Did a God or Gods create the universe? EDITED
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God has told us, before, about a series of events that will happen, to prove us that He is always trustworthy. Everything God decided, is fulfilled precisely, so I count my faith firmly on His Word (the Bible). What He said is going to happen, It's done..., the only 'problem' is just time, because every event "takes its time." God has always shown his Authority, but people do not take into account…!
True faith isn’t 'blind', as one imagines, but is based on careful research and check 'tangible' things...!
Bible motto is "Prove all things, and keep what is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21), not that false slogan, embraced by naives in the form "Believe and do not question/ investigate!"
Important aren’t the opinions of different kinds of people about faith, but what the Bible says about it!Faith accepts as real, as reliable, things not seen...yet!
There are, for example, Paradise and Hell. Rational I can not prove their existence but my faith accepts them as real...- Is this a nonsense? - Not at all!
I believe in the existence of God because I can see His work, and the Bible revealed Him to me in many ways...
I believe for example in a future resurrection, because the Bible tells me about this, and because Jesus Christ has already risen, and so forth...
The Bible is the only book in the world, containing prophecies which were fulfilled (or are ongoing...) exactly, in great detail. The Bible is the world's only book written in original without fail, without any inadvertence!
The Bible is an Authority, and explains also all that we need to know now about the Creation...!
- Is this a nonsense? - Not at all!
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You quote "Prove all things and keep what is good." and then go on to do entirely the opposite...you accept, unquestioningly, everything that is in the Bible...OT and NT...as fact, for no better reason than it's in the Bible.
If you can't see the irony in that, there is little point in you having a discussion with anybody.
You claim that everything prophesied in the Bible has accurately come to pass. Like what? Here's a few prophesies which some Tribulation website claims have come to pass already, proving that His time is nigh:-
-many shall come in Jesus' name, saying, I am Christ
False prophets appear any time, any place...rather fewer these days, if anything...at least outside of US TV Evangelism, which the whole of the rest of the planet regards as a joke.-wars and commotions
So vague and commonplace as to be worthless.-Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
Same as above. Been going on since well before Christ.-great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
Yet again, absolutely endemic...anytime, anywhere. Don't recall any signs from heaven lately.-Persecution
Yawn!!-ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.
Seems to be rather more typical of the Middle Ages and the Thirty Years War. Did I blink and miss Judgement day?-ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies
When hasn't it been?-Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
It WAS trodden down during the Crusades and during the earlier Roman occupation. I was under the impression that it was now controlled by Jews, not gentiles.-there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
Astrology, same old same old and weather? Seriously?Most of these come from Matthew 24, towards the end of which Christ states that ALL these things will be fulfilled (including his return) within the generation of those present.....still waiting.
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@unknownuser said:
you accept, unquestioningly, everything that is in the Bible...OT and NT...as fact, for no better reason than it's in the Bible. If you can't see the irony in that, there is little point in you having a discussion with anybody.
Tell you what, when you can prove to me, conclusively and irrefutably, that "facts" are more important than "faith", then I'll give up my faith convictions and live in a totally "factual" secular world.
The Bible is full of allegory and parables. It's faith, not fact that people need to find God. The Christ could have told people the "direct facts" about God, but he chose to speak in parables to the masses. "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." Matt 11:15. The Christ said this on a number of occasions when we finished His parables. Why? Because for men to find God, they need to discern it in their hearts because it requires faith to accept Him. Even when the Christ spoke more directly to his chosen disciples concerning His parables, they had a hard time with some of it. If they had trouble, and they were right there in His presence, it's easy to understand why we, so many generation apart from Him, have issues.
Concerning the events, wars, famines, Jerusalem trodden underfoot, false Messiahs, etc. all I can say is it's not the events themselves but the timing that is important. It's in Revelations, but you'll have to take in on faith ...
Cheers.
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@IdahoJ
I was addressing Cornel. I don't know how many times I have to say that I don't have a problem with anyone regarding large parts of the Bible as allegory and parables. Such people tend to keep their faith within decent constraints and use it to live a good life...which is just fine. Many of my best friends fall into exactly that category. I'm well aware that a secular life is not for everyone.It's people that not only take the Bible as the literal truth but go on to extrapolate all other kind of nonsense that isn't even in there that are the problem. They hamper scientific progress, they hamper education...and as for the 'Rapture' evangelists...frankly, they ought to be strung up, or at least treated like any other con men. They ruin people's lives on a daily basis and give ordinary christians a bad name. They've mistranslated a single line in Thessalonians, mixed it in with the delusions of some frustrated Victorian spinster and created an entire cult out of thin air.
