- Jan 8, 2005
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Former Christians: What Made You a Skeptic?
- Thread in 'General' Thread starter Started by eye see soles,
- Start date
- May 4, 2008
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I'm not an atheist though.
lobotomybeats
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- Jan 8, 2004
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An all and powerful being? If His powers are endless then whats stopping him? So basically you don't believe that its possible to be that powerful right?
Us humans are creators. Animals are creators. Wouldn't we need someone to create us too?
Look, using the god card doesn't work when trying to explain the legitimacy of god. I don't know that that makes sense. You can't use"well he can do anything" to refute scientific evidence. It doesn't work like that. You can't use something that you don't understand asyour explanation as to why you can't explain something. It's the equivalent of the teacher asking you to use the word 'god' in a sentence andyou respond 'My teacher asked me to use 'god' in a sentence."
- Dec 17, 2003
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In my humble opinion, I wish people wouldn't discuss politics or religion on nt. I know this is the general section, however these topics never accomplishanything and only lead to mud slinging.
lobotomybeats
Supporter
- Jan 8, 2004
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I disagree. This one has been fairly calm. I think everyone involved would agree that this thread has been a good one. Serious topics are a niceway to counteract countless 'would you smash....' threads.
- Jan 8, 2005
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Look, using the god card doesn't work when trying to explain the legitimacy of god. I don't know that that makes sense. You can't use "well he can do anything" to refute scientific evidence. It doesn't work like that. You can't use something that you don't understand as your explanation as to why you can't explain something. It's the equivalent of the teacher asking you to use the word 'god' in a sentence and you respond 'My teacher asked me to use 'god' in a sentence."
That's your outlook bro. We don't understand females but we still act like it
Can religious people believe in something happening for actual random reasons? Why is random such a hard concept to grasp? What is wrong with saying things have happened by accident? It reminds me of a quote from Ricky Gervais. "Nature is more beautiful when you know it's an accident. Art is more beautiful when you know that man is an accident."
OK but to say the UNIVERSE happened that isto me. Just aslap in the face to God if you ask me.
- Nov 20, 2007
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An all and powerful being? If His powers are endless then whats stopping him? So basically you don't believe that its possible to be that powerful right?
Us humans are creators. Animals are creators. Wouldn't we need someone to create us too?
I'd have to ask who created him. If you're willing to believe GOD is all powerful and all knowing there'd still be the question of howhe came to be. If you're gonna say he always was here or he created himself it's on the same level as it took billions of years for some organism toevolve in to a human. Their both equally absurd if you see one as such.
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- Jan 8, 2005
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I'd have to ask who created him. If you're willing to believe GOD is all powerful and all knowing there'd still be the question of how he came to be. If you're gonna say he always was here or he created himself it's on the same level as it took billions of years for some organism to evolve in to a human. Their both equally absurd if you see one as such.
I have had MANY headaches thinking "how did He get here?". I would have to say He has always been. I see your point though.
- Dec 17, 2003
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RKO2004 wrote:
I disagree. This one has been fairly calm. I think everyone involved would agree that this thread has been a good one. Serious topics are a nice way to counteract countless 'would you smash....' threads.
Cosign Lobo.
You want to know the only true difference between me and you. For YOU, seeing is believing. For ME, believing is seeing.
Wouldn't that be something if you found out what you believe in was created by the God you don't?
Who are you addressing hereRKO2004?
I hear what you are saying Lobo, but I still disagree with you. If you take a look at all of the religion & political topics, there is constant mudslinging going on. Everyone is already set in their ways and only argue their opinion. The exaggeration that goes on in replies is straight
lobotomybeats
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- Jan 8, 2004
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Originally Posted by FIRST B0RN
I hear what you are saying Lobo, but I still disagree with you. If you take a look at all of the religion & political topics, there is constant mud slinging going on. Everyone is already set in their ways and only argue their opinion. The exaggeration that goes on in replies is straight
Maybe so. But to post that thought in this topic didn't make sense. That is what i am saying. If you wanted to belabor your point, this wouldn't bethe thread to do it.
- Jan 8, 2005
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Cosign Lobo.
You want to know the only true difference between me and you. For YOU, seeing is believing. For ME, believing is seeing.
