Which God To Believe In

[freeday]

i see posts all the time pertaining to which religion is correct. this post is for the ones who believe in a higher power or multiple ones. i am actually writing this for a friend that was unsure of what religion was correct, i thought i would post it here.

 

All holy books are interesting and beautiful in their own way. The authors present attractive ideas and, through the application of common sense, agree on many of the basic issues. therefore, the question becomes not whether these words are wise or well-written, but whether they actually represent the word of God who created the universe. when choosing a book for spiritual guidance, it must be complete and correct in all aspects, otherwise it could never have any significant impact on a person's life or be depended upon.

 

1 simplicity and clarity.

 

The bible is very simply written. "in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." this was written around 700 years before the "Iliad" yet it is easily understood today.

 

It is clear with its messages. A verse by verse comparison with the Vedas will convince the reader of how sharp a contrast there is beween the two books. The bible is unique in its clarity.

 

2 confident voice

 

another characteristic of the bible is the obvious confidence with which its writers spoke and wrote. In contrast writers of other holy books often express personal insecurity by interjecting such qualifiers as "i swear this is true" or "I am positive this is right. " Jesus on the other hand is described as teaching "as one who had authority, and not as thier teachers of the law" (mat 7:29) In the Koran we see hundreds of expressions of insecurity such as "By allah, i swear this is true."

 

3 brevity

 

The bible is simple and to the point, especially in the OT genesis account of creation and in the NT style of writing. Of the 1200 days of Jesus's ministry, only about 34 total days are accounted for in the bible. But yet his message is strongly conveyed. this unusaul economy of words is not typical of other religious books. Just the sheer size of the Vedas proves the point and in the Koran, we see numerous examples of unnecessary detail.

 

4 fulfilled prophecy

 

Writing history in advance or phophesying with absolute accuracy is something only God can do. Jesus' ministry was preceded by several hundred prophecies, which served to establish, beyond a reasonable doubt, that he was the true son of God. Some may argue that Jesus set out to fulfill persanal prophecies. While that is possible in some instances, there is a significant number of predictions over which he had no control.

 

5 honesty

 

There is no whitewashing in the bible. Several blimishes and failures of many of the great OT heroes are listed such as Moses and David. Such honesty is proof of the bibles inspiration. If the bible had been solely the product of human effort, these sordid accounts would no doubt be excluded. When assembling the accounts of Mohammed, the compilers chose to include only the best and the wisest of his syaings, and to exclude everything else.

 

6 Early teachings

 

Moses had unseen wisdom in the writings relating to the fields of hygiene, diet, and quarantine. is it a coincidence that 3200 years ago, a man who knew nothing about bacteria, infection or hygiene instilled practices that is still followed today. These are listed in Numbers and Leviticus. I will elaborate if requested on this subject. otherwise it is to long to get into.

 

7 shipbuilding my personal favorite.

 

Even in our modern day of marine engineering and oceanographic technology, the basic size ratio of all ships considered to produce maximum seaworthiness is 30x5x3. In Genesis we read a 3200 year old narrative of God given instructions to a man who was building a boat that had to be the epitome of seaworthiness. the dimensions of the boat were 300 x 50 x 30 cubits.

 

8 historica significance

 

Archaeologist and historians recognize that the bible furnishes tremendous insights into the history of the period in which it was written. Even those records in the Bible thought to be in error (such as the existence of the hittite nation) have been shown by archaeologists to be true. It is not surprising that the official publication of Harvard University Archaeological Studes Department is called The Biblical Archaeologist. In its very interesting monthly reports, it testifies again and again to the accuracy of biblical accounts.

 

9 THE AUTHOR

 

Finally, perhaps the most important reason to choose the bible as the Word of God has to do with its author. When we examine the other religions in the world, we find that all of the responsibility for establishing a relationship with God falls upon the seeker-humanity must reach up to God. There god does not help at all in these religious systems. It is up to each individual to reach the goal, wether it is nervana or brahma or whatever it might be. Notice the contrast in the bible when the angel Gabriel told mary her son would be called Immanuel which means "God with us."

 

side note. these were very brief explanations and there are about 5 more points i did not include due to length. this article is the summation of an entire chapter found in the book "The Source." He states that his readings include the Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad-Gita, Koran, Tripitaka, Avesta, Tao Te Ching, Angas, Upangas, bab, Bahaullah, and even the Book of Mormon.

[Asimov]

1 simplicity and clarity.

 

The bible is very simply written. "in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." this was written around 700 years before the "Iliad" yet it is easily understood today.

 

It is clear with its messages. A verse by verse comparison with the Vedas will convince the reader of how sharp a contrast there is beween the two books. The bible is unique in its clarity.

 

Ah...clear...that's why we have 20,000 different sects. Clarity doesn't mean it's true, idiot.

 

2 confident voice

 

another characteristic of the bible is the obvious confidence with which its writers spoke and wrote. In contrast writers of other holy books often express personal insecurity by interjecting such qualifiers as "i swear this is true" or "I am positive this is right. " Jesus on the other hand is described as teaching "as one who had authority, and not as thier teachers of the law" (mat 7:29) In the Koran we see hundreds of expressions of insecurity such as "By allah, i swear this is true."

 

Yea-huh....so?

 

 

4 fulfilled prophecy

 

Writing history in advance or phophesying with absolute accuracy is something only God can do. Jesus' ministry was preceded by several hundred prophecies, which served to establish, beyond a reasonable doubt, that he was the true son of God. Some may argue that Jesus set out to fulfill persanal prophecies. While that is possible in some instances, there is a significant number of predictions over which he had no control.

 

Yea, let's see you actually back that claim up.

 

5 honesty

 

There is no whitewashing in the bible. Several blimishes and failures of many of the great OT heroes are listed such as Moses and David. Such honesty is proof of the bibles inspiration. If the bible had been solely the product of human effort, these sordid accounts would no doubt be excluded. When assembling the accounts of Mohammed, the compilers chose to include only the best and the wisest of his syaings, and to exclude everything else.

 

There's no whitewashing in the Iliad, either. Even their Gods are flawed, their heroes doubly so. I can't even think of one Hero in Greek Mythology who didn't have flaws of some kind. Only the best? So saying that he was born an illiterate simpleton isn't a flaw?

 

You need to brush up on your logic there, buddy.

 

6 Early teachings

 

Moses had unseen wisdom in the writings relating to the fields of hygiene, diet, and quarantine. is it a coincidence that 3200 years ago, a man who knew nothing about bacteria, infection or hygiene instilled practices that is still followed today. These are listed in Numbers and Leviticus. I will elaborate if requested on this subject. otherwise it is to long to get into.

