Questions about God... theists answer these!
Offline List of questions about God, religion and the supernatural have been compiled by IG over the years as well as some interesting ones by readers.
1. If Jesus fulfilled all the OT prophecies so well, why didn't the Jews recognize him as the messiah? - Francois Tremblay
2. If Gen 3:24 is true, why hasn't anyone found the Cherubims and the " flaming sword which turned every way"?
3. It's been proven that modern humans originated from Africa. Yet, the Adam and Eve story claims the first Humans lived in a garden in Eden, near 4 rivers. ( Most of which no one can find). One of these rivers mentioned is the Euphrates, which runs through Iraq, Syria and a portion of Turkey. What's the truth? Did man come out of Africa or near the Euphrates River? - The Infidel Guy
4. When the believer gets to Heaven, how can Heaven be utter bliss when people they love and care about are burning in Hell ? - The Infidel Guy - [Note: Some say God erases your memories of them, but if God erases your memory, you as Mr. Joe /Jane Smoe ceases to exist.]
5. How can a God have emotions, i.e. jealousy, anger, sadness, love, etc., if he is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent? Emotional states are reactionary for the most part. How can God react to us if he is all-knowing and has a divine plan? - IG [Note: Indeed, many religious texts display their gods this way . Listen to the An Emotional Godshow.]
6. Why would God create a place such as hell to torture sinners forever when he foreknew who would disappoint him? - IG [Note: Some say you have a choice, but this misses the point. If God hates sin so much, why create Adam and Eve when he knew they'd sin? The only conclusion I can come up with, if Yaweh exists, is that he wanted sin to enter the world.]
7. "God is all merciful," we hear quite often. Wouldn't it be more merciful of God to simply snap sinners out of existence rather than send them to hell? Or better yet, since he's all-knowing, not allow them to be born at all? - IG
ON GOD'S LOVE & HELL
1.) God's love is superlative.
2.) God's love of man exceeds man's love of self.
3.) Man's love of self prohibits torture.
4.) Considering God's greater love for us, Hell (eternal torture) is illogical.
8. Muslims are supposed to pray 5 times a day towards Mecca. Each prayer includes a variety of ritualism and posturing. If a muslim astronaut were to land on Mars. Prayer to Mecca would be ritualistically impossible due to the rotation of Earth and Mars. Are Muslims stuck here in Earth? IG [Note: Since this was first posted, a Muslim astronaut was faced with this very dilemma. The authoritative clergy informed him to pray as he normally would. I see this no where in the Koran. You see? Religions must change, or die out. It's interesting to note that, in the Koran, the moon is believed to be in the lowest Heaven, the level for those that barely made it to Heaven. Surah 71:15-16. One problem, no man can supposedly get to Heaven until they die. Yet, we've been to the moon. Our satellites beyond that.]
9. Why haven't we seen God reattach severed heads, restore someone who was burned alive or regrow amputated limbs? Surely these would be miracles difficult to deny. - Adam Majors and IG [Note: The typical answer is that man doesn't dictate God's actions. The conundrum here however is that, if God wants us to "know" him, then surely feats such as those mentioned above would be happening all over the world. Until they do, I'll remain an atheist.]
10. Why does God entrust the spreading of 'His' word to sinners? Why doesn't he do it himself? - IG [Note: Surely God would have known that not everyone would be convinced by the reality[sic] of his Bible. If God loves us so much, we are all going to Heaven. If God knew that I would be an atheist, and he doesn't like atheists, he shouldn't have allowed me to come into existence. But he did. Therefore, I must be serving the will of God, for I exist. 
]
11. In II Kings 2-23/24 we read about God sending 2 she-bears to attack children for calling the prophet Elisa bald, which he was, the bears killed 42 of the children. Was this a good thing to do? -- Brandon and IG[Note: I have heard some argue that the boys were a gang. So?! I didn't read anywhere in that passage where they laid a finger on the guy . Also, what kind of bears are these that can kill 42 kids? Super Bears? Surely the kids had to be running away.]
12. I have often heard from many believers that even Satan has a presence in the church, which is why even in church people can still have impure thoughts. If Satan can find his way in the church, how do Christians know that Satan didn't find his way into the Bible and twist the whole book? After all, men did vote on which books would make the Holy Bible. - The Infidel Guy
13. Why did God allow Lot and his daughters to escape from Sodom and Gomorra when he destroyed it only to later have Lot and his daughters engage in incestuous fornication. (Genesis 19:30-36) - Disillusioned [Note: To have intercourse with daddy dearest of course.]
14. Genesis 1:28-29 shows that man and all the animals were first created herbivorous. Most young-earth Christians (ones that believes the earth is less than 10,000 years old) say that the fall of man resulted in carnivorous animals ( hence death of animals). So, why did God punish the animal kingdom, making animals kill and devour each other because of man's mistake? Or, if you're an old-earth Christian (one that accepts that animals existed on earth for billions of years before man came on the scene) then how come fossils show carnivorous animals existed before man? - http://www.caseagainstfaith.com/contact.htm.
15. Many Christians believe that God is a thinking being, that he solves problems and makes a way for them when troubles come. Does God Think? If God is thinking, did he know his thoughts before he thought them? If so, again, where is his freewill and how is God thinking at all if everything seems to be one uncontrollable action/thoughts. - The Infidel Guy [Note: I'd say a God cannot think at all. To do so, would strip him of omniscience. Thinking is a temporal process.] ON GOD'S ATEMPORALITY
1.) God, an atemporal being, created the Universe.
2.) Creation is a temporal processes because X cannot cause Y to come into being unless X existed temporally prior to Y.
3.) If God existed prior to the creation of the Universe he is a temporal being.
4.) Since God is atemporal, God cannot be the creator the Universe.
[Note: I guess I should also note here that a timeless being would be without the proposition of past, and future. But to be omniscient, God must know the past and future. Hence a God that is atemporal and omniscient cannot logically exist. ]
16. I have often heard that faith is all that is neccessary to believe in God and accept the Bible as true. If this is true aren't all supernatural beliefs true since they also require "faith"? - IG ON FAITH
1.) A prerequisite to believe in a Faith is faith.
2.) Having faith is all that is required to accept a Faith (belief) as true.
3.) All Faiths are true.
[Note: Of course all Faiths aren`t true, but this is the only logical conclusion that can be drawn from a person that states that, "Faith" is how one knows God.]
17. Why didn't God just kill Adam and Eve after the Fall and start from scratch? Actually, if God is all-knowing wouldn't he know that man would need to be killed eventually anyway, (the biblical flood)? Why create Adam and Eve at all? - and ON THE GARDEN OF EDEN
1.) God is omniscient (all-knowing).
2.) God knew that before he created man that they would eat of the tree of knowledge.
3.) God placed the tree of knowledge in the Garden anyway.
4.) God wanted sin to enter the world.
[Note: If God didn`t want sin to enter the world, why create Adam and Eve at all? He knew what would happen. Why place the forbidden trees in the Garden in the first place?]
18. If a spirit is non-physical but the human body is physical, how does a spirit stay in our bodies? - IG ON SPIRITS
1.) Spirits are not physical entities.
2.) Brains are physical entities.
3.) Past experiences are stored in our physical brains, we call that, Memory..
4.) Injury can damage portions of the physical brain that store memory and can alter or erase memories completely.
5.) If human spirits exist... after death, spirits can have no memory.
[Note: Some will say the spirit stores physical memories as well, but if true, the spirit would have to be physical at least to a degree. How could a non-physical spirit store, physical memories?]
19. Does God know his own future decisions? If God is all-knowing he actually shouldn't have any decisions to make at all. Nor can he choose anything over something else. For that would mean that he is neither omniscient nor omnipotent. In fact, he can't even think if this is the case. Since he can't DO anything, he might as well not exist. - IG ON GOD'S IMMUTABILITY - Unchangingness
1. If God exists, then he is immutable.
2. If God exists, then he is the creator of the universe.
3. An immutable being cannot at one time have an intention and then at a later time not have that intention.
4. For any being to create anything, prior to the creation he must have had the intention to create it, but at a later time, after the creation, no longer have the intention to create it.
5. Thus, it is impossible for an immutable being to have created anything (from 3 and 4).
6. Therefore, it is impossible for God to exist (from 1, 2, and 5) - Theodore M. Drange
20. If God is all-knowing, how could he be disappointed in His creation? -- [Note: Indeed, wouldn't God know that before the creation of our Universe what creatures would disappoint him? That being the case why create those creatures at all? Also, in knowing absolutely the behavior of humans before creation, God cannot be disappointed either... for this world is exactly as he has planned it to be. If it's not, why create us at all?]
21. God struck down the Tower of Babel angry at the intent of the people that built them, if this is the case, many of the great pyramids ( which are bigger than any ziggurat) around the world should be rubble also, yet many still stand today. Were not the Egyptians and many other ancient pyramid builders reaching toward God /The Heavens? - IG [Note: In actuality, many of the Pharaoh's believed that, via their pyramids, they would become God's themselves.]
22. In the watchmaker analogy, a watch is used to show us intelligent design and compares that to the Universe as evidence of design. We know watches are designed because we have past experience with watches, as well as with other man made objects. My question is: What Universe is the Intelligent Design proponent using to compare this Universe with to draw such an analogy? What God did he see create a Universe? - IG
23. Why did God flood the earth to remove evil? It didn't work! Evil came right back, God should have known that would happen! So why did He bother? - PhineasBg [Note: A good example of how quickly sin returned, was Noah getting drunk just after they discovered land.]
24. If the garden of Eden was a perfect paradise as xians claim, then why did Eve even want to eat the fruit? Wouldn't a perfect place provide everything a person would want or desire and thus she would want nothing? - keyser soze [Note: Why were the trees there in the first place? Of course they love to throw the serpent into the equation. But ummm..who let the serpent into the Garden?... and why would God create such a creature knowing he would cause man's fall? Hmm.. God must have wanted the fall to happen.]
25. Why would an all-powerful god become flesh in order to sacrifice himself to himself so that his creation might escape the wrath of himself. Couldn't god, in his infinite wisdom, come up with something a little more efficient? - ON THE BODY OF CHRIST
1.) God?s flesh was known as Jesus.
2.) Flesh cannot enter into Heaven (according to Paul)
3.) God is no longer Jesus.
4.) Jesus doesn?t exist.
(Note: Many at this point will state that the spirit lives on so therefore Jesus lives. This really depends on what you believe about Jesus. Is Jesus the son of God or God in flesh? If Jesus is merely the son there is no problem.However, if Jesus ?is? God himself, we do. You see, Jesus is called Jesus because of the attribute of Flesh. If Jesus = God (who is spirit) then the entity known as Jesus ceases to exist. The flesh/body of Jesus, no longer exists and the spirit of God is still the unchanging spirit of God. No Jesus at that point. The Flesh, called Jesus, is dead.)
26. After 9/11 a lot of people have been tossing around " god bless america". Why do they keep saying this? From the looks of it god hasn't blessed anything. If god had blessed america, the 9/11 event would've never happened. Theists seem to give the answer of "everything is part of gods big plan". If everything is part of gods big plan, why are we after Bin Laden? Wasn't he and other terrorists just carrying out gods desired plan? So it seems that Bin Laden/ terrorism isnt our enemy, but god . - [Note: Unfortunately many religious nuts believe they are fulfilling their God's plan by going to war.]
27. Christians say that God is NOT the author of confusion. Can you say, Tower of Babel? - The Screaming Monkeys
28. If Noah's flood supposedly covered the earth for a year, regardless of whether or not all the animals could fit on the ark, what the heck happened to all the plants? Can you imagine a cactus surviving under 4 miles of water for a year? I can't either! - Kyle Giblet [Note: With God all things are possible. Oh wait, except in Judges 1:19.]
29. The highest rainfall ever recorded in a 24 hour period was 47inches in the Reunion Islands in 1947 (during a severe tropical storm). To cover the whole earth to a depth of 5.6 miles, and cover the mountain tops (i.e. Mount Everest), it would need to rain at a rate of 372 (three hundred and seventy two) inches per hour, over the entire surface of the earth. Can rain fall at such an astronomical rate? Where did all the water come from?? Where did it all go to??? And would not the dynamics of the earth be so out of balance (tides etc.) that the earth would become so unstable that it would wobble off into outer space???? -
30. What do Muslim women get in Paradise? - IG [Note: Some Muslims I have interviewed about this say that Muslim women will get the same thing men get or equal value. Oh really? So Muslim women will get 72 virgin men? lol. If Muslim men get 72 virgins, where are all these virgin women coming from? What of their freewill? Is Allah creating these women to be slaves to the men in Paradise?]
31. In the "Last Days" Jesus is supposed to appear in the clouds. How are the Christians on the opposite end of the world going to see him? Are there going to be millions of Jesus'? What about people that work underground? What about people in deep space? -
32. The Bible says that God is a jealous God . How is this an example of a moral absolute of which man is supposed to follow? - IG ON GOD`S JEALOUSY
1.) "God is love." 1 John 4:8.
2.) "Love is not jealous." 1 Cor 13:4
3.) "I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God." Exodus 20:5.
4.) The Christian god cannot logically exist.
(NOte: Basically love is NOT jealous, yet god is jealous, then God can`t be love. But if god IS love he cannot be jealous. Be he is.)
33. A true Muslim man is not supposed to do anything that the prophet Muhammad didn't do. If one remembers there was a big debate over whether or not Muslims should eat Mangos. If this is true, why in the Hell were these Islamic Fundamentalists flying airplanes? - IG
34. If the earth was covered by a complete global flood, every living creature killed except those surviving on the ark, why are there many completely unique animal species in Australia that are found no where else indigenously on the earth? -
35. If god is omniscient and " god is love," why would he allow a child to be conceived, knowing that that child would one day reject him and spend eternity burning in a lake of fire?- TiredTurkeyProd
36. Revelations is supposed to take place on Earth. What if we colonize the moon or Mars or inhabit a self-sustaining space station? Do we escape "judgement"? -- Ray Sommers [Note: No we don't Ray... and of course we all know that if there is any intelligent life out there besides us, they are all going to Hell too. 
]
37. Isaiah 40:28 says, "...the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is he weary?" If this is true, why did God rest on the seventh day?- IG
38. Everytime I go to a funeral the preacher and guests always say that " God " has called that person to Heaven or they say, " God said it was time to come home", or some such variation. If God is calling these people "home", why are we putting the murderers of these victims in prison? How can we punish a man or woman for doing God's will? - IG
39. Does God have a gender? In most churches, God is predominately referred to as a "he"? - IG [Note: The Bible says God is male, but what does this mean? Does God have a penis? Does he have hormones that dictate his gender? ]
40. Why can't we wait until we get to Heaven to worship God ? Why would it be too late? - IG
41. What is the purpose of prayer? What can a finite being on Earth possibly tell an omnipotent, omniscient deity that he doesn't know already? - IG ON PRAYER
1.) Humans can?t change God?s mind for he has a divine plan and is unchangeable.
2.) Prayer can't change God's mind.
3.) Prayer doesn't change anything.
(Prayer may make you feel better emotionally, but it doesn`t change God`s mind.)
42. Some say Jesus was the all-knowing God. Jesus would have known then that when he died he'd be in heaven in less than 3 days to rule. If Jesus is alive and ruling today, what did he sacrifice? -- Cyndy Hammond
43. God knows that men are sinners, untrustworthy and evil, why does God leave it up to fallible man (clergy..etc) to teach others about his word? Why would he put our eternal souls at risk if he loves us so much? - The Infidel Guy and Danno778
44. Did Adam have nipples? If so, how did he acquire them? In fact, why would God give "later man" nipples at all? They serve no purpose other than lactation. Some say pleasure. Where is that in Genesis exactly? All mammals have nipples as well, are theirs pleasureful for them too? Many men don't find their nipples pleasurable at all. - IG
45. How did Adam and Eve know it was wrong to disobey God if they hadn't eaten of the tree of knowledge (of good and evil) yet? You can't blame them if they didn't know. - IG
46. If God has such a tremendous problem with uncircumcised penises, why did he make man with foreskin in the first place? - IG [Note: Some say, "So God can recognize his chosen people." Recognize? Is God so stupid that he has to physically look at men's penises? If not God, do other men need to? lol.]
47. Did Noah have fish onboard? Salt or Fresh? Since fresh water fish would die in salt, and salt water fish would die in fresh, only one type of fish would survive. Yet....?" - Frank Monaco
48. Why does the omnipotent, omnipresent God need help from man or angels to spread his word or do acts? - IG [Note: Some say God doesn't need help. But apparently he does.] - IG
49. How did Jesus ascend to Heaven in the Flesh when Paul says that flesh cannot inherit the kingdom of Heaven? (1 Cor.15:50) - IG [Note: Some say, well Paul said that and not Jesus. Yet they quote Paul when it suits there purposes.]
50. If God wants us to live right and choose "the good," why did he create evil? (Isaiah 45:6,7) Not to mention he already knows which people are not going to choose "the good" so why create those people in the first place? It seems that many people are born to go to Hell. - IG ON HELL
1.) God is all-knowing.
2.) Before I was born God knew I wouldn?t believe in him.
3.) I was born to go to Hell.
(Sure you may say I have a choice, but I think I`ve proven already that I really don`t. I`m simply fulfilling the will of God by being an atheist aren`t I? If I`m not, I shouldn`t exist: For God would have known that before I was created that I wouldn`t believe in him.)
