placebo

I have trouble understanding how people with an IQ above 80 can believe in the fairy tale known as Christianity. This is not to single out Christians, it's just that they are predominant in the world I live. I've read and participated in most of the arguments such as God as First Cause, Argument From Design, Moral Arguments, and Pascal's Wager. Arguing these topics can be frustrating, and I think they give unwarranted credibility to Christianity and disguise the fact that it is just plain silly. Instead, I would like to focus on the absurdity of Christianity. Things that no sane person has experienced in their earthly lives. Who has ever come across a talking snake? Or seen anyone but a magician turn water into wine? In this regard I would like the board's help in compiling an extensive list of non-sensical Christian beliefs and events that even a Caveman can see are silly. If such a list already exists I would appreciate directions to it. If not I'll get it started (with sources):

(1) Talking snake in Garden of Eden (Genesis 3)
(2) Jesus turns water into wine (John 2)
(3) Jonah survives 3 days in the belly of a whale (Jonah 1-2)

aa5874

(4) A ghost and a woman had a child that was crucified. See gMatthew1&27 and gLuke 2&23.

chieftain

Not just a woman, a virgin.

(5) Ghost-virgin's child was actually God, who sacrificed himself to himself for most of a weekend in order to save humanity from a rule he had himself imposed after their ancestors ate a piece of fruit.

PopeChuck1

Please give me permission to post on this thread so I won't be banned for doing so by the Mod's. What are the specific guidelines to post here.:notworthy:

Clouseau

The talking donkey in Numbers 22 is better. That was supposed to be miraculous, unlike the snake, which is obviously part of an allegory (except in the Dark Continent, of course).

The point of this miracle, along with others, is that it is evidence for deity. Of course, if one stamps one's foot, closes one's mind and insists that deity cannot exist, then of course it won't make sense.

This one may be allegory, may be miracle. It doesn't matter which.

VoxRat

And if one omits the foot stamping, etc., how does it then make sense?

As "evidence" goes, I'm not impressed. Zeus, Thor etc. were said to have done equally, if not more, "miraculous" tricks. All equally credible.

Amaleq13

They are the ones you agreed to follow when you joined.

Didn't actually read them when you agreed to follow them? Tsk, tsk

Review them now and save yourself some trouble

lpetrich

Especially as they often reject out of hand the fairy tales of religions other than theirs.

Amaleq13

IQ is essentially irrelevant to issues of faith.

Keith&Co.

How about just before that? A crew prays to their various gods and throw lots to see who is the cause of their peril...and it works.

Note, they didn't draw lots to see who's to be sacrificed, they threw them for divine guidance.