The Theistic Paradigm in a Nutshell

[FebruaryOfReason]

Rhonda, you can just do it then buy a Papal indulgence. If you follow the Pope's Twitter feed, you can get time off Purgatory too.

[Rhondazvous]

I'll just bide my time and wait for the perfect ass. I only get one shot so I have to choose the right one. Or if I'm lucky I can get two together with some fancy gymnastics.

[FebruaryOfReason]

Machiavelli has another lesson that is relevant to the religious debate. He says;

"Men are obligated as much by what they have given as by what they have received".

In the context of religious debate, we could take this to mean "the more you sacrifice for a belief, the more wedded to that belief you become."

There are people who have spent their whole lives believing in god. They have given so much of their life to a myth that they simply cannot afford to question that myth.

[Godscreated]

Few theists will admit it but their message boils down to the discredited philosophy of the ends justify the means. Think about it.

Think about what. The end justify's the means, that's a secular idea not a Christian one, you will not find that kind of thinking anywhere in the Bible.

Their answer to all the pain and suffering, the misery, injustice and even natural calamity is “God has a plan.”

No, oh no, that's the atheist's idea of what Christian's think. God does have a plan, to redeem man from such horror, horror that man brought into this world when they trusted Satan over God an bought into "the self." Anyone who believes God planned for all this suffering doesn't understand the teachings of scripture, including you. To many Christians do not know what the Bible teaches beyond salvation and it's shameful, because there is so much more to learn and enjoy.

The tragedy in South Carolina doesn’t matter because god has a plan. Stillborn b babies, a man’s only son dying of cancer, Donald Trump elected president of the most powerful nation on Earth, locusts eating up a farmer’s livelihood. None of it matters because god has a plan. In other words the end justifies the means

You're not this ignorant, so please don't act like it. God's plan wasn't suffering, the creation story tells us this. The fall story tells us man caused all this suffering through disobedience. God sent his Son to redeem us from suffering. These things and others you did not mention are man made, except God may choose Trump as our president, but this is a different thing entirely and should be in another thread. Like I said these things are man made or things that just happen to people. God is there to help us understand these things and to comfort us and possibly help people to recover financially.
Now to address why I don't believe your this ignorant. If Christians believe these things don't matter because God planned them then we would not be involved in helping these people, we've been helping others for many centuries. If we believe God planned these things of suffering then why would we be helping these people, that would be going against God's will, correct? Like I said, to many Christians do not study the Bible and spout out things just to try and answer a question when they would do better to keep their mouths shut. To many things are learned from pastors who do not know how to teach the scriptures and the people of their churches place to much trust in them.

Christians tell themselves that god will not let them be tempted above their ability. I’ve heard one Christian woman say she wished god did not have so much confidence in her.

 Some Christians believe this and it's not what God say's. God said He would not put more on us than we can handle, God promised nothing about what we do to ourselves. When Christians allow themselves to not study the Bible, to not follow what God wants for them and sliding into their own ways, listening to Satan as the first two did, these are all self imposed, not from God. By the way the Bible tells us that God said He would never tempt us and I believe you know this, you're trying to miss lead the atheist here to gain whatever it is you're after. You're being dishonest with them, you're not fooling the Christians here. I believe it was you I said this to in the past, so tell me are you this ignorant of the scriptures or are you being dishonest with your fellow disbelievers.

GC

[Godscreated]

Machiavelli has another lesson that is relevant to the religious debate. He says;

"Men are obligated as much by what they have given as by what they have received".

In the context of religious debate, we could take this to mean "the more you sacrifice for a belief, the more wedded to that belief you become."

There are people who have spent their whole lives believing in god. They have given so much of their life to a myth that they simply cannot afford to question that myth.

 Before you make such a statement you need to prove what you say, and to bring your interpretation to of another's statement and apply it to religion isn't proof of a single thing, it's no more than hog wash.

GC

[rexbeccarox]

Machiavelli has another lesson that is relevant to the religious debate. He says;

"Men are obligated as much by what they have given as by what they have received".

In the context of religious debate, we could take this to mean "the more you sacrifice for a belief, the more wedded to that belief you become."

There are people who have spent their whole lives believing in god. They have given so much of their life to a myth that they simply cannot afford to question that myth.

 Before you make such a statement you need to prove what you say, and to bring your interpretation to of another's statement and apply it to religion isn't proof of a single thing, it's no more than hog wash.

GC

The lady dost protest too much, methinks.