Arch-Angel
The voice of one crying
absolutely, my bias is my position, and just like you it reflects all that i think and do.
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New Member - Logical or Illogical question
- Thread starter Arch-Angel
- Start date
Magic Man
Reaper of Conversation
So, that's it, huh? You're done now? Oh well.
And just to clear it up, everyone has biases, but some people can see their own and not allow them to get in their way. I have biases, of course, but I generally don't let them get in the way. My biases don't, in fact, reflect all that I think and do. I'm not advocating you get rid of your biases, just realize that in certain cases, like this one, they are clouding your view of the subject.
Arch-Angel
The voice of one crying
i say the same to you, you refuse God and say you have a good reason, your bias does get in the way there so it does reflect what you think and do.
As in not accepting that for which there is no evidence. Not all biases are created equal.
Magic Man
Reaper of Conversation
I don't refuse God. I reject the notion of God. I have good reason, which is that I have no evidence for his existence. The only true evidence for God is personal experience, and I have had no such thing. This does not affect what I think about other things. The same is obviously not true about you and your belief in God.
The Voice of Reason
Doctor of Thinkology
Quite the contrary. Many theists are proud to tell you that every decision they make is based on their faith in God, and what they believe He (or the holy book of their faith) tells them to do.
Arch-Angel
The voice of one crying
so it would be because He hasn't come down and said "mball, I AM" to you personally, that is why you reject the notion of God?
Magic Man
Reaper of Conversation
That's one way of putting, yes. There is no other evidence that leads only to God.
The Voice of Reason
Doctor of Thinkology
Just curious, Angel. Has God done that with you?
BruceDLimber
Well-Known Member
Greetings, and welcome to the neighborhood! 
I would say that virtually all of creation is transient and evanescent. The only exception would be the human soul which was made so by God Himself, and even it is only eternal in the forward direction since it hasn't existed since Creation itself.
As to science and religion, this sort of question clearly falls under the rubric of religion and is unanswerable by science. As you may be aware, science and religion address largely non-overlapping domains, and each is generally unable to answer questions suitable for the other.
(And as one of our central teachings, we Baha'is explicitly endorse the value and importance of both science and religion, and stress the need for both!)
Best regards,
Bruce
I would say that virtually all of creation is transient and evanescent. The only exception would be the human soul which was made so by God Himself, and even it is only eternal in the forward direction since it hasn't existed since Creation itself.
As to science and religion, this sort of question clearly falls under the rubric of religion and is unanswerable by science. As you may be aware, science and religion address largely non-overlapping domains, and each is generally unable to answer questions suitable for the other.
(And as one of our central teachings, we Baha'is explicitly endorse the value and importance of both science and religion, and stress the need for both!)
Best regards,
Bruce
Arch-Angel
The voice of one crying
no and he doesn't need to. i don't believe experiences are necessary to believe but i do not deny that they do on occasion happen.
John 20:25-30 25So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."26A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" 27Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."28Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
29Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
Worthless hearsay ...
Magic Man
Reaper of Conversation
So, why don't you believe all the other religions? For that matter, why don't you believe anything anyone ever tells you? Why do you believe your holy book over the Book of Mormon or the Baghavad Gita (sp?)?
You're right that experiences aren't necessary to believe. However, it doesn't make much sense to just believe what someone else tells you.
The Voice of Reason
Doctor of Thinkology
Okay. Just checking.
I'm happy for you, that you have your faith. As has been said before, on this site, my ability to reason could not overcome my desire to believe.
Arch-Angel
The voice of one crying
good question, heres why....(i copied this from another topic i replied to, sorry but im not all up on how to link stuff)
I believe Christianity to be the only Way to salvation because it's foundations are built on absolute authority. there is no subjectivity with the bible, i cannot say my points of view about it, it's claims are in absolute form and pronouncing in one faith to One person because we are sinners who cannot be rid of sin apart from Jesus. all other forms of religion follow some form of practice to "enlightenment" or atoning for they're deeds, but the God of the bible lays a very different claim than the rest of the world in that He says there is nothing you can do to save yourself. a Law has been violated and the price cannot be paid with anything that has spot or blemish, that is the necessity for Jesus, He paid our price and had mercy on those who deserved Hell. this is why i believe my religion to be true, there is only one Way to salvation, the absolute Way. if there were many roads to salvation why would you join a specific religion? allot of people have a problem with the will of God because He makes absolute claims and leaves no room for our input into what is right or wrong. so to put it plainly for the above question, i say Christianity, but i only say Christianity so you would know what im talking about, going to a Christian church does not make you Christian, neither does being baptized make you a Christian, nor saying your a Christian make you one.....
Romans 10:9-10:9that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;10for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
This is what makes you a Christian, your heart and your confession, you cannot just go through the motions and say you are Christian, it is inward, not outward.
Magic Man
Reaper of Conversation
What do you mean "there's no subjectivity in the Bible"? Have you read it? That is possibly one of the most untrue statements I've ever heard.
Aside from that, you still haven't answered why you believe what these people are telling you, and don't believe what millions of other people tell you.
Aside from that, you still haven't answered why you believe what these people are telling you, and don't believe what millions of other people tell you.
Arch-Angel
The voice of one crying
continually. if God says "thou shalt not steal" i cannot subject my ideas to when stealing is ok, the same is for everything else. apart from His Word mine is just opinion if it is not founded on the Rock of the Word.
like what? im not grasping what your saying here, i follow Christ and i gave my reasoning.
Magic Man
Reaper of Conversation
Accept that you only choose to believe that God said that. In fact, it was a human being who said it. You just believe that that human was speaking for God. Aside from that, there is plenty on the Bible that is subjective. Even the commandments are. Let me ask you this: If someone stole something from you, and refused to give it back, would you be justified in stealing it back?
Also, it's not His word. It's some guy's word that He said it. Anything communicated through a human is subjective, and has already had someone's opinion influence it.
Like, you believe that the Bible is God's word. Why? Because some people said so? Then, why don't you believe in all of the other holy books? They have plenty of followers who will tell you they are "the word of God" or an equivalent.
The Voice of Reason
Doctor of Thinkology
He is asking you why you don't believe what the millions of people that follow Islam are telling you. What is the difference in their claims, and those of the Christians of this world? Muslims claim absolute authority in the Qu'ran.
What about the millions of atheists in this world? Why not listen to them? Admittedly, they don't have a book that claims that it is "the truth", but maybe one of them will write one for you.
I'm really not sure how you can be absolutist, even about the Ten Commandments, without ignoring other parts of the Bible (e.g. Romans 7:4, Colossians 2:20, or Jesus' story of the sheep in the pit in Matthew 12).
I also can't see how you can be absolutist about Christianity and faith being the only way to salvation without ignoring passages like 1 John 4:16 and Jesus' condemnation of the Pharisees and scribes in Matthew 23? Didn't they have faith in God?
You said that you follow Christ because the Bible is absolute. Personally, I don't think it is, but I also think you've got a fair gap from "absolute" to "true".