 

Elaborate....start with one.

 

7 shipbuilding my personal favorite.

 

Even in our modern day of marine engineering and oceanographic technology, the basic size ratio of all ships considered to produce maximum seaworthiness is 30x5x3. In Genesis we read a 3200 year old narrative of God given instructions to a man who was building a boat that had to be the epitome of seaworthiness. the dimensions of the boat were 300 x 50 x 30 cubits.

 

Right, and that means what to me? Just because he said to build a boat that was too fucking huge doesn't mean it was seaworthy or that it actually existed.

 

8 historica significance

 

Archaeologist and historians recognize that the bible furnishes tremendous insights into the history of the period in which it was written. Even those records in the Bible thought to be in error (such as the existence of the hittite nation) have been shown by archaeologists to be true. It is not surprising that the official publication of Harvard University Archaeological Studes Department is called The Biblical Archaeologist. In its very interesting monthly reports, it testifies again and again to the accuracy of biblical accounts.

 

Provide examples, please.

 

9 THE AUTHOR

 

Finally, perhaps the most important reason to choose the bible as the Word of God has to do with its author. When we examine the other religions in the world, we find that all of the responsibility for establishing a relationship with God falls upon the seeker-humanity must reach up to God. There god does not help at all in these religious systems. It is up to each individual to reach the goal, wether it is nervana or brahma or whatever it might be. Notice the contrast in the bible when the angel Gabriel told mary her son would be called Immanuel which means "God with us."

 

And then she named him Jesus....right.

 

side note. these were very brief explanations and there are about 5 more points i did not include due to length. this article is the summation of an entire chapter found in the book "The Source." He states that his readings include the Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad-Gita, Koran, Tripitaka, Avesta, Tao Te Ching, Angas, Upangas, bab, Bahaullah, and even the Book of Mormon.

 

So?

[freeday]

will elaborate on #6 when i get off from work. i was just making observations that makes the bible unique, take it however you will. have a good night.

[Asimov]

will elaborate on #6 when i get off from work. i was just making observations that makes the bible unique, take it however you will. have a good night.

 

No, your stuff is an explanation as to why you think the bible is better. Every holy book is unique, if they weren't then they would be the same words, ideas and deities.

[freeday]

will elaborate on #6 when i get off from work. i was just making observations that makes the bible unique, take it however you will. have a good night.

 

No, your stuff is an explanation as to why you think the bible is better. Every holy book is unique, if they weren't then they would be the same words, ideas and deities.

 

here is the follow up on the historical accuracy.

 

For example, consider how the nineteenth century critics challenged the accuracy of the biblical record concerning the Hittites, the Horites of Sargon II, and Sodom and Gomorrah. Critics condemned the biblical record as myth until archaeological excavations completely authenticated the biblical record. One Egyptian tablet actually recorded a fierce battle between Ramses II and the Hittites at Kadesh on the Orontes River. The Bible proved accurate; the critics proved false.

 

this was not an explination of why i thought my religion is better. I have a trust in the Lord, therefore i deny all others. this was an explination from an athiest who was non-biased in search of a belief. this was his conclusion of why he started worshiping the God of abraham.

[Jubilant]

For example, consider how the nineteenth century critics challenged the accuracy of the biblical record concerning the Hittites, the Horites of Sargon II, and Sodom and Gomorrah. Critics condemned the biblical record as myth until archaeological excavations completely authenticated the biblical record. One Egyptian tablet actually recorded a fierce battle between Ramses II and the Hittites at Kadesh on the Orontes River. The Bible proved accurate; the critics proved false.

 

Hi Freeday. Hmmm...so because Greek Mythology, Egyptian Mythology and others mention real places and events that makes there Gods real too then, correct? Or does this only work in favor of the bible?

[Golden Meadows]

Freeday: All holy books are interesting and beautiful in their own way. The authors present attractive ideas and, through the application of common sense, agree on many of the basic issues. therefore, the question becomes not whether these words are wise or well-written, but whether they actually represent the word of God who created the universe. when choosing a book for spiritual guidance, it must be complete and correct in all aspects, otherwise it could never have any significant impact on a person's life or be depended upon.

You are making the usual fundamentalist assumption that spirituality = reading and knowing some kind of rule book, i.e. the kind of book religion that even Jesus condemned so often, contrasting it with living by the spirit. If the bible is the actual word of God then it describes him as being a deceitful, unjust liar who orders genocide, including that of children. By you definition its not Gods word because its certainly not complete and correct in all its aspects.

 

1 simplicity and clarity.

 

The bible is very simply written. "in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." this was written around 700 years before the "Iliad" yet it is easily understood today.

This has to be one of the most strangest statements I have read in many years. The bible is one of the most dense and difficult books ever compiled as witnessed by the multitude of religious groups that cannot agree amongst themselves what certain passages in the bible mean. If you wish I will ask you to interpret some passages and compare your understanding with several other takes on it. Taking the opening verse of genesis and using that as representative passage is not very clever.

 

 

It is clear with its messages.

How many xtian groups are there now ? 20~30K. What does this suggest?

 

A verse by verse comparison with the Vedas will convince the reader of how sharp a contrast there is between the two books. The bible is unique in its clarity.

Simply repeating the same statement about the bibles clarity over and over again does not make it right. If its so clear why such differing interpretations. Why is your interpretation different from your neighbour who also claims to be guided by the Holy Spirit. That there are so many different xtian groups confirms that its not God who is at work. When I was a teenager I found the bible largely unreadable, Jacobean English did not help, but I made plenty of notes from Hindu writings that did ring true in my life.

 

2 confident voice

 

another characteristic of the bible is the obvious confidence with which its writers spoke and wrote. In contrast writers of other holy books often express personal insecurity by interjecting such qualifiers as "I swear this is true" or "I am positive this is right. "

St Paul on several occasions has to assure his readers that he is not lying so should I ignore him?

 

Jesus on the other hand is described as teaching "as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law" (mat 7:29)

Hitler and all the big dictators speak with authority - its one of the major reasons they become powerful dictators. All the great cult leaders speak with authority, is this to be the criteria for believing them?

 

In the Koran we see hundreds of expressions of insecurity such as "By Allah, I swear this is true."

Just like St Paul.

 

3 brevity

 

The bible is simple and to the point, especially in the OT genesis account of creation and in the NT style of writing.

