Fallen Prophet
Well-Known Member
Most likely.Probably a combination of fear and pride.
How dare you take advantage of those poor women!
That's where I have issues - because it makes sense to me - and I think its because I disagree with "mainstream" Christianity about many things including the nature of God and His relationship with us.It's the whole story. If you take the main plot points of the Bible and put them in order in an outline, it makes no sense as a coherent, logical way to go about things, especially for a "god".
However, when I considered it as a cobbled together series of stories, folklore, legends, myths, and some history, it made much more sense.
Also, it's always struck me as basically a variation on the common religious theme of blood sacrifice to appease the gods.
I don't believe that the Genesis account - or many other books of the Bible - were meant to be proper explanations - just a general record - because it was written by and for a nation of believers.
That's good.Certainly, and I don't begrudge anyone believing in something that makes them happy or helps them be a better person.
Well - was it ever intended to?Probably because religion hasn't actually answered any big questions.
I believe that religion is designed to provide a basic foundation - to give adherents the tools they need to find the answers for themselves.
That is no different than my "faith" in prayer. I have "faith" that my prayers are being heard and that I may receive answers because I have repeated that process and have gained much experience and understanding from it.Well usually at this point in the discussion, it's important to note that I'm talking specifically about "faith" in its religious sense. So yes I have "faith" that when I flip the light switch the light will come on, but that's more of a "confidence" stemming from repeated experience and an understanding of what's actually going on.
It's like how the Bible is not proof in and of itself - but it asks the reader to seek out proof - and this is done by doing what the Bible asks - be obedient to the commandments - and then learn through experience the truth of what the Bible teaches.
That is my understanding anyway.
To me - faith isn't blind - it is an experiment.But when it comes to "faith" as in "believing something despite a lack of independently verifiable evidence", I don't do that. After all, if I'm going to just believe regardless of evidence or whether it even makes sense, why Christianity? Why not Mormonism, Islam, Hinduism, or any other faith?
By having a mere desire to believe - or a willingness to experiment on the promises God has made by sincerely and humbly doing them - expecting nothing - then faith comes when you receive the effects of the promise.
Then it is on to the next experiment and the next one - over and over - your faith growing and building as you come to experience more and learn by doing.
And obviously Islam and Hinduism aren't Christian - but aren't Mormons restorationist Christians?
But it can never be proven true either - placing believers and nonbelievers in the same position.Because it can't be proved wrong, no matter what. That's the nature of gods. Regardless of what we find, one can always say "Well that's just how God made it".
The conclusion of whether it is true or not will always be subjective and personal - there's no other way.
That is why two people can study the same bit of "evidence" and one believes it disproves God while it strengthens the faith of the other.
That's why I don't like throwing "evidence" around - because it won't amount to anything in the long run.
Everyone believes what they believe.
Like you - I like to ask questions - which often makes any "evidence" - for or against - ineffectual.