(June 30, 2010 at 10:24 pm)The_Flying_Skeptic Wrote: I've argued with theists and read creationist literature for years... "understanding it incorrectly": when "the word" of an omnipotent deity is hard to understand, maybe it's not the word of an omnipotent deity?
Some of the things I have read from atheists make it hard for me to believe they have even tried to read with understanding (not you as we have never had such a discussion). They seem to hold to the position that if it is mentioned in the Bible, God must condone it. Quite a shortsighted view, in my opinion. For example, I have read that the Bible in Judges chapter 21 is evidence that God condones rape, murder, etc. I don't see it. While what it says may provide an indication that rape and murder occurred, I do not see anything indicating that God condoned it. In fact, if you read the last verse of Judges 21 there is an indication that this behavior was NOT appropriate. (To understand the whole story, you also need to go back and read chapters 18-20.)
(June 30, 2010 at 10:24 pm)The_Flying_Skeptic Wrote: don't just say that there are books out there: i could equally say that for every potential explanation for a contradiction there is a refutation for that explanation that you haven't read and so on.
Quite true.
(June 30, 2010 at 10:24 pm)The_Flying_Skeptic Wrote: Give me some reasons why you think the Bible is the word of a deity.
Why are you so interested? ...Especially since the likelihood of me saying something you have not heard before is unlikely and would probably include "personal evidence" that you wouldn't find convincing anyway.
(June 30, 2010 at 10:24 pm)The_Flying_Skeptic Wrote: Metaphysical Naturalism aside, if there was evidence for supernatural things -- even if they were completely inconsistent with the laws of physics --- I would believe supernatural things exist, but there isn't (mostly anecdotal or 'personal evidence').
How would you distinguish something supernatural from something natural that you just don't have an explanation for yet?
