Yeah. I know. That's what I said in my thread. I said that you cannot expect to explain supernatural events with science, nor can you expect scientific explanations for the supernatural. That's why this flood geology stuff is silly. Christians are wasting their time trying to fit God into science. He is supernatural. And atheists beg incredulity when they ask for a scientific explanation of God. How on earth did you get "supernatural events are science" out of what I said? It doesn't matter anyway. From my estimates, only about 1 in 100 people can grasp what it is I'm saying. Theists reject it because they feel they need to have the answers to everything or they are "losing". Atheists reject it because most of them can only say "that's not science" in response to literally EVERYTHING, so trying to get them to consider an abstract thought is challenging.
Its pretty simple really, since I reject all things supernatural, I do not believe that science and the supernatural can co-exist. Science concerns itself with the natural universe. The supernatural is the imaginary realm of superstition, fairies, werewolves, vampires, zombies, angels and gods, that caters to both our fears and conceit.
Yes, that's your belief. I respect your belief. I can see how you arrived at it, and encourage you to continue questioning the world around you and asking tough questions. Well done! As for me and my family, we'll follow God. Edit: On a side note, look at our two posts. Think carefully about the differences.
So a TALKING zombie that will also magically return and see to it that all the Hindus/Atheists/Buddhists etc. get tortured forever for simply not believing in that zombie's magic super-powers would be far far worse than just a REGULAR zombie, can we all agree? - - - Updated - - - Yes, one post accepts reality, while the other post despises reality (or is too afraid to accept reality.)
But because religions sound exactly like fairy tales, we can't tell the DIFFERENCE between religions and fairy tales unless we are offered scientific explanations. Fairy tales can't provide scientific evidence, so other claims that can't provide scientific evidence we of course have to also put in the same category. However, one of those two is far far more dangerous.....just look at the endless war that we are in today, against religion (Jews/Christians/Muslims in Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq/Syria, etc.)
You are conflating violence with religious belief. More people have been killed in the name of marxist revolution than were ever killed because of religion. That said, even the dimmest of arguments don't suppose that Marxism is automatically bad because of the actions of Mao. For some reason, the bad must be accepted as the argument against religion, though?
Your point that atheism is no cure for violent behavior is a good one. I'm a Modern Secular Humanist (Sam Harris et al), and a huge part of that is the love of DEMOCRACY, not totalitarianism. Jesus accepted totalitarian political schemes. So MSH is better and more inclusive than Jesus/Stalin/Mao in that all-important area.
Saying that Jesus accepted "totalitarian political schemes" is one hell of a stretch. Some people would do anything... ANYTHING... to speak against Christianity. Talking about it on one hand as if it's fairy tales, like unicorns, etc, and on the other as if it were a communist political scheme.... it's like you aren't sure which direction you want to hate Christianity in. So, why choose? Hate it every way possible, even ways that conflict.
Let's see your vast quantities of evidence that Jesus promoted democracy, and not monarchies, etc. (Hint: he didn't.) Here's a Bible search for the word "democracy", which turns up just as many hits as a Bible search for the words "Justin Beiber" does: http://biblehub.net/search.php?q=democracy
The global flood myths originated out of cultures (and religions) well before Christianity. Therefore, mentioning other relgions is quite relevant.
Speaking of communism, the Bible seems to advocate it: Acts 2:44-45. The passage reads, All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Sounds similar to "from each according to his ability, to each according to his need". Communism (a desire to eliminate poverty by spreading the wealth around) is found here in the earliest of Christian churches. No democracy.....but communist ideas.
Modern Secular Humanism does not conflict (at least not NEARLY as much as the Bible does): http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/contra/by_name.html http://www.1001biblecontradictions.com/
Where I live, certain times of the year, the wet season, during mid afternoon the sky can gets so dark one needs to drive with head lights. Sometimes it rains, other times it doesn't.
Religions are about the most violent beliefs of all time, so I'm not that far off, really. Just look at the religious wars in areas that are now Pakistan/Indian alone....horrific.
Actually, the word "unicorn" or "unicorns" or "dragons" turn up way more than the word "democracy" does. Should tell us all we need to know about religions.
Jesus didn't come to proclaim a political system. His was a Religious message. He accepted the rulers that were in control. As he said 'don't worry about those who kill the body, rather those who can kill the soul'. Rather suggests that his concern was spiritual, not earthly. Even as an agnostic I can see that.
Just think of the great help it would have been to the world if Jesus took 5 seconds out of his life of cursing 3 villages to hell, and cursing fig trees, if he had just said "Democracy is the way to go". Just think how that would have helped the world. I of course would have done that, because I'm smarter than Jesus, it would appear, and so would most moral people. No, I think that Jesus was just not SMART ENOUGH to know to do that. He could have also just said, "oh, by the way, here's the cure for leprosy", but he was not moral enough to do that. Don't give anyone who claims to be "all-knowing" and "all-powerful" a pass.
I can't find Communism, Marxism, Republicanism, Conservatism. Why should the Bible be concerned with democracy? It is about religious matters. There was democracy in the early church. When a new apostle was needed to replace Judas they voted on it. Democracy in the ancient world was little like today. The first time it was tried in a limited way was by the Athenians. It went in and out. The Romans Republic took a type of Democracy based on the Athenian style. When the Roman Republic became the Roman Empire democracy suffered and it became tyrant led by whoever gained power and became Emperor. Roman history 'politically' was unstable for several centuries. So why should 'democracy' appear in the Bible. In a sense Jesus was a Jewish 'democrat' in that he saw all Jews as equals in the sight of God. It wasn't the leaders he 'tore' into. It was their way of life. Nicodemus a rich 'ruler' came to Jesus with a genuine question. He was treated with respect by Jesus. Many Pharisees came to catch out Jesus, and he turned the tables on them. As I see it the Bible is not about politics but spirituality.
Finished my nap, and it appears two people have answered Freedom's question for me. The Bible isn't a political book. It's a religious book.
I agree, however Jesus didn't live and teach in a vacuum .. The burning issue of the times was oppression and occupation of Rome.
Ugh. God comes to Earth to save humanity, tempted by satan, ministered to by angels, through whom all things came to be, through whom all can be saved, who's hem of his cloak had the power to heal, who's very words had the power to raise from the dead.... was concerned with Roman politics, because he was a man "of the day". No no. He was concerned with the fate of his beloved people. He was there from the beginning, before anything was made. He was the word of God, and when asked about tax policy, brushed the topic aside with two sentences. When paul was asked, with rebellion in mind, he dismissed it as well. Christianity is a religion devoted toward individual relationships with God and each other in reference to God. It is not a system of wordy government, since things of this world are dismissed by the bible as fleeting, repeatedly. Devotion to God's word is the aim, not establishing democracy. In fact, the Jews were waiting for the messiah you describe. Some all powerful savior waving a sword around, saving them from the meanie of the day. In fact, they still are.
The Bible is many kinds of book. But it's basically a book about negotiation tactics using religious stories as the theme. All of the stories from Cain to Paul are based upon negotiation strategies. In other words, it's all about how to get the best deal.
