I'm Here To Provide Answers To Your Questions ... Please Try Me

[Vigile]

Hatred against God, His Scriptures, and me ... won't get anyone anywhere.

Instead, why not just ask questions?

 

How presumptive of you that you think you have anything to teach us.

 

Do you realize how this makes you come across as an ass?

[TrailBlazer]

I'll give it a jab.

 

Why do people starve and suffer?

Why can't God eliminate war?

If God is always the same today, yesterday and tomorrow, why was he a wrathful God in the OT, but somehow a loving God in the NT?

Why can't God cure mental illness after years of praying for my friends, but pharmaceutical medication can cure them in 30 minutes?

Is Hitler going to heaven because he believed and was forgiven by grace? What about those 'dirty Jews', will they go to hell?

If we have free will explain why addictions happen.

If we have free will explain how an omnipresent God can possibly know what we're going to do in the future.

Do you believe in evolution Doug?

What church denomination do you belong?

Have you ever even once doubted your faith?

What brings you here to ex-christian.net?

[Legion]

Trailblazer I like your Fibonacci series signature line.

[mcdaddy]

Ok, Doug the Troll, I'll bite. Here's a question, or more of a challenge if you will:

Justify Judges 11:29-40

Won't quote the whole thing but it's about ritualistic human sacrifice of children,

only this time the protagonist actually kills his daughter unlike the cute little abraham

and isaac story where god steps in at the last minute and everything is cool.

Let's see what you got, buddy.

 

Okay, I didn't read the whole passage, but I'm sure it's like the others. Here's the deal ...

 

God's Plan was to produce His Messiah--Redeemer--Savior through the tiny nation of Israel.

Guess what, to do this God had to protect Israel from their more powerful enemies!

Enemies bent on destroying them. So, God had to fight some of their battles.

This also displayed to others why Israel called Him "Almighty God", etc.

Sometimes He thought it best to wipe out everything in sight ... as a big deterant for the future.

 

Heads up! ...

These people were destined for Hell anyway, so what's the big deal with going a few years early?

 

Which goes back to WHY was ALL of mankind destined to be separated from God.

I think all of you probably know that answer. But believing it is another matter, right?

It's all about belief and unbelief ... in God's spiritual Truth.

Believers get to spend eternity with God ... so, it's best to be a believer.

 

Hell isn't anywhere in the OT. AND NO, sheol is not hell. And the early Israelites were a subset of Canaanites that worshipped a volcano god that was only one god child among 70 gods that were all under the daddy god El. Know your history jackass.

[TrailBlazer]

...Sometimes He thought it best to wipe out everything in sight ... as a big deterant for the future.

 

Heads up! ...

These people were destined for Hell anyway, so what's the big deal with going a few years early?

That's awful! Do you believe in predestination? Because if God's chosen are predestined, then why should any of us bother with God? Since he obviously does not care about those who are not predestined to be with him forever. Can't we just live our lives in peace and love dude?

 

**TY Legion, when I learned about the series in my deconversion period, I pretty much fell in love with nature and science all over again from a secular pov!

[3DollarBill]

 

Okay, I didn't read the whole passage, but I'm sure it's like the others. Here's the deal ...

 

God's Plan was to produce His Messiah--Redeemer--Savior through the tiny nation of Israel.

Guess what, to do this God had to protect Israel from their more powerful enemies!

Enemies bent on destroying them. So, God had to fight some of their battles.

This also displayed to others why Israel called Him "Almighty God", etc.

Sometimes He thought it best to wipe out everything in sight ... as a big deterant for the future.

 

Heads up! ...

These people were destined for Hell anyway, so what's the big deal with going a few years early?

 

Which goes back to WHY was ALL of mankind destined to be separated from God.

I think all of you probably know that answer. But believing it is another matter, right?

 

D+ and the only reason you pass was the "These people were destined for hell anyway" line. Lemme break it down for you:

Jephthah makes a deal with god, then has to sacrifice his daughter to repay god for giving him victory. God, being supposedly omniscient, would have known the daughter would be the target when Jephthah made his deal in the first place. He also had 2 months after the fact to stop his little joke. But he didn't.

 

So, Doug, without going off on a tangent about how gawd has to protect israel, please justify why god at the very best allowed ritualistic child sacrifice, and at the worst he needed it.

[Denyoz]

Hatred against God, His Scriptures, and me ... won't get anyone anywhere.

Instead, why not just ask questions?