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@ ‘Alan F.’
When I was young, I was thinking about your way, but I seriously put on research (for decades), and I found that most biblical descriptions already occurred.
There are to achieve a few percent (but those things are already explained), which, by extrapolation, I see them trustworthy, as veridical. -
@unknownuser said:
@ ‘Alan F.’
When I was young, I was thinking about your way, but I seriously put on research (for decades), and I found that most biblical descriptions already occurred.
There are to achieve a few percent (but those things are already explained), which, by extrapolation, I see them trustworthy, as veridical.Obviously not seriously enough.
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@ ‘Alan F’ and ‘IdahoJ’
Bible must be taken literally first! Where exposures arise by parables, metaphorical, allegorical, symbolic, etc. this is mentioned in the text, or explained in context... -
You deceive yourself 'Alan T'. You will stay with laughter, and I with God...
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Alan, again, nothing personal intended. I thought I was addressing the larger "fact vs. faith" dispute. No harm done I hope...
However, considering some of the other posts being done now, this thread has run it's useful course for me. As it has nothing further to offer, I'll say, "adios" folks ...
Cheers
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Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent.
Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus - L.Wittgenstein
Question mentioned in the title of this thread leads directly to the traps of language.
Thinking about the existence/nonexistence of God is full of paradoxes one can't solve using our limited minds and linear language...On the other hand.. it is fun
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@starling75 said:
Thinking about the existence/nonexistence of God is full of paradoxes one can't solve using our limited minds and linear language...
On the other hand.. it is fun
No, it is NOT "fun" - IT IS VITAL!
Finally it is eternal life, with God, or hell, apart from God ... -
@unknownuser said:
@starling75 said:
Thinking about the existence/nonexistence of God is full of paradoxes one can't solve using our limited minds and linear language...
On the other hand.. it is fun
No, it is NOT "fun" - IT IS VITAL!
Finally it is eternal life, with God, or hell, apart from God ...Sorry, I am not follower of this eternal life vs hell concept.
Since God is perceived to be omnipotent and omniscient - he/she/it must be inevitably fluctuating on infinitesimally thin border between existence and nonexistence, sense and nonsense, good and evil....After all, I am from my country
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@ Starling75. God meets our needs , not our whims…!
Jesus said:“The will of Him, who sent Me, is that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
“Verily, verily, I say to you, he who believes in Me has EVERLASTING LIFE.” (John 6:40,47) -
@solo said:
Cornel, no point debating this issue, not all kids believe in Santa Claus, some are clever enough to realize how silly and impossible it is...same goes for religion.
The same goes for a FALSE religion, but not for a TRUE FAITH, in a TRUE GOD!
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@unknownuser said:
The same goes for a FALSE religion, but not for a TRUE FAITH, in a TRUE GOD!
And how can you tell exactly which is a TRUE FAITH?
I'd rather accept TRUE ATHEISM or TRUE CAPITAL LETTERS. -
Everlasting life is not the prize for a winner but nightmare.
Cornel, your citations of Bible and Jesus guy are irelevant for my perception of the world.
In fact it's quite a bit annoying.... -
where did god come from?
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if we discover other planets which harbor life, would that change anything as far as your(believer) percepeptions on god/bible is concerned?
how about a visit from an alien civilization?
(though I'm pretty sure if they decided to pay us a visit, they'd be able to clear a lot of this nonsense up for us) -
@solo said:
...Bible...
I'ts a crock of shit, used by the rich, governments and special interest to control the masses, make tons of money and invoke fear and hate.
Religion is the biggest industry in America and controls the government by means of lobbying and direct intervention, they pay no taxes and get funds from taxpayers... the church still controls the power and causes wars as it always has, just now it is no longer the Catholics, now it's the radical fundamental American churches with all the power.
Beg your pardon sir, you are not talking about real christianity .
True christianity is not about religion it's about a true relationship with God and others ,but since you don't believe in God...
I wouldn't talk that nasty about a Book which established most of the world Constitutions . I wouldn't talk that ugly about a book which I know at least 3 friends of mine would have that book as a angle for their life .
I wouldn't talk that bad about a book that has been proven as true and as Word of God..but then,again you don't believe in God...Then at least respect us, a few, who still believe in it, if you find us as trustworthy people.
Thank you !
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@ely862me said:
I wouldn't talk that bad about a book that has been proven as true and as Word of God..
Your other arguments are quite reasonable. This one, however, isn't. The Bible hasn't been proven true. And no, there can be no debate whatsoever about the meaning of "proven true". Either something is proven to be true, or it hasn't - there's no inbetween.
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