Christianity is a false religion

Now get real! You are highly motivated to promote "God does not exist". That is a direction just as is the 1st verse in Genesis....."In the beginning God...."
You are "motivated" to get on Christian threads, like the last one about 4,000 being baptized and imply they are misguided. On this thread you are motivated to imply Jesus was not resurrected from the dead, that He is not the only begotten Son of the Living God. Yes you are highly motivated by your religion of "Atheism". Now why don't you address the Religion of Islam and tell them theirs is just a philosophy!
Christians understand that you, as an atheist, do not live in a vacuum as you try to make everyone believe. You are active in defiance of the Christian faith. That is o.k., but don't expect others to remain silent in your attacks.

 

You could also look at the philosophy promoted by Jesus as a point of agreement in how we can cooperate here in America.

I mean, really - you don't expect that one of us is going to change our fundamental beliefs as an absolute requirement before discussing issues, do you?

I think you're reaching meltdown. Normally, I doubt you would be that personally insulting.

 

Of course you have a whole list of sources. Darwin for one. It's amazing how you duck and weave. Madelyn Murray O'Hare would be proud.

 

No, I don't promote the idea that god doesn't exist. It conforms to my view, but I don't have some idea that I'm going to convert you here in some atheist altar call here in PF.

I get on Christian threads because the the majority of America is Christian, because there are elements I don't necessarily understand, because I DO advocate for a separation of religion from both science and government.

AND, because I do agree with philosophical statements attributed to Jesus which I see as points of agreement that could lead to something better than constant bickering that is so common.

I do NOT claim Christianity is merely a philosophy - it does CONTAIN philosophy. EVERYONE agrees with that.

I've said NOTHING about the life or death of Jesus other than that he walked the walk that he taught.

I did NOT claim that those baptized were misguided. YOU MUST be talking about someone else. I wouldn't do that. I want common ground.

In America, people can have any religious views they want to have.

 

I really don't care about your fundamental beliefs. Like I said, start a thread that promotes their virtues. I won't attack. By denying the fact who Jesus showed clearly who He was and is, you would deny Him the power for which He came. There is no co operation between oil and water, light and dark, good and evil. You pretend to know scripture so you should know that.....or does the Truth make you feel like you are "melting"?

 

I don't object to your religious views. I DO object to the OP.

The thing about religious pluralism as we have in the USA is that we need to be respectful of the views of others. It's also better if we KNOW the views of others.

 

I would please just ask you to look at the title of this thread. If you don't think it is an attack.....I don't know what is. I would like to know what drew you to it? I'm sorry we are at odds. It is my personal desire that everyone sees the Kingdom of God while here on earth. It does exist. I know for a fact there are those that even call themselves Christians that believe exactly as you do. They make a mockery of the Church by making that claim. My concern is not for them, it is for those that have a deep desire for God in their lives.

 

I do see it as an attack, and I object to that.

Attacking someone's religion is a setback in every way. We're a religiously plural nation and we're going to stay that way.

I do probably disagree with you concerning science. But, this is a point of contention that has gone on through the ages from prehistoric times.

I do not believe that advancements in our powers to observe reflect on Christianity. God said god created the universe. But, we do not know how the universe was created. The Biblical view of cosmology nearly got Galileo executed by the Pope. Now, the Pope accepts an understanding that is far in advance of Galileo and held by most Christians (and others).

I doubt the Bible should be viewed as a physics text. Plus, God could have created an environment where there was what physics call a singularity that was followed by the expansion called the "big ban" - a term chosen by a major physicist as a blatant insult of the very idea.

One can not consider physics as one of the important things in the bible. Plus, Genesis also claims the universe is available for us to explore, doesn't it? And, that is ALL that physics does.

 

As far as science goes....I respect real science. I don't pretend to know a whole lot. I do understand "cataclysmic events" however. This earth has seen some really big ones! I live on the Mogollon Rim in Arizona. A 1000 ft. escarpment that rises above the floor. You can find sharks teeth on top. Where I differ is estimating things to occur. I don't underestimate what can occur in a short time.It just seems from as long as I can remember, Scientists add millions to billions of years for everything they don't understand. I don't look to the Pope for anything.
My belief in Christ and His purpose all goes back to Genesis. The Book I previously referred to by John Macarthur really does give an understanding as to how the two mesh together. I am an understudy to C.S. Lewis who was an atheist at one time. He studied Christ and what He taught. Came to the following conclusion that ....He was either a liar, a lunatic, or He is Lord. Can't have it any other way. No such thing as being just a good man, or a thoughtful philosopher. He said and did way too much that was beyond that.

 

I’ve never been a big fan of relying on someone to explain to me someone else’s ideas. However, I’ve made exceptions for this with regard to many of my teachers. So, this would be of interest to me if someone could rationalize for me the very plain language in pretty much every translation, and there are a f’load of them these days, that not only is wealth incompatible with following the teachings of Christ, but also even the primary example that the early church was a commune!

Like I postulated in my post on another thread, Christians apparently have never read the New Testament…..

 

What religion is not false?

 

Looks like heavenly boondoggle to me.

Sometimes I think Christianity is "the root of all evil". I mean, with all the "turn the other cheek", "love thy enemies", forgive 77 times, thou shall not pass judgement and

it greatly aids to the chaos and lawlessness that we are right now. Moreover Jesus "cursed" the world by stating that those thing must happen and are inevitable. Like the Apocalypse and the Antichrist. Like wars and Armageddon. Like the abomination that leads to desolation.
When evil is allowed to flourish, it does. Why God wants to bring such evils upon us is beyond me. And then whine in the Revelation 16 that people are bad. Or blame them that they don't wanna die a hungry death or live like bums but take "the mark of the beast".

