what is god to you/what do you revere?

**GNTLGNT** · February 19th, 2013

Holy Goat

**staropeace** · February 19th, 2013

Vicki is entitled to her absolute belief in the Bible. I am a Christian but I do not believe every word of the Bible. Over the centuries the gospels have been edited for various reasons....most of them self-serving. I can still believe in Christ without taking all the bible at face value. For example, I do not think Homosexual relationships are a sin. The bible was written by men with very fixed ideas...especially when it came to women.

All our beliefs are based on faith...and that alone. If it works for you...great. If it doesn't...that is cool too.

**guido tkp** · February 19th, 2013

baa-aaaa-amen !!

**vickilynn** · February 20th, 2013

Originally Posted by staropeace

Vicki is entitled to her absolute belief in the Bible. I am a Christian but I do not believe every word of the Bible. Over the centuries the gospels have been edited for various reasons....most of them self-serving. I can still believe in Christ without taking all the bible at face value. For example, I do not think Homosexual relationships are a sin. The bible was written by men with very fixed ideas...especially when it came to women.

All our beliefs are based on faith...and that alone. If it works for you...great. If it doesn't...that is cool too.

So God is unable to preserve His own word? And if you don't believe all of it's true, why believe any of it? How do you know which parts are true and which aren't? Just pick and choose what you want and leave the rest? If it's not all true, can any of it be trusted? As for homosexuality, I fully accept the biblical teaching that it is sin. In fact, God calls it an abomination and I believe Him. No personal offense intended to any homosexuals here.

http://christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-t003.html

http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/bibleorg.html

**Robert Gray** · February 20th, 2013

Originally Posted by vickilynn

So God is unable to preserve His own word?

She didn't say that. It is impolite to put words in other people's mouths. No one has stated whether or not God can or cannot preserve "The Word." God's ability to do so is not the same as the will to do so. There are lots of things I can do, but choose not to do. If I have such options, it would be silly to assume that God does not.

And if you don't believe all of it's true, why believe any of it?

This is a silly question. It demonstrates a profound lack of critical thinking. If a kid writes an essay for a teacher, chances are some of it will be true. Some of it will be incorrect. If you find one error, it would be silly to assume everything is an error. The same is true in reverse. Just because the first paragraph written is correct doesn't mean the next eight pages will be. Do you believe everything anyone tells you? If I walk on to a car lot and the salesman says, "It is a beautiful day," and it is a beautiful day, do you assume everything said salesman says afterwards is 100% true? Critical thinking skills allow one to sort truth and fiction. The world is not black and white.

How do you know which parts are true and which aren't?

How do you know?

This goes back to the fallacy of circular reasoning. You don't know anything. You simply have chosen a book (decided which interpretation you like) and stated this book is 100% true and thus I can rate all of reality by this book. The fact that you can't know the book is true in the first place is the problem.

Just pick and choose what you want and leave the rest? If it's not all true, can any of it be trusted?

This is exactly what YOU are doing. The joke is that you are completely blind to the fact.

As for homosexuality, I fully accept the biblical teaching that it is sin. In fact, God calls it an abomination and I believe Him. No personal offense intended to any homosexuals here.

How do you write this stuff with a straight face? I think you are all abominations and so does God, no offense.

**atomicinchworm** · February 20th, 2013

Originally Posted by vickilynn

No personal offense intended to any homosexuals here.

I always find this kind of sentiment funny: "I think you are a sin and an abomination and you absolutely disgust me, no offense."

I am an atheist at most or an extremely apathetic agnostic at least, but I have a question. Considering that people have free will and whatnot, why could they not change the bible? Wouldn't god, as he seems wont to do, put something down and go "Whelp, do with it what you may" ?

There are some crazy as hell passages in the bible that haven't been socially relevant since it was written.

**staropeace** · February 20th, 2013

But God did not preserve his own word. He told and showed the people how to live the right way and they probably lost something in the translation. Jesus Christ was about love and compassion for those around him. How his followers interpreted that depended on the thinking and the mores of their day. The only message I could get from it was the one about love and hope. If I have disregarded other things, it is not that I wish to pick and choose. It is probably because I am a child of my own time.

I like working in soup kitchens. I like helping with the Sally Ann Christmas kettles. I really enjoy interacting with folks in a street level capacity. It makes me feel whole and, I hope, closer to God's teachings. The heavy thinking stuff, I leave to other's.

You are entitled to your beliefs my dear. It is your right to have them. God bless.

**vickilynn** · February 20th, 2013

Originally Posted by Robert Gray

She didn't say that. It is impolite to put words in other people's mouths. No one has stated whether or not God can or cannot preserve "The Word." God's ability to do so is not the same as the will to do so. There are lots of things I can do, but choose not to do. If I have such options, it would be silly to assume that God does not.

This is a silly question. It demonstrates a profound lack of critical thinking. If a kid writes an essay for a teacher, chances are some of it will be true. Some of it will be incorrect. If you find one error, it would be silly to assume everything is an error. The same is true in reverse. Just because the first paragraph written is correct doesn't mean the next eight pages will be. Do you believe everything anyone tells you? If I walk on to a car lot and the salesman says, "It is a beautiful day," and it is a beautiful day, do you assume everything said salesman says afterwards is 100% true? Critical thinking skills allow one to sort truth and fiction. The world is not black and white.

How do you know?

This goes back to the fallacy of circular reasoning. You don't know anything. You simply have chosen a book (decided which interpretation you like) and stated this book is 100% true and thus I can rate all of reality by this book. The fact that you can't know the book is true in the first place is the problem.

This is exactly what YOU are doing. The joke is that you are completely blind to the fact.

How do you write this stuff with a straight face? I think you are all abominations and so does God, no offense.

God isn't a salesman, He's God.

**vickilynn** · February 20th, 2013

Originally Posted by atomicinchworm

I always find this kind of sentiment funny: "I think you are a sin and an abomination and you absolutely disgust me, no offense."

I am an atheist at most or an extremely apathetic agnostic at least, but I have a question. Considering that people have free will and whatnot, why could they not change the bible? Wouldn't god, as he seems wont to do, put something down and go "Whelp, do with it what you may" ?

There are some crazy as hell passages in the bible that haven't been socially relevant since it was written.

God's word can't be changed. Making a new Bible and making it say what you want doesn't actually change it.

**vickilynn** · February 20th, 2013

Originally Posted by staropeace

But God did not preserve his own word. He told and showed the people how to live the right way and they probably lost something in the translation. Jesus Christ was about love and compassion for those around him. How his followers interpreted that depended on the thinking and the mores of their day. The only message I could get from it was the one about love and hope. If I have disregarded other things, it is not that I wish to pick and choose. It is probably because I am a child of my own time.

I like working in soup kitchens. I like helping with the Sally Ann Christmas kettles. I really enjoy interacting with folks in a street level capacity. It makes me feel whole and, I hope, closer to God's teachings. The heavy thinking stuff, I leave to other's.

You are entitled to your beliefs my dear. It is your right to have them. God bless.

Yes, He did. If you don't believe it and accept it as God's infallible word then we don't have much to talk about because I do. I'm going to try and take the advice of a Christian friend. She doesn't argue the legitimacy of the Bible with people, believes it's dishonoring to it's Author.