51. I hear Christians all the time speaking of a spiritual war between Heaven and Hell, if this is true does God have limitations of power? Man only conducts wars because of our limitations of power and foresight. God has both all-power and all-knowledge, no reason for war of any kind. - IG
52. The Bible is full of phrases beginning with, "and the lord saw". Didn't he know before hand? - IG
53. How can a psychologist condone belief in something not proven to exist, when people are put into mental institutions on a daily basis for the same thing? i.e. aliens, fairies, imaginary people (Multiple Personality Disorders..)? - Dan Denton [Note: I'm sure that some of the pious believe that they are improperly placed there as well Dan. ]
54. If Christians say they know God exists and that he will work miracles, what do they need faith for? Faith is not knowing. - IG
55. Brain, or shall I say, body transplants, will eventually be possible, where would the soul be then? Where is the soul? - IG
56. If God really wants us to know him, why doesn't he place the knowledge of him in our minds at birth? The same way many theists believe that God implants our sense of right and wrong in us a right birth. - IG
57. If God was Jesus' father (not Joseph), then why is Jesus' family tree traced through Joseph? -- Cyndy Hammond
58. What image of God was man made from? Couldn't have been a moral one or physical one. - IG [Note: One would suspect that an image of God would be perfect and cannot sin. Oops.]
59. Why can't God appear before everyone at the same time? Everyone in the world would then "know" he exists and not have solely "believe". And please, don't say he already tried that. Surely a God knows exactly what to do to convince a measly human of his existence. - IG
60. According to the New Testament Matthew 5:17 says "Do not suppose that I have come to abolish the Law and the prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to complete. I tell you this: so long as heaven and earth endure, not a letter, not a stroke, will disappear from the Law until all that must happen has Happened." So since Jesus has not returned the "Law" is still in effect, so why aren't we still burning witches, stoning adulterers and disobedient children, killing homosexuals, ostracizing people that work on the Sabbath (nurses, doctors etc.), flinging blood onto the horns of the alter, pulling off the heads of small birds, and don't forget human sacrifice to God (Leviticus 27 P.28 )? -- Sheila L. Chambers
61. If there is freewill in Heaven yet everyone has chosen good and is happy, isn't that proof that God could have made us with freewill, choosing good ( God ) and still being happy on Earth? - Dennis Hendrix [Note: In other words, evil didn't have to exist after all. Hey wait, even in Heaven apparently, evil can exist. At least for a short while. Satan became evil and was in heaven. Apparently he even had enough time to form an Army against God. Wow. Maybe Heaven won't be as peaceful as many believe.]
62. Why does God have a plan? Man is limited in power so we make plans because we are not all-knowing nor all-powerful. If God has a plan, isn't he reduced to a mere finite being? - IG
63. How could the all-merciful/loving God watch billions of his children burn over and over again for eternity? - IG [Note: Of course this is geared to those that believe in a fiery hell. I am well aware that not all Christians believe in a fiery Hell.]
64. Before reading and writing were invented (5000BC), on what basis did God use to judge the people who died before the Hebrew and Greek text (BIBLE) were written? -- [Note: They are all roasting in Hell. ]
65. Many Christians tell me that I will "burn in hell". If I have a soul, how can a soul burn? Aren't souls non-physical entities? - IG [Note: Some Christians groups believe that you will be given new bodies after judgement. However, if true, what's the significance of a spirit in the first place?]
66. How can one hold to the barbaric belief that something has to DIE in order to appease a god for a bad deed? -- Nickolaus Wing [Note: Because an old book says so Nick.]
67. Why does SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) occur? Why would God allow a baby to live for such a short period of time? Why not just let them not be born in the first place? -- Terry Clark [Note: This actually happened to a friend of mine. Not even God himself could console her.]
68. If Jesus was nailed and died on Friday evening, and walked out of the tomb on Sunday morning, where's the 3rd NIGHT he predicted? Per Matthew 12:40: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. -
69. Many Christians claim that hell is merely existence outside of God ?s presence (C.S. Lewis among others). If this is the case, then Jesus could not have descended into hell (being God Himself). As a result, are you sure your sins are forgiven? - Byron Bultsma
70. Ten to twenty percent of all women who discover they are pregnant suffer a miscarriage. Also, it is estimated that anywhere from 14 to 50 percent of all pregnancies end in miscarriage. Seeing this is all part of God 's plan, does this make God the world's number one abortion provider? - Jim
71. What if, when you get to Heaven, you saw God causing pain and suffering out of anger or for the purpose of entertaining himself. What if he required people in heaven to praise and worship him non-stop even to the point of causing his worshipers discomfort, pain and boredom. What if, when he was bored, angry, or jealous, he would create natural disasters to make himself feel better. Would you still follow him? - Fernando [Note: Of course they would Fernando, many people followed Hitler out of fear as well.]
72. In Leviticus, the bible condemns homosexuality as an "abomination", giving some Christians a reason to hate, harass, torture and kill gays and even picket their funderals with " God hates fags" signs. In the same book of the bible the eating of shellfish is equally an "abomination". Are these Christians planning to go after the patrons of Red Lobster next? - [Note: hee-hee, that's all I can say. Jewish Law states that eating Fish without scales is an abomination and thus the Shark is one among the list. However, sharks do have scales, Placoid scales, one of the many reasons why a shark is called a Fish .]
73. Christians will tell you that if a baby dies it goes to heaven. Why then are they so against abortion? All the child is being deprived of is the opportunity to go to hell. Either that or god expects unborn fetuses to accept Jesus. -
74. If one could prove to you incontrovertibly that Jesus and God were all human fabrications would still believe? And why? - LOGICnREASON [Note: If you say yes. Then you are not concerned with the truth, you simply WANT to believe; and if you WANT to believe, indeed, there is nothing anyone can tell you..]
75. It is often said that God allows evil because one could not meaningfully appreciate good without experiencing its opposite. Why is it necessary to experience the opposite of something in order to appreciate it? Must I experience death in order to meaningfully appreciate life? -excidius
76. Bible literalists want you to believe that God's Word in the Bible is meant to be taken literally. If this is the case, why was Jesus fond of explaining things in parable and metaphor? Was Jesus literally discussing the biology of mustard seeds, or was the mustard seed parable meant to be interpreted figuratively as faith? -excidius
77. Liberal Christians say some parts of the Bible are literally true, but much else is to be interpreted figuratively as allegory. How do you know which is which? What distinguishing criteria are used? How can you be certain "God" is a literal and not a figurative concept? -excidius
78. Consciousness is the result of a physical brain, how could God being metaphysical be said to be conscious or sentient without having a brain? - Mindless
79. Considering how Leviticus is considered old law, and that Christians do not obey it anymore, why do they always use it to defend homosexuality being an "abomination"? -Bohorquez
80. If God is omnipotent and he has a plan ... then why did he not create the universe as it will be one second after the plan has succeeded? Who or what prevented him from doing that? - Timothy Campbell (http://www.tc123.com)
81. The large majority of people who have ever existed could not have learned of the Bible or Jesus Christ. And many people afterwards have found other religions or no religion at all to be more convincing, sometimes while being very virtuous. Do all these people really deserve eternal torment because of that? -- lpetrich
82. The above arguments also apply among different sects of Christianity, many of which state that most others are not True Christianity. -- lpetrich
83. Is it reasonable for the Creator and Ruler of such a vast Universe to be preoccupied with the sexuality of a species living on a tiny little planet? -- lpetrich
84. If the Christian god was all loving and all knowing why did he let religious figures such as Mohammed or Gautama Budda be born, knowing that they would mislead people from the 'true' faith and trick the majority of the world's population into burning forever in hell (in fact, if Islam didn't start, most of the middle east would probably be Christian). It would simple to use the Holy Spirit to guide them to Jesus and spread the 'true' faith. If the Holy Spirit exits, it certainly isn't doing it's job!
85. If one is obliged to follow all the teachings of the bible then why is engaging in homosexuality or adultery any worse than "suffering a witch to live", "muzzling the ox that treadeth the corn", "reaping the corners of thy field", "marring the corners of they beard", "plowing with an oxen and an ass", "hating thy brother in thy heart" or "eating frogs, shellfish and eels" ?
86. Exactly how did the alleged worldwide flood kill off all the world's sea creatures? How does one go about drowning a fish? -- Steever
87. Why did this alleged god create humans as an animal form of life that gets sick and dies and experiences pain and has a limited mind when 'it' could have created humans as a form of pure energy or of some indestructible material or whatever, and was totally ?sinless? and had ?pure? thought? If a god was omnipotent 'it' could have easily have done this. --AI
88. If a god is omnipotent how did 'it' fail to foresee that Satan would turn against 'it'? --AI
89. What is a god supposedly made of? --AI
This list was compiled by the Infidel Guy with submissions from many members of the atheist community.
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Offline So how do you call this rational response?
If you've already made up your mind, and it doesn't matter what anyone says, then how do you think you'll believe if God were to blow CNN away with an interview?
There is a story in that Bible that you don't believe in, it is a parable that Jesus shared. It makes the point quite well. It is about Lazarus and the rich man. Lazarus is a poor beggar who believes in God, the rich man, it is evident in the passage, has rejected God. When they both die, Lazarus is with Abraham and the rich man is in torment. One of the requests the rich man makes is to have Lazarus sent back to earth from the dead to tell his brothers about what awaits them if they don't believe and change their ways. The response given to this is that they have Moses and the prophets. If they don't believe them, then even if Lazarus were to return from death, they would not believe.
Here is the point of this statement: God knows and sees the heart and its intentions far clearer than you or I could ever imagine. This doesn't mean that He takes some form of pleasure in the eternal death of the sinner. He simply will not make them choose Him. If a person will not choose Him and the heaven He offers, why should God force their hand?
You're right, it's an old book. One that Voltaire said wouldn't survive 50 years longer in the "Age of Reason." Imagine the power of a God who proved Voltaire's presumption wrong, and then paved the way to open a bible society office in Voltaire's own home! Irony doesn't catch you? What about all the proof many clamor for... If you don't believe now by simple refusal, then every miraculous thing possible could happen, and chances are you still wouldn't believe... With one exception...
The exception is that God doesn't just try to convince your intellect. He cares about your understanding, but He'd much rather have your heart. He will work on a person over time if that is what it takes. That person will still have to face points of decision in their lives, but He will give you every reason to believe that you need, not every one you want. That assumes that you can make my Omnicient, Omnipresent, and Omnipowerful God your puppet. Not a chance. He loves you and cares about all your questions. If you're truly seeking, He will go out of His way to help you find Him. Sounds like love to me!
So when we read the Bible and see stories marking God's malevolence with crystal clarity, why are you Christians the first to say, "You can't know the mind and heart of God"?
Why does God need to work around my reason? It reminds me of the plantation owners who didn't want their slaves to learn to read. Love is not "If they are allowed to think about me, they won't need me." It's also not "I'll scare them into needing me".
You contradict yourself here also. God cares about my questions but he wants to bypass the part that asks them?
What Voltaire forgot was that even in the Age of Reason, there were people who were gullible enough to need to be led by the nose to whatever the priests were selling. That much still hasn't changed.
"I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions."
— George Carlin
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Offline List of questions about God, religion and the supernatural have been compiled by IG over the years as well as some interesting ones by readers.1. If Jesus fulfilled all the OT prophecies so well, why didn't the Jews recognize him as the messiah? - Francois Tremblay
2. If Gen 3:24 is true, why hasn't anyone found the Cherubims and the " flaming sword which turned every way"?
3.It's been proven that modern humans originated from Africa. Yet, the Adam and Eve story claims the first Humans lived in a garden in Eden, near 4 rivers. ( Most of which no one can find). One of these rivers mentioned is the Euphrates, which runs through Iraq, Syria and a portion of Turkey. What's the truth? Did man come out of Africa or near the Euphrates River? - The Infidel Guy
4. When the believer gets to Heaven, how can Heaven be utter bliss when people they love and care about are burning in Hell ? - The Infidel Guy - [Note: Some say God erases your memories of them, but if God erases your memory, you as Mr. Joe /Jane Smoe ceases to exist.]
5. How can a God have emotions, i.e. jealousy, anger, sadness, love, etc., if he is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent? Emotional states are reactionary for the most part. How can God react to us if he is all-knowing and has a divine plan? - IG [Note: Indeed, many religious texts display their gods this way . Listen to the An Emotional Godshow.] .
(1) If the holocast is true, and there were so many witnesses, so many survivors, so much documentary evidence, why do many conspiracy theorists deny it? Why do people deny 9/11 when the whole world saw it with their own eyes? And if God as you say "is not real" then how are so many people dupped into believing in him? You see, if the fact that the Jews did not accept Jesus proves that he didn't fulfilled OT prophecies very well, then the reverse must also be true, and the belief of many people must prove that something is correct! Thus the many Catholic who claim to see the Virgin Mary and the disciples who saw the resurrected Jesus must be telling the truth! You can't rely on the belief or unbelief of the Jews as a rule for measuring truth, otherwise you have to do for a host of other situations. This becomes problematic when we realize that truth is not decided by majority vote either! So the Jews rejection of Jesus is irrelevant to how well he fullfilled prophecy, just as most of the world thinking the earth was flat is irrelevant to wheather or not those who pioneered the view that it was round were correct and had credible evidence.
It's very possible for majorites to reject somthing that has good evidence. Conversely, if God doesn't exist, then we have the majority rejecting your view that atheism is true. So let me ask you, "if you have such good evidence agaisnt the existence of God, and if the belief is so silly and so easily proved wrong, why then do most of the world believe it still and reject your arguments"? Hmmm??? Fact is, the Jews were blinded by their own beliefs and motives, just like many conspiracy theorists are today, etc. Your question lays waste.
(2) Well, I'm sure it would be higly unlikely to be able to locate a single sword that supposedly was around at the beginning of human history. Also, many geological changes have been had in the earth since then, and I don't suppose the garden would be still standing by now. Hence, no more need of two angels with such a sword. I wouldn't expect such a tree to still be alive today, would you? Josephus mentioned persoanlly seeing the trees of Sodom that were burnt up in the destruction mentioned in the Biblical account of its destruction, I don't suppose they could still be standing now. Answer is, time and enthropy. Things tend toward disorder when you leave them alone. A garden with no man to take care of it would overgrow with weeds and die. I don't suppose angels are enployed as gardeners either. Did you suppose the flaming sword was locked away in a safe?
(3) Nope, it's never been proven that modern man originated in Africa. What proof are you talking about?
(4) God can have emotions because he is a living rational being. Why would being all-powerful, omnisiencet etc deny him emotions? I don't get your argument. Please elaborate.
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Offline There are many good questions in this list. Please be patient with me......Many of the questions listed above deal with the same subject matter. I am going to attempt to explain the subject matter, and hopefully answer many questions at the same time.
The first is free will vs predestination. I fully agree that it would be difficult to see God as good, while believing he knew the outcome of my life in advance. If my choices in life lead to my eternal destruction....( I believe in the blotting out of life, not burning forever)....it would have been better not to have lived, especially if I were powerless to change my outcome.
Gen 6:5 - 6:6 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man [was] great in the earth, and [that] every imagination of the thoughts of his heart [was] only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
God actually wished that he had not made us in the first place, because all we were doing was evil. Sounds like he expected us to act differently.
Eze 2:3 - 2:5 And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, [even] unto this very day. For [they are] impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD. And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they [are] a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.
God tells Ezekiel to go to Israel and speak to them, whether they listen, or choose not to listen, they will know there was a prophet among them.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Why be slow to anger, not wanting ANY to perish, if those perishing are known in advance?
Our actions are not determined in advance, nor does God already know how we will choose. What God does know is our hearts and the imaginations of our thoughts. The reason people believe in predestination is because of Romans 8:28 - 8:30: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified."
The people referred to in the above passage are the Apostles, not all 'Christians'. Paul speaks of those called according to God's purpose as the first born among many brethren. Also, when Christ prays the night before his death, he mentions them again.
Jhn 17:6 -17:20 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received [them], and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.................................................Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
So.....The bible tells us that God has predestined some, but does not tell us that he has predestined all.
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Offline New York was named after York. Maybe the area reminded them of York, or maybe they believed they were creating a new and improved version of the original York. Surely it is possible that the current Euphrates River is named after the original Euphrates River. oh....and Reddragon, God's will and purpose for your life is to love others. This includes caring about their eternity.
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Offline This is why: Contrary to the NT writings and exegesis of OT Scriptures believed to be messianic, the following passages in the Jewish scriptures are the ones that Jews consider to be messianic in nature or relating to the end of days. These are the ones that they rely upon in developing their messianic concept:
Isaiah: Chapters 2, 11, 42; 59:20
Jeremiah Chapters 23, 30, 33; 48:47; 49:39
Ezekiel 38:16
Hosea 3:4-3:5
Micah Chapter 4
Zephaniah 3:9
Zechariah 14:9
Daniel 10:14
The mashiach will be a great political leader descended from King David (Jeremiah 23:5). The mashiach is often referred to as "mashiach ben David" (mashiach, son of David). He will be well-versed in Jewish law, and observant of its commandments (Isaiah 11:2-5). He will be a charismatic leader, inspiring others to follow his example. He will be a great military leader, who will win battles for Israel. He will be a great judge, who makes righteous decisions (Jeremiah 33:15). But above all, he will be a human being, not a god, demi-god or other supernatural being.
It has been said that in every generation, a person is born with the potential to be the mashiach. If the time is right for the messianic age within that person's lifetime, then that person will be the mashiach. But if that person dies before he completes the mission of the mashiach, then that person is not the mashiach.
There are a wide variety of opinions on the subject of when the mashiach will come. Although some scholars believed that God has set aside a specific date for the coming of the mashiach, most authority suggests that the conduct of mankind will determine the time of the mashiach's coming. In general, it is believed that the mashiach will come in a time when he is most needed (because the world is so sinful), or in a time when he is most deserved (because the world is so good).
Before the time of the mashiach, there shall be war and suffering (Ezekiel 38:16)
The mashiach will bring about the political and spiritual redemption of the Jewish people by bringing us back to Israel and restoring Jerusalem (Isaiah 11:11-12; Jeremiah 23:8; 30:3; Hosea 3:4-5). He will establish a government in Israel that will be the center of all world government, both for Jews and gentiles (Isaiah 2:2-4; 11:10; 42:1). He will rebuild the Temple and re-establish its worship (Jeremiah 33:18). He will restore the religious court system of Israel and establish Jewish law as the law of the land (Jeremiah 33:15).
