Do you believe in God

That's really not true.

 

Good points, Twoback, and to an extent, Printdust, although I'd argue them on two levels.

1) You're saying it's up to people to believe what they need to but they don't have to believe it all. That's essentially saying people have the right to reject what they don't agree with from the Bible but to believe other parts which are more convenient. Logically, then, shouldn't I be able to reject the Biblical precept that homosexuality is a sin since it's a part of the Bible I believe to be wrong? I've always espoused such a belief, that we have to pick and choose when developing our relationship with God, but this very belief has always been roundly condemned by mainstream Christianity.

2) The idea that "that God has revealed himself "through creation" as to leave men without excuse," is almost laughable in its incorrectness. The idea of our Christian God as THE supreme being is not a universal concept despite what the Bible says. To think all of creation should intuitively know that because they're alive and because we were created that God therefore exists is a precarious and dangerous leap of logic. And it also presupposes that there's not already another prevalent religion in place.

BuckDub's point is incredibly well phrased. Am I more blessed, therefore more likely to end up in Heaven simply because I was born to Christian parents in a land where Christianity is the dominant religion? How is that even fair to someone born deep in the heart of a land that's entirely Hindu and virtually devoid of Christianity? Is God really that capricious? Is he really seeding us all according to blessing? That then implies that God is setting up some for failure which would be impossible to overcome.

I believe in God, but I also believe there has to be more to it than what we're seeing in the Bible. Such a narrow -- and yes it is narrow because it simply doesn't speak of wiggle room as others have suggested -- view would suggest a God who is hard to please, and I refuse to believe that he would want to make it so difficult for people to accept his existence and have faith. That bespeaks more of a prankster than a loving deity.

 

I'm going to quote myself here since it has never been answered or addressed. I figure that if Alma is able to throw out absurd qualifiers forcing individuals to justify their lack of belief. I guess I might as well believe in The Flying Spaghetti Monster as it is an equally justified belief to Christianity.

 

Unfortunately, you know damn well that Horny would kick the Flying Spaghetti Monster's ass.

Praise be to her.

 

But how about BBJ?

 

Her only begotten son.

All those who believe in him shall not perish, but have Pittsburgh in the playoffs, forever and ever, Amen.

 

Dominus Pitts Probiscus, Penguinia Steelarium Pirateses!

 

Which God?

Allah

Jesus Christ

Larry Bird

 

Larry Bird cannot be God.

Can you imagine if people were all created in his image?

 

Mark Messier?

Sarah Chalke?

 

I'm simply holding atheists to their convictions. The way I see it...if you want to deny the existence of any god, you actually have to know which gods you're denying exist.

Crazy, I know.

 

Alma, I'm sorry, but it isn't crazy. Read me out here for a moment...

If I deny that ghosts exist.
If I deny that magic exists.
If I deny that praying produces results.
If I deny the concept of luck.
If I choose to deny theories that exist without any factual basis.
Why is it that I must go and search out all god concepts to deny them? Why can I not just say "it is all mythology?"

If I deny that a man pulling a rabbit out of his hat is real magic, why do I need proof? Must I watch all magicians perform the same trick to deny that they all have magic powers?