Gods image.

[corydoras]

A few responses, though. I think your analogy above goes too far. The bible is, after all, 66 books written over hundreds of years. I was at theological college with about 100 other, mostly bible bashing people, and not one of them took Genesis 1 and 2 literally, not one of them was a 7 day creationist either. Actually no-one really takes Genesis 2 literally. No-one believes a snake spoke or that God walked physically in the garden. That is not disbelieving the bible, that is simply taking it seriously. But why would you believe the bible anyway if you are not a christian? I certainly wouldn't. Though I would be willing to consider, critically, the gospels for example as giving some information about the life of Jesus, written by (at least possibly) honest people who were nevertheless biassed.

John

John

Unfortunately they're PLENTY of people who ABSOLUTELY believe 100% in Genesis, talking snakes and all. One of them may just end up being President of the US of A one day, if McCain dies in office. They are very, very scary people. These are people who think that Armageddon will come in OUR lifetime, some are planning for right now.

 

According to polls run by Gallup up to 1/3 of all American Citizens believe this

http://www.gallup.com/poll/27682/OneThird-...rally-True.aspx

 

This guy believes that Man and Dinosaurs were contemporaries.

http://www.answersingenesis.org/

Edited October 19, 2008 by corydoras

[The Flying Tench]

John

Unfortunately they're PLENTY of people who ABSOLUTELY believe 100% in Genesis, talking snakes and all. One of them may just end up being President of the US of A one day, if McCain dies in office. They are very, very scary people. These are people who think that Armageddon will come in OUR lifetime, some are planning for right now.

 

According to polls run by Gallup up to 1/3 of all American Citizens believe this

http://www.gallup.com/poll/27682/OneThird-...rally-True.aspx

 

Well I agree to a point, but the article doesn't make very clear what they mean by literal. In practice a lot of the discussion centres round the first few chapters of Genesis. Nobody believes when the psalms talk about the 'hills skipping for joy' it's meant literally. I accept that a lot of Americans are creationists, but I'm still not convinced they believe in talking snakes. I guess my authority for that is simply that in books I have read on the evolution/creation issue writers who have read the literature fairly extensively say that 'no-one believes in talking snakes'! Sure, there are bound to be a few!

 

Interestingly, the quote from the Southern Baptists doesn't mention the word 'literal'. I could almost go with that definition myself, though in practice I accept that many of them are very literal. I agree that extreme views about Armageddon are a real concern.

[corydoras]

"about one-third of Americans today believe the Bible is absolutely accurate and that it should be taken literally word for word"

 

How more literal can you get?

[corydoras]

"about one-third of Americans today believe the Bible is absolutely accurate and that it should be taken literally word for word"

 

How more literal can you get?

 

If Armageddon is scary, try this lot with your cocoa.

 

http://www.religioustolerance.org/reconstr.htm

[Ken Davison South Wales]

Some call that the 'no atheists in foxholes' thing. I don't doubt that you responded as you have reported, however, it's flawed, I have been in situations where the possibilty of my death was very real and present and the very last thing on my mind was praying, self preservation was the main consideration.

 

I think my next post sorts that out, some times you face a major problem and as per my plane ride there is little else one can do but make amends and kiss your nether regions good bye

 

Then there are other situations where you are driving and making the decisions in that case you ain't got time for the amends and kissing bit

 

Another little example, a year ago my heart decided to have a tantrum which resulted in me requiring a bit of plumbing work done, consultant comes round and gives you the low down which includes in my case telling me I had a 20% chance of not making it. Nothing you can do about that, you don't control the situation at all, no op means saying good bye so your doomed to take your chances. Add to that you signed up and now you have a bit of time to think about it, wife, son, daughter and grand children, will your wife cope running the business and if your a fighter you begin to put a different value on life and what life may be or may not be. Yes I needed some faith to pull me through, yes I am sat here now a smug cynical old fart thinking; made it, but I now really know what the jaws of death look like.

 

I haven't suddenly gone religious which is probably very selfish of me as I did call on his/her help who ever he/she might be or might not be, I still believe in science, but I do ponder where that bang took place and what was there to go bang.

 

And then we have the things like dear old Harry and the power of the third eye to consider as well, I certainly do not think it is an open and shut case for science, the door is still ajar.

Edited October 19, 2008 by Ken Davison South Wales

[corydoras]

I haven't suddenly gone religious which is probably very selfish of me as I did call on his/her help who ever he/she might be or might not be, I still believe in science, but I do ponder where that bang took place and what was there to go bang.

So are the scientists Ken. It's OK to say 'I don't know'.

[Emma two]

Emma - Your dislike of religion comes through in your postings, however - and I ask you to be COMPLETELY HONEST about this - how many times have thought "Christ! not this again", or had a near miss in the car or whatever and said "Oh God"

That is your subconcious and no matter how hard you try, you will never get rid of it!

 

And you assume far too much, my dislike is christianity specifically and the other abrahmic ones generally. Not religion itself, I have a spiritual path which some would call a 'religion', I don't because being without dogma, its doesn't fall int that category.

 

Even if one does think those 'oh god' things in the 'unconcious' ('subconcious isn't a good term), and if I do then its buried so deeply that I don't notice it, that does't make one a christian? surley that would be blasphamy anyway, 'takin the lord thy gods name in vain' and all that?

 

You would come over as more credible if you explained what you meant by introducing your take on the christian position on killing into the hunting thread. You asked me to frame my questions within parameters, so I did, so far your response has been to go barking up wrong trees. Like the mad woman who challenged me over lunch, it's becoming increasingly difficult to have a sensible conversation with you.

[Ken L]

how many times have thought "Christ! not this again", or had a near miss in the car or whatever and said "Oh God"

That is your subconcious and no matter how hard you try, you will never get rid of it!

 

I say Oh F**k a lot more and it's nothing to do with sex. It's just social conditioning as to the appropriate responce. Even if I say "Oh my god !", it's just an expression and doen't in any way imply at sudden conversion to christianity.

[corydoras]

I say Oh F**k a lot more and it's nothing to do with sex. It's just social conditioning as to the appropriate responce. Even if I say "Oh my god !", it's just an expression and doen't in any way imply at sudden conversion to christianity.

Like the time when I posted RIP in a post about someone who had died, that too did not mean that I had been converted overnight.

[Ken L]

Like the time when I posted RIP in a post about someone who had died, that too did not mean that I had been converted overnight.

 

It obviously still bugs you that I suggested it did though.

I was only joshing you a bit Cory.