Shopping & Style15 mins ago
Why Don’t The Religious Ask Why?
178 Answers
Pondering the posts here, Goodlife quotes from The Watchtower or his preferred version of the bible, Theland quotes from anything that agrees with his own views at any given time (even the much despised Billy Graham organisation if it suits the purpose), Khandro quotes philosophers and those he regards as men of wisdom… and so on… but not one of them ever appears to have an independent thought. They accept it all ‘religiously’ without ever asking ‘Why?’
Why, for example, if God is, as we’re led to believe, omniscient/omnipotent/omnipresent, did he err? Why, if he knew what the outcome would be, did he create man and then regret it? Why (as Idiosyncrasy claimed the other day).did God give Satan permission to rule the earth when that sort of rule wasn’t what God wanted at all? To me none of it makes sense - so it makes sense to ask ‘Why?’ ... doesn’t it?
Why don’t you?
Why, for example, if God is, as we’re led to believe, omniscient/omnipotent/omnipresent, did he err? Why, if he knew what the outcome would be, did he create man and then regret it? Why (as Idiosyncrasy claimed the other day).did God give Satan permission to rule the earth when that sort of rule wasn’t what God wanted at all? To me none of it makes sense - so it makes sense to ask ‘Why?’ ... doesn’t it?
Why don’t you?
Answers
I did ask why to a few things many years ago as a teenager that went to CoE sometimes with my friends family, and all the answers I received both in books and from people didn't pass my own personal smell test so I just quietly stopped going. However it should be said that religion wasn't a large part of my life or identity, I had plenty of more enjoyable activities...
22:03 Mon 12th Oct 2020
Theland - // Hans - Because like you I only have 24 hours in my day, and do you know what?
I really don't give a toss what you think!
You are quite typical. A NITPICKER!
Get over yourself!
Oh hang on!
Just to please you I could use my valuable time to placate you?
Again! Get over yourself. You are not important.
Correction, you are less important than that. //
See yourself reflected - finally.
I really don't give a toss what you think!
You are quite typical. A NITPICKER!
Get over yourself!
Oh hang on!
Just to please you I could use my valuable time to placate you?
Again! Get over yourself. You are not important.
Correction, you are less important than that. //
See yourself reflected - finally.
A-H....A good response to a supposed kind hearted Christian.!!
Theland.....Do you really know what is a nitpicker. It is someone concerned with or find fault with insignificant details.(Dictionary definition)
Please therefore tell me what insignificant details of your responses to which I have made reference. Oh, I must realise that you only have 24hrs a day in which to start a thread which doesn't really give you time to stay with it to completion. Perhaps, I shouldn't draw attention to such issues as I do. when you are so busy preparing for your place in heaven.
Hans.
Theland.....Do you really know what is a nitpicker. It is someone concerned with or find fault with insignificant details.(Dictionary definition)
Please therefore tell me what insignificant details of your responses to which I have made reference. Oh, I must realise that you only have 24hrs a day in which to start a thread which doesn't really give you time to stay with it to completion. Perhaps, I shouldn't draw attention to such issues as I do. when you are so busy preparing for your place in heaven.
Hans.
I believe God created us out of love. Yes he must have known we would mess up but He already had a plan for our salvation which had been worked out in eternity.
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Created us out of love?
Did he also enjoy creating cancer, paedophiles and insects, the sole purpose of which is to burrow into children’s eyes?
What perverse, sick and twisted entity would ‘create’ such devastation and misery?
Religious people freak me out if I’m honest, always have, always will but particularly those with a blind fervour.
—————-
Created us out of love?
Did he also enjoy creating cancer, paedophiles and insects, the sole purpose of which is to burrow into children’s eyes?
What perverse, sick and twisted entity would ‘create’ such devastation and misery?
Religious people freak me out if I’m honest, always have, always will but particularly those with a blind fervour.
ChillDoubt..... I agree with you.
It's now time for me to retire, to bed that is, I finished employment a long time ago.
I shall be back tomorrow morning to see if our God fearing friend is back with any further remarks. It will surprise me if he is, because most of the time he scarpers from a thread (even his own threads) then starts another one of religious ridiculousness.
Goodnight all.
Hans.
It's now time for me to retire, to bed that is, I finished employment a long time ago.
I shall be back tomorrow morning to see if our God fearing friend is back with any further remarks. It will surprise me if he is, because most of the time he scarpers from a thread (even his own threads) then starts another one of religious ridiculousness.
Goodnight all.
Hans.
And so to the question.
Why did God err?
You assumed He erred? Did He? I think not.
I think He created Man with the capacity to freely love in obedience, but that came with the built in choice to err on the side of selfishness.
No, God knew /knows exactly what He is doing when he relinquishes power to the mere creation that is human.
A great risk? Yes, some will pursue the short term glory of the here and now, wealth, power, status, hedonism, and trade this in to forget about God.
Others will forego the earthly pleasures, and remembering their Creator, believe in Him and His promises, and love Him.
And oh what love this is.
This is the tenuous love so fragile, so threatened, but so pure, dependent not on comfort and joy today, but on the truth of the promise that although this present life may be tough even to the point of suffering and death, this love surpasses the grave, and the eternal life promised can be tasted right now, in this life, through the power of the Holy Spirit, the mysterious but real counsellor and comforter, who does not alleviate our suffering, but stands with us through all travails, whether physical or mental hardship, financial or material problems, family or relationship traumas, and let's us know we are not suffering alone.
Why did God err?
You assumed He erred? Did He? I think not.
I think He created Man with the capacity to freely love in obedience, but that came with the built in choice to err on the side of selfishness.
