Why does God hate Homosexuals and why did he create them? (priest, homosexuality)

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Originally Posted by Autodidact

I read it once. He wants me to re-read one section in particular. I think everyone should know about it, but I don't think I need to go back and review. I can retain the gist. I tend to guess that I know more about it than Fish-Hunter; that's my usual experience with Christians.

Hey... there's always a chance that if you read Romans 9, he'll read Romans 7, which might change his mind a bit if he pays attention to what it says.

[Autodidact]

My point is that Christians should not assume that atheists have not read or are not familiar with the Bible. Many of us are former Christians, including many who studied theology and exegesis, and that study led some to reject their former religion. (I have never been Christian myself.) To assume that everyone who disagrees with you is just ignorant is arrogant.

[Fish-Hunter]

Originally Posted by Autodidact

My point is that Christians should not assume that atheists have not read or are not familiar with the Bible. Many of us are former Christians, including many who studied theology and exegesis, and that study led some to reject their former religion. (I have never been Christian myself.) To assume that everyone who disagrees with you is just ignorant is arrogant.

That's a good point. All I can do is encourage all of you to read and study the Bible for yourself until you believe.

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Originally Posted by Fish-Hunter

That's a good point. All I can do is encourage all of you to read and study the Bible for yourself until you believe.

It's had the opposite effect on me. I do see some good in it, but generally I agree with Mark Twain on the subject.

[Autodidact]

Originally Posted by Fish-Hunter

That's a good point. All I can do is encourage all of you to read and study the Bible for yourself until you believe.

That makes no sense. Why on earth would I choose the Bible to read over and over? Why not the Tao Te Ching or something coherent? Why would my goal be to believe something; shouldn't my goal be to find out the truth? Why would reading the Bible be the best way to do that? *Again, try to answer without assuming what you're trying to figure out.

To me, the Bible is just one more of many, many, religious books. Why would I spend all my time reading one when there are so many? Because it says that God had a son who rose from the dead? To me that's a red flag as to why not to read it, since it appears to be (1) false (2) derivative of earlier myths. Any why spend my time reading religious books at all? Why not science, which seems to be a much better route to truth? Or novels? Or poetry?

Instead of encouraging me, why don't you try persuading me? For example, do you have any evidence that the Bible is true? Or why it's important to understand what animals to sacrifice to the Priests of Yahweh and how to do it? Or why I need to know exactly how many tribes the Israelited committed genocide against? Why is this valuable reading material? Especially when, as I say, if I were interested in religious books, I could read wisdom like this:

The Tao is infinite, eternal.
Why is it eternal?
It was never born;
thus it can never die.
Why is it infinite?
It has no desires for itself;
thus it is present for all beings.

The Master stays behind;
that is why she is ahead.
She is detached from all things;
that is why she is one with them.
Because she has let go of herself,
she is perfectly fulfilled.

[Autodidact]

Originally Posted by Fish-Hunter

That's a good point. All I can do is encourage all of you to read and study the Bible for yourself until you believe.

You're missing the point. Reading the Bible helps me not believe. The more I read it, the less I believe, especially when I come across weird stuff like this:

If two men, a man and his countryman, are struggling together, and the wife of one comes near to deliver her husband from the hand of the one who is striking him, and puts out her hand and seizes his genitals, then you shall cut off her hand; you shall not show pity.

Deuteronomy 25:11-12

How is reading this weird stuff going to cause me to believe?

[Azakel]

Originally Posted by Fish-Hunter

I think the biggest reason that you should consider reading the Bible is that by not believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, you are calling God a liar.

1 John 5:10:
Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son.

And I think that the biggest reason that you should go and read and look into other Gods is that by not doing so you are calling them lairs.

[fantôme profane]

Originally Posted by Fish-Hunter

That's a good point. All I can do is encourage all of you to read and study the Bible for yourself until you believe.

Fish-Hunter, have you read any other holy books or religious texts from other religions? If so what? If not why not?