The world after the messiah comes is often referred to in Jewish literature as Olam Ha-Ba (oh-LAHM hah-BAH), the "World to Come". This term can cause some confusion, because it is also used to refer to a spiritual afterlife. In English, the term "messianic age" refers specifically to the time of the messiah.
Olam Ha-Ba will be characterized by the peaceful co-existence of all people (Isaiah 2:4). Hatred, intolerance and war will cease to exist. Some Jewish authorities suggest that the laws of nature will change, so that predatory beasts will no longer seek prey and agriculture will bring forth supernatural abundance (Isaiah 11:6-11:9). Others, however, say that these statements are merely an allegory for peace and prosperity.
All of the Jewish people will return from their exile among the nations to their home in Israel (Isaiah 11:11-12; Jeremiah 23:8; 30:3; Hosea 3:4-5). The law of the Jubilee will be reinstated.
In the Olam Ha-Ba, the whole world will recognize the Jewish God as the only true God, and the Jewish religion as the only true religion (Isaiah 2:3; 11:10; Micah 4:2-3; Zechariah 14:9). There will be no murder, robbery, competition or jealousy. There will be no sin (Zephaniah 3:13). Sacrifices will continue to be brought in the Temple, but these will be limited to thanksgiving offerings, because there will be no further need for expiatory offerings.
Jews do not believe that Jesus was the mashiach. Assuming that he existed, and assuming that the Christian scriptures are accurate in describing him (both matters that are debatable), He simply did not fulfill the mission of the mashiach as it is described in the biblical passages cited above. Jesus did not do any of the things that the scriptures said the messiah would do.
Jews believe that Isaiah 53 refers to the Jewish people (see Psalm 44). Traditional Judaism has never believed that there would be a supernatural virgin-born Messiah who would be killed as an atonement for sin.
For the Christian, the Jews missed His coming (Luke 19:42).
Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for a friend.
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Offline S.,
I hope you find the answer to your questions or find what you are looking for. My post isn't to answer any of the 50+ questions, but I don't call this a cop out post either so hear me out on this short post.
I do not think that the list is complete, it seems there are many more questions within the questions and questions on top of all the answers collected. As a atheist, it won't be odd for you to hear that as a theist I believe there is a divine and Holy God. I believe there is an answer to every question you or I can think of in a given day or years, and God will always have the best and correct answer to every question. That is where we differ, you don't believe in this divine and holy God and I can understand why. God isn't a physical seen God, He is unseen, that provides the first obstacle. His Bible isn't a mathematical equation, and without even an ounce of faith, I don't see how you or any athiest could come to believe in Him.
If you had a small amount of faith in God, I believe you could approach God through prayer, and over time your questions would be answered. Don't get me wrong, each day you could and most people could formulate more and more questions, and you could approach God without rest until you were convinced one way or another. I can see this an acceptable approach. Going back to what was mentioned earlier, God doesn't expect blind followers, the best ones are the ones who investigate what is truly truth.
I see that you are now convinced and are an atheist, and the thought of approaching a divine God, anything diving happening through prayer, would seem foolish I would guess. Really, without any faith at all, which is where I assume you are at, I don't see how all or any of your questions could be answered.
The Bible isn't a mathematical equation or puzzle like I said before, and it was not meant to be. God required us to have faith, even if having faith seems foolish to you. As a theist there's little I see for me to do with your questions, but suggest gentle instruction and showing luv on whomever atheist or theist. As a theist I didn't author the world, I didn't write the book of life (or become a being of all understanding through some miraculous occurrence), I am still a mere mortal. While I may wish I was immortal at times in passing, perhaps wish I had all understanding, or at least wished I had a suit like in Iron Man 2, I don't have the suit and I am a mere mortal. How am I or any theist suppose to be able to answer all the questions you pose? How is that possible? It isn't, being a theist requires faith, even if just an ounce, enough to approach God. And if one approaches God with faith, God shows up(unseen), all subjective based on the viewer.
I do wish you well on your quest S., I hope you'd take some into consideration. I look forward to future posts and this collection as you move forward in it.
Upside
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Offline God is nothing!
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Offline Upside,
You asume that all questions to God are answered.
Are you:
1. one of those "confirmation bias" Christians who only counts positive results as answers to prayer?
2. one of those Christians who lets God off the hook by saying God can answer with "Yes", "No" or "Wait" (assuring God of a correct answer no matter what the outcome)?
3. one of those Christians who answers their own prayers but gives God credit?
"I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions."
— George Carlin
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Offline Upside,
You asume that all questions to God are answered.
Are you:
1. one of those "confirmation bias" Christians who only counts positive results as answers to prayer?
2. one of those Christians who lets God off the hook by saying God can answer with "Yes", "No" or "Wait" (assuring God of a correct answer no matter what the outcome)?
3. one of those Christians who answers their own prayers but gives God credit?
"I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions."
— George Carlin
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Offline I don't believe I am asking a hellava lot from God. He says he cares about me more than anything and wants me to be with him. Yet he hides. What you think of a loved one who told you they loved you more than life itself and disappeared and put you on trial.
What is the responsibility of a loving parent? What if your dad wrote down things for you to do and before you were born left. As you grew your mom told you how wonderful your dad was. See this great book he left you. Other people got to experience his physical presence, but not you, never you. Other people got to see him raise people from the dead, but not you. Other people got to see him walk on water, but not you. And you know if you don't do all the things he said to you, he will come back in 70 or 80 years and punish you forever. 70 years of life doesn't equal trillion, gazillion years of punishment. No one can call that love except those who have the Stockholm Syndrome.
An all-powerful god can do whatever he likes, but if he choose to hide himself then I cannot believe in him anymore than I can believe in Krishna, Zeus, Allah, the one God, the trinity God, Horus or any other god who hides himself and I am only left with stories that are ancient. Absentee fathers are prosecuted.
The more I read the Bible the more I think Calvin got it right on the money about predestination. There is no free will. The Bible doesn't preach that. It is all about this God's ego. He creates us so he could have people worship him and destroy those who don't for his greater glory. This guy is very dysfunctional the Bible tells me so.
Well said ex-minister.
Hehehe, god creates something that he supposedly loves, hides all the evidence of his existence, gives people the natural curiousity to ask questions and draw their own conclusions, provides "miracles" that are easily explained by perfectly reasonable phenomenon, refuses to confirm his reality, refuses to reveal himself to anyone, punishes people for their human nature, and at the very end is supposed to tell me that he only wants to be with me so long as I praise and thank him for all of my existence ? Wow, that doesn't sound like a very good scenario nor a good reason to make me want to believe in god.
“It is proof of a base and low mind for one to wish to think with the masses or majority, merely because the majority is the majority. Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people.”
― Giordano Bruno
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Offline Upside,
You asume that all questions to God are answered.
Are you:
1. one of those "confirmation bias" Christians who only counts positive results as answers to prayer?
2. one of those Christians who lets God off the hook by saying God can answer with "Yes", "No" or "Wait" (assuring God of a correct answer no matter what the outcome)?
3. one of those Christians who answers their own prayers but gives God credit?
I assume that God has the answer to all questions as I said above, and quoted here below.
I believe there is an answer to every question you or I can think of in a given day or years, and God will always have the best and correct answer to every question.
I also assume an athiest has no faith/belief in God. I assume you do not believe in a divine and holy God. I also please ask that you not tell me what I assume, and just correct me if I am making incorrect assumptions. Below are more assumptions, and 2 questions I have asked for an athiest to answer.
I see that you are now convinced and are an atheist, and the thought of approaching a divine God, anything divine happening through prayer, would seem foolish I would guess. Really, without any faith at all, which is where I assume you(athiest) are at, I don't see how all or any of your questions could be answered.
God required us to have faith, even if having faith seems foolish to you.
Question: How am I or any theist suppose to be able to answer all the questions you pose? How is that possible?
Category question... I am one of those who believes that in faith, anyone can come to God, and he will be a divine and Holy God. Positive and negative can and will happen for everything and anyone in the world. There are many, many answers to any question. Human beings are capable of achieving their own goals.
Would you put every christian in one of those three categories? Have you been in these categories? I would like to hear your category.
Upside
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^_^
Before I start answering the questions, I have to give some notes (some of them are obvious, I believe ^_^' ) :
1 - Questions were addressed to three religions .. Hence, I will answer, mainly, what was addressed to my religion ( I'm a Sunni Muslim by the way ^_^ ) ..
2 - Although I'm a Muslim, I'll answer many of the questions addressed to Christianity and Judaism. .. However, I need to change the version of story according to Islamic version ^^
3 - Please, don't comment on / criticize my style, my writing, or my grammar / spelling .. I'm not a native-speaker ^_^'
4 - I know that someone will jump for rebuttal .. So please, when you rebuttal don't say 'according to science' or 'science says' or 'it has been proven by science' bla bla bla .. Science is your God dear atheists whether you admit it or not ..
You, as an atheist, believes what science says, refer to science and scientists, admire science and scientists, run to science in case of threats and dangerous circumstances, and denote for science (for some of you) ..
Thus, if you come to me and say : ' What you said Hungry Wolf is wrong according to science ' .. or : ' What you said Hungry Wolf contradicts with science ' , you are doing just what like the other theist do : ' Dear atheists, you wrong according to the Bible .. you are wrong according to Qura'an ' etc etc ..
Neither you believe in sacred scripts nor I trust science explanations .. The only common thing between us are the reality and phenomenon .. Keep in mind that science is not the reality .. Science tries to explain and understand phenomenon and what we observe in our real world.
(Keep in minds, also, engineering produces physical matters while physics, psychology, Geography, Geology, and may be philosophy explains more than they produce ( if they produce something ! ) .. What I'm trying to say is I believe in technology despite what it is based on, but I don't care about parts of some sciences, namely:
* Astronomy (in general) and some parts of what is related to visions from physics ..
* Geology, mostly the rubbish explanation about the age of earth and previous eras (ohh .. age of stones and age of dinosaurs are included ! ) ..
* Psychology, what is related to brain mainly ..
* From here and there hehehehehhehe ^^
I'm listing and talking about these things because I don't want stupid or low-class question about why do I use computers or internet or drive cars or travel by planes etc .. I know some people like to ask these questions from both sides (theists and atheists) ~_~
5 - The purpose of the my answer is answer the 'challenging' questions (as might an atheist thinks) .. The purpose of my answer is not to convince nor to drive atheist to believe in God ^_^ .. And it is not for the purpose of debating .. Therefore, I will frequently quote from Qura'an and Islamic narrations ..
If it was a debate, I'll make sure nothing will come from Qura'an or from Islamic narrations .. I'll stick to the common land between us ^_^
6 - I'm not here to criticize Christianity or Judaism .. In my point of view, we are in the same boat somehow .. I believe religions have common enemy, atheism, despite the endless war between them hehehehehehhe ^^ ..
If I talked about one of them, mainly it is because we share common story with different versions sometimes .. The Islamic belief is Judaism and Christianity are two religions from God, Allah .. However, we believe they are corrupted by their own people .. Hence, some of stories are identical / true, some were corrupted, and the rest were faked by them ..
7 - When it comes to the rebuttal after my replay, I suggest to agree on some rules according to the way of my religion dealing with things and thoughts related to Allah ..
So, don't ask me question like who created Allah because the prophet Mohammad, peace be upon him, told Muslims clearly how to do when they reaches these questions ..
Don't ask me to show Allah or his angels to prove their existence ..
These are an invalid questions and it will leads to know where ^_^
In short, ask me about the world and the belief of Islam (don't forget .. I'm Sunni 
)
OK .. forgive me about mentioning these points ^_^' .. and allow me to start ^^ :
3. It's been proven that modern humans originated from Africa. Yet, the Adam and Eve story claims the first Humans lived in a garden in Eden, near 4 rivers. ( Most of which no one can find). One of these rivers mentioned is the Euphrates, which runs through Iraq, Syria and a portion of Turkey. What's the truth? Did man come out of Africa or near the Euphrates River? - The Infidel Guy
According to the Islamic version .. Adam and Eve were in heaven (Eden) which is not on earth !
It's in the seventh sky ^_^ .. After they ate from the forbidden tree, they descendant to earth where they, and the rest of their race ' humans ', will live until the resurrection day .. Allah said in the holy Qura'an:
Behold, thy Lord said to the angels: "I will create a vicegerent on earth." They said: "Wilt Thou place therein one who will make mischief therein and shed blood? Whilst we do celebrate Thy praise and glorify Thy holy (name)?" He said: "I know what ye know not."(2:30)
And He taught Adam the names of all things; then He placed them before the angels, and said: "Tell Me the names of these if ye are right."(2:31)
They said: "Glory to Thee: of knowledge we have none, save what Thou hast taught us: in truth it is Thou Who art perfect in knowledge and wisdom."(2:32)
He said: "O Adam! Tell them their names." When he had told them, Allah said: "Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of heavens and earth, and I know what ye reveal and what ye conceal?"(2:33)
And behold, We said to the angels: "Bow down to Adam:" and they bowed down: not so Iblis: he refused and was haughty: he was of those who reject Faith. (2:34)
We said: "O Adam! Dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden; and eat of the bountiful things therein as (where and when) ye will; but approach not this tree, or ye run into harm and transgression." (2:35)
Then did Satan make them slip from the (Garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: "Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On earth will be your dwelling place and your means of livelihood for a time." (2:36)
Then learnt Adam from his Lord words of inspiration, and his Lord turned towards him; for He is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful. (2:37)
There are many places in Qura'an in which this story is mentioned of course ^^
I'm not sure about this version of the old-testament .. However, what I know (it might be narrated by Muslims from Judaism knowledge) that Adam landed (if I'm allowed to use this expression ^_^ ) in India while Eve landed in Mekkah .. and they met in Arafat (place near Mekkah) .. Or it is the other way around ..
In any case, if science found that origins of modern humans is in Africa, simply science is wrong ( that is the truth ) hehehehehhe ^^
( Of course you can forget about the last line since I have proved nothing .. My words has no meaning against science without proof or evidence ^^ )
4. When the believer gets to Heaven, how can Heaven be utter bliss when people they love and care about are burning in Hell ? - The Infidel Guy - [Note: Some say God erases your memories of them, but if God erases your memory, you as Mr. Joe /Jane Smoe ceases to exist.]
Nope ^_^ .. Allah doesn't erase your memory hehehehe ^_^
Allah talked about this issue .. There are lot of details or many situations :
1 - In the day of resurrection :
At length, when there comes the Deafening Noise, (80:33)
That Day shall a man flee from his own brother, (80:34)
And from his mother and his father, (80:35)
And from his wife and his children. (80:36)
Each one of them, that Day, will have enough concern (of his own) to make him indifferent to the others. (80:37)
That is true for everyone .. believers and non-believers
For non-believers, afterward, that what will they wish for (from verse 11 to 14):
A questioner asked about a Penalty to befall, (70:1)
The Unbelievers, the which there is none to ward off, (70:2)
(A Penalty) from Allah, Lord of the Ways of Ascent. (70:3)
The angels and the Spirit ascend unto Him in a Day the measure whereof is (as) fifty thousand years: (70:4)
Therefore do thou hold Patience, a Patience of beautiful (contentment). (70:5)
They see the (Day) indeed as a far-off (event): (70:6)
But We see it (quite) near. (70:7)
The Day that the sky will be like molten brass, (70 : 8 )
And the mountains will be like wool, (70:9)
And no friend will ask after a friend, (70:10)
Though they will be put in sight of each other, the sinner's desire will be: would that he could redeem himself from the Penalty of that Day by (sacrificing) his children, (70:11)
His wife and his brother, (70:12)
His kindred who sheltered him. (70:13)
And all, all that is on earth, so it could deliver him: (70:14)
By no means! For it would be the Fire of Hell! (70:15)
Is those whom you asking about ^_^ ?
friends / wives or lovers / parents / siblings ^_~
According to Qura'an (Allah), you (the sinner - nonbeliever) wish to sacrifice them for your own good and safety !
In short, you will abandoned them (abandon is for nonbelievers .. as for believers they wouldn't think about them because everybody is concerned about his own fate) ..
Put in mind that nonbelievers can be classified into two groups :
First group: Nonbeliever and a fighter in the same time (fighters include any one standing "by force" in the way of letting people know about God and his message and those who want to put-off the light of God) ..
Second group: Nonbeliever who doesn't care about others belief and pay no effort to stand of the way to salvation ( those mostly are the public and they are the majority ) ..
For the first group, Muslims (or believers) in general should break the bonds between them and those fighters (except for parents) .. While they keep the bonds with second group .. That is in this secular life .. Islam consider the real bonds is the religion bonds, not the blood bonds ^_~
After the day Judgment, many scenarios will happen:
Then they will turn to one another and question one another. (37:50) ((Allah talks about believers))
One of them will start the talk and say: "I had an intimate companion (on the earth), (37:51)
"Who used to say, what! art thou amongst those who bear witness to the truth (of the Message)? (37:52)
"`When we die and become dust and bones, shall we indeed receive rewards and punishments?'" (37:53)
(A voice) said: "Would ye like to look down?" (37:54)
He looked down and saw him in the midst of the Fire. (37:55)
He said: "By Allah! thou wast little short of bringing me to perdition! (37:56)
"Had it not been for the Grace of my Lord, I should certainly have been among those brought (there)! (37:57)
So, this believer blame his closest friend for that he was about to drag him in hell ! He would less care about his friend ^_~
Another conversation between the winners ( believers ) and the losers ( nonbelievers ) :
But those who believe and work righteousness - no burden do We place on any soul, but that which it can bear - they will be Companions of the Garden, therein to dwell (for ever). (7:42)
And We shall remove from their hearts any lurking sense of injury - beneath them will be rivers flowing - and they shall say: "Praise be to Allah, Who hath guided us to this (felicity): never could we have found guidance, had it not been for the guidance of Allah: indeed it was the truth that the Messengers of our Lord brought unto us." And they shall hear the cry: "Behold! the Garden before you! ye have been made its inheritors, for your deeds (of righteousness)." (7:43)
The Companions of the Garden will call out to the Companions of the Fire: "We have indeed found the promises of our Lord to us true: have you also found your Lord's promises true?" They shall say, "Yes"; but a Crier shall proclaim between them: "The curse of Allah is on the wrong-doers. (7:44)
"Those who would hinder (men) from the path of Allah and would seek in it something crooked: they were those who denied the Hereafter." (7:45)
.
