died in OUR place, for OUR sins.
3rd. By taking him in, I think it also signifies that we can become more like him.
10. Why do Christians get divorced at the same rate as non-Christians
Uhhhhm, hmmmm, you mean. once someone becomes Christian they don't become perfect? I am Christian and I got divorced at age 26. (Start gathering the stones) I have been with the same person for 22 years now (no, I did not meet her till after I got divorced)
The bottom dollar is, Christians are not always Christ-like. Take a look at my good buddy hunt. Do you think he is Christ-like? Or would he be more aptlly described as a condescending, arrogant fool? Some of the biggest jerk I have ever known have claimed to be Christian. That's Ok. because they ARE NOT CHRIST. Christ is who I listen to and try to follow, not people like hunt. I could care less what some self righteous windbag has to say.
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Equal time
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10 question every athiest ought to try to answer.
1st. If there is no higher power, why are you here?
I mean think about all you have learned, loved and experienced, and all that goes to make you into a special unique entity never before seen into existence, and to which another will never be.
Now put that in perspective
You are one in a sea of 6 billion faces on a lack-luster planet in a corner of a solar system, in a far coner of a hum-drum galaxy that is one of billions of other galaxies. Your 70 or so years on this planet is a brief fart of life on a planet that has seen thousand generations, of billions per generation come and go before you.
I ask again, why are you here? Why would some like yourself with complex emotions and thoughts come into existence if your importance rivals that a 2-day life span gnat that is one of billions and billions of gnat swarms that ha
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| Jun 5, 2008 @ 12:02 AM |
10 Questions Every Intelligent Christian must answer |
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LanceVarden7
Posts: 1,092
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Too long. Got cut off
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Equal time
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10 question every athiest ought to try to answer.
1st. If there is no higher power, why are you here?
I mean think about all you have learned, loved and experienced, and all that goes to make you into a special unique entity never before seen into existence, and to which another will never be.
Now put that in perspective
You are one in a sea of 6 billion faces on a lack-luster planet in a corner of a solar system, in a far coner of a hum-drum galaxy that is one of billions of other galaxies. Your 70 or so years on this planet is a brief fart of life on a planet that has seen thousand generations, of billions per generation come and go before you.
I ask again, why are you here? Why would some like yourself with complex emotions and thoughts come into existence if your importance rivals that a 2-day life span gnat that is one of billions and billions of gnat swarms that has lived thier life merely to circle the nearest steamy pile of bull dung?
Damn Skippy!!!! I can't promise you that I know what is coming next, but sheit fire, there has got to be more to it than this little 5 cent piece of existence. Whatever, however I was created, I have got to belief it was for something more important than little brief slip of time on this dog shit planet.
2nd. What do you expect from God
God lets you know what he wants from you.
1. Confess your faults (no one with half a brain is going to deny they have them.
2. Make your peace with God, whatever you perceive him to be.
3. Treat your fellow man honorably.
That doesn't sound like asking that much. So what are you wanting in return?
3rd How about asking God for what you want?
One you figure it what it is, waste a whole two minutes asking him. If you are REALLY steadfast in your belief that there is no God, and you want to believe that your whole life, is wasting two minutes, one time, that big of a deal? If you are secure in your non-belief, what have you got to lose? Even something as simple as a "hey are you out there?" Maybe you will feel nothing. If so, so what? Maybe, just maybe, you will feel something. Heck for all I know, the ground may open and a bush catch fire and you may see God. You never will know if anyone is going to answer the door until you work up the nerve (or humility) to try knocking just once.
4th - Who wrote all the riddles?
We are just starting to figure out DNA strands and sub-atomic particles. There are patterns and schemas to everything around us. Don't come with the "it just happened" stuff. If you throw a handful of pencil leads at a white wall it won't form letters. If you fling a pile of pocker chips into the air, they are not going to fall down all stacked up. There is a trail ahead of us, that someone, non-us left for us to find.
5th - Doesn't your better sense tell you that the messaeg of helping and nurturing your fellow man make sense?
