RikuoAmero wrote: » ABC, just to let you know, there are M-Discshttp://www.amazon.co.uk/Systor-Write-Forever-M-DISC-Blank/dp/B006GC0R90/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417371569&sr=8-1&keywords=M+disc Supposedly able to last for a thousand years. Now, I do have to ask...why are you so concerned about data storage and listing all the problems we have with it, if God were to show up and be captured on video? Surely your god can just wave the problem away?
tommy2bad wrote: » Just adressing the bit's in bold; first your misrepresenting the classic protestant position, in faith alone, it's not true to say they mean that you can act anyway you like and gain salvation just by believing. It's meant to highlight the fact that good works without faith will leave you in the same position. Again a misunderstanding of the Immaculate conception, it's not Mary's virginity that grants her the title, it's her lack of original sin. The virginity tradition is separate and has nothing to do with her immaculate conception. I think you almost get the first commandment, your just being a bit legalistic about it. Love can never be demanded or forced, that fact should give you a clue as to what the commandment actually means.
Nick Park wrote: » You are correct in pointing out that it is a pretty bad misrepresentation of Lutheran belief (or indeed of other forms of Protestantism) to say that they teach that "all you have to do is believe." Lutheran theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer (who was murdered by the Nazis) used to teach against the concept of 'cheap grace' - his point was that saving faith is costly and actually demands everything of the believer. Faith is committing and trusting oneself to Christ. It starts with belief, but involves radical change to one's behaviour and identity.
RikuoAmero wrote: » I'm reading verses here http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Bible-Verses-About-Salvation/ and most of them just boil down to "Believe and you are saved/have eternal life". There's a couple here and there that mention doing good things, and I think at least one saying good works alone are useless.
Can I ask one thing of you that I'm curious about - you mention this Dietrich person. Why is it that in brackets you had to point out he was murdered by Nazis? The fact he was murdered by them means little to nothing to me. Lots of people were murdered by them.
Also - what about my behaviour would change if I were to believe? For example, if I were to believe in the claims of Nazism, one change to my behaviour would probably me being anti-semitic.
It all depends whether the person doing the 'boiling down' is genuinely representing their meaning, or just ripping them out of context.
Therefore he defended the Jews, resisted Hitler, and joined the anti-Nazi opposition in Germany. His awareness that true faith leads to self-sacrificial actions cost him his life.
That would then involve obeying Christ - loving others (Including your enemies), forgiving those that have wronged you, behaving in an ethical and moral way etc.
RikuoAmero wrote: » Explain this please?
RikuoAmero wrote: » Then I have to disagree with you. If loving God somehow allows one to love their fellow human, then this would logically mean that someone like me who isn't convinced of God's existence (and therefore doesn't love him) would be unable to love their fellow human. However, I do. There are quite a few people I love. To me, what you're espousing is as silly as saying "Loving this action figure is linked to loving your fellow humans: if you love one, you automatically love the other"
RikuoAmero wrote: » I disagree. Faith is a belief without evidence or justification. I would say that it's opposite is a justified true belief a.k.a. knowledge. Then I direct you to the following passages in the bible where God commands against doubt.
Originally Posted by RikuoAmero This to me has the strange implication that only christianity leads to self-sacrifice. If I'm wrong, please correct me. It matters little to me if, because he believed, he then went on to do this courageous thing and sacrificed himself. I too can do and have done courageous things that require sacrifice on my part. Believers and non believer alike, throughout history, have made the ultimate sacrifice (of course, there is the obvious question coming from the atheist camp that if a believer makes that sacrifice believing that doing so will gain them the ultimate reward, is it really a sacrifice to be admired? i.e. it then seems self-serving)
RikuoAmero wrote: » Read them yourself. Most of the verses in that link say stuff like "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:" or "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." Most of those verses mention belief only.
This to me has the strange implication that only christianity leads to self-sacrifice.
catallus wrote: » Speaking of the Nazis, it would also be good to remember Czeslaw Milosz, who said "The scriptures constitute the common good of believers agnostics and atheists alike."
RikuoAmero wrote: » Well thanks for the discussion ABC and tommy. I have to close this discussion by saying that I am not convinced. Even if I were to get down on my knees, pray and start going to mass again, I would still retain memories of all the questions I asked of the religion while an atheist, all of the questions that were simply not answered, or not answered satisfactorily. In short, I can't switch my mind to belief mode, so to speak, and even if I could, I'd still have all these questions the belief fails to answer.
tommy2bad wrote: » Again you are assuming that the belief of the believer is certainty. It isn't. This might give you some idea of the sacrifice they make, that with all the doubts they harbour they still commit to this path in the hope of something better. For themselves? Possibly but mostly because they believe it's something better for everyone. Even their enemies.