.
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The Companions of the Fire will call to the Companions of the Garden: "Pour down to us water or anything that Allah doth provide for your sustenance." They will say: "Both these things hath Allah forbidden to those who rejected Him. (7:50)
"Such as took their religion to be mere amusement and play, and were deceived by the life of the world." That day shall We forget them as they forgot the meeting of this day of theirs, and as they were wont to reject Our Signs. (7:51)
Believers in heaven will know who the nonbelievers in hell are, and they wouldn't even give them cup of water or anything nor they will ask Allah for his forgiveness to them .. They will not forget them but they will not care about them too ^^
If God exists and there is heaven and hell and day of judgment ( I'm saying to you ' IF ' ), then what will happen is not a joke ! All what you care would be about Allah and his reward / punishment ^^
However, for those who believe in God and work the righteousness, Allah will reward them by joining them with their beloved ones, who are believers too, in higher level (FYI: heaven has many levels .. your faith and work will determine your level of course after the generosity of Allah) :
And those who believe and whose families follow them in Faith, to them shall We join their families: nor shall We deprive them (of the fruit) of aught of their works: (Yet) is each individual in pledge for his deeds. (52:21)
Allah doesn't consider the flesh or blood bonds .. Allah promised Noah, peace be upon him, to save him and his family from the flood .. Hence, Noah, peace be upon him, asked Allah for the forgiveness of one of his sons who was the only nonbelievers among the others:
And Nuh called upon his Lord, and said; "O my Lord! Surely my son is of my family! and Thy promise is true, and Thou art the Justest of Judges!" (11:45)
He said: "O Nuh! he is not of thy family: for his conduct is unrighteous. So ask not of Me that of which thou hast no knowledge! I give thee counsel, lest thou act like the ignorant!"(11:46)
Nuh said: "O my Lord! I do seek refuge with Thee, lest I ask Thee for that of which I have no knowledge. And unless Thou forgive me, and have Mercy on me, I should indeed be lost!"(11:47)
Neither son of Noah nor his wife were among the survivors .. Allah did not give Noah the permission to carry both of them in the arc >_<
Thus, Noah's son and wife are people of hell .. Father of prophet Abraham, peace be upon him, one of people of hell .. Wife of Lot, peace be upon him, father, mother, grandfather, and uncle of prophet Mohammad, peace be upon him, are all in hell .. They were nonbelievers and fairly they will be punished ..
Although prophets, peace be upon them all, tried desperately to save them in secular life, they haven't succeeded since it is not in their hands; but Allah is the one who guide you to his right path (and it is not arbitrary as I'll explain later ^_~ ) ..
In the day-after, prophets would not ask Allah again for their safety .. Prophets will be more concerned about their followers ^_^
In short (after all this talk and quotes hehehehehe), don't worry, you will find happiness in heaven if you are a believer without your beloved nonbelievers ^_^
I Hope this is enough to answer your question ^_^
5. How can a God have emotions, i.e. jealousy, anger, sadness, love, etc., if he is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent? Emotional states are reactionary for the most part. How can God react to us if he is all-knowing and has a divine plan? - IG [Note: Indeed, many religious texts display their gods this way . Listen to the An Emotional Godshow.]
Very easy ^^
God Knows everything before they occur, can do anything whenever he wants, and exists all the time ^_^ .. However, he express this feelings for you (human/jennies), jennies are demons and Satan one of that race ..
Why would I worship a god who does not care about what I do or how should I act ?! Why do I worship god and my destiny is already known ?!
He show his emotions (which have nothing alike) to repeal all this question that you might think about ..
He even asks his angels about his believers :"Where have you been (and he knows where they have been) .. How did you find my servants do (and he knows what his servants 'believers' are doing)" as it mentions in one of prophet Mohammad talk (Hadeeth) ..
Allah set the rules from the begging : I'm almighty .. I'm omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent .. If all people disbelieved my existence that will not harm me nor reduce from what I own anything !
Prophet Mohammad narrated that Allah said (not in Qura'an .. but sacred Hadeeth, and it's my translation .. sorry for that >_< ) :
O my servants, you will not reach level to do me bad nor you will reach level to do me good ..
O my servants, if you (from the firs one of you till the last one of you .. and all humans and jennies) were believing in me as the most faithful one of you, it wouldn't increment anything in what I owns ..
O my servants, if you (from the firs one of you till the last one of you .. and all humans and jennies) were disbelieving in me as the most sinful one of you, it wouldn't decrement anything in what I owns ..
O my servants, if you (from the firs one of you till the last one of you .. and all humans and jennies) gathered in one place and each one of you asked me whatever he wants (to get) and I give each one you what he asked for, it would not reduce my property except like what is reduced from the sea when you thread in to it and pull it out ..
** Note: Don't be smart and say: oh God has finite property (even if it's infinity !) .. or there is a level when someone (not humans nor demons nor angels .. but someone else I don't know whom) can do good or bad to Allah ..
That what we have been warned from .. It is just simple, you don't know what God is .. You don't know anything about Allah except what he or his prophets said about him .. Therefore, any thoughts about him will misguide you and lead you to nowhere >_< ..
Back to subject ^_^' .. Allah set the rules .. However, to prevent any complement in the day of judgment about destiny or about his knowledge or about his capability or about the chances he has provided, he act normally without interference ..
By the way, he said at the very beginning of the above narration : " O my servants, I've forbidden injustice for myself and made it forbidden among you, thus never do injustice to each other "
Allah is almighty .. He can do anything as he like and much more .. He can do injustice to anyone and no one can do anything about that .. However, he has forbidden that upon himself ! why ?
Because it is not suitable nor proper for God with all perfect qualities to do injustice !
He can destroy nonbelievers any time he wants even before they are even born since he know that they will be born and not believe in him and do bad things for believer (specially in the ancient time) ! But the claim on the day of judgment is that : God, you haven't even tested me !! You acted according to your unlimited knowledge ! why did you even create this secular life if you work or act according to your knowledge !
This secular life basically is for you not for Allah .. and Allah will judge you upon your work and behavior on this secular life not according to his knowledge .. and he will tell you : you did this in that day and you did this in the other day .. Disbelievers will even deny their sins .. So Allah, although he knows everything, will not put himself as a witness .. nor he the angels who wrote the good and the bad deeds for you to be the witness.
He will ask your parts (your body) which you committed sins by to be the witness ^^
Fair and Square ^_~
Any more question or concern regarding this question ^_^ ?
6. Why would God create a place such as hell to torture sinners forever when he foreknew who would disappoint him? - IG [Note: Some say you have a choice, but this misses the point. If God hates sin so much, why create Adam and Eve when he knew they'd sin? The only conclusion I can come up with, if Yaweh exists, is that he wanted sin to enter the world.]
First: Allah is not disappointed ^_^
Second: Allah answer this question many times in Qura'an :
Blessed be He in Whose hands is Dominion; and He over all things hath Power; (67:1)
He Who created Death and Life, that He may try which of you is best in deed; and He is the Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving;(67:2)
This secular life is nothing but a test .. In a test you pass or fail ..
Pass ==> enjoy heaven
Fail ==> torture in hell
Very basic idea and we apply it in our real life without any question .. cause it is common sense ^_~
If all of us will go to heaven .. Why there is a test to begin with ?!
If all students will pass the course, why do the professor ask them for a test ?!
In situation where you will be rewarded by a certificate upon your attendance only, there would not be a test at the end of the course ! It is just a certificate that tells you attended this course from this period to that period ^^
On the other hand, in universities or schools, tests are necessaries to determine if you gained certain knowledge or not ^_^
Same principle is our case ^_~
For the case in which you asked about God knowledge, I've already explained this in the previous question ^^
For the question regarding Adam and Eve, the angels ask Allah before you this question ^_^ :
Behold, thy Lord said to the angels: "I will create a vicegerent on earth." They said: "Wilt Thou place therein one who will make mischief therein and shed blood? Whilst we do celebrate Thy praise and glorify Thy holy (name)?" He said: "I know what ye know not."(2:30)
And He taught Adam the names of all things; then He placed them before the angels, and said: "Tell Me the names of these if ye are right." (2:31)
They said: "Glory to Thee: of knowledge we have none, save what Thou hast taught us: in truth it is Thou Who art perfect in knowledge and wisdom." (2:32)
He said: "O Adam! Tell them their names." When he had told them, Allah said: "Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of heavens and earth, and I know what ye reveal and what ye conceal?" (2:33)
And behold, We said to the angels: "Bow down to Adam:" and they bowed down: not so Iblis: he refused and was haughty: he was of those who reject Faith. (2:34)
Notes: * Iblis = Satan ..
* Iblis (Satan) was a genie (not an angel) among the angels .. He was a good genie and he even lead angels to fight his race, who they were in earth already .. and he felt high of himself ..
* The question of the angels was about the wisdom of creation another race (humanity) when the jinn were sinners (angels thought humans will behave exactly as the jinn) while they (the angels) are faithfully to Allah and praises him all the time ..
When Allah told the angels : "I know what you don't Know" he referred to us that we will not be exactly like the jinn (as it was mentioned in some of explanations / interpretations of the Qura'an) ..
* Angels will not get anything .. They will not go to heaven nor to hell since there is no test for them ^_^
The dialog between Allah and Satan was mentioned somewhere else :
Behold, the Lord said to the angels: "I am about to create man from clay: (38:71)
"When I have fashioned him (in due proportion) and breathed into him of My spirit, fall ye down in obeisance unto him." (38:72)
So the angels prostrated themselves, all of them together: (38:73)
Not so Iblis: he was haughty, and became one of those who reject Faith. (38:74)
(Allah) said: "O Iblis! what prevents thee from prostrating thyself to one whom I have created with My hands? Art thou haughty? or art thou one of the high (and mighty) ones?" (38:75)
(Iblis) said: "I am better than he: Thou createdst me from fire, and him thou createdst from clay." (38:76)
(Allah) said: "Then get thee out from here: for thou art rejected, accursed. (38:77)
"And My Curse shall be on thee till the Day of Judgment." (38:78)
(Iblis) said: "O my Lord! give me then respite till the Day the (dead) are raised." (38:79)
(Allah) said: "Respite then is granted thee; (38:80)
"Till the Day of the Time Appointed." (38:81)
(Iblis) said: "Then by Thy Power, I will put them all in the wrong, (38:82)
"Except Thy Servants amongst them, sincere and purified (by Thy grace)." (38:83)
(Allah) said: "Then it is just and fitting, and I say what is just and fitting; (38:84)
"That I will certainly fill Hell with thee and those who follow thee, every one." (38:85)
(There are other dialogues of course which mention the same story)
Notes: * Satan refused to obey because he felt jealous from Adam ..
* Satan refused to repent to Allah and rather said I'm better than Adam ..
* In other dialog, Allah warn Adam and his wife from Satan that he (Satan) will try his best to take Adam away from Eden / heaven / garden ..
* Allah himself allowed Satan to enter heaven to try making Adam to eat from the forbidden tree .. Why did Allah did that ?!
It is very obvious ^^ .. To TEST Adam and Eve indeed ^_~ (He knows already that they will fail the test .. He have told the Angels that he will create a human to live in earth as it shown it: "I will create a vicegerent on earth"
Allah already promised Satan that he (Allah) will not punish him right away and will leave him till the day of judgment (although Allah knew that Satan will ask for this .. But as I said, Allah doesn't interfere with his knowledge or according to his knowledge and give the creatures all their chance) ..
* Satan doomed himself, and he knows that he will be in hell .. His purpose is to get with him as many as he can from both humans and jinn >_<
If he repented that time, he would received Allah's mercy, as did Adam. oh! Satan has his free will and choices ^_~
* Since Allah knows Adam and Eve will fail the test .. Why did he put both of them in the heaven from the beginning ? Again, as I mentioned previously, each one of us will live his own scenario which he (the person) creates himself (Allah doesn't create your scenario .. Allah knows your scenario) .. Moreover, there was a purpose from this act:
1 - To show all intelligent creatures that whatever was the sin or the mistake (Both Adam and Satan spoke to Allah directly, they know how mighty he is, and they know they are nothing but his creations), it is forgivable as long as they repent and ask Allah forgivness ..
2 - To teach Adam and Eve how Satan hate them and their descendants, and Satan and his followers will do whatever it takes to take them to hell (Allah asked Adam, haven't I told you not to eat from that tree and Satan is your enemy ? Adam answered: Yes, my lord .. But I would never thought that there is someone he can lie by using Allah's name .. Satan did swear by the name of Allah to Adam and Eve that he is telling the truth and he want their benefits) ..
Thus, the purpose was to demonstrate this things to humans and to let Adam and Eve experienced the event themselves ^^
In conclusion, it is not "Allah want sin to enter the world" .. It is the requirement of the test ^_^
The professor (normally) does not test his/her student to fail them or to challenge them nor because he/she is an evil person (otherwise he will pass everyone) ! It's because the advanced degree or courses need a certain level of knowledge and he/she want to guarantee that the students have reached this level ^_~
Also, you can think of it as a king wouldn't give money or gifts to unfaithful person who deny the king's generosity and kindness .. A test is needed to show this person why or why not he deserve the money / gifts / whatever ..
^_^
7. "God is all merciful," we hear quite often. Wouldn't it be more merciful of God to simply snap sinners out of existence rather than send them to hell? Or better yet, since he's all-knowing, not allow them to be born at all? - IG
ON GOD'S LOVE & HELL
1.) God's love is superlative.
2.) God's love of man exceeds man's love of self.
3.) Man's love of self prohibits torture.
4.) Considering God's greater love for us, Hell (eternal torture) is illogical.
Nope ^^ .. It is about fairness ^_~
When you pass a hard-worker student and a lazy one, you are being unfair >_<
When you give A+ grade to all students despite each ones' effort, you are being unfair >_<
Remember, the first thing Allah mentioned in the sacred Hadeeth : I banned myself to be unfair (this is the meaning) ..
The mercy of Allah is shown in countless situations, here in secular life and even in the day of judgment !
In secular life: Although the mercy you need it really in the judgment day, God's mercy can be seen in different forms here (Applicable to believers and non-believers):
1 - If you commit a sin he will not punish you immediately (he might not punish you at all in the secular life .. but each act has its own consequences)
2 - If you were in trouble or danger, and ask him to save you (although you don't believe or worship him) he might have his mercy on you and save you (As long as the trouble is not a punishment that he promised for you) :
Now, if they embark on a boat, they call on Allah, making their devotion sincerely (and exclusively) to Him; but when He has delivered them safely to (dry) land, behold, they give a share (of their worship to others)! (29:65)
Although the verse about pagans (who worship others along with Allah), it is true even for atheists if they have the courage to ask him (only on that situation and deny his existence afterward ) ..
3 - Allah gives you a lot of graces although you deny his existence and try to drive people away from his path .. For his mercy, you are enjoying this life ^^
4 - Take the reward/punishment system (when you are a believers) as an example:
** If you intend to do a single good deed and you did it .. your reward is one point .. each good point is multiplied by ten (each point like ten points), and it might be multiplied by 700 and the result is even increased till Allah knows how much ..
** If you intend to do a good deed but you didn't do it (for circumstances over your control) you will get one point ..
** If you intend to do a sin and you didn't do it .. you will be rewarded by one point ..
** If you intend to do a sin and you did it .. you will get (-1) only !
** When you experience ill or injury or sadness or any unpleasant thing .. Allah take out from you sins (your minus points) .. If you thank Allah for the situation, you will be rewarded even countless points !
** Each year there are seasons for competition, huge multiple rewards of points and big mercy and forgiveness for sins !
In the judgment day: I'll mention two things only :
1 - You might have no positive points at all and, on the other hand, all you have is negative points, Allah might forgive all this and take you to heaven as long as you were a believer ^^
2 - Satan himself will rise his head up, wishing that Allah notice him and forgive him for what he did. This is because Satan (Iblis) sees that day how merciful is God and he thinks that Allah would forgive him ! (Of course he will be taken to hell -_- )
The only two things that Allah doesn't forgive are paganism and atheism (with all their classes) and the sins against people (people are to forgive each other .. Allah doesn't have to do anything with that) .. The later include insult, violence, talking bad about the other, crimes etc
Before I move to the next question, I have to clarify something related to Allah's will in punishment and forgiveness ..
Allah said through Qura'an many times in different places "He punisheth whom He pleaseth, and He forgiveth whom He pleaseth" .. The rule that if he punishes you, it is fairness cause you will deserve to be punished .. If he forgives you, that because of his mercy ..
The thing is, who deserve the mercy ? It is up to Allah to decide, and it is not arbitrary ..
Allah is the only one who knows about your thoughts and you intentions and whatever is happening in your mind .. And I believe it depends on what is inside your heart ..
For example, two persons committed exactly the same sin (say adultery) .. One did it with the fear of God, and the other one did it without any care to anyone ..
In the judgment day, they are not the same ..
Also, Both keep committing adultery, and one blame himself each time he do it while the other enjoy it to the fullest .. In the judgment day they are not the same as well ..
( It's unfair to treat good students the same way you treat bad or lazy ones ..
It's unfair to put the hard-worker employee and the lazy employee in the same level or excuse both of them )
There are a lot of details and scenario .. and you don't have to fear an injustice decision, knowing Allah is the justice ^^
Yes .. One last thing .. Allah said about himself:
Tell My servants that I am indeed the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful, (15:49)
And that My Penalty will be indeed the most grievous Penalty. (15:59)
From these verses we know that Allah is a merciful and punisher.. Hence, we have three cases:
** God doesn't punish anybody for anything .. Then he is a merciful but not punisher ==> mercy > 0 while punishment = 0 !
