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What type of "evidence" of God would an atheist accept?

Ronald

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I'm curious to know what type of 'evidence' of God that the resident atheists around here might accept, and find compelling? At the present moment, do you believe that there is "no" evidence of God, little evidence of God or just not convincing enough evidence of God for your personal tastes? Do you believe that the topic of God can be studied scientifically? Must all cause/effect relationship be demonstrated empirically in controlled experimentation to your personal satisfaction, or would you accept simple uncontrolled observations as a form of "evidence", even if it's less than convincing evidence?

Former atheists like, Lee Stroebel have written books about their journey to seek out the evidence and question the great philosophers of our time in order to debunk faith and Christianity and something miraculously happened, their minds and hearts were changed when the evidence they found was overwhelming. Lee Stoebel, who wrote, "A Case For Faith" and "A Case for Christ", was an award winning investigative journalist - with a law degree as well. Frank Pastori was a pro baseball player who mocked God and Christians until his career abruptly ended, he explains his journey in his book, "Shattered". These guys did not humbly seek the Lord, they wanted to destroy him - but God used them as he did Paul. The more open way to find God is to simply invite Him in.
When a person humbly seeks the Lord and puts aside the doubts and just asks God, If you are there, show me. He will.

Aside from that, one of the main reasons why people believed in God in the Bible, is because they witnessed miracles. They heard the prophets come into town and make claims and when these predictions happened with 100% accuracy, they believed. That was there rule - if they weren't 100% accurate, they would stone them to death.
People witnessed Jesus miracles, power, the ressurrection and ascension - hundreds of people at once.

More harsh evidence is on the way for the real stubborn ones _ Judgment. Of course when they see these things predicted in the Bible thousands of years ago actually happening - it still won't change their minds. They will explain it away as natural causes or man is responsible. We must understand, many are lost and will remain that way.
"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, SO THAT THEY ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE." Rom.1:20
 
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FrumiousBandersnatch

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In my opinion taking a superficial look and saying these two things look a-like (once you adjust the scale) isn't very compelling.

My immediate thought on a "brain" as big or bigger than a universe is that it takes time for information to travel vast distances. It takes 100,000 years for light to travel simply from one edge of our galaxy to the other edge. A "brain" would have massive difficulties in recognising and responding to events in this timescale.

Also, of course, we have never observed a brain anywhere near that big, this is somewhat special pleading, or false equivocation.

Anyway, just giving my thoughts, not trying to argue.
We went through this and other arguments against the 'cosmic brain' idea at length in 'The Stumbling Block For Atheists' thread (for example, page #88 onwards), and an earlier thread. No coherent defence was mounted (clearly there isn't one for an electromagnetic cosmic-scale brain), and a woeful ignorance of Boltzmann brains (claimed to be relevant) was evident.
 
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FrumiousBandersnatch

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You might lookup quantum entanglement. In terms of passing information over vast distances, what we think of as "speed limits" may not apply to a form of intelligence that has been around 'forever'.
As I explained in another thread, you can't transfer classical information via quantum entanglement, so that won't work.
 
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stevil

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We went through this and other arguments against the 'cosmic brain' idea at length in 'The Stumbling Block For Atheists' thread (for example, page #88 onwards), and an earlier thread. No coherent defence was mounted (clearly there isn't one for an electromagnetic cosmic-scale brain), and a woeful ignorance of Boltzmann brains (claimed to be relevant) was evident.
I don't see how it fits the evolutionary model.
In evolution we have decent, meaning parents and offspring, with very gradual differences. If this life force is bigger than the universe then where are all the others of its kind?
How did these living creatures come to be in space? How did they come to be resistant to almost zero kelvin, to the heat of suns, to the gravity of black holes? The universe is a very dangerous place for living creatures. Presumably, if we use the evolution model, they started off simple and small and competed for limited resource. What is it that they feed on? How do they die? Evolution needs the less fit life forms to die off, so that the more complex and better suited ones become more prolific. Where is the evidence of all these creatures? What do they eat? Do they have DNA? Or have we travel well off the ranch with this idea?
 
