Do you understand you sound crazy?

[Fearandloathing]

Take the Noah’s Ark story.

Do you get how people who claim that fable is literal truth sound crazy?

As a late-comer to all things biblical I found the flood story hard to take, along with Jonah and his fish!

After 30 years of study as a Believer I can assure you both stories are total bullshit.

To fully appreciate the myth, you have to understand the Hebrew "nation" and what these stories represent. The bible is NOT God's law, but a collection of select stories, poems, short stories, hymns, all forms of literature in fact including fiction. The flood myth is almost universal among the cultures of the east Mediterranean dating before any sign of the "Isrealites. Some archeologists believe it is witness to an ancient landslide which turned what was a great lake into the Black Sea.
Jonah though is a different story - and (excuse me I can't resist) "fishy".

It appears in the historical record at a time when Jews were entirely nomadic, and many believe was part of tradition in teaching, often using various forms to hold the attention of especially children in the long treks. Jonah and the wale is actually a rip off of the story of Jacob wrestling with God all night in an attempt to not do what God wanted him to.

Both stories are allegory, pure fiction.
If you believe that a man could get a pair of every animal on the planet onto a 300 foot barge (about a football field) I have some land to sell you - on the moon.

One lecture I attended noted that there would have to have been four pairs of elephants (different breeds and there is no evolution!) which would have needed two barges for their feed alone.
And rats, why did he bother saving 113 varieties of rat?

 

[NatMorton]

Do those of you who are hardcore believers, evangelical believers, and/or literal believers understand that you truly sound crazy to people who think/believe differently than you do?


Can you at least acknowledge that you know you sound crazy?

Depends. Do you at least acknowledge how intolerant you sound?

 

[Lovebug]

Please make me the poster child of crazy believers. Please, I beg you.

 

[HIP56948]

I can relate to this on so many levels thanks to my oldest Even Jelly Kool brother.
Growing up, we were very close, even sympatico, until the day he was "saved" by a friend...that would be about 1974, I guess.
Prior to that, he and his hippie wife were a lovely and attractive couple who lived in harmony with Earth and who practiced generous outreach and fellowship.

View attachment 67363684

After, he grew morose and he and his wife became paranoid and obsessed with doomsday scenarios.
The world was coming to an end and he was personally guided by The Lord to do God's work, saving everyone they could.
Growing up, he and his wife attempted on several occasions to blast me into the churchy community by pronouncing me "doomed to eternal damnation" and they attempted to
subject me to one of their "exorcisms", and his wife also tried pulling the same stunt on her little sister, only she fell for the bait and was trapped for a couple of weeks in their home. Yes, a literal exorcism...they believed that they were casting out DEMONS.

And he has pronounced me as evil, labeling me as an extreme left, America hating Satan loving baby-eating communist.
That's right, Qanon has them now, and for the past ten or twelve years prior he was already labeling me as both evil and doomed.
They drove their two oldest sons to suicide, and it still doesn't have an impact on them that they may be certifiable.

But they are.
And it's one of the big tragedies of my family life, the loss of both my brothers.
They are dead to me now, out of necessity, I must preserve my sanity.

In my humble opinion, you're taking the only sane path.

 

[Eatomus]

Do those of you who are hardcore believers, evangelical believers, and/or literal believers understand that you truly sound crazy to people who think/believe differently than you do?


Can you at least acknowledge that you know you sound crazy?

Yes, living without fear in this disturbed bloodthirsty present age by the power of hearts filled with the grace of God's care, sure that because we are made by Him and in His likeness,that we are the objects of His concern does sound crazy to those desperately trying to assuage their perceived insignificance in a massive universe, surrounded by many , yet always alone , daunted by loss of hope & unceasing disquieting violence, with drugs, alcohol , sex, suicide.
Still we persist in this crazy view of life based upon God's inexhaustible power and love for us. giving us eternal triumph in a world bewildered & distressed in darkness.