For this, he might be not able to punish anyone to begin with ! ==> This a ' handicap ', and it should not be associated with any God !
100 % merciful all the time is not good you know ^_~
** God does punish everybody for anything .. Then he is a punisher bot not a merciful ==> mercy = 0 while punishment > 0 !
For this, he is just a curl guy ! Then he is just a sadist who enjoy torturing others ==> This a ' handicap ', and who love some like this !
** God punishes and has his mercy ==> mercy > 0 and punishment = > 0 ^^
For this, it's a situation between the two extremes mentioned above .. This is fairness ^_^
What is great about this is Allah also said: "My mercy wins my angry" ==> mercy >> punishment ^___^
So those sinners whom sins are part of their life and afraid from Allah 's wrath should not get desperate from Allah mercy and should repent as he welcomes them all the time ^_^
But those sinners who think that Allah wouldn't punish them should be aware since Allah might punish them (since they are not afraid of him) ^_^
Thus, the question is wrong to begin with cause it ignores the fact that Allah punish those who deserve to be punished
8. Muslims are supposed to pray 5 times a day towards Mecca. Each prayer includes a variety of ritualism and posturing. If a muslim astronaut were to land on Mars. Prayer to Mecca would be ritualistically impossible due to the rotation of Earth and Mars. Are Muslims stuck here in Earth? IG [Note: Since this was first posted, a Muslim astronaut was faced with this very dilemma. The authoritative clergy informed him to pray as he normally would. I see this no where in the Koran. You see? Religions must change, or die out. It's interesting to note that, in the Koran, the moon is believed to be in the lowest Heaven, the level for those that barely made it to Heaven. Surah 71:15-16. One problem, no man can supposedly get to Heaven until they die. Yet, we've been to the moon. Our satellites beyond that.]
What a question hehehehehehhe
First : Pray 5 times a day towards Al-Ka'abah ^^
Second : Allow me to tell you this dear atheists (I believe you should know that already !), when you want to attack a religion, you have to attack the belief not the practice ^_^
Practices are different even among Muslims themselves (that is also true among Christians branches, Jewish branches, and even pagans branches!) ..
The Answer is very easy .. This Muslim astronaut has to prey toward earth ^__^
If you are in the holy mosque in Mekkah, you pray toward Al-Ka'abah ..
If you are in Mekkah, you pray toward the holy mosque ..
If you are outside Mekkah (different city), you pray toward Mekkah ..
If you are in the far east (say Japan) you pray toward Arab peninsula (just look at the map and estimate the direction roughly and pray) .. Likewise if you are in North America ..
If you are in a plane, prey (while you are is you seat ) toward Saudi Arabia ..
If you can't face Saudi Arabia inside the plane or the plane keep changing its direction, prey toward the front of the plane (despite its direction) ..
If you are in desert, and you are lost and don't have campus, you tried to figure out the direction to Mekkah/Arabian peninsula from the sun or the stars ..
If you had it wrong and you prayed toward South Africa, there is no harm and no problem, and it is same as if you prayed toward Al-Ka'abah ^^
If you are in the outer space, and can see the earth, then pray toward the earth ^_^ ..
If you cannot see the earth, try to figure out where the earth is and pray toward it ..
If you end up praying toward another galaxy, it is fine as long as you tried your effort to figure out the right direction ^_^
It is not a challenge from Allah .. It is a test of your patient and submission to Allah .. Never there is harm as long as you tried your best ^_^
And this reminds me of the story about an Arabic man before Allah sent his prophet Mohammad, peace be upon him. His name was Zaid bin Amro bin Nofail .. He and two friends oh him gathered in one their pagan festival and they told each other about the wrongness of their people and their pagans practice .. Thus, the three decided to look for the right way to worship God. Zaid traveled and searched for the right religion. He seeked Christianity and Judaism and hated them. A Christian priest told him that he might looking for the religion of Abraham .. However, it is no longer exists and nobody know how to practice it (it is called Al-Haneefiah) .. Zaid went back to Mekkah and people heard him saying: O God I seeked Abraham's religion but I don't know how to pray nor to worship you .. Then he pray / bow ..
For this, Allah said in Qura'an :
Those who eschew Evil, and fall not into its worship, and turn to Allah (in repentance), for them is Good News: so announce the Good News to My Servants,(39:17)
Those who listen to the Word, and follow the best (meaning) in it: those are the ones whom Allah has guided, and those are the ones endued with understanding. (39:18)
Allah praised Ziad and every person did the same and sake the truth when no one looked for it ^^
Though it is a disappointment that this the first question addressed to Islam >_<
9. Why haven't we seen God reattach severed heads, restore someone who was burned alive or regrow amputated limbs? Surely these would be miracles difficult to deny. - Adam Majors and IG [Note: The typical answer is that man doesn't dictate God's actions. The conundrum here however is that, if God wants us to "know" him, then surely feats such as those mentioned above would be happening all over the world. Until they do, I'll remain an atheist.]
Again, the answer is very easy !
Because it is like giving you the answer of the exam !
Not to forget, people, before you, asked many miracles from their prophets to proof their prophecy .. When God showed them what they have asked for, they denied it and said to their prophets : you are sorcerers !
Put in mind that if Allah showed you what you've asked for and you didn't believe in him or followed his prophet, you doomed yourself .. you will be punished in the secular life and sent to hell in the Judgment day >_< .. Whereas if you didn't ask for the extraordinary evidence, you will live your life normally without a fast punishment in the secular life ^_^
The Qura'an is filled with these stories and the outcome after wards .. Have people believed after the clear evidence ? No they didn't .. let's check these verses :
Prophet Saleh peace be upon him:
And We refrain from sending the Signs, only because the men of former generations treated them as false: We sent the She-camel to the Thamud to open their eyes, but they treated her wrongfully: We only sent the Signs by way of terror (and warning from evil). (17-59)
Prophet Moses peace be upon him:
(Fir'aun) said: "If thou dost put forward any god other than me, I will certainly put thee in prison!" (26:29)
(Musa) said: "Even if I showed you something clear (and) convincing?" (26:30)
(Fir'aun) said: "Show it then if thou tellest the truth!" (26:31)
So (Musa) threw his rod, and behold, it was a serpent, plain (for all to see)! (26:32)
And he drew out his hand, and behold, it was white to all beholders! (26:33)
(Fir'aun) said to the Chiefs around him: "This is indeed a sorcerer well-versed: (26:34)
"His plan is to get you out of your land by his sorcery; then what is it ye counsel?" (26:35)
They said: "Keep him and his brother in suspense (for a while), and dispatch to the Cities heralds to collect, (26:36)
"And bring up to thee all (our) sorcerers well-versed." (26:37)
So the sorcerers were got together for the appointment of a day well-known, (26:38)
And the people were told: "Are ye (now) assembled? (26:39)
"That we may follow the sorcerers (in religion) if they win?" (26:40)
So when the sorcerers arrived, they said to Fir'aun: "Of course, shall we have a (suitable) reward if we win?" (26:41)
He said: "Yea, (and more), for ye shall in that case be (raised to posts) nearest (to my person)." (26:42)
Musa said to them: "Throw ye that which ye are about to throw!" (26:43)
So they threw their ropes and their rods, and said: "By the might of Fir'aun, it is we who will certainly win!" (26:44)
Then Musa threw his rod, when, behold, it straightway swallows up all the falsehoods which they fake! (26:45)
Then did the sorcerers fall down, prostrate in adoration, (26:46)
Saying: "We believe in the Lord of the Worlds. (26:47)
"The Lord of Musa and Harun." (26:48)
Said (Fir'aun): "Believe ye in Him before I give you permission? Surely he is your leader, who has taught you sorcery! But soon shall ye know! "But sure I will cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will cause you all to die on the cross!" (26:49)
( Note : Musa = Moses )
They said (to Musa): "Whatever be the Signs thou bringest, to work therewith thy sorcery on us, we shall never believe in thee." (7:132)
So We sent (plagues) on them: Wholesale Death, Locusts, Lice, Frogs, and Blood: Signs openly self-explained: but they were steeped in arrogance, - a people given to sin. (7:133)
Every time the Penalty fell on them, they said: "O Musa! on our behalf call on thy Lord in virtue of His promise to thee: if thou wilt remove the Penalty from us, we shall truly believe in thee, and we shall send away the Children of Israel with thee." (7:134)
But every time We removed the Penalty from them according to a fixed term which they had to fulfil, behold! they broke their word! (7:135)
(Moses showed Fir'aun and his people of Egypt 9 signs but they never believed in him, despite the fact that he won against the sorcerers !)
Prophet Jesus the son of Mary peace be upon them both :
Then will Allah say: "O 'Isa the son of Maryam! recount My favour to thee and to thy mother. Behold! I strengthened thee with the holy spirit, so that thou didst speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. Behold! I taught thee the Book and Wisdom, the Law and the Gospel. And behold! thou makest out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, by My leave, and thou breathest into it, and it becometh a bird by My leave, and thou healest those born blind, and the lepers, by My leave. And behold! thou bringest forth the dead by My leave. And behold! I did restrain the Children of Israel from (violence to) thee when thou didst show them the Clear Signs, and the Unbelievers among them said: `This is nothing but evident magic.' (5:110)
(Isa = Jesus)
Mohammad peace be upon him :
The Hour (of Judgment) is nigh, and the moon is cleft asunder. (53:1)
But if they see a Sign, they turn away, and say, "This is (but) transient magic." (53:2)
In general:
Even if We opened out to them a gate from heaven, and they were to continue (all day) ascending therein, (15:14)
They would only say: "Our eyes have been intoxicated: nay, we have been bewitched by sorcery." (15:15)
If We had sent unto thee a written (Message) on parchment, so that they could touch it with their hands, the Unbelievers would have been sure to say: "This is nothing but obvious magic!" (6:7)
Of course, I guess in your case you wouldn't say : It's a magic ( since you don't believe in magic as I assume ).. However, you will say : It's only a trick ..
So, Allah had showed once, twice, three times, and many many times that if the belief depends on miracles, the unbelievers will hold tight to their denying .. The outcome is more or less the same, whether it was in the past or it was today !
Jesus, peace be upon him, was able (by the permission of Allah) to rise the dead, to cure the sick, and to give a life to a clay .. Did the Jewish believed in him as a prophet ? The answer is : NO !
Sons of Israel, mainly Jewish, saw a lot of signs that nobody had ever seen or will see as much as what they saw .. God raised a victim from his death to tell about his killer .. They saw by their own eyes how God destroyed Fir'aun and closed the sea upon him and his army while they were following Moses and sons of Israel .. God put the mountain upon their heads to force them to stick with what they promised. However, the Jewish disobeyed God countless of times afterwards ..
And by the way, what you asked as a proof of God existence will not happen frequently in the world because this is against the test .. God showed signs and miracles to the ancient people for two purposes: To prove that prophets were saying the truth + To take away the claim of generations (who come after) when they ask like their ancestor for the proof / evidence / sign / miracles .. As Allah said, the old ones didn't believe the clear signs and you will not >_<
Just to show how clear was the signs : Thamoud had asked their prophet Saleh, peace be upon him, to bring them a she-camel that comes out from specific stone (they specified the stone themselves) .. And the she-camel must has specific features (they specified the features) .. Prophet Saleh took their oath that if what they asked for will come out as they specified, they will believe and worship Allah ..
When it comes out exactly as they wanted ( a giant she-camel with no father and mother .. comes out from the specified stone .. carrying a baby camel in her womb ), they did not follow Saleh although they lived with the she-camel for a while .. At the end they killed it and its son and they experienced the God's wrath consequently ..
They were saying just as you said in your question : then surely feats such as those mentioned above would be happening all over the world. Until they do, I'll remain an atheist !
I assure you, if this what it takes to become a theist, then you will remain an atheist till you die ^_^
You haven't came with something new .. Humans repeat themselves over and over .. Whether they live in the science era or they live 5000 years ago .. People don't change *Sigh*
Next ^_^
10. Why does God entrust the spreading of 'His' word to sinners? Why doesn't he do it himself? - IG [Note: Surely God would have known that not everyone would be convinced by the reality[sic] of his Bible. If God loves us so much, we are all going to Heaven. If God knew that I would be an atheist, and he doesn't like atheists, he shouldn't have allowed me to come into existence. But he did. Therefore, I must be serving the will of God, for I exist]
Sinners O_o ?
Who do you mean by sinners ? Prophets ?
In the Islamic version of stories : God prevent prophets (in general ) from doing sins .. Some of Prophets did some things they shouldn't do them (although they are not sins) ..
Why does God spread his words himself or even by the angels ? What is the use of test then !
What does he test you for ?!
Giving you the answer sheet and test you .. This is ridiculous ~_~
The rule is, the prophet must be from the same race of the people he is/was sent to .. and always he start with his nations / people ..
As why he let you dear atheist live (I think I've answered this question already ~_~) :
1 - So you wouldn't claim or argue about your punishment in the Judgment day ..
2 - Give you all the chances you have ..
3 - (I didn't mention this before) To make the test harder for the believer ..
Allah said in Qura'an :
Do people think that they will be left alone on saying, "We believe," and that they will not be tested? (29:2)
We did test those before them, and Allah will certainly know those who are true from those who are false. (29:3)
I'm not sure about all meanings of (test), but the original / Arabic words is 'Fetnah' which is a kind of test in which the tester might 'deceive' or 'tease' the one he tests ( am not sure about 'deceive' though ^_^' ) ..
That is, Allah might not punish an atheist but, instead, make him very successful in secular life and live happy life so the believer would ask themselves the same question : why God doesn't punish this / those sinners or infidels .. May be there is no God !! ) .. It is not a piece-of-cake to go to heaven ^_~
As your faith increase, Allah gave you more hard tests that you might feel Allah is hating you for you don't know what !!
Prophets are the most people who experience tests (although they wouldn't act like normal believer ) .. Their people will hate them, saying they are lairs, torture them, kill them, kicked them out of their homes, kills their followers .. Allah asks prophets to be patient always ..
One prophet (I don't know his name in English) was angry from his people and left them without the permission of Allah .. Allah ordered the whale to eat him alive .. When this prophet, peace be upon him, repented while he was still inside the whale's stomach, Allah forgave him and ordered him to return to his people ..
Allah said in Qura'an talking to the believers:
Or do ye think that ye shall enter the Garden (of Bliss) without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They encountered suffering and adversity, and were so shaken in spirit that even the Messenger and those of faith who were with him cried: "When (will come) the help of Allah" ah! verily, the help of Allah is (always) near! (2:214)
But it is the test ^^
If God wish, he can erase all people and punish them all, and no human is born afterward .. But he promised that everything has a time .. and when the time comes, the infidels will be punished and the believers will be rewarded ^_^
Oh .. Allah did say also :
And were it not that (all) men might become of one (evil) way of life, We would provide, for everyone that blasphemes against (Allah) Most Gracious, silver roofs for their houses, and (silver) stair-ways on which to go up, (43:33)
And (silver) doors to their houses, and thrones (of silver) on which they could recline, (43:34)
And also adornments of gold. But all this were nothing but conveniences of the present life: the Hereafter, in the sight of thy Lord, is for the Righteous. (43:35)
These verses to show mainly two meanings : 1 - The secular life is nothing to Allah .. He can allow all nonbelievers to enjoy the life to the fullest ! The important thing is the afterlife, not the secular life ..
2 - If Allah give graces as he mentioned to the nonbelievers, even the believers will fail the test and turned out like them !
Adam has everything in heaven, and he was immortal. Yet, he ate from the tree after Satan told him I'll tell you about the tree of immortality and unlimited dominion (Islamic version) ..
So, tests (individual or common) are frequents from time to time .. If you pass the test, unlimited reward or tremendous bonus you will receive .. If you fail the test, on the other hand, you still can repent and return to God asking her forgiveness and guidance, as long as you don't fail the biggest test (Belief and good deeds) ..
Then again, even if you turned to atheist or whatsoever after these kind of tests, you still can return to the right path ..
The major / biggest test ends either when you about to die (you soul reach your throat) or when the sun comes out from its setting place (that is the sign when no work or belief is accepted anymore, which is end of the world) ..
Who is as generous or as merciful as Allah T_T ?!
Next please ^_^
12. I have often heard from many believers that even Satan has a presence in the church, which is why even in church people can still have impure thoughts. If Satan can find his way in the church, how do Christians know that Satan didn't find his way into the Bible and twist the whole book? After all, men did vote on which books would make the Holy Bible. - The Infidel Guy
Although this question is not addressed to Islam, I'll give you the answer ^^
Satan are not allowed to twist the things by his own hand .. nor the daemons can ^_^
But they can whisper to humans and let them do the work themselves ^_~ .. They can share the thoughts with you and suggest something to you (and you think you came with this plot yourself ) .. Satan (few times) disguised as human and told people to do something ( like he spoke with people whom Noah, peace be upon him, sent to) and told them that their fathers worshiped the statues and they have to do the same as well ) ..
But he do that without showing his identity .. He has no benefit in showing his identity nor he want to harm people physically .. He only want to take people and jinn to hell with him (curl guy if you asked me ~_~ )
He might not take you to hell .. but he can reduce the reward you can earned from the good deeds .. For example, when you pray in the church (or the mosque in our case) he and his soldiers from daemons make you think about stuff from the secular life such as family, business, trips, anything to disturb you concentration in the pray .. So you ends up with 10 % of the points .. and maybe you don't take any point if your heart / mind is not with what you are doing or saying >_<
He, and/or his soldiers, might drive you to commit sins .. He with his followers will do anything not good for you or people ..
Though, I don't think Satan himself will try to deceive the normal believers, his daemon follower will take care of these stuff .. He is setting in his throne and give orders .. He doesn't contribute himself unless there is serious issue like a prophet was sent .. or a plan to misguides a whole nation .. He wouldn't waste his time for small prays hehehehhehehehe ^^
^_^
13. Why did God allow Lot and his daughters to escape from Sodom and Gomorra when he destroyed it only to later have Lot and his daughters engage in incestuous fornication. (Genesis 19:30-36) - Disillusioned [Note: To have intercourse with daddy dearest of course.]
