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Another poster on here claimed I was a "doubting Thomas" and the implication was that I was doubting God. That was not correct then, nor is it correct now. I am questioning what people say, the claims they make and the reasons behind those statements and claims. As an assumption of my approach, I accept at face value a person's claimed position whether it is Christian, Jewish, Islamic, agnostic, atheistic or whatever.
While some are content to hold the title "Christian" even though they know they are not, there are a lot of people on these forums, both "Christian" and non-Christian, who know that this is a reality, and then they are those who have the mistaken view that "Christians" and Christians, are all one.
That's not what you are telling me, are you? So you will have to tell me, and of course, I have no way of knowing if you are lying to me.
I thought you were only interested in the question in the OP. What does these questions have to do with, that, and why are you asking them, when you don't want to be asked about things not related to the thread?
It has been nice talking with you.
It is not love. It is that I am not the subject of the OP. The veracity of my belief is not the subject of this discussion nor is it something that you can determine. I am not interested in having my questions that are not an attack on you, but about what you think, evaded.
We cannot determine that there is one answer to a question, when there is only circumstantial evidence, and more than one interpretation.
And yet, you chose a certain line of questioning that not about the OP, but rather about me and my claims. So, your statement here is not in line with that approach.
I don't agree with you here. There is a reason I asked you those specific questions.
Yes. I agree that one may not know everything about something they believe, but they can certainly have valid, and rational reason(s) for believing it.
, there are a few that I have seen show strong conviction. I am tempted to name one, but I won't.
Yes you do agree with me, since I indicated that you had reason to ask the questions you did.
You asked questions that are not relevant to the OP. I could make statements in response to your questions just as I did. Nothing I said changed the OP or addressed it. If I had answered in a way that you say I should have, it would not have been relevant to the OP.Yes. I agree that one may not know everything about something they believe, but they can certainly have valid, and rational reason(s) for believing it.
If I asked you, why you believe in God, if you said you believed in God, because XYZ. You gave me an answer. Why assume that I would attack your answer? There is no need, unless one is afraid that they don't really know. They just believe?
I recall someone saying that their faith was blind.
So, I can understand why such a person might feel somewhat threatened, but I think they ought to expect that... no matter where they go.
It may not be from me, but someone else will - not may - will challenge any person's expressed view, so they had better be ready to defend it... and if their defense is weak, then expect it to be knocked down, or shown up as weak.
This is true, of all of us.
Here on RF, we learn our weaknesses, and strengths, especially, if we are limping.
To me, a person that can express their conviction and stand solid behind it, and defend it, is one whose conviction is solid.
Apart from the ones I know that can defend their faith without blinking - steel faced
There is a difference between what is evidence, and what is proven.
I don't expect anyone to be able to prove what cannot be known without direct evidence, but I expect one can provide evidence for why they firmly believe something to be true.
So after saying all of that, what I am really saying is, what is the big deal about saying why you believe what you believe?
That's different to a personal question. Isn't it?
Your questions were not about God. They were questions about me.
There are also Christians that believe very deeply, but do not know as much as they believe they do.
I believe that Jesus would give an honest answer if he were asked the question.
Yes. But I am very good at it.
Are you saying you would believe it if I was?
I asked a question. I never made an affirmative statement. Are you claiming that I was lying? I have not received a direct message from God supporting science or denying it. Have you?
I have no evidence that nature is guided by God. No one does. There is no evidence of any external interference in natural processes. Are you saying there is?
I feel very confident based on my experience where you were going. I cannot be dismissed and attacked for being an atheist. So the next best thing to do is question my Christianity. To prove I am a liar based on the erroneous conclusion that I am a false Christian. Now we have your false witness that I made a claim about the Bible that I never did. Where will you go with this next. If you are honest, you would admit that I never said the "the Bible is not a source of truth". I already answered that I did not make that statement. That comes from you.
I am fairly certain why you want to know my views.
No. It is a common matter. One I have seen played out many times before.
I am sorry.
The Revelation stories are to create fear to make people convert to the authors way of thinking. By creating images that they had no proof of they created a fear to belief or suffer. The reference of locusts and scorpions are metaphors so have no relationship with the current discussion about the Ichneumon Wasp.
The Revelation stories are to create fear to make people convert to the authors way of thinking. By creating images that they had no proof of they created a fear to belief or suffer. The reference of locusts and scorpions are metaphors so have no relationship with the current discussion about the Ichneumon Wasp.
Your first post to me on this thread, from this morning is what I call a red flag. Now, you may be ignorant of Methodists. That is possible, but I find it hard to believe considering your claimed religious views. There are nearly 15 million Methodists in the US and 80 million world wide. Not the largest denomination by any means, but certainly not obscure and unheard of.
Well, thank you. I hope you sleep well too. I wish you could have found it in you to answer some of my questions and I am sorry that you felt compelled to make a false statement about what I wrote here, but I bear you no ill will. Perhaps you were overly enthusiastic, reading too much into it and wrote as you did from that enthusiasm.