" See that ye be not troubled. " ( Matthew 24:6 )

 

[911Sparky]

I can relate to this on so many levels thanks to my oldest Even Jelly Kool brother.
Growing up, we were very close, even sympatico, until the day he was "saved" by a friend...that would be about 1974, I guess.
Prior to that, he and his hippie wife were a lovely and attractive couple who lived in harmony with Earth and who practiced generous outreach and fellowship.

View attachment 67363684

After, he grew morose and he and his wife became paranoid and obsessed with doomsday scenarios.
The world was coming to an end and he was personally guided by The Lord to do God's work, saving everyone they could.
Growing up, he and his wife attempted on several occasions to blast me into the churchy community by pronouncing me "doomed to eternal damnation" and they attempted to
subject me to one of their "exorcisms", and his wife also tried pulling the same stunt on her little sister, only she fell for the bait and was trapped for a couple of weeks in their home. Yes, a literal exorcism...they believed that they were casting out DEMONS.

And he has pronounced me as evil, labeling me as an extreme left, America hating Satan loving baby-eating communist.
That's right, Qanon has them now, and for the past ten or twelve years prior he was already labeling me as both evil and doomed.
They drove their two oldest sons to suicide, and it still doesn't have an impact on them that they may be certifiable.

But they are.
And it's one of the big tragedies of my family life, the loss of both my brothers.
They are dead to me now, out of necessity, I must preserve my sanity.

I have a similar story, though the ending is not near as tragic. Years ago a cousin and her husband were heroin addicts, after a few years they got clean with the help of some wonderful people at a rehab facility, who guided them to the church, which is a good thing. Unfortunately they felt the need to tell everyone about their being "saved" to the point that nobody wanted to associate with them because of the non stop preaching. I haven't seen them in years, so I have no idea if they are still as fervent in their belief, though I heard from a family member they are now divorced.

 

[911Sparky]

Ok then, I thought perhaps I missed something.


Alien life that we have no proof of existing is ok and reasonable to believe in, but believing in God (no physical proof) makes one crazy.


I’m up to speed then. Let’s see how this plays out.

Okay, I'll play. I don't believe in aliens or god because neither exists.

 

[multivita-man]

Do those of you who are hardcore believers, evangelical believers, and/or literal believers understand that you truly sound crazy to people who think/believe differently than you do?


Can you at least acknowledge that you know you sound crazy?

I'm not evangelical or a believer, but yeah...I know I'm f****ing nuts.

 

[vesper]

Please make me the poster child of crazy believers. Please, I beg you.

Amen Sistah!

 

[HangLow]

 

[HangLow]

Please make me the poster child of crazy believers.
Please, I beg you.

 

[Old 'N Chill]

I can relate to this on so many levels thanks to my oldest Even Jelly Kool brother.
Growing up, we were very close, even sympatico, until the day he was "saved" by a friend...that would be about 1974, I guess.
Prior to that, he and his hippie wife were a lovely and attractive couple who lived in harmony with Earth and who practiced generous outreach and fellowship.

View attachment 67363684

After, he grew morose and he and his wife became paranoid and obsessed with doomsday scenarios.
The world was coming to an end and he was personally guided by The Lord to do God's work, saving everyone they could.
Growing up, he and his wife attempted on several occasions to blast me into the churchy community by pronouncing me "doomed to eternal damnation" and they attempted to
subject me to one of their "exorcisms", and his wife also tried pulling the same stunt on her little sister, only she fell for the bait and was trapped for a couple of weeks in their home. Yes, a literal exorcism...they believed that they were casting out DEMONS.

And he has pronounced me as evil, labeling me as an extreme left, America hating Satan loving baby-eating communist.
That's right, Qanon has them now, and for the past ten or twelve years prior he was already labeling me as both evil and doomed.
They drove their two oldest sons to suicide, and it still doesn't have an impact on them that they may be certifiable.

But they are.
And it's one of the big tragedies of my family life, the loss of both my brothers.
They are dead to me now, out of necessity, I must preserve my sanity.

Very sad to hear that CS. I've been lucky not to have any religious extremists/crazies in my family. I was spoon fed the fantasies in Catholic school and church for 8 years as a kid, but I think of it now as just a life experience. Walked away from organized religion when I started high school. My parents weren't religious, the school was just close, and my mother did go to church on some Sundays and holidays.

