I Know That God Does Not Exist

Yes, people do read these threads. You should try it some time.

Indeed, you have been saying the same thing over and over. Why do you expect an answer different from the ones you've already been provided? Maybe I was wrong about you making progress...

Of course, if there are problems with contradictions in the book that is said to be the Word of God, how do we know what the word really is?

I like that idea: the parts of your bible that offend our reason are to be discarded, the remainder given due consideration!

I was replying to jar's remark in which the "moral" aspect of the writings in your bible are discussed:"We use logic, reason and reality to test what is written.Does a writing point to a model that is of use to all? Does it provide a moral guide to a functioning society? Does the writing teach us how to live today in harmony with other people, things and the environment itself?"

As for Egyptian records, what did the record-keepers of the Sixth Dynasty have to say about the great Flood that wiped out their entire civilization?(At least that's the usual biblical dating of the time of the Noachian Flood)

Not sure. Is it possible that different views of Jesus could be construed from different passages in scripture?

I'm going to defer to C. S. Lewis who preferred to call such people "Christians" but classified them as "bad Christians".After all, how are we to know what is in one's heart? I'd be willing to guess that a lot of politicians who make profession of faith and go to church (or temple or mosque, depending on the country they live in) regularly think to themselves it's all hogwash but they have to do it to get elected.

Reluctant? I've discussed it for longer than I'd really care to! But anyway, to continue...The concept of a god is a human invention, not a real thing, a personification of volcanoes or the ocean (Vulcan or Neptune) or of good and evil (Jesus and Beelzebub). It's no more logical or rational than a ouija board or horoscope or rabbit's foot (and how lucky was that rabbit?)

It's a question of how we use words. Jim Bakker may or may not be a Christian by your way of using the work "Christian", but how can we know? No definition of "Christian" says that a Christian must be unblemished! In any case, is that really the way we want to use the word "Christian"? Consider the words of C. S. Lewis:

quote:

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The name Christians was first given at Antioch (Acts 11:26) to "the disciples," to those who accepted the teaching of the apostles. There is no question of its being restricted to those who profited by that teaching as much as they should have. There is no question of its being extended to those who in some refined, spiritual, inward fashion were "far closer to the spirit of Christ" than the less satisfactory of the disciples. The point is not a theological, or moral one. It is only a question of using words so that we can all understand what is being said. When a man who accepts the Christian doctrine lives unworthily of it, it is much clearer to say he is a bad Christian than to say he is not a Christian.

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Surely you're not saying that Vulcan and Neptune (not to mention Ra, Vishnu, Shiva, Dagon, Marduk, Baron Samedi, Loki, Odin, Amaterasu, Uzume, Quetzalcoatl, Anansi, Dagda, Danu, Y Ti...) have any real existence outside the imaginations of human beings? Or that it would be unfair to those human beings to say that such gods are only inventions of those human beings?

Now, mind you, there's nothing bad said about the irrational, in it's place. Leprechauns and unicorns are the subject of delightful stories. Indeed, often more delightful than stories about mundane short people or mere horses. But there's a difference between rational and irrational.

Maybe your concept of "irrational" or "illogical" isn't fully thought out? For instance, we both know that horses are real and unicorns are fanciful (however many people may believe in them, or even write descriptions of their physiology and powers).Don't we?

Those are examples of many deities whose followers would appear no less ardent than the followers of your deity. Are you prepared to say that those deities have an existence outside the imaginations of their followers?If not, how is it unfair to followers of your deity?

How is it unfair?If someone watches Penn and Teller, is it "unfair" to tell them there's nothing supernatural about the magic routine they've just applauded?