Calling Out Alang1216: The God of Abraham is a myth

[alang1216]

Not if you die to self. Then reality is quite easy to see. It’s dying to self that’s hard.

Foolishness is not learning lessons from failures. Wisdom is acquired when one does learn from the outcomes of choices.

What do you mean by 'die to self'?

 

[alang1216]

You need to work through them one at a time to answer that question. Context is important in understanding the author’s descriptive portrayal of reality. Reading these ancient accounts as you have been doing isn’t going to cut it.

Did God part the Red Sea?

 

[alang1216]

Absolutely. But your worldview that there is no purpose will make that difficult.

But I already do those things so you are apparently wrong about my worldview.

 

[ding]

What do you mean by 'die to self'?

The 6th stage of Kohlberg’s morality progression would be a good analog.

 

[ding]

Did God part the Red Sea?

Doubtful but I could be wrong. That wasn’t the point of the account.

 

[ding]

But I already do those things so you are apparently wrong about my worldview.

Not necessarily. It could be that you are wearing rose colored glasses. I don’t find you to be objective very often. Or genuine either.

 

[alang1216]

Absolutely. But your worldview that there is no purpose will make that difficult.

Being an atheist does not effect on my being thankful or forgiving but it does assist my being self reflecting and objective. I know exactly how lucky I am to be living in the US and having the political freedom and economic prosperity I have, I just don't attribute my good fortune to a god. Being self reflecting and objective is easier if you don't have life spelled out for you and have to learn it for yourself.

 

[alang1216]

Doubtful but I could be wrong. That wasn’t the point of the account.

Actually, parting the Red Sea and the other miracles was the whole point of Exodus. It was God's plan that the exiled Jews return to Palestine and rule there. Remember it was first written down by upper-class Jews exiled in Babylon expecting to return to Palestine.

 

[alang1216]

You seem to be contradicting yourself. Do you not believe there is a right way to exist and a wrong way to exist? And that the differences can be understood through reason and experience?

We are social animals so our culture dictates the right way to exist and the wrong way to exist. It is apparent to me that the 'right' way has continuously changed and continues to do so. Slavery is no longer as acceptable as it was in the past.

 

[ding]

Being an atheist does not effect on my being thankful or forgiving but it does assist my being self reflecting and objective. I know exactly how lucky I am to be living in the US and having the political freedom and economic prosperity I have, I just don't attribute my good fortune to a god. Being self reflecting and objective is easier if you don't have life spelled out for you and have to learn it for yourself.

Who are you giving thanks to?

Being self reflecting and objective has absolutely has nothing to do with good fortune or having life spelled out for you. It only has to do with seeing things as they are. Often times hardship is the best way to see that. It’s because you believe these ancient accounts are fairytales that you can’t see that that’s one of the things it teaches.

 

[ding]

Actually, parting the Red Sea and the other miracles was the whole point of Exodus. It was God's plan that the exiled Jews return to Palestine and rule there. Remember it was first written down by upper-class Jews exiled in Babylon expecting to return to Palestine.

No. The point of Exodus was a group of Jews left Egypt and formally established the belief that they were chosen to follow God’s ways.

 

[ding]

We are social animals so our culture dictates the right way to exist and the wrong way to exist. It is apparent to me that the 'right' way has continuously changed and continues to do so. Slavery is no longer as acceptable as it was in the past.

Incorrect. Standards exist for logical reasons. So logic dictates the right way to live. Even when slavery was accepted by society there were people who knew it was wrong.

 

[alang1216]

Who are you giving thanks to?

Why should I give thanks to anyone or anything, why can't I just be thankful at my good fortune.

Being self reflecting and objective has absolutely has nothing to do with good fortune or having life spelled out for you. It only has to do with seeing things as they are. Often times hardship is the best way to see that. It’s because you believe these ancient accounts are fairytales that you can’t see that that’s one of the things it teaches.

It doesn't matter if the Bible stories are true or not, they can still, like all good fairy tales, have a moral.

 

[alang1216]

No. The point of Exodus was a group of Jews left Egypt and formally established the belief that they were chosen to follow God’s ways.

No, the covenant was established much earlier than that when the tribe of Hebrews living in Palestine chose Yahweh of all the gods to worship.

 

[alang1216]

Incorrect. Standards exist for logical reasons. So logic dictates the right way to live. Even when slavery was accepted by society there were people who knew it was wrong.

Slavery was accepted by almost every ancient society for thousands of years as a source of cheap labor. Can you explain why it was illogical?

 

[ding]

Why should I give thanks to anyone or anything, why can't I just be thankful at my good fortune.

Because that’s how expressing gratitude works. That’s how we bond. That’s how we show appreciation to others.

 

[ding]

Slavery was accepted by almost every ancient society for thousands of years as a source of cheap labor. Can you explain why it was illogical?

It wasn’t. That’s why there were people who disagreed with it when it was accepted by others.

 

[ding]

No, the covenant was established much earlier than that when the tribe of Hebrews living in Palestine chose Yahweh of all the gods to worship.

Yes, there was nothing new. No, it was not uniformly accepted prior to Exodus. There was a transition from polytheism to monotheism which even continued after Exodus but to a lesser degree. Exodus was a watershed moment whereby everything was documented and formally established.

Again… their belief that they were chosen by God to establish laws was no myth.

 

[alang1216]

Because that’s how expressing gratitude works. That’s how we bond. That’s how we show appreciation to others.

How do you express your gratitude, bond, and show appreciation if you find a $5 bill on the sidewalk?

 

[ding]

How do you express your gratitude, bond, and show appreciation if you find a $5 bill on the sidewalk?

I don’t. Unless of course I had no money and was hungry. Which has never been the case.