Exclusive: Atheist Activist Answers Your Questions About Jesus Christ & the ‘Completely Unreliable’ New Testament
- Posted on June 25, 2012 at 2:50pm by
Billy Hallowell
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This article is part of an ongoing Blaze series called, “Ask an Atheist.” Millionaire secular activist Todd Stiefel answers readers’ most pressing questions about faith and non-belief. Part One of the series can be read here and Part Two can be found here. The third portion, which focuses upon the New Testament and Jesus Christ, is below:
Millionaire atheist activist Todd Stiefel has already answered Blaze readers’ questions about his personal path to secularism and his views on the Bible and the Ten Commandments. In the third installment of The Blaze’s “Ask an Atheist,” Stiefel delves deeper into the accuracy of the New Testament and shares his views about Jesus Christ.
To begin, considering the popularity of Christianity across the globe, readers wondered about Stiefel’s views on Jesus. Aside from asking who he believes Christ was (and is), the activist was asked how he explains the resurrection and Jesus’ supposedly-empty tomb. While Stiefel embraces the fact that Christ existed, he obviously rejects the notion that he was God’s son. Here’s what he had to say about the Christian savior:
Unfortunately, we know very little about the historic Jesus. What we do know comes from sources written at a minimum of forty years after he died, in a country where he did not live, by people who did not know him. All of the Gospels were written anonymously in Greek, a language Jesus did not even speak. The “according to” names of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were added later by editors, and the authors themselves do not claim these names.
We have none of Jesus’s writings, and for all we know, he was unable to write. Everything we know of him came from stories that had gone through at least four decades of the telephone game, plus translation errors. This explains why the Gospels are filled with contradictions. For example, in the genealogy of Jesus, was Joseph’s father Jacob (Matthew 1:16) or Heli (Luke 3:23)? Plus, how can you trace the bloodline of Jesus through Joseph if Mary was a virgin?
Stiefel went on to call the New Testament “a completely unreliable source of information on the life of Jesus.” As far as the empty tomb goes, the atheist philanthropist says that there’s little evidence that the resurrection actually happened, claiming that there is no first-hand account and that the gospels tell different “tales of the resurrection.”
“For example, was the stone of the tomb open when they got there (Mark 16:4) or did an angel open it in their presence (Matthew 28:1-5),” Stiefel wonders [editor's note: Matthew 28:1-5 doesn't necessarily claim that those visiting the tomb saw the angel move the stone].
After tackling the Bible’s supposed inaccuracies, Stiefel delved deeper into his views on Jesus Christ as a deity. But rather than expounding at length, he asked a series of questions — curiosities that get to the heart of the issues that non-believers have with religion (and Christianity in particular). Notably, these are questions that believers and atheists, alike, have likely asked themselves before:
As to if Jesus was a deity, I will ask you a few questions that I have asked myself. Assume you are a member of an all-powerful, all-knowing Trinity, and you [are] willing to perform miracles to demonstrate your divinity so as to be sure you are listened to. Would you appear in the backwater of the Roman Empire, or would you appear in Rome itself where more people could hear your message and witness the turning of water into wine? Would you cure a leper, or would you cure leprosy? Would your write down your own story and lessons, making sure they survive the test of time, or would you leave it to people you have never met? Would you die so humans could be forgiven for their sins, or would you allow them to be forgiven without allowing yourself to be tortured?
Another reader asked Stiefel why so many people believe in and are martyred for Christianity if, indeed, it is a false doctrine. As for the reasons so many subscribe to the faith, Stiefel believes that there are many potential answers. He claims that it may ease individuals’ fear of dying and that some were were taught to believe by their parents and, thus, they continue to do so. The atheist activist continues:
The fact that billions believe it now does not make Christianity any more true than Islam, which billions of people also believe. The reality is that millions of people believe in Scientology, even though that religion includes a belief in Xenu, the dictator of the Galactic Confederacy. Why do people believe that? Your guess is as a good as mine, but I think it is because the word “galactic” makes it sound cool.
In addition to discussing Christianity, Stiefel also weighed in on the notion that atheism is a religion, a charge that many people of faith wage when debating theism with secularists. A reader asked, “How do you respond when people claim that atheism is a faith system?” Naturally, Stiefel disagrees with such a sentiment.
By definition, faith requires a belief in something. Atheism is the exact opposite because it is based on a lack of belief in god or gods. Calling atheism a faith system is like calling peace a type of war.
I will concede that I can see how some people define faith so broadly as to include humanism (the philosophy of leading an ethical life without dogma or supernaturalism.) Personally, I consider secular humanism an alternative to religion, but I can understand how rational people would disagree. Even some humanists consider their beliefs to be religious.
Stay tuned for the fourth installment of “Ask an Atheist,” during which Stiefel will delve deeper into the fabric of atheist morality. Also, be sure to leave your questions in the comments section, below, so that we can include them in future editions of this ongoing question-and-answer series.
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Comments (668)
I Aint PC
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:41pmSounds like another case of atheists trying to prove more of their “non-beliefs”. As a group, why spend so much time trying to discredit others peoples beliefs. I you do not believe in something, why try so hard to persuade others to your “non-belief” system.
Report Post »The book of atheist beliefs already sells by the case full in a daily basis. If a whole case is too much, a ream of the same blank paper is not too expensive.
Prosecute_Constitutional_Treason_In_Washington
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:47pmEVEN FROM COMMON SENSE TODD FAILS THE TEST.
I am a believer.
What if I was wrong? No effect.
What if I am right? Victorious Outcome.
Now,
What if Todd Stiefel is right? No effect.
What if Todd Stiefel is wrong? Hell Forever.
Todd Stiefel is betting his everlasting future he is right. That’s all in. VERY VERY FOOLISH. NO COMMON SENSE when one can see God’s handiwork everywhere.
Report Post »Prosecute_Constitutional_Treason_In_Washington
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:49pmCONSIDER THIS TODD………
Report Post »I am a believer.
What if I was wrong? No effect.
What if I am right? Victorious Outcome.
Now,
What if Todd Stiefel is right? No effect.
What if Todd Stiefel is wrong? Hell Forever Todd When Jesus Paid It All. Very Foolish
joe.r.piehole
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 4:10pm@Prosecute :
Report Post »What you call common sense is actually an irrational and illogical stance to take. Unfortunately, they don’t teach reason or logic in private, Christian schools. Instead, they teach that the Loch Ness monster is in fact, a real thing. http://io9.com/5921074/christian-fundamentalist-textbooks-touting-the-loch-ness-monster-as-proof-of-creationism
Baddoggy
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 4:11pmMy question to them.. Is the firesuit you need for the afterlife rated to not burn through for eternity? Just wondering. You know hell is awfully hot….
Report Post »joe.r.piehole
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 4:13pm@I Aint PC
The reason we HAVE to speak out is so that people like YOU don’t infiltrate our education system and start telling kids that science is wrong and a 2000 year old fiction is right! We have to make sure that people like you don’t teach children that the Loch Ness Monster is real, and its existence disproves evolution!
Report Post »eatyourveggies
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 4:16pm@Prosecute:
But how do you know which God is the correct one to believe in? It’s just as much a gamble to believe in the Christian god when it could be one of the Hindu gods that is the true god.
I don‘t believe in any god the same way that you don’t believe in the Hindu gods or Thor: there simply isn’t evidence. If there is evidence that points directly to the Christian god, I would love to see it.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 4:23pmWe know… Nazareth was in the Old Israel Kingdom and disappeared in the 720 bc conquest by Assyria. We know… the invasion by Alexand the Great c 333 bc left behind a Greek speaking Middle East. We know… Nazareth was in Samaria of the Seleucid Empire of the Greeks… from 323 to 63 ad. And, we know that the Romans, spoke Latin, and only began control of Turkey, Syria, Lebenon, and Judah at the Time of Ceasar… and the Laguage was Greek in those areas.
This guy is a Wealth Idiot!
Report Post »Locked
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 4:42pm@Prosecute
Pascal’s Wager is a terrible basis upon which to place your faith. Let’s side-step it: what if the Muslims are right? What if the Buddhists are? If the only choices were “Believe in God/Don’t believe in God,” you would have a point. But the Bible itself says belief isn’t enough; even demons believe. Furthermore it’s not only belief in God, but in Jesus in particular, that is required to gain eternal life.
Long story short, Pascal’s Wager is great for fourth graders. Anyone in adulthood who uses it to justify their belief in our Lord is either woefully illogical or extremely confused as to what goes into being a Christian.
Report Post »Prosecute_Constitutional_Treason_In_Washington
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 4:45pmNo other person in the history of the world fulfilled applicable OT prophecy. Mathmatically the odds are Jesus Christ is who he said he was. Take all the odds and multiple them together for each possible outcome for every prophecy He fulfilled from the OT. Your chance of winning the lottery are a zillion times better. Do Your Own Research. Every religion agrees Jesus Christ existed. Where every religion disagrees is was He a prophet or God’s Son. That’s why the greatest question everyone has to answer is when Jesus stated to the disciples “whom do you say that I am?”
Report Post »Who else every claimed to rise from the dead? Who else claimed to be God’s Son and did miricles?
Who else lived a life of loving God and others as the highest priority? Who else died on a cross for their beliefs? Who else stated salvation was free? Every other religion and cult teaches salvation is by works and costs. Jesus Christ stated salvation was free. Pray and ask God to show you the Truth then study. “Neither is there salvation in any, there is no other name given among men whereby we must be saved.“ ”I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no man comes to the Father but by Me.” Jesus Christ
usedCZARsalesman
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 5:22pmPROSECUTE…you are VERY bad at debating this issue. Pascals wager is the WORST POSSIBLE reason for faith (in fact, if your sole reason you believe is to not burn in hell, what you have is not faith but fear…and not the biblical kind). You do us (Christians) a disservice by even speaking on this topic and you might want to get with your pastor or an elder and they can help you get a better grasp of the reasons a Christian has faith. There is TONS of scientific proof of intelligent design and proof that evolution is flawed. Once you get your argument together you could be a powerful tool for God in this arena…as of now you are acting as a tool of the Deciever.
Report Post »Arminius23
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 5:36pm@Piehole
So you openly admit that you believe your beliefs are superior and Judeo/Christianity is false. You intend to indoctrinate children to your beliefs even though out of the six debates I have witnessed between University professors and educated creationists the professors got demolished. Not through faith based answers and unprovable evidence but by sound facts.
Report Post »Parents, read your children’s books and textbooks, watch the childrens programs, and look at the video games they play. The atheists are after your children. Atheism is a belief system that intends supercession of all religions regardless of empirical data.
Imagine the sociological destruction as morality (fear of a higher Law) is replaced with a system of whoever is in charge decides what is right. Teach a child he/she is an animal and they will behave accordingly.
joe.r.piehole
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 5:49pm@Arminius,
If we can’t agree that an education system that uses the Lochness Monster as evidence against evolution is a terrible, terrible education system, then I don’t think we can agree on much. Thankfully, anyone who would stand by a system that uses such evidence is obviously an imbecile, and I can sleep well at night knowing I disagree with fools, such as yourself.
The people you admire in those debates are not scientists. If they were, they would not support mythology over evidence. You are an idiot, and I feel bad for any children that are influenced by your line of thinking.
Report Post »Gates
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 6:11pmHis assertions are so infatile they are hardly worth the time it takes to read them. Multi hundreds of scholars have addresed these “problems” with more than enough credibility to shore up our faith. For those really seeking the truth, it’s readily available. Just do a little research!
Report Post »Arminius23
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 6:13pm@Piehole
Reduced to name calling have we.
Report Post »Did I mention the Lochness Monster…No.
Were these creationists scientists…Yes. They studied and prepared their argumnents methodically and logically using the scientific method.
Fool…Perhaps.
Idiot…Perhaps.
If there was a line for those that don’t know everything I would be the first to admit it. Until the time that your supposed learned men present a sound argument I will follow the codes that govern my life and God willing my children will boldly oppose you for future generations to come.
VastRightWingConspirator
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 6:46pm@PIEHOLE
Report Post »I am a Christian, I attend a church full of Christians, I have friends and family who are Christians, I work with and around Christians. I also have family members, work with, and know many atheists and agnostics. The only one’s who believe in the Loch Ness monster or sasquatch are atheists and agnostics. I bet if you polled scientists, more would believe in divine creation than the Loch Ness monster.
You really need to avoid discussions if all you can do is generalize. I don’t believe all atheists believe in the Loch Ness monster.
You see, it takes faith for either belief since we can’t “prove” either one. So, you go on and believe whatever makes you feel happy about not being held accountable for your sinful life, and I will go ahead and continue to pray for people like you.
