The 10 Most Ridiculous Beliefs in the Christian Delusion

[Whateverist]

Well don't tease us, Lek. If you call yourself a Christian anyway that raises two very important questions:

#1. Which specific xtian beliefs would make your top ten, ridiculously speaking?

#2. Umm .. why are you a Christian?

Please excuse my silliness, but I'm in one of those moods this morning. I'm leaving for church in a few minutes, so I had to clear my head of any logic or common sense. I'll ponder your question and give you my response.

Happy to give you something important to do during sermon.

[Lek]

Well don't tease us, Lek. If you call yourself a Christian anyway that raises two very important questions:

#1. Which specific xtian beliefs would make your top ten, ridiculously speaking?

#2. Umm .. why are you a Christian?

Well, I pondered what christian doctrines are ridiculous to me and I couldn't find any. I seriously understand why the things you all bring up are ridiculous to you. If I believed that all that existed was confined to the natural universe, then I would agree with you. The apostle Paul acknowledged this truth:

1 Corinthians 1:18 New King James Version (NKJV)
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

The reason that I'm a christian is because, through the power of the Holy Spirit, I have opened myself up to God and he has given me the faith. I made the decision to follow Christ instead of my own desires, although most of my desires are also his. I believe that the bible is true and inspired. I can see no reason why numerous individuals over the long period of its writing would have anything to gain from creating and carrying on the bible story. Peter and John gave up their fishing business and left their families to follow Jesus around for a few years and then faced extreme persecution while writing and teaching the message. Paul gave up a respected position as a pharisee. I'm also a person to whom the reason for our existence is very important. Just saying that we and the whole universe are just here for no reason doesn't get it for me.

I also enjoy being a christian. I like the lifestyle and the people that I interact with. I like being involved in the community outreach programs we carry on. We're in the process of building on to the church and the city is most helpful with the process because they are aware of what we're doing in the inner city area, where we're located, and don't want us to move to a new location. You guys may be real good people who are self-motivated to do good for others, but I'm really pretty selfish and I need God to prod me along sometimes. My life is full and I don't have any good reason to give up my faith. I've said this before in this forum. I believe it's all true, but if I die and it's all just blackness and non-existence I won't care anyway, because I won't exist to regret it.

[abaris]

I can see no reason why numerous individuals over the long period of its writing would have anything to gain from creating and carrying on the bible story.

The historicity of the original authors of the bible are as dubious and unproven as the historicity of the apostles. You're talking about Peter's fishing as if it was a modern business, which it most certainly wasn't if we are to assume his historicity. A puny boat (see picture below that's an actual regional boat they discovered in the mud) and probably just enough to feed their own family, is the reality of the day. That someone like that should be able to read or write is pure fiction, which gets even more ludicrous when it comes to Greek or Latin.



Also, there was a whole lot to be gained by adding and omitting. Especially at the time when christianity was on it's way to become Roman state religion within the 4th century.

[vorlon13]

Not a top 10, but I've wondered about the OTs fascination with God's mighty nostrils and their incredible power.

Seems like Japanese anime has missed this particular feature to exploit in the pantheon of hyper, macro, ultra, super, etc. heroes.

[robvalue]

I think believing a perfect God would behave like a toddler, and also loves the smell of burning carcasses, is a bit ridiculous.

[RobbyPants]

How can you be a literalist anyway? They believe even forgeries are the word of God?

I guess they argue that God put in the forgeries, or something. Or there are no forgeries.

It's one of those vicious circle things.

They believe they are right and that the Bible is provably true. This means they have to reject any science that says otherwise. This means they have to re-write history to keep a 100% success rate on Biblical prophesies. Also, this is part of why it's important that the OT was written in 1,500 BCE instead of 700 BCE; prophesies are a lot less compelling when they're written after the events which they predict.

[robvalue]

Haha yes, I think you're right. If reality contradicts the bible, then it's reality that's wrong and should change itself accordingly.

How people can live with this level of cognitive dissidence is scary to me. I guess God made them good at it.

[vorlon13]

I LOVE Literalism. All christers need to adopt it. Those that don't are blaspheming heretical apostates.

Literalism, is the cure for cherry picking scriptures !!

Anyone sincerely religious in the christian/bible orbit either accepts every jot and tittle of the bible as the inerrant literal word of god/jesus/spook OR they are putting themselves forward as knowing MORE than g/j/s about what scriptures matter and what scriptures don't.

That view is 100% contrary to god's will, it indicates a total lack of faith !!!


(it also means we are 99% of the way to having another member here, PRAISE JESUS !!!)

[robvalue]

I agree, the only two stances that make sense are that you think it's the word of god and respect every word, or it's just some words. And if it's just some words, believing anything supernatural from it makes you highly gullible.

Trouble is, even people who claim to believe every word don't do what it says. But that's probably a good thing. Anyone who really actually did believe and act on what it said would be like ISIS.

I'm not claiming that books like the bible and kuran have something to do with justifying violence, I'm saying they have everything to do with it.

[RobbyPants]

Literalism, is the cure for cherry picking scriptures !!

No, it turns out you have to cherry pick to be a literalist, too. It's just you have to arbitrarily decide which verses are "context dependent" and which aren't. This is why two literalists often don't agree on the same thing. Get two of them going on whether or not baptism is a requirement to get into heaven or on the nature of free will and Calvinism if you want to see this in action.