(October 26, 2013 at 10:41 am)catfish Wrote: I read it, how hard is that to understand?

I read it too and I'm sure most here would say likewise. Yet our interpretations of what counts as literal clearly differ from yours as much as yours does from other theists. So how are we able to agree on the more complex issues if we can't even agree on what the bible words mean?

(October 26, 2013 at 10:41 am)catfish Wrote: I read it, how hard is that to understand?

And how hard is it to understand that if you can't propose a reason to interpret a text in a certain manner, deriding people for interpreting it in a different way is just petty and childish?

(October 26, 2013 at 10:46 am)Stimbo Wrote:

(October 26, 2013 at 10:41 am)catfish Wrote: I read it, how hard is that to understand?

I read it too and I'm sure most here would say likewise. Yet our interpretations of what counts as literal clearly differ from yours as much as yours does from other theists. So how are we able to agree on the more complex issues if we can't even agree on what the bible words mean?

Which goes around in circles... Why do you need to know how I interpret things?

(October 26, 2013 at 10:48 am)Faith No More Wrote:

(October 26, 2013 at 10:41 am)catfish Wrote: I read it, how hard is that to understand?

And how hard is it to understand that if you can't propose a reason to interpret a text in a certain manner, deriding people for interpreting it in a different way is just petty and childish?

This. And not understanding this makes one assume Catty is mentally deficient, or a shameless prick. I'm not so sure about that first option being likely, either.

(October 26, 2013 at 10:50 am)catfish Wrote: Which goes around in circles... Why do you need to know how I interpret things?

Because the only way we're going to have a discussion about this- you know, on this discussion forum- and come to a conclusion about whether your interpretation is truly right or wrong, is by understanding the metric you've used to come to these interpretations.

Why you being so evasive about this?

(October 26, 2013 at 11:00 am)Esquilax Wrote:

(October 26, 2013 at 10:50 am)catfish Wrote: Which goes around in circles... Why do you need to know how I interpret things?

Because the only way we're going to have a discussion about this- you know, on this discussion forum- and come to a conclusion about whether your interpretation is truly right or wrong, is by understanding the metric you've used to come to these interpretations.

Why you being so evasive about this?

lol, why are you still trying to decide if my "interpretation is truly right or wrong"?
Who acts like they have the answers here?

Mentally deficient and a shameless prick, then? Huh....

(October 26, 2013 at 11:03 am)catfish Wrote:

(October 26, 2013 at 11:00 am)Esquilax Wrote: Because the only way we're going to have a discussion about this- you know, on this discussion forum- and come to a conclusion about whether your interpretation is truly right or wrong, is by understanding the metric you've used to come to these interpretations.

Why you being so evasive about this?

lol, why are you still trying to decide if my "interpretation is truly right or wrong"?
Who acts like they have the answers here?

I don't care if your interpretation is right or wrong; I don't care how you interpret any particular verse.

You have been asked what criteria or method do you use to decide whether any verse is to be interpreted literally or not.

Perhaps he's being so evasive because he hasn't put any thought to the matter.

(October 26, 2013 at 10:50 am)catfish Wrote: Which goes around in circles... Why do you need to know how I interpret things?

Several reasons:


1. you're the one that continually derides us atheists when we use a literal interpretation when debating a Christian who is also using a literal interpretation.

2. you're on here with the intent to debate. Unless we know how you go about interpreting the Bible, we are unable to debate you, because we never can tell if we should debate using literal or non-literal interpretations.

3. unless you can point to a specific method you use to determine how you go about cherry picking, it smacks of intellectual dishonesty. Without knowing your method, your cherry picking seems suspiciously like it could be ad hoc.

When I encounter various claims, I can tell you specifically how I go about determining if believing them is justified or not. I expect most atheists here do.