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FrumiousBandersnatch

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I don't see how it fits the evolutionary model.
In evolution we have decent, meaning parents and offspring, with very gradual differences. If this life force is bigger than the universe then where are all the others of its kind?
How did these living creatures come to be in space? How did they come to be resistant to almost zero kelvin, to the heat of suns, to the gravity of black holes? The universe is a very dangerous place for living creatures. Presumably, if we use the evolution model, they started off simple and small and competed for limited resource. What is it that they feed on? How do they die? Evolution needs the less fit life forms to die off, so that the more complex and better suited ones become more prolific. Where is the evidence of all these creatures? What do they eat? Do they have DNA? Or have we travel well off the ranch with this idea?
All excellent questions, but I think the idea is that the 'cosmic brain' is unique and is - in a sense - the universe itself rather than a life form in the universe; that is, its functional components are supposed to be stars, galaxies, galaxy clusters, etc. The original claim was that it was structurally and functionally analogous to biological brains (based on the similarity between an image of the 'cosmic web' from a computer simulation, and an image of the connectivity of a neuron in the brain; and between a structure inside biological cells and possible structures in neutron stars) and just developed over time (no reason given). But this is obvious nonsense.

The claim may well be different now - if you want it from the horse's mouth, ask Michael.
 
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stevil

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All excellent questions, but I think the idea is that the 'cosmic brain' is unique and is - in a sense - the universe itself rather than a life form in the universe; that is, its functional components are supposed to be stars, galaxies, galaxy clusters, etc.

It really is that superficial?
They look the same so they must be the same?

The original claim was that it was structurally and functionally analogous to biological brains (based on the similarity between an image of the 'cosmic web' from a computer simulation, and an image of the connectivity of a neuron in the brain; and between a structure inside biological cells and possible structures in neutron stars) and just developed over time (no reason given). But this is obvious nonsense.

The claim may well be different now - if you want it from the horse's mouth, ask Michael.
Michael was saying that since we have life forms then we know that we can have life so what is to say we cannot have a very large life?'
But our brains are a product of stepwise evolution, how does this cosmic brain form?
If he thinks it is valid science he needs to tie it into evolution. That's the only way we know that brains come about.
 
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Michael

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As I explained in another thread, you can't transfer classical information via quantum entanglement, so that won't work.

You're rather long on proclamations, but you're a tad short on explanations as to how you can be so certain that an intelligent being which may have existed eternally hasn't figured out a way to do something which we haven't done yet. :)

You also haven't explained how you know the actual speed of "awareness" to start with, or why it's even necessary to go beyond our solar system to process information locally?
 
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Michael

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It really is that superficial?
They look the same so they must be the same?

Nah, he keeps ignoring the functional (circuit) similarities too.

Michael was saying that since we have life forms then we know that we can have life so what is to say we cannot have a very large life?'
But our brains are a product of stepwise evolution, how does this cosmic brain form?

Maybe stepwise modification over time? I dunno. The fact the idea leads to additional questions that nobody could hope to answer isn't a reason to exclude the concept.

If he thinks it is valid science he needs to tie it into evolution. That's the only way we know that brains come about.

That was the point of citing the Boltzmann brain thing. :)
 
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Michael

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I don't see how it fits the evolutionary model.
In evolution we have decent, meaning parents and offspring, with very gradual differences. If this life force is bigger than the universe then where are all the others of its kind?

I like evolutionary theory, but I'm not attached to the concept of evolutionary theory being applied to cosmology, or the concept of "others of its kind" for that matter.

I think you're getting a tad ahead of yourself as to your list of questions. They may all in fact apply, but I have no certainty that they do apply, or that they *must* apply. The 'best' anyone might hope to do from Earth is point out functional similarities between the universe and living organisms. There are some.
 
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FrumiousBandersnatch

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It really is that superficial?
They look the same so they must be the same?
That and electric/plasma 'circuits' was the supporting evidence ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

... But our brains are a product of stepwise evolution, how does this cosmic brain form?
If he thinks it is valid science he needs to tie it into evolution. That's the only way we know that brains come about.
Indeed. I suggest you ask him; I tried and got nothing sensible back.
 