Wouldn't that be something if you found out what you believe in was created by the God you don't?
Who are you addressing hereRKO2004?
I hear what you are saying Lobo, but I still disagree with you. If you take a look at all of the religion & political topics, there is constant mud slinging going on. Everyone is already set in their ways and only argue their opinion. The exaggeration that goes on in replies is straight
I was addressing Lobo.
There has been a little mud slinging so I can agree with you on that. But personally I like hearing the other side. Even at the expense of the mug slinging.
- Dec 17, 2003
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lobotomybeats wrote:
Originally Posted by FIRST B0RN
I hear what you are saying Lobo, but I still disagree with you. If you take a look at all of the religion & political topics, there is constant mud slinging going on. Everyone is already set in their ways and only argue their opinion. The exaggeration that goes on in replies is straight
Maybe so. But to post that thought in this topic didn't make sense. That is what i am saying. If you wanted to belabor your point, this wouldn't be the thread to do it.
And what thread would it be appropriate then?
- Jan 5, 2003
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This has been a very civil and intellectual thread... more threads on NT need to be like this one.
- Apr 11, 2004
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facts.
however, faith has nothing to do with facts.
John 20:29
however, faith has nothing to do with facts.
John 20:29
- May 4, 2008
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To all the skeptics who are being irrational for the sake of it: Please see the film KNOW1NG. This is one of the mostpowerful films I have ever seen. I put it up there with Contact, the Matrix,and the Passion of the Christ. You won't be disappointed.
- Dec 2, 2007
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The bible is a allegory story.
- Aug 2, 2006
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I think it would be fair to say that any ruling in a court case involving a jury where anybody on it was a believer of any religion should be thrown outbecause they have displayed that they are able to believe in things with absolutely zero evidence.
The point made above, about how did God get created, is a hard one to debate. There's no good answer to it. How long did God twiddle his thumbs before hedecided to create humans? And why? If God as existed forever, then what was he doing all that time? Wouldn't that be included in his book?
In traditional debate, points are only considered acceptable when they are accompanied by evidence. Arguments that are pro-religion have none. By basic debatestandards, it would be found that religion must not exist.
The point made above, about how did God get created, is a hard one to debate. There's no good answer to it. How long did God twiddle his thumbs before hedecided to create humans? And why? If God as existed forever, then what was he doing all that time? Wouldn't that be included in his book?
In traditional debate, points are only considered acceptable when they are accompanied by evidence. Arguments that are pro-religion have none. By basic debatestandards, it would be found that religion must not exist.
- May 25, 2001
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But then Christians come back with some nonsense like you woke up, proof God exists. Bam! Halleujah!
features the same type of stories as the Bible, only difference is people would never argue that they really happened.
features the same type of stories as the Bible, only difference is people would never argue that they really happened.
roc boy jada
Banned
- Dec 16, 2007
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You're missing the point of the thread.
- May 4, 2008
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Essentially, you're correct. But that's the biggest problem with our human minds. We often try to quantize and analyze everything downto the smallest atom when we should be debating based on principle and not logic. If we tried to logically explain everything, our world would literally beexperiencing exponentially more strife than it already is.
roc boy jada
Banned
- Dec 16, 2007
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For the former Christians, how did your family (your Christian family members, of course) react to you becoming a nonbeliever or a skeptic?
My family was disappointed at first (some taking it harder than others) but it didn't take long for them to accept the fact that I no longer shared thesame beliefs as them.
My family was disappointed at first (some taking it harder than others) but it didn't take long for them to accept the fact that I no longer shared thesame beliefs as them.
- Jan 4, 2008
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Each day I wake up and I wonder if God does exist and if Jesus did die for the sins of the world.
There is no evidence of this aside from the majestical creations of this world, i.e., the celestial bodies, vast oceans and abundant landscape.
But then there is us. Where did we come from? Genesis gives an account of God making Adam from the dust of the ground and Eve from his rib, but I just find ithard to believe. I find it hard to believe that God once caused it to rain for 40 days and flood the entire world, leaving all of those but Noah's Ark inits wake. I find it hard to believe that there was a man Abraham and Isaac his son who bore many sons. I find it hard to believe that God chose the Jewishpeople as his people. I find it hard to believe that David beat Goliath. I find it hard to believe there were Goliaths. I find it hard to believe that Jesuscame into the womb of a woman named Mary. I find it hard to believe that he healed the blind, sick, and brought Lazarus back to life. I find it hard to believethat he was able to preach the gospel to so many people in so little time. I find it hard to believe he fed the masses with only 5 loaves of bread. I find ithard to believe that others did not believe even with the evidence.
