Question for Christians

[Reasonable_Jeff]

This whole thread seems to be teetering on the edge of genetic fallacy. It seems to almost be saying, "Christianity can't be true because if you were raised in a different part of the world you would have a different religion."

The truth (or falsity) of Christianity is unrelated to how you came to knowledge of it.

[John V]

This whole thread seems to be teetering on the edge of genetic fallacy. It seems to almost be saying, "Christianity can't be true because if you were raised in a different part of the world you would have a different religion."

The truth (or falsity) of Christianity is unrelated to how you came to knowledge of it.

Yes, the question is posed as if it will result in a "gotcha" when answered, but the reasoning behind the proposed gotcha is absent.

[Darkstar]

This whole thread seems to be teetering on the edge of genetic fallacy. It seems to almost be saying, "Christianity can't be true because if you were raised in a different part of the world you would have a different religion."

The truth (or falsity) of Christianity is unrelated to how you came to knowledge of it.

This does not prove that christianity is false, but it does make you question whether it is. How, exactly, we are asking, do the muslims claim to be the one true religion with the same force that you do when only one can be right, and does birth affect this? Have you honestly compared the evidence for Islam and Christianity objectively, or are you clearly and fatally biased due to your upbringing and culture? How do you know that you are right and they are wrong, other than from what your parents have told you and what your culture says? You might claim to have compared the evidence, but you would very likely be biased in favor of christianity because it is so mainstream here, whereas you would most likely be biased in favor of islam had you been born in the middle east.

[YahwehIsTheWay]

If you had been born in Pakistan to Muslim parents, would you hold the Muslim faith with the same conviction that you hold the Christian faith?

Under such a condition, I would have obviously been chosen as one of the "objects of wrath" for our loving Lord.

2 Thes 2:11-12 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Now some of you heathen trash who go around thinking for yourselves might as "why would a loving god need to torture so many people."

It's not our place to question how The Lord gets his kicks but I'm guessing it's a case of sublimated sexual frustration. I mean, they take away his wife and make him the only one god. Thousands of years of that kind of frustration just has to go somewhere.

This heathen site describes what was "Mrs. God" (from jesusneverexisted.com)

At two sites, Kuntilet Ajrud in the southwestern part of the Negev hill region, and Khirbet el-Kom in the Judea piedmont, Hebrew inscriptions have been found that mention 'YHWH and his Asherah', 'YHWH Shomron and his Asherah', 'YHWH Teman and his Asherah'.

These inscriptions, from the 8th century BCE, raise the possibility that monotheism, as a state religion, is actually an innovation of the period of the Kingdom of Judea, following the destruction of the Kingdom of Israel."

– Ze'ev Herzog (Prof. Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies at Tel Aviv University)

So he's going to take it out on you unbelievers. Better you than me, I say.

Praise the sweet name of Jesus!

---

Hello guys,

My being a Christian now is 100% dependent upon God's grace.

Amen!

The rest are so much chafe to be thrown into the furnace to the delight of our loving Lord!

[John V]

This does not prove that christianity is false, but it does make you question whether it is.

On what basis? You need to show that the Bible predicts a different pattern in order to show a problem for Christianity.

How, exactly, we are asking, do the muslims claim to be the one true religion with the same force that you do when only one can be right, and does birth affect this? Have you honestly compared the evidence for Islam and Christianity objectively, or are you clearly and fatally biased due to your upbringing and culture? How do you know that you are right and they are wrong, other than from what your parents have told you and what your culture says? You might claim to have compared the evidence, but you would very likely be biased in favor of christianity because it is so mainstream here, whereas you would most likely be biased in favor of islam had you been born in the middle east.

Yes, people are biased, and can't completely shake their biases and be purely objective. This is an underwhelming point. Again, can yu show that the Bible predicts soemthing different?

[Darkstar]

This does not prove that christianity is false, but it does make you question whether it is.

On what basis? You need to show that the Bible predicts a different pattern in order to show a problem for Christianity.

How, exactly, we are asking, do the muslims claim to be the one true religion with the same force that you do when only one can be right, and does birth affect this? Have you honestly compared the evidence for Islam and Christianity objectively, or are you clearly and fatally biased due to your upbringing and culture? How do you know that you are right and they are wrong, other than from what your parents have told you and what your culture says? You might claim to have compared the evidence, but you would very likely be biased in favor of christianity because it is so mainstream here, whereas you would most likely be biased in favor of islam had you been born in the middle east.

Yes, people are biased, and can't completely shake their biases and be purely objective. This is an underwhelming point. Again, can yu show that the Bible predicts soemthing different?

So you are telling me both that the koran and the bible are so similar that there is no point in contrasting them and that a christian upbringing in a largely christian nation will not afford any significant bias? Also, the bible 'predicts' different from what, and what biblical prediciton are you referring to?

[John V]

On what basis? You need to show that the Bible predicts a different pattern in order to show a problem for Christianity.
Yes, people are biased, and can't completely shake their biases and be purely objective. This is an underwhelming point. Again, can yu show that the Bible predicts soemthing different?

