The rapture is finally here again!

[Anomalocaris]

We are His masterpiece. ........

Not you. And don't argue:

God dealt with different people in different ways in different times throughout the Bible. [/i]

[Thor]

Good question. Man was God's final creation. We are His masterpiece.

We're his masterpiece? I've seen people who were born with misshapen limbs. I've seen people who were born missing their eyes. I've seen conjoined twins who were fused together at the top of the head! If we are his "masterpiece", this deity needs a new paintbrush.

Chapter 2 of Genesis gives the details of that final day of creation. Many theologians believe God created more animals for Adam to name, in order to show Adam 1) God was all powerful. 2) God was giving man a free will. (ie in naming the animals)

The Bible does not say these were additional animals. Sounds like you're reaching for something that isn't there. Also, did Adam name the dinosaurs?

No, I do not own slaves nor have I ever...I don't need any...I have two kids. The Bible does not command anyone to own slaves.

No, the Bible doesn't command you to own slaves, it just tells it's permissable. Like that's somehow better?

Jews became slaves to other Jews when they could not repay a debt. They worked it off. When the debt was paid, they were free to leave. They had the option of remaining a slave if they chose to though.

Yeah, I've had many believers use this excuse when trying to reconcile the fact that their holy book permits slavery.

Here is the verse I'm talking about -

Leviticus 25:
44. As for your male and female slaves whom you may have: you may buy male and female slaves from among the nations that are round about you.
45. You may also buy from among the strangers who sojourn with you and their families that are with you, who have been born in your land; and they may be your property.
46. You may bequeath them to your sons after you, to inherit as a possession for ever; you may make slaves of them, but over your brethren the people of Israel you shall not rule, one over another, with harshness.

This says nothing about selling yourself into slavery, paying off a debt, or being free to leave. This is permanent slavery. It even says you can buy children! Pedophiles must have loved it back then!

Your response doesn't hold water. Care to try again?

[technophobe]

No, I do not own slaves nor have I ever...I don't need any...I have two kids.

You consider your kids your slaves???

Really?

That's a very poor attitude towards parenting.

=(: |

[Chapabel]

No, I do not own slaves nor have I ever...I don't need any...I have two kids.

You consider your kids your slaves???

Really?

That's a very poor attitude towards parenting.

=(: |

It was a joke for crying out loud! Do you take everything serious?

[chatpilot]

Chapabel, are you seriously trying to justify your evil god by using dispensationalism? I know how in the O.T. he is said to have established that covenant under the law but with Christ came a new covenant under grace. Either way it still does not change the fact that your god is a bufoon, a racist, murderer, and a megalomaniac. In fact the god of the O.T. and the N.T. don't even seem to be the same deity.

Regarding Bart Erhman, I actually knew him I used to work for his publisher Oxford Press. He states what made him an unbeliever it was actually reading the bible and studying it. That is actually what made me become an atheist too. I honestly don't see how you cannot see the obvious contradiction in the creation story. That my friend is a demonstration of faith or as I like to call it voluntary ignorance.

[solja247]

Do any of these morons even bother to read the bible? Or is this one of those cherries that they choose not to pick? Attention Christians!! 1. Jesus did not exist, he was a mythical character. 2. If he did exist he died and he is not coming back! Oh and he was not the son of God but rather another whack job much like we see today in the many cults that have arisen as a result of Christianity.

1. Didnt Jesus exist? You tell the majority of scholars that, like Dr Bart Erham.

2. How do you know He is not coming back? what are you basing this on?

3. Not the son of God? how do you know this?

It never ceases to amaze me how many dumbasses truly believe that Jesus is returning. And they're certain he'll be here soon! Of course, the dumbasses never stop to think how many dumbasses before them thought the same thing! I only wish I could bet the dumbasses that they're wrong.

Its a core part of Christianity and is not only what 'dumbasses' believe.

---

We're his masterpiece? I've seen people who were born with misshapen limbs. I've seen people who were born missing their eyes. I've seen conjoined twins who were fused together at the top of the head! If we are his "masterpiece", this deity needs a new paintbrush.

You are confusing humanity and the problem of evil; two different things.

Your response doesn't hold water. Care to try again?

Why do people look at a book written by primitive and expect it to be so moral? The Bible was/is black and white, they had slaves. So what? everyone else did too.