Is it really that hard to buy what Christ is selling, that fellow people are worthy of kindness and compasion? Think of the people who haev done good things to you and made your life better. Holy cow, do we need more of that or what?
OK, there are 5. I gotta hit the hay. I may try to come up with another 5 tomorrow, but that is enough for now.
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| Jun 5, 2008 @ 12:38 AM |
10 Questions Every Intelligent Christian must answer
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loisday
Posts: 1,333
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I like this , Lance........and would answer all the questions very closely to the way you did....with a slight tweek here and there.............. 
I hope this is a great discussion...........I really want to know.
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| Jun 5, 2008 @ 5:00 AM |
10 Questions Every Intelligent Christian must answer |
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Thor1960303
Posts: 3,345
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1st. If there is no higher power, why are you here?
I mean think about all you have learned, loved and experienced, and all that goes to make you into a special unique entity never before seen into existence, and to which another will never be.
Now put that in perspective
You are one in a sea of 6 billion faces on a lack-luster planet in a corner of a solar system, in a far coner of a hum-drum galaxy that is one of billions of other galaxies. Your 70 or so years on this planet is a brief fart of life on a planet that has seen thousand generations, of billions per generation come and go before you.
I ask again, why are you here? Why would some like yourself with complex emotions and thoughts come into existence if your importance rivals that a 2-day life span gnat that is one of billions and billions of gnat swarms that has lived thier life merely to circle the nearest steamy pile of bull dung?
Damn Skippy!!!! I can't promise you that I know what is coming next, but sheit fire, there has got to be more to it than this little 5 cent piece of existence. Whatever, however I was created, I have got to belief it was for something more important than little brief slip of time on this dog shit planet.
Well,I really don't think I necessarily qualify as an atheist,since I believe in some type of higher power,I just don't anthropomorphise it in a celestial parent figure.I also wouldn't call this existence a "five cent piece".In geological time,it may be a millisecond,but to me i'ts a lifetime, and I'm not so dissatisfied with it that I need to believe that something HAS to exist beyond the physical.I also wouldn't call this a "dogshit planet",it's really quite a wonderful work of evolution.As to why I'm here,why does there have to be a reason?Let's say there is a supreme being.You guys assume it's a parent figure because that's what you experience here,it's comforting to you,which is the reason most religious documents like the Bible read it that way.But what if "God" was just some form of creative force?What if God's "trip" isn't reproduction and replication like it is with us,but what if God is just a master craftsman/artist that just likes to create for the sake of creation,much like an artist likes to paint or a composer write music?And while my individual personality may have some merit to me and those around me,it doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things in the grand universe now does it?
2nd. What do you expect from God
Who says that I expect anything?
God lets you know what he wants from you.
1. Confess your faults (no one with half a brain is going to deny they have them.
2. Make your peace with God, whatever you perceive him to be.
3. Treat your fellow man honorably.
That doesn't sound like asking that much. So what are you wanting in return?
How about answers to questions and empirical proof of existence?
3rd How about asking God for what you want?
One you figure it what it is, waste a whole two minutes asking him. If you are REALLY steadfast in your belief that there is no God, and you want to believe that your whole life, is wasting two minutes, one time, that big of a deal? If you are secure in your non-belief, what have you got to lose? Even something as simple as a "hey are you out there?" Maybe you will feel nothing. If so, so what? Maybe, just maybe, you will feel something. Heck for all I know, the ground may open and a bush catch fire and you may see God. You never will know if anyone is going to answer the door until you work up the nerve (or humility) to try knocking just once.
BTDT.I tried to believe at varying points in my life,but it didn't work for me.If something won't jive in my head,it has a less than zero chance of lodging in my heart.It's just the way I roll.
4th - Who wrote all the riddles?
We are just starting to figure out DNA strands and sub-atomic particles. There are patterns and schemas to everything around us. Don't come with the "it just happened" stuff. If you throw a handful of pencil leads at a white wall it won't form letters. If you fling a pile of pocker chips into the air, they are not going to fall down all stacked up. There is a trail ahead of us, that someone, non-us left for us to find.