For starters the book of genesis gives two contradictory accounts of creation, this is simple and to the point?

 

Of the 1200 days of Jesus' ministry, only about 34 total days are accounted for in the bible.

Yes this is deeply suspicious. If Jesus was truly Son of God the gospel writers would have know that every aspect of his life was worthy of research. Was there aspects of Jesus life prior to his public ministry that did not fit the image of one they were selling as Son of God? Why is the Son of Gods life virtually unknown until his public ministry? Why do you think we know so little about the supposed greatest person who ever lived?

 

 

But yet his message is strongly conveyed. this unusual economy of words is not typical of other religious books.

His words are oftentimes contradictory with his own utterances and with what the God of the OT taught. It would maybe have saved a lot of arguments, the fragmentation of xtinity, if Jesus had elaborated a little bit more.

 

Just the sheer size of the Vedas proves the point and in the Koran, we see numerous examples of unnecessary detail.

This whole argument really sucks. Basically the writer is saying that since the bible has less detail than other religions books it must be the word of God? I would stick to arguing the case for the bible rather than casting a slur on other religions holy books.

 

4 fulfilled prophecy

 

Writing history in advance or prophesying with absolute accuracy is something only God can do.

Yes but Jesus got it wrong about his second coming - spare me the tortuous explanations given in the apologetics books that stretch credulity to breaking point. Also Dt 13:2 acknowledges that true prophecy can come from sources other than Yahweh. The Temple at Delphi outlasted by far the Hebrew prophets.

 

Jesus' ministry was preceded by several hundred prophecies, which served to establish, beyond a reasonable doubt, that he was the true son of God. Some may argue that Jesus set out to fulfil personal prophecies. While that is possible in some instances, there is a significant number of predictions over which he had no control.

What you say is correct, many critics of the gospels see them as literary works written to have Jesus fulfil OT prophecies even to the point of Matthew having Jesus riding into Jerusalem in contortions to fulfil a passage in Zechariah.

5 honesty

 

There is no whitewashing in the bible. Several blimishes and failures of many of the great OT heroes are listed such as Moses and David. Such honesty is proof of the bibles inspiration.

Using this logic it is clear that I must worship all the pagan Gods because they are often shown in unflattering situations.

 

 

If the bible had been solely the product of human effort, these sordid accounts would no doubt be excluded.

So you agree the pagan myths are divinely inspired?

 

When assembling the accounts of Mohammed, the compilers chose to include only the best and the wisest of his sayings, and to exclude everything else.

Whats the Koran got to do with the veracity of the Bible? The latter has to justify itself by its own contents not by what some other religious book says.

 

6 Early teachings

 

Moses had unseen wisdom in the writings relating to the fields of hygiene, diet, and quarantine. is it a coincidence that 3200 years ago, a man who knew nothing about bacteria, infection or hygiene instilled practices that is still followed today.

These are listed in Numbers and Leviticus. I will elaborate if requested on this subject. otherwise it is to long to get into.

Yes please elaborate if there is some huge technical issue impossible for the Hebrews to know from practical experience.

 

7 shipbuilding my personal favorite.

 

Even in our modern day of marine engineering and oceanographic technology, the basic size ratio of all ships considered to produce maximum seaworthiness is 30x5x3. In Genesis we read a 3200 year old narrative of God given instructions to a man who was building a boat that had to be the epitome of seaworthiness. the dimensions of the boat were 300 x 50 x 30 cubits.

I dont know anything about boat building save that it goes back long before the bible was ever written. Are you suggesting that the writers of the bible were way ahead of contemporary maritime nations with their vast experience of boat building? Please give evidence to support this assertion.

 

8 historica significance

 

Archaeologist and historians recognize that the bible furnishes tremendous insights into the history of the period in which it was written. Even those records in the Bible thought to be in error (such as the existence of the hittite nation) have been shown by archaeologists to be true. It is not surprising that the official publication of Harvard University Archaeological Studes Department is called The Biblical Archaeologist. In its very interesting monthly reports, it testifies again and again to the accuracy of biblical accounts.

I have heard the whole area of the Exodus being described as a virtual ghost town. This multitude of people travelled throughout the region for so many years without leaving any trace. Many Jewish scholars doubt there ever was an Exodus because archaeology does not support it.

 

9 THE AUTHOR

 

Finally, perhaps the most important reason to choose the bible as the Word of God has to do with its author.

A careless author who oftentimes contradicts himself, mixing fact with fiction, and paints God as being some kind of unjust monster. The contents of the bible points very clearly towards its very human authors and the need to seek divine sanction for the cruel ways of greedy men.

 

When we examine the other religions in the world, we find that all of the responsibility for establishing a relationship with God falls upon the seeker-humanity must reach up to God. There god does not help at all in these religious systems.

What about Islam for starters?

 

It is up to each individual to reach the goal, wether it is nervana or brahma or whatever it might be. Notice the contrast in the bible when the angel Gabriel told mary her son would be called Immanuel which means "God with us."

The Jews don't interpret that passage in Isaiah quoted in the NT as you do.

 

side note. these were very brief explanations and there are about 5 more points I did not include due to length. this article is the summation of an entire chapter found in the book "The Source." He states that his readings include the Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad-Gita, Koran, Tripitaka, Avesta, Tao Te Ching, Angas, Upangas, bab, Bahaullah, and even the Book of Mormon.

My impression is its the usual xtian slanted and biassed apologetics work done by someone wearing blinkers.

 

 

 

will elaborate on #6 when i get off from work. i was just making observations that makes the bible unique, take it however you will. have a good night.

 

No, your stuff is an explanation as to why you think the bible is better. Every holy book is unique, if they weren't then they would be the same words, ideas and deities.

 

here is the follow up on the historical accuracy.

 

For example, consider how the nineteenth century critics challenged the accuracy of the biblical record concerning the Hittites, the Horites of Sargon II, and Sodom and Gomorrah. Critics condemned the biblical record as myth until archaeological excavations completely authenticated the biblical record. One Egyptian tablet actually recorded a fierce battle between Ramses II and the Hittites at Kadesh on the Orontes River. The Bible proved accurate; the critics proved false.

 

this was not an explination of why i thought my religion is better. I have a trust in the Lord, therefore i deny all others. this was an explination from an athiest who was non-biased in search of a belief. this was his conclusion of why he started worshiping the God of abraham.

I think you will find that others have lost their faith in the bible after studying history - e.g people on this forum. I am reading a book at present by one historian - John Allegro - who lost his faith after he became a member of the team that first examined the Dead Sea Scrolls - Geza Vermes was another.....