[Chapabel]

[quote='chatpilot' pid='107851' dateline='1291354655']
[quote]Chapabel, are you seriously trying to justify your evil god by using dispensationalism? [/quote]
Not at all. God needs no justification. However, the Bible is easier to understand if we understand proper dispensation.

[quote]I know how in the O.T. he is said to have established that covenant under the law but with Christ came a new covenant under grace. Either way it still does not change the fact that your god is a bufoon, a racist, murderer, and a megalomaniac. In fact the god of the O.T. and the N.T. don't even seem to be the same deity. [/quote]
Well, you are entitled to your opinion, but that is all it is...an opinion.

[quote]Regarding Bart Erhman, I actually knew him[/quote]
You brag about this?

[quote]He states what made him an unbeliever it was actually reading the bible and studying it. That is actually what made me become an atheist too. [/quote]
According to the Bible neither one of you were a Christian to begin with. You may have played church, but you were never saved.

[Thor]

1. Didnt Jesus exist? You tell the majority of scholars that, like Dr Bart Erham.

There is no evidence outside the Bible that "Jesus" was a real person. Personally, I would say there probably was a guy named Jesus. As for the nonsense about walking on water, healing people, a virgin birth and rising up from the dead....

2. How do you know He is not coming back? what are you basing this on?

I can know that "Jesus" isn't coming back for the same reason I know that Elvis isn't coming back.

3. Not the son of God? how do you know this?

For the simple reason that there is no evidence to support this extraordinary claim.

It never ceases to amaze me how many dumbasses truly believe that Jesus is returning. And they're certain he'll be here soon! Of course, the dumbasses never stop to think how many dumbasses before them thought the same thing! I only wish I could bet the dumbasses that they're wrong.

Its a core part of Christianity and is not only what 'dumbasses' believe.

---

Yes, it's a core part of Christianity. And a couple thousand years ago the Romans believed Apollo pulled the sun across the sky by riding a chariot pulled by four horses. Of course, they were ignorant of the world around them. People today have no such excuse.

We're his masterpiece? I've seen people who were born with misshapen limbs. I've seen people who were born missing their eyes. I've seen conjoined twins who were fused together at the top of the head! If we are his "masterpiece", this deity needs a new paintbrush.

You are confusing humanity and the problem of evil; two different things.

How are birth defects a problem of "evil"?

Why do people look at a book written by primitive and expect it to be so moral?

Wait a minute! Believers tell me that the Bible is the word of GOD! You're telling me it wasn't the work of a deity? (BTW, I agree with your statement!)

The Bible was/is black and white, they had slaves. So what? everyone else did too.

Well, if the Bible is the work of a deity that people use as a base for their morality, the fact that the Bible permits slavery is a HUGE problem!

[downbeatplumb]

I John 1:5...God is Light

I John 4:8...God is Love

He is also my Rock, my fortress, and my Saviour.

Ok now explain god properly.

A: God is light

Does this mean that god is in fact photons, coz that seems a little limiting.

B: God is love-

Not from my reading of the bible, seems to be a horrible arsehole to me.

C: some other words that mean nothing

[thesummerqueen]

I John 1:5...God is Light

I John 4:8...God is Love

He is also my Rock, my fortress, and my Saviour.

Ok now explain god properly.

A: God is light

Does this mean that god is in fact photons, coz that seems a little limiting.

B: God is love-

Not from my reading of the bible, seems to be a horrible arsehole to me.

C: some other words that mean nothing

He's speaking in metaphors and you're speaking plainly.

Hebrew is a language made of metaphors. I don't know a lot of it, but I do know that the way it runs tends to be something more like "he is lion-like" rather than "he is courageous". Try translating that into the way Greek and other languages go (they're more on the "courageous" side) and you run into a problem.

I don't know why the fuck we're arguing about this to begin with.

The problem Christians have is that they go around saying that it's not necessary for the rest of us to "prove" anything about it - they believe what they believe and that's that. This is a generalized statement, sure, but it stands. And that's fine, it's a matter of faith.

Except they shoot themselves in the foot because when they go around proselytizing, saying we should believe...and then they have to "prove" why we should. Which leads to "who is this motherfucker anyway?"