Nope .. He didn't do such thing in the Islamic version .. He would never do that .. And If he did he will be punished more than Sodom ..
Although we share many stories with Jewish and Christian (we believe in their prophets) .. We believe that they corrupted their books (some of the religious people like Rabbis and priests/Pops did) ..
Hence, I assure you that Lot, peace be upon him, never did that .. It is a fake part >_<
14. Genesis 1:28-29 shows that man and all the animals were first created herbivorous. Most young-earth Christians (ones that believes the earth is less than 10,000 years old) say that the fall of man resulted in carnivorous animals ( hence death of animals). So, why did God punish the animal kingdom, making animals kill and devour each other because of man's mistake? Or, if you're an old-earth Christian (one that accepts that animals existed on earth for billions of years before man came on the scene) then how come fossils show carnivorous animals existed before man? - http://www.caseagainstfaith.com/contact.htm.
Answering from young-earth perspective : God did not punish animals !
Animals kill themselves because of their needs .. Also a test for people that everything goes by its own choice and there is no God (I believe the 'test' point-view can explain everything including disasters, plagues and epidemics, children / infants death which is test for their parents and test for you too to think God is cruel, etc etc) .. In fact, God has put rules to this secular life not only for the test but even to distinguish it from the afterlife ..
Secular life : short - diseases - animosity - oppression - poverty - evil - harm - unpleasant time - long list
After Life : The total opposite for winners / worst than secular life for losers but with immortality
15. Many Christians believe that God is a thinking being, that he solves problems and makes a way for them when troubles come. Does God Think? If God is thinking, did he know his thoughts before he thought them? If so, again, where is his freewill and how is God thinking at all if everything seems to be one uncontrollable action/thoughts. - The Infidel Guy [Note: I'd say a God cannot think at all. To do so, would strip him of omniscience. Thinking is a temporal process.] ON GOD'S ATEMPORALITY
1.) God, an atemporal being, created the Universe.
2.) Creation is a temporal processes because X cannot cause Y to come into being unless X existed temporally prior to Y.
3.) If God existed prior to the creation of the Universe he is a temporal being.
4.) Since God is atemporal, God cannot be the creator the Universe.
[Note: I guess I should also note here that a timeless being would be without the proposition of past, and future. But to be omniscient, God must know the past and future. Hence a God that is atemporal and omniscient cannot logically exist.]
] Nope, God doesn't think (that does not mean he is stupid) ..
The rule is: you need to think when you don't know .. or: Thinking is required in the absence of knowledge .. So you cover the lack of knowledge by your thinking trying to reach the answer as if you know it ^_^
Hence, Allah is omniscient and he doesn't need to think because he knows everything ..
Very simple ^^
Next ^_^
16. I have often heard that faith is all that is neccessary to believe in God and accept the Bible as true. If this is true aren't all supernatural beliefs true since they also require "faith"? - IG ON FAITH
1.) A prerequisite to believe in a Faith is faith.
2.) Having faith is all that is required to accept a Faith (belief) as true.
3.) All Faiths are true.
[Note: Of course all Faiths aren`t true, but this is the only logical conclusion that can be drawn from a person that states that, "Faith" is how one knows God.]
You don't know God by 'Faith' .. You know God when you think about his creations, by reading /seeing / observing his clear signs (if you lived during prophets period), by reading and thinking about his books or words, by searching for the truth and thinking about the evidence, by instinct he put it in humans (plus thinking of course), or by seeing / talking to him or his angels ..
Faith is something you gain after the process of (thinking) ..
I'm not sure about what Christians say, but I gave you the answer ^_^
17. Why didn't God just kill Adam and Eve after the Fall and start from scratch? Actually, if God is all-knowing wouldn't he know that man would need to be killed eventually anyway, (the biblical flood)? Why create Adam and Eve at all? - [email protected] and [email protected] ON THE GARDEN OF EDEN
1.) God is omniscient (all-knowing).
2.) God knew that before he created man that they would eat of the tree of knowledge.
3.) God placed the tree of knowledge in the Garden anyway.
4.) God wanted sin to enter the world.
[Note: If God didn`t want sin to enter the world, why create Adam and Eve at all? He knew what would happen. Why place the forbidden trees in the Garden in the first place?]
Many reasons ^^
1 - It was a test for Adam and Eve and the rest of the humans afterward ..
2 - To show people even if there is no nonbeliever in earth (after the flood), nonbeliever will come again eventually since Satan is not setting and watching only ^_~
3 - To demonstrate to the others afterward ( who came after Noah like A'ad / Ād tribe) the power of God and to warn them not to take their steps ..
4 - To tease atheist and infidels and make them think high of themselves and keep denying the existence of God ..
5 - To tell the story to the people after centuries in order they learn from this story ..
6 - To make it as sign of existence of Allah (not to you .. but people after Noah time to 1500 ago more or less ) ..
Those are what I came up with which are better than your choices ^_~ .. Not to mention that I'm walking in the same step as I did before and everything fit accordingly ^____^
What else do you have ^_^ ?
18. If a spirit is non-physical but the human body is physical, how does a spirit stay in our bodies? - IG ON SPIRITS
1.) Spirits are not physical entities.
2.) Brains are physical entities.
3.) Past experiences are stored in our physical brains, we call that, Memory..
4.) Injury can damage portions of the physical brain that store memory and can alter or erase memories completely.
5.) If human spirits exist... after death, spirits can have no memory.
[Note: Some will say the spirit stores physical memories as well, but if true, the spirit would have to be physical at least to a degree. How could a non-physical spirit store, physical memories?]
Opps .. sorry >_<
A question that Muslim cannot answer since Allah said :
They ask thee concerning the Spirit (of inspiration). Say: "The Spirit (cometh) by command of my Lord: of knowledge it is only a little that is communicated to you, (O men!)" (17:85)
19. Does God know his own future decisions? If God is all-knowing he actually shouldn't have any decisions to make at all. Nor can he choose anything over something else. For that would mean that he is neither omniscient nor omnipotent. In fact, he can't even think if this is the case. Since he can't DO anything, he might as well not exist. - IG ON GOD'S IMMUTABILITY - Unchangingness
1. If God exists, then he is immutable.
2. If God exists, then he is the creator of the universe.
3. An immutable being cannot at one time have an intention and then at a later time not have that intention.
4. For any being to create anything, prior to the creation he must have had the intention to create it, but at a later time, after the creation, no longer have the intention to create it.
5. Thus, it is impossible for an immutable being to have created anything (from 3 and 4).
6. Therefore, it is impossible for God to exist (from 1, 2, and 5) - Theodore M. Drange
He is not making any decision or new decision .. He doesn't think cause he already know everything .. what else ?
20. If God is all-knowing, how could he be disappointed in His creation? -- [email protected] [Note: Indeed, wouldn't God know that before the creation of our Universe what creatures would disappoint him? That being the case why create those creatures at all? Also, in knowing absolutely the behavior of humans before creation, God cannot be disappointed either... for this world is exactly as he has planned it to be. If it's not, why create us at all?]
He is not disappointed >_< .. That is due to the corruption of the old testament as I believe ..
And don't be confused with the fact that he asks his angels about us and what we are doing or laughs or anything he does that looks like he doesn't know (I've explained this before and said that Allah acts without the interference of his knowledge to give you the chance to see and witness yourself .. So you don't argue at the end .. Otherwise if he would deal with us according to his knowledge, he would punish or reward us without this secular life ^_^ )
24. If the garden of Eden was a perfect paradise as xians claim, then why did Eve even want to eat the fruit? Wouldn't a perfect place provide everything a person would want or desire and thus she would want nothing? - keyser soze [Note: Why were the trees there in the first place? Of course they love to throw the serpent into the equation. But ummm..who let the serpent into the Garden?... and why would God create such a creature knowing he would cause man's fall? Hmm.. God must have wanted the fall to happen.]
Satan deceived them ..
25. Why would an all-powerful god become flesh in order to sacrifice himself to himself so that his creation might escape the wrath of himself. Couldn't god, in his infinite wisdom, come up with something a little more efficient? - [email protected] ON THE BODY OF CHRIST
1.) God?s flesh was known as Jesus.
2.) Flesh cannot enter into Heaven (according to Paul)
3.) God is no longer Jesus.
4.) Jesus doesn?t exist.(Note: Many at this point will state that the spirit lives on so therefore Jesus lives. This really depends on what you believe about Jesus. Is Jesus the son of God or God in flesh? If Jesus is merely the son there is no problem.However, if Jesus ?is? God himself, we do. You see, Jesus is called Jesus because of the attribute of Flesh. If Jesus = God (who is spirit) then the entity known as Jesus ceases to exist. The flesh/body of Jesus, no longer exists and the spirit of God is still the unchanging spirit of God. No Jesus at that point. The Flesh, called Jesus, is dead.)
According to Islam .. Jesus, peace be upon him, is son of Mary not the son of God .. He is human himself .. He born with no father, but only with a mother ..
His example is like Adam who was created from clay without mother or father (Adam is the extreme case .. what is so surprising about Jesus ?!! ) ..
He did not sacrifice himself .. The Jewish disbelieved him and tried to kill him (as they did with many prophets before him). However, Allah saved him and raised him to heaven till the time comes and he will descends to spread fairness on earth (and that is one of ten major signs about the last day of the secular life)
30. What do Muslim women get in Paradise? - IG [Note: Some Muslims I have interviewed about this say that Muslim women will get the same thing men get or equal value.
Women get same as men in terms of properties / level in paradise / the prize to see Allah ..
In term of body, they are turned to women more beautiful than the virgins of paradise .. and each person has a wife in the secular life will have his wife as a wife in paradise .. That is if his wife entered heaven not hell ..
There are more details mentioned about situations when men are in hell and their women in paradise, or women in hell and their husbands in heaven ..
But nothing that women has more than a husband (as I know) ^_^
31. In the "Last Days" Jesus is supposed to appear in the clouds. How are the Christians on the opposite end of the world going to see him? Are there going to be millions of Jesus'? What about people that work underground? What about people in deep space? - [email protected]
Nope, he will lead Muslims to fight Christians ^_^ .. and he will lead the army Muslim who are in the place where he comes (not sure about the cloud!) .. and there will be only one army Muslim that time ^^
Jesus, peace be upon him, will break the cross and kill the pig
( Islamic version of course ^_~ )
33. A true Muslim man is not supposed to do anything that the prophet Muhammad didn't do. If one remembers there was a big debate over whether or not Muslims should eat Mangos. If this is true, why in the Hell were these Islamic Fundamentalists flying airplanes? - IG
hehehehehehehehe ^^ .. very funny hehehehehehehe
A true Muslim is not supposed to do anything that the prophet Mohammad, peace be upon him, didn't do in terms of worshiping and practice of Islam ^_~
ProphetMohammad was sleeping on the ground while many of his companions were sleeping on bed ^_^
So don't worry about eating mango or riding cars ..
I don't know anything about the debate over the Mangos hehehehehehe .. But Muslims / or so-called Muslims (in general) made a lot of changes .. And he himself said : "You (Muslims) will part into 73 group .. all in hell except one .. The one who truly follow my way and the way of my companions " ..
Even there are differences between Muslims in the same group .. It is typical for humans ..
Till now I haven't seen something about Muslims' belief .. It is all about the practice !
37. Isaiah 40:28 says, "...the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is he weary?" If this is true, why did God rest on the seventh day?- IG
That’s a forgery from the Jewish >_<
Allah has answered the Jewish in Qura'an for this insult:
We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in Six Days, nor did any sense of weariness touch Us. (50:38)
Allah was not tired, he doesn't get tired, he doesn't rest !
40. Why can't we wait until we get to Heaven to worship God ? Why would it be too late? - IG
Because by that time, the answers of the 'test' are revealed and you don't worship God anymore ..
41. What is the purpose of prayer? What can a finite being on Earth possibly tell an omnipotent, omniscient deity that he doesn't know already? - IG ON PRAYER
1.) Humans can't change God's mind for he has a divine plan and is unchangeable.
2.) Prayer can't change God's mind.
3.) Prayer doesn't change anything.
(Prayer may make you feel better emotionally, but it doesn`t change God`s mind.)
Again .. A question about the practice ~_~
First: Prayer is not to change anything .. prayer is to worship .. It is a 'fruit' of a belief ..
When you say to your girl friend that you love here .. and then you always late for your dates or busy with something else, you cheat on her, and you try to end the date as soon as possible, stuff like that .. .. When you do these things, your act and behavior speak differently from what you said to her (you love her ! ) ..
Any action or a believe has its own consequences .. You believe in God .. That is it !
And then what ?!
Pagan Arabs believed in Allah .. However, they worshiped someone else along with him !
Believe without a proof doesn't lead to anything ..
You believe in global warming, you believe that you harm your planet .. and then if you don't recycle what is the use of your believe ?!
You believe that you have to get high grades in university to assure a bright career .. But then you don't study hard .. What the use of your believe ?!
If it was about a believe only .. all humanity would believe and then go enjoying their life ..
When you believe, you have to live up to what you believe in ^_^
Prayers (and any kind of practice in general) were assigned for maaaaaaaaany purposes .. I don't believe that some can list all of them (only Allah knows how many) .. Yet, I'll list you several purpose for prayers :
* To proof you loyalty ..
* To test your patient .. Are you going to follow the order of the creator till the end of your life, or are you going to quite at some point .. It's a task to be fulfilled not a game ^_~
* To keep remembering you about the afterlife, because the secular life is so attractive that you even think about it during the prayer !
* To increase your faith .. It is a measure of your belief's strength ..
* To distinguish between believers ..
* To be used in rewarding system ..
* To tease the nonbelievers, and let them know that it's troublesome to be a theist hehehhehehehehe ^^
* To connect you with God .. So when you ask him a favor he will give you what you asked (You've been a faithful follower ^_^ )
* To take way from the minus points ..
* To purify your soul ..
Is this enough ^_^ ?
56. If God really wants us to know him, why doesn't he place the knowledge of him in our minds at birth? The same way many theists believe that God implants our sense of right and wrong in us a right birth. - IG
What is the use of test when the professor give you the answers ~_~ ?
^_^
I skipped and jumped many questions cause I'm feeling tired ~_~ ..
Plus I think from now on, I'll start to repeat myself since the rest of questions, in general, are : why did he do this .. why did he do that .. why doesn't he do this .. why doesn't he do that .. etc etc ..
If you have specific question and want me to answer it (according to the rule) just PASTE it here ^_~
Otherwise, I'm waiting for a rebuttal ^_^
(By the way, before I end my replay, I want to tell what is fascinating about Qura'an .. The holy Qura'an is not a book to describe Muslims practices only .. Maybe half of the Qura'an is a debate between Allah and the infidels during Mohammad, peace be upon him, period, and infidels in old nations. I would say it answer many questions of infields of these days ^_~ )
^_^
Ja Ne ~
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Offline jcgadfly wrote:Upside,
You asume that all questions to God are answered.
Are you:
1. one of those "confirmation bias" Christians who only counts positive results as answers to prayer?
2. one of those Christians who lets God off the hook by saying God can answer with "Yes", "No" or "Wait" (assuring God of a correct answer no matter what the outcome)?
3. one of those Christians who answers their own prayers but gives God credit?
I assume that God has the answer to all questions as I said above, and quoted here below.
Upside wrote:I believe there is an answer to every question you or I can think of in a given day or years, and God will always have the best and correct answer to every question.
I also assume an athiest has no faith/belief in God. I assume you do not believe in a divine and holy God. I also please ask that you not tell me what I assume, and just correct me if I am making incorrect assumptions. Below are more assumptions, and 2 questions I have asked for an athiest to answer.
Upside wrote:I see that you are now convinced and are an atheist, and the thought of approaching a divine God, anything divine happening through prayer, would seem foolish I would guess. Really, without any faith at all, which is where I assume you(athiest) are at, I don't see how all or any of your questions could be answered.
God required us to have faith, even if having faith seems foolish to you.
Question: How am I or any theist suppose to be able to answer all the questions you pose? How is that possible?
Category question... I am one of those who believes that in faith, anyone can come to God, and he will be a divine and Holy God. Positive and negative can and will happen for everything and anyone in the world. There are many, many answers to any question. Human beings are capable of achieving their own goals.
Would you put every christian in one of those three categories? Have you been in these categories? I would like to hear your category.
So you're a combination of all that I described. If god tells you something he can't be wrong. Terrorists are born here.
You assume correctly that I don't have faith and belief in a divine/holy God as one is described in the Bible. The words of that book tell me that the God in it is not worthy of worship.
I used to be a Christian of the flavor described in 2 and yes - I could put all Christians into those three catergories with little effort (some, like yourself, would be in more than one)
I can answer both of your question with one answer - you claim to have a connection to the most knowledgeable being in the universe who you converse with regularly. You have the book which you claim holds his unchanging words. Answering these questions shouldn't be a problem for you at all.
"I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions."
— George Carlin
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Offline I would need to have about 1000 times the amount of patience that I currently have to even begin to respond to a post as long and painful as that one.
But, welcome to the forum.
Our revels now are ended. These our actors, | As I foretold you, were all spirits, and | Are melted into air, into thin air; | And, like the baseless fabric of this vision, | The cloud-capped towers, the gorgeous palaces, | The solemn temples, the great globe itself, - Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve, | And, like this insubstantial pageant faded, | Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff | As dreams are made on, and our little life | Is rounded with a sleep. - Shakespeare
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Offline 1. one of those "confirmation bias" Christians who only counts positive results as answers to prayer?
2. one of those Christians who lets God off the hook by saying God can answer with "Yes", "No" or "Wait" (assuring God of a correct answer no matter what the outcome)?
3. one of those Christians who answers their own prayers but gives God credit?
