Dear Theists....Why?

[Watson]

See above, Zeus. I haven't bullshit you on anything.

[HeyItsZeus]

@Skipper- (I've used this example before, but...)

If you were reading a science fiction novel about lizard people who took over the earth and formed a totalitarian government, you would know that it was a work of fiction and not fact. However, if the book was actually a metaphor for the Communist scare of the 1950s, you could reasonably assert that the book was a metaphorical interpretation of an literal event... right?

You could also reasonably asume that the author had some real life experience with the Communist scare of the 1950s, regardless of in what way they decided to write about it. Perhaps the metaphor was a simpler and more effective way of conveying the author's message. You take the message literally, but the story metaphorically.

That's pretty much the point of reading. :/

As for taking God literally, but not the rest of the Bible, like I said the literal part of the story is God. It isn't hard to believe if you have had real life experience with God, which I have and which the authors of the Bible had. It is just like the Communism in my example isn't hard to believe in if you have had real life experience with it. You cannot understand something without having had experience with it, and even then your understanding may be faulty or incomplete.

You also ask why I am not a member of some other religion, and this infuriates me, because I've answered this question a hundred million times here on this site. I consider myself Christian because I find Christianity to be the most comprehensive and all-encompassing religion of them all when it comes to God. I had experiences with God in real life that lead me into an understanding of His nature, and upon looking into Christian teaching I found that it most accurately conveyed the same lessons I had learned of God during my life time.

However, I do not discount the validity of any other religionas it stands. Each is an attempt at understanding the being we refer to as God, and each has its own contribution to make to further our understanding of Him. I just find that Christianity cmes closest and does best in describing and explaining what I have experienced myself.

If I was born in any other place and in any other time, I wouldn't be me, so your point is moot.

@Sol- I do believe in the literal ressurection, sorry for any misconception.

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See above, Zeus. I haven't bullshit you on anything.

OK. I believe you. It's OK haha.

[Watson]

Why pick that out as the one part of my post to pick at? I'm not going to try and explain that one to you, because to do that we would need to give you an entirely accurate understanding of God, faith, and the ressurection.

[HeyItsZeus]

Why pick that out as the one part of my post to pick at? I'm not going to try and explain that one to you, because to do that we would need to give you an entirely accurate understanding of God, faith, and the ressurection.

I picked that part out because it was the only part I thought was funny. The rest of it, I thought was fine. That's all. I'm not laughing at your whole post, just that one part.

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Why pick that out as the one part of my post to pick at? I'm not going to try and explain that one to you, because to do that we would need to give you an entirely accurate understanding of God, faith, and the ressurection.

You don't have an accurate depiction of God. First find out what faith is all about and then explain it to me. Your past posts have done nothing but help me understand skeptical Christians in a more accurate view. It still does not mean you are correct. I left Christianity for the same reasons you stay with it. I want a better understanding of the world. I don't want stories that are not plausible, like a resurrection.

[Watson]

@Zeus- My depiction of God is accurate as it is based on my experiences with Him in real life. True, my understanding of God is not complete in any way because God is far too vast to describe in His entirety without being God.

I do know what faith is all about, because I have faith. However, it is an indivdual experience and therefore I cannot explain it to you in a way that would be meaingful, someone without faith. And for you to claim you have a better understanding of faith then I do is very arrogant. It is like claiming to be an expert on marijuana without having ever smoked it. It is ridiculous.

I am glad that I have enlightened you some about the skeptical Christian mindset. But please understand, I cannot give you all of the answers on Christianity. Only you can do that. I found my answers, and you must find yours. My understanding of Christianity, however, is based on my experience with God in the real world. The stories do not have to be plausible, they just need to get their message across.

[HeyItsZeus]

@Zeus- My depiction of God is accurate as it is based on my experiences with Him in real life. True, my understanding of God is not complete in any way because God is far too vast to describe in His entirety without being God.

