(February 22, 2017 at 4:17 pm)drfuzzy Wrote: I think it depends on the orthodoxy/fundamentalism in which an individual was brought up. -- And some depends upon the individual.
My brother was told from birth, as was I, that GOD wrote the Bible and it is perfect. We were told that that the Bible holds the answers
to literally EVERYTHING. But he was more aggressive in his questioning that I was. He would point out contradictions, get slapped around
for his disrespectful evil thinking, and was told in no uncertain terms that there are things in the Bible that we simply can't understand, and
that God will explain it all when we get to heaven. So I didn't start actively questioning it until after I left home.
A person who has been taught that this book is the one and only book god gave humanity from early infancy thinks that it is the only authority
on the planet. They are genuinely confused when the response to a quoted verse isn't "Well, then, that settles it. Thank you." They have
not only been brainwashed from birth, but many have been punished for questioning.
It's not right to punish someone for questioning the scriptures as long as they are not doing it out of purposeful spite. Questioning is a good way to learn and the more knowledgeable should be willing to sit down and help them to understand. This is basic teaching. I would bet your parents couldn't answer the questions and were embarrassed to admit so. Instead of a punishment they should have been willing to learn along side your brother.
GC
God loves those who believe and those who do not and the same goes for me, you have no choice in this matter. That puts the matter of total free will to rest.
