I'll be honest: I don't fully understand the quoting system on this website yet and I was having a difficult time trying to address your post point-by-point with quotations as you did with mine. So to keep it simple and easy, I'm just going to address the main argument you were trying to present -
Alright, for argument's sake, I'll admit that I misunderstood your intention as written in the OP. So instead, let's go along with your "trying to inform us of what Christians believe" goal. There are two problems with this:
1) You are giving us YOUR interpretation of the Bible. YOUR personal interpretation which is no way an accurate representation of what the entire Christian faith believes. For example, when dealing with the topic of gays, at some point I read a post from you saying that homosexuality itself isn't the sin, but the sexual act outside of a marriage is. Many many many Christians would disagree with you on that. Many. Some Christians believe that any sexual act between a man and a man is immoral not because it is outside of a marriage, but because it is happening between a man and a man. And some Christians believe that just wanting to sleep with another guy is inherently a sin. You are trying to teach us "Drich's personal guide to the Bible" with the intention of us gaining an "understanding" of what Christians actually believe, but in doing so you are using your own viewpoints. So to say that the information you are giving us is what Christians actually believe is misleading, because it's really what Drich actually believes, and you are not a stand-in for everyone.
2) You make the claim in your OP that atheists lack an understanding of what Christianity is and what Christians believe. Now, I am an atheist. Do you want to know what I believe about Christianity? I believe that it is the foolish worship of a nonexistent being based on an ancient and factually fallacious book that contains scientific impossibilities including (but not limited to): the denial of evolution, a virgin birth, a guy turning water into wine, a guy walking on water, and a guy ascending into the clouds. I believe that it has spawned so much discrimination and ignorance throughout the years (i.e. sexism, homophobia, justification of slavery, denial of evolution), that it is not worth having in our society. Especially when we know that people can behave just fine without it.
This is what I believe about Christianity and the Bible.
You say I don't "understand" Christianity. Well, I'll admit again: I haven't read the entire Bible. But those things that I listed, do you or do you not believe in them? And the negative effects of your religion, are they or are they not factually correct? Has Christianity not caused sexism, the subjugation of women? Has it not been a leading cause of prejudice against homosexuals? Was it not used and quoted during the 1800's as a way to defend slavery as a moral institution? And was the Bible not held up as a reason to deny evolution (and is still used as such in some areas today)?
So, then, in what way am I "not understanding"? In what way am I misrepresenting your faith in my dislike for it?
The only way you can prove that my understanding is wrong is by either proving to me that Christianity is not responsible for the things I have said it has been responsible for (which will be virtually impossible), or by proving to me that the things that happened in your book actually happened. That the book is true. This Paul and Romans crap really ain't proving that my understanding of your religion is wrong in any way whatsoever.
And sorry for my late reply. I've had nine hour shifts the past couple days and I didn't have the time/motivation to sit down and write an entire reply to your post.
Drich Wrote:I even open my thread with why I am doing this study, and it's not because I am concerned about the status of your belief. My study is to inform you of biblical Christianity. So how is this NOT A "logical fallacy" Because Again I am not making any claim to the status of your belief, and therefore do not have to "prove" the Whole bible to you. My efforts here center around informing you 'good people' what bible based Christians believe. Why? because you 'good people' sound like a bunch of hate filled biggots arguing in circles about what you think Christianity is all about. when in fact most of you are completely wrong./Do not have the first clue about the Christianity described in the bible. That is why I started with the book of Romans. as It contains the foundations of biblical Christianity.
Alright, for argument's sake, I'll admit that I misunderstood your intention as written in the OP. So instead, let's go along with your "trying to inform us of what Christians believe" goal. There are two problems with this:
1) You are giving us YOUR interpretation of the Bible. YOUR personal interpretation which is no way an accurate representation of what the entire Christian faith believes. For example, when dealing with the topic of gays, at some point I read a post from you saying that homosexuality itself isn't the sin, but the sexual act outside of a marriage is. Many many many Christians would disagree with you on that. Many. Some Christians believe that any sexual act between a man and a man is immoral not because it is outside of a marriage, but because it is happening between a man and a man. And some Christians believe that just wanting to sleep with another guy is inherently a sin. You are trying to teach us "Drich's personal guide to the Bible" with the intention of us gaining an "understanding" of what Christians actually believe, but in doing so you are using your own viewpoints. So to say that the information you are giving us is what Christians actually believe is misleading, because it's really what Drich actually believes, and you are not a stand-in for everyone.
2) You make the claim in your OP that atheists lack an understanding of what Christianity is and what Christians believe. Now, I am an atheist. Do you want to know what I believe about Christianity? I believe that it is the foolish worship of a nonexistent being based on an ancient and factually fallacious book that contains scientific impossibilities including (but not limited to): the denial of evolution, a virgin birth, a guy turning water into wine, a guy walking on water, and a guy ascending into the clouds. I believe that it has spawned so much discrimination and ignorance throughout the years (i.e. sexism, homophobia, justification of slavery, denial of evolution), that it is not worth having in our society. Especially when we know that people can behave just fine without it.
This is what I believe about Christianity and the Bible.
You say I don't "understand" Christianity. Well, I'll admit again: I haven't read the entire Bible. But those things that I listed, do you or do you not believe in them? And the negative effects of your religion, are they or are they not factually correct? Has Christianity not caused sexism, the subjugation of women? Has it not been a leading cause of prejudice against homosexuals? Was it not used and quoted during the 1800's as a way to defend slavery as a moral institution? And was the Bible not held up as a reason to deny evolution (and is still used as such in some areas today)?
So, then, in what way am I "not understanding"? In what way am I misrepresenting your faith in my dislike for it?
The only way you can prove that my understanding is wrong is by either proving to me that Christianity is not responsible for the things I have said it has been responsible for (which will be virtually impossible), or by proving to me that the things that happened in your book actually happened. That the book is true. This Paul and Romans crap really ain't proving that my understanding of your religion is wrong in any way whatsoever.
And sorry for my late reply. I've had nine hour shifts the past couple days and I didn't have the time/motivation to sit down and write an entire reply to your post.