I only had contact with born-again nutters in the workplace for awhile, I had to shut them down and let them know if they were going to converse and work alongside me, they had to stop with their bible thumping constantly, I wasn't going to put up with it. I have respect for those who find peace in their religion, it's their life and none of my business. But those who take the bible literally, cherry pick it to suit their narrative, and are hypocritical when they allege to follow Jesus, but they are fine with the death penalty (but anti-choice), discriminate against people of color, gays, etc. can go to their imaginary hell.

 

[VanceMack]

OP-Believing in God is crazy!

Also OP-I believe that all known matter in the ever expanding galaxies began with a big bang, of which the matter and energy required for the event just magically happened...or was already there...or....whatever....but its real because 'science'!

 

[holbritter]

Do those of you who are hardcore believers, evangelical believers, and/or literal believers understand that you truly sound crazy to people who think/believe differently than you do?


Can you at least acknowledge that you know you sound crazy?

Judge much?

 

[Arlette]

I’m not the one suggesting a 600 year old guy built an ark, and somehow managed to get two of every animal on it for 40 days, and lived to be 900+ years old.

That sounds rational to you?

Where did he get his polar bears and the kangaroos?

 

[Arlette]

They want to be crazy and they think they should get a medal for it

 

[Eatomus]

You need to learn the difference between Roman Catholicism and Jesus Christ.
In fact Roman Catholicism seeks to marginalize this Jesus who is the Christ .
The molested children of the world are still being introduced to Roman Catholicism.

 

[Eatomus]

And not only that but we humans are so sweet and such good little boys and girls .

Daily Mail

Texas cop is shot dead responding to disturbance at grocery store​

Christina Coulter For Dailymail.Com - Yesterday 10:35 PM

 

[VanceMack]

Depends. Do you at least acknowledge how intolerant you sound?

Oh no...you dont understand. She just starts these threads because she is genuine and curious to learn about Christians....Honest!

 

[Eatomus]

And not only are we humans so sweet and pure and good, but only someone delusional would not realize how kind we are as well.

Newsweek

McDonald's Customer Pulls Gun on Employee During Drive-Thru Altercation​

Khaleda Rahman - 2h ago

 

[bluesmoke]

Ah yes...just use your brain...I've heard the argument before...it's not so original, though...Satan used the same argument with Eve...and here we are...

So, your message is "Don't use your brain". I think you took the bait. Hook, line and sinker.

 

[Nomad4Ever]

The way I see it, there’s either God and heaven, or there isn’t. I believe there is.

I don’t care if you do…that’s up to you.


But my believing in God and Heaven isn’t hurting anyone.

I’m not trying to convert anyone, I’m not snubbing people for not believing. I disagree, but to me? There’s no doubt that there is God.

As an atheist I don't really care about your average religious person. Hell the average person is religious to some extent. It seems to matter a lot to them so I respect that.

But there are people on this forum (and real life) where it's like they aren't even people anymore. You can't even have a normal conversation with them. It's like talking with a robot programmed to recite scripture back at you. The people that tell me I'm going to burn in hell, or how god naturally made man in charge of women, or the rapture....

It really does feel like talking to an insane person sometimes.

 

[Nomad4Ever]

Ah yes...just use your brain...I've heard the argument before...it's not so original, though...Satan used the same argument with Eve...and here we are...

Are you saying trying to think through things rationally is...satanic?

 

[Nomad4Ever]

Hold up....how many genders do you think there are?

You know there are Christians who believe gender is a social construct....right?

 

[Fishking]

As an atheist I don't really care about your average religious person. Hell the average person is religious to some extent. It seems to matter a lot to them so I respect that.

But there are people on this forum (and real life) where it's like they aren't even people anymore. You can't even have a normal conversation with them. It's like talking with a robot programmed to recite scripture back at you. The people that tell me I'm going to burn in hell, or how god naturally made man in charge of women, or the rapture....

It really does feel like talking to an insane person sometimes.

But that isn't unique to religion at all. Not even close.