Why Christianity?

[Wyrd of Gawd]

If God called you then you are a prophet, right?  So what did he say to you?  Have you written it down?    Did he give you any magical powers?  Can you turn a stick into a snake?  Can you walk on water?  Can you raise the dead?  When God first spoke to you did you roll yourself up into a carpet?  Did he tell you to sacrifice someone to prove your faith?  Can you levitate a mountain?  Did he put you into the mouth of a whale for three days?  Tell us what happened so that we won't think that you are a lunatic.

It's easy to see who the lunatic is, in case you can't figure it out find a mirror.

GC

Since you are buds with the invisible celestial big guy ask him to give you some super powers so that you can impress the local yokels with his glory.  I suppose you are going to keep your conversations with him secret and refuse to divulge his revelations to you.  He gave Joe some golden tablets and magical eyeglasses.  I think he's punking you.  

Here's an idea: ask him to put you on the moon and make you visible through a cheap telescope so that people around the world can see you walking on the moon.  You'll win a lot of converts andmay get some of the other religious fanatics to give up their religions and to join yours.  Wouldn't that be special?

[TubbyTubby]

What I would like to ask Mystic, GC and the other theists is do you read the opposing statements of belief or testimonies or whatever you call them and EVER wonder how they profess the same certainty of their particular god? Does it make you think at all how they can have the same level of confidence in a belief as yours but one which contradicts?

[TubbyTubby]

What I would like to ask Mystic, GC and the other theists is do you read the opposing statements of belief or testimonies or whatever you call them and EVER wonder how they profess the same certainty of their particular god? Does it make you think at all how they can have the same level of confidence in a belief as yours but one which contradicts?

[Godscreated]

It's easy to see who the lunatic is, in case you can't figure it out find a mirror.

GC

Since you are buds with the invisible celestial big guy ask him to give you some super powers so that you can impress the local yokels with his glory.  I suppose you are going to keep your conversations with him secret and refuse to divulge his revelations to you.  He gave Joe some golden tablets and magical eyeglasses.  I think he's punking you.  

Here's an idea: ask him to put you on the moon and make you visible through a cheap telescope so that people around the world can see you walking on the moon.  You'll win a lot of converts andmay get some of the other religious fanatics to give up their religions and to join yours.  Wouldn't that be special?

Where do you think I'm posting from, earth? Get you a cheap telescope I'm to the left of the big rock.

GC

[abaris]

Where do you think I'm posting from, earth? Get you a cheap telescope I'm to the left of the big rock.

GC

That's more like it.

[dyresand]

Since you are buds with the invisible celestial big guy ask him to give you some super powers so that you can impress the local yokels with his glory.  I suppose you are going to keep your conversations with him secret and refuse to divulge his revelations to you.  He gave Joe some golden tablets and magical eyeglasses.  I think he's punking you.  

Here's an idea: ask him to put you on the moon and make you visible through a cheap telescope so that people around the world can see you walking on the moon.  You'll win a lot of converts andmay get some of the other religious fanatics to give up their religions and to join yours.  Wouldn't that be special?

Where do you think I'm posting from, earth? Get you a cheap telescope I'm to the left of the big rock.

GC

Do everyone a favor and take that helmet off and take a deep breath  

[Godscreated]

Where do you think I'm posting from, earth? Get you a cheap telescope I'm to the left of the big rock.

GC

Do everyone a favor and take that helmet off and take a deep breath  

I need no helmet, special powers, ya' know.

GC

[Lucanus]

Here is what I find makes Islam the true religion:

1) If God would reveal a book, we would expect the literature level to be at the very least the best in it's language, and no other work to be known to be near it's level, we find this the case with Quran, where it it's literature eloquence is a highest peak, something I have not found emphasized to be true in other religions let alone manifest and agreed upon by it's people it has been revealed to in general.  

The argument is as follows:

If God would reveal a book, it being higher in eloquence and top literature quality is to be expected to be emphasized by that people to that the extent it is used to show it's from God as it is would believed to be way better then human capability.
This is true only of Islam.
If God exists, he would reveal a book. (I've argued why I believe this to be the case in other threads).
God exists. (Not arguing this here, but I've argued why before I believe this)
Therefore Islam is true.

