Since I have joined Armorgams . . .I see a lot of Atheists and their threads about why people believe in God etc . . . I wanted to start a thread about the bible and christianity.
The purpose of this thread is to debate a different book of the bible each week. We will discuss lessons, morals, and different stories.
We will have friendly debates. Please . . . if you are atheist or of other beliefs . . . you may discuss in this thread, just PLEASE no fighting, flaming, spamming, trolling . . . etc
This week we will begin from the beginning . . . .Genesis
The story of Joseph is in my opinion an interesting moral story. There isn't and probably will never be any proof that it happened, but that's inconsequential - it makes an interesting and valid moral point. It's one of the only stories in the Bible I actually care about because of that.
think the best story is the Parable of the Good Samaritan, but the majority of Christians ignores it.
It is a great example of how to help others. Just like how Joseph helped save a lot of people during a terrible famine. I think if we just learn to help others without expecting anything in return, the world would be a better place.
How about we don't blindly follow what isn't proven to exist...
Again, it is all about the amount of faith people have to believe in what we don't fully understand.
Since it seems like not many people are knowledgeable about Joseph, we will move into the story of Abraham almost sacrificing his son. His devotion to God was so strong, that he was willing to sacrifice his son Issac.
Here is the link to the story: http://www.jesusanswers.com/christian/stories/sacrifice.htm
But Kirby . . .God wants us to devote ourselves wholly to Him, but you are right, if the angel didn't stop Abraham, his devotion would have caused the death of his son.
I see what you mean Kirby but it shows that if you are willing to give up everything and fully commit yourself to God that you will be rewarded. If I was told to sacrifice my son I would be really scared and nervous, mabye not do it, but i might because I would figure that my son must really important if God wants him that badly
That particular story raises some interesting questions.. what if a person these days claimed god wanted them to sacrifice their son? Should they be allowed to because of religious freedom?
It *does* say in the bible to put your love for god before anything else - including your family and friends.
Honestly. . .I think it was mental illness, not god. He heard voices only he could hear - that is a symptom of schizophrenia, not enlightenment. If something like that happened today, he would've been given pills and put under probation, not regarded as holy. Be reminded that people didn't know jacksh** back then, and they could've misinterpreted mental disturbance as being talked to by god. If you look at it objectively, it doesn't appear to be very likely he was told to kill his son by god. Remember the Son of Sam? He was told by who he claimed to be a deity to kill people - just like Abraham could've. And him deciding not to could've been a lapse of his illness.
Again Alt your saying they didnt know anything back then, but i bet in 2000 years they will say we didnt know anything. Also so you are claiming that saints and the Pope are all crazy?
So? That's not a point. And that's not a valid comparison - we know about mental illness today, right? And they didn't back then, right? That's all that matters. your point is irrelevant.
The saints did not necessarily hear the voice of god or cause any miracles - you don't know that, I don't know that. Same thing with the Pope - you're making points based on religious conjecture.
