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Well, it's a pretty standard excuse that I've been hearing for years.
But it creates a false dichotomy in a way. And atheist like me would require pretty strong evidence to believe in God. But that would pretty much constitute proof, which would eliminate my choice in the matter. But it then seems that the only other alternative is absolutely nothing at all to try to convince me. But there's a lot of middle-ground; He would know exactly how much I would need to set me on the proper path while at the same time not being so much as to remove all doubt.
You got enough to convince you without over-riding your free will. Why don't I?
Still waiting on that wrong number phone call...
Yes, the key word is gaining. But lets address the issue here:
No.You can honestly say that quality of life was better in the 1800's?
I guess a better question would be, how do you define standard of living? Ethically? Health wise? Education wise? Safety wise? By infant mortality? By wealth? Because all of these have improved.
USW: The U.S. Wage Gap and the Decline of Manufacturing
I'm not sure I follow. Do you consider death as a positive or a negative? (or positive but negative for loved ones?)
I think I have been very clear in what I was saying. We as humans feel death is a negative when we lose a loved one even though we as Christians know they are going to a better place. God does not see death the way we humans do. He sees it as we are coming to our true home.
So if a child is spared from death, it's a happy occasion. But if the child had died, it would have simply been his time to go to heaven? It's a cop out.
No.
That website indicates that there were multiple ones the year the article was written. Aurora's happen all the time, but you just need a clear enough sky to see them. I think empirical evidence will work better than hearsay. What evidence would you like to provide? (I'm not sure what's changed atmospherically between now and 04)
Whatever. Like I said you can take it or leave it.
Wait, so he claims things have improved, you show the numbers showing that things have improved (as far as GDP), but claim they show the opposite of improvement?
ETA: and which table are you getting your info from (this page, for reference: A History of the Standard of Living in the United States | Economic History Services)? I assume it's Table 1. But your 1973-1990 number isn't in there, and is way off. You also seem to be ignoring the annual growth rate, which is higher for 1973, 1990, and 1998 than it is for 1870, 1913, and 1950. Plus, the years covered in each increment is significantly shorter; 1913 to 1950 covers a much longer time than 1990 to 1998, yet the GDP increased by about the same amount. The biggest increase in annual growth is between 1950 and 1973, the era many suggest as the time when secularism/liberalism/what-have-you was on its biggest rise.
The fact that the information is old and that other people don't hardly see it in person much reminds me of a book I once read...
If it were true that secularism/w-h-y increased from the fifties until the early seventies what is it going down now and it didn't keep rising?
If it were true that secularism/w-h-y increased from the fifties until the early seventies what is it going down now and it didn't keep rising?
I don't know. It may be that you will later on.
Do you want that call?
So... Secularization has been increasing. (there really isn't a measurement, but if you'd like to provide the relevant statistics...) over America's history. Work quality has drastically improved... and then dropped off slightly over the last 20 years? It's much better than it was at the turn of the 20th century, and that's not going to change. (not to mention the improvement of equal rights and overall healthiness) Your point still hasn't been remotely made.
So... an earthquake kills thousands. One child survived unscathed in a situation where the odds say he almost certainly should have been killed. Would you call this a miracle?I think I have been very clear in what I was saying. We as humans feel death is a negative when we lose a loved one even though we as Christians know they are going to a better place. God does not see death the way we humans do. He sees it as we are coming to our true home.
Like most subjective, anecdotal evidence, I chose to leave it.Whatever. Like I said you can take it or leave it.
Many Christians unknow Gods existence and become nonbelievers. You can claim they were simply not christian, but the truth is that they were at one point just like you.
God is not a someone but an idea people desperately want to be true.
I really do not like sharing personal experiences due to the fact that they can be dismissed so readily and yet they are very personal to the one that has them. Regardless, I will tell you of one instance that gave me knowledge that God cares for each of us on a very personal level.
Background: My husband and I left our lives in another state so that our daughter would be closer to extended family. We were a little concerned about starting somewhere else and had been praying about it. We were hoping that God would give us some sort of sign that we were doing the right thing. It wasn't long that we started seeing the northern lights spread across the sky. It is pretty rare in this area, in fact few people have ever seen them. Cars were pulling over to stand and watch. We thought this might be the sign we were looking for.
So jump ahead some seven years later. My husband is a painter and he and I were going to a near by town to see if he could get some art sold. I had done some sculpting as well and we were in need of cash. We had been trying to live on art and I wasn't so sure we should be. (Wasn't giving us much of an income) So we tried all the places we thought might be interested and sold a few things but it was pretty much a disappointment. My mother-in-law and husband were in the front seat, while I sat rather dejected in the back. I was asking God what we should do and I remembered for some reason the time earlier when we saw the northern lights and how we felt it was a sign. I asked God that if we were doing the right thing to show me the Northern lights again. We were just leaving a small town and so when at first I saw a red haze I questioned if I was just seeing the lights from town. I even asked my husband if he thought the sky was turning red. He said he thought it was just the lights from the town. So I sat there a few more minutes still praying and then the sky just went crazy. Red and green swept across the sky. It was incredible. I couldn't believe my eyes. The lights continued until we pulled into our driveway and then just stopped.
I have no proof of this. It is one of those things that you can dismiss, but I am being perfectly honest here. It happened.
Yes. I do not think any information was learned about God in this story which is what asked for.
When people say that by doing X they gain more Understanding of God, Is it wrong of me to expect something from that word?
If i gain more understanding of a person, it should mean i know more about them, and i should be able to convey what i know to another.
I hope this is not a case of abusing words.
I probably have less knowledge than I should have,and I was thrown by what I would say was
a totally heretical interpretation of satan etc .
Heresy is the obstinate post-baptismal denial of some truth which must be believed with divine and Catholic faith, or it is likewise an obstinate doubt concerning the same;
To commit heresy, one must refuse to be corrected. A person who is ready to be corrected or who is unaware that what he has been saying is against Church teaching is not a heretic.
Finally, the doubt or denial involved in heresy must concern a matter that has been revealed by God and solemnly defined by the Church (for example, the Trinity, the Incarnation, the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, the sacrifice of the Mass, the pope’s infallibility, or the Immaculate Conception and Assumption of Mary).
Just to briefly clear this small misunderstandin up (yes, it's a nitpick):
Agnostic: Thinks that knowing a god (exists) is impossible.
Atheist: Lacks belief in god(s). ("Strong atheism" could make the positive statement that "there is no god", but most of the atheists you'll find here are "weak atheists" who don't make that positive statement ((myself included))).
The reason is because the person who does not believe in hell does not see any reason to be saved.
So anyways, can we get back to new knowledge that was gained about god from seeing the northern lights?
You'd think God would at least stop his churches from dying. Anyone would think he enjoyed people getting the wrong idea so he could send them to Hell!
It means that you just aren't being receptive enough to God's message. Remember, the fault always lies with you.
Does he not care enough for other people when they ask for help and no help is forthcoming?
Does every Christian never doubt?
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