 

[freeday]

the bible is very simply written. "in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." this was written around 700 years before the "Iliad" yet it is easily understood today.

This has to be one of the most strangest statements I have read in many years. The bible is one of the most dense and difficult books ever compiled as witnessed by the multitude of religious groups that cannot agree amongst themselves what certain passages in the bible mean. If you wish I will ask you to interpret some passages and compare your understanding with several other takes on it. Taking the opening verse of genesis and using that as representative passage is not very clever.

 

 

i will be elaborating on that verse in the weeks to come. how it is so simple, but yet explains everything. a complete idiot could read it and understand what it says, if you were ever force to read the Iliad, it is not written in a easy to understand style.

[RHEMtron]

i will be elaborating on that verse in the weeks to come. how it is so simple, but yet explains everything. a complete idiot could read it and understand what it says, if you were ever force to read the Iliad, it is not written in a easy to understand style.

what's your point? reading one of shakespeare's works is hard to understand as well. "romeo and juliet" and "the iliad" are not religious books.

 

it's funny how you talk about brevity, honesty, clarity, authorship, etc. etc. etc. after the discussion we had on the authorship of moses. if you need your memory refreshed: http://www.ex-christian.net/index.php?show...mp;#entry190961

 

edit:

just wanted to add the iliad is older than the biblical genesis by about 300-400 years.... not the other way around.

[Golden Meadows]

the bible is very simply written. "in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." this was written around 700 years before the "Iliad" yet it is easily understood today.

This has to be one of the most strangest statements I have read in many years. The bible is one of the most dense and difficult books ever compiled as witnessed by the multitude of religious groups that cannot agree amongst themselves what certain passages in the bible mean. If you wish I will ask you to interpret some passages and compare your understanding with several other takes on it. Taking the opening verse of genesis and using that as representative passage is not very clever.

 

 

i will be elaborating on that verse in the weeks to come. how it is so simple, but yet explains everything. a complete idiot could read it and understand what it says, if you were ever force to read the Iliad, it is not written in a easy to understand style.

You quote one verse and then use that to assert that whole of the bible is written the same way. Cleary it isn't as witnessed by all those xtian groups who cannot agree with another because they believe they have the one true infallible take on scripture interpretation - every person their own pope.

What has the Iliad got to do with proving or disproving the bibles divine authorship. If I thought the Iliad was complete rubbish why should that prove the bible is true? Please cover the other points I raised or are you in the style of Amy as an apologist - i.e ignore anything you cannot answer.

I don't warm to people who care little for the humanity of other peoples and their culture.

[Asuryan]

i will be elaborating on that verse in the weeks to come. how it is so simple, but yet explains everything. a complete idiot could read it and understand what it says, if you were ever force to read the Iliad, it is not written in a easy to understand style.

 

How is it that in your opinion, the Bible is a book one "chooses" to read, while the Iliad is something one "has to be forced to read"?

[Lycorth]

All holy books are interesting and beautiful in their own way. The authors present attractive ideas and, through the application of common sense, agree on many of the basic issues. therefore, the question becomes not whether these words are wise or well-written, but whether they actually represent the word of God who created the universe. when choosing a book for spiritual guidance, it must be complete and correct in all aspects, otherwise it could never have any significant impact on a person's life or be depended upon.

 

There is nothing "beautiful" about the Abrahamic "holy" books, nor any "common sense" to be found therein.

 

Skeptic's Annotated Babble™ contains sufficient evidence, using only the Babble™, to show it is a mostly wicked book full of absurdities and contradictions.

 

1 simplicity and clarity.

 

The bible is very simply written. "in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." this was written around 700 years before the "Iliad" yet it is easily understood today.

 

It is clear with its messages. A verse by verse comparison with the Vedas will convince the reader of how sharp a contrast there is beween the two books. The bible is unique in its clarity.

 

Wrong. The Vedas are clear in their message - actually reading the Vedas will show you that. But the Vedas aren't about "turn or burn" so this is why you think it's "unclear". Mankind doesn't need a savior. Did you even read the Vedas, or just a book by some cunt who claims he did?

 

2 confident voice

 

another characteristic of the bible is the obvious confidence with which its writers spoke and wrote. In contrast writers of other holy books often express personal insecurity by interjecting such qualifiers as "i swear this is true" or "I am positive this is right. " Jesus on the other hand is described as teaching "as one who had authority, and not as thier teachers of the law" (mat 7:29) In the Koran we see hundreds of expressions of insecurity such as "By allah, i swear this is true."

 

False. Most other religious books I've read also are written in a clear and confident voice. The Havamal, for example, is written in such manner. Go through my sig to find an online copy.

 

Having a confident voice, morover, does not prove veracity. The voice in which a text is written is not evidence. A man who threatens to kill you for your wallet also has a confident voice - does that justify his actions?

 

3 brevity

 

The bible is simple and to the point, especially in the OT genesis account of creation and in the NT style of writing. Of the 1200 days of Jesus's ministry, only about 34 total days are accounted for in the bible. But yet his message is strongly conveyed. this unusaul economy of words is not typical of other religious books. Just the sheer size of the Vedas proves the point and in the Koran, we see numerous examples of unnecessary detail.

 

The Babble™ is a long, rambling, and error-riddled book. How can you say that is in any way "simple"? What are you smoking?

 

Again, the guy who demands your wallet at gunpoint is being brief. That doesn't justify his actions.

 

And the Havamal, to use it again, is way shorter than either the OT or the NT. So, it is therefore more truthful than your Babble™, according to your own logic.

 

Do you even know what you're typing?

 

4 fulfilled prophecy

 

Writing history in advance or phophesying with absolute accuracy is something only God can do. Jesus' ministry was preceded by several hundred prophecies, which served to establish, beyond a reasonable doubt, that he was the true son of God. Some may argue that Jesus set out to fulfill persanal prophecies. While that is possible in some instances, there is a significant number of predictions over which he had no control.

 

Accuracy?

 

Read this link and tell me what you think about the ostensible "accuracy" of your stupid religion: Old Testament Proof That Jeezus™ Cannot Be the Messiah.

 

honesty

 

There is no whitewashing in the bible. Several blimishes and failures of many of the great OT heroes are listed such as Moses and David. Such honesty is proof of the bibles inspiration. If the bible had been solely the product of human effort, these sordid accounts would no doubt be excluded. When assembling the accounts of Mohammed, the compilers chose to include only the best and the wisest of his syaings, and to exclude everything else.