I do know what faith is all about, because I have faith. However, it is an indivdual experience and therefore I cannot explain it to you in a way that would be meaingful, someone without faith. And for you to claim you have a better understanding of faith then I do is very arrogant. It is like claiming to be an expert on marijuana without having ever smoked it. It is ridiculous.

I am glad that I have enlightened you some about the skeptical Christian mindset. But please understand, I cannot give you all of the answers on Christianity. Only you can do that. I found my answers, and you must find yours. My understanding of Christianity, however, is based on my experience with God in the real world. The stories do not have to be plausible, they just need to get their message across.

Faith: The belief in something without evidence...Do you see your flaw here? And how can I find something that has been proven false? Even by yourself, you just cover it up using words like "It's not literal." Well guess what, I think everything about your religion is not literal. Can you disprove me with evidence? I don't want any of your "faith" crap please.

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Let me quickly mention something. Where is your evidence that your God exists?

[Watson]

I really don't give a shit about dictionary definitions of faith. Dictionary's can be inaccurate, and while I agree faith is belief in something without evidence, I also believe there is much more to faith than that. It is a personal thing acquired through personal experience, and unless one has faith, they cannot claim to understand faith. Because they obviously do not.

"How can I find something that has been proven false?" What exactly is it that has been proven false? God? I don't think so, Zeus, no one has ever proven God false and in my experience, I have more than enough personal evidence to convince myself that God is real.

I'm not trying to prove to you that God is real or that my religion is true. I am trying to explain how faith and God works, and how Christianity can be looked at from a different angle than the dim and inaccurate one that you hold. I am trying to give you a better understanding of these things so that our discussion can actually expand somewhere.

[HeyItsZeus]

I really don't give a shit about dictionary definitions of faith. Dictionary's can be inaccurate, and while I agree faith is belief in something without evidence, I also believe there is much more to faith than that. It is a personal thing acquired through personal experience, and unless one has faith, they cannot claim to understand faith. Because they obviously do not.

"How can I find something that has been proven false?" What exactly is it that has been proven false? God? I don't think so, Zeus, no one has ever proven God false and in my experience, I have more than enough personal evidence to convince myself that God is real.

I'm not trying to prove to you that God is real or that my religion is true. I am trying to explain how faith and God works, and how Christianity can be looked at from a different angle than the dim and inaccurate one that you hold. I am trying to give you a better understanding of these things so that our discussion can actually expand somewhere.

1.That was my definition by the way.
2. I know god has not been proven false. I am agnostic if you see. But remember he has also never been proven true.
3.Christianity is False. It is not true and by saying it's not literal does not make the Christian God exist.
4.You can not teach me when you have not learned.*
Wow I actually like that quote.*

[Watson]

1. I understand. It is based, however, on the generally accepted dictionary definition of faith which does not account for some aspects of faith.
2. I know He has never been proven true, at least not to the whole world. But He has been proven true to me through personal experience.
3. I know that saying the Bible is not literal does not make the Christian God exist, but it does further my personal understanding of Christianity and God. For you to claim that Christianity is false is to show a lack of understanding of Christianity alread. You do not understand the message of Christianity.
4. Then you show your unwillingness to learn, for everyone has something to teach, even if they are wrong.

[HeyItsZeus]

1. I understand. It is based, however, on the generally accepted dictionary definition of faith which does not account for some aspects of faith.
2. I know He has never been proven true, at least not to the whole world. But He has been proven true to me through personal experience.
3. I know that saying the Bible is not literal does not make the Christian God exist, but it does further my personal understanding of Christianity and God. For you to claim that Christianity is false is to show a lack of understanding of Christianity already. You do not understand the message of Christianity.
4. Then you show your unwillingness to learn, for everyone has something to teach, even if they are wrong.

I do not wish to learn from those who are wrong. Is this a crime?

Also I understand now that all your beliefs in God come from personal experiences. To be honest with you, I thought I had personal experiences before as well. But I realized I only felt like I did. I had absolutely no proof for myself to justify that my experiences were genuine. It was all in my mind. Your God is like Santa Clause. Kids think he's there because they "know it" but we can all agree he's (Santa Clause) not there.