My reply to this (you may have heard me say it before, pardon me) is: that's true, it does sound very implausible. Until you consider the alternative explanation, that the random vibration of hydrogen atoms over eons resulted in the abomination that is the green, polyester leisure suit. ; )
Well, when you put it like that... You see, I never said I was a christian. You and others seem like reasonably intelligent people, so what's with all the insults? Why the "cosmic zombie", sky daddy", etc.? Can't people just be free to believe as they will? What threat are they to you, I mean on an intellectual level? I can't imagine any christian coming up with an argument that would sway your way of thinking, so what's the big f'n deal? Edit: I suppose I should state what I do believe. I believe in a Creator. I am not believer in organized religion, however I do not have the contempt for them I used to. I believe in a life force that continues after death of the body, but I don't buy the whole rewards and punishment deal. There is evolution here and after this life. I beileve in positive and negative energy, both of which can and do influence us on some sub atomic level. I believe that energy can be tapped in to, to some degree. All the above is subject to change as more is revealed.
Well, green polyester leisure suits aside (although I once had a teacher in the '70s who wore a baby blue one), I'll go with the alternative that the leading scientists have chosen to adopt. Not that I understand the details of it beyond lay terms, just that I place a higher value on the leanings of highly educated, intelligent minds when it comes to their respective fields.
This thread is about Easter, so I'm fairly on point. As to what "threat" they are to me, let us not forget that Bush cut federal funding for embryonic stem cell research because the religious Right regarded a microscopic embryo as a human being. (The same religious Right that doesn't give a shit about full-sized humans who can't access affordable health care insurance, but that's another story.) I'm Canadian, of course, but my understanding is that the US is at the forefront of this research. Therefore, the moronic religious Right has effectively stymied progress in this vital field of research during the inglorious Bush years. The "Christian" Right has imposed its will on the rest of the country. It has impeded scientific progress. I find that threatening.
The belief that the Creator gave his children a protected life. The children wanted free will and full knowledge. He knew they would destroy themselves so he made provisions for their salvation.
Here's my take on things. I grew up Catholic, and I believed what I was told about God and Jesus because I loved, respected, and trusted my parents, and mostly because Jesus' message just rang true. You can attack the churches, the religion, all the hypocrisy. It's tough to argue with a lot of that. I love science too, and I think evolution is correct and it's beautiful in it's own right. Because I believe in evolution on an intellectual level, it's very tough to swallow that anyone knows anything about God....what God wants...or anything about him....or It. What was 'God' doing all those years that man did not walk the earth? WTF? WTF are there so many other planets out there? Basically the Bible tells us that Man and his struggle against good and evil is the whole point of existence, but it just doesn't match up to what we see in the Universe. It simply doesn't make any sense. I do believe in 'something' that is like God but I also fully believe that no one has the first damn clue about the nature of that 'something' is like. But getting back to Jesus, and why he's so popular and why people are willing to believe in these wild things like the resurrection....is because his message still rings true. His message was pretty simple: love everyone....love your enemy....forgive every time....don't judge others. Jesus hung out with the misfits and sinners for Christ's sake! (pun intended). Who has ever had a better message? If I'm going to latch on to anyone's teaching, it's going to be the guy with that message because...it just rings true. And also, what did those disciples die for if they did not believe? They continued to spread Jesus' teaching at the risk of their own lives, and some paid with their lives. Why would they do that if everything was made up? I understand both sides of this argument, but I get turned off by anyone who says they 'know' the truth, and want to get on their megaphone and tell all the believers or non-believers how stupid they are. everyone has to come to their own conclusion and I can't judge or blame anyone for coming to the conclusion they come to.
<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/AxRwQoNv4qA&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/AxRwQoNv4qA&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object> The aliens observe and wonder, wtf, really, wtf is wrong with these humans.
Yeah right buddy, infallible logic there, shared by many on this board. Just because you don't know the difference between your ass and a hole in the ground you think everyone else must be afflicted likewise. marr is a fricken pontificating fool no matter how you slice it.