 

The Babble™ is full of scientific and historical errors. The link I gave at the beginning is sufficient to highlight this, also. Just because the Babble™ claims to give you the "straight dope" about Hell™, doesn't make it true. That is not even circumstantial evidence - it's Xian propganda.

 

And the Babble™ is full of sordid accounts, including the ones you described. Why would a god of love want people to read about drowned babies and cities burned alive? What kind of sick fuck are you?

 

There is also no whitewashing in the Havamal. So, again, it is therefore true according to your logic. Most holy books are true, according to your logic.

 

Early teachings

 

Moses had unseen wisdom in the writings relating to the fields of hygiene, diet, and quarantine. is it a coincidence that 3200 years ago, a man who knew nothing about bacteria, infection or hygiene instilled practices that is still followed today. These are listed in Numbers and Leviticus. I will elaborate if requested on this subject. otherwise it is to long to get into.

 

So? Lots of people knew not to do those things. Lots of people figured out different things, like staying warm in winter not only means staying warm, but fending off frostbite or sickness. Their ways are true, again, according to your own logic.

 

7 shipbuilding my personal favorite.

 

Even in our modern day of marine engineering and oceanographic technology, the basic size ratio of all ships considered to produce maximum seaworthiness is 30x5x3. In Genesis we read a 3200 year old narrative of God given instructions to a man who was building a boat that had to be the epitome of seaworthiness. the dimensions of the boat were 300 x 50 x 30 cubits.

 

You must be high on crack. Seriously. Put down the glass dick and quit tpying bullshit. Where do you get your figures from? Why are there no ships made to such dimensions, if they are seaworthy? And how do you possibly fit two of each kind of living creature on earth into such a small space, or even have time to? Moses would've had to travel around the world first to collect them.

 

I suppose you believe in the tooth fairy, also

 

8 historica significance

 

Archaeologist and historians recognize that the bible furnishes tremendous insights into the history of the period in which it was written. Even those records in the Bible thought to be in error (such as the existence of the hittite nation) have been shown by archaeologists to be true. It is not surprising that the official publication of Harvard University Archaeological Studes Department is called The Biblical Archaeologist. In its very interesting monthly reports, it testifies again and again to the accuracy of biblical accounts.

 

No, archaelogists and historians do not. Most discredit the Babble™. Maybe a few Xians don't, but that's not proof. Again, the first link I gave is sufficient to discredit this moronic notion.

 

9 THE AUTHOR

 

Finally, perhaps the most important reason to choose the bible as the Word of God has to do with its author. When we examine the other religions in the world, we find that all of the responsibility for establishing a relationship with God falls upon the seeker-humanity must reach up to God. There god does not help at all in these religious systems. It is up to each individual to reach the goal, wether it is nervana or brahma or whatever it might be. Notice the contrast in the bible when the angel Gabriel told mary her son would be called Immanuel which means "God with us."

 

side note. these were very brief explanations and there are about 5 more points i did not include due to length. this article is the summation of an entire chapter found in the book "The Source." He states that his readings include the Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad-Gita, Koran, Tripitaka, Avesta, Tao Te Ching, Angas, Upangas, bab, Bahaullah, and even the Book of Mormon.

 

Blah blah blah. Someone else wrote it, it appeals to your beliefs, and so you parrot it - all without thinking one bit about what you are accepting. You never read a single one of those other books, did you? Yet you behave as if you know them inside and out, all because you want your stupid Babble™ to look better.

 

What author? Or how many authors? How can you prove there weren't as many authors as there are books in that sick collection?

 

Your god does not help at all in Xianity. He does not answer prayers (like he promises). He shirks his moral obligation to destroy evil, which any all-good and all-powerful being would understand he has. He does not protect believers against poison. He fails to live up to a single promise in either Testament.

 

Other religions are more correct in placing responsibility on the believer. Abrahamic religions encourage slavery and laziness to an impotent god who does not live up to anything. Other religions are more worthy because they emphasize personal responsibility, not pipe dreams about a dead Jew on a stick magically making us "holy" again - only if we kiss his ass enough.

 

And Mary named her son Jeezus™, not Immanuel.

 

And you wondered why I called you a "disingenous fuck". You clearly are

[nick5]

will elaborate on #6 when i get off from work. i was just making observations that makes the bible unique, take it however you will. have a good night.

 

No, your stuff is an explanation as to why you think the bible is better. Every holy book is unique, if they weren't then they would be the same words, ideas and deities.

 

here is the follow up on the historical accuracy.

 

For example, consider how the nineteenth century critics challenged the accuracy of the biblical record concerning the Hittites, the Horites of Sargon II, and Sodom and Gomorrah. Critics condemned the biblical record as myth until archaeological excavations completely authenticated the biblical record. One Egyptian tablet actually recorded a fierce battle between Ramses II and the Hittites at Kadesh on the Orontes River. The Bible proved accurate; the critics proved false.

 

this was not an explination of why i thought my religion is better. I have a trust in the Lord, therefore i deny all others. this was an explination from an athiest who was non-biased in search of a belief. this was his conclusion of why he started worshiping the God of abraham.

 

I saw the movie King Kong the other day. Part of the action takes places in a city called "New York". Well guess what, there really IS a city called New York in USA! That means King Kong really happened!

[Mythra]

You wouldn't claim the superiority of the bible unless you were intimately familiar with all other religious works, would you, freeday? That would just be a prideful claim from ignorance.

 

You are also an expert in the Lotus Sutra, The Vedas, The Q'uran, The Egyptian Book of the Dead, and a few hundred other religious texts, aren't you?

 

Of course you are. Otherwise, your claim would be just more christian strutting.

[Japedo]

 

 

1 simplicity and clarity.

 

The bible is very simply written. The bible is unique in its clarity.

 

Well is it to be taken literally or figuratively?

 

 

2 confident voice

 

Jesus on the other hand is described as teaching "as one who had authority, and not as thier teachers of the law" (mat 7:29) In the Koran we see hundreds of expressions of insecurity such as "By allah, i swear this is true."

Really?

 

Can you please explain for us Luke 14:26? I can say.... His quoted voice perhaps may be confident but is it something you really should be following? How is he different then any other cult leader

 

 

3 brevity

 

The bible is simple and to the point

 

The bible is not simple and to the point, its contradictory, full of holes and is extremely tribal.

