Question to theists.

[Poindexter]

In other words: Because one cannot prove god doesn't exist, it stands to reason he does exist.

Seems like incredibly flawed logic to me as it could apply to anything someone makes up off the top of thier head. As an example, prove to me the tooth fairy doesn't exist. Because you can't she must exist.

And taking the word of an Israelite that god exists when it's so obviously self serving is akin to asking a kid who receives presents from Santa if the old Saint Nick is real. Even when most kids realize the truth it's against thier best interest to let on so the smart ones play along to reap the booty.

The bible at the core reads like a Realestate deal, especially when you understand what was happening in the region at the time. It makes perfect sense why they try would come up with such an absurd story. And then to sell it to the world as fact once again demonstrates the power of absurdity.

[Hmmm]

The bible at the core reads like a Realestate deal, especially when you understand what was happening in the region at the time. It makes perfect sense why they try would come up with such an absurd story. And then to sell it to the world as fact once again demonstrates the power of absurdity.

Another armchair scholar. Theres no way you ever read the whole and even a good portion of the Bible. Why not actually try reading it one day? Try the book of Proverbs and Psalms as a start and see if you still think it reads like a real estate deal.

I'm only commenting on what you wrote, so others who may be inclined to also repeat total lies about the Bible might give pause for a moment and realize its not what YOU state it is. Not even close in fact, whether or not you're an atheist or whatever, you cannot draw that conclusion after you read it.

[averagejoe]

Good point Hmmm.

[averagejoe]

The encyclopedia Britannica article refers to a LEGEND about the stone being Jabob's pillow.
The one relatively reliable source you have cited does not support your argument. Geologists have proven that the rock is of the same composition as other rocks in Scone...not the Middle East. Please provide source? Also Saint Columba brought it from Ireland in around 500 AD. So your claim of a rock pit near Scone is out. It's pretty obvious though, you only care about sources of information that appear to agree with what you already believe. Most of the sites that you link seem like bad fan fiction. Like which ones? Lets debate them...Try looking at some of this information objectively. There are ancient scrolls that mention an ark, but they actually say different things about it. Please provide the links... So right off the bat, why are these accounts inconsistent? Show me... You have an ancient story telling you that a temple was built to house the ark. The fact that a temple exists now, that may or may not be the temple from the story, does not in any way confirm that an ark was ever in that temple. Story? Wow! The Temple of Solomon was built in 1000 B.C. 3000 years ago.

Seriously... read some of this stuff again. I have for years....and others for 1000's of years.

I'm not going to bother going through any of your other replies. Of course you won't since you haven't supplies 1 piece if evidence. It's pretty clear you can't accept information that you don't already agree with.

[Geckonidae]

Another armchair scholar. Theres no way you ever read the whole and even a good portion of the Bible. Why not actually try reading it one day? Try the book of Proverbs and Psalms as a start and see if you still think it reads like a real estate deal.

I'm only commenting on what you wrote, so others who may be inclined to also repeat total lies about the Bible might give pause for a moment and realize its not what YOU state it is. Not even close in fact, whether or not you're an atheist or whatever, you cannot draw that conclusion after you read it.

Let me get this straight. Are you asserting that someone who takes the time to read the Bible in it's entirety could not possibly come to the conclusion that the Bible is anything but the infallible word of God? Someone cannot read the Bible and come to the conclusion that it's just a bunch of BS?

[Hmmm]

Let me get this straight. Are you asserting that someone who takes the time to read the Bible in it's entirety could not possibly come to the conclusion that the Bible is anything but the infallible word of God? Someone cannot read the Bible and come to the conclusion that it's just a bunch of BS?

Is that what I said? No it isn't. Reread what I was commenting on and get back to me. Stop fishing

[Geckonidae]

A bag full of crazy.

If any of this crap was true, and I mean literally any of it, there would actually be some real evidence. Legitimate historians would be doing research into this and not just crazy people with blogs, or people who was to feel like they are special chosen people. All you have are legends, stories, scrolls, and a whole lot of circular reasoning. "This story must be true because it was repeated by all these different people through the ages! All these people repeated this story through the ages because it's true!" I'm not going to dispute that a temple was built, but you have absolutely no proof that a magic box that could shoot flames and make people levitate ever existed in that temple.

According to the Scottish Journal of Geology, that stone most likely did come from Scotland.

http://sjg.lyellcollection.org/content/34/2/145.abstract

Maybe God cut the stone from the ground in Scotland using his magic stone tablet carving fingers, and dropped it off in the Middle East to be used as the most uncomfortable pillow ever. Maybe Jabob needed to lay off the magic mushrooms.

Hey, question for you. Are you one of the chosen people? Have you traced your lineage back to some special tribe of primitive desert folk?

[Poindexter]

Look, it's pretty simple stuff, Abraham is the father of all three major religions and his was a realestate deal with god.

Genesis 15:18 declares to Abraham, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates.” God later confirms this promise to Abraham’s son Isaac and Isaac’s son Jacob (whose name was later changed to Israel). When the Israelites were about to invade the Promised Land, God reiterated the land promise, as recorded in Joshua 1:4, “Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Great Sea on the west.”

According to Genesis 15:18 and Joshua 1:4, the land God gave to Israel included everything from the Nile River in Egypt to Lebanon (south to north) and everything from the Mediterranean Sea to the Euphrates River (west to east). So, what land has God stated belongs to Israel? All of the land modern Israel currently possesses, plus all of the land of the Palestinians (the West Bank and Gaza), plus some of Egypt and Syria, plus all of Jordan, plus some of Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Israel currently possesses only a fraction of the land God has promised.

Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/Israel-land ... z36vgDmZL8

And the assertion that because you wasted your Sundays at church and bible study somehow makes you a scholar is laughable.

[averagejoe]

Look, it's pretty simple stuff, Abraham is the father of all three major religions and his was a realestate deal with god.

Genesis 15:18 declares to Abraham, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates.” God later confirms this promise to Abraham’s son Isaac and Isaac’s son Jacob (whose name was later changed to Israel). When the Israelites were about to invade the Promised Land, God reiterated the land promise, as recorded in Joshua 1:4, “Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Great Sea on the west.”

According to Genesis 15:18 and Joshua 1:4, the land God gave to Israel included everything from the Nile River in Egypt to Lebanon (south to north) and everything from the Mediterranean Sea to the Euphrates River (west to east). So, what land has God stated belongs to Israel? All of the land modern Israel currently possesses, plus all of the land of the Palestinians (the West Bank and Gaza), plus some of Egypt and Syria, plus all of Jordan, plus some of Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Israel currently possesses only a fraction of the land God has promised.

Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/Israel-land ... z36vgDmZL8

And the assertion that because you wasted your Sundays at church and bible study somehow makes you a scholar is laughable.

What's so laughable? The laughable part is I go on Saturdays......Maybe you should go and learn something?

[averagejoe]

If any of this crap was true, and I mean literally any of it, there would actually be some real evidence. Legitimate historians would be doing research into this and not just crazy people with blogs, or people who was to feel like they are special chosen people. All you have are legends, stories, scrolls, and a whole lot of circular reasoning. "This story must be true because it was repeated by all these different people through the ages! All these people repeated this story through the ages because it's true!" I'm not going to dispute that a temple was built, but you have absolutely no proof that a magic box that could shoot flames and make people levitate ever existed in that temple.

According to the Scottish Journal of Geology, that stone most likely did come from Scotland.

http://sjg.lyellcollection.org/content/34/2/145.abstract

Maybe God cut the stone from the ground in Scotland using his magic stone tablet carving fingers, and dropped it off in the Middle East to be used as the most uncomfortable pillow ever. Maybe Jabob needed to lay off the magic mushrooms.

Hey, question for you. Are you one of the chosen people? Have you traced your lineage back to some special tribe of primitive desert folk?

WhooHoo! You posted something to discuss! WooHoo! Wow! Congratulations!

[Hmmm]

Look, it's pretty simple stuff, Abraham is the father of all three major religions and his was a realestate deal with god.

And the assertion that because you wasted your Sundays at church and bible study somehow makes you a scholar is laughable.

Yes, there was land given and the promise to have the land, but as you once again demonstrated, you seem to feel the Bible is a book about real estate deals.

Just know that the other 90% of it has nothing to do with real estate. You could admit that its true, it doesn't, or just not comment anymore trying to defend it.

BTW I'm not on Joes side on the rock thing.

[steven lloyd]

Many Israelite names show up in Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan.

There's more than just a few of them in Hollywood as well.

[janalta]

Joe...You are a perfect example of why atheists, or non-theists, non-believers or agnostics have such a difficult time comprehending such devoutly religious people. You buy it all, lock, stock and barrel...no questions asked. It's written in religious text, therefore, it's all true.

To answer your question...YES.....ALL religious text from the beginning of time has been written by humans. ALL of them.
There is not a single book, golden plate or stone tablet out there that god wrote with his own hand...not one. Throughout history, it was always men who were instructed 'by god' what to write.
No...the almighty - who had the power to create the earth, the universe, humans and everything else....didn't have the ability to write. That doesn't seem a little odd to you at all ???

So...your proof that god is real is that he showed himself to some Israelites thousands of years ago ? Why no appearances since then ? Why doesn't he show himself now....with the media and such, it would make a lot bigger impact on people.

Oh, sure...I know....some churches claim to have living prophets to this day...men who god still chats with. Other than their word....where's the proof that they're not just off their rockers or loving the attention ?

Yes, Ok, so Solomon built a temple. And he claims that this temple was built to house the Ark of the Covenant...in which supposedly, were the stone tablets that Moses wrote ( er...I mean god ).
Did anyone ever actually see the tablets? How about the Ark ? ( besides Indiana Jones )
Now, the story goes, the Ark and the tablets are kept in Africa...guarded by one elderly monk...who s the only person alive who has ever seen it.
OK.

What atheist web sites am I getting my information from ? Are they run by satan ? Because, heaven forbid, no one could possibly not believe in god, religion, Jesus or the bible if a satanic atheist web site hadn't led them astray.
I don't happen to spend my time reading any atheist web sites or literature, thanks.

[Poindexter]

Yes, there was land given and the promise to have the land, but as you once again demonstrated, you seem to feel the Bible is a book about real estate deals.

I'm not saying it's about real estate deal's, it's about a single real estate deal. God with Abraham. And the fact that two major religions feel they are the decendants of Abraham and entitled to the land has been the thorn in humanities side for 2000 years.

[Rosieodonell]

Question to all the theist...

So I am wondering about divorce and the various churches. My mother was raised Roman Catholic and my parent's marriage ended up in divorce. My Mother paid for an annulment and in the eyes of her god her marriage never happened after she shelled out the cash. Does that mean I am now a bastard-child? (filter won't let me say bast child, which is silly since I am referring to myself) Does this make her a *bleep* for having a child out of wedlock? I found this completely hypocritical and I am just wondering about how theist feel about this.

I know a majority of theist are against same-sex marriage but I never hear anything about people asking for divorce to be made illegal?

Aren't people making a sacred vow before their god, proclaiming a man and woman become one flesh and can only be separated by death?

As a theist, do you shun friends that have commited this sin/act? (meaning divorce).