Ok Doug, here is my question:

How can I have a personal relationship with God when there is no way for me to hear God's answers clearly? There cannot be an effective relationship if there is no effective communication.

 

Yes, to have a personal relationship with God, one needs to be born again (from above),

which means God's Spirit comes INSIDE and stays there forever.

Would you like a Scripture verse that explains this?

 

I agree. So ok. I was born again. If you don't believe me, read my testimony. God's spirit is inside me. Still, when I ask God for directions, specific things like "should I marry this girl?", he gives me no clear answer. To do his will, I need to hear his answers clearly. How can I hear him clearly? Please don't quote scriptures. Give me something based on your own experience.

 

Thank you.

[3DollarBill]

Oh, AND you contradicted yourself but you did it in an edit and I was already typing my last post, so I didnt catch it.

 

"These people were bound for hell anyway so what does it matter?"

"Believers get to spend an eternity with god"

 

I'd say good ol' Jephthah and his daughter were believers. So I guess it does matter after all.

D+ changed to F. Rewrites allowed. Try again.

[Doug]

I turned against xtianity because I realized it was all made up. It's that simple.

 

I understand totally ... but I have had a HUGE advantage over you!

My spiritual experiences have proven to me that God's word is true.

In whatever shape they're in, He honors His Scriptures ... and He honors those who honor them.

 

All of my spiritual experiences have lined up (agreed) with the Bible.

Nothing has been in conflict.

 

Then there's the little matter of my testimony of being called to be an evangelist.

In a communist nation, He provided for me, protected me, performed miracles, etc.

 

So, a double witness ... the Holy Spirit inside, and my spiritual experiences.

I'm blessed to have both.

[Thought2Much]

Well, I for one am glad that Doug is here to answer all the questions that all of those hundreds of other Christians I've ever encountered in my lifetime have never been able to provide answers for.

 

And wow! Doug has had experiences! Then that means it all must be true!

[mcdaddy]

This has got to be Florduh or someone fucking with us.

[LivingLife]

Exodus

 

Explain how 2M+ people and their beasts were sustained in the desert. Humans require two litres of water a day (minimum) to survive and that is not under desert conditions where it would be significantly higher.

 

These same 2M+ people all died in the desert yet archaeologists have not even found one artefact. Surely it is reasonable to assume they lost some pots and pans along the way - no?

 

Anyway, I would like you to get your calculator out and calculate the volume of water required at 2l per day per person, work out the size of the convoy of modern water trucks that carry about 20,000 litres, (ignore camels as they need water too) then calculate the rate of flow needed from Miriam's well which you will no doubt bring up, calculate the time it takes a woman to gather say 10l of water for a typical family of 5, calculate the length of the queue and then come back and present your findings.

 

You may not invoke magic as only the well and the rock of Horeb are water sources.

[florduh]

Is it April 1st already?

 

For starters ...

 

God created both angels and humans to have free will.

He DESIRED these free-will creations (not robots) to praise Him and worship Him.

And He DESIRED to have humans on earth freely praise and worship Him.

Angels in heaven and humans on earth ... all praising and worshipping Him.

 

Okay, is this reasonable, or do we need to discuss this before continuing?

 

Reasonable? You're joking, right? What qualifies you to answer any questions the other Christians got wrong?

 

Seriously, I and a number of other Ex-Christians are now Ex not because of anything a church or pastor did or taught - we left the religion because we studied - really studied - the Bible. The book on which all of Christianity balances is, to be kind, just silly derivative Pagan myth that has no more place in this century than Mohammed and his flying circus of pedophiles and goat herders.

 

This is not a good mission field, and you probably should leave, regardless of how thick skinned you may think you are.

 

Of course, there is an even chance this thread is a joke/troll/bored child/etc., so perhaps serious comments are premature...

[3DollarBill]

 

My spiritual experiences have proven to me that God's word is true.

 

I got pretty high last night too dude.

[TrailBlazer]

I understand totally ... but I have had a HUGE advantage over you!

My spiritual experiences have proven to me that God's word is true.

In whatever shape they're in, He honors His Scriptures ... and He honors those who honor them.

 

What exactly are these experiences of which you speak? Obviously you have read each of our testimonies to know that your xian beliefs and experiences are more genuine then ours were...

[Legion]

**TY Legion, when I learned about the series in my deconversion period, I pretty much fell in love with nature and science all over again from a secular pov!

 

That is way cool TrailBlazer. Yeah, the series is found throughout the living world.