I do honestly pray that you recieve the truth of Christ into your heart. God promises, “If you seek me I will make myself known to you” the ball is in your court. My salvation is secured “by grace through faith” my faith teaches me about our loving and caring God. You can go to your secularist websites and cut & paste some verses that would make the untrained eye think that God is not loving and caring, to me it’s irrelevant, but I KNOW the truth.
The problem with atheists is that they know so much that just ain’t so, (similar to what Reagan said) and they want to force everyone to accept it. Similar to homosexuals. You can’t prove anything science claims, but give it a try.
Unix
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 6:59pmThis guy has the brain of an amoeba, why should anyone care what he says, other than he is brainwashing youngsters – he’ll answer for it when he stands before God, I pity the fool.
Report Post »usedCZARsalesman
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 7:37pmARMINIUS…On the money brother. Talking about the loch ness monster only counts if you are in front of the school board governing THAT school and arguing the merits of THAT course outline…here in the REAL WORLD we understand that those arguments are baseless and stupid, and we pray that the folk spewing that idiocy feels the presence of God in their lives and begin to look for actual answers. That being said if you can FEEL the presence of a Creator then I don’t know if any amount of evidence will convince you that one exists. I feel as though many of you atheists, if God personally revealed himself to you, would convince yourselves you has a tumor in your cerebral cortex or some nonsense rather than believe it was really Him…so sad to live life that way…
Report Post »db321
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 7:56pmPastors of America are you reading your Congregants post here on the blaze. NOT ONE ONCE of Biblical fact anywhere too be found by anyone posting a comment. Who’s fault is it! Look in the Mirror Pastor. These are your go along to get along congregation your so proud of. The same one that listen week after week to your teaching of the Good Samaritan. How nice!
I have news for you. God said that the whole World would come against Israel – and that includes you Mr. Pastor of the High steeple of few people. You too will take Satan’s hand and tip toe through the Tulips seeking your kind of peace.
You can bet I’m on the look out for Jesus return. Let’s see, you say he is going to be coming back driving a VW Camper Van with a big peace sign on the back. Right
I stopped listen to phoney Pastors a long ago and I picked up the Bible and read it cover to cover 3 times myself. I had questions. It was a good thing a man of God came my way and he answered every question with a Scripture from the Bible. Never his word, always what God teaches.
I’m really not looking for a VW with Jesus at the Wheel. I’m looking for the Bright and Morning Star riding a White Horse and waving a big sword. You can bet, Jesus is not going to take lightly anyone who is going to vote for Abortion, Gay Marriage and Non Support of Israel. Jesus is going to toss every follower of Satan on earth into the Lake of Fire and when the dust settles Israel will still be standing.
Report Post »Rev. Billy Mayes
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 9:02pmPC, no one cares what you believe. We *DO* care when you want to shove your bronze-age fairy tales on everyone else. Want to teach your kids about anti-science and fantasies about how the world is a flat pancake sandwitched between “two seas”? It is sad that you’re menttallly crippling your children (and locking them out of any future reality-based career choices), but that is your right.
Report Post »Enopoletus
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 9:04pm@LukeRW-The fact Nazareth was formerly part of the Ptolemaic and Seleucid empires did not make its population Greek-speaking- I doubt even a tenth of the population of British India spoke English, or that a fifth of the population of French West Africa spoke French. Indeed, the seals used to make the provincial jar-maks of Judah continued to be inscribed in Aramaic until the days of the Hasmoneans. Aramaic was the dominant language in Early Roman Galilee.
Report Post »stone2016
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 9:18pm@Joe.R.
Do I really need to get a text book to prove all the things science has been wrong about? Argue all you want, there is no divide between Christianity and Science and any argument to the contrary is willfully ignorant of both Christianity and Science. End of discussion. When you get to the point in your life when you truly open your mind, you’ll be able to find understanding in both. The realization that just because we don’t have all the answers today, doesn‘t mean we can’t find them, is the first step. Even if you don‘t turn to religion at least you’ll lose some of the hate and fear you seem to feel so deeply.
And I‘m grateful I don’t put my faith in Jesus Christ into a book.
Report Post »JGraham III
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 9:56pmThe supposed contradiction about the geneaologies in Mt and Lk are not contradictions as they deal with two completely different aspects of the Lord’s life. There is an unfortunate misunderstanding about the word ‘husband’ in the verse where is says ‘Joseph the husband of Mary’. In Aramaic (the language Jesus spoke) it can and should be here translated ‘father’. This geneaology pertains to His claim to the throne of David; this one descends through Solomon where the geneaology in Luke comes through a brother of Solomon. Not problem; no contradiction. As for the supposed historical innaccuracies of the Gospels, why do many Jewish seminaries use the Gospels for historical accuracy as they are the best and most complete compilation of First Century Israel??? But the poor atheist and all his friends won’t be convinced by this; maybe it will bless a believer…
Report Post »Lesbian Packing Hollow Points
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 11:11pmOdds are that OT prophecy was reinterpretted, tweaked to fit Jesus’s life, or the tale of Jesus’s life was tweaked to fit OT prophecy.
Report Post »Leopold
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 12:07amOh really, atheism is not a religion? Well, let’s see what we can come up with.
THE NEW RELIGION = ATHEISM – (Well, maybe not so new, just reformed a bit)
FAITH = in themselves. Oh, and of course in THE ALL KNOWING science.
RIGHTEOUSNESS = what THEY say is right instead of what GOD says is right.
WISDOM = their ARROGANCE.
BELIEVE = they BELIEVE there is no God.
BOOKS = about humanism instead of the BIBLE about God.
WORSHIP = of each other and self. And at THE LAB OF SCIENTISTS, of course.
CHURCHES = schools, colleges and universities.
PUNISHMENT = death penalty for the unborn child that has the nerve to come along at the wrong time.
Not a religion, please.
Report Post »Conservative-Atheist
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 12:34amLeopold
That’s right, atheism is not a religion. To claim it is, is simply moronic. Your whole post is complete nonsense. Making stupid arguments like that doesn’t do anything but make you seem silly.
Report Post »Leopold
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 1:06am@conservative atheist
This is what you believe.
Before there was anything there was nothing.
Then it (nothing) exploded.
After that “it” somehow organized itself into planets and stars.
The genius, that calls itself evolution then had an idea.
It arranged the planets and stars in an extraordinary way.
Thank God, oops! I mean thank evolution, that it thought about putting a moon and a sun and all the other heavenly bodies in just the right position to make life on earth possible.
The miracle of evolution was that somehow a body of water managed to collect itself in different places. That gave evolution more choice from which to start life.
It stirred the waters of the deep and tried and tried to bring forth LIFE.
And then – somehow it succeeded. There was a cell!
Evolution somehow made sure there was enough light and air for this cell to develop.
This cell somehow divided itself into all kinds of different cells.
The cell changed itself over and over again until it was able to somehow crawl out of the water.
As it continued to develop it left some other cells behind which then somehow turned into plants.
From a blade of grass to a rose. From one original cell. Amazing!
Now through this process other cells were left behind to become bushes and trees. From one original cell. Amazing!
We are not exactly sure when this split between bushes and trees happened. But the evidence that it did is all around us.
Report Post »Leopold
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 1:11amOther cells turned into fish, dinosaurs, horses, elephants, mice, birds, fleas, giraffes, dogs, apes, etc. etc.
And then, – I can hardly contain my joy, – man and woman came to be. Yep, it did that. All from one original cell. Amazing!
Now we don’t know exactly how many generations of apes and monkeys were deformed, and then later humans, failed to survive.
When did evolution figue it out that two legs of the same length and two arms are better then one short leg without a foot.
How many times did evolution fail to get the eye, or the stomach right.
Never mind this thing called feelings.
How many people must have bled to death when injured, because the function that stops bleeding today, was not well developed.
How many died before the body had the ability to built anti-bodies to certain things.
Can you even begin to appreciate the time it took for one man and one woman to be able to produce a child?
I mean really, it is genius.
Over time the penis was long enough to reach into the woman’s ****** to mingle with her eggs.
Only evolution knows how the eggs came to be. All from one original cell. Amazing.
And when or why did evolution stop? I haven’t heard of anything that crawled out of water to become something, lately.
Well, There you have it, evolution: The survival of the fittest.
Report Post »Leopold
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 1:14amI am sure one day evolution will explain all this. After all the fact that we exist is proof of that it happened.
Why oh why are we Christians so stubborn and don’t think that all this is perfectly reasonable.
I thank my heavenly Father that he gave me common sense to see the stupidity of evolution.
It is absolutely stunning that atheists, especially those who claim to be so educated, believe this nonsense.
Now you will probably say. This is our (Christians) explanation of what atheists believe. And of course, you are correct. Until you tell us something a little bit more sensical this is all we have to judge your believe system by.
This is the difference between Christians and Atheists. If scientists have absolute proof that God used evolution for creating everything, we will be much more open to that concept then you are to creation right now.
Another difference between Christians and Atheists, we have an open mind. To understand the concept of a deity one has to widen ones mind. You are much more militant and arrogant in your outlook.
You see, we ask God questions all the time. Do you? Ever?
And guess what, He answers.
I have hope for you, since you are a conservative, your chance of encountering God is pretty good.
Report Post »Conservative-Atheist
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 1:26am@conservative atheist
This is what you believe.
That’s as far as I read your post. You have no idea what I believe and it’s the height of arrogance to claim that you do.
Report Post »Leopold
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 1:40am@ conservative
Excellent rebuttal.
Report Post »neo@theskepticarena
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 1:50am@ I AINT PC
“prove more of their ‘non-beliefs’ ”
It is impossible to prove nonbelief. It is beliefs that are either proven or disproven. In 2,000 years “you people” have proven nothing.
“why spend so much time trying to discredit others peoples beliefs.”
Ask yourself that same question. When you come up with an answer – pencil it in for us too.
“why try so hard to persuade others to your “non-belief” system.”
If I’m not mistaken (which I’m not) it’s “you people” who have missionaries all over the world, Bibles in every hotel room, and churches on every street corner.
The book of atheist beliefs already sells by the case full in a daily basis.
You don’t understand Atheism. There are no Atheistic beliefs. We simply reject your superstitious nonsense.
Report Post »Leopold
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 2:16am@ conservative
Excellent rebuttal. I really appreciate the depth of your thought.
Since you “apparentely” did not read my post how do you know that what I said you believe is not, in fact, true?
Report Post »Conservative-Atheist
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 2:26amGood post NEO
I just want to expand a bit on your last statement, which is an important one I believe. You said..”You don’t understand Atheism. There are no Atheistic beliefs.”, and that is true of many, if not most of the posters here. They think all atheists are the anti-theist, evolution spouting, abortion pushing, liberal, militant, anti freedom of religion types. That‘s just not true of course and it’s offensive. They sure don’t like being stereotyped as religious fanatics but they love to stereotype atheists. I have no problem with anyone believing in god, that‘s their choice and as long as they don’t push it on me, it doesn’t hurt me. I don’t automatically assume a person is a certain type just because he believes in god and it would be nice to see that attitude from religious people as well.
Report Post »Leopold
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 3:25am@ conservative
You say you are being judged of being this or that. Sure, that does not seem to be fair. To brush all Atheists with the same brush.
It is just that Atheists can be very brutal and dangerous people. History is very clear on who did the most persecution and killing of Christians and Jews. Most people who have EVER been killed have been killed by atheists governments. In second place is Islam. So with a record like that Atheists do not exactly instill confidence. Neither do Muslims. Especially for Christians and Jews.
Report Post »KStret
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 4:09amNeo
“You don’t understand Atheism. There are no Atheistic beliefs.”
Yes, you do have beliefs.The definition of atheism is someone who believes that God doesn’t exist. The definition of the word is a belief.
I wonder if you rebuttal with have something to do with atheists pathetic attempt to redefine the definition of atheism so they can avoid making a case for their beliefs?
I wonder if you are going to argue that the definition of Atheism is not someone who believes that God doesn’t exist but rather a lack of a belief in God….
First of all, that is not the standard definition of the word. No one recognizes that definition besides atheists. Secondly, the definition doesn’t make any sense. If you lack a belief, that means you have no opinion. Atheists are not neutral, they do have a belief. Third, if atheism is a lack of belief, babies and people who are brain dead are atheists.
“It is impossible to prove nonbelief. It is beliefs that are either proven or disproven.”
This statement is logically incoherent. You totally contradicted yourself. If beliefs are either proven or disproved, it would be possible to prove not believing in something.
I wonder if you are going to say, “prove to me that a ridiculous monster that I just made up doesn’t exist,” You really don’t believe in the monster but you are just constructing a text book strawman argument, which is a logical fallacy.