I wouldn't be so quick to trash astronomical odds.I mean,think of the astronomical odds it took for your parents to meet,have you,raise you and such.Especially given over a very long period of time.Astronomical odds do get beaten from time to time,just ask anyone who ever won the lottery.
5th - Doesn't your better sense tell you that the messaeg of helping and nurturing your fellow man make sense?
Is it really that hard to buy what Christ is selling, that fellow people are worthy of kindness and compasion? Think of the people who haev done good things to you and made your life better. Holy cow, do we need more of that or what?
Agreed.The "Christ" message,which is the same as every other major religion,"Do unto others",is common sense,it's logical for social harmony which is why it was picked up by every major society.These things were coded into our DNA as a survival mechanism.
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| Jun 5, 2008 @ 6:30 AM |
10 Questions Every Intelligent Christian must answer
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hammertime
Posts: 14,071
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1. Why won’t god heal amputees?
He does. Yeashua regrew the ear that was cut off just before he was arrested and tried. Of course that is a biblical account, and if you don't believe in the bible than it doesn't prove much. Yeashua had a closer relationship with God than any of the modern fair of Christians. We are told tory to follow him, but we can never be him. My experience is that divine healings are few and far apart. He does? Where is the documentation? Is there any soldier from Iraq, Vietnam, WW1 or 2 who has had their legs or arms blown off and miraculously grew new ones? How about diabetics who lost limbs and grown new ones?
How does a bible fable count? Just an ear? Roman soldiers chopping people up, and even there no new arms or legs growing back. Don't you know an ear can be sown back on if the blood supply resumes and there is no infection? I don't think people need ears to be able to walk again.
3. Why does God demand the death of so many innocent people?
These two are basically the same as the first. Basically asking, "Why doesn't God intervene more?" I believe it is sort of like the Prime Directive in Star Trek. Not to interfere/upset a normal growing culture. Also Revealations points to this when Paul is asked not to write things that everyone who read would suddenly believe. Think of it. Did you want your child to hug you, because he loves you, or becuase he wants you to buy him an ice cream? Well this is a tough one. If you have any children and a bully was beating them up with a baseball bat, would you just sit there and watch because of some family values prime directive? Either you can't intervene or you wont. If you can't then why? If you won't who cares why? You'd be a rotten father.
4. Why does the bible contain so much anti-scientific nonsense?
A flat earth book. Domes. Noah's Ark. Man from mud, woman from a rib. Dead coming back to life. 6000 year old earth. What a joke..Next....
7. Why didn’t any of Yeashua’s miracle leave evidence
Because leaving evidence would have been a miracle.
8. How do you explain the fact the Yeashua has never appeared to you?Not all the faithful have that mental defect. A good question to ask SOC since he only heard a voice. His particular defect didn't allow for the visual or maybe the lights were turned off. Hunt said he met Jesus in person but we know he has a lot of mental defects. Mental illness is a very important component to hallucinations. Ask any schizophrenic.
10. Why do Christians get divorced at the same rate as non-Christians
According to studies the divorce rate is higher in the bible belt than the rest of the nation.
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| Jun 5, 2008 @ 6:58 AM |
10 Questions Every Intelligent Christian must answer |
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hammertime
Posts: 14,071
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Lance
I respect you for trying and see the sincere effort but you're trying too hard. You're actually mostly making excuses on the fly rather than giving reasons. Its human nature to justify what doesn't seem natural and right. You need to break down process further. Since you're a Trekkie like I am you can pretend the Enterprise is a real ship and discuss episodes as if they were biblical stories. We would be making up justifications and excuses for Spock's behavior and bouts with emotions. We would be making up excuses about the ship itself. Why does Spock keep talking about memory tapes? Didn't we stop using tapes at the end of the 20th century? Well, when was the series written? We can make up all sorts of stories and excuses for why the bible has obvious scientific flaws and myths. Star Trek is actually very scientifically plausible but where is that same plausibly in the bible? Yet, both are fictional stories full of myth which are valuable lessons.