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FrumiousBandersnatch

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You're rather long on proclamations, but you're a tad short on explanations as to how you can be so certain that an intelligent being which may have existed eternally hasn't figured out a way to do something which we haven't done yet. :)
I'm going by the laws of quantum mechanics as derived from and tested by the kind of empirical lab work you seem particularly keen on. You're happy to criticise other ideas for not being based on lab work, but when it's your idea, you want to ignore the lab work.

I can only critique your idea based on current knowledge. If you want to speculate that some alien McGuffin can overcome a well tested rule of quantum mechanics, go for it - but once you go that route, you're talking pseudoscience, and any nonsense goes.

You also haven't explained how you know the actual speed of "awareness" to start with, or why it's even necessary to go beyond our solar system to process information locally?
I covered all that in the other thread, based on your claim of structural and functional similarities to biological brains. See the links I posted here a few posts ago if you've forgotten already.
 
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Michael

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I'm going by the laws of quantum mechanics as derived from and tested by the kind of empirical lab work you seem particularly keen on. You're happy to criticise other ideas for not being based on lab work, but when it's your idea, you want to ignore the lab work.

Spooky! Quantum Action Is 10,000 Times Faster Than Light

Wait a minute. The "lab work" to date would suggest that quantum entanglement takes place at *least* 10,000 times faster than light. You evidently *assume* that since *we* (human knowledge in 2017) cannot know a photon's state before it's measured, that such an accomplishment will never be done by anyone or anything in the future. That's essentially your argument in a nutshell.

I can only critique your idea based on current knowledge.

And yet you impose no such "show me from the lab" standard as it applies to any of the four metaphysical claims in standard cosmology theory. How does that rationalization work exactly?

At *worst* case I've added *one* 'non lab demonstrated' ability to spacetime, whereas LCDM adds *four* such claims! When do we apply an Occam's razor argument to the mix?

If you want to speculate that some alien McGuffin can overcome a well tested rule of quantum mechanics, go for it - but once you go that route, you're talking pseudoscience, and any nonsense goes.

IMO that's all that LCDM amounts too. It's pseudoscientific nonsense on a stick. You're basically complaining, not because I cannot demonstrate that a faster than light speed mechanism exist in nature, but only because I/we haven't personally figured out how to use it yet. :)

You can't even demonstrate that 'space expansion' happens at all, let alone that it applies to cosmology theory.

I covered all that in the other thread, based on your claim of structural and functional similarities to biological brains. See the links I posted here a few posts ago if you've forgotten already.


I haven't forgotten anything. You apparently forgot that I have *working models* to explain how the corona of a sun works, and I have lots of published papers that explain how the universe is 'wired' together. I can even provided you with a mechanism in nature that that isn't limited to C, that *might* be able to be used to transmit information by a being a little more clever than a human in 2017. You haven't even demonstrated that it's *necessary* to start with!

Even if you find a little fault in any EU/PC form of Panentheism, it *pales* in comparison to the four metaphysical problems in contemporary astronomical theory. Nobody can name so much as a single source of 'dark energy', and that's the majority of the composition of the universe according to mainstream theory.

At least I can demonstrate that a mechanism faster than C exists in nature in controlled experimentation, which is more than you'll *ever* get from a dark energy or dark matter proponent.
 
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FrumiousBandersnatch

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Spooky! Quantum Action Is 10,000 Times Faster Than Light

Wait a minute. The "lab work" to date would suggest that quantum entanglement takes place at *least* 10,000 times faster than light.
I think you mean disentanglement. The particles are entangled at source, then separated by classical means (i.e. luminal or subluminal velocities). Then measuring the entangled property of one particle 'establishes' that of the other and consequently disentangles them.

You evidently *assume* that since *we* (human knowledge in 2017) cannot know a photon's state before it's measured, that such an accomplishment will never be done by anyone or anything in the future. That's essentially your argument in a nutshell.
No, that's not the argument. Entanglement behaviour is part of the quantum formalism, the basic framework of QM. It's possible, although unlikely, that QM is an incorrect model that just happens to match all the experiments we've ever done - or that every experiment ever done just by chance coincides with QM, or that the choice of measurements that physicists do is predetermined in such a way as to make it appear as if these are solid rules (QM is counter-intuitive enough that these options have been seriously considered by serious physicists).