Report Post »KStret
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 4:22amLeo,
“It is just that Atheists can be very brutal and dangerous people. History is very clear”
He is going to say that Stalin and Mao didn’t kill in the name of atheism, therefore you can’t blame the genocide of 100 million people that was perpetrated by communists on atheism.
He might even throw in, “besides Communism is a political ideology and that’s really like a religion.” In other words, he would be insinuating that it would be permissible to blame the genocide of communism on religion.
Report Post »Craig123
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 5:12amPersecute_constitutional etc.
That does not follow. What if there IS a God but you are wrong about how to worship him? What if the way to salvation is bowing 5 times a day, or sitting in a bucket of water while humming ‘Oh when the saints’, or something else he hasn’t told us? Hell forever!
Report Post »bjedwards
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 11:31amNo, it’s just the opposite. Atheists don’t care what you believe.
The issue is entirely that Christians, particularly Creationists, are trying to force their religious beliefs on others. Christians have stepped over the line by trying to force the teaching of Creationism in public school, having the Ten Commandments placed in government sites, sending hate mail to high school students and threatening their lives because they point out school prayers shouldn’t be hung on public school walls ( see Jessica Ahlquist case.)
Shall I go on?
You need to learn that The Constitution protects your freedom of religion as well as my freedom FROM religion. You have every right to practice your religion in your homes, in your churches, and other places but you have NO right to force your religion on others and in places where it is specifically prohibited. When you understand that your religious beliefs do not accord you special privileges, you won’t have anyone, atheists included, calling you to account.
Report Post »KStret
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 1:32pmBJ,
“The issue is entirely that Christians, particularly Creationists, are trying to force their religious beliefs on others. Christians have stepped over the line by trying to force the teaching of Creationism in public school”
First of all, that isn’t true. They were going to teach intelligent design. Intelligent design is not creationism. Secondly, they were not eliminating teaching evolution
“having the Ten Commandments placed in government sites”
Did we just realize that having the Ten Commandments in a court room violated the first amendment? Why didn’t the founders have a problem with that or teaching the bible in schools?
“You need to learn that The Constitution protects your freedom of religion as well as my freedom FROM religion.”
You are attempting to change the meaning of freedom of religion. It does not mean that you have a right not to be offended and religion should be kicked out of the public square.
“When you understand that your religious beliefs do not accord you special privileges”
What you are calling special privileges is a constitutional right. The establishment clause was not and never meant to be at odds with the free expression clause. The 1st amendment does not mean that you can worship how you want just keep it to yourself. That is in the Soviet constitution.
Report Post »jonfortunately
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 4:25pmFor Mr. Prosecute – You realize that your “god” isn’t the only one believed to be true, right? You’re using an absurdly false premise called “Pascal’s Wager” proposed by Blaise Pascal in the 1600s. Because there have been so many mutually exclusive religious concepts and gods, arguing that belief is better than disbelief for the sake of your eternal well being is called an argument from inconsistent revelation. There’s no more evidence for your version of god than for Zeus, Ares, Wotan, Thor, etc… Also, by proposing that people like my friend Todd and myself should choose belief EVEN if yours was the only proposed god, would be an argument from inauthentic belief. Don‘t you think your god would know we’re not sincere? I can’t just choose to believe.
Report Post »John Kieffer
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 4:31pmWhen Christians remove their religious character off of government money, out of the Pledge of Allegiance that my child had to daily recite in public schools, out of government meeting prayers, to name a few violations of the US Constitution, then maybe I’ll let up on your completely unsubstantiated Jesus character myth.
Until then, the Christian myth is fair game.
Report Post »rickc34
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 9:43pmMore and more archeological evidence to show the stories in the Holy Bible are true. While evolution holds onto a lie. Lucy their claim to fame is a shame, 2 different skeletons pieced together, so there is no true missing link just a theory .In Job , there is 2 different references to what science calls Dinosaurs , did the Dinosaurs have funerals if not who buried them, the flood .Also reference that the Earth is round and floating in space around the sun, how cool is that, Hey Obama Christian are not the flat earther’s we knew the truth all along. Growing up in the desert you come along many dead animals the bones do not bury themselves they stay there or other animals carry them away.Prepare for hell if you refuse to believe. Your choice. 4 different Gospel accounts by 4 different men who wrote them at different times in different areas, no internet or phones to stay in touch and compare notes. I love science just not to keen on bad science that is theory not proven.
Report Post »rbinflorida
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 10:35pmIs there a Loch Ness monster? Many have reported seeing something, this I know. Does this textbook suggest “Nessie” is an actual living dinosaur or simply recognize that many people believe it exists….well, in either case, as a creationist and a Christ Follower,I don’t believe this text book is going in the right direction. Having stated that, let me remind my atheist/evolutionist friends that much of the “evidence” for evolution has been a lie – need of I remind you of Piltdown Man, Nebraska man and the list goes on. So before you start slamming creationist beliefs as “Anti-Science” take a good long look at your own falsehoods.
Report Post »PATRIOTINTN
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 10:39pmTo all the non-believers who have been posting here: Know that this is not said with any malice or anger, or any other negativity whatsoever; For the unbeliever, no evidence is enough. For the believer, no evidence is necessary. Most people say “I’ll believe it when I see it.” But the truth is just the opposite; “You’ll see it when you believe.”
You’re obviously free to believe what you wish. I don’t count you as morons, stupid, or any of a number of derogatory terms that have been used against you. Those who call themselves Christian would do well to care about you instead of fighting you. We were ALL enemies of God at one point. Some have come to a saving knowledge of him, and some have not. God truly loves each of us beyond what we can imagine and has never turned away anyone who comes to him with a truly repentant heart. As long as we’re alive and breathing the air around us, it’s never too late to come to God and admit our sin and seek forgiveness. You will be forgiven because of the shed blood of Jesus the Christ, our savior and redeemer. You’re free to ignore him or trust him. Your choice. No malice. No anger. No negativity. These are the options. You choose.
Report Post »The_Bell
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 12:18amAtheism is a religion whereby one exalts *self* as the final arbitrator and “god” whether one recognizes this or not. One *not* need a church to set up ones own religion.
Faith and / or religion doesn’t need a deity to be a religion. See Buddhism as it deals with enlightenment of ones own self.
Atheism seeks the same via so called “free thinking” or some twisted claim to “science” and “reason” while discounting any other option or possibility of a God.
Note: Very important and one need pay just a bit of attention to our resident atheists who claim they have the “high road” as they mock and deride the intellect of those with whom they disagree with.
So much for their view of “reason” and “science”… most atheist act like little angry tyrants and could not form as much as a sentence without flaming and throwing hate towards those they have so much hate.
Just peruse some of their comments here : )
See… they really are quite impotent intellectually.
Report Post »ModerationIsBest
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 1:35amBest line of the article.
“Mathmatically the odds are Jesus Christ is who he said he was.”
Hahahaha
Report Post »bjedwards
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 10:31am@KSTRET
Let me help you out.
“Intelligent Design” IS Creationism. The term was invented by Creationists to get around the court rulings against teaching Creationism in public schools, disguised as “science.” It didn’t work and “Intelligent Design” was ruled or what it is: unconstitutional.
The Creationist goal was to teach Creationism as a “legitimate” theory along side evolutionary biology, to teach the “controversy”, a controversy that does not in fact exist. The explicit argument advanced by every Creationist is that evolutionary biology is not science, that science “cannot determine what happened in the past,“ that ”there were no eyewitnesses to a big bang.”
The Bible can be taught as part of history and literature. It cannot be taught as science or fact. The Ten Commandments are explicitly part of Christianity unless you’ve decided they are NOT part of Christian theology.
The freedom of religion under The Constitution protects my freedom FROM religion. NO religion can be recognized as a state religion and you may not force your religion in public schools. You may NOT teach “Intelligent Design” in a public school science classroom as much as you want to, KSTRET. Everyone is protected from your religion who so chooses.
Indeed, Christianity is afforded no special privileges to violate my freedom from your religion. That you try to get around that fact and claim Christianity has “special privileges” is exactly the problem you brought on
Report Post »KStret
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 7:27pmBJ,
““Intelligent Design” IS Creationism. The term was invented by Creationists to get around the court rulings against teaching Creationism in public schools, disguised as “science.”
Do you even know what intelligence design is?
Intelligent design postulates that certian biological systems are irreducibly complex. They argue that certian systems are too complex to have evolved. In other words, in certian biological systems if one thing is off, the system fails.The removal of any one of the parts will cause the system to effectively cease functioning. This would also include biochemical evolution.
It has nothing to do with teaching that the world is 6000 years old. It has nothing to do with the book of Genesis. Despite being logical and reasonable you apparently don‘t even bother to understand what someone’s position is before you attack it.
Report Post »KStret
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 7:29pmBJ,
“The freedom of religion under The Constitution protects my freedom FROM religion. ”
You have a right not to believe in God. That doesn’t mean that you get to eliminate religion from the public square. That is how you are interpreting the establishment clause.
You are interpreting the 1st amendment to mean that you have a right not to be offended by religion, people can practice religion any way they want but they need to keep it to themselves. That is not what the 1st amendment means. You are conflating America’s constitution with the Soviet constitution.
The founders of this country did not have the establishment clause knocking out the free establishment clause. The founders did not believe that a non denominational prayer at a school graduation, the ten commandments being displayed, or a nativity scene in the town square violated the first amendment. You apparently do believe this. Whose interpretation is correct, yours or the founders who wrote the constitution?
If you value education so much why are you so ignorant about the original meaning of the 1st amendment?
Report Post »bjedwards
Posted on June 28, 2012 at 10:09am@KSTRET,
It’s clear that you are very naive about the subject matter. “Irreducible complexity” is pseudoscience. You should have been well aware of that by now. It has been repeatedly been debunked for years, there are no peer reviewed papers that support it, and the overwhelming consensus of scientists treat it for what it is: nonsense.
It’s is unfortunate that you have been hoodwinked by Creationists into supporting such unethical and immoral concepts. You really need to educate yourself on the matter.
Report Post »Shoals Skeptic
Posted on June 28, 2012 at 11:20amAin’t PC says, “Sounds like another case of atheists trying to prove more of their “non-beliefs”. As a group, why spend so much time trying to discredit others peoples beliefs. I you do not believe in something, why try so hard to persuade others to your “non-belief” system.”
PC, imagine living in a world where 80% of the inhabitants believe in a literal story of Wizard of Oz. Those who support the Good Witch of the East do not simply “believe” she exists, they also insist that you believe in her also or face horrible (yet justifiable) punishment from the Wicked Witch. They fear that if you do not believe, the Wicked Witch of the West will overpower the Good Witch (which is kind of strange as the Good Witch is supposed to be omnipotent) and bring an end to the Emerald City.
Now imagine a populace of Ozians that elects fellow believers so that the elected people can enact laws based on what they imagine the Good Witch tells them.
We atheists live in such a world, PC. We live in a world where True Believers fly jets into buildings because of their beliefs. We live in a world where believers poke their noses into the very bedrooms of consenting adults. They poke their noses into a private decision between woman and doctor. They sacrifice their own children or refuse basic medical care because of their irrational beliefs in angels, demons and omnipotent invisible men who live in the sky.
If you lived in such a world I hope you would speak out against i
Report Post »KStret
Posted on June 28, 2012 at 7:18pmBJ,
“It’s clear that you are very naive about the subject matter. “Irreducible complexity” is pseudoscience. You should have been well aware of that by now. It has been repeatedly been debunked for years, there are no peer reviewed papers that support it, and the overwhelming consensus of scientists treat it for what it is: nonsense.”
You just proved that you are the one who hasn’t done your homework. You claimed that intelligent design was creationism. By creationism you meant a young earth interpretation of the bible that comes from the book of Genesis. ID has nothing to do with biblical creationism.
You couldn‘t even correctly summarize what ID is but you know it’s been debunked? If I asked you to summarize some of ID’s arguments and how they have been debunked could you do it or did you just go to atheist websites, they stated that ID has been debunked, and now you are regurgitating it?
“It’s is unfortunate that you have been hoodwinked by Creationists into supporting such unethical and immoral concepts. You really need to educate yourself on the matter.”
ID is not creationism. You can’t call it a pseudoscience and creationism at the same time. Creationism is a theology and pseudoscience is something that is packaged as science but has no validity to it. All I did was state the ID position and disagree with you that it is classified as creationism. I did not say whether I believe it’s true.
Report Post »KStret
Posted on June 28, 2012 at 7:44pmSS,
“We live in a world where ”
We also live in a world where communism murdered 100 million people. We live in a world where Darwinian evolutionists came up with a pseudoscience that was in part responsible from the genocide of 6 million people.
