Can't resist asking before i hang this up for the weekend. Gekko u mention your dad was a scientist, most likely an atheist one I presume. Thus you would have grown up hearing how silly the idea of God is and how nonsensical the afterlife concept is etc. So why can't the above line of reasoning be directly applied to you as well? If Christians are talking their positions because of early influence, why can't you guys w/ atheist friends and family be talking yours? Doesn't this entirely cancel out the driving force of your argument? good weekend all again (for real this time) nuthorse
Shoot, I thought I was done. I didn't want to evade your question. Yes I would like to know if I was wrong because eternity is an awfully long time, this assuming my belief that we will be somewhere for eternity and not just die and "go away". OK, here's more crazy Jesus freak talk - when we become believers God gives us the Holy Spirit which lives in us (I told you it sounded crazy). The Holy Spirit opens our eyes to the truth of the Bible and to ourselves, mainly our diminutiveness and sinfulness. Our eyes won't be fully opened until we are in heaven, for now of course we are still very flawed human beings. But the Holy Spirit is what shows us that what we believe is real and is the truth beyond all doubt. When you KNOW something is true, you know it's true. So now you know that us born again Christians (and Jesus for that matter) are either totally psychotic or there is something real and true there. Most will believe we're crazy, Jesus told us that in the Bible. We'll gladly put up with it. It means we're identified with our creator. Which is an awesome thing. I tried not to say anything adversarial (sp?) there so as to not try to keep going in circles. Just wanted to answer the question and state my/our (cwaaaazy) beliefs. And so I bow out once again. Jeff
Hmm, I see how good my predictions are - K - Upping the length to 120 pages. Eh, Did you guys consider this deep thought ? http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8319&perpage=6&pagenumber=31 I didn't get any responses? Geez, even on these deep threads that go on for hundreds of pages people don't consider the ultimate questions? nitro
your argument is valid and i really have no problem with it. the only thing i can say is that in our real world we base things on evidence. my upbringing does not make claims without evidence (unlike yours). furthermore, it does not rule out any possibility at all (even your beliefs)..it just says prove it first. you have to admit a religious upbringing ingrains certain beliefs -- and a lot of it can't even be proven. would you not say that my upbringing allows me to be more open minded? i would say yes and i think that's a good thing.
Ahem...moderators please delete this. This quote being attributed to me (while i agree i with the first sentence) is a complete fabrication.
Dude, seems you really did miss the boat. Why oh why do people just conveniently ignore the FACT that there is NO EXTRA BIBLICAL EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THAT JESUS - THE MAN - EVER LIVED??? Why do we need to waste time debating what he said when we can, in all confidence, assume he never freakin existed!! Obviously if Christianity's main man - jesus - was a complete fabrication, as can, and has, easily been shown, then the whole foundation for the religion has been shot to pieces.. and the bible can take its rightful place in history next to alice in wonderland.
The concept of 'sin' is one of the most devious (and, sadly, successful) plots ever concocted. Christianity has managed to create a problem where none existed - the idea of sin - and present ITSELF as the solution to it. Perfect! (take the concept of 'original sin' - BRILLIANT. these SOBs have got you by the balls before you've even learnt to utter two words..)
Dude, you missed the boat. Do you want to borrow my login? First of all, you took my comments out of context (the quote that they were replying to). Secondly, arguing about whether a man ever existed as a man is to argue a side point! The point is, even if we assume Jesus lived, the honus is on the people who believe that Jesus is the son of God to prove that he is more than just a man. The burden is NOT on the people who question his divinity to prove that he is not divine. Next time get a fucking clue Danny boy!
Duh! Thanks Stu. I thought I found someone even dumber than me, hoping to get him on my cabinet. That way I could chip away a little at dad's authority. But no.....you had to clue him in so he is no longer clueless. Well I will find my cabinet members despite you. There are plenty of folks that I can recruit. I'll make 'em mine. Wait and see. I have a lot of money and so I can hire a good evangelist to be my PR guy, and I will have plenty of converts. And soon I will be running things instead of the old man! Stu, if yer ever in Crawford, stop by the ranch. We can do a barbeque, maybe a couple a lines and a few beers. And I can even let you yourself personally hang up laughin' on a couple 'a wardens calling to see 'bout any last minute stays of execution in Florida. I don't have as much juice (I love that word) in Texas in this department as I once did, but a good fryin' is a good fryin' in any state. And talk about having juice in Florida, well thank Jesus I got that place covered from every angle. I own the damn place. I RULE!! Dubya (The Prez)