The Bible. Despite many reasons to dismiss it why do so many believe?

by nicolaou 39 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • Terry
    Terry

    It was in the 4th Century that the assault on reason, logic and the rational mind began. 150 years after the Nicene Council the last astronomer's observations were written. After that....nothing for 1500 years!

    Science died. Rational thinking died.

    The Apostle Paul and Pope Gregory killed logical thinking.

    The edict from the Church was that rational thinking fooled man into thinking that events have causes which are predictable rather than being at the divine whim of God Almighty.

    Interest in discovering "why" evaporated into superstitious ignorance.

    Our planet still suffers from this assault on human intelligence as a majority of people brought up under the irrational delusions and wishful-thinking of religion hold irrational beliefs at the center of their mind.

    Modern science has given us medicine, hygiene, technology, longer life span, gene mapping and so many labor saving improvements that the last few generations have lived in a kind of Utopian luxury never before dreamed possible. Even the very poor have satellite dishes, microwave ovens and color televsion and cellphones!

    But, at the center of thought is FAITH which is a completely destructive insistance on medieval thinking which holds that: Unprovable assertions without evidence are to be considered in the same equality as actual proof for no other reason than it MIGHT BE POSSIBLE. In other words: a POTENTIAL is equal to an ACTUAL.

    So, anything I can imagine to be true must be respected as potentially TRUE and held as a standard for reality.

    FAITH is an opinion based on no evidence. FAITH is an emotional attachment to an idea which ideally is preferred over what we know.

    It is not a healthy thing.

  • nicolaou
    nicolaou

    Amen Terry!

    "Do not seek to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand." Saint Augustine

    Rex, can you truly not see the idiocy in that statement? "Do not seek to understand" encapsulates all that is wrong with belief based on faith. Faith - like the gods it spawns - is nothing but a gap filler. Where there is a hole in knowledge or understanding ' fill it with faith' seems to be all that is required by the believer. Far better to expend the time, energy and effort in seeking to understand and find clear and rational explanations which are ultimately more fulfilling and inspiring than any 'Polyfilla Faith' or God. It is for this reason that knowledge advances and faith retreats.

    "A man cannot walk on water, truly dead people do not come back to life and 1 + 1 will never equal 3."

    Three assumptions and only one is correct and provable.

    Which one? They are all in the Bible you know? ;)

  • nicolaou
    nicolaou

    As usual, 'hit & run' Rex fails to defend his position. So many times Shining One has posted something stupid, been called on it and then hidden away somewhere or gotten busy on another topic. Pathetic.

    Oh and by the way Rex, there is a difference between an assumption and an assertion. In many ways it is dangerous to make assertions unless you are willing to be proved wrong, which is why I always criticise unfounded or poorly researched assertions. This is why I tend to shy away from making assertions myself, I prefer the veiw that Voltaire expressed; "Doubt is not a pleasant state of mind but certainty is a ridiculous one".

    All the same, when I stated; "A man cannot walk on water, truly dead people do not come back to life and 1 + 1 will never equal 3", these were flat assertions, not assumptions.

    Care to refute me Rex?

  • nicolaou
    nicolaou

    Of my original post, Shining One said;

    Poison the well by calling the miraculous events 'absurd'. It is absurd that thinking human beings can see the wonders of creation and yet say there is no evidence for God's existence. My perspective and it is as valid as yours. In fact, your assumptions in the material world require more faith than do my beliefs.

    absurd adj 1: inconsistent with reason or logic or common sense;

    I stand by what I said, miracles, by their very definition are absurd. They defy reason, logic and common sense. Perhaps you are a miracle Rex!

    Once again Rex you simply assert that what we see around us is 'creation' as if that is all that is required to prove the existence of a Creator. Your argument is self-defeating, we have been here before you and I and you always run from the argument. Care to finish it this time?

    Your perspective is based on faith, belief and hope, mine on reason and evidence. You are as entitled to your opinion as I am but it most certainly is not as valid.

    C,mon Rex 'ol buddy 'ol pal. Where are you?

  • Shining One
    Shining One

    >If there were credible and lasting proof for all to see, would not everyone convert to Catholicism or whatever denom you are?

    No. The skeptics will always have a problem with the evidence. It simply will not be accepted. John 3:18-20 is very clear as to why people do not believe. Look it up.
    BTW, I am not a 'demon'. I am a 'nightmare': I am a Christian who stands and defends the faith on solid ground. I attack the belief systems of unbelievers so that they can see their new found beliefs are as much hogwash as the Watchtower taught them.
    Rex

  • nicolaou
    nicolaou

    Shining One are you ignoring me?!!

    I've just made three consecutive posts about you and you're not even going to defend yourself? Hilarious man. Oh and by the way, Frannie did not call you a demon. No-one is afraid of you, you are nobody's nightmare. You're just a rather egotistical fundamentalist who enjoys shouting about his faith until it come to someone who will challenge it.

    There are christians and christians - most I don't have a problem with but your uncompromising brand of arrogant dogma and judgementalism must be refuted.

    I'm watching you mate!

  • Frannie Banannie
    Frannie Banannie
    BTW, I am not a 'demon'. I am a 'nightmare': I am a Christian who stands and defends the faith on solid ground. I attack the belief systems of unbelievers so that they can see their new found beliefs are as much hogwash as the Watchtower taught them.

    LOL, Rex. If you had examined what I wrote a little closer, you would have discovered that I actually wrote "Catholic or whatever deNoM you are", short for denomination, not deMoN.

    BTW, faith ISN'T on solid ground. That's why it's called "faith." It takes a leap of it to close the huge gaps between a belief system and reality.

    Frannie

  • Sirona
    Sirona

    Why assume that the bible is to be taken literally?

    Could it be more symbolic than most religions allow for?

    Take the flood for example. It is a myth with a message. It doesn't have to have actually happened.

    Sirona

  • press any key
    press any key
    why do so many believe?
    BTW, I am not a 'demon'. I am a 'nightmare'

    I think rex answered your question right there - some people see the supernatural and believe it to be truth - when there is only misunderstanding and illusion

    anyway I can tell you why I no longer believe - if ALMIGHTY GOD is going to write one book that guides his creation to salvation then I would expect a much better book than the bible, either the bible is not it, or the ALMIGHTY GOD is a very bad communicator

    imho the bible seems more designed to ensure the minimum number attain salvation, whilst having plenty to argue about on the way

    it makes a vcr manual look easy to follow

    cheers

    pak

  • nicolaou
    nicolaou
    faith ISN'T on solid ground. That's why it's called "faith."

    Wow Frannie! Ten short words that cut right through all the waffle - mine included.

    Nic'

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