Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Julian · 03-16-2006, 07:42 AM

I will wait a few posts before I contribute here. Half-life has a history of seeming reasonable and then switching to fundy mode in mid-thread. We'll see...

In the meantime, I will leave you all with this observation on rain:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack Handy

If a kid asks where rain comes from, I think a cute thing to tell him is "God is crying." And if he asks why God is crying, another cute thing to tell him is "Probably because of something you did."

Julian

Sheshbazzar · 03-16-2006, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Weimer

I think that was in the Quran somewhere.

Really that unacquainted with the Bible Chris?
Isaiah 30:21
And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This [is] the Way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

Roger Pearse · 03-16-2006, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mace Sin

We're taught all our lives that Christianity is 100% true...

An interesting comment. Is this generally true of the non-Christians in this group?

(Not to give a false impression; I was raised an agnostic/conformist, and that seems to be generally true of almost everyone I've ever met. But this may be a UK/US thing).

All the best,

Roger Pearse

Sheshbazzar · 03-16-2006, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sven

Well, it does not happen often that I defend literalists.

But Half-Life, it isn't that easy. Of course rain can be explained entirely naturally - but as a theist, one can still presume a god behind these natural processes, who directs them. So although a god isn't the direct cause of rain, he's still an indirect cause.

Which is essentialy what I was saying here, (omitting the "g" word)

Quote:

By Elohim are all things, in heaven and earth:
Remove Elohim, (as if such thing were possible) In whom we live, and move, and have our being, and by Whom and in Whom the worlds exist, and there would be no rain, no weather, no earth, no heavens, no reality nor time, and no men to be foolish anymore.

Julian · 03-16-2006, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roger Pearse

An interesting comment. Is this generally true of the non-Christians in this group?

(Not to give a false impression; I was raised an agnostic/conformist, and that seems to be generally true of almost everyone I've ever met. But this may be a UK/US thing).

Indeed. I was raised as an atheist (i.e. religion was never talked about) in a largely atheist country (Denmark) and all I knew of the bible was that it was a christian book about god and Jesus and that there was a crucifiction involved. Other than that I had no real idea of what it was nor whether it was considered 100% correct or not. Religion just never came up.

One guy in my school became a christian. We were all snickering at him and had no real idea of what it meant other than the occasional christian one would meet were considered borderline lunatics.

It wasn't until I moved to the US that the full force of religion hit me.

The western world is largely secular with the US being the big exception.

Julian

Amaleq13 · 03-16-2006, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roger Pearse

An interesting comment. Is this generally true of the non-Christians in this group?

Not for me. I was baptized and confirmed as a member of the Methodist Church but neither inerrancy nor literalism were taught.

mikem · 03-16-2006, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roger Pearse

An interesting comment. Is this generally true of the non-Christians in this group?

(Not to give a false impression; I was raised an agnostic/conformist, and that seems to be generally true of almost everyone I've ever met. But this may be a UK/US thing).

All the best,

Roger Pearse

Pretty much so. I was raised as a JW, thinking that both the Bible and the JW leadership were infallible. I then converted to evangelicalism in my teens, still thinking the bible was infallible, then in my mid 20s converted to a rather liberal Catholicism because I enjoyed the rituals,and considered myself a liberal Christian, and now in my mid 40s find I can no longer believe in God at all, much as I would like to.

Toto · 03-16-2006, 11:55 AM

I was raised as a liberal Methodist, but large parts of the US are Bible-believing Christians, who drive around with bumper stickers that say things like "God Said it in the Bible, I believe it, that's the end of the argument." This faction is so politically powerful that even liberal Christians have to say loudly "I believe in the Bible" and more softly "as a metaphor / guide to life / source of inspiration." To say anything else is akin to pointing out that the emperor is in fact naked.

It is considered especially important to brainwash kids, so even non-believers (like my father) send their children to Sunday School to have Biblical truth drilled into them. Otherwise how will they learn that sex is evil?

Seven Popes · 03-16-2006, 11:58 AM

http://www.iidb.org/vbb/showthread.php?t=157137&page=7
http://www.iidb.org/vbb/showthread.p...97#post3246897
OK Half-life, now please read some of the threads you started and tell us where you stand.

David B · 03-16-2006, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seven Popes

http://www.iidb.org/vbb/showthread.p...97#post3246897
OK Half-life, now please read some of the threads you started and tell us where you stand.

I think he must be a bit shell shocked at the moment.

He's doing very well!

Check out this one Especially post 38 onwards.http://www.iidb.org/vbb/showthread.php?t=157995

David B

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03-16-2006, 11:55 AM	#28
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	I was raised as a liberal Methodist, but large parts of the US are Bible-believing Christians, who drive around with bumper stickers that say things like "God Said it in the Bible, I believe it, that's the end of the argument." This faction is so politically powerful that even liberal Christians have to say loudly "I believe in the Bible" and more softly "as a metaphor / guide to life / source of inspiration." To say anything else is akin to pointing out that the emperor is in fact naked. It is considered especially important to brainwash kids, so even non-believers (like my father) send their children to Sunday School to have Biblical truth drilled into them. Otherwise how will they learn that sex is evil?

03-16-2006, 11:58 AM	#29
Seven Popes Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: South East. Posts: 56	http://www.iidb.org/vbb/showthread.php?t=157137&page=7 http://www.iidb.org/vbb/showthread.p...97#post3246897 OK Half-life, now please read some of the threads you started and tell us where you stand.

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