You believe in God the creator and that this God is so badass he didn't even need anything to create him. You've felt his divine spirit. Ok. Whatever.

Why do you believe that the bible is his word? Why do you believe a single passage in the bible? Even supposing that a Godlike creator exists, what reason is there to believe that the bible is the best represenatation of him?

Well I don't know about the bible being the best representation of God, but your posts are certainly under par in representing God.

How do you know this?

deductive reasoning

Well, yes in a way, but no in a bigger way. Only if his claims are contradictory can they be dismissed.

Consider the claim that Zeus lives on top of Mount Olympus in Greece. Now if we scour all of Greece and don't find a Mount Olympus, or if we climb Mount Olympus and there's no Zeus, then we can safely dismiss the claim.

But you also have to look at the evidence that a god exists and then evidence that that god gave us a revealed religion, then which religion is the most plausible and has the most support for it.

When you do that you will end up with christianity and the bible. pretty simple

It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible.

...the path of true piety is so plain as to require but little political direction.
George Washington, 1789, responding to clergy complaints that the Constitution lacked mention of Jesus Christ, from The Godless Constitution: The Case Against Religious Correctness, Isacc Kramnick and R. Laurence Moore W.W. Norton and Company 101-10

Religious controversies are always productive of more acrimony and irreconcilable hatreds than those which spring from any other cause.
George Washington, letter to Sir Edward Newenham, June 22, 1792

It may have seemed plain in George's time.

Its not so plain any more and its under constant attack.

Probably the Amish spotted this early and that's why they sequestered themselves.

Huh? If God exists in a personal form, and if God has "given us" a revealed religion, then Islam is the winner hands down.

But the idea that God gave us a revealed religion is even more ludicrous than the idea that God exists in a personal form. You actually claim to have evidence for these two propositions that is independent of your religion?

nah, not even close.

There is nothing simple about jumping through all these hoops. How can you be so blind that you can even think for a second that what you have just written is completely ludicrous.

Even if me manage to jump through the first two hoops (most of my friends still can't jump high enough for the first one) the third one is so presumptions it is baffling that you have come out with it. Are you telling me that the more people believe something the truer it is? Even if you are meaning support in a different context it is the height of arrogance to propose that Christianity has more credibility than Islam or the Hindu religions. To go on to say that coming to this conclusion is somehow simple is insulting to everyone of other faiths or indeed no faith.

First off you mean come answer my QUESTIONS PLEASE! Meaning more than one. Why do you want an answer? Do you want to know more so you can believe or do you need more fuel for your unbelief?

Why do you believe that the bible is his word? Because it says it is! Why do you believe are a man? Because someone told you that you are a man at some point correct. I admit that is pretty stupid, but the point is that you believe because someone told you. Well we believe because the bible tells us it is God's Word.

Why do you believe a single passage in the bible? Why do you not believe a single passage in the bible? or do you? Then same as above.

Even supposing that a Godlike creator exists, what reason is there to believe that the bible is the best represenatation of him? Same as anwer to first question with a little added light!

The best representation of God was Jesus Christ, God's only begotten son, while he walked on the earth, who ALWAYS did the will, the word of the Father.

In our day and time the best representation of God is His Word and A Chrsitian Believer who walks like Christ did, with the same power and love and who heals the broken hearted and sets the prisoners free of their mental bondages by teaching them what they need to hear from God Word.

Pletho

If by "its under attack" you mean Christianity I agree. Its under attack by knowledge it kills all gods. The sun gods, the moon gods, the wind gods all got killed by knowledge.

Yes knowledge when its not tempered by wisdom and understanding can be destructive and viral like.

At least we still have our signs that indicate future hopefulness here on earth.

...unless you're a Muslim, in which case you end up with Allah and the Koran.

You seem to take both sides at times? What is your background? Disgruntled ex-church goer? Whats up with you and your beliefs. Are you a Christian or not? Are you a Believer in the Bible but not mainstream Chrisitianity? Are you not really sure what to believe? Yes, I am seriously asking you this question. You do ot have to post on the forum you can PM if you would like.

