[Serious] Why are you an Atheist?

[Simon Moon]

I am quite familiar with the OT and the NT. I've read them both several times.

I am also quit familiar with the OT concept of sheol.

Are you saying, that if I die as a non-believer, and you die as a believer, we will both end up in sheol? Our afterlifes will be the same?

I don’t see anywhere that says differently.  If you have read and are quite familiar, then maybe you can help me with my misunderstanding, if in fact I have one, regarding scripture on this.  Where things get interesting is in the eschatology found in revelation but there is much debate on the ideas found there and the meaning of language referring to “lake of fire” etc.

Sheol is not translated as life so when you use the word afterlife when referring to sheol it is not according to the translation of the word.  

The idea that “believers” go directly to heaven and “unbelievers” go directly to hell is not supported in scripture.  However, there is evidence of the destruction of Satan and the wicked in scripture.  I’m not providing details (scriptural reference), but I could.

I never said you had a misunderstanding. I was just trying to clarify your position.

Thats not exactly how I interpret what I have read and what I know about scripture. Genesis is generally accepted to be written by Moses. It is also excepted that it was written in his own words. The bible is not infallible in that it has discrepancies within it because of how it was written (human writing). There are places within the Bible where it references God saying “write this down” and then what follows is generally accepted as the words of God. Since Moses was not alive during the story of creation it is believed that the story of creation was handed down through the generations starting with Adam and Eve and so on. The idea of a man named Abraham is also found in the belief and writings of the Muslim faith. The fact that the story of creation is found in many different ancient writings of varied cultures helps validate the story of Babel and the dispersion.

So, if you interpret the Bible one way, and other theists interpret it another (over 30K Christian sects, and counting...), how do you know yours is the correct interpretation, and others that interpreted differently, got it wrong?

It the Bible is not infallible, then how do you know any of it is correct? How do you know you understand the correct parts, and other misunderstand them?