No, God knew /knows exactly what He is doing when he relinquishes power to the mere creation that is human.
A great risk? Yes, some will pursue the short term glory of the here and now, wealth, power, status, hedonism, and trade this in to forget about God.
Others will forego the earthly pleasures, and remembering their Creator, believe in Him and His promises, and love Him.
And oh what love this is.
This is the tenuous love so fragile, so threatened, but so pure, dependent not on comfort and joy today, but on the truth of the promise that although this present life may be tough even to the point of suffering and death, this love surpasses the grave, and the eternal life promised can be tasted right now, in this life, through the power of the Holy Spirit, the mysterious but real counsellor and comforter, who does not alleviate our suffering, but stands with us through all travails, whether physical or mental hardship, financial or material problems, family or relationship traumas, and let's us know we are not suffering alone.
I shall with your permission and that of the other atheists, concentrate on this thread.
To bounce around responding to calls of dodger, flouncer, etcetcetc is exhausting and frustrating for me.
No sooner do I attempt to answer a point and along comes the speed reader, with his list of gods, his talking snake, and his less than superficial rendering of scripture.
Poor chap.
But you get the idea.
This could be a good discussion if we reference our comments and refrain from the authority of mere opinion.
To bounce around responding to calls of dodger, flouncer, etcetcetc is exhausting and frustrating for me.
No sooner do I attempt to answer a point and along comes the speed reader, with his list of gods, his talking snake, and his less than superficial rendering of scripture.
Poor chap.
But you get the idea.
This could be a good discussion if we reference our comments and refrain from the authority of mere opinion.
Is it not better to say, this is now, this is where we are, what are we going to do do about it?
Personally, I never accept anything, '' religiously,'' as you put it, (I am not religious), but question everything.
I do not go along with blind faith, but faith well grounded in facts, to such an extent I could never deny it, difficult as it gets at times, especially when under attack.
Personally, I never accept anything, '' religiously,'' as you put it, (I am not religious), but question everything.
I do not go along with blind faith, but faith well grounded in facts, to such an extent I could never deny it, difficult as it gets at times, especially when under attack.
Theland, //You assumed He erred? Did He? I think not.//
No assumption. He told us he made a mistake. He told us he regretted his action. Why don’t you believe it?
I’ll ignore the rest of that post. Preaching is surplus to requirements on this thread - as are your beliefs.
Your second post I’ll skip - also irrelevant.
On to your third.
//To know the mind of God is a bit presumptions don't you think?//
As I told someone else earlier in the thread, this isn’t about the mind of God - it’s about your mind. The fact is I read the bible and it tells me a good deal about God’s mind. He demanded adoration and was jealous, vengeful, and cruel. Why don’t you believe it?
//Do we really need to speculate on the why's and wherefores of Satan's fall from grace before we assess our own predicament?//
We’re not speculating on anything - or imagining anything. This is a simple exercise in acknowledging facts - albeit facts that prove uncomfortable to those who would rather they did not exist.
//(I am not religious), but question everything….I do not go along with blind faith//
The first bit must be one of your little jokes - second and third simply not true. You question nothing, and you refuse to acknowledge the clear conflict between what you choose to believe and what the book actually says. That is blind faith.
No assumption. He told us he made a mistake. He told us he regretted his action. Why don’t you believe it?
I’ll ignore the rest of that post. Preaching is surplus to requirements on this thread - as are your beliefs.
Your second post I’ll skip - also irrelevant.
On to your third.
//To know the mind of God is a bit presumptions don't you think?//
As I told someone else earlier in the thread, this isn’t about the mind of God - it’s about your mind. The fact is I read the bible and it tells me a good deal about God’s mind. He demanded adoration and was jealous, vengeful, and cruel. Why don’t you believe it?
//Do we really need to speculate on the why's and wherefores of Satan's fall from grace before we assess our own predicament?//
We’re not speculating on anything - or imagining anything. This is a simple exercise in acknowledging facts - albeit facts that prove uncomfortable to those who would rather they did not exist.
//(I am not religious), but question everything….I do not go along with blind faith//
The first bit must be one of your little jokes - second and third simply not true. You question nothing, and you refuse to acknowledge the clear conflict between what you choose to believe and what the book actually says. That is blind faith.
Theland.....I refer to your posting at 03:43am today.
My reply to your 1st sentence:-
This is Not my thread so I am ignoring your preference to stay here, rather than complete threads which you started but left unfinished.
2nd:-
You are a dodger because Khandro is trying to give you support in a thread you started but left unfinished. ... 'Make me an Atheist'.
3rd:-
I know to whom you are making reference and I would place his knowledge and understanding of the Bible, far in excess of yours.
Incidentally, he hasn't got a talking snake. For clarification that's in the Garden of Eden on which you avoid questions.
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I am ignoring your earlier posting (03.31am) as I have a feeling that they are not thoughts and or opinions of your own but possibly a copy and paste job.
Hans.
My reply to your 1st sentence:-
This is Not my thread so I am ignoring your preference to stay here, rather than complete threads which you started but left unfinished.
2nd:-
You are a dodger because Khandro is trying to give you support in a thread you started but left unfinished. ... 'Make me an Atheist'.
3rd:-
I know to whom you are making reference and I would place his knowledge and understanding of the Bible, far in excess of yours.
Incidentally, he hasn't got a talking snake. For clarification that's in the Garden of Eden on which you avoid questions.
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I am ignoring your earlier posting (03.31am) as I have a feeling that they are not thoughts and or opinions of your own but possibly a copy and paste job.
Hans.