Large out of control governments have been responsible for untold misery, destruction, and genocide on this planet. The horrible things that have been done in the name of religion pale in comparison to the horror done by out of control governments.
You naively assume if you get rid of religion that you can create some kind of utopia. After having the unmitigated gall to make such as asinine statement, you call yourself reasonable and logical? You do not understand human nature. Human nature is the problem not religion.
Report Post »KStret
Posted on June 28, 2012 at 8:00pmSS,
You are a liberal who blames religion rather than conservatives for people rejecting you political agenda.You are reasonable? Let’s see how reasonable you are…..
Is flying a plane into a building the equivalent of opposing abortion?
“We live in a world where believers poke their noses into the very bedrooms of consenting adults.”
How are believers poking their noses into your bedroom?
If people poking their noses into your bedroom isn’t permissible, why is it ok to kick down the door to my family room and place a government approved chaperone in my house? Why is it ok for you to force your values onto my children in schools?
“They poke their noses into a private decision between woman and doctor.”
If a woman decided that she wants to murder her children with a doctors help, would that be a private decision between between the woman and the doctor? I’m going to assume that your answer would be no to this question.
If you concede that point, you would have to concede at some point during a pregnancy performing an abortion becomes murder. When do you believe that is?
“They sacrifice their own children or refuse basic medical care because of their irrational beliefs in angels, demons and omnipotent invisible men who live in the sky.”
This simply a straw-man argument. Not all religious people refuse basic medical care. In fact, it would be a small amount. I assume that you are referring to Jehovah’s witnesses refusing blood transfusi
Report Post »SLEAZYHIPPOs ILLEGITIMATE OFFSPRING
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:41pmApparently this man and many here on the blaze like to act as if they have wisdom and knowledge and yet their reasoning and deductions would argue otherwise. The Bible should not be treated different than any other work of antiquity in assessing it’s validity and accuracy. My guess many here wouldn’t know the first thing about evaluating works of antiquity. First questions is, Do we have accurate MS (copies) of the original? Three objective areas of investigation are Bibliographical, External and Internal evidence. If you object on the bibliographical aspect than you must reject all other works of antiquity as suspect and unreliable to remain consistent due to the overwhelming evidence that exists on behalf of the bible. The external evidence is also strong and growing stronger as modern asrcheology confirms many things that used to be mocked by scholars, such as the existenc of Jericho unearthed in recent times (just one example). Internal evidence is very very strong leaving on 43 lines of current MS questioned as to whether they were part of the original or not and these are clearly marked in your bibles as possibly not being in the original texts. The woman caught in adultery and the ending of Mark for the most part. The second big question is now that we have evidence that we have accurate MS copies is what is contained in them true accounts of history. As you would guess there is significant evidence there is but it is beyond the scope of this format…
Report Post »HappyStretchedThin
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 4:09pmAmen Sleazy!
Report Post »And from the literary aspect as well, I can confirm that every so-called “inconsistency” he found is fully accounted for by proper contextualization.
The 2 separate lineages, for example, were intentional to show that His earthly lineage would have placed him legitimately on David’s throne from both sides of the family.
Or the fact that none of the gospels never claims to be a completely rigorously chronological account of every detail: each Gospel targets a separate audience, addressing separate concerns and offering just the right examples for the convincing of those audiences that Jesus IS the Christ.
When you START with an understanding of the broad strokes of God’s plan for our salvation, and the central role of Christ in it, the testimonies of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (which are latinized names, yes, but not INVENTED ones!) demonstrate remarkable consistency.
SLEAZYHIPPOs ILLEGITIMATE OFFSPRING
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 4:27pmdouble Amen Happy…..The other thing is that when evaluating these so called inconsistencies they never seem to address the literal mountain of overwhelming consistency given the number of different authors involved, written in 3 different languages, on 3 different continents, yet the theme and the accounts are AMAZINGLY accurate and consistent even with other extra-biblical sources that support its historical content. The evidence is overwhelming to the intellectually objective mind, yet many seem to hold the bible to different standards than other works of antiquity that they readily accept as authentic and accurate even though the evidence is not near as complete or voluminous. If the bible were given a fair trial in our modern day court system it would be an open and shut case, however, because men want to throw off God and His authority they suppress the truth in many different ways calling it wisdom and reason when in fact it is the height of foolishness. Of course God says he chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise so that before Him there would be no boasting no room for pride and arrogance. It seems to me that the more godless men become in the last days the more they fulfill what scripture has always foretold.
Report Post »Unix
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 8:07pmYou two are scholars, and I commend you for your posts, very good work! I give two thumbs up and an Amen to you both! Jesus is our only salvation, and God is Divine!
Report Post »Rev. Billy Mayes
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 9:04pmYou mean the people who wrote the bible didn’t speak English?! BLASPHEMY!
Report Post »Unix
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 10:23pmHey Rev, believe what you want but don’t mock those that do, ok?! If I want to believe in something, you can go pound sand for all I care.
Report Post »usedCZARsalesman
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 10:41amAnyone willing to make a bet on not getting any hate filled atheist rants on this post? Just like liberals, atheist hiss and run away when you start to fight their arguments fact for fact.
Report Post »alinmatt
Posted on June 28, 2012 at 9:28pm@sleazy…, one doesn’t have to reject an entire work, just because parts of it are inconsistent. Many ancient texts mix mythology with actual historical events. Having mythology in it doesn’t mean we reject the entire work as historically inaccurate.
Report Post »External evidence. It’s common to use real events and places to tell stories.
Internal consistency. The reason that there is any consistency in the Bible is because it is made up of texts that were placed in it by men. That’s not evidence, that’s men putting together a book of books based on consistency. It’s like going to the library and compiling books on building construction into one book. Of course it’s going to be somewhat consistent.
The Bible does contradict itself in many cases. Some could be passed off as transcription error, while others present moral contradiction. Ex: 2 King 8:26 and 2 Chronicles 22:2 are the same account of Ahaziah, but how old was he when he became king, 22 or 42. Probably a transcription error. Another example, except this one is a moral contradiction. Killing of infants and children in 2 Samuel 15:3. Contextualize it any way you would like, that only means you are justifying it. Despite “thou shalt not kill” or Deut 24:16, children are not to pay for the father’s sins, these infants and children in 2 Samuel 15 were murdered in contradiction to the laws of the Bible.
I could fill a book with more examples if anyone would like.
black9897
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:39pmLast place anyone should get Biblical advice is from an atheist.
Report Post »TROLLMONGER
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 4:25pmYeah. Because getting advice from someone that worships a imaginary being that lives in the sky is a much more credible source…LOL!
Report Post »hatchetjob
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 4:47pmTROLLMONGER, He’s only imaginary to you.
Report Post »black9897
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 4:53pmThat’s not the point. Why would you get advice from a person who doesn’t believe in what you believe? Yes, it would be better to get advice from someone who studies it and actually believes in it. He may know historical facts well, etc, but he would know nothing on the spiritual side of things, which is more important. Btw, no one believes God “lives in the sky.” It‘s funny when Atheists get so involved in something they don’t even think is real. It shouldn’t even matter to them. If they think I believe in something that‘s not real then what’s it to them? If someone believed in snow white and the 7 dorfs or whatever I wouldn’t go around offering advice about that.
Report Post »TROLLMONGER
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 5:07pmHave you met “him”? How do you know your god has a gender? I await your attempt at a answer.
Report Post »black9897
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 6:13pmGod has no Gender, because he is not human. However, God is refereed to as a “He” in the Bible, establishing God has the head. When God made man and woman he made man the “head of the house”, the one to lead. Since God is the creator and ultimate leader of our lives (in the Christian view of course) God is refereed to as a he.
Report Post »VastRightWingConspirator
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 6:57pm@BLACK
Report Post »The person you are arguing with will not accept anything you are saying. I know we are to disciple to people, but some are just trying to instigate. Even Christ left his own home town and shook the dust from his feet when they refused to hear him. Some you can only pray for.
Rev. Billy Mayes
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 9:07pm“However, God is refereed to as a “He” in the Bible,”
Wrong-o. The world “HE” is nowhere in the bible, because a) that word does not exist in Hebrew (old testament/torrah) and b) it does not exist in Greek (new testament).
YHWH is gender-neutral.
Report Post »JonPierson
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 11:38pmThe reason why it is sensible to listen to an atheist’s analysis of the bible is two-fold. Firstly, as someone who does not believe in any of 3,500 to 4,000 gods, belief systems or religions in the world, it seems to me that an atheist is about a neutral as you can get in these matters. Secondly, you would be amazed at how many atheists are Biblical, Qur’ranic, Śrutic, etc., etc., etc. ‘scholars’, albeit on an amateur basis although I personally know one Theology graduate who is an atheist and he tells me many of his classmates were as well.
The point is that atheists just love to investigate. They actually read the religious texts. Richard Dawkins has said, on many occasions, that the English language would be poorer without the Bible, but, of course, that does not mean to say that you have to believe in what it says. Certainly, there is much in the Bible, and other religious texts, that people can, and should, learn from. However, these things are not the word of any god but of ordinary human beings putting their own, personal, thoughts of how society should behave for the benefit of all, in that person’s point of view.
Please, read your own religious text from cover to cover. Then read a few more. Then explain, to yourself, why you think yours is the only true and right one whilst the others are so badly mistaken and their followers will burn in hell – and they think the same of you – and you’re both right!
Report Post »bravjim
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 11:40pmHey troll monger, God is more real to me than you are, and I don’t have to prove anything to you. For you not to understand the concept that God is Spirit, and you cannot see a spirit anymore than you can see the wind. You can see the effects of the wind, though, and I can see the evidence of God’s existence simply by gazing upon his creation. The symbiosis that nature exhibits such as vegetation producing oxygen that animals need to breath, and the animals breathing out carbon dioxide which the plants need to survive. Or the fact that if the planet was even one foot closer to the sun, or one foot further from the sun, no life whatsoever could exist on this planet. There are literally thousands, if not millions of “coincedences” that allowed life to develop on this planet, and that is more evidence than science has ever discovered that life happened by accident, let alone the fact that in all the years of human intelligence, in all the scientific discovery of our day, they have not been able to duplicate this “accident” even once to create life out of inanimate particles or molecules or atoms. NOT ONCE. Your grasping at straws even stranger than a creator if you believe in accidental evolution.
Report Post »SLEAZYHIPPOs ILLEGITIMATE OFFSPRING
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 9:12am@ REV you are incorrect again since you seem to lack the ability to contextualize your comments. He is appropraite rendition of God as he reveals himself as a Father numerous times over and over and over in in the form of the common word meaning daddy “Abba”…Your comment is not intellectually honest or complete…
Report Post »black9897
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 11:04am@REV. BILLY MAYES
Every one of our translations has the word he in it. And yes, I already stated God is gender-neutral.
@VASTRIGHTWINGCONSPIRATOR
Thank you for letting me know. True, you can only do so much.
Report Post »black9897
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 11:21amOne would think an atheist would be neutral, but that’s not the case. I have no doubt an atheist could learn about the Bible and historical facts, about Jesus’s life, etc. That’s not what I’m referring to. I’m talking about the spiritual matters where an atheist would not have much understanding (if any). That’s not an insult; it’s just how it works. Assuming one believes in the Bible and has come to accept God, with that you also receive understanding. So it’s unfair to expect an atheist or any non-believer to understand spiritual matters. Granted, an atheist may be able to spit back what he’s taught in regard to spiritual matters, but that doesn’t mean he understands it.
The Bible/Christianity is the only book/religion which claims that the one they follow (Jesus) died AND rose again. It was written over a span of 1500 years, by more than forty men, in many different places, on different continents. Yet it came together perfectly.
Report Post »John Kieffer
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 5:40pmAsking a preacher if the Jesus character is real is like asking a conman if his Ponzi scam is legitimate.
Report Post »SLEAZYHIPPOs ILLEGITIMATE OFFSPRING
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 8:30pmWould that be akin to asking an atheist about cosmos evolution? I assume you use the same standards to evaluate their arguments? Unless of course your simply agenda driven.
Report Post »black9897
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 11:32pmNot really. Jesus has been and is easily provable person. If that‘s what you’re saying. If you’re saying is he the son of God, well, there are things that can point to that, but at the end of the day that’s something you take on faith.
Report Post »Freebird
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:38pm“It takes no brains to be an atheist.Any stupid person can deny the existence of a supernatural power because man’s physical senses cannot detect it.But there cannot be ignored the influence of conscience,the respect we feel for the Moral Law,the mystery of first life…or the marvelous order in which the universe moves about us on this earth.All these evidence the handiwork of the beneficent Deity…That Deity is the God of the Bible and Jesus Christ His Son.” Dwight Eisenhower
Report Post »searching for the Truth
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:44pmOh yes they can detect Him.