------
So you're a combination of all that I described. If god tells you something he can't be wrong. Terrorists are born here.
You assume correctly that I don't have faith and belief in a divine/holy God as one is described in the Bible. The words of that book tell me that the God in it is not worthy of worship.
I used to be a Christian of the flavor described in 2 and yes - I could put all Christians into those three catergories with little effort (some, like yourself, would be in more than one)
I can answer both of your question with one answer - you claim to have a connection to the most knowledgeable being in the universe who you converse with regularly. You have the book which you claim holds his unchanging words. Answering these questions shouldn't be a problem for you at all.
Not sure I followed the terrorists born here comment, that actually threw me, please explain. I don't buy your categorization of all into 3 groups, it's really just the logical debate and reasoning in you to think that you can simplify and shrink all believing beings into 3 groups. A faithless and doubtful category for all theists to fall in, not great.
The killing of tribes, the many nations, the hardening of hearts, choices and apparent no choices, raising from the dead, Jesus, the questions, something in there says the God of the Bible is unworthy to you...at one point you were a believer or in some way a follower if I picked that up correctly from the other thread? The God of the Bible is worthy, but his worthiness has nothing to do with how you would have directed things if you were Him. Judging and questioning the Bible are two different things. You judge the book and deem God unworthy. You have no faith, the only way to God is by faith, and you say your questions and your judgement of the book make you arrive at your athiest state. I say your lack of faith make you arrive at your judgment and questions.
I say there is no way for me to prove God by answering questions that you feel are gaps or puzzling places in the Bible. I the theist who has faith, is suppose to go get a ton of answers from God, and give them to you. Now the answers again require faith, faith that the Bible is true, faith in God, faith in the fact that I could get the answers, faith in Jesus, etc. It doesn't make sense, theists providing answers, answers which require faith, to an unbelieving population. Without faith many, many holes would be found in the answers as you already have your list which you have judged as holes.
Let's talk about your last statement. I have a connection with God through the Holy Spirit. This again doesn't mean I get automatic answers and answers to lots of questions on command. God is God, so if he is doing things in my life, I cannot always be sure I always even know. I don't think I am in a position to say that I am on the same level as God, so my ability to know is not up to me. Sure the Bible holds God's unchanging words, this doesn't mean I know the mind of God, what he was thinking when each thing went on. Is my connection suppose to give me all knowing power to the Bible?
Your logic is really missing several things. Athiests without faith cannot receive their answers. Unless, now would you tell me with all your heart and being and last breath, that you have faith in my ability to talk to God and get your answers. In that case, if you really did, then whatever I brought back for an answer you'd have to take it as if it were from God (if you really had faith in my ability to connect to God on your behalf). Instead I would guess you'd poke holes in whatever answer was given because you lack faith. Though i'm sure you would enjoy the recreation of telling a theist to go ahead and talk to God on your behalf. It just doesn't work the way you spelled it out.
Bad Logic = A+B = C & C+D = E
A) Theist has a connection to God
B) Bible are God's unchaging words
C) Theist has connection to Bible's unchanging words
D) Athiests have questions on Bible's unchanging words
E) Theists can answer all athiest's questions on Bible's unchanging words
Let's talk more about how you use to be a christian? Were you ever really a christian or did you just jump on the band wagon? Were you a surrendered servant or a try it out on the surface?
Upside
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Offline Sure, Upside.
You believe your God has all the right answers. So did the guys who flew the planes into the WTC.
And yes, I have a problem with a deity whose first option to solve problems is homicide and suicide. Why don't you?
You and other theist come here and say "My god has all the answers to your questions. A lot of them can be found in his word." If you're going to make that claim you shouldn't be shocked that people are going to ask you to support it. You make the claims and run from an opportunity to support that claim? Interesting.
"I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions."
— George Carlin
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Offline Dear butterbattle ^_^ :
I would need to have about 1000 times the amount of patience that I currently have to even begin to respond to a post as long and painful as that one.
heheheheheheheheheheheheheh
Indeed you do hehehehehe ^^
First of all .. I'm glad that you've addressed my reply as 'painful' along with its length ^___^
Second .. Although my reply is not complete ( I haven't answered all the questions due to my laziness .. Plus I got tired ~_~ ), my reply is to turn the table upside down ^_~
That is, instead of picking up a question to answer, you, atheists, have to pick an answer to respond to or to rebuttal it ^_^
The most important thing now is to read what I wrote and try to understand it ..
If you, any one of you, did, you will have two cases :
1 - Finding a flaw and a hole in the reply, and trying to attack me through it ^^
2 - Observing no flaw !
In the later case, you will have three choices ^^ :
A ) Surrender ( which I doubt one of you will choose it hehehehehhehehe ) ^.^
B ) Rebuttal by breaking the rule of the 'forbidden questions' ^_^
C ) Rebuttal by breaking the rule of isolating the science from the debate ^_~
Part (C) might lead us to a new topic or thread which will be about science VS religions / sacred books ^^
Personally, I think this thread became boring after 16 pages of ( fighting with each other ) instead of ( fighting for your believe ) ~_~
Hence, let us change the rhythm ^_~
But, welcome to the forum
^_^
The way to welcome me is to pick up an answer for a question which intrests you and respond to it, instead of living the pain by responding to all of my answers ^_^
Save the pain and bring it on , dear atheists ^_~
^_^
Ja ne ~
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Offline Arguing about all of these different questions will result in a discussion that is about as fruitful as an argument between a cat and a Scientologist, and I do not have the patience for it. I am willing to discuss things with you, but to make any progress, we are going to take it one step at a time.
Are you a Muslim? Yes or no?
Are you a Creationist? Yes or no? As in, you believe that every "kind" of organism was created by God. You do not support biological evolution, right?
Are you Young Earth? Yes or no? What do you believe is the age of the universe? 6000 years?
Our revels now are ended. These our actors, | As I foretold you, were all spirits, and | Are melted into air, into thin air; | And, like the baseless fabric of this vision, | The cloud-capped towers, the gorgeous palaces, | The solemn temples, the great globe itself, - Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve, | And, like this insubstantial pageant faded, | Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff | As dreams are made on, and our little life | Is rounded with a sleep. - Shakespeare
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Offline Dear butterbattle ^_^ :
Arguing about all of these different questions will result in a discussion that is about as fruitful as an argument between a cat and a Scientologist
^_^
Who knows ^_~
and I do not have the patience for it
Sadly >_<
I am willing to discuss things with you
Saying 'things' means you are not going to discuss the answer(s) .. However, you are willing to discuss 'issues' whether or not they are related to the original answers / questions ..
Am I right ^_^ ?
but to make any progress, we are going to take it one step at a time
My pleasure ^_^
Are you a Muslim? Yes or no?
Yes, I'm a Muslim .. Sunni Muslim ^_^
(Already mentioned in the first reply though ^_^' )
Are you a Creationist? Yes or no?
Yes, I'm a Creationist who believe in the creation of Adam and Eve ^_^
In fact, any Muslim who doesn't believe that he is an infidel even if he believes in Allah .. It is like saying to God and his prophets : You are bunch of liars ! >_<
As in, you believe that every "kind" of organism was created by God
That is right ^^
You do not support biological evolution, right?
That is absolutely right ^_^
( I believe your biological evolution means that human beings were a simple life forms and they evolved, eventually within million of years .. Correct me please if I'm wrong ^_^ )
Are you Young Earth? Yes or no?
Yes, I'm a 'Young Earth' Muslim, according to your definition ^_^
What do you believe is the age of the universe? 6000 years?
6000 years, more or less, or 6 days exactly ^_^ ( Both interpretations are mentioned by Muslim scholars )
In any case, both are small enough compared to your 13 billion years ^_~
Since, I've answered your lovely short questions ^^, I beg your pardon to stick with the rules I've mentioned previously .. Otherwise, I suggest we open a new topic if you intend to discuss my answers in this replay not the answers in the first reply of mine ^_^
One more thing, would you please give me the time I need to respond to you ^_^' .. I'm facing difficulties in the system of this forum in which I have to write the code for each line and each word instead of 'select all' and 'do the thing' system >_<
^_^
Ja ne ~
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Offline
had the urge to tell Hungry Wolf to go fuck himself yet?
I read the entire early post and it's a flat out splurge of assertion, assumption, dogma, based on nothing sensible, on nothing knowable. And behind Hungry's words and in his asides lurks a nasty and hateful streak. If you have something sensible to say, Hungry, say it. If not, fuck off. I'm more than half convinced you are some teenage troll who should be studying for his HSC. If you are a muslim let me assure you that your religion is even sillier and less imaginative than christianity. I've read the Koran multiple times and always came away shaking my head.
If there's one thing that always bugs me it's half wits who insist we 'understand' the bullshit they are spraying when the word they really mean is 'accept'. We understand your doctrine just fine, Hungry. It's as meaningless as you are.
"Experiments are the only means of knowledge at our disposal. The rest is poetry, imagination." Max Planck
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Offline
In fact, any Muslim who doesn't believe that he is an infidel even if he believes in Allah .. It is like saying to God and his prophets : You are bunch of liars ! >_<
sums up everything that Hungry Wolf says, so if anyone else wants to read through that earlier veiled threat wall, don't bother.
"Experiments are the only means of knowledge at our disposal. The rest is poetry, imagination." Max Planck
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Offline Dear Atheistexrtemist ^_^ :
had the urge to tell Hungry Wolf to go fuck himself yet?
hehhehehehehehehe
Not yet ^_^
Sorry ^_^'
I read the entire early post and it's a flat out splurge of assertion
hehehehehehe
I'm pretty confident of myself, you know ^_~
assumption
Nope ^^
Unlike many of what other theists did here, I kept providing verses from the Qura'an .. Not to make you believe in them, but to show you that I'm NOT assuming ^_~
I'm giving you the 'right' religious answer^.^
For example, I'm not assuming that Allah test humanity .. I'm telling you he is actually testing us ^_^
From where do I know the right religious answer ? From the verses I've provided ^_^
Hence, If you didn't get that, you have some kind of "reading skill's problem" ^_^'
dogma
Of course it is ^_^
The questions are seeking the answer from the theist point of view, in which they might bring sense to a theist when he fail to answer the questions logically ^_~
If I told you that we have answers to all / most of these questions, and yet we didn't become atheists, it means that there is some sort of 'logic' that we are following .. And your job as an atheist is to show the flaw in the logic I have provided to prove that there is no logic at all ^.^
I'm waiting ^_~
based on nothing sensible
hehehehhehehehe
If the example of the professor and the test is not sensible (not physically, but logically), then you might review you logic and rationality ^_^'
on nothing knowable
You have your experience in life ^_^
Thus, you know something ^^
Evaluate my answers upon your experience my dear ^_^
And behind Hungry's words and in his asides lurks a nasty and hateful streak
hehehehehehehehehe
You lack the ability to read people ^_^
If you have something sensible to say, Hungry, say it
For example ^_^ ?
I think you've missed the point >_<
The point is to provide the atheists with 'logic' answer .. Not to prove anything ^_^
The atheists who asked all these questions think that they are smarter than the theists, when it comes to religion at least. And, thus, they kept asking about the logic behind some behaviors or acts of the God ^_^
It is kind of connecting the 'things' God said about himself and his action toward events when the quality / ability of God can solve the whole issue, yet God did not do that !
Either there is a logic that atheist want to know (although they are pretty sure there is no logic hehehehe) or the whole things contradicts with the qualities/abilities of God .. Atheist are standing with the second part and want the theists to understand / observe these conflicts .. The first part, for an atheist, is just to open the door for discussion hehehehehhehe ^_^
If not, fuck off
^_^
I'm more than half convinced you are some teenage troll who should be studying for his HSC
heheheheheheh ^^
May be ^^ .. May be not ^_~
The thing is if you care about my age, then you are just a low class gentleman who ignore the core while focus on the apparel ~_~
It doesn't matter whether I'm 5 days old or 1000 years old .. You have to pay attention to my ideas and thoughts, not my age hehehehehehehe
And by the way, I'm doing my Master hehehehehehehe
^.^
If you are a muslim let me assure you that your religion is even sillier
^_^
and less imaginative than christianity
I assure you that ^_^
Since a true Muslim does not imagine ^^ .. Either he knows or he accepts despite the knowledge ^_~
I've read the Koran multiple times and always came away shaking my head
hehehehehehhe
The problem then is in you, not in the Qura'an ^_~
If there's one thing that always bugs me it's half wits who insist we 'understand' the bullshit they are spraying when the word they really mean is 'accept'
hehehehhehe
Both are applied ^_^
Understanding + Acceptance ^^
And when you fail to understand something understandable, it means, again, you have a problem and you should work it out ^_^
We understand your doctrine just fine, Hungry
You might ^_^
You might not ^_~
It's as meaningless as you are
Thank you ^_^
sums up everything that Hungry Wolf says
^_^
so if anyone else wants to read through that earlier veiled threat wall, don't bother
^_^
^_^
Ja ne ~
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Offline Since, I've answered your lovely short questions ^^, I beg your pardon to stick with the rules I've mentioned previously .. Otherwise, I suggest we open a new topic if you intend to discuss my answers in this replay not the answers in the first reply of mine ^_^
I'm sorry. I have absolutely zero interest in discussing the questions posed by the opening post of this thread.
But, I do kind of want to see if it's possible (even remotely) for us to reason something out. So, I have replied to your post in a new thread.
http://www.rationalresponders.com/forum/28520
One more thing, would you please give me the time I need to respond to you ^_^' .. I'm facing difficulties in the system of this forum in which I have to write the code for each line and each word instead of 'select all' and 'do the thing' system >_<
No problem.
I don't see why you would need to write so much code though. Why do you need to change all your font sizes, types, and appearances?
I like the smiley faces though. But, why don't you use these? 
Our revels now are ended. These our actors, | As I foretold you, were all spirits, and | Are melted into air, into thin air; | And, like the baseless fabric of this vision, | The cloud-capped towers, the gorgeous palaces, | The solemn temples, the great globe itself, - Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve, | And, like this insubstantial pageant faded, | Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff | As dreams are made on, and our little life | Is rounded with a sleep. - Shakespeare
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Offline
You believe the koran is the ultimate expression of logic. That it contains no assertions. What can we possibly say to each other.
Talk to Butter. He's nicer than I am. But expect him to pull you apart like a roast chicken.
"Experiments are the only means of knowledge at our disposal. The rest is poetry, imagination." Max Planck
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Offline Dear butterbattle ^_^ :
I'm sorry
No worries ^.^
I have absolutely zero interest in discussing the questions posed by the opening post of this thread
hehehehheheheheheh
Do as you please ^.^
But, I do kind of want to see if it's possible (even remotely) for us to reason something out
I'll be glad too ^_^
So, I have replied to your post in a new thread.
I'll be there ^_^
No problem
I'm so grateful ^_^
I don't see why you would need to write so much code though
Naaaaah .. It's a long story ~_~
Why do you need to change all your font sizes, types, and appearances?
heheheheheheh .. It became a habit ^.^
Through nine years in the internet, I've seen hundreds of debates and enrolled in many many others ..
I've noticed that people can be classified into three groups :
1 - Low class people, they will give you a headache, and that they wouldn't understand what you said even if you made the size of the font 100 !
2 - Middle class, they lack many reading skills .. However, they would notice bold or big size words, or even a colored word .. And that would help in the discussion instead of repeating yourself several times ^_^
3 - High class, although they don't need you to emphasize on what your point is ( they are rare compared to the others though ~_~ ), it wouldn't harm them if you give hints heheheheheh ^_^
So, you take two birds with one stone : High class people + Middle class people ^_^
Plus, I feel that paragraph's style is harmful to my eye ( in the internet ) and you might miss a point or misunderstand your opponent .. Hence, I made my style in term of colors, spaces, and general font size ^_^
I like the smiley faces though. But, why don't you use these?
ooh, that's kind of you ( I thought someone will ask me not to put them >_< ) .. The others might look at it as a kind of sarcasm or underestimation ..
For me, it gives you an idea about how my face looked like when I read the sentence or how my face looks like during the reply / answer ^_^
As for the faces in this forum, they are not my type >_< .. That is the only reason ..
For the one belongs to MSN, they are not being cut well / precisely -_-' + The ones I use most aren't there >_<
^_^
Ja ne ~
=========================================
=========================================
Dear butterbattle ^_^ :
Anno ^_^' .. There is no reply option there >_<
Essentially, yes. Billions of years
Sorry, billions of years .. For me it doesn't make any difference .. We are on the same page ^_^
Okay then, I have a few more easy questions for you
You are very welcome to ask ^_^
Are you a heliocentrist or a geocentrist?
None of them ^_^
Do you believe that the Earth is roughly spherical or that it is a flat disk?
I used to believe in planet / spherical earth until 2005
However, I've became a Flat Earther in 2006
Though, I have nothing to do with Flat Earth Society, I knew about them at the end of 2008 ^_^'
But I think this question should come before the previous one .. If I believe in flat earth, it means that neither I'm a geocentrist nor I'm a heliocentrist ^_^'
Should homosexuals be allowed to marry?
Although I see no point in discussing the practices/rules/policies, I'll give you the answer ^_^
If the homosexuality means a definite male/female who is attracted to his/her same sex, the answer is definitely : NO, they shouldn't be allowed to marry someone from the same sex ^_^
If the homosexuality means an undecided sex of person ( male or female ), then I will not give the answer to this since it's very long and has lot of details >_<
Though, I think you meant the first one ^_^
Should a woman ever be punished for adultery i.e. sex outside of marriage?
hehehehehehehehe
Why do you ask about women only ^_^ ?
A man or a woman, if he/she committed adultery, he/she should be punished ^_^
If so, what might the punishment be?
The adultery penalty is as follow ( depending on the conditions ) :
1 - If he / she is married .. He / she should be sentenced to death ..
2 - If he / she is not married .. He / she should be beaten 100 times in front of the public ..
The beat itself should be in a way that the armpit of the executioner cannot be seen ( So, it's not a harmful beat .. Rather, It is for humiliation ) ..