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| Jun 5, 2008 @ 8:31 AM |
10 Questions Every Intelligent Christian must answer
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sail_dancer
Posts: 9,865
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Lance,
It is good to see a christian that will stand up and answer questions. I may not agree with you but "tip my hat" to you.
Yeashua regrew the ear that was cut off just before he was arrested and tried. This instance is questionable in my eyes. Mark also tells of the cutting off of the ear of the high priest's guard, but does not include the miracle of Jesus reattaching the ear. Why would a miracle not have been mentioned?
Luke that was written later includes the miracle, but I think it was more in the line of reattaching the ear, than growing a new one.
I think you missed the point of the question. It has to do with prayer and its healing powers. Many christian's pray and praise god for answering their prayers if the patient recovers. Many cancers go into remission, it is a common thing. Yet christians will boast of a miracle. There have been many claims by christians of prayers being answered to cure things like that but there has never been a prayer that was answered which resulted in a limb being regrown. Why? Because that would really require a miracle.
Did you want your child to hug you, because he loves you, or becuase he wants you to buy him an ice cream? I agree with your analogy with Star Trek's Prime Objective, but disagree with your closing remark. Christians tend to word their answers in this manner and expect people to accept it without question. You could also word this as follows:
" Did you want your child to hug you, because he loves you, or becuase he fears your threat of eternal damnation (or second death)?"
If a god wouldn't want artificial love that may be generated by material things, I would think that he wouldn't want artificial love caused by people being affraid of him.
According to science, a bumble-bee cannot fly, but he obviously does. We cannot trust in our won understanding, for it constantly in creases. The sci-fi of 30 years ago is reality today. I will agree that there is much still unknown to science and the fact that much has been found over the last 60+ years. There are things that are just fantasy though. How about an "ass" that talks? Even if eventually in our future "asses" evolve to the point where they can talk doesn't mean that there was actually a talking "ass" 2,000 years ago. I have no problem with you believing things like this, the problem is that other christians insist that these things actually happened and question scientific findings that do not conform to their bible fables. By doing this christians have had a negative effect on the progress of science. This type of attitude is detrimental to the advancment of mankind.
THis is old testament. I am not up for defending the old testament. I think the OT is totally hosed, and Yeashua was sent to fix the religion. I will let someone else take a shot at defending the OT. I agree with you on this. Paul, however, warned us 2,000 years ago that there were already false gospels that people should keep away from. So how can you feel that the NT as we know it, is the original?
Also the NT does have Jesus telling servants to honor their masters. Servants in the bible were slaves. Also Jesus and his father obviously considered mankind their servants. Just look at SOC, he even chose a handle boasting of being a slave to his beliefs.
Many people claime to have seen/heard him. Even if I was one of those, what difference would it make to anyone who does not believe? I would be more in a big sack of people who had a delusional hallucination.
I'll answer your question. There is no problem with people believing in religious dogma. There is a problem when the dogma causes followers to become so delusional that they start hearing voices in their head, actually have a conversation with the voice, claim to see Jesus and in some cases think they are pushed by the it. These are the people that you must fear. They are the ones that will set off a nuclear weapon because their god told them to. Or start a war in the Middle East to spark armageddon.
you mean. once someone becomes Christian they don't become perfect? I am Christian and I got divorced at age 26. (Start gathering the stones) You missed the point of the question. Christians get married in church; before their god; they take a vow to god; the minister and others in the congregation pray that god will bless this union. The real question is. With all this religious influence, prayer, etc., why are these marriages no better than those of the heathens? What did the religious ritual and its prayers do?
Thank you for your response.
Peace
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| Jun 5, 2008 @ 9:18 AM |
10 Questions Every Intelligent Christian must answer |
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sail_dancer
Posts: 9,865
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Lance,
I'll take a shot at answering your questions.
