my dog earl

This may seem like a dumb question, but I have started to ask myself why I defend free thinking and why I would want to expose the bible and religion as pure fiction. When asked what my agenda is I stop and scratch my head. Why is it important to make believers see our light? The ones I know aren't blatantly shoving their faith down anyone's throat and yet I feel so strongly opposed to their way of teaching/thinking.

Is anyone else having trouble defining what their own agenda on free thinking is? Why should the "enlightened" deconvert? Why would they be better off without a god?

Yellum Notnef

Maybe it's because religious teaching/thinking has a long track record of causing people to do stupid shit?

That reason alone is enough to make me concerned.

lpetrich

To set the record straight, if nothing else.

sullster

You know, you bring up a great issue. Sometimes I look at my anger at religious illusion and theism and wonder why I get so riled up at times. After all, I don't get enraged when I see a horoscope in the newspaper or when I go past a place where tarrot cards are read.

Why can't I always drive past the local fundy church with the obnoxious sign in front, without occasionally giving the finger? Does it really matter that all those cars parked at the church on Sunday brought people there who are really in another reality from me?

It must be some feeling of dread. Are there some nagging neurons firing a message that the theists may be right after all and we have to clutch at our free-thought? Is it because all of us have encountered the self-centered irrational nonsense of theism and feel great anxiety over its effects on the world and us?

I don't know all the answers, but when I can drive by a fundy church and have no more or less reaction than passing a fortune teller or a horoscope reader, I will consider myself in the proper relation to superstitious illusion.

Magus55

So does "free thinking" and setting your own standards.

Queen of Swords

Magus, there was a question asked on another thread which you might have overlooked. You said,

And I asked,

Perhaps you could answer this now?

Magus55

Why do you ask me these kind of questions? The soul may be able to kneel because its a spiritual manifestation of the body. I don't know how it works, and its a minor detail for those who aren't saved. All i know for a fact is those saved by Jesus who go to Heaven will get new, perfect, incorruptable bodies that defy the material universes laws ( i.e walk through walls, appear anywhere instantly etc).

Queen of Swords

Originally posted by Magus55
Why do you ask me these kind of questions?

Because you may be able to give a good answer and thereby save my soul from the burning torments of hell your god has prepared for me?

The soul may be able to kneel because its a spiritual manifestation of the body.

Do you mean that the soul is physically exactly like the body, or do you mean that the soul is kind of body-shaped but without the fine details like internal organs?

I don't know how it works,

Is there any way you could find out, eg. reading your bible, asking your pastor, praying for guidance?

and its a minor detail for those who aren't saved.

Well, you know what they say - the devil is in the details!

Seriously, though, I don't consider this a minor detail, and I'm sure you don't speak for everyone unsaved on the subject.

All i know for a fact is those saved by Jesus who go to Heaven will get new, perfect, incorruptable bodies that defy the material universes laws ( i.e walk through walls, appear anywhere instantly etc).

Could you provide some biblical justification for this?

Yellum Notnef

No kidding. People do enough stupid shit already without any need for your ancient manual of stupidity. Why add to the problem?

Kintaro

People do enough stupid shit already without any need for your ancient manual of stupidity. Why add to the problem?