Safehands wrote: » I used to be a believer Tommy. I started to ask myself questions about that belief. I love the stories about Jesus. I still believe he did exist. I think he was probably a very enlightened, great man. Probably a bit like Gandhi. I asked myself one question which really highlighted the authenticity, or the lack of it, the clerics who were tutoring me actually possessed. What would Jesus say about the church if he can back. Would he shake hands with these guys who claimed to represent him? Clearly he would not. So I decided that this church did not represent the values of Jesus. Then I thought about all of the churches and their different beliefs. I wondered which was the right one, between the Catholics, various protestant groups, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists. All had very well educated, brilliant men and women who could espouse the benefits of each religion. They could not all be right though. Were any right? I decided then that each had their own merits, but each were fulfilling a basic need in humans. A need that satisfied a level of spirituality and which purported to give us the answer to the most fundamental human question: What happened after we died? I decided that they were probably all contrived at a high level to keep that spiritual need fed. That is what I still believe today. We still have a great capacity to contrive stories to satisfy our beliefs. That ability, undoubtedly helps a great number of people. It doesn't mean the stories are true.
tommy2bad wrote: » Why not? They could all be right, who said theirs only one right answer. Anyway, to paraphrase Woody Allen, you say your an atheist, God might refer to you as His loyal opposition
tommy2bad wrote: » Why not? They could all be right, who said theirs only one right answer.
RikuoAmero wrote: » Now you've lost the plot completely. So a christian is correct when he says to be saved, you have to believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who died and was resurrected...and a muslim is correct AT THE SAME TIME when he says that there is only one god, that Jesus was merely a prophet and that to believe that God (Allah) was incarnated as a man is blasphemy worthy of damnation?
Safehands wrote: » Actually, the Catholic Church did!
tommy2bad wrote: » Oh come on, their not the only ones to make this claim!
Safehands wrote: » Just to recap, my original question: They could not all be right though. Were any right? Your reply posting:Why not? They could all be right, who said there's only one right answer?. My response: Actually, the Catholic Church did! Your second reply: Oh come on, their not the only ones to make this claim! ( that there is only one right answer) Tommy my friend, you will just have to make your mind up which it is.
tommy2bad wrote: » Never, that way lies madness!:D the trick with faith is to accept that it takes a leap to reach it and to not make the mistake of landing once the leap is made. Live in the leap.
J C wrote: » Like all Human endeavours, religions have approximations of the truth ... some closer to the truth ... some further away. You're correct that they can't all be right (about every detail) ... but they all have some details that approach the truth. ... and you're also correct that there are many man-made contrivances within many religions. If we genuinely seek the truth, I believe that God will make it available to us ... but we are free to deny God, just like everything else in life. I believe that the Christian Faith represents the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. In summary, it states that God always existed, created everything and is its ultimate cause, is a personal God of three persons, is omnipotent and omniscient as well as being transcendent. He also incarnated into a Human being, lived on Earth and died in sacrificial and judicial atonement for all sin ... and as a result, everybody who believes on Him may be Saved from His eternal justice ... to enjoy His eternal mercy and love. You are free to believe this, or not ... After devoting a lot of thought to it and looking at the many alternatives ... I believe this to be true.:)
Safehands wrote: » An excellent summary of the old and new testaments. Doesn't mean any of it is true, but well done JC. The trouble is, we know all that already. Heard it hundreds of times. It still contains religious cliches which are not going to convince people who think logically.
tommy2bad wrote: » dismiss what you cant see hear touch smell taste but it's not the sum total of the human experience.
Safehands wrote: » An excellent summary of the old and new testaments. Doesn't mean any of it is true, but well done JC. The trouble is, we know all that already. Heard it hundreds of times.
Safehands wrote: » It still contains religious cliches which are not going to convince people who think logically.
nozzferrahhtoo wrote: » That is why when I communicate with theists I use a very carefully structured sentence to ensure they do not think I am limiting myself in the way you suggest above. That sentence, which I am sure you have seen me type before, is "Have you any arguments, evidence, data OR reasoning to lend even a modicum of credence to the claim there is a god". And you will find the limitation you describe simply does not exist within that sentence. Anywhere.