Report Post »PsychGen
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 5:33pmYep, we can. Every morning I ask the Lord to fill me with his spirit because I tend to leak. When it comes, it usually knocks me off my feet.
Report Post »Gates
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 6:36pmThere are NO ATHEISTS! To be an atheist you must claim to have all knowledge of all things. I cannot imagine a person being that arogant!
Report Post »Conservative-Atheist
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 8:18pm@Gates
There are NO ATHEISTS! To be an atheist you must claim to have all knowledge of all things. I cannot imagine a person being that arogant!
Yes there are atheists. Absurd claim. Of course you don’t have to claim knowledge of all things to be an atheist…again, absurd claim. I just have to deny the outrageous and unprovable supernatural claims made by the bible to be an atheist. Nothing to do with arrogance, more like common sense.
Report Post »ed_mann
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 9:38pm@Conservative-Atheist,
Report Post »Does the God of the Bible exists? Yes or No. Simple question.
Conservative-Atheist
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 9:54pm@ed_mann
My answer would of course be no. Before you go asking me to prove he doesn’t exist, I would point out that the burden of proof is on the one making the outrageous claim, not on the one denying said claim. You can‘t prove that the flying spaghetti monster didn’t create the universe, however, you could argue that it is only reasonable to assume he didn’t. Argh!
Hitchens’ Razor: “That which can be asserted without proof, can be denied without proof.”
Report Post »Leopold
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 12:40am@conservative atheist.
The evidence of a Creator is all around us. To claim evolution accomplished everything is byond ignorance. It borders on the insane.
And since it is clear that there is a creator the burden is on whoever denies that fact.
Report Post »Conservative-Atheist
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 12:54amThe evidence of a Creator is all around us.
Of course there is no evidence of a creator, that’s just plain stupid.
And since it is clear that there is a creator the burden is on whoever denies that fact.
Ridiculous. Absurd. Moronic.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Carl Sagan
Report Post »Leopold
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 1:17am@ conservative
It is extraordinary to claim there is no God.
I will refrain of using your vocabulary.
Report Post »Conservative-Atheist
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 1:35amIt is extraordinary to claim there is no God.
Of course it’s not, that’s stupid. Please note that I’m not calling you stupid…I’m only calling your claim stupid. If you keep making stupid statements, I will continue to point out the stupidity of those statements.
Report Post »KStret
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 3:41amConservativeA,
“I would point out that the burden of proof is on the one making the outrageous claim”
The argument that that only the positive claim has the burden of proof is a logical fallacy. What you are essentially saying is if you take a negative position, you don’t have provide any rationale whatsoever for your disbelief.
God’s existence is the only subject that you would apply that atheist canard to. The only position that doesn’t have a burden of proof is a neutral position. You do need to justify your belief that God doesn’t exist.
What are you going to say next?….
Step 1. You don’t have the burden of proof
Step 1A. The definition of atheism
Step 3: There isn’t any evidence…..
Step 4. Make up a a fictitious monster
Should I go on?
If atheist are freethinking, logical and rational, why do you all make the exact same arguments in the exact same order?
If atheist are freethinking, logical and rational why is everyone of your arguments predicated on a logical fallacy?
If atheist are freethinking, logical and rational why is it that the majority of the time that you attempt to have a discussion, the main argument is that they don’t have to back up their opinion?
Report Post »KStret
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 4:42amC.A
“You can‘t prove that the flying spaghetti monster didn’t create the universe”
There it is……. the the flying spaghetti monster and you can prove that the FSM didn’t create the universe. How? The flying spaghetti monster was made up by atheist Bobby Henderson in 2005. He wrote a satirical letter protesting the Kansas State Board of Education decision to permit teaching intelligent design.
This is simply another variation of Bertrand Russell’s Tea pot analogy. There has been many rebuttals to this but apparently atheists do not bother to read them. One of the main problems to the Tea Pot and FSM analogies is not that there is a lack of evidence for them but good evidence against their existence as I have shown with the FSM.
Report Post »KStret
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 4:52amC.A
“Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence”
Everything that you are saying is an atheist cliche bumper sticker slogan…. You must disbelieve that someone could win the jack pot in the lottery, right? The chances of winning are about about 18 million to 1……..Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence
Report Post »phillyatheist
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 3:11pmthe level of inanity and stupidity in these comments is breathtaking.
one group claims that supernatural forces who are interested in our lives and can perform miracles exists.
the other group claims that there is no evidence to support it.
which is the extraordinary claim again?
Report Post »ConservativeCanucklehead
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 9:45pmKSTRET
“You must disbelieve that someone could win the jack pot in the lottery, right? The chances of winning are about about 18 million to 1……..Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence”
Seriously? You really can’t see the silliness (Conservative-Atheist would call it stupidity) of this comment?
Report Post »First: There is oodles (that’s a scientific term) of evidence for people winning the lottery. It happens with incredible regularity, damn near every freaking week! It’s not extraordinary at all. It’s downright mundane.
Second: even without the regularity of lottery winnings, I would certainly recognize the possibility that someone “could” win, despite the 18-million-to-1 odds. Just like I recognize the possibility that a deity “could” exist. (Given the comparative lack of evidence however I suspect it’s much more improbable than winning the lottery:-)
KStret
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 1:13amConservativeCHead,
“Seriously? You really can’t see the silliness (Conservative-Atheist would call it stupidity of this comment?”
Why? If extraordinary claims calls for extraordinary evidence, I would think a claim that has an 18 million to one chance against it, is an extraordinary claim that would require extraordinary evidence.
You are calling me stupid when everything you have said is predicated on a logical fallacy?
“It happens with incredible regularity, damn near every freaking week! It’s not extraordinary at all. It’s downright mundane.”
Extraordinary claims call for extraordinary evidence, right? Why aren’t you taking the position of disbelief? If extraordinary claims call for extraordinary evidence, why aren’t you taking the position that the that the lottery is fixed?
Report Post »KStret
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 1:23am“Just like I recognize the possibility that a deity “could” exist”
No you do not. Please stop using the Richard Dawkins equivocation defense technique. The definition of atheism is someone who believes that God doesn’t exist. Comparing God to fictitious creatures,Santa clause or the FSM would be indicative of someone who believes the possibility of God existing is laughable and preposterous.
You cannot say that you believe there is a possibility that God exists and then turn around and compare God to the FSM. You don’t believe that there is the possibility that the FSM monster exists. Since you keep comparing things to God that no one in their right mind believes, you are taking the position that the notion of God existing is so ludicrous that you just dismiss it.
Once again, By comparing God to ridiculous things that one one believes in, you are making a straw-man argument and a category error. Both are logical fallacies.
“Given the comparative lack of evidence”
This another logical fallacy. You are saying that an absence of evidence is evidence of absence. Since not having any evidence doesn‘t always mean that something doesn’t exist, you have the explanatory burden to explain why an absence of evidence is evidence of absence. Also, if God did exist what evidence would you expect to find?
Report Post »KStret
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 1:24amDespite not being able to answer those two question, it amazes me that you keep saying there isn’t any evidence. In fact, that is primarily all that you say. Since you can’t answer my questions, the mantra of “there isn’t any evidence” has to be flushed down the toilet because the argument is logically flawed.
Report Post »KStret
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 1:31am” however I suspect it’s much more improbable than winning the lottery:-)”
Do you know what’s even more improbable than winning the lottery? From nothing appears a single cell organism and then that single cell organism evolves into a human being over a long period of time. There have been many scientists and mathematicians who are not Christians who have looked at the probability within the time frame for evolution/ abiogenesis and the chances are next to impossible. Evolution could be used as evidence for God rather than against him.
Extraordinary claims calls for extraordinary evidence except when it applies to something other than God. (before you start frothing at the mouth to attack me as a creationist. I didn’t say the earth was 6 thousand years old.)
There is no evidence for the mutiverse theory either. I would think that the mutiverse would also qualify for the bumper sticker slogan extraordinary claims call for extraordinary evidence. The theory has become so convoluted most scientist do not classify it as a scientific theory but rather a metaphysical idea that belongs on an episode of Star Trek.
Once again, atheists have no problem with this. Extraordinary claims call for extraordinary evidence and a lack of evidence doesn‘t apply here because atheists can’t explain how the universe popped into existence. In other words, you are cherry picking what you apply your catch phrases to. This is another logical fallacy.
Report Post »KStret
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 1:43amBoth Conservative atheist and ConservativeCHead pulled every atheist chiche and catch phrase out of their reason and logic arsenal. Unfortunately, their arguments are not reasonable or logical because as I have shown ad nauseam that every argument they used was predicated on a logic fallacy. Here is where atheist are similar to liberals. Neither one will rethink their arguments. This is ironic because that is exactly what they are accusing Christians of doing.
Report Post »ConservativeCanucklehead
Posted on July 4, 2012 at 6:43pmKSTRET
“If extraordinary claims calls for extraordinary evidence, I would think a claim that has an 18 million to one chance against it, is an extraordinary claim that would require extraordinary evidence.”
I can‘t imagine how you’ve missed the answer K … IT HAPPENS EVERY WEEK. The evidence that someone CAN win is presented all the time, week-after-week-after-week!
“Extraordinary claims call for extraordinary evidence, right? Why aren’t you taking the position of disbelief? If extraordinary claims call for extraordinary evidence, why aren’t you taking the position that the that the lottery is fixed?”
Report Post »I repeat: IT HAPPENS EVERY WEEK. That is perfectly clear, compelling, and sufficient evidence to me that someone CAN win the lottery, even at 18-million to one odds. You see K, someone DOES win the lottery all the freaking time. What part of that can you not comprehend?
PLUS, if the odds are “only” 18-million to one and let’s say 100-million tickets are sold … I would actually guess that it’s a near lock-cinch-dead-certainty that somebody WILL win that lottery. Heck, maybe 3 or 4 people will win. (You get that, right?)
As for taking the position that the lottery is fixed … I would certainly suspect that if the same person were to win week-after-week. (You get that too, right?)
ConservativeCanucklehead
Posted on July 4, 2012 at 7:08pmKSTRET (again)
‘Just like I recognize the possibility that a deity “could” exist’
“No you do not.”
+ This is a new one. YOU are telling ME what I do or do not believe. (You really don’t need me for this conversation, do you?:-)
I apologize for actually having my own thoughts, my own opinions, but I certainly do think it’s possible that a deity (as vague at that may be) might exist and I simply have not encountered it/him/her yet. Why wouldn’t I? And WHY does that upset you so terribly?
“The definition of atheism is someone who believes that God doesn’t exist.”
Report Post »Again K, I disagree. Atheism simply means without theism, without god or without a belief in god. I do NOT believe in god, God, or gods. But I certainly don’t believe that a god (gods) cannot exist. Also, the principal practical function of the term is to distinguish between those who do believe in a god and those who do NOT believe in a god. So literally and practically my definition seems just super. (Yours seems to exist only to suit some pre-conceived notion that I just don’t understand.)
Obviously this really bugs you. I’m sorry about that, but it cannot be helped.
K, it‘s obviously not up to you to tell me what I believe or what I mean when I say I’m an Atheist. Any more than it is up to me to declare what you believe or what you mean by saying you are a Christian. You get that, right?
ConservativeCanucklehead
Posted on July 4, 2012 at 7:32pmKSTRET
Report Post »“Comparing God to fictitious creatures, Santa clause or the FSM would be indicative of someone who believes the possibility of God existing is laughable and preposterous.”
Well, that’s probably pretty fair comment. Particularly with respect to Santa Claus. The Flying Spaghetti Monster however … I think people really use that one to refer to something completely foreign to our established points of reference. Kinda like BigFoot or Nessie here on the blue marble. Or maybe like an galactic plasma bird out there among the stars. Or like that Indian deity with the elephant head. Yeah, that’s kinda like it. Your deity MIGHT exist, just like the albino Bigfoot of Pennsylvania, or Scotland’s Nessie, or the flying spaghetti monster that flies between distant worlds, or myriad other unknown/unimaginable creatures in the universe. It’s all possible.
ConservativeCanucklehead
Posted on July 4, 2012 at 7:40pmKSTRET
“You cannot say that you believe there is a possibility that God exists and then turn around and compare God to the FSM. You don’t believe that there is the possibility that the FSM monster exists.”
As noted above, I DO believe there is the possibility the FSM exists given that it is a kind of placeholder, a catch-all label for things heretofore unknown or unimagined.
“Since you keep comparing things to God that no one in their right mind believes, you are taking the position that the notion of God existing is so ludicrous that you just dismiss it.”
