(April 4, 2016 at 11:22 am)TheRocketSurgeon Wrote: Christianity appears to be the Hydra... there are so many interpretations of the vague scriptures, plus figuring out what is literal/figurative, what was meant for only the person to whom Jesus was speaking (or the churches to which Paul was writing) versus what is meant as an answer to that person but applied to everyone, and of course which of the violent remnants of the OT we plan to cherry-pick for the modern age. I mean, did he mean I can handle actual snakes, or not? Then of course, there are the extra-Biblical traditions of the various churches, such as the goat-hoofed, forked-tailed, pitchfork-carrying Devil... or worshiping on Sundays instead of the actual Sabbath.
And on it goes, until every single Christian with whom you argue can tell you that you're the one who's failing to understand Christianity.
I've been trying to avoid commenting thus far, but I have to jump in here because Won2blv is starting to piss me off.
1) No, they're NOT saying Jesus made it an absolute rule.
2) They're saying it might be a way Jesus was showing everyone is a part of the path to heaven.
3) If you believe the Jesus stories, then it is irrational not to increase your chances of doing what Jesus wanted, and therefore getting yourself into heaven, by following this one thing he wanted (and all the other things).
It doesn't matter, for the purposes of this discussion, if it actually increases your chances, or if that's what the verse actually means. So you're arguing about nothing!
Stop. Think.
A lame argument is a lame argument, whether or not it comes from a theist or an atheist. Whatever point NV is trying to make is lame. And yes he did say it was an absolute rule. In an early post he said that if a christian bashes gays he asks them if they have sold all of their belongings and if they haven't then he makes the point to that individual christian, they are no different than a homosexual because they're (the christian) living in a perpetual state of sin. And for your 3rd point to be valid, a christian would have to view salvations as akin to odds making. I personally never have thought of it that way, even when I was a strong believing theist. I always believed that there was a certain character assessment made. Like if I was going to have a pizza party and everyone from atheistforums.org was invited except NV. But then NV started trying to be super cool with me just so he would get invited. I would remember all the mean things he has said to me. Like how I am apparently a fucking retard. Maybe despite the fact that being nice to me wouldn't hurt his chances, I'll probably pass. But this is just me speaking. So I am not speaking for any one else on this matter. However, if NV thinks he has made some super awesome point only to have it nitpicked and shown to have many fallacies and illogical reasonings, not to mention that the whole thing begins on a straw man, then put the burden on him.
