(May 2, 2015 at 10:15 am)Razzle Wrote: alpha male, as I've already explained, I'm not saying and have never said that the Bible claims disease in general is caused by demon possession. Just that it gives examples of certain diseases, or rather, certain symptoms of numerous diseases, being caused by it, and most importantly, that it doesn't bother with respect to some of those diseases to point out that there can also be other causes of them, and that other causes are by far more common.
I've already noted that the cases of casting out of demons occurred within a few years. It's easy to conclude that other causes are far more common.
Quote:Can you, for example, give me a single example of a passage that gives an example of somebody suffering from clear and common symptoms of schizophrenia, multiple personality disorder, schizoaffective disorder or bipolar disorder, that does not attribute those symptoms to either demonic possession, or (in the case of many of God's prophets and favoured individuals) to God or angels actually speaking to them? There are cases where all those symptoms are attributed to spiritual forces, and I can't think of a single verse that could reasonably be expected to prevent people from concluding as they have at various times throughout history that those symptoms are always or usually caused by external spiritual forces. Would it be so hard to mention that "hey, most people who say they're hearing voices or have demons inside them, don't need to repent or be exorcised, they have a medical problem." Why would God NOT do that? He knew people would assume what they've often assumed after reading the Bible, and that research into the real causes and treatments would be delayed as a result, right?
Huh? Are you saying that scientists delayed research into certain disorders because they believed that those things were caused by demon possession? I find that hard to believe.
Quote:As for why I don't accept your argument that the Bible makes it sufficiently clear that epilepsy is not always caused by possession, I've already explained that. If you don't disagree with my reasoning, feel free to explain why, but without knowing specifically why you disagree, I could only repeat myself.
Your argument seems to merely be that people are sloppy readers. The Bible can be difficult to understand in parts and requires careful consideration. As Peter says:
2 Peter 3
15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, 16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
Personally I don't blame the text when people miss parts of it and go beyond it in other parts. That's user error.
