I just read this..woo.
¡Oye! nobody
Really? You're a fantastic judge of character, aren't you? Then why don't you try shedding some Xian light on some of my ideas. Let's start now. Paul needed an eye-witness encounter with Jesus to believe. The disciples faith were'nt grounded until the last supper, they didn't believe he ressurected, they needed to see it, hell even Thomas had to touch Jesus' wounds to believe. Why was doubt ok then, but nowadays if you doubt, you're singled out and called a heteric?
At what point did I single you out and call you a heretic? Way too many fraudulent Christians out there give us a bad name. A true Christian knows that it is never his or her place alone to judge and punish another. You are being facetious and rather off the mark by calling me "a fantastic judge of character". I'm not judging your character or your summation as a person, I'm judging and commenting on your expressed written opinions herein, which you have invited others to do by starting this thread in the first place. Doubt wasn't okay back in the time of Christ and it isn't okay now. You and I are both human though, so it is our nature to be highly susceptible to this doubt.
Thank you for the huge sweeping generalization about me.
Where's this huge sweeping generalization you speak of on my part against you? The ENTIRETY of your posts in this thread go on and on about how God doesn't make sense, He's a hypocrite if He exists at all, and how he's just a figment of every body's imagination, including mine. None of it makes sense or is justifiable in YOUR eyes so therefore it's all a load of crap. So if you go on and on about all this and I simply point out as much... what gives?
Flawed analogy bud. Actual parents manifest themselves. The entity you call God has not proven he is anything more than a figment of people's imaginations.
There are many examples of God proving his existence. A huge one is the parting of the Red Sea. Science even backs this up, but since science is of man we can't figure out how this was done. My mother was an archaeologist by the way. Her faith was not strong until her last years but in her circles there were numerous occasions where her and her colleges had come across physical evidence that completely supported Biblical record.
Please enlighten me. And how many people were killed by the Tsunami in Asia? Katrina? Religious wars? The twin tower disaster, etc, etc. Where was your God during all this chaos?
Half of the events you mention here are acts carried out by MAN, not God. You are making the age old sin of blaming God for the acts of men. You know the Bible already so we both know I shouldn't have to tell you this. Time and time again God has told us this world is wicked and it will pass away. If we are of this world we will share it's fate. We have free will remember? Your train of thought here is the same as a felon who blames his nature on a troubled childhood or lack of opportunity compared to the rest of society. The blame game never works.
That's fine if that's enough for you. If it proves a man in the clouds is hovering over you, protecting you while millions of kids with terminal illnesses pray, hey.
Again refer to my statements above. Millions of prayers ARE answered but you fail to mention this. Here's an example you'll never believe but I'll say it anyway. One of the pastors from a former church of mine had a sister with A.I.D.S. To make a long story short her doctors are going nuts because suddenly she doesn't have A.I.D.S. anymore, and the miracle wasn't from any of those so called cocktails. Pretty much the same story with my ex-wife's father. He suddenly developed diabetes and almost died, constant prayer and faith led to a completely clean bill of health. Here's the flip side for you, my mother died of cancer. She prayed for healing like crazy just as we all did for her (family friends, church family, co-workers, etc.). I watched her take her last breaths when only moments before she was pleading to God shouting, "I choose life!" It was not God's will that she stay on this world. Who am I or anyone to questions His will? Like I've said before, He often saves us from ourselves. To save us sometimes He has to "take" us. Capisci?
How about this:
2 Peter 1:20
I especially like how Xians randomly decide when a verse is literal or figurative.
Psalm 19:7
And this is the kicker:
Isiah 40:8
So if his word stands forever, that must mean that slavery is still fine and acceptable, after all, God said slavery is alright, so who's to say otherwise?
You like to claim (with derision) others randomly decide when verse is literal or figurative... but then you do the EXACT same thing. Hmmm...
Translation:
If we walk in faith and not by sight, logic, or reason, we can blindly believe things exactly as a child.
TRUE faith changes you. "Scales fall from the eyes", you know that type of thing. There is no overnight miraculous change (at least for most of us), it can take years, perhaps even a life time. You can know the Bible inside and out, go to church all the time, whatever. If you are just going through the motions all the time and not truly suBathmateitting to God you're never going to get anywhere. I don't know you personally but I find it extremely interesting that with your stated background you are so against the idea of faith and God. If you had spent all this time as a TRUE Christian and had a strong daily prayer life, God would have given you what you needed to be at peace with Him, and with yourself for that matter. It's about a personal relationship with God, Kal-el. He speaks to us all in a way that is unique and meant for us alone.
I realize this, but who's to say Xians are right? The mere fact that I can find an obvious different meaning in certain verses should tell you something about your imaginary friend's omnipotence.
Again refer to my above statements.
Ok, how the hell do you know all of this? Does the bible explain all of this? Or are you making this up? Is this just wishful thinking presented as fact here? The main problem here is your presuming to speak for God, how do you know it's intentions? And that little tidbit about his will going beyond us, well how do you know then that he wants worship? How are we to understand his book of laws? If nobody can understand him, why do you feel the need to act like his secretary? How can you possibly make sweeping posititve assertions about such an entity?
How do I know this? Yes the Bible clearly explains this, I'm kind of disappointed you even have to ask. Just so you know I'm not "making this up":
Proverbs 3:5-7
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.
How is this me presuming to speak for God? ?
How are we to understand his book of laws? Faith and prayer. It's all very simple AND very complicated. Like anything else in life no one is going to just hand you the answers man, you gotta earn them. I don't "feel the need to act like His secretary", nor do I appreciate your tone. I was respectful in my post to you but you cannot say the same. As to how I can make such sweepingly positive assertions about such an entity. Pretty simple. My faith is strong as is my prayer life. If you can't understand and appreciate that then any further exchanges between us on this matter are moot to say the least.
Let me ask you a few questions, be careful how you answer: Do you believe in Satan? Do you believe in Jonas being swallowed by a whale? Do you believe Adam was God's son? And on the subject, what happened to Satan? I can't see anything bad. if you say he's in hell, seperated from God, then you are detracting from his omnipresence, he is everywhere right?