1st. If there is no higher power, why are you here? I happen to believe in a "higher force" so I do believe that there is more to our existance than our time on earth. Can I prove it? No. Do I make up stories to substantiate this belief? No. Do I create a devil to make this story interesting and to instill fear in people so that I can control them? No.
So why do religions have to do this? Christian dogma cannot be substantiated. That is why they cannot answer questions without quoting scripture or just insisting that their dogma is the only truth.
My idea of a "higher force" would not have created man only to have 20% or less of mankind so called saved. Why would your god resurrect all the dead at judgement time only to subject them to a "second death" or "eternal damnation"? Why not at just judge the person on his first death? Does god just like watching people die?
The reason is that the NT fable needed a spectacular ending to catch the interests of people.
Damn Skippy!!!! I can't promise you that I know what is coming next, but sheit fire, there has got to be more to it than this little 5 cent piece of existence. Whatever, however I was created, I have got to belief it was for something more important than little brief slip of time on this dog shit planet. 
2nd. What do you expect from God Nothing! I feel it is up to us to make the most of the life he/she provided us with.
God lets you know what he wants from you.
1. Confess your faults (no one with half a brain is going to deny they have them.
2. Make your peace with God, whatever you perceive him to be.
3. Treat your fellow man honorably.
That doesn't sound like asking that much. So what are you wanting in return? Now you are pushing your dogma into the conversation. Since you cannot substantiate your beliefs, why would you expect others to accept them. The only thing I could accept of the three points above is: "Treat your fellow man honorably".
The point is not to "make peace" with your god. You are assuming that it isn't there already. I believe that all are at peace with god, they only have to recognize that fact.
3rd How about asking God for what you want? As I said before, god gave me life. It is up to me to use what god has already provided.
One you figure it what it is, waste a whole two minutes asking him. If you are REALLY steadfast in your belief that there is no God, and you want to believe that your whole life, is wasting two minutes, one time, that big of a deal? If you are secure in your non-belief, what have you got to lose? Even something as simple as a "hey are you out there?" Maybe you will feel nothing. If so, so what? Maybe, just maybe, you will feel something. Heck for all I know, the ground may open and a bush catch fire and you may see God. You never will know if anyone is going to answer the door until you work up the nerve (or humility) to try knocking just once.
Now you are preaching like Hunt and you are trying to convert people to your delusional dogma. 
I won't waste time responding to it.
4th - Who wrote all the riddles?
We are just starting to figure out DNA strands and sub-atomic particles. There are patterns and schemas to everything around us. Don't come with the "it just happened" stuff. If you throw a handful of pencil leads at a white wall it won't form letters. If you fling a pile of pocker chips into the air, they are not going to fall down all stacked up. There is a trail ahead of us, that someone, non-us left for us to find.
I happen to agree with you, but you do not need to accept christian dogma to believe this.
5th - Doesn't your better sense tell you that the messaeg of helping and nurturing your fellow man make sense? Sure it does. But what does a fable that includes a virgin birth; hocus pocus; cruel death; resurection; and ascention into a so called heaven, have to do with this? Why create a devil figure to blame your shortcomings on? Why the final judgement?
Is it really that hard to buy what Christ is selling, that fellow people are worthy of kindness and compasion? Not hard at all. It is all the other BS that christian dogma wraps around this that is impossible to buy.
Think of the people who haev done good things to you and made your life better. Holy cow, do we need more of that or what? We definately need more of that. The problem is that religion builds walls between groups of people with different dogma. This does not promote peace and love between them but tension and in many cases anger. Look at history and all the killing done in the name of god. Not just christian but muslim also.
I hope I answered your questions. If you have additional questions ....... ask away!
Peace
[Edited on 6/5/2008 9:25 AM]
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| Jun 5, 2008 @ 9:31 AM |
10 Questions Every Intelligent Christian must answer
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LanceVarden7
Posts: 1,092
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There are things that are just fantasy though. How about an "ass" that talks? hunt can talk. What about that?
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
All good points. let m try to hit a couple.
