The Reasons why "Just Following Jesus" Doesn't work

[Rekeisha]

Yes I would like to see this link you speak of.

Actually, yes it has. We know there was a time before life on Earth, and we know that life now exists on Earth, which means somewhere along the line inorganic substances must have somehow coalesced into living things. What we don't fully understand yet is how, but within the next 100 or so years (maybe sooner) we probably will.


Furthermore, your own beliefs are that your god spoke life into being from non-life, so I don't see why that's even an issue.

The difference is God is alive.  He has a mind and a will and emotions. Then out of His creativity He made all things, including human beings that have minds wills and emotions. Now I am not trying to put words in your mouth, but I see that there is a spontaneous life coming from you world view and how that is happening isn't explained. Why we have minds, wills, and emotions which is a product from non-life isn't explained either. 

My recognition of the fact that there is no discernible reason or design behind reality is not a failing of my world view. Your insistence that there must always be a cogent answer to your incessant "why" is a failing of yours.

So I find this an interesting statement...very interesting.  I would love to hear your further thoughts on why you see this as a failing. God is a cogent answer for why materials behave the way they do. You expect the same from my God that is why you demand evidence. So, why when I ask for it you say my insistence for a cogent answer is a failing? Let's be consistent or explain why this isn't being inconsistent. If that is the case then the same would be applied for your statement that I have quoted below.

That would be because your mind is simple, and because you don't understand the kind of simplicity Occam's Razor is talking about. Your hypothesis is virtually untestable, making it one of the first things to fall to the Razor in favor of other explanations that would be easier to prove or disprove.

Your statement that material always existed is untestable. Your idea that humans and monkeys came from the same ancestor is untestable. So are we going to throw those out?

Because there is evidence to suggest that matter/energy can neither be created nor destroyed, yet there is no evidence to suggest that supernatural realms or beings exist at all.

I am going to assume you are saying that there is nothing in the universe that can destroy matter/energy. Yet, God is not apart of the universe but created the universe so it would make sense that nothing in the universe could undone what God has done. (Ecc 3:14) 


Excuse me if I didn't say it or didn't see it but What is your definition for reality? 

Hey man thanks for this conversation it is starting to get great. (I am not lieing!)  Have a great day I going to be gone for a bit, but looking forward to what you have to say. 

[Rekeisha]

Rekeisha,

Since you seem so hard up to be ignorant (as in not knowing better), allow me to point you here. 

Simply put, it is a post by a now retired staff member on things not to say to an atheist. There's a handy list about that. Also included is what an atheist is not. Again, another handy list.

You seem to be ever forgetful of where you are when you come to this forum.

Hey Nymphadora,

Yeah, I have seen that I am not forgetful of where I am or why I am here. I am here to tell people about the gospel and magnify God. After that I will allow God to handle the rest.  

I am not here because I think you are more evil then I am. It is not to spite or disrespect you, but out of obedience. I love God and, even though you may not see or believe it, I have a heart for you and a desire that you would know God. He has done a great thing for me and I know He can do the same for anyone who wants to move from death to life. He has blessed me greatly and redeemed me. So I am striving to live a life that is worthy of His gospel not to make you feel good as you sit under God's wrath.

[Rekeisha]

I'm just baffled that she claims I have the Genesis story wrong, since I typed it and (just to be sure) went to look at a Christian website that gave a concise summary of the story. My version was so close that I could have been marked for plagiarism! And yet I'm still told that I have it wrong.

Why is trying to talk about the problems of the Bible like playing "denominational whack-a-mole"? You hit Fundamentalist Interpretation Type A7's version right on the head, and...nope! Turned out it was Fundamenalist Interpretation Type C3. Sorry, atheist, you don't know what you're talking about!



Edit to Add: I do feel a little better, though. I needed that accusation of being an agent of Satan to complete my "Stupid Things Fundies Say" Bingo card.

BINGO!

May I see the documentation for the evidence of the Israelite God coming for the storm god El? As well as the evidence of the change of the biblical old testament documents that were altered trying to cover up the fact?

[Joods]

Rekeisha,

Since you seem so hard up to be ignorant (as in not knowing better), allow me to point you here. 

Simply put, it is a post by a now retired staff member on things not to say to an atheist. There's a handy list about that. Also included is what an atheist is not. Again, another handy list.

You seem to be ever forgetful of where you are when you come to this forum.

Hey Nymphadora,

I am here to tell people about the gospel and magnify God.

Bold mine.
Newsflash: We don't give a shit about your god or his gospel. Go magnify him elsewhere. If you think you are here to convert people, I have some oceanfront property in Arizona I'd like to sell you. Prime rates too!

After that I will allow God to handle the rest.

He's doing a bang up job at all the things he should have done like end disease, end terminal illness, obliterate hunger, keep everyone happy.
So.... how long should we wait for this non-existent gawd to "handle" shit?  