The LGBTQ community must love Christianity with all of the above (not pass judgement and such). It's the perfect environment for them to flourish and they do. At least until the alleged "Judgment day".

 

Your argument's implication-- that something that cannot be held to any judgement of truth, is of no value-- is false, in the extreme. Do you not admit, that there are things, about which man has no means of ascertaining the truth? And that makes all these things, without value? You know that, at present, this would include the majority of theoretical physics? That makes this field, a waste of time, in your opinion? And that would be so, even if a physicist perfectly worked out the mathematics of the multiverse, just because there would be no way to prove his equations accurate? That scientist, to your mind, would be better off spending his life tending bar, or selling shoes, or shining shoes?

Yes, any theories of a state of existence, we might experience after physical death-- a major part, of most religions-- are necessarily theoretical. Have you never before understood this truth? What makes you think, this "angle," changes anything? It does not prove, FYI, that there isn't anything, beyond death, any more than we can say for sure that multiple universes do not exist. The difference, of course, being that even if we may never experience an alternate universe, despite its existing, if there is something beyond this life, we all will, eventually, encounter that reality.

 

Perhaps, by moving beyond strictly literal thinking.

 

No, if one is not sure, one way or the other, that makes them agnostic, not atheist.

Where they look for philosophy, is irrelevant to the question, of whether a person is an atheist. It is ironic, if you consider yourself an atheist, that you would not understand that this is defined by a belief that there is no God. I agree with @yabberefugee , on that point.

Since you direct Yabber to this post, when he asserts what atheists believe, does that mean we can assume that your conceptualizing of the possibilities, identically matches Dr. Carroll's? If not, it would be odd that you would not only tout his beliefs, but that you direct people to them, in reference to your own beliefs. So, the only logical assumption, would be that you concur completely, with Carroll. And if the two of you leave open the possibility that "God" created the universe-- which I am taking to be true, from your assertion about Carroll-- then you are not atheists, but agnostics.

You may very well call yourselves atheists, but you are mistaken, in your terminology. If I were to call myself an Orthodox Jew, would that make me one, even though I do not subscribe to the beliefs of Orthodox Judaism?

I will, however, disagree with you, Yabberef, on your definition for agnostics. Perhaps you may be correct, that this describes the majority of agnostics, but it must be considered that, as in many other, if not all religions, there are variances among individuals, and perhaps even minority philosophical differences, from the main group. Just because one believes that he cannot know something, it does not necessarily follow that he does not "care" about knowing that thing. In fact, for a real fringe belief, our fellow member Kokomojojo, who calls himself agnostic IIRC, believes that, one day, science will be able to give us a definitive answer to this question of God's existence-- and maybe it will. But that is a far cry from filling in all the other blanks, in anyone's religious beliefs. So, strictly from the perspective of reason, the agnostic admission that most or all of these divine mysteries are beyond our ken, is the only rational viewpoint.

If one is willing to trust anything beyond what can be dissected at the lab station of fact, however, that would make them a believer, of some sort, or another. In my case, that sense if inner knowing that there is more than we see, makes me a Pantheist, with a lot of uncertainty. In the case of someone who's gut makes them certain there is no God, that belief would make them an atheist.

 

I think you are correct in most of your assertions. There may be confusion as to definitions, however when one declares himself "atheist", and in conjunction with the title of this thread, I could only take him at his word.

 

This sounds like another Atheist judging God for evil and shirking the responsibilities given us along with the freedom of choice.

 

Lots of folks believe that government is the cure for religion. And here you are......

 

I wish Jesus had been a vegetarian or vegan rather than any encouragement of the deliberate death of animals.
However he reportedly wasn’t so all so called Christian philosophy is undermined by that.

 

Some of us believe animals are not equal to the human existence. Sure we coexist with them but they are for our use, as is plants, fruits and grains. Others believe we are descended from animals, therefore we are no more valuable than them.
Perhaps you might wish that all animal carnivores were "vegan". That is unless you believe they are more valuable than humans. You, of course , are free to believe.

 

I would say the religion of your avatar is false. Islam, Christianity and secular humanism do not mix.

 

I don't fault, second guess, or question Gods judgments or his gospel unto derision. If I am bound by the spirit to trust in God, as that being the greater part of salvation, then so be it. He covers my eyes but draws my heart with certainty. Such is the charity by which one loves another despite all appearances. To say that this isn't so, is to deny that which is obvious to even the blind.

If we appeal to our fellow man by the example of our good conduct, by self evident truth, by reason, by science, by tradition, by conscience, and by scripture. And if they reject it all to persist in evil. Then we have given our all, only to have it murdered before our very eyes. So what remains but the judgments of God when all that is given to the powers of men to do for the cause of civility and virtue, is done to no avail. God and mankind haven't failed these people. These people have failed God and mankind.

 

Some Christians suggest that we have 'free will', even been put out there by God.

So if it is a Christian free will to choose to kill and eat animals I don't have much truck for that, especially as they are supposed to believe in thou shalt not kill. Now I expect more equivocation with a 'yeah but this, and a yeah but that' but if a conscience is encouraged by Christianity how does killing and eating animals be anything other than immoral?

 

The correct translation of the Hebrew is "You shall not murder", as in people.

 

So you question Christian faith but you invoke a ten commandment and if you were really seeking, you would discover the spirit of that commandment is ""you will not shed innocent blood", but you don't seek. You just quote what is convenient to you. There again, if you really sought out God's Word, you would find that everything was created for humankind's use. You would be better off preaching to the coyotes and mountain lions about how immoral they are for eating thousands of deer alive!