More Problems With Noah's Ark (atheism, behavior, pope, prayers)
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I think they want to call that "Having the faith of the mustard sead".
But I would rather say, "they want to be as blind as a Bat".
And I'm with you on your belief.
Many believers latch on to one or another of the myriad existing religious traditions or mystic groups and cling tenaciously despite growing doubts and conflicting evidence. They rely on ignoring those parts of reality that conflict with their chosen or preferred belief system, honoring this process of selective truth with the term, "Faith." They voluntarily "blind" themselves because their "eyes" are not capable of seeing enough and what they do see only causes confusion. Consequently, the only haven is this blind faith in an ultimate human purpose, known only to God perhaps. This is like driving in the fog with your eyes closed because the glare of the headlights off the fog restricts your vision --- a questionable solution at best.
The remarkable thing about some of these "voluntarily blind drivers in the fog," is that they are quite willing to impose their views on others and make them passengers on the same journey, frequently using coercive methods if necessary. These are the kind of believers who seem capable of justifying murder "in the name of God or Allah," as if that were something God could desire as long as it produced more adherents to their warped beliefs. These unfortunate souls believe our world is an evil empire ruled by a satanic entity who must be opposed, even by war, if necessary.
But do not make the mistake of thinking that the majority of believers are members of such fanatic fringes. Most believers are NOT members of the fanatic fringe and many of them are accomplishing wonderful and necessary advances in human kindness. I really do believe that the number of human beings who are in the mainstream of believers is way too large to be the result of an unguided random preference. It cannot be accounted for by mere marketing or proselytizing or coercion alone. We underestimate the power of our intuition if we accept that.
Most believers will probably achieve a requisite level of spiritual development regardless of (if not in spite of) the specifics of their beliefs, as long as they SINCERELY believe in God and do not have the soul-destructive attitudes of fanatics. The good news is that most of the unbelievers who chafe at the ridiculous belief systems are likely to achieve the requisite level of spiritual development as well. After all . . . Jesus said the "fields were ripe for the harvest" OVER two thousand years ago!
What you are saying here is that one cannot read the bible and decide the truth on the merits of stories in the bible alone...You have to want to believe it...Thanks that helps me to understand the how the fundamentalist mind works...Gotta read the book with a closed mind.
Missed the point completely didn't you.
A closed minded veiw against the bible is no better than a closed minded veiw in support of the bible.
If you read the Bible with an open mind and no preconcieved notions you'll come to your own conclusions. Some will believe. Some won't. Some will take it literally. Some won't. Some will be enlightened. Some won't.
Ironically most free thinking atheists still have there own "absurd" spiritual vices. Astrology, numerology, chakras, fate, karma,feng shui, auras, luck and the list goes on.
Missed the point completely didn't you.
A closed minded veiw against the bible is no better than a closed minded veiw in support of the bible.
If you read the Bible with an open mind and no preconcieved notions you'll come to your own conclusions. Some will believe. Some won't. Some will take it literally. Some won't. Some will be enlightened. Some won't.
Ironically most free thinking atheists still have there own "absurd" spiritual vices. Astrology, numerology, chakras, fate, karma,feng shui, auras, luck and the list goes on.
I missed the point? You said that one has to want to believe or notbelieve while reading the bible....Perhaps you do not call it a close minded approach, but it fits my description.
I find your last statement hard to believe. Atheists generally are not superstitious people. After all what do you think belief in deities, angels etc. are if not superstition? Atheists believe in things that are tangible.
I missed the point? You said that one has to want to believe or notbelieve while reading the bible....Perhaps you do not call it a close minded approach, but it fits my description.
I find your last statement hard to believe. Atheists generally are not superstitious people. After all what do you think belief in deities, angels etc. are if not superstition? Atheists believe in things that are tangible.
I guess it depends on the atheist. Most, if not all, that I know believe in other equally silly superstitions. If you don't thats great.
If your sure that theres not a God and the Bible is a work of fiction, more power to you. Some may pity you for your lack of belief but I don't. According to most religions I'm going to burn in Hell and God can't help me. If there is a hell I'll see you there. If not, oh well.
Personally, as someone once said, I don't believe in God but I fear him all the same.
My contention with these threads is when closed minded idioits want to condemn close minded idiots.
Go back and look at some of the questions and tell me that you yourself couldn't answer them scientifically.
The other issue I have is that certain things don't need to have a scientific basis IF there truly is a God.
If God flooded the earth there doesn't need to be a scientific explaination of HOW he did it. Expecting some one to explain a supernatural event scientifically is ridiculous.
