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I can see you believe that. Im asking for some clarification on when you think it does these things. Please try to answer the questions in the final paragraph of my previous post.Again, God owns everybody, He can do as He pleases with whomever He wants.
Okay. It seems clear from these responses and others that Christians find it perfectly acceptable for this unsubstantiated God of theirs to kill babies, children or anyone else it cares to because, as far as Christians are concerned, it can do whatever it likes and they have no problem with it.
Number one no one is innocent. No matter how young or old they are. We're all steeped in sin, born into rebellion against God. So forget this notion you have about innocence. It doesn't exist.It doesnt matter how young or seemingly innocent people are, if your God wants to kill them then you have no objection.
Dead in the flesh, absolutely they are. Dead in the spirit, not quite.In addition, you hold the groundless belief that they arent really dead anyway.
God isn't a man that gets bored and starts killing. There's purpose and plan to all of our lives. Including our deaths. That's far from the wanton killing you're trying to say happens. God doesn't kill whenever He feels like it. We're all predestined to die at some point.I dont think I understood before now the full implications of Christian beliefs. No only do you have no objection to it, but you actually revere and worship something you think kills people whenever it feels like it.
Hell.Im wondering what you consider to be death at the hands of this unsubstantiated God.
God isn't pleading with His people to choose life so that they never die a physical death, but He's instructing them to choose spiritual life which continues on forever.This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live
Matthew 10:29 should answer that question for you -Was it only people in stories in the Bible who were deliberately killed by your God or is it still killing people today?
Deuteronomy 32:39 further clarifies -Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.
So in simple terms, yes. God today still has complete and sovereign authority over every moment of our lives.See now that I myself am He!
There is no god besides me.
I put to death and I bring to life,
I have wounded and I will heal,
and no one can deliver out of my hand.
See my response above. Nothing dies except by the will of God. I don't pretend to understand how or why I just recognize His authority and sovereign right to do what He does.When people say things like, it was Gods will when a baby dies, is that true or are they just struggling to deal with the senseless death of a child? Did this God you worship really kill their baby?
Yes it is God who kills them.When people are killed through acts of God was it really your God that killed them or is that just an anachronistic euphemism? Outside the stories in the Bible, roughly how many people has this God you worship actually killed?
God is 100% responsible for giving life, and 100% responsible for putting to death.I put to death and I bring to life
Outside the stories in the Bible, roughly how many people has this God you worship actually killed?
I read all 5 pages and no one has even come close to answering the question
On the contrary, I am here to explore Christianity, which is conformance to and the practice of the Christian religion. Im not attacking your God. I dont even think it is real. Im asking questions about those aspects of the Christian faith that I find difficult to understand or accept. For example, why anyone would believe something for which there is no sound evidence and why people would worship something they know kills people for no discernable reason, as you said yourself.You're not "exploring Christianity" you're here to attack it, ourselves, and God.
You also said this:Nothing dies except by the will of God. I don't pretend to understand how or why I just recognize His authority and sovereign right to do what He does.
How can you know there is a purpose and plan? You said you dont understand why your God kills people so how can you possibly know it isnt just doing it whenever it feels like it? Is there anything in scripture that says how your God decides when to kill people? And dont tell me its when it thinks they are evil and wicked because youve already said that includes everyone from when they were born.There's purpose and plan to all of our lives. Including our deaths. That's far from the wanton killing you're trying to say happens. God doesn't kill whenever He feels like it.
So if everyone is evil and wicked from when they were born, how does your God decide when to kill them?Number one no one is innocent. No matter how young or old they are. We're all steeped in sin, born into rebellion against God. So forget this notion you have about innocence. It doesn't exist.
When people make vague, ridiculous or unproven statements, Im going to challenge them to clarify those statements. For example, you said this:That's pretty clear from reading your venomous responses to anything anyone says.
If you object to your God killing children then why do you worship it when it does so? Is it simply out of abject fear and servitude to this thing you think has absolute power over you?Of course we have objections when a child dies, but we also recognize the sovereign authority of God over all creation.
Prove it. Please prove beyond reasonable doubt that this is the truth. Begin by describing this spirit and proving that it is real. Then prove that it exists after someone is dead.Dead in the flesh, absolutely they are. Dead in the spirit, not quite.
You are stating these things as facts so please prove beyond reasonable doubt that any of that is the truth. Begin by proving beyond reasonable doubt that this God of yours is even real. Then prove that each of your statements is the truth.God isn't pleading with His people to choose life so that they never die a physical death, but He's instructing them to choose spiritual life which continues on forever.
