I sure see a lot of Bible-thumping around here. Why do Christians insist on telling us we should read the bible?

Telling us "That's not what it says!" after we misinterpret their interpretaion, then, giving us a new one! I don't care what it says!

In the words of Sam Harris, it's "playing tennis without the net". What point is there to arguing biblical scripture when there is no consensus even on the same pew of a church on the right way to read it??

They can't even agree on exactly what hell is, or the Christian stance towards social issues such as Gay marriage. These people are lemmings that are constantly searching for someone, thing, or book to tell them how to live their lives. Why would I care what they think when they can't think for themselves? Its perpetual circular logic, but they seem to think it should BE CONTAGIOUS! Look...

Bob doesn't know what to think.

Jim says he doesn't either, but has a reliable thinking process he uses to understand other things, and would like to share it with Bob.

Bob doesn't want to hear it from Jim.

Bob finds a book.

The book tells Bob what to think.

Bob now wants to tell Jim what to think.

Jim can think for himself, and tells Bob to fuck off.

Bob judges Jim for his lack of knowledge pertaining to his book.

Jim thinks Bob is a nutsack.

(July 25, 2013 at 10:28 am)Texas Sailor Wrote: I sure see a lot of Bible-thumping around here. Why do Christians insist on telling us we should read the bible?

Telling us "That's not what it says!" after we misinterpret their interpretaion, then, giving us a new one! I don't care what it says!

In the words of Sam Harris, it's "playing tennis without the net". What point is there to arguing biblical scripture when there is no consensus even on the same pew of a church on the right way to read it??

They can't even agree on exactly what hell is, or the Christian stance towards social issues such as Gay marriage. These people are lemmings that are constantly searching for someone, thing, or book to tell them how to live their lives. Why would I care what they think when they can't think for themselves? Its perpetual circular logic, but they seem to think it should BE CONTAGIOUS! Look...

Bob doesn't know what to think.

Jim says he doesn't either, but has a reliable thinking process he uses to understand other things, and would like to share it with Bob.

Bob doesn't want to hear it from Jim.

Bob finds a book.

The book tells Bob what to think.

Bob now wants to tell Jim what to think.

Jim can think for himself, and tells Bob to fuck off.

Bob judges Jim for his lack of knowledge pertaining to his book.

Jim thinks Bob is a nutsack.

I certainly don't need to argue the Bible to reject Christianity.
Whatever version of Christianity you're selling, it doesn't add up logically or morally.

Vicarious redemption, blood sacrifice, magical occurrences, etc.

And lack of evidence for the existence of any gods.

I don't need to argue the bible to reject Christianity, either, because the bible has no authority. The only authority it has is based on circular reasoning: "God is real because the bible says so, and the bible is true because God wrote it."

Both correct answers, but skim through the threads. It's inevitable that a theist will assert that an Atheist's lack of familiarity of The Bible is some how a crippling blow to their objections to the faith it supports. It's an absolute head-scratcher.

That is because according to the theist, one only truly knows scripture and how it is properly interpreted if one has his head up god's ass.

Bwahhh! Ha ha ha ha!

I was going to put this in "Humor" but it works better here.

I'm of the mind that people should read the Bible. They should start from Genesis and read it with the same level of scrutiny that one would use when reading "The Once and Future King", "The Epic of Gilgamesh", and "Mythology". Literature should always be treated as literature though, and never as absolute infallible fact.

I've met so many people that became atheist because they learned MORE of the bible not less.

If you want someone to stay a Christian don't let them read the bible. Just have the preacher read bits to them at Sunday service. Letting them have their own copy to take home is just asking for it.

They might actually start reading it. Then Christianity is screwed. Lost another one!

(July 25, 2013 at 11:05 am)Texas Sailor Wrote: Both correct answers, but skim through the threads. It's inevitable that a theist will assert that an Atheist's lack of familiarity of The Bible is some how a crippling blow to their objections to the faith it supports. It's an absolute head-scratcher.

It's not really a head scratcher. The implication is quite clear: anybody who actually understood what they are talking about would obviously agree with the person making that assertion.

It's not confusing. Just the garden variety narcissism and inability to comprehend the perspective of others that many theists fall victim to.