Just Say No to Circular Reasoning

CJK · Post by **CJK** » Wed Aug 17, 2005 1:21 am

The Rapture... I say; Forget the 'Rapture' and live for today!

I am so sick of the theists' 'Holier than thou' mindset.

The Bible is obviously fictional, being based on absolutely NO factual evidence. Also, the message of it has been entirely manipulated and distorted. For example, Jesus taught that one should learn to love your neighbor and forgive your enemies, correct? Well, here we are in the 21st century, and the entire Christian Mecca (America) is at war with the Muslim world, as if they were some kind of threat to Christianity. You Theists and your blasted FAITH makes you some of the most ethnocentric people I've ever seen.

Oh yes, and let us talk about faith. It means nothing. I could have faith and belive IN any one thing, but the truth is that will never make it actual. However, if I were to convince 85 Million people that what I believed in was true, I would have a lot more credibility.

One more thing, I LOVE it when I see someone holding up a huge sign that says:

SURRENDER YOUR SOUL!!!

My Question: What is 'God's' prerogative?

micatala · Post by **micatala** » Wed Aug 17, 2005 11:55 am

Uhhh, I'm not exactly sure what the point of this tirade is, or the question for debate.

To respond to some of the points.

Yes, some theists do have a 'Holier Than Thou' attitude, and I, as a Christian, am just as annoyed about it as you. It is also fair to say that some atheists and agnostics have a 'I am so much smarter than you' attitude, that often is not justified in the least. Nearly any way you divide people into groups, you are going to have people in each group exhibiting all kinds of wierd attitudes and behaviors. That's life. It doesn't mean much about how the people got divided into groups or who is in each individual group.

The Bible is obviously fictional, being based on absolutely NO factual evidence.

. . . and the evidence for this is . . .?

I would actually agree that many parts of the Bible are not 'factual' but your characterization is over the top and as yet without support. Besides, the point of the BIble is not necessarily to be factual, but to address spiritual and moral issues, and the nature of humanity as spiritual and moral beings.

Jesus taught that one should learn to love your neighbor and forgive your enemies, correct? Well, here we are in the 21st century, and the entire Christian Mecca (America) is at war with the Muslim world, as if they were some kind of threat to Christianity.

. . . and your point is? That all Christians are hypocrites because Bush decided to invade Iraq? You again are way over-generalizing. THere is significant opposition to the war in Iraq and concerns about the war on terror within Christian circles, even in America. I for one thought it was a bad idea and still think it was a bad idea, even if things turn out as well as it seems can be hoped for at this point.

You Theists and your blasted FAITH makes you some of the most ethnocentric people I've ever seen.

Again, you are slandering all people of faith with a false charge, based on a tenuous connection to the actions of some Christians.

ST88 · Post by **ST88** » Wed Aug 17, 2005 11:20 pm

Since this topic has no question that can possibly be debated, it is being moved to Random Ramblings.

The Persnickety Platypus · Tue Aug 23, 2005 9:22 pm

Oh yes, and let us talk about faith. It means nothing. I could have faith and belive IN any one thing, but the truth is that will never make it actual. However, if I were to convince 85 Million people that what I believed in was true, I would have a lot more credibility.

On the other side of the spectrum, it requires a certain amount of faith to NOT believe in God, considering you cannot fully disprove his existence.

I have faith that when I jump up in the air gravity will pull me back down. That does not necessarily make it actual. Earth could conceivably lose it's gravitational force the moment I jump, a large wind gust could pick me up and carry me into the upper atmosphere, or the force of gravity might in fact not exist at all, but is rather a trick of the mind designed to diverge us from the fact that we are all in reality meaninglessly hurtling through space with no pre-determined destination.

All these scenarios are possible. Highly in-probable considering the infinite alternatives, but conceivable none the less, due to our in-ability to accurately prove them false.

Taking into account this, I consider my faith in God perfectly reasonable AND probable. I merely acknowledge that I in reality know nothing, as your signature wisely suggests, and am willing to put hope in something more desirable than other dismal surrogates. Every scenario is as likely as the next anyway, as I see it.

For example, Jesus taught that one should learn to love your neighbor and forgive your enemies, correct? Well, here we are in the 21st century, and the entire Christian Mecca (America) is at war with the Muslim world, as if they were some kind of threat to Christianity.

What's this?!? Humans hypocritical?!? This can't be!!! What evils are at work here?!?

All sarcasm aside, I would like it made clear that I personally am not at war with ANYONE. A great number of other Christians harbor the same attitude.