Nonsense. The Divine Comedy by Dante is without a doubt the finest example of Italian literature and it's (supposedly) divinely inspired. In fact, Dante originally just called it "Comedy"; the " Divine" adjective was given by later poets who were astonished by Dante's work. Therefore, 14th century Christianity is true.

2) God's Name manifests and reminds of a praise of special love and relationship with his exalted chosen friends. The only religions I find manifests this wisdom of his chosen friends is Islam or offshoot religions of Islam (like Bahais). However, I believe all offshoots of Islam have been proven through their own literature to be false. I would expect God to emphasize on this wisdom of how he would use his friends and honor them, and make them the means towards him, to be something emphasized in the true religion with regards to God. I would expect emphasis to be on them to be pure, exalted, and way higher above and chosen above the rest of creation. If we logically deduce God would create infinite creation, and test them out of his wisdom before physically creating them, with regards to their love and sincerity towards him, he would then have exalted friends to chose from. 

Doesn't seem to be proving much, other than god's supposed "friends" call their imaginary friend with a name that "reminds of a praise of special love and relationship". Humans can invent gods and they have in fact been doing so for a very long time. The fact they call these gods with such peculiar names proves nothing.

3) Ultimate leader would be one who leads you to God and guides you to him in all stages, while Prophets are all leaders that guide to God, the Quran unique emphasizes on a leadership that is aside from leading simply by reminders in the physical world. It emphasizes that after being found to be patient and reaching stage of certain in God's signs and guidance, their was those servants who never having been unjust are worthy of such leadership and guiding companionship to humanity. The emphasis there is such a guide in each era is uniquely found in Islam. The power of these exalted humans, which is God's Command over creation vested in them, is emphasized uniquely in this religion. The mystical science of the return and guidance by the hand of connectors from the chain hearts to the absolute eternal, is of now of the known wisdom and knowledge of this era. The religion that uniquely emphasized on this role thus be the true religion.

Look mate, I know that English is not the easiest of languages, but if you're going to post on a discussion forum that requires your English to be clear, you might as well try to write properly.

4) I find the emphasis on God's Name and face in creation to be something once understood, a treasured knowledge, that opens up many doors of knowledge. The emphasis on such station with God and his creation, and the connection, is something I would expect God to do. I find this emphasis unique in my religion, and hence, due to believing God is true, have reason to believe this religion is from him. 

Again, this works both ways: people invent gods all the time, the fact that someone's imagery strikes you more than someone else's isn't proof of anything except for your taste.

5) I find the emphasis on ascending with regards to Salah (the connection/five daily prayers) to be something of a wisdom that once experienced you come to know this spiritual routine and exercise would be something worthy of the God and beloved of the hearts to do, him being the ultimate treasure and favor on humanity, we would expect him to advise and emphasize on such ascension and daily exercise. The wisdom of ruku (bowing) before Sujood (prostration), the wisdom and experience of each, the philosophy of wuthoo (ritual purification), is something once understood, you would expect from the Creator. 

What do you mean by "wisdom" exactly?

I feel like rituals make any belief stronger regardless of its validity, as a repetition of what you're used to say becomes something you are used to think, and that something is awfully difficult to shake off. Heck, daily prayers and going to mass every Sunday managed to keep ME Catholic for 16 years.

6) The way God has put the family of Mohammad in Quran, yet there is high opposition to them, I feel is only really explained if some forces on humanity don't want people to follow the Quran, and hypocrisy (believing but then acting against his revelation) is something only dark forces want, and dark forces would only put this effort if the family of Mohammad were meant to be followed.   The fact there is these veils and locks on the hearts when it comes to reciting the clearer of the recitations that are proven by reason and other parts of Quran as well, makes you realize there is this dark force. These locks are not normal things that happen to other books, nor is it simply explained by bias. I found these locks to be on my heart without this bias, and I realize this is due to a hidden enemy and it was only through sincere striven reflection I was able to overcome these locks but these reflection were like almost like inspired when in certain states, and I find therefore it is of unseen help from God and his forces.

Again, things that are easy to explain with delusional states and/or autosuggestion. Occam's razor man, it was invented to take out "useless entities" such as angelic intelligences that were bloating Christian theology. I guess you could shave off them dark forces.

7) The emphasis on the true theology proven by reason as well as the name al-hayu (The living) is something I would expect of God. I find this emphasis again only in my religion.