 

4 fulfilled prophecy

 

Writing history in advance or phophesying with absolute accuracy is something only God can do. Jesus' ministry was preceded by several hundred prophecies, which served to establish, beyond a reasonable doubt, that he was the true son of God. Some may argue that Jesus set out to fulfill persanal prophecies. While that is possible in some instances, there is a significant number of predictions over which he had no control.

 

There is no Jewish Prophecy about a godman coming to save mankind, this was a pagan concept and nothing Jewish. There is nothing remotely close to that in the Original Jewish Prophecy of Isaiah which you base your belief upon. I'd also like to point out to you that It has Jesus listed as being from the house of David via Joseph and not Mary. Matthew 1:1-17. If this is the case then God is not the father Joseph is. If God is the father then he has no human connection to the house of David, pretty nice quagmire your simple book creates.

 

 

 

 

7 shipbuilding my personal favorite.

 

Even in our modern day of marine engineering and oceanographic technology, the basic size ratio of all ships considered to produce maximum seaworthiness is 30x5x3. In Genesis we read a 3200 year old narrative of God given instructions to a man who was building a boat that had to be the epitome of seaworthiness. the dimensions of the boat were 300 x 50 x 30 cubits.

 

Which is bullshit. How did 8 people build a massive boat in a short amount of time If it took them years and years the wood from the start of the boat would begin to rot. Other impossibilities, There was no proper ventilation. What about Animals that need different environments? (Rain forest, Desert, Arctic ect ) These Animals have extremely fragile living conditions and no way could be on a boat and survive with out proper temperatures. Food would spoil. How did a small handful of people take care of such a vast amount of Animals removing shit, feeding and watering? Where was the Fresh drinking water kept? What about Fresh water Fish and Animals? What about all the plant life? I can go on and on with logical realistic questions but you get the jest..

 

 

 

9 THE AUTHOR

OT: Tribal men with Tribal favoritism. NT: Rewritten son/sun worship.

[Mythra]

the bible is very simply written. i will be elaborating on that verse in the weeks to come. how it is so simple, but yet explains everything. a complete idiot could read it and understand what it says,

 

Did you mean to imply here that the bible was written in such a way that it's intent was to convince the simple-minded?

[freeday]

 

 

 

There is no Jewish Prophecy about a godman coming to save mankind, this was a pagan concept and nothing Jewish. There is nothing remotely close to that in the Original Jewish Prophecy of Isaiah which you base your belief upon. I'd also like to point out to you that It has Jesus listed as being from the house of David via Joseph and not Mary. Matthew 1:1-17. If this is the case then God is not the father Joseph is. If God is the father then he has no human connection to the house of David, pretty nice quagmire your simple book creates.

 

 

 

 

OT: Tribal men with Tribal favoritism. NT: Rewritten son/sun worship.

 

prophecies concerning the messiah

 

where he would be born Mic 5:2

he would be preceded by a messenger Isa 40:3

how he would enter jerusalem Zech 9:9

his friends would betray him Psa 41:9

he would be betrayed for 30 peices of silver Zech 11:12

his hands and feet would be pierced Psa 22:16

 

there is more than one prophesy other than Isaiah, i can list several others, but you get the point.

[Japedo]

 

 

prophecies concerning the messiah

 

where he would be born Mic 5:2

he would be preceded by a messenger Isa 40:3

how he would enter jerusalem Zech 9:9

his friends would betray him Psa 41:9

he would be betrayed for 30 peices of silver Zech 11:12

his hands and feet would be pierced Psa 22:16

 

there is more than one prophesy other than Isaiah, i can list several others, but you get the point.

 

You are looking at Jewish Prophecies thru Jesus Glasses.

 

The Jewish Messiah is to be just a man, an ordinary great man like Moses or David but just a man. You also need to do some simple research on Judaism and what/who their messiah is. You can cut and paste all the obscure verses you feel justify this nonsense of a godman but it doesn't make it so. The God/man concept is and always was a pagan concept, it's rewritten sunworship. The Messiah was also never to be worshiped. Admired and looked up to perhaps but Worshiping is only ment for the One God, not the Tri-god the Christians have.

 

He is also suppose to come from the House of David and Jesus Christ isn't from the House of David PROVED by your Own New Testament I cited you chapter and verse. The House of Christ is built on quicksand and anyone looking at the facts can see it plain and simply.

[julian]

Here we go.

 

First, your premise that all holy books agree is misled. The Abrahamic faiths are very different from the eastern or European religions (in case you forgot, Christianity isn't European). If you cared to read the Gita or the Upanishads, you'd see that they aren't so alike at all.

 

1.) The meaning of Bible passages has been debated for a long time, and much of it is fervently argued over.

 

I don't think there's even an argument that the Iliad is regarded as a far superior work of literature.

 

If you knew what you're talking about, you'd know that the Vedas are used as an ultimate source, not as an immediate or primary source. Hindus don't go and read the Rig Veda for guidance, they read the Puranas (the Mahabharata, the Ramanyana, etc...), the Upanishads, the Gita, the assorted tales of gods and goddesses and other far more accessible things (traditionally, no one read the Vedas because they were never written down, they were memorized by the Brahmins). Your suggestion that the Vedas are used in such a way is indicative of the fallacy of your entire argument. More than this, why do you suggest that the Vedas are somehow unclear? What reason do you have for doing this? Perhaps it seems unclear to people who don't like to think, but that's about it.

 

The most important point here is that simplicity is no argument for a religion. First, only the most blinded person would call the Bible "simple" instead of what it is: a flawed mindset, among other things. Next, just because you feel that it's easy to understand something doesn't mean you should believe it. You call it "simple", others call it "foolish". Saying that your worldview is "simple" and therefore good is ridiculous and petty, because its self-projected simplicity does nothing to change its illogical, irrational and intolerant nature.

 

2.) "I have a bridge in Brooklyn that I want to sell you."

 

Confident? Yes. Honest? Accurate? Truthful? No. Next.

 

(And seriously, saying "By Allah I swear" isn't timid, it shows steadfast faith in Allah)

 

3.) Again, the Vedas are not only rarely read, they are used as the ultimate source. Go to any average Hindu and ask them what their favorite part of the Vedas is, and they will likely be lost for words. I don't know how much more I can stress this: Hindus don't read the Vedas. Secondly, the Vedas are big because they are an ultimate source, for expansiveness is needed to cover the facets of existence. This means that they are full of wisdom and perspective, reason and sanity; the same cannot be said for the Bible.