Magic can't be scientifically proven because its magic. Miracles don't have scientific explanations because they're miracles. Platypus are funny looking because they look funny.
Some things just can't be explained.
A closed minded veiw against the bible is no better than a closed minded veiw in support of the bible.
According to a recent poll by third graders the word "veiw" is actually spelled as "view". I hate to nit pick but poor spelling and grammar are often seen as an overall lack of education. Did you skip your english class again today?
I guess it depends on the atheist. Most, if not all, that I know believe in other equally silly superstitions. If you don't thats great.
If your sure that theres not a God and the Bible is a work of fiction, more power to you. Some may pity you for your lack of belief but I don't. According to most religions I'm going to burn in Hell and God can't help me. If there is a hell I'll see you there. If not, oh well.
Personally, as someone once said, I don't believe in God but I fear him all the same.
My contention with these threads is when closed minded idioits want to condemn close minded idiots.
Go back and look at some of the questions and tell me that you yourself couldn't answer them scientifically.
The other issue I have is that certain things don't need to have a scientific basis IF there truly is a God.
If God flooded the earth there doesn't need to be a scientific explaination of HOW he did it. Expecting some one to explain a supernatural event scientifically is ridiculous.
Magic can't be scientifically proven because its magic. Miracles don't have scientific explanations because they're miracles. Platypus are funny looking because they look funny.
Some things just can't be explained.
So are you agreeing with me here that belief in God is just another silly superstition?
The other issue I have is that certain things don't need to have a scientific basis IF there truly is a God.
If God flooded the earth there doesn't need to be a scientific explaination of HOW he did it. Expecting some one to explain a supernatural event scientifically is ridiculous.
Magic can't be scientifically proven because its magic. Miracles don't have scientific explanations because they're miracles. Platypus are funny looking because they look funny.
Some things just can't be explained.
So how do you feel about people like Campbell and Nikk who still try?
So how do you feel about people like Campbell and Nikk who still try?
A supernatural event is just that, but I feel that any event that affects the natural regardless of its source left a mark on the natural. So, the supernatural event of the flood still caused massive amounts of plants and animals to be quickly covered by sediment. What is that we observe in nature? Large amounts of plants and animals that have been covered by sediment. We now call these plants and animal remains; fossils, oil deposits, coal deposits.
Ironically most free thinking atheists still have there own "absurd" spiritual vices. Astrology, numerology, chakras, fate, karma,feng shui, auras, luck and the list goes on.
How did you come up with that craptastic statement? The atheists I know don't believe any of that nonsense, because those things have no basis in scientific fact. As a general rule, atheists don't believe in ANYTHING supernatural or unscientifically supported. That includes your whole list of new age and old-fashioned touchy-feely BS.
According to a recent poll by third graders the word "veiw" is actually spelled as "view". I hate to nit pick but poor spelling and grammar are often seen as an overall lack of education. Did you skip your english class again today?
Nit picking is a sign of a anal retentivism and general douche baggery brought on by need to feel superior by trivial means. I'm sorry your mommy forgot to pat you on the head today.
Its good to see that you have nothing better to do with your time than poll third graders.
I'd sure like to live in your glass house. It must be nice being so purfect that you've never spelted a word rong. The sad part is that is that yewer so smarter than me but yew have nuthin bedder to dew wit your time then pick on me caus of my spellin. Does that maik yeu fill good? Du you lik to kik the dog to?
One day maybe I can be as smart as you. My mommy says I'm the smartest person in town but you don't live in town. Can I come to your ivory tower and see what its like to be better than everyone else. I'll bet your really cool. I'll bet you can even walk and chew bubble gum at the same time. I can't.
My mommy says that I really good looking. I'll bet your better looking than I am too. I wish I was you.
I can't walk on water but I bet you can. I heard a story about a guy that can walk on water. His name was Jesus. He never went to Montana.
Are you Jesus? I'll bet you are.
My mommy says that I can run really fast. Can you run fast too?
I sure hope when I grow up that I can be smart enough to ignore the discussion at hand and concentrate on other peoples spelling. I'd be really cool then. My mommy says its not polite to demean people. Shes a *****.
maybe one day I can be special like you and have discussions with people that I think have a second grade education.
I can't wait to be as smart you. When I get smarter I'm going to get on the short bus and I'll show that kid wearing the helmet that hes not so smart. I'll bet I might even be smarter than that fat kid with downs syndrome.
Life is going to be so awesome when I'm as smart, and good looking and I can run as fast as you. Your my hero. You rock.
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