Fanatical religious terrorist incident Colorado Springs.

[MisterChester]

You have to accept on of only two choices here: Christ is divine, or Christ was mentally unstable/delusional. When he declared, "I am", that was a direct statement of being God.

Hey, a broken clock is right twice a day. If he was a delusional mess he still had a good bunch of one liners.

 

[BugI02]

He may "self identify" as a Christian; that doesn't make him one.

Much like 'self identifying' as a woman equally does not make him female

 

[Doug]

that saying is older than a screen door on a battleship.

 

[BugI02]

that saying is older than a screen door on a battleship.

I'm old enough to be invisible to women under 30 and that's actually the first time I've come across that. So if its that old of a chestnut then it's public domain - no plagiarism req'd?

 

[MisterChester]

Me neither...That's why I turn to the witnesses that were there and the descriptions they gave of the events...IMHO a true "miracle" would be an unemployed Jewish carpenter being the most written about Man of His age having not performed Miracles....He said He was the Son of God and He had to back that up...Raising the dead, walking on water, turning water into wine and hosting the largest fish fry in history with a couple of fish and a couple of loaves of bread was what worked for the folks at that time...And fortunately we had folks around that were willing to record the events....

For all we know it might have all been true or the events were grossly exaggerated or even false. He could have been a time traveler with access to technology that can do all these things. Who knows? But to me at least the miracles are nowhere near as important as his teachings.

 

[Doug]

that saying is older than a screen door on a battleship.

I'm old enough to be invisible to women under 30 and that's actually the first time I've come across that. So if its that old of a chestnut then it's public domain - no plagiarism req'd?

The REAL quote is "As (useful, smart, funny) as a screen door in a submarine."

 

[mbills2223]

I'm pro-life for the record...am I doing this right?!?

 

[BugI02]

The REAL quote is "As (useful, smart, funny) as a screen door in a submarine."

#719. It was the DD quote that I liked

 

[DragonGunner]

Incorrect. There is no "they." That passage is specific to a particular person; a prophet, in fact.

The rest of the verse:
"...'and I appointed you a prophet to the nations.'"

Late back to the game...

The first passage is from Jeremiah, but speaks to all. The second passage is from King David and speaks to all.

Wisdom is justified of her children.

 

[steveh_131]

The REAL quote is "As (useful, smart, funny) as a screen door in a submarine."

MCFLY. THOUGHT I TOLD YOU NEVER TO COME IN HERE.

 

[printcraft]

HEY!

Is it too early to get a thread title swap?

https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/break-room/399480-mass-shooting-reported-san-bernadino.html

 

[PaulF]

They may be imaginary to you, but one is defined in a tangible way and one is not - via the Bible.

Religious person 'A' spouts off delusional nonsense about an arbitrary divine being who justifies every selfish and evil thing that he does.

Religious person 'B' carefully studies a book to learn about this divine being, gathers with other believers to learn and study, and lives his life trying to follow the tenets of that book, in a self-sacrificial manner.

We're using the word 'religious' to describe both people, A and B. But would you and I agree that they are not the same?

Honestly, Steve..I cannot.

To me they are both "religious", just at different points on the same spectrum. Both are invested in fantasy, and allow that fantasy to inform their real-world behavior.

Jamil has been pushing back at me, stating that it isn't "religion's fault". While I see his point, I cannot fully agree with that, either.

It is religion that pushes the idea that people will live forever after they die. It is religion that pushes the idea that people can commit evil and get a pass for it...well, government too...but that's a type of religion for some people.

I am not opposed to faith. I am not opposed to belief in gods (other than for myself). I am opposed to religion. Why?

Because all religion begins with: "I know what God/gods/the spirits/gaia/nature wants from you". That is an incredibly dangerous concept! This concept necessarily cedes spiritual knowledge to other men, and that is ripe for abuse. I can never actually know if that person speaks for the gods, or only speaks for their own agenda.

The guys who flew the planes on 9/11 thought they would be rewarded in heaven for their deeds. They didn't come up with this idea on their own. This came from their religion. Now, these ideas were actually put in their heads by other men...

...did those men actually speak for Allah? Or, is it more likely that they were speaking for their own agenda? Would the peons that actually carried out the attacks have done so had they not been convinced they would receive a divine reward? I don't think so...Sitting here, I am trying hard to think of what motivates suicide attackers, and I can only come up with two things: 1) mental incapacity, and 2) religion.

For whatever good religion does for mankind, it carries a great, perverse toxin along with it. Some people are seemingly immune to this toxin, but it's still there...waiting to poison the next person weak to its temptations.

Speaking only for myself, I'd really like it if I never heard the words "it is God's will", or "I am doing God's work", or "I am God's warrior" attached to another perverse act of violence again... and, no, I am not advocating for government intervention.

 

[steveh_131]

Honestly, Steve..I cannot.

To me they are both "religious", just at different points on the same spectrum. Both are invested in fantasy, and allow that fantasy to inform their real-world behavior.

You see no distinction between a practicing Christian and a delusional mentally ill person?

I guess we'll find no agreement on anything, then.

 

[BugI02]

You see no distinction between a practicing Christian and a delusional mentally ill person?

I guess we'll find no agreement on anything, then.

Really, Paul? Wow, just....wow.

 

[PaulF]

You see no distinction between a practicing Christian and a delusional mentally ill person?

I guess we'll find no agreement on anything, then.

Choosing fantasy over reality is the definition of delusion. If your god is real, you may not be delusional...but otherwise, in fact you are.

The distinction between a delusional mentally ill person and a person that practices a religion based on fantasy is that one of those people has a good reason to be delusional.

Is Christianity a delusion? From my perspective, yes...but I am not the final arbiter of these things. I could be wrong.

 

[2A_Tom]

You see no distinction between a practicing Christian and a delusional mentally ill person?

I guess we'll find no agreement on anything, then.

So why compare yourself with me?

 

[PaulF]

Really, Paul? Wow, just....wow.

Yeah, I'm out there.

One thing I'd like to make clear: I support other people's right to engage in fantasy...but not violence based on fantasy.

 

[2A_Tom]

Choosing fantasy over reality is the definition of delusion. If your god is real, you may not be delusional...but otherwise, in fact you are.

The distinction between a delusional mentally ill person and a person that practices a religion based on fantasy is that one of those people has a good reason to be delusional.

Is Christianity a delusion? From my perspective, yes...but I am not the final arbiter of these things. I could be wrong.

So, why "does" one choose the Fantasy of evolution, in the beginning was nothing over the Fact of In the beginning,God.

 

[2A_Tom]

Yeah, I'm out there.

One thing I'd like to make clear: I support other people's right to engage in fantasy...but not violence based on fantasy.

Wow, atheists have never killed any one.

 

[PaulF]

So, why "does" one choose the Fantasy of evolution, in the beginning was nothing over the Fact of In the beginning,God.

I have written nothing about the origin of the universe, but evolution explains the development of organic species...not their origins. As to why I choose to believe it? I trust the evidence. There is no evidence for your god.

Wow, atheists have never killed any one.

I haven't.