I wanna hear your religious debate!

[fazFwQo83]

Hey Legs, love your profile pic ...

Unfortunately, I too don't debate anymore. It's like someone advocating the stork theory of reproduction debating an evolutionary biologist, or a flat-earther (http://theflatearthsociety.org) debating an astrophysicist. It's kinda pointless.

Back in the day, my mom and I would debate a lot and no matter what I say, she always comes back to: Well, you cannot DISPROVE the existence of god, so I'm going to believe because IF he is real, then I have everything to gain. Yet another victim of Pascal's Wager.

On another note, if you're looking for common threads between religions, I found this site to be quite helpful: http://www.sacred-texts.com/

Also, have you seen Bill Maher's movie Religulous. I really enjoyed it. He delves into all the craziest craziness religion has to offer. But he also compares Jesus to Horus (an Egyptian savior): Both were born of a virgin, performed miracles, walked on water, were tempted in the desert, had 12 disciples, raised a man from the dead, healed the sick and the blind, were sacrificed for the "sins" of man, were resurrected and "raised up to heaven" and both were known as the way, the light, the truth and the lamb.

Another interesting theory is there's about 18 years of Jesus' life unaccounted for in the bible. Some say (http://reluctant-messenger.com/issa.htm) there is evidence that he travelled and argue that this would explain the parallels between Jesus' message (which seems to contradict the old testament god) and Buddhism/Hinduism and others. Also check here for more info on this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_years_of_Jesus

[legs laney]

Hey Legs, love your profile pic ...

Unfortunately, I too don't debate anymore. It's like someone advocating the stork theory of reproduction debating an evolutionary biologist, or a flat-earther (http://theflatearthsociety.org) debating an astrophysicist. It's kinda pointless.

Back in the day, my mom and I would debate a lot and no matter what I say, she always comes back to: Well, you cannot DISPROVE the existence of god, so I'm going to believe because IF he is real, then I have everything to gain. Yet another victim of Pascal's Wager.

On another note, if you're looking for common threads between religions, I found this site to be quite helpful: http://www.sacred-texts.com/

Also, have you seen Bill Maher's movie Religulous. I really enjoyed it. He delves into all the craziest craziness religion has to offer. But he also compares Jesus to Horus (an Egyptian savior): Both were born of a virgin, performed miracles, walked on water, were tempted in the desert, had 12 disciples, raised a man from the dead, healed the sick and the blind, were sacrificed for the "sins" of man, were resurrected and "raised up to heaven" and both were known as the way, the light, the truth and the lamb.

Another interesting theory is there's about 18 years of Jesus' life unaccounted for in the bible. Some say (http://reluctant-messenger.com/issa.htm) there is evidence that he travelled and argue that this would explain the parallels between Jesus' message (which seems to contradict the old testament god) and Buddhism/Hinduism and others. Also check here for more info on this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_years_of_Jesus

thanks for all of the extra info... i did see bill maher's movie and everything else he has done (one of my favorite shows).  i have read about jesus's unaccounted for life also, lost books of the bible (even though i view them as stories only), and other religions with the same miracle birth story (almost detail for detail the same as prior stories from different sects- how un-original of the christians)... i will definitely look up your links, thanks again (although i am no longer interested in finding common threads, now it is just like story time to me, but i love to read so bring it on   )

yeah, i'm new to the forum and didn't think too much on the word choice of "debate", meant more toward "discussion"  although most discussions i've had kinda' have felt like debates.  and yes, the logic was crazy every time... but you do have to laugh.  it is often hilarious to me, anyway.

[fazFwQo83]

thanks for all of the extra info... i did see bill maher's movie and everything else he has done (one of my favorite shows).

I wish I could see more of his shows ... I stay in South Africa and we don't get that sort of thing here - which only made me enjoy the movie even more   )[/quote]

Here's one of my favs that requires no reading whatsoever (just sit back and relax): http://atheist-experience.com/ - it is an atheist tv show produced by The Atheist Community of Austin, Texas. Just regular folk (who obviously read a lot), taking calls and discussing various topics. I really enjoy this show.

yeah, i'm new to the forum and didn't think too much on the word choice of "debate", meant more toward "discussion"  although most discussions i've had kinda' have felt like debates.  and yes, the logic was crazy every time... but you do have to laugh.  it is often hilarious to me, anyway.

ha ha. . me too. the best is when they say "Well, OBVIOUSLY god exists!". I physically hurt myself laughing every time. Well, OBVIOUSLY, we don't know. Otherwise what becomes of your faith? One of the cornerstones of religion is to believe despite NOT knowing. Besides, if it was as obvious as the sunset or the stars, or the that tree over there, then we wouldn't be having this conversation.

[The Magic Pudding]

I heard an interview of an oil worker from The Gulf of Mexico.
He wasn't worried about fossil fuels running out, because god can just hide some more somewhere else.
I have mentioned this before, but a collection of Christian weirdness wouldn't be complete without it.
I wonder why god blessed heathen countries with so much oil.

[karadan]

I was fourteen when i went to America for the first time on holiday. When there, i met some really nice people from Chicago. They were all between 16 and 22 IIRC. I think most of them were on holiday to celebrate finishing college, or some such. Anyway, they took a liking to me - because of my accent of course and started to show me the town! They took me with them whenever they went sailing, waterskiing, cinema, etc. We were out on a boat somewhere off the coast of Anna Maria Island when god came into the conversation. One of the girls asked me what bible i had and i responded that i didn't have one. Half of them looked rather shocked. One of the girls, Jennifer, started to ask me lots of questions about why i didn't have one and if i believed in god, etc. I answered truthfully and i think they were so surprised because i think none of them had met someone who didn't believe in god before. At no point did i get the feeling there was any animosity towards me but i did have to promise to get a bible when i got back to England, if only to shut them up about god and jebus.

So, that was my first experience of American style christianity. Needless to say, i did try to live up to my promise but got thoroughly bored before the end of Genesis. That book is not a page-turner, for sure.