by zeroday 55 Replies latest jw friends
If the Bible has a Supreme Being as its source it should de facto contain information which could not possibly be available to ordinary writers.
What information (not assertions) does the Bible contain which clearly demonstrates knowledge of facts only a Supreme Mind could originate?
That should prove the matter wouldn't you say?
Huge assertions require huge proof.
Supreme assertions require supreme demonstrations of fact.
The Bible is neither better nor worse than lots of other so-called "sacred" writings: The Koran, the book of Mormon, the Bhagavad Vita, The Watchtower etc. I love the way some people set the Bible up over all other books, citing its so-called unique wisdom and (ahem) practicality. Embarrassing:
If you want sheer bloody-minded, blunt efficiency and practicality, thumb through Leviticus which should be re-titled 1001 Ways to Terrorise Your Local Community.
A lot of folks have commented on some of the troubling issues in the bible - seemingly it condones rape, genocide, and other forms of cruelty - of course, those are only acceptable when first vengeful prayers are offered up to the divine - and all with a spirit of righteousness. Think of the alternative for a moment - how easy is it to accept that perhaps there is no deity choosing sides, i.e. who lives and who dies, but instead it's just a mad evolutionary dash to prosperity for you and your genes/offspring? What happens when a rational person realizes the bible is what it is - reflective of the struggle of humanity to survive - yet the most profound 'truth' of life as we know it may very well be - 'fill the earth and subdue it'? I personally think that a significant fraction of people have always been skeptical/doubtful of the 'wisdom of the ages' or the bible. Unfortunately, until very recently, they have been meticulously selected out of the gene pool. I have rambled quite a bit, but a last tidbit would have to be - the bible fairly accurately details how our 'civilization' was built. Yeah - cooperation has been useful within social groups, tribes, nations, empires - but destruction of other groups has served an important role as well. So how is the human race going to survive - i.e. more cooperation and less warfare is an obvious start - now that we have nearly 'filled the earth' to capacity?
I'm not religious but I find these words speaking volumes when it comes to religion "God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh"~ Voltaire
I don't want to go into religious debate, just because I don't believe something that doesn't give me the right to spit all over someone else's beliefs (which is basically spitting on their feelings)but I would encourage those too afraid to investigate to think about Abraham for example; according to bible he basically argued with god whether it was ok to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah and Jonah who was quite pissed off when god decided not to destroy ninivah after jonah spent whole month preaching doom and glum there, according to bible god even asked him "is it good to be angry?" what did Jonah say in response?, in neither of these instances did it cost them their lives, on contrary, it opened a new channel of deeper communication. So why don't you take a courage and put everything to the test and see what happens, either way you will only be smarter for it.
Zagor:
Bravo! Well put
That statement angers me. If God is a comedian I for one would give him a smack on the mouth.
I wouldn't appreciate comedy from the piolet of diving plane, so certainly not from a God who put us in this mess.
Slim
That statement angers me. If God is a comedian I for one would give him a smack on the mouth.I wouldn't appreciate comedy from the poilet of diving plane, so certainly not from a God who put us in this mess.
Slim
LOL, Slim, why don't you complain to Voltaire then ;)
I don't think Voltaire and the other philosophes believed in God, they saw the concept as socially useful that's all.
I think the point Voltaire was making and contemporary use of his words may be at odds here.
Slim
I don't think Voltaire and the other philosophes believed in God, they saw the concept as socially useful that's all.
I think I need to explain that as it could have two meanings.
Firstly Voltaire could not explicitly state he was an atheist for fear of sanction, so he adopted a deist position.
Secondly Voltaire may have thought that promoting the idea of Godlessness among the masses would be socially unhelpful anyway, despite the rational basis of atheism.
You know obviously he said: "if God did not exist it would be necessary to invent him".
Slim
Actually, Slim, Voltaire did believe in god, we know that because he was a freemason, so it was given. But you are right I did apply it in a bit different context here ;) But he was also a realist, you can sense that in many of his sayings, in particular this one "God is always on the side of the big battalions." lol
But he is one of my favorite French writers from that period, along with Moliere of course. One of the my favorite things he said was that "anything too stupid to be said is sung"
lol, nothing to do with this topic but just wanted to add ;)
He left an enormous amount of written works, most of which is relevant even today
