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One of the things I find most amusing about atheists is that they incorporate the fundamentalist, literalist interpretation of the Bible when it is clear to most without an agenda that the Bible is full of allegories and figurative stories to convey various teachings.
Unfortunately, while the fundamentalists really believe in a literal interpretation, atheists employ a literal interpretation only because it's advantageous in advancing their belief system.
Again, I spent most of my life as an agnostic/atheist. I've gone over every single argument you will even consider presenting and many more. It's a philosophical dead end.
I find it funny how believers ignore what the bible really says. As mentioned earlier there is a reason when people actually read it they become atheists
One of the things I find most amusing about atheists is that they incorporate the fundamentalist, literalist interpretation of the Bible when it is clear to most without an agenda that the Bible is full of allegories and figurative stories to convey various teachings.
Unfortunately, while the fundamentalists really believe in a literal interpretation, atheists employ a literal interpretation only because it's advantageous in advancing their belief system.
Again, I spent most of my life as an agnostic/atheist. I've gone over every single argument you will even consider presenting and many more. It's a philosophical dead end.
Do you believe the resurrection was metaphorical? How do you detect literal truth from mere metaphor when reading the Bible?
If the Bible isn't inerrant, then truth becomes the property of the interpreter of the Bible, and the interpreter makes himself into God.
Interpretations change over time and vary widely depending on the interpreter, so it's not as if the Bible is so crystal clear that the truth is evident. In fact the Bible is contradictory.
Even if the sayings and beliefs attributed to Jesus in the Gospels accurately depict Jesus' life, I don't find anything in them that could not have been conceived by any other first century AD preacher. His proclamations are not that Earth-shattering. And the early disciples believed that Jesus predicted the imminent end of the world. And here we still are.
I find it funny how believers ignore what the bible really says. As mentioned earlier there is a reason when people actually read it they become atheists
They aren't ignoring it. They're interpreting it. Do you read literature in the same fashion? Literal and concrete-bound?
You've presented zero evidence that the more people read the Bible, the more likely they are to become atheists? From where did you get that idea? In all likelihood, like me in the past, you don't read the Bible and reading the Bible wasn't the reason you rejected Christianity.
They aren't ignoring it. They're interpreting it. Do you read literature in the same fashion? Literal and concrete-bound?
You've presented zero evidence that the more people read the Bible, the more likely they are to become atheists? From where did you get that idea? In all likelihood, like me in the past, you don't read the Bible and reading the Bible wasn't the reason you rejected Christianity.
I did but like everything else I have said you ignored it.
Again I was replying to the comments made by oldglory. Funny how you keep ignoring that. I get the feeling you are just trolling everyone here
To whom you were replying has no bearing on the statement you made, or are you saying you were being sarcastic when you stated that crime has gone up and that it's due to population growth? How would it change anything if it was directed at me or anyone else instead of OldGlory?
To whom you were replying has no bearing on the statement you made, or are you saying you were being sarcastic when you stated that crime has gone up and that it's due to population growth? How would it change anything if it was directed at me or anyone else instead of OldGlory?
As I have said many times now it would be nice if you actually read the things being said. This entire thread is that BELIEVERS are making the claim that things like crime are worse as people no longer believe in god. So your problem is with THEM as I am NOT a believer. Wow is that finally clear enough for you???
Just because you are religious does not make you a better human being. Sadly as we have seen thru history and even today, some of the most hateful acts against humanity are hidden and carried out by so called Religious people.
Just because you are religious does not make you a better human being. Sadly as we have seen thru history and even today, some of the most hateful acts against humanity are hidden and carried out by so called Religious people.
Do you believe the resurrection was metaphorical? How do you detect literal truth from mere metaphor when reading the Bible?
If the Bible isn't inerrant, then truth becomes the property of the interpreter of the Bible, and the interpreter makes himself into God.
Interpretations change over time and vary widely depending on the interpreter, so it's not as if the Bible is so crystal clear that the truth is evident. In fact the Bible is contradictory.
Even if the sayings and beliefs attributed to Jesus in the Gospels accurately depict Jesus' life, I don't find anything in them that could not have been conceived by any other first century AD preacher. His proclamations are not that Earth-shattering. And the early disciples believed that Jesus predicted the imminent end of the world. And here we still are.
Context, which in this respect, is no different than any other literary work. This is what theologians do. There are points at which it is clearly explicit in its commandments. There are others where there are clearly metaphors and allegories at work. Have you ever noticed that the writing that generally provokes deeper thought within you are those works that use figurative language rather than writing that is akin to reading an instruction manual for your latest appliance? I can agree that the Bible appears contradictory and I can also agree that at many points it is not "crystal clear." I believe that is what gives it so much meaning, in the same way we commonly find much more meaning in books and films that are not concrete-bound, "crystal clear" in meaning.
You're quite incorrect about Jesus of Nazareth's teaching being something ordinary at that time. He advanced radical concepts which, of course, provoked so much hatred.
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