I love God

Goody for you. Take your love and shove it up your ass.

even though you may not see or believe it,

I don't. Now fuck off.

I have a heart for you

You are full of shit. You don't know me well enough TO have a heart for me. You only say that because you fear your god so much that if you aren't as sickeningly nice to people as you can be and tell everyone all about his bullshit, narcissistic ways, you'll end up in your imaginary hell.

and a desire that you would know God.

I do not share this desire with you. You are on your own. And your desire is pointless where atheists are concerned.

He has done a great thing for me and I know He can do the same for anyone who wants to move from death to life. He has blessed me greatly and redeemed me.

How sad that you think he did things for you when in reality it was your own hard work that got you where you are. The problem with you christians is that you give your god all the credit for something positive, but any negative shit, you blame on people. Clearly being brainwashed has done more harm than good since you seem to be living in a backwards society built on a man-made religious farce.

So I am striving to live a life that is worthy of His gospel not to make you feel good as you sit under God's wrath.

Hmmm... sweetie, I don't sit under your imaginary god's wrath and even if I did, he's done nothing to show me he exists. I ain't skeered, if that's what you want me to be. I laugh at your puny god and the fact that you really think that you can come to an atheist forum and convert people.

[Joods]

I'm just baffled that she claims I have the Genesis story wrong, since I typed it and (just to be sure) went to look at a Christian website that gave a concise summary of the story. My version was so close that I could have been marked for plagiarism! And yet I'm still told that I have it wrong.

Why is trying to talk about the problems of the Bible like playing "denominational whack-a-mole"? You hit Fundamentalist Interpretation Type A7's version right on the head, and...nope! Turned out it was Fundamenalist Interpretation Type C3. Sorry, atheist, you don't know what you're talking about!



Edit to Add: I do feel a little better, though. I needed that accusation of being an agent of Satan to complete my "Stupid Things Fundies Say" Bingo card.

BINGO!

May I see the documentation for the evidence of the Israelite God coming for the storm god El? As well as the evidence of the change of the biblical old testament documents that were altered trying to cover up the fact?

As soon as you produce evidence of god's existence.

[TheRocketSurgeon]

May I see the documentation for the evidence of the Israelite God coming for the storm god El? As well as the evidence of the change of the biblical old testament documents that were altered trying to cover up the fact?

Okay, start with Dr. Mark S. Smith, a Biblical scholar who holds the Skirball Chair of Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Studies in the Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies at NYU:

In the past, the question of Israelite polytheism has been approached by looking for evidence of specific deities worshipped by Israelites in addition to Yahweh. These would include biblical criticisms of the worship of other deities, such as the goddess Asherah in 2 Kings 21 and 23, as well as apparent references to this goddess or at least her symbol in the inscriptions from Kuntillet 'Ajrud and Khirbet el-Qom in the eighth century. In the Kuntillet 'Ajrud inscriptions, the symbol is treated respectfully as part of the worship of Yahweh. The gods Resheph and Deber appear in Habakkuk 3:5 as part of the military retinue of Yahweh. Other deities who gain some mention in the Bible include the "hosts of heaven" criticized in 2 Kings 21:5, but mentioned without such criticism in 1 Kings 22:19 and Zephaniah 1:5. Scholars have also noted that the god El is identified with Yahweh in the Bible, again with no criticism. The criticisms of Yahweh's archenemy, the storm god, Baal, also seem to reflect Israelite worship of this god. While many of these deities are not well known from the Bible, they are described sometimes at considerable length in the Ugaritic texts, discovered first in 1928 at the site of Ras Shamra (located on the coast of Syria about 100 miles north of Beirut). As a result of comparing biblical and inscriptional evidence with the Ugaritic texts, we can see how the worship of other deities lasted for quite a long time in Israel down to the Exile in ca. 586.

(Bold emphases my own.)

http://www.bibleinterp.com/articles/MSmi...eism.shtml

I actually recommend you read some of his books. You can start with these:

The Early History of God: Yahweh and the Other Deities in Ancient Israel

The Origins of Biblical Monotheism: Israel's Polytheistic Background and the Ugaritic Texts

[Cyberman]

The difference is God is alive.  He has a mind and a will and emotions. Then out of His creativity He made all things, including human beings that have minds wills and emotions.

How do you know these things>

[drfuzzy]

The difference is God is alive.  He has a mind and a will and emotions. Then out of His creativity He made all things, including human beings that have minds wills and emotions.

How do you know these things>

What Stim said.



In person.  No preachers, no bible crap.  When I have proof, I will believe that god exists.  Until then, no.

[Joods]

The difference is God is alive.  He has a mind and a will and emotions. Then out of His creativity He made all things, including human beings that have minds wills and emotions.

How do you know these things>

They don't but they'll give you any bullshit answer to try and convince you otherwise.

[Cyberman]

I've got money on a specific prophecy, but if our friend doesn't do his part I'll just get a headache.