No. I do not just dismiss it. At least not for being “ludicrous”. If I dismiss God at all, it is merely because he/her/it is utterly irrelevant.
“Once again, By comparing God to ridiculous things that one one believes in, you are making a straw-man argument and a category error. Both are logical fallacies.”
Report Post »As I’ve explained, your characterizations are inaccurate. Therefore there is no category error and no straw man.
KStret
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 7:17pmMod,
“I can‘t imagine how you’ve missed the answer K … IT HAPPENS EVERY WEEK. The evidence that someone CAN win is presented all the time, week-after-week-after-week!”
It is actually the other way around. You missed my answer. You are selectively applying the catch phrase to the subjects you want. The catch phrase allows the person to move the goal posts whenever they want. A claim that has a 18 million to 1 chance against should qualify for your extraordinary evidence catch phrase.
You also missed the other examples I mentioned. There have been several scientists and mathematicians who have stated that the probability of abiogenesis to evolution to humans is next to imposable within the specified time frame. Yet, you are not using your catch phrase for that.
Atheist do the exact same thing with the multiverse theory. There is no evidence for it and it‘s become so convoluted that most scientist don’t classify it as a scientific theory. It is a metaphysical theory that belongs on Star Trek. Once again, you are not applying the extraordinary evidence to the mutiverse theory either.
This another logic fallacy…..
Report Post »KStret
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 7:21pm“This is a new one. YOU are telling ME what I do or do not believe……….but I certainly do think it’s possible that a deity (as vague at that may be) might exist and I simply have not encountered it/him/her yet. ”
You know what I am going to say to this point and you have yet to provide any kind of rebuttal to my objection. Yet, you keep repeating the exact same point. It that logical and reasonable?
If you compare the possibility of God existing to a vampire, you are insinuating that you believe that the possibility of God existing is impossible. I have pointed this many times. Richard Dawkins makes horrible arguments and all you are doing is repeating his equivocation defense over and over again.
“And WHY does that upset you so terribly?”
I am not upset and please do not attempt to chance the subject.
Report Post »KStret
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 7:27pm“Again K, I disagree. Atheism simply means without theism, without god or without a belief in god.”
1. You can’t disagree with the definition of a word. Who does that? You call yourself logical and reasonable but the dictionary is wrong? I don‘t agree that the definition of the word vegetarianism means someone who doesn’t eat meat. What a logical point to make!
2. Even if a bunch of activists got the definition of the word vegetarianism changed to mean someone who doesn’t murder Animals, the rest of the sane people in the world aren’t going to know that definition. The standard definition is the default position. You can define yourself as an negative atheist version 6.244321 and the rest of can laugh at you.
3. The definition that you want to use doesn’t make any sense. You have no belief in God? That means that you have no opinion about the existence of God one way or the other. If you have no belief in God, you should be a total blank slate. You clearly do have an opinion and you are not a blank slate. That definition would not apply to you.
On top of that, if atheism means no believe that would mean babies, invalids, and people who are brain dead are atheists, which renders that argument an asinine point to make.
Report Post »KStret
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 7:32pm“I do NOT believe in god, God, or gods. But I certainly don’t believe that a god (gods) cannot exist. ”
Keep using that Richard Dawkins equitation technique. I certainly don’t believe that a god (gods) cannot exist just like I certainly don’t believe that vampires and werewolves cannot exist. That is a very intelligent argument that is not self contradictory. Wait….. that is self contradictory, unless you really believe that there is an actual possibility that vampires and werewolves could exist.
You have to believes that babies are atheists, would you like to shoot yourself in other foot and state that you really believe that vampires and werewolves might exist?
“Also, the principal practical function of the term is to distinguish between those who do believe in a god and those who do NOT believe in a god. ”
You just contradicted yourself again. If you don’t have a belief, you can‘t believe that God doesn’t exist.
Report Post »KStret
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 7:38pm“it‘s obviously not up to you to tell me what I believe or what I mean when I say I’m an Atheist. ”
If we are going to debate something the standard definition of the word should be used. You don’t get to make up your own definition. This is the equivalent of arguing that if there is a debate between meat eaters and vegetarians, that vegetarians should be able to redefine meat eating as murder.
They can call it that but everyone else is going to use the standard definition of the word. I am a negative theist. This means I lack a belief that God doesn’t exist. I am sure you would let Christians redefine theism and Christianity the same way atheists are attempting to do. This is the third point you made that ridiculous.
“Your deity MIGHT exist, just like the albino Bigfoot of Pennsylvania, or Scotland’s Nessie, or the flying spaghetti monster that flies between distant worlds, or myriad other unknown/unimaginable creatures in the universe. It’s all possible.”
Why do you keep making the same arguments, when you can’t come up with a rebuttal to my objections? You are lumping several different things in together. You are comparing monsters that there is good evidence for their non-existence to God which you say that there isn’t any evidence, which is the category error logically fallacy. You are comparing a bunch of thing that you do not really believe in to God, which is a straw-man logical fallacy. Make the exact same point again, maybe this time
Report Post »KStret
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 8:14pm“No. I do not just dismiss it. At least not for being “ludicrous”. If I dismiss God at all, it is merely because he/her/it is utterly irrelevant.”
You can not compare God to a vampire and say that you are not dismissing it as being ludicrous.
“As I’ve explained, your characterizations are inaccurate. Therefore there is no category error and no straw man.”
First of all, There is no inaccuracy on my part. Secondly, you didn’t explain any thing. You’re simply repeating the exact same argument and ignored what I said. Every single point you are making is a logical fallacy. Your entire bag of cliches and catch phrases are predicated on fallacious and flawed logic and reason.
Thirdly, you claimed the common arguments I listed was stereotyping atheists and then you turned around and made the exact same arguments.
Last, you have not made one argument for atheism. If it is dumb and stupid to believe in something without any evidence, it must be dumb and stupid to believe that atheism is true without any evidence for it too.
Report Post »KStret
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 8:30pmThat should have read “Keep using that Richard Dawkins equivocation technique”. The rest of my typos should be some what obvious and easy to figure out. I have monkey fingers and can’t type very well. This is evidence that the theory of evolution isn’t true. However, I should have proof read my posts before replying.
Report Post »Prosecute_Constitutional_Treason_In_Washington
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:36pmWhy does GB and the Blaze keep promoting this crap. Salvation is by faith. We don’t need someone telling us what to believe who denies our Saviour the King of Kings. Beck better wake up and get this crop off the net. It damages his reputation.
Report Post »NJBarFly
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 4:11pmBeck likes riling up all the fundies. It increases the page views and generates revenue. He is a capitalist like the rest of us.
Report Post »VastRightWingConspirator
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 7:04pmBarfly is probably right. Anyway, it’s interesting to see the atheists squirm while they try to justify their existence with fantasy by claiming Christ is fantasy. They know their lives are empty and refuse to accept the one thing that actually makes it all worthwhile. Just pray for them and hope they see the light. But, as for the story, it’s always good to know what your enemy thinks.
Report Post »bravjim
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 12:00amPerhaps it is because Beck recognizes what the founding fathers understood fully. That’s why Madison stated, “The belief in a God all powerful wise and good is so essential to the moral order of the world and to the happiness of man, that arguments that enforce it cannot be drawn from too many sources nor adapted with too much solicitude to the different characters and capacities impressed with it.” And Jefferson stated, “And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever…The doctrines of Jesus are simple, and tend all to the happiness of mankind..” Or perhaps it is because Gouvernor Morris stated, “Religion is the only solid base of morals and morals are the only possible support of free governments…THerefore education should teach the precepts of religion and the duties of man towards God.
Notice that Beck is a libertarian, and a devout Mormon. And you really got to ask why he keeps bringing the subject up? It is because that he believes, as I do, as the Bible teaches, that religion teaches morality and virtue, and these are pillars of a free nation. A nation without virtue is a nation on the verge of collapse.
Report Post »bravjim
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 12:26amAs Ben Franlin stated, “Only a virtous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters…I have lived, sir, a long time; and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?
Or Sam Adams, “All men are equally bound by the laws of nature, or to speak more properly, the laws of the creator…Religion and good morals are the only firm foundation of public liberty, and happiness.
And George Washington stated, “It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favors…The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which Heaven itself has ordained…The HAND OF PROVIDENCE HAS BEEN SO CONSPICOUS IN ALL THIS, THAT HE MUST BE WORSE THAN AN INFIDEL THAT LACKS FAITH, AND MORE THAN WICKED, THAT HAS NOT THE GRATITUDE ENOUGH TO ACKNOWLEDGE HIS OBLIGATIONS…” And this one will really get your guys’s goat…LOL
Report Post »The foundations of our national policy will be laid in the pure and immutable principles of private morality. Yes, that is Washington, the father of our country.
DanMan2012
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:35pmBetter scholars than this guy have not been able to disprove the New Testament. The Jew’s went through great feats to dismiss several books of the Old Testament to remove the prophesies of Jesus. However, I look to the first evangelist, Pilot who through no fault of his own announced to the world that Jesus was the King of the Jews. And guess what? Archaeologists have found proof of Pilot’s existence. Go figure.
Report Post »I could debunk this guy’s assertions point by point but why bother? Any Atheist that would challenge what it says in the bible and proceed to do a worthy academic exercise of debunking it would truly be converted. But alas while there are many that look upon a Rock and are amazed by the beauty of it, there are some that like to turn it over and note the creepy crawling things that lurk beneath it, not recognizing that the creepy crawly things that attach themselves to the Rock are not actually any part of the Rock. Again go figure.
This fellow and people like him just make a hypothesis and fail to do the heavy lifting to prove or disprove it. They just throw spaghetti against the wall and see what sticks. Not very sound as academic disciplines go.
searching for the Truth
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:50pmVery Good.
Report Post »Arminius23
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 5:52pmBe careful about promoting Pontius Pilate. That man wanted Yeshua dead as much as any of the political powers of that era. Pilate was so brutal that he was recalled. Catholicism asserts his innocence in the matter because it would’ve been bad for evangelism to Gentiles and Christianity would have suffered heavily if they even thought of fingering a Roman official as a Co-conspirator in the Messiah’s death. Reality: Yeshua attracted followers of up to around five thousand men at any given time. Had he done so he could have ignited a rebellion larger than Bar-Kochbar.
Report Post »Rev. Billy Mayes
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 9:13pm“Better scholars than this guy have not been able to disprove the New Testament.”
Too easy. Pay attention, as it will go by really fast.
MUSTARD SEEDS (Mark 4:31)
Done in one.
Report Post »REEPICHEEP
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 4:33amI thank God for skeptics who help to strengthen my faith.
Report Post »“Please note that Jesus was not comparing the mustard seed to all other seeds in the world, but to seeds that a local, Palestinian farmer might have “sowed in his field,” i.e., a key qualifying phrase in verse 31. And it’s absolutely true that the black mustard seed (Brassica nigra = Sinapis nigra) was the smallest seed ever sown by a first-century farmer in that part of the world.”
SLEAZYHIPPOs ILLEGITIMATE OFFSPRING
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 9:05am@ REV…..if you are refering to Jesus’ claim that the mustard seed was the smallest seed which in fact it is not then you must not have graduated from high school english class and therefore cannot recognize hyperbole when you see it. Jesus used a literary device to emphasize not a biology lesson but a spiritual lesson about having small faith and what even a little faith can accomplish. Also, strict translation from the original would suggest in context that he was referring to a very small seed they would have had knowledge of. Come on REV there are certainly more diffciult areas than this little one. Is that the best you can do? Very easily understood if you have graduated high school english really.
Report Post »John Kieffer
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 4:22pmDanMan2012 wrote: “I look to the first evangelist, Pilot who through no fault of his own announced to the world that Jesus was the King of the Jews. And guess what? Archaeologists have found proof of Pilot’s existence. Go figure.”
ROTFLMAO … “Pilot” … are you referring to “Pilate” as in “Pontius Pilate” maybe?
And I did “go figure,” in fact years’ worth of figuring, which included a Masters in Religious Studies that encompassed several research projects about the origins of Christianity and the Jesus character.
Here’s my conclusion Mr. DanMan: The person who put the Jesus character at the time of Pontius Pilate (who, btw, is a historical person — unlike the Jesus character) was Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, who, in the late 1st century and early 2nd, asserted, without providing any evidence, that the Jesus character was a contemporary of Paul. Ignatius was instrumental in shifting the perception of Paul’s heavenly Jesus character (which all indications he was referring to the long dead Teacher of Righteousness of the Essene sect) to an earthly one (asserted later in the Gospels) who lived when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea (26-36 CE), simply because Ignatius knew that Paul had been alive then.