That's it. Others who were around when Jesus was around saw his works and still didn't believe. How can I believe? Someone who sees no evidence of hisworks. How can I have faith in something in which I just don't believe?
It's hard to apply logic to Christianity (or any religion for that matter), but I guess that's why it's such a controlling mechanism. If you putall of your faith and hope and dreams and life's work into this belief that can't be proven, you're a sheep. You're really being led by blindmen.
As each day progresses, my belief gets weaker and weaker and I become even more skeptic.
What am I to do? Who am I to turn to? Every man is in the same boat because all they have is "faith" on which to believe, which can only be sosturdy.
There is something that is even greater than faith that keeps me from being an atheist. I see how those who believe act and how they carry themselves and how"godlike" they are. I want this, but I know it comes at a price. I have to believe when I actually don't. I have to put on a show. Is that whatthey are doing? Is it a show for the masses? After all religion is one of the biggest behavioral controllers of our time.
What am I left to do? Believe and be miserable, or remain a skeptic and be miserable. I feel like I lose either way.
But there is something out there. What it is, I don't know. No one knows. They can only have faith--but in what?
There is no evidence of this aside from the majestical creations of this world, i.e., the celestial bodies, vast oceans and abundant landscape.
But then there is us. Where did we come from? Genesis gives an account of God making Adam from the dust of the ground and Eve from his rib, but I just find ithard to believe. I find it hard to believe that God once caused it to rain for 40 days and flood the entire world, leaving all of those but Noah's Ark inits wake. I find it hard to believe that there was a man Abraham and Isaac his son who bore many sons. I find it hard to believe that God chose the Jewishpeople as his people. I find it hard to believe that David beat Goliath. I find it hard to believe there were Goliaths. I find it hard to believe that Jesuscame into the womb of a woman named Mary. I find it hard to believe that he healed the blind, sick, and brought Lazarus back to life. I find it hard to believethat he was able to preach the gospel to so many people in so little time. I find it hard to believe he fed the masses with only 5 loaves of bread. I find ithard to believe that others did not believe even with the evidence.
That's it. Others who were around when Jesus was around saw his works and still didn't believe. How can I believe? Someone who sees no evidence of hisworks. How can I have faith in something in which I just don't believe?
It's hard to apply logic to Christianity (or any religion for that matter), but I guess that's why it's such a controlling mechanism. If you putall of your faith and hope and dreams and life's work into this belief that can't be proven, you're a sheep. You're really being led by blindmen.
As each day progresses, my belief gets weaker and weaker and I become even more skeptic.
What am I to do? Who am I to turn to? Every man is in the same boat because all they have is "faith" on which to believe, which can only be sosturdy.
There is something that is even greater than faith that keeps me from being an atheist. I see how those who believe act and how they carry themselves and how"godlike" they are. I want this, but I know it comes at a price. I have to believe when I actually don't. I have to put on a show. Is that whatthey are doing? Is it a show for the masses? After all religion is one of the biggest behavioral controllers of our time.
What am I left to do? Believe and be miserable, or remain a skeptic and be miserable. I feel like I lose either way.
But there is something out there. What it is, I don't know. No one knows. They can only have faith--but in what?
- May 30, 2007
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I think since humans have the ability to think logically and do great things, they cannot accept the fact that this life is the end all be all. They feel"entitled" to an after life, thus "creating" the answer to the question no human really has the answer to. Obviously this theory has beenaltered and altered again for various reasons(control, money, etc), but I think it all stems from fear of the unknown.
A question for the Christians... do birds have an afterlife? Ant's, bee's, fish? There is no alterior motive to the question, I am just curious to whatChristians think.
A question for the Christians... do birds have an afterlife? Ant's, bee's, fish? There is no alterior motive to the question, I am just curious to whatChristians think.
- Mar 16, 2008
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True. I always wonder that too. Stuff is contradicting