Why won’t god heal amputees?I fumbled this one. Let me take another try.
If we beleive biblical accounts, and he can create galaxies, of course he can regrow limbs. I think the underlying question is, "Why don't we see him diong it today?" I think it still goes back to the prime directive thing.
Also, at some point there has to be a standard. If you are stupid enough to stick your arm in a brush shredder, it is gone. If you can easily get it back, then you become more careless. Of course, there are innocents that should be helped, but then you are sorting. So & so, lost his arm as a child. OK, he gets a new one. Joe stuck his in a brush shredder. Denied. Phil stuck his in a brush shredder, but he stepped on a banana peel. Hmmm, shouldn't he have seen the banana peel?
Most of these questions center around, if God can act, why doesn't he act more?
If he did, our self reliance will vanish, and we would be in line at his office everytime we had a hang nail.
Why dosn't he feed the hungry and heal the sick more?
Try to remember that this reality is of little importance.
I look at it as a test track for motor cars. Some are going to blow an engine. That's to be expected. That's what a test track is for. You want it to happen on the test track to keep the dangerous cars off the road. The reason there are no murders in heaven, is because, if you are prone to be murderer, we want to sort that out here, before you get there.
We can only see the theatre we are in. To us, it seems very important and critical. To God, it is just a way station of little signifigance.
When you were a kid and you lost your prmary teeth, you migh get all upset. To an adult it is like "don't get upset, those weren't meant to last anyhow"
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| Jun 5, 2008 @ 9:33 AM |
10 Questions Every Intelligent Christian must answer |
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sail_dancer
Posts: 9,865
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I hope that people notice that nonchristians have no problems answering questions. That is how knowledge and wisdom is gained and ignorance reduced.
Good thread Lance!
Peace
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| Jun 5, 2008 @ 2:01 PM |
10 Questions Every Intelligent Christian must answer
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sealacamp
Posts: 3,681
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“When they cry for help, I will not answer.
Though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me.
For they hated knowledge
and chose not to fear the Lord.
They rejected my advice
and paid no attention when I corrected them.
Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way,
choking on their own schemes.
For simpletons turn away from me—to death.
Fools are destroyed by their own complacency.
Every Christian must answer these? I find that to be errant to say the least. Perhaps they have some intrinsic intrigue for you or are a mystery that you grapple with. That is not the case for everyone nor does every thing on this earth need an "answer". Such is the nature of faith and trust.
S
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| Jun 5, 2008 @ 2:51 PM |
10 Questions Every Intelligent Christian must answer |
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sail_dancer
Posts: 9,865
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“When they cry for help, I will not answer.
Though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me.
For they hated knowledge
and chose not to fear the Lord.
They rejected my advice
and paid no attention when I corrected them.
Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way,
choking on their own schemes.
For simpletons turn away from me—to death.
Fools are destroyed by their own complacency.
Where did you get this hogwash?
Probably from that New Living Translation (NLT) you use that is really for children not for those who study the bible.
Peace
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| Jun 5, 2008 @ 2:54 PM |
10 Questions Every Intelligent Christian must answer
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LanceVarden7
Posts: 1,092
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I hope I answered your questions. If you have additional questions ....... ask away!
Thanks Sail. We agree on some, disagree on others, but I respect your opinions all the way around.
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| Jun 5, 2008 @ 2:57 PM |
10 Questions Every Intelligent Christian must answer |
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sail_dancer
Posts: 9,865
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Lance,
Peace
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| Jun 5, 2008 @ 3:12 PM |
10 Questions Every Intelligent Christian must answer
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Heaveninawildflower
Posts: 18,607
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Well, I'm not an atheist, but I AM a non-Christian, will that do?
1st. If there is no higher power, why are you here?
I'm a deist so I believe in a creator - I was an agnostic, but came to the conclusion that it's just as likely that there is a creator than that there isn't, so I opted to believe there is one.
2nd. What do you expect from God
Absolutely nothing. If he/she/it created all that there is, why should I expect more? Talk about wanting egg in your beer! I have to admit I never understood that phrase...gonna google it after I post this.