However, even if you know the state of the entangled property of each particle after you entangle them, you still have to send them to their destinations by classical means before you can demonstrate that measuring one ensures the complementary measurement result on the other. IOW it still doesn't get you FTL communication, you just know the values in advance. Do try to think these things through - or do a QM 101.

And yet you impose no such "show me from the lab" standard as it applies to any of the four metaphysical claims in standard cosmology theory. How does that rationalization work exactly?
Try to stay on topic - that red-herring has nothing to do with the flaws in your 'cosmic brain' idea.

At *worst* case I've added *one* 'non lab demonstrated' ability to spacetime, whereas LCDM adds *four* such claims! When do we apply an Occam's razor argument to the mix?
That fallacious argument again - if their physics is crap, yours can be too?

Occam's Razor is a ceteris paribus rule of thumb; you apply it when two competing hypotheses are on roughly equal terms - those are not competing hypotheses.

IMO that's all that LCDM amounts too. It's pseudoscientific nonsense on a stick. You're basically complaining, not because I cannot demonstrate that a faster than light speed mechanism exist in nature, but only because I/we haven't personally figured out how to use it yet. :)

You can't even demonstrate that 'space expansion' happens at all, let alone that it applies to cosmology theory.
I'm well aware of your opinions on LCDM, and that you can't help contaminating unrelated discussions with them.

I haven't forgotten anything. You apparently forgot that I have *working models* to explain how the corona of a sun works, and I have lots of published papers that explain how the universe is 'wired' together. I can even provided you with a mechanism in nature that that isn't limited to C, that *might* be able to be used to transmit information by a being a little more clever than a human in 2017. You haven't even demonstrated that it's *necessary* to start with!
Papers, schmapers; you have a complete crock, I've explained why, and you haven't been able to refute any of the arguments against it, even by invoking some imaginary future breach of QM.

Even if you find a little fault in any EU/PC form of Panentheism, it *pales* in comparison to the four metaphysical problems in contemporary astronomical theory. Nobody can name so much as a single source of 'dark energy', and that's the majority of the composition of the universe according to mainstream theory.
There you go again - the fallacious tu-quoque. You think their science is 'nonsense on a stick', so why can't yours be rubbish too... well congratulations, it is :)

At least I can demonstrate that a mechanism faster than C exists in nature in controlled experimentation, which is more than you'll *ever* get from a dark energy or dark matter proponent.
It is physicists who demonstrate entanglement and it is physicists that propose dark energy and dark matter.

JFYI the idea of instantaneous quantum state transfer by entanglement is not required by all QM interpretations; other interpretations can account for the entanglement observations without any transfer or communication at all ;)
 
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Michael

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No, that's not the argument. Entanglement behaviour is part of the quantum formalism, the basic framework of QM. It's possible, although unlikely, that QM is an incorrect model that just happens to match all the experiments we've ever done - or that every experiment ever done just by chance coincides with QM, or that the choice of measurements that physicists do is predetermined in such a way as to make it appear as if these are solid rules (QM is counter-intuitive enough that these options have been seriously considered by serious physicists).

I'm not suggesting that QM is wrong, I'm suggesting that QM supplies us with a 'mechanism' that travels faster than C. Call it whatever you like, but something travels faster than C, at least 10,000 times faster than C in that study I cited.

Never mind the fact that you haven't demonstrated that "awareness" (whatever that might be) is limited to C, or the fact that not *all* mechanisms in nature are limited to C, you still expect me to hand you empirical evidence that it is possible for any form of intelligence (including one much greater than our own), to figure out a way to use that mechanism to it's advantage with respect to the transfer of information. That's quite a tall order you're expecting of me, certainly a much taller order, and a much more empirical demand than 'scientists' apply to the topic of cosmology. How you justify such a *blatant* deviation from the scientific method?

When did the mainstream ever empirically demonstrate that "space expansion" has a tangible effect on a photon in real experiments with real control mechanisms? Never! Ditto for three more of the *their* claims. What's up with such a blatant double standard?

