Could you be wrong?

[Madcoil]

I'm under attack by giant savage completely invisible space aliens. That you can't touch.

Their princess wants to marry me and carry me to her castle in the sky, from where we will rain terror and canned sausages, but mostly terror, on the ignorant public.

They are real. You can't prove that they don't exist, because I know they do.

 

[Quijote]

I'm under attack by giant savage completely invisible space aliens. That you can't touch.

Their princess wants to marry me and carry me to her castle in the sky, from where we will rain terror and canned sausages, but mostly terror, on the ignorant public.

They are real. You can't prove that they don't exist, because I know they do.

lol,

I would look for some good meds.....or perhaps lowering the dose of the current ones

cheers

 

[rkymtnjesusfreak]

No, I don't think that I could be wrong. Too many things have happened in my life through direct prayer and service to God that I know He is there. That doesn't make me perfect or right all of the time (lots of times I am wrong or do wrong things and I know I am NEVER PERFECT), and that's why I need Him. I just see it as a blessing that He has given me that peace and unshakeable belief.

 

[Zaac]

This is addressed to all theists, particularly Christians:

Is it possible that all your religious beliefs - that there is a god, that Jesus was his son, and so forth - are wrong? Is it possible that there is actually no god?

It's not an issue of CHRISTIANS being right. It never has been. It's an issue of Jesus Christ being right and people's rejection of HIM, not us.

 

[Madcoil]

It's hard to argue with a dead man who may not have existed.

 

[Zaac]

It's hard to argue with a dead man who may not have existed.

It's had to argue with a live man indwelled by the Holy Spirit that is triuned with this man you believe may not have ever existed.

Truth is not argued. Opinions are.

 

[BarbB]

Wow, I add 3 people to my buddy list on this thread! Sorry, zaac, you were already on it!

In answer to the OP: No, it's not possible.

 

[merryjig]

i don't understand how anyone can claim that there is no possibility of their religious|beliefs being wrong

im an atheist, i believe that there is no god, but accept the possibility(however small) that i am wrong an there is one

 

[Madcoil]

It's had to argue with a live man indwelled by the Holy Spirit that is triuned with this man you believe may not have ever existed.

Truth is not argued. Opinions are.

It is not disbelief in his existence. It is doubt in his existence. Anything else would be illogical.

 

[Quijote]

i don't understand how anyone can claim that there is no possibility of their religious|beliefs being wrong

im an atheist, i believe that there is no god, but accept the possibility(however small) that i am wrong an there is one

lol, because we are good Christians and you are a bad atheist?

cheers

 

[Quijote]

It's hard to argue with a dead man who may not have existed.

There are ealry Pagan, Jewish and Christian sources that talk about Jesus

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08375a.htm

Excerpt:



A. Tacitus

We possess at least the testimony of Tacitus (A.D. 54-119) for the statements that the Founder of the Christian religion, a deadly superstition in the eyes of the Romans, had been put to death by the procurator Pontius Pilate under the reign of Tiberius; that His religion, though suppressed for a time, broke forth again not only throughout Judea where it had originated, but even in Rome, the conflux of all the streams of wickness and shamelessness; furthermore, that Nero had diverted from himself the suspicion of the burning of Rome by charging the Christians with the crime; that these latter were not guilty of arson, though they deserved their fate on account of their universal misanthropy. Tacitus, moreover, describes some of the horrible torments to which Nero subjected the Christians (Ann., XV, xliv). The Roman writer confounds the Christians with the Jews, considering them as a especially abject Jewish sect; how little he investigated the historical truth of even the Jewish records may be inferred from the credulity with which he accepted the absurd legends and calumnies about the origin of he Hebrew people (Hist., V, iii, iv).

B. Suetonius

Another Roman writer who shows his acquaintance with Christ and the Christians is Suetonius (A.D. 75-160). It has been noted that Suetonius considered Christ (Chrestus) as a Roman insurgent who stirred up seditions under the reign of Claudius (A.D. 41-54): "Judaeos, impulsore Chresto, assidue tumultuantes (Claudius) Roma expulit" (Clau., xxv). In his life of Nero he regards that emperor as a public benefactor on account of his severe treatment of the Christians: "Multa sub eo et animadversa severe, et coercita, nec minus instituta . . . . afflicti Christiani, genus hominum superstitious novae et maleficae" (Nero, xvi). The Roman writer does not understand that the Jewish troubles arose from the Jewish antagonism to the Messianic character of Jesus Christ and to the rights of the Christian Church.

C. Pliny the Younger Of greater importance is the letter of Pliny the Younger to the Emperor Trajan (about A.D. 61-115), in which the Governor of Bithynia consults his imperial majesty as to how to deal with the Christians living within his jurisdiction. On the one hand, their lives were confessedly innocent; no crime could be proved against them excepting their Christian belief, which appeared to the Roman as an extravagant and perverse superstition. On the other hand, the Christians could not be shaken in their allegiance to Christ, Whom they celebrated as their God in their early morning meetings (Ep., X, 97, 98). Christianity here appears no longer as a religion of criminals, as it does in the texts of Tacitus and Suetonius; Pliny acknowledges the high moral principles of the Christians, admires their constancy in the Faith (pervicacia et inflexibilis obstinatio), which he appears to trace back to their worship of Christ (carmenque Christo, quasi Deo, dicere).