Pletho

Having hopefulness for a time when billions of people will be wiped form the face of the earth is kind of messed up.

Here's a question. Why do you feel so pathetic and insignificant and ignorant that you feel the need to create a being which loves you, looks after you, makes you feel like a beautiful and unique flower that will never face mortality? Regardless of the overwhelming, undisputable evidence that there's just no reason to believe it? At what point do u stop and look at that and realise the fairytale you've created?

At the time I wrote the thread title I only had one question in mind. As I got to writing, others followed. I'm sorry for not adding an "s" to "question". Thanks for you point it out you truly condescending prick.

That is not a reason. The bible is not the word of god. There! I said it. Yet, you do not believe me. Think about it.

Why do I believe I AM a man? "Why do you believe are a man?" is an incomprehensible sentence. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and think maybe you forgot to put a "you" in there? Curiously, how do you know that I am a man? You're just guessing of course, most of the people on this forum are men. Law of averages wins and you are correct. Now to answer you question. Ummmmm well "man" is just a word that we use to describe people within the same species as mine (can interbreed) that have a penis. I have a penis (its actually slightly more complex than this but for arguments sake). I know this not because someone told me but because I can see my penis. I can feel my penis. I often do. I had tons of sensory information that tells me I have a penis. Anytime I wonder about what gender I am, I can pull down my pants and look at the evidence, touch it and feel the evidence, thap it and hear the evidence, etc.

I do not believe passages in the bible for many reasons. Many passages are contradictory, illogical, inhumane, adsurd, and written in a way that any goat herder would have written 2,000 years ago given the state of human knowledge.

I do however, think there are some nice things in the bible. Loving your neighbour, don't steal, etc happen to be values that I also share. However, I don't need to believe in magic to explain those common values.

Why do you think god had son? Because it says so in the bible, i'm guessing.....

It seems to me like you place a lot of importance upon the bible. It seems like the answer to every important question falls back to it. It seems to me then, that you should really question why you believe the bible in the first place. Please answer this question.

I didn't reply to the knowledge part of your post, plus mine needed editing.

When I said knowledge kills all gods I should of said. I believe knowledge will kill all earthly gods.


Yes knowledge without wisdom and understanding can be bad. The same thing can be said about religion. But I don't see how seeking knowledge about the ultimate question God could be bad. If that search is through investigating his rocks or his space how can that be bad, why should that be tempered?

If there is a God (that coin flip thing) seeking knowledge about his universe is what will find him in my opinion. I mean he created a universe, gave us an inquisitive brain that quest for knowledge about that universe, that seems like a plan man.

"Whatever" huh ? you are a puke who doesnt want to learn. I hope you learn as late as possible without infecting others. What do you base your atheism on ? shortstacked by the allmighty ? I've seen and spoken with God. I KNOW what a puke you are.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schizop...s_and_symptoms

I hope you seek treatment and get better.

Funny, i thought atheists wanted to explore testimony ? Your mind is closed, you cant learn that way. When did you close your mind ? You stopped learning then.

In order for good people to do bad things, that takes religion.

Seems fitting here. I suspect you're a nice guy who has all of a sudden decided to suspend his morality because I do not believe the same magic.

In fact, I do want to learn... I want to learn about astronomy, physics, biology, the human brain, and all of the spectacular things that the universe has to offer. I constantly read on all of these subjects. Seems presumptious and arrogant of you to make claims about my overall personality based on one post.

I am incredibly thankful that your hateful wishes toward me are based on a belief that has absolutely no foundation in reality.

I do not base my atheism on anything. This is a common misconception. What do you base your non-belief of elves on? What do you base your non-belief of the flying spaghetti monster on?

You do not necessarily have to base a non-belief on something. I simply do not believe that your god exists. I do not need to defend this non-belief, because the burden of evidence is on you.... make like you do not have to defend yourself for not believing in the flying spaghetti monster.