However, even if you know the state of the entangled property of each particle after you entangle them, you still have to send them to their destinations by classical means before you can demonstrate that measuring one ensures the complementary measurement result on the other. IOW it still doesn't get you FTL communication, you just know the values in advance. Do try to think these things through - or do a QM 101.

Spare me the cheap shots with respect to QM. I understand our personal (human) limitation with these issues, but you can't demonstrate that such limitations apply to all forms of intelligence, for all eternity.

Try to stay on topic - that red-herring has nothing to do with the flaws in your 'cosmic brain' idea.

It does demonstrate that you're *hugely* deviating from the current "scientific" standard of evidence with respect to cosmology theory. There's no red herring in the comparison based on the way I'm using that comparison. You're not applying the same standard of evidence to Panentheism than "scientists" apply to cosmology theory in general!

That fallacious argument again - if their physics is crap, yours can be too?

Er, no. If their standard of evidence is less than you're demanding of me, why should I care what you think? At worst case I've demonstrated a "faster than C" mechanism that does have a tangible effect on a photon in a real experiment. I simply haven't personally demonstrated a way that humans have figured out how to use that mechanism to send information faster than C.

Meanwhile the mainstream hasn't even demonstrated that "space expansion" has any effect on any physical thing in *any* experiment at all, but you're perfectly fine with them applying that claim to events in space. Notice a double standard there?

They've got *three more* such claims in their cosmology theory that do not even apply to Panentheism. It's a 4 to 1 ratio at worst possible case, *in my favor*.

What kinds of "standards of evidence" are you personally requiring? At least I've demonstrated a cause/effect *mechanism* that does travel faster than C in real experiments. When did the mainstream ever do that with respect to any of their metaphysical elements?

Occam's Razor is a ceteris paribus rule of thumb; you apply it when two competing hypotheses are on roughly equal terms - those are not competing hypotheses.

You're right. It's 4 to 1 in my favor at worst case, not 2 to 1, or even 3 to 1, so they were never even close to "equal" to begin with. Panentheism isn't introducing four supernatural constructs, just one non-demonstrated claim at worst case.

I'm well aware of your opinions on LCDM, and that you can't help contaminating unrelated discussions with them.

It's only really related in the sense that it demonstrates that you're not applying a "scientific" standard of evidence to Panentheism. Whatever standard you're applying isn't logical or consistent with "science" to begin with.

Papers, schmapers; you have a complete crock, I've explained why, and you haven't been able to refute any of the arguments against it, even by invoking some imaginary future breach of QM.

I'm not suggesting any "breach" of QM, in fact I used QM to demonstrate the existence of a faster than C mechanism in nature. The only thing that's a complete "crock" is your personal need for me to physically use that mechanism myself to send information faster than C. That's your own personal pet peeve apparently.

There you go again - the fallacious tu-quoque. You think their science is 'nonsense on a stick', so why can't yours be rubbish too... well congratulations, it is :)

Cute. You still have a problem in your logic. We can write off *four* hypothetical mechanisms which have *never* been shown to have a tangible effect on anything, but that is quite different than writing off a *known mechanism* that does travel faster than C in various experiments.

You're essentially making personal proclamations about what may or may not be possible for any form of intelligence with respect to tapping into that *known mechanism*. Sorry, it's not the same thing, not even close.

Space expansion isn't even a "demonstrated mechanism" to begin with. See the physical difference?

It is physicists who demonstrate entanglement and it is physicists that propose dark energy and dark matter.

Ya, but entanglement shows up in the lab, whereas dark matter has eluded detection in *billions* of dollars worth of experiments to date. See that physical difference?

JFYI the idea of instantaneous quantum state transfer by entanglement is not required by all QM interpretations; other interpretations can account for the entanglement observations without any transfer or communication at all ;)

How so? I cited a published reference and a specific study that came up with a minimum speed limit. Can you cite a published reference that refutes it?
 