 

You want brevity? Read the Gita. You want more brevity? Read the Isha Upanishad (which Ghandi praised). Please, get a clue.

 

Oh, and the Bible before its various revisions and changes was far larger.

 

4.) This is getting ridiculous. It's called a self-fulfilling prophecy, or more accurately, a self-fulfilling lie. There is nothing to suggest that the Nazarene was any sort of saviour or divine being. There is nothing to suggest that he was the son of any deity. Furthermore, if you have a religion where a saviour is expected and give it enough time, some con-man will come around and try to convince people s/he is the one. Some guy who claimed to be what the Bible prophesized means absolutely nothing.

 

5.) I wish the Bible had honesty about Jesus, because then this whole religion would have never gone anywhere. Since there is absolutely nothing to indicate the Jesus described in the Bible (and everything to indicate the opposite), we can conclude that it is filled with lies. Lying is not honesty. What's more is that the OT is also filled with things that are not backed up by the historical record. Honesty in the Bible is an oxymoronic statement.

 

6.) Do you really want to go into the superiority of non-Christian deiting, medicine, astronomy and more? The Egyptians, for instance, were far better at medicine, as they were far ahead of the rest of the world in this regard. Hippocrates of Chios set the standard of which modern medicine has since adhered to, not Moses ( ). The sciences of China and India are being pursued by many for their health benefits. I could go on and on.

 

7.) This is precious. A ship built to the dimensions and size of the arc with the materials available would burst apart.

 

8.) The Iliad is also based on real events. What's your point? My point is that you are incorrect. The thought that Moses forced the Pharoah to let the Jews go is laughable, as they were probably released by Ramses II for other reasons. Jesus as portrayed in the Bible has NO historical support. Genesis has no support either. Again, I could go on.

 

9.) If you look at Islam, it is little different. More importantly, you are guilty of libel and dishonesty. First, spirituality is a personal experience, not one that should be surrendered to an imaginary, illogical and immoral omnipotent "god". Due to this, other religions do not put blind faith into an irrational dogma, they put reason into their practices, actions and goals. Any sane person would choose the latter.

 

(Side note: Have YOU ever read any of those books?)

[Anakin]

1 simplicity and clarity.

 

The bible is very simply written..... it is easily understood today.

 

It is clear with its messages.

Deu. 7:2 - and when the Lord your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated

them, then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy.

 

Deu 20:16,17 - However, in the cities of the nations the Lord your God is giving you as an

inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes. Completely destroy them - (list of nations

on god's shit list).

 

See also: Joshua 6:21. Joshua 8:24-29. And so on and so on.

 

Yes the bible is simple and clear.

2 confident voice

 

another characteristic of the bible is the obvious confidence with which its writers spoke and wrote. In contrast writers of other holy books often express personal insecurity by interjecting such qualifiers as "i swear this is true" or "I am positive this is right. " Jesus on the other hand is described as teaching "as one who had authority, and not as thier teachers of the law" (mat 7:29) In the Koran we see hundreds of expressions of insecurity such as "By allah, i swear this is true."

How many times did Jesus use the words "I tell you the truth"(NIV). That's the same as saying

"i swear this is true".

People here on this website speak with obvious confidence. Does that mean most of us are

gods or just prophets?

3 brevity

this unusaul economy of words is not typical of other religious books. Just the sheer size of the Vedas proves the point and in the Koran, we see numerous examples of unnecessary detail.

What unusual economy of words? Even if it actually was, how does that prove it's true?

No unnecessary details? Are we talking about the same bible?

4 fulfilled prophecy

5 honesty

Such honesty is proof of the bibles inspiration. If the bible had been solely the product of human effort, these sordid accounts would no doubt be excluded.

Has nothing to do with being true or not. In fact, the "sordid accounts" are proof of the bible's

inspiration. Men telling fairy tales to justify themselves. Or, if you want have a supernatural

source, it's obviously a demon.

6 Early teachings

 

Moses had unseen wisdom in the writings relating to the fields of hygiene, diet, and quarantine. is it a coincidence that 3200 years ago, a man who knew nothing about bacteria, infection or hygiene instilled practices that is still followed today. These are listed in Numbers and Leviticus. I will elaborate if requested on this subject. otherwise it is to long to get into.

What kind of unseen wisdom did the ancient hebrews need to tell them to kick people with

communicable diseases out of the camp, away from others? Ancient man would probably have

been smart enough to recognize signs and symptoms of diseases that would spread.

That's just basic survival skills. Granted they wouldn't have known the real cause of it.

And they wouldn't have needed a god to tell them not to take a crap in the camp area.

I'm sure it didn't take them very long to figure out that was bad.

He states that his readings include the Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad-Gita, Koran, Tripitaka, Avesta, Tao Te Ching, Angas, Upangas, bab, Bahaullah, and even the Book of Mormon.

Have you read any of these yourself?

[RHEMtron]

prophecies concerning the messiah

 

where he would be born Mic 5:2

Bethlehem Ephratah is a clan... not a town. Im assuming you got this prophecy from Matt 2:6 which states:

 

And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah,

 

The author of Matthew purposely misleads readers into believing a prophecy of a town by quoting Micah wrong, when the actual quote is:

 

But as for you, Bethlehem Ephratah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah,

 

he would be preceded by a messenger Isa 40:3

Isaiah has nothing to do with Jesus or John the Baptist. Have you not read the entire Book of Isaiah? Specifically chapters 40-54? The book is talking about Cyrus the Great releasing captive Israel from Babylon.

 

You can just read a line and say "oh this is a prophecy of Jesus". To do that is to take something out of it's context. You must read the entire verse that it is in, the entire chapter it is in, and the entire book it is in to understand what it means.

 

otherwise, one can say Martha Stewart Fulfilled OT Prophecy

 

how he would enter jerusalem Zech 9:9

Again read the full verse, chapter, and book it was written in. If you read verses 9:10-13, it's obvious that it's a military leader they speak of.

 

his friends would betray him Psa 41:9

The passage is very vague.

1- It could be the author of the song saying he/she has been betrayed.

2- It can be a prophecy about anybody.

3- The author seems has a tone of being shocked that someone they trusted betrays them. Why would Jesus be shocked when he already knew what was gonna happen, and encouraged it to happen?

 

he would be betrayed for 30 peices of silver Zech 11:12

How is this a prophecy? Zech 11:12 is about Zechariah getting paid 30 shekels as his wage.

 

his hands and feet would be pierced Psa 22:16

This is a mistranslation in the KJV. None of the original texts show the words "they pierced", but actually reads kaari, meaning like a lion. Some scholars argue it says kaaru which actually has no meaning.

