Wht do we have religion? Because to me it seems that we only have religion to comfort you or the past. Religion also seems that it is supposed to heal sins. How do we know all of this without some proof? (I'm a christian) Like do we have any bones of adam and eve? I'm just trying to get answers to questions. Thank you!
Scripture? Cultural assumptions generally aren't correct, neither are hyperboles created by...
So can you tell me, do social implications matter or not?
In most religious practices visions can be seen as symbolic or literal even by the person receiving the vision. I still don't know what you don't understand about the fact that if an omnipotent being exists it can do whatever the hell it feels like.
Then why doesn't this omnipotent being say something like "By the way, this isn't real! It is just a suggestion on how to live your life!"? That would clear up a lot. Or better yet a magic book, but then again your not Christian any more...
I'm not saying that the bible is right in any sense just that sometimes it's useful to understand what you're copying and pasting.
Oh. You mean make shit up. I can do that to, I just didn't think your supposed to...
How about this, when the Bible says god, it is actually referring to the Giant Spaghetti Monster... All the stories that have god as a human form were just examples he sent you. All the things that are naughty were just examples of how not to act. Ignore the fact they say to act like that, the GSM was slightly intoxicated at those times.
So can you tell me, do social implications matter or not?
Modern cultural assumptions do not, context from the time period does. Sorry I should have made that clearer.
Then why doesn't this omnipotent being say something like "By the way, this isn't real! It is just a suggestion on how to live your life!"?
It would damage faith, and Revelations really isn't how to live your life; it's how the world will end in the Christian tradition. Basically is the lake of fire an actual lake of fire or symbolic for the purification of the human race in god's eyes.
Oh. You mean make **** up. I can do that to, I just didn't think your supposed to...
I'm not making up anything, I'm putting it into context.
How about this, when the Bible says god, it is actually referring to the Giant Spaghetti Monster... All the stories that have god as a human form were just examples he sent you. All the things that are naughty were just examples of how not to act. Ignore the fact they say to act like that, the GSM was slightly intoxicated at those times.
As the type of language used (prophetic in Revelations) differs this is one case where you can say that it might be symbolism; however, other than Genesis and Revelations that language structure remains the same.
It would damage faith, and Revelations really isn't how to live your life; it's how the world will end in the Christian tradition. Basically is the lake of fire an actual lake of fire or symbolic for the purification of the human race in god's eyes.
According to who, exactly? Not the Bible, for sure. And how would giving examples damage faith?
I'm not making up anything, I'm putting it into context.
The context you happen to want it in? Convenient that they thought exactly like you did!
As the type of language used (prophetic in Revelations) differs this is one case where you can say that it might be symbolism; however, other than Genesis and Revelations that language structure remains the same.
Different writers, different times. So?
Now I am off to Drivers Ed, good luck making stuff up...
One more thing before I go though, just as an example...
As for the weeping and gnashing of teeth I can only assume that if hell is real some would cry and gnash their own teeth over the pain of knowing they could be in heaven.
That is a complete assumption, completely made up by you with no sociological context or scriptural context, yet you seem to assume that you are correct. How am I the wrong one for saying it means what it says?
Depends what part you are taking about I suppose, the first half is devoted to addressing the major problems of the majors churches after that it goes into detail about John's vision of the end of time. Have you ever read the book?
And how would giving examples damage faith?
Direct interference from god, I don't really know how that would work but it's the general argument.
The context you happen to want it in? Convenient that they thought exactly like you did!
No, the context it is in; just because I believe something now doesn't mean I've always believed it. In fact I held the stereotypical belief of hell for years.
Different writers, different times. So?
Genesis was written as poetry, Revelations is part of the genre of Apocalyptic writings.
Now I am off to Drivers Ed, good luck making stuff up...
Your ignorance of the matter doesn't mean I'm making things up, sorry.
That is a complete assumption, completely made up by you with no sociological context or scriptural context, yet you seem to assume that you are correct. How am I the wrong one for saying it means what it says?
What it means? Where exactly does it say that the gnashing of teeth will be of demons? Say what it means, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, by whom is up to interpretation.
I think that hell is a place of pain and torture, as the Bible describes. However, the worst part of hell would be knowing that you had missed out on Jesus, and were eternally not in heaven.
Depends what part you are taking about I suppose, the first half is devoted to addressing the major problems of the majors churches after that it goes into detail about John's vision of the end of time. Have you ever read the book?
I have, it was one of my favorites in the brick testament. But he never said " BTW This is all metaphor and not actually going to happen..."
Direct interference from god, I don't really know how that would work but it's the general argument.
...The general, modern, argument that you yourself states as wrong? Do I need to quote again?
No, the context it is in; just because I believe something now doesn't mean I've always believed it. In fact I held the stereotypical belief of hell for years.
And its the context you currently think the writers were meaning, and you seem to think you are infallibly correct. I looked at the context and historical context and nothing seems to suggest, for example, that clenched teeth and such was caused by being away from the deity.
Genesis was written as poetry, Revelations is part of the genre of Apocalyptic writings.
...And? Homer's writings can be considered poetry, yet many Greek intellectuals took them as true for a while after they were written... I think the Norse had a kind of apocalypse, and they took it as litterer true, why would a different writing style effect what the writers meant?
Your ignorance of the matter doesn't mean I'm making things up, sorry.
But the fact you are saying things with no scriptural or cultural bases does.
What it means? Where exactly does it say that the gnashing of teeth will be of demons? Say what it means, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, by whom is up to interpretation.
The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Most people would assume it was by the people thrown into "the furnace of fire"
If you believe in god you have things like life after death. Someone to blame. Explainations of existance and so on and so on.
1. Just because you believe in life after death - doesn't make it real. If I was to believe that there was a guy called the Might Munchkin who went around beating up tall people - because they're tall - that doesn't make it true. 2. We can explain quite adequately how we got here without religion - the currently accepted theories are usually the Big Bang, Abiogenesis and Evolution. 3. Someone to blame for what?
Just because you believe in life after death - doesn't make it real. If I was to believe that there was a guy called the Might Munchkin who went around beating up tall people - because they're tall - that doesn't make it true.
Yes, but you believe it is real. Which makes it just as real as a mirage is to a dying person in the desert.
We can explain quite adequately how we got here without religion - the currently accepted theories are usually the Big Bang, Abiogenesis and Evolution.
Which is, of course, why atheists are growing in number.
Someone to blame for what?
Evil and things like that. Just everything wrong, basically. That way, humans don't really have to take on all the problems we create ourselves, we can blame them on Satan or God!
2. We can explain quite adequately how we got here without religion - the currently accepted theories are usually the Big Bang, Abiogenesis and Evolution.
Actually abiogenesis is the study of how life first arose not an actual theory itself and most of the ideas about how it could have occurred are considered to be hypothesis's not theories. The other two are correct though, just adding this :]
