Forums → WEPR → Reasons to be an Atheist .
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Alright I have been researching theories talking with other Atheists and I have discovered some people who are Atheists but for the wrong reasons like...
1.Settling a score with God because they hate him for (whatever)reasons.
2.Just because.
Some good reasons...
1.There is no evidence.
2.A book written by primitive people is no proof for any God/Gods.
3.Nothing can be omniscient and omnipotent.
Any other reasons can be stated for I am interested in some of your reasons or reasons not to be.
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then why would it have to be Jesus?
How many bearded guys in other religions routinely wear a crown of thorns when depicted in statues, paintings and other religious representations?
The only description of Jesus from the Bible is that he had "olive skin and hair like wool". Olives are dark, wool is wiry and very curly. Ponder upon that a moment.
I can't remember ever reading a description of Jesus in the Bible, but I'll take your word for it. I remember when I was made to go to church every Sunday all the statues, the crosses and paintings, not to mention the stained glass windows (which were beautiful as works of art on their own) and they all showed Jesus as a white man with a brown beard, long brown hair and often with quite large brown eyes.
Don't know for sure, but I suspect when Christians think of Jesus, that description is the one that pops into their heads.
How many bearded guys in other religions routinely wear a crown of thorns when depicted in statues, paintings and other religious representations?
Apollo had the Laurel wreath, but no beard. In some Roman depictions, Jesus had no beard.
I can't remember ever reading a description of Jesus in the Bible
The bible never gives descriptions of his characteristics while he was alive, other than things like 'his face was as shining as the sun'.
Don't know for sure, but I suspect when Christians think of Jesus, that description is the one that pops into their heads.
Usually it is, but that's only because it's pounded into them to think of that description. If every week someone went to a place with US bald eagle seals everywhere, that's what they'll think of when someone says "eagle".
I can't remember ever reading a description of Jesus in the Bible, but I'll take your word for it.
Double checked my Bible. The quote is that his skin is "as bronze", not "olive". Either way, bronze is used to describe a deep brown.
Double checked my Bible. The quote is that his skin is "as bronze", not "olive". Either way, bronze is used to describe a deep brown.
I did have a Bible somewhere, but I've checked through our books and it isn't there. Whereabouts does it mention it? I can look it up online.
The only description is in the Revelation of John 1:13-16. Admittedly this is not a description of Jesus on Earth, so one can only speculate how, or even if, his appearance changed.
There are no other descriptions of his appearance anywhere else in the Bible, aside from describing his "face glowing" and similar such statements which reflect his divinity.
The only description is in the Revelation of John 1:13-16. Admittedly this is not a description of Jesus on Earth, so one can only speculate how, or even if, his appearance changed.
There are no other descriptions of his appearance anywhere else in the Bible, aside from describing his "face glowing" and similar such statements which reflect his divinity.
There are descriptions somewhere, I've been searching for a while because I read about a document in a US library once. It's finding the right search term in Google to find it though.
Physical description of Jesus
Found the correct search term... it was the Congressional Library and a copy of a letter from Pontius Pilate to Tiberius Caesar. Describes Jesus as having blonde hair and a beard.
Whether the letter is genuine or not is another matter.
Ha. Shouldn't we get back on topic, though? This has gone too far off the rails.
True.
Okay, does anyone who believes in God and the Bible have a reasonable explanation why the Bible doesn't include even a half decent description of Jesus? Surely amongst the many stories, there should be some sort of description somewhere, even if it was just a reference to his height, build or his colour?
Unless of course the people who wrote the Bible a good while after Jesus died and didn't have a clue what he really looked like? And if that is the case, is the Bible the word of God, or is it the word of an ordinary man with a vivid imagination?
or is it the word of an ordinary man with a vivid imagination?I'm going with that. My sister started spouting nonsense from the Bible, so I said that it was probably just for entertainment, and people took it seriously for some reason.
it was probably just for entertainment
If the Bible was made by people long after Jesus had died, it is more probable that it was designed as a method of control.
If the Bible was made by people long after Jesus had died, it is more probable that it was designed as a method of control.
The bible is, at its base, little more than a lot of separate stories that were selected by the church at its inception for a modicum of flow and most of all, acts of God and Jesus. Many of these accounts are not first hand, but stories about stories of people. There are more than a lot of "Books" which were left out of the bible for reasons ranging from claims that Jesus said he wasn't the son of God, to completely different beliefs.
The bible is a 2000 year old collection of stories and myths which were believed by the average person who had no education whatsoever and lived isolated lifestyles. That's not exactly a reliable source for something so important as eternal suffering/reward.
I'm going with that. My sister started spouting nonsense from the Bible, so I said that it was probably just for entertainment, and people took it seriously for some reason.
Not exactly sure what you're saying here.
Not exactly sure what you're saying here.Yeah, neither do I. I tend to ramble sometimes.
If the Bible was made by people long after Jesus had died, it is more probable that it was designed as a method of control.
The first of the four Gospels (Mark) was written some 40-70 years after the supposed death of Jesus.
I've also found this series comparing the similarities between Homer's Odyssey and other Biblical narratives and the Jesus narrative interesting.
Excavating The Empty Tomb (beyond a reasonable doubt) PART 1
The first of the four Gospels (Mark) was written some 40-70 years after the supposed death of Jesus.
So given that we're talking over 2000 years ago with average life expectancy being 33 years of age, it is highly unlikely Mark was alive when Jesus walked the earth, and it's more than possible that at least 3 generations passed before they were written?
Also, the poor state of both the written and read word at the time, is it really likely that 'simple fishermen' would have the ability to pass the information onto their great grandchildren? It's more likely they would have passed it on by verbal means, and by the time Mark was of age to understand, the people who knew Jesus would be dead.
I've also found this series comparing the similarities between Homer's Odyssey and other Biblical narratives and the Jesus narrative interesting.
Looks like I've got some reading to do.
Looks like I've got some reading to do.
Homer before the Bible. You do want to read the good stuff first right?
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