[ATHEISTS ONLY] What do you think of the Bible?

[DarkWizard12]

Here is a question for all of you:

HOw many of your are, or once was, catholic?

 

[DeeJayH]

[sigh]People think they know all. I had questions like those before, and I asked some people about them instead of just saying "I know all" and going about on my own life, and low and behold! they were answered!

Anyways, back to life.

BTW - God isn't cruel.

IF there is a god
he is an absentee slumlord
**** him/her

 

[NoMoreDems-Reps]

IF there is a god
he is an absentee slumlord
**** him/her

Or He/She was wrong in giving all humans free will!
Because they can't be responsible for themselves and
should not be expected to shape their own lives.

 

[DeeJayH]

Or He/She was wrong in giving all humans free will!
Because they can't be responsible for themselves and
should not be expected to shape their own lives.

how awesome it must be
to be all powerful
yet do nothing except demand our praise & loyalty
**** him/her

 

[Thorgasm]

What I was trying to say is more along the lines of:
If a 4 year old asked how the Stars work and you started
to explain the Physics behind Nuclear reaction,partical mass
and gravity etc.... would they be able to really
understand? (Better yet a black whole because you can't
see a black whole with the eye).
And on top of that what if the 4yr old was asking a 8yr old!

You sound like a Hillary supporter. Children aren't the standard. I would argue that most adults couldn't understand it either. Your analogy fails.

(If God created infinity God would have to be Greater than
infinity!)
I think it was Kierkegaard who made a good
argument for assuming God exists.

When things spontaneously get created "FROM NOTHING"
and we understand this process then I think the Concept
of God will not have such a big place in the human
conscience.

Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids. Infinity was created by man. It isn't a thing. It is a concept. Who said that things were created from nothing?

No, for all intents a purposes I still use Newtonian Physics. It
work just fine as long as I don't approach the speed of Light!

I guess you do understand gravity. Congrats. :2wave:

 

[BushWhacked]

Here is a question for all of you:

HOw many of your are, or once was, catholic?

I was. Always questioned, wondered, etc. Never just blindly believed as my parents do. A great many people I knew in Catholic grade school are also now atheist or agnostic.

 

[Thales]

I was raised in a UCC family, which is probably the most liberal Protestant church one can be without being UU. It's rather interesting that I became agnostic, as our god was so pliable as to fulfill whatever roll/moral stance I would have preferred.

Anyway, I see the Bible as an interesting collection of ancient stories, certainly with some historical value. And I think that Jesus was definitely a pretty good guy, and that his messages of love and peace can ring true for theists and nontheists alike.

Those who think the whole think the whole thing is the word of god still worry me though (Republicans, I'm looking at you :doh ).

 

[DeeJayH]

Those who think the whole think the whole thing is the word of god still worry me though (Republicans, I'm looking at you :doh ).

shirley you mean the uber right
the bible thumpers
not your average joe (typical pubby)

 

[NoMoreDems-Reps]

You sound like a Hillary supporter. Children aren't the standard. I would argue that most adults couldn't understand it either. Your analogy fails.

Maybe it failed you, but it's a fine analogy. Modern man is still just a
babe in the Cosmos!(and I was arguing that adults can't understand, I
won't try to be so subtle for you next time)
And that's getting vicious, saying I sound like a Hillary supporter!

Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids. Infinity was created by man. It isn't a thing. It is a concept. Who said that things were created from nothing?

Exactly, where did it all come from?

I guess you do understand gravity. Congrats. :2wave:

Sorry my physics humor should be saved for a different audience.
(See we used Newtonian Physics to get to the moon, even though
Einstonian Physics was more correct)

 

[Thorgasm]

Maybe it failed you, but it's a fine analogy. Modern man is still just a
babe in the Cosmos!(and I was arguing that adults can't understand, I
won't try to be so subtle for you next time)
And that's getting vicious, saying I sound like a Hillary supporter!

Sorry, my political humor should be saved for a different audience.

Exactly, where did it all come from?

I don't know. That doesn't mean it came from nothing.

Sorry my physics humor should be saved for a different audience.
(See we used Newtonian Physics to get to the moon, even though
Einstonian Physics was more correct)

Next time we should use string theory.:mrgreen:

 

[DarkWizard12]

The thing about catholics is that, they never answer questions.

If you really wondered about the bible and had questions about it, there is more places than just a "catholic priest" or "cathedral" you can go to find answers. There is especially this one Church of Christ minister here in tyler who was the one responsible for destroying my previous stereotypes and who I thought christians really were.

 

[Gunface]

In my opinion, the Bible is like many (if not most or even all) books- it has both incredibly awesome parts and absolutely horrifying ones. On the one hand, it is (at least in the New Testament) undoubtedly full of moral lessons that were far beyond its time. The Sermon on the Mount, for example, or parables like the Good Samaritan. These parts of the Bible are simply awesome. They're a message that everyone on earth could do to follow better.

Richard Dawkins himself thought Jesus to be an exemplary human being and a great role model, and I'm hard pressed to think of a more "stereotypical" atheist than he.
Just to assure you that I'm not only speaking of the New Testament here, the Song of Solomon is a great book too. Not only is the poetry beautiful but it's full of amusing innuendo and references to sex (i.e. "Come ... blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out").

Not only that, but the Bible has historical significance that can't be denied. It's a book that's caused wars, the creation of new nations, and all kinds of other world-changing events. If an atheist can't bring himself to respect the Bible for its own merits, then he should certainly be able to respect and appreciate the tremendous effect it has had on the development of the world, both in ancient times and continuing to today.


Of course, the Bible has its share of horrors, too. The books of Law in the Old Testament are full of rules ranging from the absurd to the dangerous. Not only that but it's full of violence and bad science, too. There's faulty math (Dear God, pi does not equal 3), superstition, and general silliness. Of course this was the norm for most societies in their day but that doesn't excuse much.

I think the problem the Bible has is that people take it to be the Word of God, and thus they can't appreciate it as a book. People who insist it's flawless are missing a big part of understanding it, because they're so sure that God gave them it. You need to be able to appreciate the good and the bad in it to see it for what it truly is. You have to be able to appreciate the impact it can have and has had on the world.

I think, for the most part, atheists tend to do this. I think the misconception of atheists as Bible-haters arose because they view it objectively, instead of starting out with the assumption of its holiness. They can see it in a light different from the light Christians see it in, and neither side really understands the other's point of view.