Pretty sure that I've heard "the living God" when I went to mass as a Catholic. Also, "theology proven by reason" doesn't exist. I'll quote Han Solo and say that it's just "some magic words and nonsense". But even then, Christian theology is not worse than yours. In fact, I'd say they're pretty much on the same level of bullshit.

8) The emphasis to reflect, and bring proof if we are truthful, and to not follow what we have no knowledge of, and not to follow our fathers blindly, I find emphasized in the religion I follow uniquely.  This again something I would expect of God.

That is something I would expect of any man with a decent level of intelligence and critical thinking. Science is based on those principles, and it doesn't need to be inspired by a divine being to be correct. Therefore, it is something we can easily expect from Man.

In all these arguments, I believe God and his praiseworthy nature to a degree is known in humanity.

And those arguments are flawed.

[orangebox21]

Can we get some more Christians on here? It seems like the only ones on this thread are employing the tactic I previously mentioned: radio silence. If they are are not silent then they are posting things such as: "God called me, the other Gods didn't." It is pretty pathetic.

Oh wait! I forgot! We also have MysticNight on here that is eager to use presuppositions to advance his silly argument. His excuses for these presuppositions are: "I already covered them," or: "I will cover them."

We also have a group of atheists that easily tear down any defense Mystic has put up, however his only responses are: "I already explained that," or, "I will explain that."

Since this is my first real thread, I really had hope for the theists on here to surprise me, however they did quite the opposite. I no longer have hope for any theist on here to have any real arguments, points, or legitament thoughts that haven't been picked apart to shreds by atheists. Maybe I will give them a second chance in the future, maybe not!

What I would like to ask Mystic, GC and the other theists is do you read the opposing statements of belief or testimonies or whatever you call them and EVER wonder how they profess the same certainty of their particular god? Does it make you think at all how they can have the same level of confidence in a belief as yours but one which contradicts?

Please review and respond to post #54.

[Shuffle]

An example of point number 1 would go as follows.  The creation event includes the beginning of time, space, and matter.  Therefore prior to the creation event there was no time, no space, and no matter.  If the  Flying Spaghetti Monster were the creator of the universe, then matter (spaghetti) would exist prior to the existence of matter.  This is a logical impossibility, therefore the Flying spaghetti monster could not be the creator of the universe.

A comparison of each faith's truth claims can be examined through a review of mutually exclusive truth claims.  In other words, start with any two faith's truth claims and ask, are these two truth claims mutually exclusive or synonymous?  If synonymous they are one and the same; combine the truth claims and subsequent faith's together and proceed.  If the truth claims are mutually exclusive then either claim A or claim B is true.  Eventually you will be left with two choices with mutually exclusive truth claims.  

Either truth claim A or truth claim B is true.  As an example, one of the truth claims shared by all religions is that man is in a fallen or imperfect state and is in need of salvation/redemption/perfection [a claim atheist's would recognize as well].  To the best of my knowledge, all religions other than Christianity make the claim that salvation/redemption/perfection of man is found in man's own efforts.  In other words, all other religions teach that man is his own redeemer.  Christianity makes a different and mutually exclusive claim.  Namely that you have the forgiveness of sins [salvation/redemption/perfection] through the effort of [God] Jesus Christ.  It is by grace you have been saved, not of works.  So on this specific issue, either Christianity is true or all other religions are true.

Response to point 1:
Great! You ruled one out of a literally infinite amount of gods. Also, all the energy and matter that exists now existed before the Big Bang, however it crammed up into an unbelievably dense point called a singularity. NO ONE believes in the Flying Spaghetti Monster, however it is just an example to point out how it has the same amount of evidence, or lack thereof.

Response to point 2
You will NOT be left will two choices with mutually exclusive truth claims. That makes no sense. What did I have for breakfast today? 
A: Cereal 
B: Pancakes
C: Nothing
They are all mutually exclusive. Cereal is not pancakes. Pancakes are not nothing. Cereal is not nothing.

Response to point 3:
Going back to my breakfast example, just because cereal and pancakes are made of matter and "nothing" isn't made of matter, doesn't mean that I either had cereal and pancakes, or nothing. I love how you threw in "So on this specific issue," so you can have a pass on your ridiculous notion. There are thousands of issues that I can point to that make all of the religions mutually exclusive. THAT'S WHY THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DIFFERENT RELIGIONS!!!!!!!!