I grew up atheist for 16 years. I had always kept an open mind towards religion, but never really felt a need to believe in it. My sister started going to a Wednesday night children's program at a church. Eventually, I was dragged into a Christmas Eve service. Scoffing, I reluctantly went, assuming that this was going to be a load of crap, but when I went, I felt something. Something that I've never felt before. I felt a sense of empowerment and a sense of calling. Jesus called upon my soul, just like he did with his disciples. he wanted me to follow him. Now, my life is being lived for Christ. He died on the cross for my sins, and the sins of everyone who believes in him. He was beaten, brutalized, struck with a whip 39 times, made to carry a cross up to the stage of his death. This I believe to be true, and I can never repay him for what he has done. I still have my struggles with Christianity, but I've found this bit of information most useful. Religion is not comprehensible in the human mind, because we cannot comprehend the idea of a perfect and supreme being, a God, but we can believe it in our heart, and that's the idea of faith. Faith is, even though everything rides against me believing in Jesus, I still believe in him because I know that it's true in my heart. I invite my fellow Brothers and sisters of the LORD to talk about how Jesus has helped you in your life. No atheists and no insults please
Because modern science says otherwise. It had to have a beginning and an end. And who else can explain the beginning except God?
Modern science says this specific universe has a beginning, and the only end are ideas some scientists have come up with based on available evidence. One idea of before the Big Bang is that it was another universe that collapsed on itself, which is one idea for what might happen to the universe we live in. None of this needs a God for it to happen.
This is false as well. God sent the first original laws when he gave the ten commandments to Moses.
Does god impose moral laws on other animals too?
All moralities and virtues are based off of a religion in some form or another.
That's just an assertion, just because religion has been around for so long doesn't mean that our values originate from them. What discounts the possibility that man made up religion with some moral values already instilled in their culture during their time?
And as far as I know the bible has some of the most disturbing moral guidelines out there. Stoning people to death? Beating slaves is okay if they recover? Ancestral accountability? Sacrifices? It is secular governments that have lead to improvements in the judicial system, not fundamentalist groups.
The assertion that there had to be an end to the universe seems to not be backed up at all. Only the beginning of the universe is supported. Not the end.
And the big bang can explain the beginning.
The end is tribulation and Rapture. God ended the world once with the flood of Noah, and God will do it again. It coincides with science that says that there has to be an end. And at the big bang, what created the big bang?
then you haven't disproven the claim that all rational Christians are also determinist.
why should I? You have based your logic on a false statement. "False -> D" is true regardless of D's truth. Why do I need to oppose any other pieces of your argument?
All true virtues are not the creation of God, but exist independently of God.
Explain the state "true virtues". Who is to determine whether a virtue is "true"? You?
why is it immoral to murder? ... For murder would be wrong whether God existed or not!
Have you heard of cannibals? They haven't been immoral, they had their tribe's moral that eating other tribes' members is good. Therefore your statement is false.
How does a religion form around a text that is not religious?
I'm saying that it's not just a religious text. It's not fiction. It's actual historical events that have happened based on eye witness accounts, and many of them.
God cannot "create" morality. Without God's existence, the universe would still have virtues. For instance, why is it immoral to murder? Surely not because of God?! For murder would be wrong whether God existed or not!
My hypothesis is that the universe would still have virtues without God's existence. This contains that it is immoral to murder.
Thus, theists must believe that if God didn't exist, murder would not be wrong.
why should I? You have based your logic on a false statement. "False -> D" is true regardless of D's truth. Why do I need to oppose any other pieces of your argument?
From what I know of logic(keep in mind I don't know if there are any special rules here) a False implying a True is False.
And who gave us the gift of physics? What creates gravity? Matter had to have been created. And yes, the Judo- Christian God, the God of Abraham, because this is the only true God. If it was any other religion, you'd be a lot more tolerant, but you're not. Jesus said " you will be persecuted and mocked because of me." so thank you for proving Jesus all that much more
Physics are just the rules of how the constants of the universe determine how matter and energy in our universe can manifest themselves. Gravity is most likely just another elementary particles that affects matter. Actually if you were here talking about another religion I would and other would still be here expressing our ideals in a quest of intellectualism, don't make assumption on something you have no clue about. I didn't prove anything either you're using some sudo logic or you have no grasp on how it works.
Explain the state "true virtues". Who is to determine whether a virtue is "true"? You?
I have stated that God cannot determine virtues. This does not imply that any specific being or whatever determines them. ~(~Religion -> Moral Relativism)
For example, utilitarianism is much more plausible. Happiness is the only thing desire-able, no?
@ Darkroot You're assuming that your physics is correct, when it really is just a theory. Physics have no complete proof, Christianity has much more proof