So in simple terms, yes. God today still has complete and sovereign authority over every moment of our lives.
Nothing dies except by the will of God.
Yes it is God who kills them.
God is 100% responsible for giving life, and 100% responsible for putting to death.
On the contrary, I am here to explore Christianity, which is conformance to and the practice of the Christian religion. Im not attacking your God. I dont even think it is real. Im asking questions about those aspects of the Christian faith that I find difficult to understand or accept. For example, why anyone would believe something for which there is no sound evidence and why people would worship something they know kills people for no discernable reason, as you said yourself.
You also said this:
How can you know there is a purpose and plan? You said you dont understand why your God kills people so how can you possibly know it isnt just doing it whenever it feels like it? Is there anything in scripture that says how your God decides when to kill people? And dont tell me its when it thinks they are evil and wicked because youve already said that includes everyone from when they were born.
So if everyone is evil and wicked from when they were born, how does your God decide when to kill them?
When people make vague, ridiculous or unproven statements, Im going to challenge them to clarify those statements. For example, you said this:
If you object to your God killing children then why do you worship it when it does so? Is it simply out of abject fear and servitude to this thing you think has absolute power over you?
Prove it. Please prove beyond reasonable doubt that this is the truth. Begin by describing this spirit and proving that it is real. Then prove that it exists after someone is dead.
You are stating these things as facts so please prove beyond reasonable doubt that any of that is the truth. Begin by proving beyond reasonable doubt that this God of yours is even real. Then prove that each of your statements is the truth.
If you cant prove that any of these things is the truth or even that your God is real then why on Earth should you or anyone else believe in such a thing or worship it?
Show me thats the truth. Please prove beyond reasonable doubt that your God is even real, let alone a person. If you think it is a person then please tell me, is it male or female? What is its ethnic origin? How tall is it? How much does it weigh? What colour are its eyes, its skin and its hair? Have you ever actually met this God of yours or even seen a photo of it?God is not an "it". God is a sentient being. A person. A person superior in every possible way to any other person who has ever or will ever live. Respect that, even if you don't believe it.
Surely if your beliefs are the truth, you should be able to show that they are well founded. Can you do that?
Well-founded means based on excellent reasoning, information, judgment or grounds so lets see how your beliefs measure up.Christian beliefs are well founded because they are based upon what God himself teaches in the Bible
You stated these things as facts. Prove them. Please prove beyond reasonable doubt that either of those statements is the truth. First, you need to prove beyond reasonable doubt that your God is even real. Then prove that scripture was inspired by your God and that faith is a miraculous gift (rather than simple credulity).All scripture is given by inspiration of God
Faith in what the Bible teaches can come only by a miraculous gift from God
Well, if one can never intellectually prove that your beliefs are true then you are declaring that they arent based on excellent reasoning, information, judgment or grounds because, if they were, you would be able to intellectually prove them. In other words, they are not well-founded at all.God has purposely made it so that Christians can never intellectually "prove" to an unbeliever that what the Bible teaches is true
Show me thats the truth. Please prove beyond reasonable doubt that your God is even real, let alone a person. If you think it is a person then please tell me, is it male or female? What is its ethnic origin? How tall is it? How much does it weigh? What colour are its eyes, its skin and its hair? Have you ever actually met this God of yours or even seen a photo of it?
If your God is actually real then surely you could answer some of these questions. Are you going to answer any of these questions or simply evade them the way you evaded all the questions in my previous post? Why do Christians behave so evasively when asked to justify their beliefs? Surely if your beliefs are the truth, you should be able to show that they are well founded. Can you do that?
If what you say is sound then of course I will make an effort to follow your suggestion. Take note, however, that what you say must be sound. It must be free from error, fallacy or misapprehension. It must be logically valid and have true premises. You will need to demonstrate that whatever suggestions you make are the truth. If all you are going to suggest is that I read and credulously believe a compilation of mainly unverified stories written mostly by unknown authors or that I credulously believe some other patent nonsense then you may as well not bother making your suggestions.If I told you exactly what you need to do to see that God is a real person who you can meet would you do it? Would you make the effort and take the step? Can you do that? Will you do that?
If what you say is sound then of course I will make an effort to follow your suggestion. Take note, however, that what you say must be sound. It must be free from error, fallacy or misapprehension. It must be logically valid and have true premises. You will need to demonstrate that whatever suggestions you make are the truth. If all you are going to suggest is that I read and credulously believe a compilation of mainly unverified stories written mostly by unknown authors or that I credulously believe some other patent nonsense then you may as well not bother making your suggestions.