Christianity is nothing more than an evolved, legend/fable filled formulation (thanks to Ignatius) of the apocalyptic Teacher of Righteousness/Essene movement which was well underway a century or more prior to the advent of Paul’
Report Post »john1513
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:27pmThis article is a historical and philosophical fail. Todd Stiefel sounds like some students from my high school junior religion class. All questions, no basis, no history, no context, no answers. A child can do the same.
Report Post »Prosecute_Constitutional_Treason_In_Washington
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:37pmAmen.
Report Post »searching for the Truth
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:42pmNoted.
Report Post »Beast360
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:23pmwow! even after he has laid down logic and facts, you bible thumping psychopaths only have the persistence of being a bible thumping psychopath for rebuttal. perhaps you trolls should find better uses for your time than making fools of yourselves trying to make other people look bad on the internet.
Report Post »hatchetjob
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 4:33pmBEAST, What do you care if we are bible thumping psychopaths? We are a happy lot.
Report Post »JRGJR
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 4:46pmBeast
Report Post »Nobody has to try to make you look bad.
Deckle
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:18pmI think the NT calls someone like this a fool. Someone who thinks himself wise,. I would rather trust in the NT than anyone on earth who considers themselves wise. Check out http://www.wnd.com/2012/06/author-bible-predicted-date-of-israels-return/
Report Post »Rev. Billy Mayes
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 9:10pmYou would rather trust in a book that advocates genocide, incest, intolerance, child endangerment, bad drug trips and torture?
Well, best of luck, then.
Report Post »SLEAZYHIPPOs ILLEGITIMATE OFFSPRING
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 9:31am@ REV….exactly where in the bible does it ADVOCATE (your word choice) genocide, incest, child endangerment, drugs etc???? Be careful my friend before you answer think it through or you will lQQk even more foolish….
Report Post »The_Jerk
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:18pmWho are the real fools?
Report Post »john1513
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:43pmThose that question the Bible without learning about it.
Report Post »joe.r.piehole
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 5:58pmThose who think that an omniscient, omnipotent, omnibenevolent being could possibly exist, given the conditions of the real world.
Report Post »4truth2all
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 7:12pmYo Pie:
It is the conditions of the world that DO point to the truth of scripture and the very reason for the need of Christ. Interestingly enough the bible also speaks to these very days we live in… to the individual, and nations.
Report Post »VastRightWingConspirator
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 7:22pmPiehole he told us the world would turn out this way because man is incapable of ruling himself.
Report Post »brntout
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:16pmHe questions what his purpose is… To have a purpose means you have a reason to exist…. Twit…
Report Post »Grillmark55
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:16pmInteresting how much time atheists spend trying to prove that God doesn’t exist, or that the Bible is wrong, or whatever. I wonder what their first thought is after they die? Oops?
Report Post »TROLLMONGER
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:23pmIm still waiting on the religeous folk to prove that their god actually exists. Havent met one that has been able to do that in a rational way.
Report Post »hdoldsch
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 6:48pmTrollmonger,
Report Post »Fair enough request, but only if you can prove to me He doesn’t exist!?!
SLEAZYHIPPOs ILLEGITIMATE OFFSPRING
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 7:11pm@ troll. What you ask for is impossible but not for the reason you think. If an all powerful transcendent God exists and is responsible for creating the physical world and men (this would be true for theChristian concept of God) then only he can prove His existence not men as by definition God exists outside of and independent from His creation. And what you ask for has already been done. The evidence that is reason based and bountiful is more than sufficient for a man to realize and come to the conclusion that God does in fact exist. Many reasonable and intellectually honest men have set out to examine the evidence and arrived at the same conclusion when they began with the prejudice that he did not exist. Most who blather loudly about the scriptures being myths etc. have never truly investigated for themselves. At best many read a book or two from the prejudiced position they already possess, falsely emboldened in their “knowledge” they become experts. My guess is you couldn’t even tell me what objective questions and literary tests you would apply to objectively examine the bible? And if you can answer that question I would like to know what works of antiquity do you find to be trustworthy and accurate? Let me know if you don’t understand what I am asking of you in the second question. Thanks in advance.
Report Post »CunningLingus
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 10:02pm@HDOL etc
Report Post »Ok, so I can’t prove that your god exists, tell you what, you prove to me that Zeus, Odin, Vishnu and so on and so on don’t exist, and I’ll use your method..
Leopold
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 1:31am@ troll
You have no intention of even listening with an open mind.
If you think it is reasonable to belief that slime became fish, became dinosaurs, became birds and eventually an apple tree and a tulip go right ahead. You have our full support and toleration.
Report Post »SLEAZYHIPPOs ILLEGITIMATE OFFSPRING
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 9:34amhmmm no takers at all on my challenge huh? Well, I guess you guys only pick fights with those who you think you no more than huh? I will continue to await but my guess is you don‘t even know what I am asking and if you do know then you won’t answer and we both know why don’t we????
Report Post »TROLLMONGER
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:14pmAnyone that believes that the bible is a word for word account directly from or people they were supposedly influenced by a god they cant prove exists are nothing more than naive humans who havent completely thought for themselves or questioned religions true intentions.
Report Post »Berbel73
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:48pmAnd those that discount a creator in the face of the overwhelming statistical improbability that the entire universe just appeared out of nothingness is indeed a bigger fool. These militant atheists who seem to take such great pleasure in confounding an issue that they themselves can no more disprove all the while demanding proof from those that do believe shows them for the egomaniacs that they are. Their own hubris will be their downfall and in the end they will see the folly of their lack of faith in things that they will never understand.
Report Post »sawbuck
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:55pmChristianity is built around belief and faith in our Lord Jesus..
Jesus new that through the generations that people would be mocked
and persecuted because of their “believing in him” .
And what a easy target to advocate against.. something that a person
has to “believe” in their heart ..
And Because Atheist don’t hear his voice or choose to ignore it.. They
mock and ridicule the followers of Christ…. that do .
Atheist do Satan’s bidding and at the same time Brag about
how “FREE” they are..
Yeah ..Keep bragging ..keep mocking…keep denying..
some guilt-free life you have my friend…
And because you “believe” your life is “guilt-free”…. by denying Jesus Christ.
You will PAY the ultimate price…Your soul..
Report Post »hatchetjob
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 4:37pmSAWBUCK, I agree, and they want to be free to sin like there’s no tomorrow.
Report Post »JRGJR
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 4:53pmCan you prove that God does not exist?? Didn’t think so, just another bag of hot air that likes to read his own stupid words.
Report Post »Tell us how hot it gets.
Rev. Billy Mayes
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 9:17pm“And those that discount a creator in the face of the overwhelming statistical improbability that the entire universe just appeared out of nothingness is indeed a bigger fool.”
Wow. This is why we need adequate funding for public education, folks!
a) You don’t know anything about statistics (“statistical improbability”?)
b) You don’t know anything about space physics (just what exactly is “nothingness” and where can we find some?)
c) You pretty much fail the religious knowledge test as well (I’m going to pass on the obvious failure to read Genesis and go with Mark 3:2-14).
Report Post »Freebird
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 11:08pm“I could prove God statistically.Take the human body alone.The chance that all the functions of the individual would just happen is a statistical monstrosity.” George Gallup STATISTICIAN
In case you only believe real statisticians.
Report Post »Berbel73
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 11:33pmHey Rev mister know-it-all, my use of “statistical improbability” was my jab at the aethiests who use that term to dimiss religion and GOD. Your being so much more “educated” than I am you should have picked up on that. “space physics”? Really, Einstein? I didn’t know that there are different “physics” for space. Oh that‘s right because there aren’t you morron. And as far as Mark 3:2-14, how does that passage relate at all to anything that I stated? Answer – it doesn’t. You’re just trying to twist the obvious meaning of my previous post and you know it. Oh and I know full well Genesis and while the atheists would have us believe that the entire universe just popped into being all by itself, I know very well that only GOD can create from nothingness. So your attempt at a condescending post is a big FAIL. Now pick your face up off of the floor and go sit in the corner and whimper like the little b**ch that you are.
Report Post »SLEAZYHIPPOs ILLEGITIMATE OFFSPRING
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 10:22am@ REV….I know a little something about statistics and astronomy and “de novo” physics. Enlighten me with your stance on the statistical probablity on let‘s say the Earth’s formation. I would like source referenced and the method of arriving at said statistical probability. Then move from that to the statistical probability of the formation of DNA. Of course these are educated guess you realize even in the most keen scietific minds because one variable we cannot account for is assuming that all laws of physics and matter exist today as they did then which may or may not be accurate and if not then there are an infinite number of variables and factors that cannot be accounted for statistically. Hint: the Einstein’s equivalence principle has been disproven recently. Do you know what this means for the field of cosmos statistics and what it means for de novo universe model?
Report Post »mindsend
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 2:44pmReligious folks: Help me out here I’m a little confused. So you say that if you don‘t believe in god you believe that existence came from nowhere and that’s just ridiculous. Ok.. fair enough. Most scientists would agree with you and they’re working dilligently on (that’s right working on, ya know instead of just believing what some guy said a while back and never arguing with it, questioning it or seeing if there’s a better answer) figuring out what came before the big bang. But all that aside what I really want to know is… where is it you suppose god came from? That is, if something let alone everything cannot come from nothing then God must have come from somewhere right? Funny how they didn’t mention that anywhere in the bible eh? Nope instead he was just there and created everything from what presumably amounted to… nothing. Well done folks. You have a non-answer for everything.
Report Post »SLEAZYHIPPOs ILLEGITIMATE OFFSPRING
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 8:46pm@ mind send…. The answer is actually quite easy. When talking about space, time is automatically involved because they are inseparably linked. You know the whole space time continum thingy being what it is and all. God by definition transcends time and space since he has created both therefore Is not bound by time or space. With me so far? Since God is not bound by time but can work within the framework of time it is not proper to understand God to have a beginning because he is not bound by the dimension of time such as we are. Surely you believe in wormholes (being the good cosmos evolutionist that I assume you are) that is believed to allow travel over great distances by folding of the dimension of space and decreasing time intervals to near zero. Essentially bypassing if you will the norm of time/space that we must operate within. It is similar to this where time for God being free from these dimensions is essentially negligible. Hope that helps.
Report Post »SREGN
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:13pmAll of his questions are answered in Lee Stroeble’s The Case For Christ.
Report Post »Hollywood
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:24pmHis questions prove his total lack of understanding of Scripturte. His question re why would Christ appear in a backwater like Israel, rather than Rome. Because God’s WORD PREDICTED their Saviour would be born in Bethlehem,and would be crucified in Israel. These predictions made hundreds of years before crucifiction was even a form of punishment. God’s word is foolishness to this FOOL! He will perish,unless he repents and believes the good news. I challenge him to quote one other book which gives detailed, precise, accurate predictions[1800+].satan, too, knows Scripture quite well. Better than this fool. Knowing it, and understanding it, are two different things!
Report Post »SovereignSoul
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:33pmAnswers are easy to find. Correct answers and truth; a little tougher.
Report Post »john1513
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:38pmIt’s cool to question history instead of learn it.
Report Post »SLEAZYHIPPOs ILLEGITIMATE OFFSPRING
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 10:54amTo be fair to this man we all are fools apart from the grace of God and the quicken by God’s spirit. I am no smarter or wiser than him, just humble enough to acknowledge who I am and who He is and what that means…..
Report Post »NHwinter
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:11pmAlexander Tsiaras: Conception to birth — visualized – YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=fKyljukBE70
Maybe he could explain why the creator of this video saw the Divine in the creating of life from conception to birth. Hard to explain the complexity of this away
Report Post »Nasado
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:10pmWell, in all honesty I can’t argue with what he says about the New Testament. There is no way to prove, all the accounts were written decades after Christ lived and performed His atonement, and there is no proof that he gospels were written by who it says they are written by. Yet, I believe all that is written because I have faith. What athiests don’t understand is the concept of faith. If Christ or God appeared in all their glory and we knew that they existed, what sort of test would this life be? We would not have agency (the freedom the choose, one of Gods greatest gifts) if we knew of his glory and saw him because who would choose otherwise? We are here on this erath with imperfect knowledge to see if we will do all things whatsoever He commands us. This life is a test and just like in school, it is not a test if all the answers are sitting in front of you. You prove nothing and gain nothing from it. Same goes with God and faith in Him.
Report Post »Locked
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:23pm“Well, in all honesty I can’t argue with what he says about the New Testament. There is no way to prove, all the accounts were written decades after Christ lived and performed His atonement, and there is no proof that he gospels were written by who it says they are written by. Yet, I believe all that is written because I have faith.”
