(June 13, 2014 at 4:55 pm)orangebox21 Wrote: Given that I cannot see into the heart of another man I cannot prove this scripture true of my own authority.
Given that the heart is nothing more than a pump to circulate blood through the body and endoscopy has been a thing for a long time, you can indeed see into one.
Quote:On the other hand, you have the same problem. In order to support your claim that the Bible is 'factually wrong' you take the position that: you are a man, you know there isn't a God, the Bible says all men know there is a God, therefore the Bible is factually inaccurate. The only proof you have is your word/authority. Serious question here: Why should I take your word for it? Can it be proven you're not lying to me?
Since the Christian God is only worshiped by a minority of the world population (and in practical terms, there are about 2 billion different gods being worshiped by these 2 billion Christians), the Bible is factually incorrect. Most humans do not, in fact, know that your specific God exists.
Quote:Exactly. First you get admission into the school, and then, you start studying for the subjects. Imagine someone who studies engineering, but he's not admitted into the engineering program. Can he graduate or "be saved"? Naturally no.
Imagine if engineering school, instead of involving hard factual data or mathematical certainty, was a place where you 'graduated' by 'opening your heart' to a 'truth' that was in no way measurable or testable. We'd still be living in caves and the pinnacle of technology would be the sharpened stick.
Quote:You're criticizing the believer for doing the same thing the student does: First "acceptence", then studying (first you get admission, then you study/first you accept the teachings, then you study).
Just because you didn't get the point of whatever education you got doesn't mean that's how it is for normal people.
Quote:There is also something else you have overlooked. The person who is accepted into an engineering program presummably has a basic, if not moderate, knowledge of math, physics, language, etc. The engineering program allows the student to grow in and deepen their understanding of these subjects and how they apply specifically to engineering. In the same way the believer has a basic knowledge of Christian theology at the time of salvation. Their study then leads to a deeper understanding.
You labor under this delusion that one has to accept any of it at face value in order to 'know' it.
Not that it makes even a shred of rational sense to 'know' something that is deliberately made impossible to verify in any way.