If what you say is not sound then I will take this as yet another transparent attempt to evade my questions, which you continue to do. So while you are making your suggestion, please also take the time to prove that there is any truth to your religious beliefs.
Well-founded means based on excellent reasoning, information, judgment or grounds so let’s see how your beliefs measure up.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God…
Faith in what the Bible teaches can come only by a miraculous gift from God…
You stated these things as facts. Prove them. Please prove beyond reasonable doubt that either of those statements is the truth. First, you need to prove beyond reasonable doubt that your God is even real. Then prove that scripture was inspired by your God and that faith is a miraculous gift (rather than simple credulity).
Well, if one can never intellectually prove that your beliefs are true then you are declaring that they aren’t based on excellent reasoning, information, judgment or grounds because, if they were, you would be able to intellectually prove them. In other words, they are not well-founded at all.
Can you show me that your beliefs are the truth?
For the purposes of determining whether something is the truth, the only evidence worth considering is sound, objective evidence. Testimonials and anecdotes are far from being sound evidence and they are certainly not objective.So my guess is that for the purpose of Christianity the ONLY type of evidence you believe acceptable is going to be statistical and possibly analogical evidence?
I don't picture you as the type who puts any stock in testimonial or anecdotal evidence. At least not when it comes to something as important as your eternity.
Your profile shows you as being 35, but if you are really 35 then you should be able to do better than to spout baseless assertions and patent nonsense when asked to prove something beyond reasonable doubt. I challenge you to demonstrate that any of that nonsense is the truth. Why waste my time and yours with this ridiculous and worthless tripe?God can measure the universe by the span of his hand
God can hold all of [the Earths water] in the cup of one hand
God can put all the dust of the earth into a basket and carry it
God is spirit so God has no gender as far as genetillia goes.
God however is male
[Gods eyes] are like blazing fire, or flaming torches is you prefer
[Gods hair] is white, pure white. Whiter than wool or even the purest snow. And no it isn't to due with Him being an old man on a cloud. It represents His purity and holiness
[Gods skin] is white. Pure white
Now why would you say something like that? You dont really expect any reasonable person to believe that, do you? Why would you use the word met in such a misleading way? You claimed your God is a person so when I asked you if you had ever actually met your God or seen a photo of it, it should have been obvious that I meant as you would meet or see the photo of another person. Yet here you are spouting nonsense about your God not being a person at all, but instead a spirit that is larger than the entire universe. Aside from that, how do you propose demonstrating that your claim to have met your God is the truth?And yes I've met this God of mine.
I find it difficult to believe that these figures you have given are true. But in any case, there is a simple and mundane answer to all these questions. I think the most likely and plausible explanation for people converting to Christianity (or any religion, for that matter) is that they are insecure and credulous. I think fear and anxiety are the emotions that drive religious believers to seek the comforting answers that religions provide and credulity is the intellectual deficiency that allows the religious to believe those answers without a scrap of sound, objective evidence to support them.How exactly do you explain 6 million muslims converting to Christianity each year? I'm not talking about westernized muslims but muslims who face being put to death for converting to Christianity.
How exactly do you explain 3,000 people daily converting to Christianity in China? Again, not a friendly place that is all inclusive when it comes to any faith and there is great persecution in China against Christians.
If there's nothing to God, nothing to Christianity what possible reason could there be to cause mass numbers of people to convert for no good reason?
Then why should anyone believe them? Faith, in this context, is nothing more than credulity misrepresented as a virtue.No. Only God can do that by his miraculous gift of faith.3sigma said:Can you show me that your beliefs are the truth?
So you are suggesting we put aside reason and logic and simply believe a compilation of nonsense in mainly unverified stories written mostly by unknown authors. In other words, people must be highly credulous to hold your religious beliefs. If no one can demonstrate that your religious beliefs are the truth then why should anyone believe them? Why should anyone worship a God that no one can show is real?We must be willing to put aside our merely human ways of thinking, and through God's Word the Bible come to know how God himself thinks
Ample proof is all around you--there are no opened-eyed sceptics. If i knew nothing else about God, Mother Teresa and her work--and there is no atheistic equivelant--are perfect proof that there IS a loving God and He IS very much alive and well.If no one can demonstrate that your religious beliefs are the truth then why should anyone believe them?
Because the contrary--the "world" envisioned by such renouned atheists as Joseph Stalin, Chairman Mao, Pol Pot, Kim Jong-il, etc.--is too terrible to contemplate.Why should anyone worship a God that no one can show is real?