Another reason why religion is complete BS (Jehovah's Witness edition)

[MannyIsGod]

I'd like to point out that "Not a Christian" =! Atheist. That list is severely flawed. And yes, Phenomanual, I would be your friend outside of the forum. I would never not befriend someone because we have different religous views or else I'd have 2 friends in the world and it would be boring.

[Phenomanul]

I think if more people actually took Phenomenaul's bible challenge, atheism would shoot through the roof in America. It's easy to follow Christianity when you get a sanitized version of it that sounds decent when you're a kid, but reading it uncensored without the spin from a guided reading from the church is a whole other animal. I read it because I really wanted to be a good Christian at the time, and after it being a Christian didn't seem so good or just.

So you admit you've never actually read the Bible from cover-to-cover?

As for your other point... Some direction IS required when reading the scriptures, unless you genuinely asked GOD to 'open your spiritual eyes' so that you could understand what you were reading on your own... but the very premise of invoking an en y you don't believe in for guidance is absurd (reading without faith)... that's ultimately why those who read without a genuine heart to understand fail... on the other hand, I could give you a list of atheists who were convicted of GOD's existence simply by reading the Bible from cover-to-cover... the direction of conviction is not as one sided as your post claims...

[baseline bum]

I read the bible cover to cover because I really did want to believe and wanted to be a model Christian. Had I never read it, I probably still would be one.

[Blake]

OOOoooh... that hurts...

wait...

I've probably engaged in far more technical discourse with ElNono and RandomGuy over the course of the years than you [anyone here could do a search and verify that for themselves]... and yet they're no where near the top of the list...

So much for your theory...

Now, care to throw any other strawmen and ad hominem attacks in my direction? Like I said, I give you too much credit...

thanks for further confirming my theory of your butthurt.

[mingus]

Only reason I shove athiesm in anyone's face is because Christians try to shove religion in every non-Christian American's face.

For example, you are probably a fervent pro-lifer and probably fervently oppose gay marriage. At least I'm not advocating laws that restrict religion, while Christians want laws that force non-Christians to obey the bible.

I'm not Christian. I don't think marriage between man and man is marriage. And you know what? Neither do the Japanese. This isnt a purely Christian stance like many like to believe.

I make my own definition of marriage up irrespective of religion. When I was agnostic years back I didn't think it was marriage. You make up your own definition of marriage and I bet yours doesn't allow brother Bubba and sister Nancy to get married. If so, where do you get that belief? Which athiest dogma espouses your definition of marriage.

[mingus]

better than going to bed thinking of/whining about other messageboard posters.

Well since you've admitted to it, you're fanatical. And a fanatic is fanatic. Anti religious fanatics and religious fanatics share 1/2 their DNA. They're just as crazy and amusing.

[Phenomanul]

I'd like to point out that "Not a Christian" =! Atheist. That list is severely flawed.

Which is why I also included the agnostic label... as for the other nostic religions they aren't very well represented in this forum, and I simply haven't seen discourse for or against their beliefs here...

Out of curiosity though... according to you, which posters from that list don't belong there (regardless of positioning - cause of course, it was strictly an ad-hoc exercise off the top of my head [spanning back as far as I could remember] ?)...

And yes, Phenomanul, I would be your friend outside of the forum. I would never not befriend someone because we have different religous views or else I'd have 2 friends in the world and it would be boring.

Like I said, I currently have many friends that have completely different beliefs... but yeah, I don't typically discuss these topics outside of the forum... I'm actually quite sociable and out-going (if you can believe that), especially because of my other passion for music...

[Phenomanul]

I read the bible cover to cover because I really did want to believe and wanted to be a model Christian. Had I never read it, I probably still would be one.

Fair enough... to each his own...

Just don't assume that your experience is the only possible path from such an endeavor...

[mingus]

or go to bed thinking about graphs that took me 10 seconds to find on google

It's even sadder that your position on such a matter is informed by a 10-second google search.

Get off your armchair. You're a joke.

[Phenomanul]

thanks for further confirming my theory of your butthurt.

Moving goalposts... another convenient tactic ("my earlier claim had no substance, so I must redirect the emphasis")

Nice try. But no.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

I'm not Christian. I don't think marriage between man and man is marriage. And you know what? Neither do the Japanese. This isnt a purely Christian stance like many like to believe.