All right...did not mean to hijack the thread

cheers

 

[DJ_Ghost]

This is addressed to all theists, particularly Christians:

Is it possible that all your religious beliefs - that there is a god, that Jesus was his son, and so forth - are wrong? Is it possible that there is actually no god?

Yes.

Ghost
(Although I'm never wrong you know, I'm the clossest thing to infullable)

 

[BarbB]

Yes.

Ghost
(Although I'm never wrong you know, I'm the clossest thing to infullable)

Ha ha ha! What on earth does infullable mean? That you can't be fulled, whatever that is?

 

[jayem]

Interesting thread.

The real issue here is faith. Like Voltaire said, faith consists in believing things that seem impossible, precisely because they seem impossible.

But with all due respect to those who have certainty about God, I don't believe you. Can anyone honestly say they never, ever have doubts about their beliefs? It's an innate function of the mind to be somewhat skeptical and doubtful about things. There is great survival value in not being overly credulous--it's part of how our brains evolved. No matter how sincere is one's "faith" I just don't think it possible to totally suspend all doubt.

And why would it be a failure to admit occaisional doubts about God's existence, or the divinity of Jesus? As a naturalist, I personally believe that everything in the universe is a function of matter and energy, and their physical properties. Can I prove conclusively that no supernatural realm exists? Of course not. But I'm comfortable with not having absolute metaphysical certainty. Why does theism demand it?

 

[Zaac]

i don't understand how anyone can claim that there is no possibility of their religious|beliefs being wrong

im an atheist, i believe that there is no god, but accept the possibility(however small) that i am wrong an there is one

You're not supposed to understand it, nor should yu be expected to understand it. There are scales over your eyes.

Were it not for the Holy Spirit in Christians delivering discernment and understanding of God's Word and WHO HE is, we wouldn't understand it either.

You say that you're an atheist and you believe that there is no god, yet you accept the possibility that you may be wrong. That means you're not an atheist.

You're someone who is searching for understanding who simply thinks it's easier to start under the assumption that there is no God because you don't have proof.

But the proof lies in that gnawing sensation that just will not let you completely write off that there is no God. The fact that you say that there is a possibility means that you want to know the truth.

But you will never receive the truth if you continue to inhibit your ability to receive it.

Have you HONESTLY sought this God whom you say does not exist?

 

[Zaac]

It is not disbelief in his existence. It is doubt in his existence. Anything else would be illogical.

So why is it logical to doubt God's existence?

 

[DJ_Ghost]

Ha ha ha! What on earth does infullable mean? That you can't be fulled, whatever that is?

I take it you don't watch "Red Dwarf" then. Its a Quote from the character Hol.

Ghost

 

[Zaac]

But with all due respect to those who have certainty about God, I don't believe you. Can anyone honestly say they never, ever have doubts about their beliefs? It's an innate function of the mind to be somewhat skeptical and doubtful about things. There is great survival value in not being overly credulous--it's part of how our brains evolved. No matter how sincere is one's "faith" I just don't think it possible to totally suspend all doubt.

It may be an inate function of the fleshly mind to doubt, but not of the spirit. If you want to know that He is Who He says He is and that He holds true to EVERY promise without fail, walk in the Spirit.

And why would it be a failure to admit occaisional doubts about God's existence, or the divinity of Jesus? As a naturalist, I personally believe that everything in the universe is a function of matter and energy, and their physical properties. Can I prove conclusively that no supernatural realm exists? Of course not. But I'm comfortable with not having absolute metaphysical certainty. Why does theism demand it?

It wouldn't be a failure. It would be a lack of trust if you are a Christian. If you are a nonChristian, I'm not surprised by anything that you do.

From a Christian to you, you as a naturalist are simply trying to explain what the hand of God has wrought because it makes you feel comfortable to have "scientific" evidence of the tings around you.

But try as man may to explain the wonders of God's hand, there will always be that which dumbfounds our tiny brains , and unless we step out on faith with an understanding that we can't scientifically prove the why's and hows of His hand because we lack the knowledge, then there will continue to be those who are just comfortable and stomped by that which HE reveals to His Children.

 

[Lokisdottir]

You say that you're an atheist and you believe that there is no god, yet you accept the possibility that you may be wrong. That means you're not an atheist.

No it doesn't. The measure of sincerity doesn't lie in how doggedly you insist you are right and everybody else is wrong. My experiences with my Gods have been profound and vivid, but I can never write off the possibility that maybe, just maybe, I'm totally insane.

But the proof lies in that gnawing sensation that just will not let you completely write off that there is no God.

That's not proof. If I finish a complicated math problem, I'm fairly certain that my answer is correct, but I can't be 100% sure until I check it. By your logic, that slight doubt means that I'm totally wrong and that "gnawing sensation" is just my way of admitting it to myself. However, in all likelihood, I am right. I'm pretty good at math.

 

[Zaac]

No it doesn't. The measure of sincerity doesn't lie in how doggedly you insist you are right and everybody else is wrong. My experiences with my Gods have been profound and vivid, but I can never write off the possibility that maybe, just maybe, I'm totally insane.

You're not insane. You're just to proud and intellectually dependent on YOU and your intelligence to allow the ONE TRUE GOD to give you truth.

That's not proof. If I finish a complicated math problem, I'm fairly certain that my answer is correct, but I can't be 100% sure until I check it. By your logic, that slight doubt means that I'm totally wrong and that "gnawing sensation" is just my way of admitting it to myself. However, in all likelihood, I am right. I'm pretty good at math.

Umm, your "gnawing" sensation was not addressed.