Comments by "cchris874" (@cchris874) on "Do All Christians Think the Same? | Spectrum" video.

Yes, I'm with you. There are many rational reasons for questioning any religious text. There are many excellent books on the subject too. Each time I read a new one I feel it's the best book on the subject, including the latest one ,"God: The Failed Hypothesis" By Victor Stenger. Certainly should make any believer think long and hard.
2
@Maksie0 Exactly. We discovered gravity by experiencing and examining the natural world. The testing came first, the book 2nd. With the bible it's the opposite. We have all these claims in a book but precious little supporting evidence. No evidence of Noah's ark, for example.
2
"But thanks for having a civilized conversation with me! Most people would be rude..." You're welcome. Civility and being nice is more important than pushing our ideas on others.
2
There's no proof of that, though it's a comforting thought.
1
We should not conform to the will of the biblical God, for he is in essence a dictator demanding complete submission. Enlightened beings, especially Perfect ones, do not demand such attention for themselves. A truly enlightened Being would not care with whom we sleep, but would instead make slavery a sin, for example. He would not recommend killing a cursing child, or stoning you to death for putting in a few extra hours on Saturday. Hasn't this ever occurred to you?
1
@sergiogonzalez5958 Well thank you for a less dogmatic and more flexible answer than I was expecting. You appear to be genuine, and if it's important in your life, maybe that's what really matter. One follow-up for now: "He has lead us to find pleasure in sin" If God is a perfect being, why would he tempt us with evil?
1
@sergiogonzalez5958 OK, that makes some sense! One more question I have always been fascinated by. While having some things in common, as we all know, Islam differs substantial from Christianity. But its adherents seem no less convinced of its rightness. It too has a rich history, fundamentalist believers who produce the same kinds of historical evidence for its authenticity. To an outside observer, it, and some other religions too, seem to be a variation of the same myths dressed in different clothing. That is, a believer in Islam will produce the same passion, conviction, and alleged evidence as a Christian. Yet since all monotheistic religions cannot all be correct, doesn't this suggest these are cultural myths rather than divine truths?
1
@sergiogonzalez5958 Thank you for your insights. It is appreciated.
1
"How can something that God calls an abomination be okay?" So, it's OK to execute a cursing child, and be stoned to death for mowing the lawn on the Sabbath? That is the Christian God. There is nothing particularly moving or deep or wise about such words of cruelty. This is why, instinctively, most Christians, whatever they may utter, don't take God's word literally.
1
You have to admit it's challenging for nonbelievers to accept God into their hearts when this god believes you should be stoned to death for mowing the lawn on Saturdays. And tells you how best to manage your slaves.
1
@radachelkollie4048 "Numbers 15:32-36 New King James Version Penalty for Violating the Sabbath 32 Now while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day. 33 And those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation. 34 They put him under guard, because it had not been explained what should be done to him. 35 Then the Lord said to Moses, “The man must surely be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp.” 36 So, as the Lord commanded Moses, all the congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him with stones, and he died." OK, help me understand this passage in its proper context. Thanks
1
@radachelkollie4048 Thank you for your reply. To me though, one has not to just look at the bible as a whole, but to ask a bigger question: does it really live up to its billing as the product of an omni-benevolent perfect Being? This is why I have my doubts: WHY would a loving being think that it's so wrong to work on Saturday that its one of the 10 commandments? Do we have to surrender our innate sense of right and wrong in order to satisfy a bizarre commandment such as this? Wouldn't you agree that "Thou shalt not own slaves" is much more deserving of a commandment than someone who wants to pick up sticks on Saturday? Do you see where I am going with this?
1
@radachelkollie4048 The thing is though, the bible makes many claims that do not make much sense, and which contradicts God's alleged loving nature. I gave the example of the man stoned to death for picking up sticks on the Sabbath. You said he got what he deserved. That's an inadequate reply. A loving being would never call for stoning someone to death just because he worked on Saturday. This conflicts with our innate sense of justice and fairness. It is evidence that at least part of the bible was authored by ancient peoples whose moral development was less enlightened than our own today.
1
@radachelkollie4048 Similarly, calling for the execution of a cursing child is evil and cruel in any conceivable context. You can say I am cherry picking only the parts that sound bad. I am not. I am picking parts that ARE bad, and because god is allegedly a perfect being, he is not allowed to have any genuinely evil sentiments. His alleged Perfection rules out such sentiments, which can be multiplied. For example, there's this one: "You'll watch as we happily smash your little children and babies against the stones" -Psalm 137 There is never a justification for smashing babies against the rocks. No matter what the context. This forces us to choose God's words or the Geneva Convention, which forbids inhumane treatment of captured enemies, especially their innocent babies. Which are you going to choose? baby-killing or humane treatment? Again, you have said this is all context dependent. So what context justifies baby killing?
1
@radachelkollie4048 Thank you for your reply. I will concede psalm 137 can be given different interpretations, though why that should even be in the Bible to begin with is problematic for me. It's not a question of "knowing what happened in Babylon," it's, who is the subject, and is this being encouraged or "blessed" by God? Maybe you know the answer to that better than I do.
1
@radachelkollie4048 BTW, thank you for being a very good sport. I am not attacking you personally in any way.
1
@radachelkollie4048 Good point.
1
It goes wrong even when people do not try to make it fit their desires.
1
or raking leaves on Saurdays.
1
@rilakkumabby God did not create Adam, Eve, or even Steve. Certainly there's no rational evidence for this.
1
@rilakkumabby The Bible was written by ancient humans, which explains its obsession with violence.
1
@rilakkumabby Yes, but the Old Testament is no less a part of the Bible, and no less an alleged authentic part of God's word.
1
Jason who?
1