GRcade

Jenuall wrote:Ultimately following everything or not isn't what determines whether I am a good person - my actions are, and that is the same for everyone, religious or not.

Garth wrote:

Jenuall wrote:Ultimately following everything or not isn't what determines whether I am a good person - my actions are, and that is the same for everyone, religious or not.

That's pretty close my thinking. I just try to be a good person, no need for religious rituals or worshipping invisible beings to do that.

Preezy wrote:Why doesn't God heal amputees? Since records began (waaaay back when, like before the 80s) there hasn't been a single documented case of a person managing to grow back an amputated limb. Surely God is getting amputees praying to Him to help them, but He clearly isn't answering their prayers. I find that a bit off to be honest, it shows that He's only interested in answering the easy prayers like finding your car keys or winning a Grammy, as opposed to the really serious human condition stuff like helping children avoid molestation or disease, or stopping natural disasters.

Hexx wrote:

Jenuall wrote:

Hexx wrote:

Garth wrote:Most religious people I've met turn out to be massive hypocrites and pick and choose which parts of thier religion to follow. Waste of time if you ask me.

Yeah if a religious actually followed all aspects of their chosen text, I'd have some respect for them.

But the approach of "respect the beliefs I've cherry picked" position always makes me chuckle.

Obviously I can't speak for all religions, or indeed all Christians, however I think this strikes at a misunderstanding of what the Bible is. It's not a Version 4.0, Final, Remastered GOTY edition manual of "all things one must do to live their life correctly". It's a series of different documents written across a large span of time that serve varying purposes for the reader and illustrate a process of developing understanding of what it means to be a Christian - a process that is still ongoing to this day.

Well that's fine. But you (generic you, not Jenuall you) can't have it both ways.

If you want to treat "religious beliefs" as some sort of special status sacrosanct rule set that society shouldn't interfere in or impose restrictions on - it can't also be that wiffley.

Otherwise it's just a "belief", same as any other on any topic, and should hold no special status.

Preezy wrote:One thing I do love though are those exceptionally polite people who hand out the Watch Tower "magazines", they're all so super nice it's really hard to sling abuse at them or put them on the spot with difficult questions. God bless 'em

Vermilion wrote:At one time i had a militant atheist in my facebook contacts, the endless propaganda which kept popping up in my news feed was enough to send anyone to church.

Moggy wrote:

Vermilion wrote:At one time i had a militant atheist in my facebook contacts, the endless propaganda which kept popping up in my news feed was enough to send anyone to church.

I'm a militant fundamentalist atheist. I'm going to get on a crowded train, unbutton my coat & say rational things. People will be hurt.

Preezy wrote:

Jenuall wrote:

Preezy wrote:Do you believe that God hears and answers prayers (i.e. does He intervene?)?

In all honesty I have gone back and forth on this issue, but generally I would say yes. But is that a firm belief or a more tentative hope? Hard to quantify and as I say my views have changed lots.

As I said I appreciate your responses, and I don't want to gooseberry fool on anyone's beliefs (unless it would be hilarious to do so) but I do have some follow up questions to this point (fully aware that your views on this aren't necessarily permanent and defined):

If God answers some prayers, why doesn't he answer others? I'll use a bog-standard analogy of a footballer praying to God before a football match and then thanking Him for letting his team win, whilst over in Africa a child is dying of AIDS and the mother is praying to God to save it, but the baby still dies.

Why doesn't God heal amputees? Since records began (waaaay back when, like before the 80s) there hasn't been a single documented case of a person managing to grow back an amputated limb. Surely God is getting amputees praying to Him to help them, but He clearly isn't answering their prayers. I find that a bit off to be honest, it shows that He's only interested in answering the easy prayers like finding your car keys or winning a Grammy, as opposed to the really serious human condition stuff like helping children avoid molestation or disease, or stopping natural disasters.

Also bonus silly question for the lolz:

Could God create a being more powerful than Himself?

Answers on a postcard.

Jenuall wrote:

Preezy wrote:

Jenuall wrote:

Preezy wrote:Do you believe that God hears and answers prayers (i.e. does He intervene?)?

In all honesty I have gone back and forth on this issue, but generally I would say yes. But is that a firm belief or a more tentative hope? Hard to quantify and as I say my views have changed lots.

As I said I appreciate your responses, and I don't want to gooseberry fool on anyone's beliefs (unless it would be hilarious to do so) but I do have some follow up questions to this point (fully aware that your views on this aren't necessarily permanent and defined):

If God answers some prayers, why doesn't he answer others? I'll use a bog-standard analogy of a footballer praying to God before a football match and then thanking Him for letting his team win, whilst over in Africa a child is dying of AIDS and the mother is praying to God to save it, but the baby still dies.

Why doesn't God heal amputees? Since records began (waaaay back when, like before the 80s) there hasn't been a single documented case of a person managing to grow back an amputated limb. Surely God is getting amputees praying to Him to help them, but He clearly isn't answering their prayers. I find that a bit off to be honest, it shows that He's only interested in answering the easy prayers like finding your car keys or winning a Grammy, as opposed to the really serious human condition stuff like helping children avoid molestation or disease, or stopping natural disasters.

Also bonus silly question for the lolz:

Could God create a being more powerful than Himself?

Answers on a postcard.

Preezy - good question - I don't have a lot of time to respond now (although I'm not sure I'll be able to come up with anything any more satisfying even if I had all the time in the world! ) so here's my quick reply:

Why doesn't God answer all prayers? Ultimately, I don't know. It's something that obviously I have questioned many times - both when I was an atheist and since becoming a Christian, and honestly I don't believe it's something that I have ever found a wholly satisfying answer for - either through my own thoughts or reading those of others.

Jenuall wrote:

Moggy wrote:

Vermilion wrote:At one time i had a militant atheist in my facebook contacts, the endless propaganda which kept popping up in my news feed was enough to send anyone to church.

I'm a militant fundamentalist atheist. I'm going to get on a crowded train, unbutton my coat & say rational things. People will be hurt.

Will you be fully clothed under the coat? If not then it may just be psychological damage!

Dblock wrote:99% of grcade are atheist. It's a god forsaken religion .

Preezy wrote:

Dblock wrote:99% of grcade are atheist. It's a god forsaken religion .

99% of us are GRcadians, it's the Truth, the Light, the Way

Rightey wrote: I'm down with Jesus.