If you have time, please visit this site.

But, you associate the members here with your past experience. You treat them as if they were the people in your past. That is hardly being objective.
 
I believe I have already apologized for that, have I not?

There are some here, however, that don't necessarily understand why they believe what they believe. At least they are unable to formulate an intelligent response to questions.

You've already said that no one is objective, so if you expect me to be so, should I not expect the same of you?
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] ] I do it for those people who have never thought to question anything about their belief, to get them to look at what they have taken for granted for so long and to question if they actually believe what they have been spoonfed for so long.
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So your goal then is to lead the sheep who are struggling in faith away from the flock....interesting.
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Cory
 
That's right Thaddius, I'm the evil antichrist, an apostate, infidel and heretic.

tounge.gif


Did I say anything about someone struggling with their faith? No I didn't. Did I say anything about leading anyone astray from their faith? No, I didn't.

Let me reiterate. What I am interested in is having people actually UNDERSTAND why they believe what they believe. Just like when you brought up the idea of whether Christians should observe Christmas. Many Christians do because they don't want to be bothered with the details. People still beleive that Matthew, Mark, Luke and John wrote the Gospels. People still believe Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible. People believe in many things without questioning it. This goes both ways too. I don't understand how someone can truly believe in Darwinian evolution either.

And throughout all this, I question myself too. Why do I believe the things I do? Do I believe them because of an irrationality or a mistake, or am I correct in my understanding of things?

If I wanted to be subversive I think I could be a little more sly in my undertakings. I don't have a Bible with notches in it for every convert I've stolen away from Faith. Do I relish having people question their beliefs? No, I don't. It's a painful process learning that what you've believed in all your life isn't all it's cracked up to be. I do, however, think it's far more important to actually understand your beliefs, whatever they might be.
 
[/QUOTE] I do, however, think it's far more important to actually understand your beliefs, whatever they might be.
When I was learning Spanish and Hebrew, if I wanted to "understand" more about the language, I went to someone who spoke the languages fluently. Likewise, when I want to have concrete answers to explain why I believe, what I believe, I go to someone who knows my faith.

You seem to be very interested in what others believe so....let me ask this... Can you concretely answer what you are looking for?
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[/QUOTE] I do, however, think it's far more important to actually understand your beliefs, whatever they might be.
When I was learning Spanish and Hebrew, if I wanted to "understand" more about the language, I went to someone who spoke the languages fluently. Likewise, when I want to have concrete answers to explain why I believe, what I believe, I go to someone who knows my faith.

You seem to be very interested in what others believe so....let me ask this... Can you concretely answer what you are looking for?
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[b said:
Quote[/b] (Genesis1315 @ Sep. 16 2004,9:22)]
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I do, however, think it's far more important to actually understand your beliefs, whatever they might be.
When I was learning Spanish and Hebrew, if I wanted to "understand" more about the language, I went to someone who spoke the languages fluently.  Likewise, when I want to have concrete answers to explain why I believe, what I believe, I go to someone who knows my faith.  

You seem to be very interested in what others believe so....let me ask this... Can you concretely answer what you are looking for?
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Well that's why I ask questions here, to get opinions from those who have Faith.

Do I have concrete answers for what I believe in? Yes, I do. And that's what led me away from religion in general. I prefer rationality and reason to faith. I do not feel comfortable believing in things that have no solid foundation.
 
okay. So now I have another question for you....Why isn't Christianity reasonable and rational? What specifically is not reasonable or rational?

(just trying to understand where you are coming from)

Gen
 
Not just Christianity, but religion in general. The reason is faith.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1, KJV).
Hebrews 11:1

Belief in religion isn't based on reason and rationality, but by Faith, that which can't be seen or proven.
 
AHEM FAITH CANNOT BE PROVEN!!*cough cough haccccccccck*
if you don't know that it doesn't exist then don't say it doesn't.
"it takes god to love god".
i could give u actual things that have happened not to me but to other people that i trust.
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[b said:
Quote[/b] ]So Dark Virtue, are you an athiest or agnostic?
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I am neither wholly atheist nor agnostic. (Note that the following definitions are not mine and have been gathered from a variety of sources to best explain their meanings.)

The term agnostic was coined by TH Huxley to define his beliefs. An agnostic is a person who doubts truth of religion and is uncertain of all claims to knowledge; someone that doesn't acknowledge a certain deity.

An atheist is someone who denies the existence of any and all gods and/or deities.

I prefer the term freethinker, which is defined as someone who speculates or forms opinions independently of the authority of others. A freethinker is one who thinks unbiassed by revelation or ecclesiastical canons, a person who forms opinions about religion on the basis of reason, independently of tradition, authority, or established belief.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Frag Boy! @ Sep. 18 2004,6:58)]AHEM FAITH CANNOT BE PROVEN!!*cough cough haccccccccck*
if you don't know that it doesn't exist then don't say it doesn't.
"it takes god to love god".
i could give u actual things that have happened not to me but to other people that i trust.
tounge.gif
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It's seriously time to change your bong water.

Look at the definition I posted, I already acknowledged that it can't be proven.

You say that God's existence can't be disproven and I would like you to acknowledge that God's existence can't be proven either. Faith only justifies your belief, it doesn't prove it.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Dark Virtue @ Sep. 19 2004,11:36)]
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]So Dark Virtue, are you an athiest or agnostic?
Click to expand...

I am neither wholly atheist nor agnostic.  (Note that the following definitions are not mine and have been gathered from a variety of sources to best explain their meanings.)

The term agnostic was coined by TH Huxley to define his beliefs.   An agnostic is a person who doubts truth of religion and is uncertain of all claims to knowledge; someone that doesn't acknowledge a certain deity.

An atheist is someone who denies the existence of any and all gods and/or deities.

I prefer the term freethinker, which is defined as someone who speculates or forms opinions independently of the authority of others.  A freethinker is one who thinks unbiassed by revelation or ecclesiastical canons, a person who forms opinions about religion on the basis of reason, independently of tradition, authority, or established belief.
Click to expand...
Actually I think the definition of atheism is a bit different than that. I do not believe that athiests claim to know for certain that there is not a god, but rather 'believe' that since the probability of such a god's existence is so small, actively entertaining that possibility is not logical. If you look the word up in a dictionary, it's going to say that atheists do not not believe in the existence of a god, but it's important to recognize the definition of the word 'belief.' But yeah, I prefer the term freethinker too.
 
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