3rd How about asking God for what you want?
I think I have, although maybe not in quite those words. He/she/it's been more than generous to me, and I'm very grateful, whether he notices it or not.
4th - Who wrote all the riddles?
Maybe the creator, maybe they just happened. We may learn the answer to that, or maybe we already know it but not consciously. I'm okay with that too.
5th - Doesn't your better sense tell you that the messaeg of helping and nurturing your fellow man make sense?
Yep, with or without a creator it makes perfect sense. Whether you believe in divine providence, karma, the law of attraction or any other belief system, being positive and both greatful for and generous with what you've been given, you're gonna be a happier human being, and those around you will be the same. Misery shared is halved, happiness shared is doubled...you want to be happy? Just do it, then share it.
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| Jun 5, 2008 @ 6:19 PM |
10 Questions Every Intelligent Christian must answer |
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sealacamp
Posts: 3,681
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Where did you get this hogwash?
I pulled it right out of your ear, you just didn't see it coming. And considering the translation errors you love to quote to us or the fact that the bible is drivel in the first place any translation is garbage to you. However this is the closest translation from original Hebrew to modern English. But if you can't handle the truth that is a personal problem.
Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:
For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.
Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
Now there you are oh silly one. I see no disparity between them. If you do then you need glasses. Or better yet a renewing of the mind which each Christian is called to undergo. Oh that's right you deny the whole thing.
S
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| Jun 5, 2008 @ 6:25 PM |
10 Questions Every Intelligent Christian must answer
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hammertime
Posts: 14,071
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Errrr, but the bible is drivel. Its myth, fantasy, metaphor, allegory. What intelligent person could ever believe that a woman came from a man's rib or that Moses parted a whole sea by farting into the wind?
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| Jun 5, 2008 @ 6:49 PM |
10 Questions Every Intelligent Christian must answer |
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sail_dancer
Posts: 9,865
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Seal,
Here is a exerpt from Bible Researcher's review of the The New Living Translation:Finally, we note that Craig L. Blomberg of Denver Seminary, who was the principal translator for the NLT's Gospel according to Matthew, has explicitly stated that this version is not suitable as a regular Bible for adults. Responding to criticism of the NLT, Blomberg explained that the version is for "kids or very poor adult readers," and he suggested that readers of the NLT should move on to a more accurate version when they are able:
I relished the chance to work on the NLT (New Living Translation) team to convert the LBP into a truly dynamic-equivalent translation, but I never recommend it to anyone except to supplement the reading of a more literal translation to generate freshness and new insights, unless they are kids or very poor adult readers. My sixteen- and twelve-year old daughters have been weaned on the NLT and have loved it, but both already on their own are now frequently turning to the NIV.
Seems to me that the NLT is something like a "Classic Comic" about the bible. Easier to read by poor readers. I never saw a copy of the NLT. Does it have cartoon pictures like "Classic Comic" did?
Peace
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| Jun 5, 2008 @ 6:59 PM |
10 Questions Every Intelligent Christian must answer
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sealacamp
Posts: 3,681
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Seems to me that the NLT is something like a "Classic Comic" about the bible. Easier to read by poor readers. I never saw a copy of the NLT. Does it have cartoon pictures like "Classic Comic" did?
Yeah well I posted your favorite version to deny and it said the same thing. So apparently you just want to ignore the message or belittle it to the point that it means nothing to you. So be it.
S
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| Jun 5, 2008 @ 7:09 PM |
10 Questions Every Intelligent Christian must answer |
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hammertime
Posts: 14,071
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Who cares about versions, translation errors and the original language it was written in? The bottom line is the delusional myths it portrays as reality. Yeah right. Jesus floated off the ground weightless. Maybe it was a blow up doll. Moses saw god's butt and god wrote the commandments with his finger and every animal on earth was on Noah's ark even the marsupials. To believe in such myths at literal reality means the reader has a mind best suited to reading comic books.
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