(September 14, 2023 at 1:00 am)FrustratedFool Wrote:(September 13, 2023 at 8:10 pm)Data Wrote: No particular philosophical position, specific events or inner feelings or intuition. I was an unbeliever for 27 years, and became a believer 30 years ago. To me it makes the most sense. I can see the ration and logic in a purely atheistic position but I can't see the sense in militant fundamentalist atheism.
Can you give some more details as to why/what makes the most sense in Christianity?
I don't specifically concern myself with Christian tradition as I do specifically the Bible itself. So, most of what I see in traditional religious teachings is to me, almost pure nonsense. The trinity from Plato, immortal soul from Socrates, hell from Dante and Milton, cross from Constantine, Easter from Astarte (Ishtar), Christmas from Saturnalia and Dickens, the rapture from Darby - all religious nonsense to me. And not supported by scripture. Alexander the Great had a tremendously influential impact on Jewish thinking after 332 BCE and Constantine the Great on Christianity after 325 CE. Much earlier Babylonian teachings influenced Greek philosophy over time and it was introduced into theological traditions from there.
So, the teachings of the Bible without that influence is what seems more practical and sensible than theology will allow. God isn't omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, omnibenevolent, or a trinity. A god is simply anything or anyone mighty/venerated, Hell is the common grave of man with no consciousness or moral distinction. the soul is the life, blood, experience of any breathing creature, it's mortal, spirit is any invisible active force, wind, breath, compelled mental inclination (mean spirited, broken spirit), people don't die and go to heaven, the meek inherit the earth, not heaven, the universe wasn't created in six literal days, etc. Bible teachings without pagan corruption.