 

there is more than one prophesy other than Isaiah, i can list several others, but you get the point.

When each verse is read in it appropriate context, it shows theyre not a prophecy about Jesus. Do you get the point?

[white_raven23]

i see posts all the time pertaining to which religion is correct. this post is for the ones who believe in a higher power or multiple ones. i am actually writing this for a friend that was unsure of what religion was correct, i thought i would post it here.

 

*Quickly checks to make sure I AM in the Lion's Den*

 

Eat Ass Freeday.

 

You make the assumption that belief in a god or higher power requires belief in an accompanying religion to go along with it.

 

To my ears it's like saying I can get a great deal on something I want to buy at the store, but only if I buy a bunch of crap I don't even want along with it. And you, the store clerk, hope I don't notice that to save 76 cents on the item I want, I have to spend 1.50 on crap I don't want at all.

 

I am a deist, and I say to you and anyone lurking curiously, that belief in a god does NOT automatically mean a belief in biblegod, allahgod, or mormongod. We've kinda been taught in out culture that we must "know" the god we believe in....and so religion is necessary. BUT it is only the religions themselves that say we must "know" god in the first place! People LIKE YOU try to make people see that religion is needed so you can have a "relationship" with god.

 

In the act, you make god a cute little definable package complete with bow, and cry "god is great!" to hide the fact that you have, in effect, castrated your god and given him a poodle-cut.

 

Anyone who has sat, and tried to contemplate the IDEA of god...without any help from any book or theology is met with something totally undefinable with "????" all over it. And I think that comes a lot closer to the truth of such a being, than any and all definitions and descriptions you can come up with from your badly written, contradictory book.

[Anakin]

his friends would betray him Psa 41:9

The passage is very vague.

1- It could be the author of the song saying he/she has been betrayed.

2- It can be a prophecy about anybody.

3- The author seems has a tone of being shocked that someone they trusted betrays them. Why would Jesus be shocked when he already knew what was gonna happen, and encouraged it to happen?

Just to add to this. Reading the entire 41st Psalm it's obvious that this isn't a prophecy at all.

The author is on his sickbed with some kind of illness. His enemies are saying a bunch of stuff

about him and hope he dies. Even a close friend has turned against him. So he prays that god

heals him so he can get revenge.

Heck, if people can see Mary in a grilled cheese sandwich or a highway underpass, they will

certainly have no trouble finding Jesus anywhere in the OT.

 

to hide the fact that you have, in effect, castrated your god and given him a poodle-cut.

[Checkmate]

Ahhh.... Here we go AGAIN!

 

What the fuck. What they said. I'm in no mood to waste good information on an obviously retarded human. "Pearls before swine" and all that.

 

freeday? I had held out hopes that you had a brain or could at least buy a clue. But you've proven me wrong. You're intellectually bankrupt. You're the typical braindead, and deluded Christian, regurgitating the SAME bullshit that we've refuted a THOUSAND times before you. (This should be apparent even to YOU, considering how quickly the rebuttals are piling up. Same shit, different asshole.)

 

I'm not taking the bait and I'm not recreating the wheel for you. I don't believe in your "god", and there isn't a damn thing your Bible or your apologetics can do about it. You're a deluded, Christian fool. Enjoy your fantasies.

 

Good day to you, sir.

 

 

(At least OTHER religions have the good manners to keep their shit to themselves! Why are you Christians so rude and arrogant? You're like demon-possessed telemarketers, who won't take "no" for an answer. I suppose it's true when they say, "Misery loves company." You want the world to be as deluded and miserable as you are! Fucking dicks.)

[Antlerman]

i see posts all the time pertaining to which religion is correct. this post is for the ones who believe in a higher power or multiple ones. i am actually writing this for a friend that was unsure of what religion was correct, i thought i would post it here.

 

All holy books are interesting and beautiful in their own way. The authors present attractive ideas and, through the application of common sense, agree on many of the basic issues. therefore, the question becomes not whether these words are wise or well-written, but whether they actually represent the word of God who created the universe. when choosing a book for spiritual guidance, it must be complete and correct in all aspects, otherwise it could never have any significant impact on a person's life or be depended upon.

Before I devote any time to the many arguments you presented, I will address the basic premise of your discussion which pretty much makes what follows somewhat moot. Hopefully you will respond to the points I make in this post.

 

The last sentence I highlighted in red above: This is purely an assumption of logic on your part. An assumption that has no sense of reality outside your words. Significant impact on a person's life? I wouldn't call the Egyptian culture, Muslim cultures, Greek culture; Roman culture; Chinese culture, Japanese culture; American cultures "insignificant". Mythologies one and all are a major, significant contributing factor in how people the world over identify themselves to the world, and their societies. **If they didn't work, they wouldn't survive for thousands of years, would they? I would call that extremely significant and completely dependable as evidenced by the cohesiveness of the societies they shaped.

 

The correct religion is the one that works for whoever adopts it. There are two different sorts of truth: Objective truth, and subjective truth. Religion is the latter. The criteria for truth in the latter case cannot be approached logically, outside the "logic" of the person's spirit: which logic is what makes sense for you. What makes sense and works for one may not make sense for others. For them to insist their truth is the truth for others, speaks of their personal insecurity that needs others to affirm their adopted beliefs in order for them to feel good (artificially) about their choices. When I hear someone speak of "True Religion", this is what I hear. It is an argument of a subjective, personal nature that attempts to defend itself under a distorted mask of objectivity.

 

What I highlighted above in blue is something I could go at great length to discuss with you (if in fact you are willing to discuss with me), but to be brief about it: You do not seem to understand the nature of mythology. These are more than just "common sense" things. These books are on an equal footing with the Bible, not just some "words of men". Though they are words of men - just as the Bible is - they are words of the vision of the human spirit. If they were not, they would not have been as significant as they are to have molded and shaped human social evolution and societies to the degree they have.

 

It is arrogant and short sighted to dismiss their power and elevate your own Holy book above theirs. It is intellectually indefensible. These are subjective works of truth, not a singular objective, external reality. Nothing can be argued that is able to stand up to that sort of expectation. If you want your mythology to work, don't let rational thought be able to scrutinize it. You will be leading it to the execution squad, and that is such a waste to do to something that doesn't operate in the rational world.

 

I look forward to you engaging your thoughts to these points I have raised. I hope you will take the time discussing along these lines with me.

 

Respectfully