I make my own definition of marriage up irrespective of religion. When I was agnostic years back I didn't think it was marriage. You make up your own definition of marriage and I bet yours doesn't allow brother Bubba and sister Nancy to get married. If so, where do you get that belief? Which athiest dogma espouses your definition of marriage.

I have no problem if brother and sister want to get married. It doesn't harm me and they have every right to do so if they want to.

There shouldn't be laws defining marriage other than both parties need to be consenting adults. If you don't wanna recognize something as marriage, fine, but who are you to think there should be laws making everyone live by what you personally consider marriage? This is the funny thing, religious people want to ram their beliefs down people's throats and they don't even know it.

[mingus]

If you're a Christian and you don't believe that all other religions are bull then you're a terrible Christian and if you need a ing chart to show you that then you probably want to read that you supposedly believe again.

You're twisting my words.

[mingus]

I have no problem if brother and sister want to get married. It doesn't harm me and they have every right to do so if they want to.

There shouldn't be laws defining marriage other than both parties need to be consenting adults. If you don't wanna recognize something as marriage, fine, but who are you to think there should be laws making everyone live by what you personally consider marriage? This is the funny thing, religious people want to ram their beliefs down people's throats and they don't even know it.

So if you had a daughter and son and they wanted to get married, you'd be right behind them?

[mingus]

to Manny: I don't believe all or even that many Christians believe I'm going to because I'm not Christian. That was what I was specifically alluding to in Dok's post. My mistake for saying u twisted my words. I shouldve pointed that out.

[Blake]

I'm not Christian. I don't think marriage between man and man is marriage. And you know what? Neither do the Japanese.

why do you and these Japanese care so much?

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

So if you had a daughter and son and they wanted to get married, you'd be right behind them?

Being behind them and thinking they should be allowed to get married are two different things.

I'd tell them I strongly disagree with their decision, I'd explain the birth defects of inbreeding, I'd explain that most people they meet would view them as sickos, but I think they should have every right to be married if that's what they want.

This slippery slope argument gay bashers love to use is another example of hatred. You people act like giving gays the right to marriage will open up a pandora's box full of demons and evil. Plenty of states and other countries have legalized gay marriage and nothing bad has happened because of it.

[Blake]

Well since you've admitted to it, you're fanatical. And a fanatic is fanatic. Anti religious fanatics and religious fanatics share 1/2 their DNA. They're just as crazy and amusing.

I admitted to no such thing. I noted the 10:48pm time stamp on your post and forged a conclusion as to what you were thinking about right before you went to bed.

I then simply said one was better than the other.

[MannyIsGod]

to Manny: I don't believe all or even that many Christians believe I'm going to because I'm not Christian. That was what I was specifically alluding to in Dok's post. My mistake for saying u twisted my words. I shouldve pointed that out.

Most Christians don't really know much about Christianity so I don't disagree but its a fundemental tenet of all Christianity (and all Abrahamic religions) that their god is the one true god and all others are false.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

why do you and these Japanese care so much?

This is my biggest issue. Why do people care so much about two gay people they'll never meet getting married? It has no impact on their lives and does them no harm.

[Blake]

Moving goalposts... another convenient tactic ("my earlier claim had no substance, so I must redirect the emphasis")

Nice try. But no.

you're under the impression that we are arguing.

There's no argument; your butthurt is evident for all to see.

[Blake]

So if you had a daughter and son and they wanted to get married, you'd be right behind them?

if you had a son and daughter that married each other, would you disown them?

Life is too short to die with such silly regrets.

[Jesus]

Most Christians don't really know much about Christianity so I don't disagree but its a fundemental tenet of all Christianity (and all Abrahamic religions) that their god is the one true god and all others are false.

????...If they believe in me they know enough.

[Blake]

????...If they believe in me they know enough.

too bad Jesus doesn't care about primitive tribes to share this information with them

[DarkReign]

I'll stick the OP's point...

My stepfather's place has Jehovah's crawling around damn near every weekend.

He likes to with them. According to him, a pair of Witnesses were at his door trying to spread the word, so he invited them in. They were going on with their business and my stepfather is acting all interested and asks "Yeah man, totally. I think Jimi Hendrix is frickin awesome too! By far my favorite artist."

*confused stare*

Maybe they might have "got it" if he had cited Dylan instead.

[AmericanPsycho]

I've always wondered why every time they stop by our place it is never a pair of Jehovah Witness babes.