So you are telling me both that the koran and the bible are so similar that there is no point in contrasting them and that a christian upbringing in a largely christian nation will not afford any significant bias?

Huh? How in the world do you conclude that I'm telling you that a christian upbringing in a largely christian nation will not afford any significant bias from "Yes, people are biased"?

Also, the bible 'predicts' different from what, and what biblical prediciton are you referring to?

I'm pointing out that you need to show that the actual demographics are incompatible with the Bible for those demographics to be an argument against the Bible.

[Darkstar]

So you are telling me both that the koran and the bible are so similar that there is no point in contrasting them and that a christian upbringing in a largely christian nation will not afford any significant bias?

Huh? How in the world do you conclude that I'm telling you that a christian upbringing in a largely christian nation will not afford any significant bias from "Yes, people are biased"?

Not a significant bias. As in 'yeah, but everybody's biased, so who cares?' You said it was "an underwhelming point".

Also, the bible 'predicts' different from what, and what biblical prediciton are you referring to?

I'm pointing out that you need to show that the actual demographics are incompatible with the Bible for those demographics to be an argument against the Bible.

I don't know what you mean by this. How are demographics incompatible with the bible? Do you mean as in there are no or very few christians there? Like this:

Muslims

Countries with the greatest proportion of Muslims from Islam by country (as of 2008):
1. Saudi Arabia 100% (95% Sunni, 5% Shi'a) (foreign workers are excluded)
2. Somalia 100% (Sunni)
3. Afghanistan 100% (95% Sunni, 5% Shi'a)
4. Yemen 99.9% (65-70% Sunni, 30-35% Shi'a)
5. Mauritania 99.9% (mostly Sunni)
6. Maldives 99.33% (mostly Sunni) (foreign workers are excluded)
7. Oman 100% (50% Ibadhi, 50% Sunni)[31] (foreign workers are excluded)
8. Djibouti +99% (mostly Sunni)[32]
9. Tunisia 99% (mostly Sunni)
10. Algeria 99% (mostly Sunni)
11. Turkey 98.25% (83% Sunni, 15% Shia)
12. Bahrain 98% (50%Sunni and 50%shi'a)[33] (foreign workers are excluded)
13. Comoros 98% (mostly Sunni)[34]
14. Morocco 98.4% (mostly Sunni)
15. Niger +95% (95% Sunni and Sufi)[35]
16. Iran 98% (mostly Shi'a)
17. Pakistan 96.8%[36] (75-80% Sunni, 20-25% Shi'a)[37]
18. Iraq 97.8% (55% Shi'a, 45% Sunni)
19. Libya 100% (Sunni)
20. Egypt 94.7% (Sunni)
21. Qatar 100%
22. Kuwait 100%
23. United Arab Emirates 100%
24. Azerbaijan 93.6%[38] (mostly Shia)
25. Kosovo 90% (Sunni)
26. Syria 90% (85% Sunni, 15% Shi'a)
27. Bangladesh 89.5%[39] (mostly Sunni)

List of religious populations

Christians

Countries with the greatest proportion of Christians from Christianity by country (as of 2008):
1. Vatican City 100% (83% Roman Catholic)
2. Federated States of Micronesia ~96%[9]
3. Samoa ~100%[10]
4. Panama ~ 99%[11]
5. Romania 99.5%[12]
6. East Timor 94.2%[13][14] (90% Roman Catholic)
7. Armenia 98.7%[15] (Armenian Apostolic 94.7%, other Christian 4%)
8. Bolivia 98.3%[16][17] (95% Roman Catholic)
9. Venezuela 98.2%[15] (mostly Roman Catholic)
10. Malta 98.1%[18] (mostly Roman Catholic)
11. Marshall Islands 97.2%[19]
12. Peru 97.1%[20]
13. Paraguay 96.9%[21] (mostly Roman Catholic)
14. Papua New Guinea 96.4%[22]
15. Kiribati 96%[23]
16. Angola +95%[24]
17. Barbados +95.1%[25]
18. Cyprus 95.3%[26](mostly Greek Orthodox)
19. Mexico 94.5%[27] (mostly Roman Catholic)
20. Colombia 94.%[28] (mostly Roman Catholic)
21. Guatemala +90.2%[29][30] (50-60% Roman Catholic and ~30% Protestant, 0-10% non-Christian)
22. Philippines +92.7% (mostly Roman Catholic)

I think this ought to put things into perspective.

[John V]

Not a significant bias. As in 'yeah, but everybody's biased, so who cares?' You said it was "an underwhelming point".

Seems you're reading your own bias into my words. To clarify, people are significantly biased. This is an underwhelming point.

I don't know what you mean by this. How are demographics incompatible with the bible?

That's the question. People tend to be like their parents. So what? How is this incompatible with the Bible? Where does the Bible say that this principle will cease with regard to Christianity?

[Minimalist]

Got to be careful with those numbers though, Darkstar.

From the CIA World Factbook for Argentina.

Religions:
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
nominally Roman Catholic 92% (less than 20% practicing), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 4%

As you say they are born into it but even the Argies are not buying it any more.