(May 2, 2016 at 3:38 pm)TheRocketSurgeon Wrote: 1) Constructed the laws of the universe, including the requirements for how the bipedal, intelligent apes inhabiting one small desert corner of the third rock from one star out of trillions (that we can detect), should think and eat and dress and screw.

2) Constructed those laws in such a way that the penalty for failure to adhere to them is a penalty of eternal torment.

3) Offered "pardon" to those who worship said entity and accept that pardon thereby.

If I came into your neighborhood with a crew of heavily-armed men, gathered everyone in the central square, and told them at gunpoint that they were doing something I didn't like, so they could either tell me I'm the greatest and accept my pardon, or else I'd have to shoot them... what would you call me?

Your "God" has done exactly that, by allegedly being both lawmaker and judge, especially since I only have your word and the written words of long-dead barbarians to tell me that it's even a real thing.

I think you're way off base.

There was no law in the beginning. What law was Abraham under?

God put man here with only one restriction.

Unbelief is what caused man to fall, therefore it will take belief to bring us back. It's quite simple.

(May 2, 2016 at 4:53 pm)Huggy74 Wrote: Unbelief is what caused man to fall, therefore it will take belief to bring us back. It's quite simple.

Quite simple to you, quite simply preposterous to any sane thinking adult.

I'm referring to the premise being simple.

The only ones to fine what i said "preposterous" are the ones who think they have everything figured out, Since not one of you can say for a certainty that God doesn't exist, it clearly shows that you don't.

(May 2, 2016 at 4:53 pm)Huggy74 Wrote:

(May 2, 2016 at 3:38 pm)TheRocketSurgeon Wrote: 1) Constructed the laws of the universe, including the requirements for how the bipedal, intelligent apes inhabiting one small desert corner of the third rock from one star out of trillions (that we can detect), should think and eat and dress and screw.

2) Constructed those laws in such a way that the penalty for failure to adhere to them is a penalty of eternal torment.

3) Offered "pardon" to those who worship said entity and accept that pardon thereby.

If I came into your neighborhood with a crew of heavily-armed men, gathered everyone in the central square, and told them at gunpoint that they were doing something I didn't like, so they could either tell me I'm the greatest and accept my pardon, or else I'd have to shoot them... what would you call me?

Your "God" has done exactly that, by allegedly being both lawmaker and judge, especially since I only have your word and the written words of long-dead barbarians to tell me that it's even a real thing.

I think you're way off base.

There was no law in the beginning. What law was Abraham under?

God put man here with only one restriction.

Unbelief is what caused man to fall, therefore it will take belief to bring us back. It's quite simple.

"How dare you act according to the nature I gave you!" - the Christian god

(May 2, 2016 at 5:37 pm)drfuzzy Wrote:

(May 2, 2016 at 4:53 pm)Huggy74 Wrote: I think you're way off base.

There was no law in the beginning. What law was Abraham under?

God put man here with only one restriction.

Unbelief is what caused man to fall, therefore it will take belief to bring us back. It's quite simple.

What happened in Eden was adultery.

I don't know if you're married or not, but I don't see you accepting that nonsense you posted as an excuse for adultery.

(May 2, 2016 at 5:48 pm)Huggy74 Wrote: What happened in Eden was adultery.

I don't know if you're married or not, but I don't see you accepting that nonsense you posted as an excuse for adultery.

That your biggest concern? Adultery? What is it with you literalists and the sex fixation? As if there weren't bigger issues than who's doing who.

(May 2, 2016 at 5:50 pm)abaris Wrote:

(May 2, 2016 at 5:48 pm)Huggy74 Wrote: What happened in Eden was adultery.

I don't know if you're married or not, but I don't see you accepting that nonsense you posted as an excuse for adultery.

That your biggest concern? Adultery? What is it with you literalists and the sex fixation? As if there weren't bigger issues than who's doing who.

Really? Because that's usually a deal breaker between a married couple.

(May 2, 2016 at 5:59 pm)Huggy74 Wrote: Really? Because that's usually a deal breaker between a married couple.

And...?

Again, that's your biggest concern? That's the main problem this world and life is all about? That someone couldn't keep their pants on is the reason of all evil?

Come on, doesn't that even give you a moment's pause?

PETE_ROSE Wrote:First, thank you for the interest Abaris, that is a name I am not familiar with.  Does it have a special meaning?

Secondly, for me there are several questions that I was looking for the answers to.  What happens when we die?  Where did we come from?  Why are we here?  How was the universe created and for what purpose?  For me, science, other forms of religion and such did not supply me with a believable and  satisfactory answer that ties all of those questions together in a coherent answer.  The bible did however.  It took a long time for me to arrive at this conclusion as I had several sticking points along the way.  I found that when reading the bible and taking it all in as a whole (even some of the hard to believe parts) it tied a lot of things together cohesively.   

Tying things together cohesively is not a trait that tends to make something more likely to be true. Often, true things are complicated and counterintuitive.