Zone1 Belief in God drops to 81 percent

[Hollie]

You have the story wrong. People didn't think about taking the Bible literally until the enlightenment--and even then it didn't get much traction until the late 1800s. It was never a majority view, and even that minority was slipping into oblivion until some Evangelicals starting banging their drum in the 1970s about everyone taking the Bible literally. That didn't get much traction, either, but apparently you and/or your family got swept up into it.

Your history is skewed. It was the Enlightenment that focused the harsh light of scrutiny on biblical literalism. It was the waning influence of the church that allowed hard questions about the natural world to be explored. Belief is easy. Knowlege takes effort.

It is a serious error to claim that biblical literalism is a result of the Enlightenment. Centuries ago, Genesis was accepted as being literally true - the evidence for evolution was ignored or misinterpreted. It was good Christians, people who accepted as a matter of course that Genesis was literally true, who found the evidence for naturalism said something else, that the Earth was much older, that life had changed over time, and that there was no world wide flood that drowned the pkanet. Accepting reason and rationality is not what creationists were ever asking. All the creation ministries require a ''statement of faith''. They are asking people to close their minds, to ignore what generations of research has discovered, and retreat to a long discredited doctrine.

 

[JustAGuy1]

The majority had no choice but to abandon a literal interpretation of the Bible. The argument creationists have regarding biblical accuracy is with one another. For them, it becomes more a matter of just how far they can stretch an interpretation before they completely dismantle the belief system. When the literal word of a god becomes human authored tales and fables that are beyond the bounds of rationality, no amount of creative interpretation can rescue it.

Take away the incarnation, the sacrifice and the resurrection and there is no Christianity.

 

[JustAGuy1]

There is no "Old Testament". Christianity co-opted Hebrew theology by attaching and largely rewriting a substantially different version of god.

Yes. The gods told me you are greatly misinterpreting their message.

Did you record His voice?

 

[JustAGuy1]

We know of gods only what humans have written about them. No gods have written any bibles, korans, Bhagavad Gitas or any other holy texts. No gods have ever had any conversations with humans.

How does anyone know or understand a supernatural entity that refuses to make itself known in any meaningful way?

Prove it.

 

[Donald H]

I listen and study both sides. Both base their conclusions on observational science. Both have a different starting point and manipulate data to justify their hypothesis. The Bible is true as it has been translated correctly. But, I acknowledge that it has not always been translated correctly. I also recognize that the stories of the Bible sometimes cover large time periods in just a few versus and chapters. So, there is a lot of missing information as well. But also, the old earth believers have lots of things wrong as well.

Apologies accepted.
But the young earth theory is still superstitious nonsense.

All conclusions that support young earth theories are wrong. Now can we begin?

 

[BreezeWood]

The roots of Christianity is Judaism.

the delusions of both ... lifeless since their 1st century collusion against the heavens - the crucifiers, unrepentant to this day, meriweather.

 

[Cougarbear]

Apologies accepted.
But the young earth theory is still superstitious nonsense.

All conclusions that support young earth theories are wrong. Now can we begin?

Not until you accept the old earth theories are not settled science as well. Also, until you can prove young earth beliefs are superstitious nonsense, then we still don't have a beginning point. In our world, that is called lack of humility and overbearing pride. I can accept that you have not had the same spiritual experiences that I have had and there for understand your beginning point. No reason to accept that I've had these spiritual experiences to understand why I can still see the point of view from young earth PhD scientists.

 

[Dadoalex]

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Derp, derp, derp, derp, derp, derp.

Funny.
That's what religious crap spreaders sound like.

 

[Dadoalex]

Where is this happening? Which denominations, and where?

Obviously the history of your faith eludes you.

Perhaps you should make an INQUISITION

 

[Dadoalex]

So all nuns are caricatures? None of them went into teaching, nursing, community service without their rulers?

Didn't say that, Liar! Perhaps you should check those commandments again. something about bearing false witness.

 

[Dadoalex]

That was the theme of the story? Two animals on a boat? That is all you learned?

What I learned was that if you question the "facts" about religious myths you'll get whacked in the face with a ruler.

Oh, and that God is a vengeful murderer.

Just give me that old time religion, Liars, violence and murder.

 

[Dadoalex]

Shrug. I am sorry your church focused on threatening people. All the churches I have attended have been helping people with real-life situations and being a meeting/organizing place to gather people to help those in need.

Dig deeper than the mythology. There is grand advice and deep wisdom about human nature and how your life can be a blessing to yourself and others.

My church?

The Catholic church excommunicated Copernicus and da Vinci for making statements in disagreement with the Church's mandatory myths.

Better check that mirror.

 

[Dadoalex]

It is too bad you had such a sorry experience. I grew up in parishes that expected us to raise doubts, to question, and to have faith that the narrow way Christ taught is the path of life.

If your assessment of Noah's story is two of all animals in a boat, I am guessing you put very little effort into Judaism either. I may be wrong, but I don't think you tried in any faith with much heart. Too busy looking for the escape route?

I am Buddhist.
The Buddha said believe nothing you cannot see, touch, hear, feel.
He said to doubt all he said.

I did escape and found the truth.

