I'm an atheist now!

[LittleLambofJesus]

i don't know karate, but i know crazy....James Brown

I wished i did things different, but spilled milk can be cleaned up.

I agree with you

Milk does the "body" good

Blue Letter Bible - Search Results for KJV
(milk)
occurs 48 times in 48 verses in the KJV

http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G1051&t=KJV

Last time used in Bible

Young) 1 Peter 2:2 as new-born babes the word's pure milk desire ye, that in it ye may grow,

 

[Asvin]

Can anyone explain this to me?

The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly. Exodus, Chapter 14, Verse 8

god has supposedly granted us free will and wouldn't interfere with that... then why would he harden the pharaoh's heart?

 

[b&wpac7]

god has supposedly granted us free will and wouldn't interfere with that... then why would he harden the pharaoh's heart?

I've heard it explained that the Pharaoh had already made the decision, but God sort of pressed it in him more.

 

[Asvin]

I've heard it explained that the Pharaoh had already made the decision, but God sort of pressed it in him more.

It still violates free will don't you think?

 

[b&wpac7]

It still violates free will don't you think?

Perhaps. Doesn't really bother me.

 

[SithDoughnut]

Asvin, out of interest, have you told people like your family/friends about your "conversion"?

 

[Asvin]

Asvin, out of interest, have you told people like your family/friends about your "conversion"?

Not yet... I don't mind telling my friends, but I know how my family would react.. I'm just waiting for a good time!

 

[b&wpac7]

Also, Asvin, I always approach the Bible with the question "What can I learn from this?" not "Did this really happen?"

I don't care about the second one nearly as much as the first.

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

Can anyone explain this to me?

The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly. Exodus, Chapter 14, Verse 8

god has supposedly granted us free will and wouldn't interfere with that... then why would he harden the pharaoh's heart?

Good question

I can only really answer that from the New Testament perspective.
Just as YHVH used Moses to harden the hearts of Pharoah and the Egyptians, so did YHVH use Jesus to harden the hearts of the corrupt murderous Judean rulers He confronted.
Not sure I can really explain it on this thread tho ....Thoughts?

Exodus 4:21 And YHVH saith unto Moses, 'when thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand
And I shall harden his heart and he shall not let the people go'.

Mark 3:5 And looking about them with wrath, together-sorrowing on the hardness/pwrwsei <4457> of their heart, He is saying to the man, "Stretch forth thy hand"!
And he stretches out it and his hand was restored as the other.

Romans 11:25 For not I am willing ye to being ignorant brothers of the mystery, the-this, that no ye may be beside yourselves wise.
That a hardening/pwrwsiV <4457> from part to-the Israel has become until which the filling of-the Nations may be entering;

The greek word used for "pharisee" is interesting, because it appears to use the same word as "pharoah" in it.

5330. Pharisaios of Hebrew origin (c a separatist, i.e. exclusively religious; a Pharisean, i.e. Jewish sectary:--Pharisee.
5328. Pharao far-ah-o' of foreign origin (6547); Pharao (i.e. Pharoh), an Egyptian king:--Pharaoh.
2447. ios ee-os' perhaps from eimi (to go) or hiemi (to send); rust (as if emitted by metals); also venom (as emitted by serpents):--poison, rust. AV - poison 2, rust 1; 3

 

[godisreal36]

God to me is real, not some fake God to be mocked. Hell is real, and God says you will go there without Jesus. Your friends cannot stop Gods will. Only Jesus can save from hell. God loves you and does not wish you harm.

 

[Asvin]

God to me is real, not some fake God to be mocked. Hell is real, and God says you will go there without Jesus. Your friends cannot stop Gods will. Only Jesus can save from hell. God loves you and does not wish you harm.

That all sounds good to me if it were true..
Can you please answer my question?

 

[Asvin]

How about this?

God threatens to kill Abimelech and his people for believing Abe's lie. 20:3-7 (Genesis)

Seems to me like he wants us to believe he can do whatever he wants whenever he feels like, but also wants us to believe at the same time that he is eternally loving!

 

[SithDoughnut]

God to me is real, not some fake God to be mocked. Hell is real, and God says you will go there without Jesus. Your friends cannot stop Gods will. Only Jesus can save from hell. God loves you and does not wish you harm.

... but he'll send you to hell anyway.

 

[godisreal36]

Yes atheist pose many questions about the bible. Is it possible that Gods word is more than we can comprehend in a lifetime let alone the short period you describe? Possibly only God can answer some questions and you only need to give him more time to answer? After all, he is patient with us and asks the same in return.

 

[godisreal36]

And you also

 

[b&wpac7]

Seems to me like he wants us to believe he can do whatever he wants whenever he feels like, but also wants us to believe at the same time that he is eternally loving!

Rabbi Joshua Heschel proposed the idea that:
that the prophetic view of God is best understood not as anthropomorphic but rather as anthropopathic — that God has human feelings.


I'm not exactly certain in the Tanakh is God is seen as eternally loving in the sense you mean.

 

[SithDoughnut]

How about this?

God threatens to kill Abimelech and his people for believing Abe's lie. 20:3-7 (Genesis)

Seems to me like he wants us to believe he can do whatever he wants whenever he feels like, but also wants us to believe at the same time that he is eternally loving!

To be fair, God doesn't really say that he is omnibenevolent. Nor does he really say what you need to do to go to hell, as far as I am aware.

The Bible becomes a lot more logical if you read it like the Earth is in the middle of a spiritual warzone because of either some mistakes God made early on, or events that God could not control, which led to a rebellion that God is now trying to control. God becomes the leader of one side, who likes humans, but will get rid of them if they get in his way. Jesus becomes a final warning/war propaganda. The OT is all about full on physical warfare, whereas in the NT the war has switched to something more subtle and behind the scenes. The war itself is largely fought on Earth, and it's all about numbers - hence evangelism and Satan deceiving everyone and so on. It all makes more sense. It doesn't become any more believable, but it's more entertaining to read. Especially because then it doesn't become a boring story about good vs evil.

 

[Asvin]

Rabbi Joshua Heschel proposed the idea that:
that the prophetic view of God is best understood not as anthropomorphic but rather as anthropopathic — that God has human feelings.


I'm not exactly certain in the Tanakh is God is seen as eternally loving in the sense you mean.

God has human feelings, yet he is somehow better than us? If god has human feelings, he would know the frustration of some of us atheists about his "hide and seek" style of "plan" and why wouldn't he reveal himself to us in a more obvious way..

I'm sure if he gathers everyone on this planet at a spot and reveals himself to us in a way that everyone would believe, then the world would be a much better place!

 

[b&wpac7]

The Bible becomes a lot more logical if you read it like the Earth is in the middle of a spiritual warzone because of some mistakes God made early on. God becomes the leader of one side, who likes humans, but will get rid of them if they get in his way. Jesus becomes a final warning/war propaganda. The OT is all about full on physical warfare, whereas in the NT the war has switched to something more subtle and behind the scenes. It all makes more sense. It doesn't become any more believable, but it's more entertaining to read.

Well, I disagree for obvious reasons but it's an interesting take.

 

[b&wpac7]

God has human feelings, yet he is somehow better than us? If god has human feelings, he would know the frustration of some of us atheists about his "hide and seek" style of "plan" and why wouldn't he reveal himself to us in a more obvious way..

I'm sure if he gathers everyone on this planet at a spot and reveals himself to us in a way that everyone would believe, then the world would be a much better place!

What plan do you speak of?