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Ajflyguy7

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I'm curious to know what type of 'evidence' of God that the resident atheists around here might accept, and find compelling? At the present moment, do you believe that there is "no" evidence of God, little evidence of God or just not convincing enough evidence of God for your personal tastes? Do you believe that the topic of God can be studied scientifically? Must all cause/effect relationship be demonstrated empirically in controlled experimentation to your personal satisfaction, or would you accept simple uncontrolled observations as a form of "evidence", even if it's less than convincing evidence?
I really don't know, but I'm sure your omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent god could figure that out. Would I worship him after he provided me with that evidence? Nope, I don't understand why people think the God of the Bible is a loving and caring being. Did we read the same book? In the Bible I read, there was incest, rape, murder, sacrifices, and all kinds of other crazy stuff. Not much love or forgiveness. Personally, if I'm going to worship a god, it should be loving, friendly, nurturing, and really smart. Not hateful, self-conscious, murderous, racist, and ignorant of the universe it created.
 
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Michael

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I really don't know, but I'm sure your omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent god could figure that out. Would I worship him after he provided me with that evidence? Nope, I don't understand why people think the God of the Bible is a loving and caring being. Did we read the same book? In the Bible I read, there was incest, rape, murder, sacrifices, and all kinds of other crazy stuff. Not much love or forgiveness. Personally, if I'm going to worship a god, it should be loving, friendly, nurturing, and really smart. Not hateful, self-conscious, murderous, racist, and ignorant of the universe it created.

I think it depends on how one subjectively interprets the Bible, and what parts they believe have the most value. IMO the most valuable parts are the red letter parts of that book along with the NT. Christ personified the values described in the 10 commandments of the OT, unlike a lot of other characters in the OT. Jesus taught values like "loving your enemies" and "turning the other cheek" and "being perfect" as God is perfect. There were beliefs and causes for which Jesus was willing to sacrifice himself and die for, but none for which he was willing to kill or sacrifice others. He taught values like selfless service to others. Christ is the personified "God of the Bible" that I believe in. I have no idea what "God of the Bible" you subjectively take from that same book. :)
 
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Ajflyguy7

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I think it depends on how one subjectively interprets the Bible, and what parts they believe have the most value. IMO the most valuable parts are the red letter parts of that book along with the NT. Christ personified the values described in the 10 commandments of the OT, unlike a lot of other characters in the OT. Jesus taught values like "loving your enemies" and "turning the other cheek" and "being perfect" as God is perfect. There were beliefs and causes for which he was willing to die, but none for which he was willing to kill. He taught values like selfless service to others. Christ is the personified "God of the Bible" that I believe in. I have no idea what "God of the Bible" you subjectively take from that same book. :)
Did you skip over the OT portion? Even the NT has some quite a bit of death and murder. Maybe read it again and see if you agree with all of Jesus' (God's) actions.
 
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Michael

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Did you skip over the OT portion? Even the NT has some quite a bit of death and murder. Maybe read it again and see if you agree with all of Jesus' (God's) actions.

The OT contains a "commandment" that says "Do not kill". Did the various characters in the OT *live up* to that standard, and keep that commandment, or not? Repeat that process for the next commandments, until you're done with the list.

Did Christ embody those commandment, and keep them, yes or no?

I've read the OT quite a few times in my life. When I read the OT, I find stories of many people who did not embody the values listed in those OT commandments. I certainly find at least one individual from the NT that did embody those OT commandments, specifically Christ while living on Earth.
 
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Ajflyguy7

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The OT contains a "commandment" that says "Do not kill". Did the various characters in the OT *live up* to that standard, and keep that commandment, or not? Repeat that process for the next commandments, until you're done with the list.

Did Christ embody those commandment, and keep them, yes or no?

I've read the OT quite a few times in my life. When I read the OT, I find stories of many people who did not embody the values listed in those OT commandments. I certainly find at least one individual from the NT that did embody those OT commandments, specifically Christ while living on Earth.
So, God's rules don't apply to him? He can kill as many people as he wants with no punishment, even murder the planet if he wants to. Do as God says, not as he does!
 
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Michael

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So, God's rules don't apply to him? He can kill as many people as he wants with no punishment, even murder the planet if he wants to. Do as God says, not as he does!

When did Christ, while embodied on Earth, ever kill anyone, or tell his disciples to kill anyone? When the Roman guards came to take Jesus away to face execution, did he order his followers to protect him, or chastise anyone who tried to physically harm others in his defense, and help to heal them?
 
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