God does not matter. If there ever was such a being it did it's thing long ago and is long gone.
What matter is being kind and generous to the least of us...check the wealth of the church and the people leading it.
What matters is caring for children...The churches are and have been for 2000 years nothing more than recruiting centers for pedophiles.

I did not attack any religion in my first response. I didn't attack anyone.
I simply stated clearly and honestly why I found monotheism unbelievable.

What you have done is prove my point.
To a monotheist the worst among us are not sinners, it is non-believers.
Because non-believers represent a threat to the foundation of the church's power.
Blind faith in the most ridiculous of myths.
So, you come here and attack me as an 8 year old because, as an 8 year old I questioned the facts of a story.
Yours is the faith that needs questioning, not mine.

 

[Meriweather]

Yours is the faith that needs questioning, not mine.

I am not questioning your faith, nor did I even insinuate you have lied, because it never crossed my mind that you did. All I have been pointing out is that an experience you had as an eight-year-old is not the experience of all eight-year-olds.

We took different approaches, you and I. It appears you had questions. I don't know how far you went with your studies, but it seems not far because your assessment of Noah's Ark is that it is about a pair of each kind of animal was put aboard an ark. Were you including penguins in this thought?

Everyone has questions, and finding the answers to my questions took years, decades of study--a study that included Biblical languages, cultures history, etc. I am also willing to bet I spent a lot more time studying the Inquisitions and the History of the Catholic Church.

Now, it is fair enough for you to decide that if a teacher couldn't even confidently address the questions eight-year-olds have about Noah, it is not the path you care to take. You may be good at making quick assessments. Despite your assessment, there is more to the Christian faith than incompetent, miffed teachers, and there is more to Noah's story than the animals on the ark. You chose not to stay around long enough in either Christianity or Judaism to discover more. That is fine. Just don't leave thinking that because you left thinking Noah was about the animals on an ark, that every other Christian and Jew who stuck with his/her faith has that same take you have about Noah.

Best wishes that your path with Buddhism brings you the peace you seek.

 

[Ringtone]

Funny.
That's what religious crap spreaders sound like.

But only to imbeciles like you.

 

[james bond]

sure, bb is cyclical.

try the suggested experiment - explode a handgrenade in an area of dormant space and see if the shrapnel projected at a finite angle of trajectory will not eventually return to its origin without changing direction as a mirror image and begin reformulating the grenade inside out.

BB isn't cyclical. What it shows is the start of the spacetime, CMB, universe, Earth and everything in it as described in the Bible. It is proof of God and creation as science backs up what's described in the Bible.

 

[Dadoalex]

I am not questioning your faith, nor did I even insinuate you have lied, because it never crossed my mind that you did. All I have been pointing out is that an experience you had as an eight-year-old is not the experience of all eight-year-olds.

We took different approaches, you and I. It appears you had questions. I don't know how far you went with your studies, but it seems not far because your assessment of Noah's Ark is that it is about a pair of each kind of animal was put aboard an ark. Were you including penguins in this thought?

Everyone has questions, and finding the answers to my questions took years, decades of study--a study that included Biblical languages, cultures history, etc. I am also willing to bet I spent a lot more time studying the Inquisitions and the History of the Catholic Church.

Now, it is fair enough for you to decide that if a teacher couldn't even confidently address the questions eight-year-olds have about Noah, it is not the path you care to take. You may be good at making quick assessments. Despite your assessment, there is more to the Christian faith than incompetent, miffed teachers, and there is more to Noah's story than the animals on the ark. You chose not to stay around long enough in either Christianity or Judaism to discover more. That is fine. Just don't leave thinking that because you left thinking Noah was about the animals on an ark, that every other Christian and Jew who stuck with his/her faith has that same take you have about Noah.

Best wishes that your path with Buddhism brings you the peace you seek.

Apparently you have forgotten the actual factual content of your responses.

AND

the lesson behind Noah?
Your "God" is a vengeful murderer who would have no problem destroying everyone on earth because it's having a bad day.

More lessons?

How about Job?
your "God" got in a beer bet with the "Devil" and decided to torture his most loyal follower. What a guy!

More lessons?
Your "God" decided to murder the first born of Egypt. Children and babies. Such a mensch!!!!

HEY! Why don't we all do some acid and read Revelations?

Believe what you will but when you critique others think first about what you worship.

 

[Dadoalex]

But only to imbeciles like you.

You mean people who don't believe...
the earth was created 6k years ago?
That humans and dinosaurs were on the earth at the same time?
That some guy loaded 2 of every animal including, obviously, Kangaroos, Polar Bears, Gila Monsters onto a boat

BWAHAHAHAHAHA

The stupid defending their stupidity by claiming people who refuse to accept their stupidity are stupid.

 

[surada]

Dadoalex

 

[Donald H]

Not until you accept the old earth theories are not settled science as well. Also, until you can prove young earth beliefs are superstitious nonsense, then we still don't have a beginning point. In our world, that is called lack of humility and overbearing pride. I can accept that you have not had the same spiritual experiences that I have had and there for understand your beginning point. No reason to accept that I've had these spiritual experiences to understand why I can still see the point of view from young earth PhD scientists.

You're being silly!