Bingo. I’ve never understood the anger when the inconsistencies on the Bible are pointed out: they are there, plain to see. It makes perfect sense that it’s due to decades of, as is said in the article, “the telephone game” prior to the writing of the New Testament. Heck, look at the Bible today: how many people put stock in the KJV and say it is an “infallible” version of the Bible, when its translation errors mark it as one of the worst versions for accuracy? Is it any surprise that there were inconsistencies almost 2000 years ago?
In the end it comes down to faith and results: I believe in Christ and the example he set for humankind, and I believe that following that example will make you a better person. I believe Jesus is the Savior. Stiefel doesn’t. We agree to disagree. He doesn’t seem like a bad guy, but I don’t think either one of us will convince the other.
Report Post »saraheline
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:54pmThere are answers to what some call “inconsistencies.” Honestly, I do not claim to know all of them, but whenever my husband is confronted by a skeptic that claims there are inconsistencies he asks them to name one. Many can’t. Some come up with what looks like an inconsistency, but find there is an explanation. Sometimes its just a matter of perspective the particular story was written in. If any 2 people share a story about something they will each emphasize different aspects–I tend to give the details, my husband gives the big picture–doesn’t mean the story is not true because we share different aspects of it.
Report Post »brntout
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:07pmMy question would be,when a gun in your face warrants what? If Jesus chose to turn the other cheek, me,you would already have been the underwear bomber…Texas Tea!
Report Post »IONNES
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:06pmThis guy’s problem is the same as many. When one starts with a flawed set of presuppositions you can only end up with the wrong conclusions. The “why not Rome” question is laughably simple to answer and stems from a misunderstanding of the reason He came.
Report Post »JohnGalt78
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:17pmYou are precisely correct, our President does the same, builds logic from a false premise to support his narrative. Remember though, we are blessed due to persecution, accept it and express gratitude, I love that men have a need to try to know how God thinks! I’ll bet he thinks Man can end the world as well.
Report Post »Here_It_Comes
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:05pmWow. For someone who does not believe in God, he has put an awful lot of time and “study” into the topic.
Bottom Line: God is Real
That is his greatest fear. If you have to rationalize your position and your actions, it may be time to repent.
Report Post »TROLLMONGER
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:22pmGod is real? Id like to see you prove that one..LOL!
Report Post »PATRIOTINTN
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 4:45pm@Troll. LOL!!!! I‘d like to see you try and prove God doesn’t exist!
Report Post »TROLLMONGER
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 5:09pmPatriot,
Easy. Not one person that believes in a god has shown their god to me. Maybe you will be the one to prove me wrong and produce any physical evidence of your god? I highly doubt it, though.
Report Post »PATRIOTINTN
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 10:31amSo, Troll, apparently you know everything, or at least you think you do. Your logic is circular in that your “proof ”that God doesn‘t exist is based on your argument that God can’t be proven to exist. Independent of what you think others’ belief is, I say again, prove that God doesn’t exist. And don’t use theories like evolution or say that believers discount science, because we don’t. Science actually proves the Bible to be correct. If you choose not to believe, that’s your choice, (something God gave to humanity, by the way – a free will to choose what to believe or not), but that doesn’t give you all empirical knowledge about everything. I don‘t suppose you’ve thought about the vast amount of information that you’re not aware of, but if you do, you have to give credence to the possibility of the existence of God. If you don’t at least allow for that possibility, you’re not being intellectually honest with yourself. If your thought processes are then so stuck in your own biased and prejudiced beliefs, regardless of any evidence that can be presented.
I know you’ll turn this argument around and use the same process on me, but the evidence for all you see around you, the mountains, lakes, seas, rivers, plant and animal life, stars, and sun, (which is a star, I know), points to design, which means there is a designer. Besides, even if you believe in evolution, there is that tiny little problem of the existence of matter in the first place. Where did that co
Report Post »Raven249
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 9:44pm@Troll
Report Post »What sort of God would He be if we could tell Him to reveal Himself like some trained animal? He created us, therefore, what on earth would possess you to believe that He would show Himself to someone that openly mocks those that follow Him? As for proof, perhaps a good look through Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Jonah, Nahum, and the rest of the prophets would prove enlightening. Research their dates, and compare to events they spoke of, such as the fall of the Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, and Mede Empires. It’s one thing to speak of history. It’s quite another thing entirely when one speaks of it a few years to a few hundred years before it actually takes place.
Explain_Saturn
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:02pmI would like to know why the Blaze is featuring a representative of the same sophomoric reasoning that already dominates so much of our culture without any systematic rebuttal by qualified Christian thinkers. All of the points that Mr. Stiefel mentions have been answered many times.
Report Post »jcldwl
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:56pmI grow tired of all this. The Obama’s, Soros, Progressives, Atheists, Bath Salts, The Race Card, Homosexual marriage, The EU, Russia, China, Islam, Drones, The UN, All the old wrinkled up ex-hippies that never mentally or emotionally matured, Bailouts, Global economic collapse that we can’t stop anyway, climate change, anything to do with the British royal family, any political comments that come out of some washed up Hollywood actor/actress, Hollywood itself, cnn, msnbc, fox news, cable or satellite tv,(why do people pay for that crap), The race for the cure and their partner planned parenthood, TSA,(why are sheople still flying anyway?) The cesspool of Washington DC, The middle east, hearing the phrase renewable energy. The NFL, soccer riots, and before they even start this year, The Olympics, Salt, sugar, soda, fruit juice, New York, Chicago, California, Detroit, fear mongering weather forecasts, texting and driving, medicare, medicaid, social security, gas prices, food prices, etc. etc. etc. I can’t type anymore to list more.
Report Post »hatchetjob
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 4:46pmJCLD, I think you left out UFO’s, but I agree.
Report Post »searching for the Truth
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 6:28pmDid you do all that in one breath ?
Report Post »Prosecute_Constitutional_Treason_In_Washington
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 11:20pm@ jcldwl
Report Post »Completely agree 200% and came to the same conclusion. The cross of Christ is all that matters.
LeadNotFollow
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:01pm…
Report Post »Questions for you Atheists.
Where do you place your faith and beliefs?
Do you even have any faith or beliefs, in anything at all?
Grillmark55
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:12pmTenets of atheism: 1) there is no God. 2) I hate Him.
Report Post »TROLLMONGER
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:29pmIn me, myself, and I. That is all I need. I dont need to believe in a imaginary being that lives in the sky that no one can prove exists in order to for a doctrine of morality to be created for me. Only the weak minded, aka religeous folk, need such a thing.
Report Post »Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:36pmThat’s pretty much what it boiled down to, for me; taking the leap of faith. I was involved in a near fatal crash about 8 years ago. I had many questions all my life up until then. Every question I had or my pastor came down to taking the leap of faith. This guy refuses to take that leap, because he, and people like him are unable to believe in things they cannot see.
Report Post »Conservative-Atheist
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 8:39pm@Grillmark55
Tenets of atheism: 1) there is no God. 2) I hate Him.
Fail. Anyone who hates god is not an atheist. Do you hate Santa Claus? I suspect not.
Report Post »cactusren
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 12:49amI’m an atheist, and these are my beliefs: I believe that all humans have equal worth, and should be treated with respect. I believe that I should never assume anyone to be a “better” or a “worse” person than me. I believe that this life is all we get, so we should do everything we can to make it pleasant, not just for ourselves, but for those who are less fortunate than we are. I believe that after I die, I will cease to be aware of anything. But my actions in this life, the ways in which I touch other peoples’ lives (for good or for bad) will continue to have an effect after I die. Things I write or build, recipes I share, things that I teach to other people–through these things my memory will live on for a while.
I try to have faith in the abilities of my fellow humans, though reading comments here tends to dampen that. I have faith that using the scientific method is getting us closer to knowing “truth” and understanding the world around us. This is not a blind faith–this method has been shown to work over the last several centuries as we keep broadening and deepening our understanding of the universe, and refining our technology. Science will never have all the answers, but it will also never stop trying to find them. And in that–that determination of the human spirit to make discoveries and to understand ourselves and our universe–in that I find beauty.
Report Post »Conservative-Atheist
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 1:14am@cactusren
Evil…pure evil!!
In all seriousness, great post, I agree with you on just about everything you said. Some bible thumper will be along shortly though I’m sure, to say that your beliefs are a religion and/or to say that you are stupid for not believing in god and for believing in evil science. I’m glad this is only a virtual place, I’d be afraid of being stoned or burned at the stake if I was physically anywhere near the Blaze crowd.
Report Post »nath2099
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 7:28am@CACTUSREN
Nice post
Report Post »Individualism
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 2:58pmAtheism is freedom, godless and free is a way for me to be happy.
Report Post »Here_It_Comes
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:07pmYou are not free. Your freedom stems from God’s grace. You are trapped in the chains of your sins. Jesus died for those sins, but as long as you turn your back on him you will never be free.
Report Post »SovereignSoul
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 7:08pmWhich one is it? Did God give him freedom or is he ‘not free’?
Report Post »NeoFan
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 2:56pmI don’t believe he is really an atheist. I believe he really believes in god but is lying about it.
Report Post »johnjamison
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:00pmAtheist believe in evolution,the big bang,and other scientific theories…..unproven and unraveling as the science of DNA EXPANDS.
Report Post »searching for the Truth
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:10pmHe does ask some very stupid questions ?
Report Post »searching for the Truth
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:12pmOranges and apples ? Can’t mix the two to be on same page – One has to be willing to walk the walk.
Report Post »SovereignSoul
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 4:07pmTo what end?
Report Post »searching for the Truth
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 8:45amHa ! It never ends. If one really has an experience with the Lord , they will always walk towards that end.
Report Post »searching for the Truth
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 2:55pmLook. This guy is an idiot – it’s like talking to your dog.
Report Post »searching for the Truth
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:08pmBut, to be blunt – God had to “ overlap ” all Scripture – The Word was a Pattern , Cut to Fit.
Report Post »dennisS
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:08pmMy dog obeys God! It’s called instinct, something atheists don’t have, thus their descent into hell will be unfettered!
Report Post »Independent4233
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:11pmLISTEN TO ME!!!!
This man IS NOT an atheist, because he has an intellectual disagreement with the proposition of a deity.
THIS MAN is a homosexual activist who abounds in hatred against Christians, because Christianity will not give him equal status with normal people.
He and others like him would NEVER say the same things about Mohammed, although Islam now boasts between 5 and 6 million people in this country now.
Homosexuals are terrified of Muslims, because they know Muslims would never tolerate trashing their religious figures as Christians do.
Report Post »searching for the Truth
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:15pmDogs don’t go to Heaven !
Report Post »searching for the Truth
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:19pmSeems to me , he is in intellectual agreement with most everything – but , you may be correct.
Report Post »searching for the Truth
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:25pmExcuse: I meant ,that he is not in intellectual agreement with most everything – This site keeps messing with my typing.
Report Post »TROLLMONGER
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:26pmBetter than christians that talk to themselves when they say their prayers thinking that they are having actual dialogue with a being that lives in the sky…LOL!
Report Post »searching for the Truth
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:40pmsatan will have a conversation all day long with you, if that’s what one wants, but one has to get close to God before that takes place.
Report Post »LeadNotFollow
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 2:54pm…
Report Post »Has even one single Atheist ever actually read the Bible?
How do they know what’s in it?
TROLLMONGER
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:16pmI bet there are more athiests that have read the bible than actual christians. It explains why athiests are so much more knowledgable about religion than those who claim it embrace it.
Report Post »DoseofReality
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:24pmYes, Ive read the bible multiple times….its my opinion that most atheists are actually more knowledgable about the bible than most christians.
Report Post »saraheline
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:25pmI‘m sure some don’t read it, but this guy and many others have. The Bible even talks about people like this in many places–it says things like they will hear, but not understand. Here is one example from the book of Acts:
Report Post »“You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.”
27 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’
NineteenEighty4
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:33pmActually, it is said by many former Christians that reading the Bible, the supposed word of God, was the greatest factor in determining why they abandoned their faith and became atheist or agnostic.
Report Post »4truth2all
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 7:27pmActually if you DID understand scripture … Jesus said He did not lose any ( the apostiles) except Judas who was a son of the devil.
Reading and “understanding” are not the same …
Report Post »bravjim
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 1:18amFor the mesage of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise accoring to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things that are mighty.
Report Post »bravjim
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 1:35amBut we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; fo rhad they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes hte deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him. Even so, no one knows the things of God but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us.
Report Post »SLEAZYHIPPOs ILLEGITIMATE OFFSPRING
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 12:55pm@ TROLL……you do realize that your broad and unsubstantiated generalizations do nothing to prove any assertion you are making correct?
Report Post »