 

Did you know that the last two numbers in the sequence approach the golden ratio as the sequence becomes longer?

[TrailBlazer]

Did you know that the last two numbers in the sequence approach the golden ratio as the sequence becomes longer?

I did not... I thought the sequence was never ending? (Math is not my forte, I only appreciate it from afar) But this is totally off topic.

 

Doug, please produce for us your theology credentials or go away you silly boy before we taunt you for a second time!

[Vigile]

but I have had a HUGE advantage over you!

 

How could a truly just god sentence some to hell -- for eternity mind you -- and some to heaven and yet allow an uneven playing field where some have advantages?

 

How do you know your spiritual experiences are not just chemical reactions in your brain; especially since participants in all religions claim similar experiences?

 

And again, why do you feel you are qualified to teach us?

[Doug]

So ok. I was born again. If you don't believe me, read my testimony. God's spirit is inside me. Still, when I ask God for directions, specific things like "should I marry this girl?", he gives me no clear answer. To do his will, I need to hear his answers clearly. How can I hear him clearly? Please don't quote scriptures. Give me something based on your own experience. Thank you.

 

Keep Asking, Seeking, Knocking

 

Matthew 7:

⁷ “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

⁹ Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?

¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?

¹¹ If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will

your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

 

Yes, Jesus was talking to and about His 12 disciples ... and about all of mankind.

 

Also, be like the persistent widow who finally got what she wanted.

[Vigile]

**TY Legion, when I learned about the series in my deconversion period, I pretty much fell in love with nature and science all over again from a secular pov!

 

That is way cool TrailBlazer. Yeah, the series is found throughout the living world.

 

Did you know that the last two numbers in the sequence approach the golden ratio as the sequence becomes longer?

 

Might as well derail this thread since it's just another been there, done that xian love bomber.

 

What are your opinions regarding fib numbers and human psychology. Many stock traders swear by fib retracement levels. I've always felt it's a bit voodoo, that might sometimes work due to the fact many eyes are on the same levels and willing to act there.

[Margee]

Keep Asking, Seeking, Knocking

 

Matthew 7:

⁷ “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

⁹ Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?

¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?

¹¹ If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will

your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

 

Yes, Jesus was talking to and about His 12 disciples ... and about all of mankind.

 

Also, be like the persistent widow who finally got what she wanted.

 

 

My gawd guys ......we finally have a bible expert on EX-c!!

[Vigile]

Doug. Need to stop you right there. If this is going to go anywhere, you need to first provide support for the authority of the bible before you can use the bible to answer questions.

 

We do not accept the bible as an authority on truth. Using the bible to prove its own authority is circular reasoning. Give us a reason to accept it or don't use it on us, otherwise this conversation isn't going anywhere.

[Doug]

What exactly are these experiences of which you speak? Obviously you have read each of our testimonies to know that your xian beliefs and experiences are more genuine then ours were...

 

Okay, I'll post my testimony. What percentage of you do you guess will believe it?

[3DollarBill]

No don't go away I'm not done with you...explain the child sacrifice please. You're pretty quick with the "god is real cause we need him" and "i believe cause of my feelings" responses but I want to see you explain away some tangible evidence that biblegod is an immoral fuckwit... cause I got an explanation: He was made up by primitive societies who shared his fucked up values.

 

As for Matthew 7... so just how long do I have to ask, seek, knock? Were the first two decades of my life not enough? Was I wrong to expect something in all that time? How about the members here who persisted much longer, begging for some sort of affirmation, some easing of their doubts?

 

How about the members on here who begged god for death when they felt their faith slipping away? How about you go read some of the extimonies so you know exactly what we've been through. We've asked, sought, knocked. We didn't even ask for bread, we asked for a simple sign that the bread would one day come...and in return we didn't even get a stone. We got nothing. Nothing at all.

[Legion]

Did you know that the last two numbers in the sequence approach the golden ratio as the sequence becomes longer?

I did not... I thought the sequence was never ending? (Math is not my forte, I only appreciate it from afar) But this is totally off topic.

 

Yeah you're right TrailBlazer. The series is infinite.

 

However if we take any two successive numbers in the sequence then they approach the golden ratio in the infinite limit. For example...

 

5/3 = 1.6666...

8/5 = 1.6

13/8 = 1.625

21/13 = 1.61538....

 

golden ratio = 1.61803...

 

And yeah, it's off topic. But I just thought it was really cool of you to have it as a signature line.