(November 2, 2017 at 6:36 pm)mh.brewer Wrote:(November 2, 2017 at 5:42 pm)speedyj1992 Wrote: The argument in response is that 1) God did show up, and revealed Himself to many people over many years. He is not obligated to us because we have forsaken Him and often continue to do so. Plus, you can't know an infinite God all at once when you're finite. That process needs to be there.
2) The difference is you're talking about people who came after the apostles. The apostles themselves didn't have to die for Jesus' name's sake, in theory, except that they clearly really believed the things they preached because they knew the man. Why would they die for something they didn't believe in?
1. Doubtful, that's only a claim, an anecdote. There is no convincing evidence that your, or any god, actually existed in reality. The rest of your comments are simply the fantasy of how you wish things to be. Have your god show up, then we'll talk on what it takes to "know".
2. The people of Heavens Gate believe that they lived with their savior/god and died for him and his beliefs. They believed the things he/they preached. You response smacks of personal bias because you believe yours is the only true one. In reality yours is one of many. Yours is not special. Yours is man made, as they all are.
I feel as if this response largely comes from a place of not seeing, not believing on the basis of not personally having a connection to God that you can see personally. While I can understand this response, how is having faith that something happened in an ancient text like the Bible different than, say for instance, believing scientific facts that you cannot personally observe (i.e. distant stars and planets, billions of tons of salt being deposited on the sea floor every year, etc.)? Because at a certain point, you accept that something is true even though you can't see it based on other things that have been proven through observation and history.