I don't have a clue about why you ask about adultery, but, since you have asked 
, the question should be : If an man or women get caught .....
It is not easy to catch some one doing adultery ! Keep in mind that if someone caught an adultery, he has to bring 3 more witnesses with him .. All the 4 witnesses must witness by their own naked eyes the event in which the special part of the male is [u]inside[/] its place in the female body ..
Naked couples is not adultery .. Couples on top of each other and the special parts are not "connected" is not adultery .. Male's special part touching the female's special part from the outside is not adultery ..
If you fail to bring 3 more witnesses who really witnessed the event, all of you will be beaten and lose your credibility in the court ( you will not be considered as a witness in the future ) ..
Cameras, pictures, videos are not considered as witnesses ^_^
In Islam, it is almost impossible to catch adultery .. Punishment happens upon confession ( though the confession has many rules/conditions which must be satisfied in order for the confession to be accepted ^_^ )
^_^
Ja ne ~
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Offline
You believe the koran is the ultimate expression of logic. That it contains no assertions and in quoting it you are immune to making assumptions. What can we possibly say to each other. Talk to Butter. He's nicer than I am. But expect him to pull you apart like a roast chicken.
As for your underlying nasty streak, the central tenet of much of your post is a fallacy from force. Do what allah says or be tortured in this life and the next. I don't have to prove allah is there, you say, but if you don't believe me you will be tormented eternally. Anyone theist who posts bodily threats against atheists on this site will get short shrift from me. This weak and gutless argument exposes islam for the rotten apple that it is.
Then there's the fact the reason you are here is not to learn or even influence for good the evil dhimmis allah has chosen to not know him. Instead you are here to score brownie points with your sky daddy. How am I going with my character analysis now, Hungry?
Teefuckinghee.
"Experiments are the only means of knowledge at our disposal. The rest is poetry, imagination." Max Planck
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Offline Anno ^_^' .. There is no reply option there >_<
Hmmm, I might have accidentally put it on read only or something.
There, I changed it. You can post there now.
http://www.rationalresponders.com/forum/28520
Our revels now are ended. These our actors, | As I foretold you, were all spirits, and | Are melted into air, into thin air; | And, like the baseless fabric of this vision, | The cloud-capped towers, the gorgeous palaces, | The solemn temples, the great globe itself, - Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve, | And, like this insubstantial pageant faded, | Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff | As dreams are made on, and our little life | Is rounded with a sleep. - Shakespeare
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Ok Bob Spencer... I'll bite.
Here goes my answer:
1 - Because they didn't want to loose their power over society. These are priests on a strong religious society! Greedy humans.
2 - This story is a fable... You could adapt it to have any meaning you want. The Bible is full of metaphors.
3 - Genesis story probably originated from the middle east mythology. Mankind came from Africa.
4 - Based exclusively on my belief (and on some other sects and religions) made from an amalgam of what I know and how I interpret reality. Heaven is more a state of mind than a place and there's no hell or heaven per se. There's no judgement but our own upon ourselves and everyone eventually will reach bliss. Some will just take much longer to reach it.
5 - I have trouble answering this one because I have trouble defining God. I can't define God... I can try to attribute Him some characteristics based on what I know... but it's not sufficient for giving you a concise answer on this one. I know that if there is a God He has the highest moral standards.
6 - As I said before there is no such place as hell
7 - 4)
8 - Irrelevant (religious gibberish). Religions must adapt or die.
9 - I must admit the silence of the heavens is a point in favor of atheists. However I came to the conclusion that it's on purpose to preserve our free will and better education.
10 - This answer relates to the previous. I'm not convinced of the prophets inerrancy.
11 - Irrelevant. Some stories from the Bible are fables and myths.
12 - There's no such thing as the devil.
13 - Irrelevant. This is just OT cultural and historical context.
14 - Your pushing biblical interpretation to your pleasures with this one... anyway this is irrelevant. I believe in evolution.
15 - Finally a good question! The Infidel Guy gave a good answer. I choose option 1. I believe in the First Cause existence. If you say that God was the creator of the Universe and say nothing else, then The First Cause is God. As then God exists outside space-time, causality does not apply. Furthermore we cannot say anything about what's outside space time... our notions of causality or logic doesn't apply.
16 - 3) If we say there is a God and ultimately faith is always necessary to believe in God, then all faiths are true. Stop! If we go any further we are going to find differences in religious faiths. My point is just to God's existence.
17 - Nonsense again. Believe in Evolution.
18 - 1) Conscience is part of the brain as shown by your violent proof. My point is that chemical reactions on the brain don't explain consciousness awareness per se. I'm for the NDE explanation that consciousness is like the image on a TV set. The TV is the physical brain and the emissions broadcasted is consciousness. When you shut down your TV doesn't mean that consciousness disappears, only means it lost its ability to communicate with the material world. When you untune the signal, the image gets distorted, that's what happens with brain damage. The real YOU is your spirit not your brain.
19 - 2) and ONLY option 2
20 - I don't know if he is all knowing and if he is disappointed.
21 - This one is a nice one for literal interpreters
too bad I'm not one of them...
22 - The Universe is fine tuned. Forces are related in just the right proportions so that they create conditions for the appearance of life. If gravity or weak magnetic forces were different the Universe would probably be unable to support life. So I guess proponents are comparing with a Universe with different constants for forces. ID has more credit than you guys give... Denying ID would forcefully believing in multiverse theory. However I believe there are no basis to support multiverse (I'm not a cosmologist though). Denying ID and thus believing in multiverse is like saying: This Universe is fine tuned but since I don't believe in a Creator (outside space time) then multiverse is real (a random unknown process that create infinite pointless Universes). That's exactly the same as me saying: "Well God is silent, but since I believe He exists, I say that He his silent because of our free will and education...
23 - Irrelevant
24 - Irrelevant... but curious
25 - 3) i think... this is irrelevant too... we are so much "sons of God" as Jesus was.
26 - Irrelevant, this is a cultural question
27 - Irrelevant
28 - Irrelevant. there was no global flood.
29 - Irrelevant. there was no global flood.
30 - ...
31 - I don't know! Maybe there would be cloud formations everywere. Fumes underground and Nebulas in space! Geezz!!!
32 - God is not Jelous, the bible is wrong
33 - LOL
34 - ...
35 - There's no hell
36 - Whatever...
37 - evolution
38 - I think this question is for atheists rather then theists...
but ok I see your point! We should put him in jail because killing an innocent being is Universally wrong... ouch!
39 - Don't know if that concept even applies!
40 - Good question! Maybe it's BECAUSE its not "God" we must worship... but Love!
41 - None applies. Praying is connecting rather talking or changing. Praying is to have sex with God.
42 - Jesus sacrificed for the same thing Gandhi did - Ideals
43 - Some questions are so out of touch with my beliefs I don't even know where to begin... Religions are more or less wrong. The troubles of the world are for our learning and development.
44 - evolution
45 - evolution
46 - evolution
47 - No flood
48 - I don't know if those attributes apply to God
49 - Jesus died and if he is on the other side he is not in flesh
50 - HE did not create evil, evil is just lack of good. darkness is lack of light. hate is lack of love.
51 - the only thing happening is evolution, development and education.
52 - Semantics
53 - HE can't. I believe in aliens and I not in an institution. That only happens when someone loses his sense of reality and can't live in society anymore.
54 - Exactly.
55 - Hey dude... if it was possible to transplant your brain to a new body your soul would be at this new body because its interlinked to your brain and JUST your brain. Thought patterns (YOU), memories and personality is intransmissible.
56 - Not true according to research saying that we are programmed to have faith
57 - Biblical nonsense. God is my father too.
58 - Don't know. I can speculate.
59 - education and free will
60 - ...
61 - No he couldn't. To study and understand Cosmology and to accept it takes many years of study... same here.
62 - Maybe in some sense God is not all-knowing nor all-powerful. HE has a plan though
63 - No one's burning... only my pizza at the oven...
64 - On the basis of Love.
65 - Yes they are... therefore cannot burn as in fire.
66 - One can hold a barbaric belief if he's a stupid asshole.
67 - I already wondered about this question many times. Since I believe in some sort of reincarnation I answer with it. Even a short life can have impact in many ways. So it serves it's purposes although it's short.
68 - Maybe it got lost in the translation.
69 - C.S. Lewis is more or less correct. Jesus is not God and there's no hell.
70 - YEs it does in a sense
71 - This scenario wont happen.
72 - Who are patrons of Red Lobster?
73 - Good point. This is nonsense to me though. I believe in reincarnation.
74 - No. Because I'm not an asshole.
75 - Well... yeah I guess. One can tell you about a beautiful landscape but you can only REALLY appreciate it if you experience it
76 - I'm not a Bible literalist
77 - Ethics, education, rationality, externalities, holistic view.
78 - No, consciousness is independent from brain function. As your TV emissions are independent from your TV set.
79 - Anyone who says that is a moron.
80 - Don't know. Maybe this IS the plan.
81 - No
82 - No
83 - Depends
84 - They were all talking about the same God
85 - It's not
86 - Already asked. Nonsense again...
87 - learning process.
88 - There's no Satan!!!!!!!!!!!!!
89 - He is made of himself! Lol
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I’m picky, tired, don’t feel like arguing, and a little gassy from the Mongolian I just had for the first time! SO I’m going to choose a few questions to answer specifically in hopes only to help you understand and not necessarily to keep a debate going. Since I haven’t read anyone else’s replies to this I don’t know if I’m going to give a repeat answer, so I apologize in advance for that.
9) Why would we see that? Sure LeBron could beat Joe Jackson in a game of 1 on 1 playing barefoot on blacktop in the summer with a crowd full of Cleveland fans threatening to kill with pitchforks and torches. That would prove once and for all that LeBron deserves to make more money than Joe even though Joe is making more. But why do that?
The simple, serious answer to that is, God wants us to know his but he doesn’t care about proving anything. God cares whether people believe in him or not, and not to speak for God or anything, but he isn’t really interested in proving that he is there by doing more magic tricks than what was already done. If you don’t believe walking on water or feeding 5,000 then why would you believe a severed head got put back on? There is simply no point.
12) It’s earth, everyone and everything is corrupt. The Bible is truly the epitome of faith. I’m sure you know the history of the assembly of the Bible, the Cannon, and so forth. Take it at face value. It was a bunch of guys who got together and prayed and decided that these certain stories, letters, books, etc. were the word of God. Did Satan corrupt it That’s for an individual to decide. It sounds foolish, it may be foolish, but such is the nature of true faith in anything.
14) I don’t think the passage is implying that we were only meant to eat fruits. I am not entirely sure what I believe as far as the age of the earth. That whole 4,000 or 6,000 year estimate is complete crap for sure though. However to clarify the point made by new earth Christians, its microevolution. I honestly think if you don’t believe in microevolution, and survival of the fittest you are an idiot and don’t deserve to have an opinion on earth and how it was made. Animals eat each other because, well the weaker animals didn’t run fast or fight well. It’s not a punishment, just survival.
18) I personally believe in spirits like we say heart. “What does your heart tell you?” Clearly it’s your mind doing the thinking, but you still say heart. When the spirit of some one appears in the Bible, it doesn’t (to the best of my knowledge) specify the pop culture idea of the spirit being the visible version of a person who is dead. The only exception would be after Jesus’ ressurection. And well, he is Jesus. He is BA like that.
But to be serious, the better question in my opinion would be “what is a spirit?” The Bible talks about them, but as far as I can recall doesn’t give a clear enough definition for us to say it is a literal being living inside of us.
25) God has a flare for the dramatic! In Christianity when asking why God did something that seems so ineffective or odd, you must understand that God tends to do things that make him seem more glorious and powerful than things that are easy. Or the atheist explanation, people make up stories that are more dramatic to catch more attention!
26) God has blessed America. Sure 9/11 was tragic. But aren’t we luckier than Haiti? As a Christian when disasters or attacks happen anywhere in the world I don’t bother trying to explain it or question God about it. It doesn’t mater, all that matters is it happened. What can we as humans do to make it better. I don’t care why 9/11 happened, lets kill Osama and all those other little bastards and keep it from happening again. I don’t care why the earthquake in Haiti happened, I just care that there are thousands of people who lost their family and their homes…let’s replace what we can and remember what we can’t.
30) My guess would be 71 virgins and a really lucky guy? Sure it’s against their religion but what girl isn’t going to experiment a little when all she has is 71 females and one guy?!
31) CNN?
32) I’ll spare you the transitional linguistic part of it and cut to the meat. That’s tricky wordplay you see that makes it seem like it makes no sense, but if you go through the actual Hebrew and Greek of the scriptures and see which words are used, how they are used, and why they are used it makes sense. You’ll literally want to take a college class on Biblical language if you want to understand the trickiness of the words in the Bible. Most Christians don’t even understand that one word in English may mean 12 different things in Hebrew so they don’t interpret the language the right way.
33) Islamic Fundamentalists are just like every religious extremist wacko. They believe in their cause so much that they ignore it. It’s like “Christians” bombing abortion clinics. There is a bitter irony in someone protesting murder with murder. Nothing a religious extremist does will ever make sense when you read the actual religious text. Don’t try to ask questions because you’ll only realize how little sense they make.
39) I appreciate sarcasm as much as he next guy. I know this is intended as a fun question but the serious answer is this: We call God he. Is a finite being’s description of an infinite being complex enough? No. there’s no point in arguing over semantics.
42) He was a carnal being. He was fully God, but had flesh. His sacrifice was that he took a horrible punishment for people. The Bible says the punishment was magnified beyond a traditional crucifixion because of what he was doing…saving man.
45) Even if they didn’t know good and evil they knew yes and no. God said yes to other trees and no to that one.
60) You forgot my favorite part of Lev. Tearing down houses with mold! Boy if everyone still held that law Clorox would be SOL.
Answer: http://www.ukapologetics.net/Jesusandthelaw.html
72) The Bible gives NO ONE the right to harass ANYONE regardless of whether they are sinning or not. It pisses me off so bad to see that stuff. To answer the question of why isn’t eating lobster an abomination any more? Some Laws carried over in the New Covenant and some didn’t homosexuality did as is evident in the NT. Lobster eating didn’t. To answer the question “why are there ‘God hates fags’ signs?” Well, maybe you should ask the fag who made the sign? (When I used the word fag there at the end referencing the person who made the sign I do not mean it as a disparaging remark toward homosexuals but as one toward the guy who made the sign. I’m basically redefining the word to fit what I want it to mean. So please don’t tell me I’m being judgmental and that I’m a homophobe. My best friend watches Drop Dead Diva…and that’s close enough)
(then that last sentence was a Daniel Tosh reference so don’t say it was offensive either)
89) Spaghetti!!! It’s truly an unanswerable question. How could a creator be made of something he creates? God created atoms, ions, and materials. So how could he be made of atoms, or ions, or any material? It’s like saying “how many married bachelors do you know?” It just doesn’t make sense.
Questions I ignored I either did so for time, not caring to read, or because I honestly couldn’t answer a few myself.
My Master has no desire to be merely victor in a debate: he did not come into the world to fight a battle of logic just
for the sake of winning it. --Charles Spurgeon
Not a week after I post that about Lebron I see this:
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=5448600&categoryid=2378529
My Master has no desire to be merely victor in a debate: he did not come into the world to fight a battle of logic just
for the sake of winning it. --Charles Spurgeon
Nice to see this God is not bored with producing more and more and more humans, but bored with trying to convince them he will burn them in eternal flames. I guess you need a lot of people to stoke the fires of hell for eternity. Perhaps that is his strategy.
God says " Damn me. I showed them people 2000 years ago a few miracles that only a select few got to experience and somebody wrote it down, what more do you want from me people?" He *really* cares.
An all-powerful god would leave no doubt. That is why this god is not all powerful or he doesn't truly love human apes as he claims.
Religion Kills !!!
Numbers 31:17-18 - Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man, but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.
http://jesus-needs-money.blogspot.com/
So it is God's responsibility to prove every single day through a new miracle that he exists? Logically you're asking a hell of a lot form God, but even from a Christian perspective it couldn't happen. I'll spare you the details on Calvinism which I'm sure you're at least a little familiar with since the topic comes up so much. Just as there is micro evolution and macro evolution, there is micro free will and macro free will. God does not give macro free will (your free choice about whether or not you will choose God) but he does give micro free will (I choose to go to college or buy car). This answers most atheist questions about why would God do this?" and dispels most Christian claims of "I won the lottery, the Lord helped me do it!".
Given that God does not give macro free will, he would contradict that if he did continually give conclusive proof daily that he exists so that no one will deny him. That would be him tampering with the plan he set in place before the foundation of the earth (Ephesians 1). So there, my attempt as disproving the argument form non belief from a theological perspective instead of a logical one. I hope I added something new there, cause Ive never seen another Christian try it. If you don't believe in God then obviously it doesn't matter what theology I use. So I guess I'm merely explaining why it's theologically not possible, and not dispelling anything.
My Master has no desire to be merely victor in a debate: he did not come into the world to fight a battle of logic just
for the sake of winning it. --Charles Spurgeon
All I'd like is one, incontrovertible miracle that has no other possible explanation but his intervention that is available for all to see.
Again, since it might be his will that people aren't following him, do those folk still get heaven?
"I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions."
— George Carlin
But it's not Gods responsability to provide the miracle.
For the second question, you have to walk a fine line in the answer. Not all Christians believe this, but I do. God chose who would go to heaven. Everyone else doesn't get to. More specifically, he chose who would accept him and who wouldn't. So its not possible to not accept him and get into heaven. If you do not accept him, you do not go to heaven because your sins will not be forgiven because you did not choose him. You did not choose him because he did not choose you. That's the simplification of a theology that has been the subject of books, debates, and years of disagreement.
My Master has no desire to be merely victor in a debate: he did not come into the world to fight a battle of logic just
for the sake of winning it. --Charles Spurgeon
I don't believe I am asking a hellava lot from God. He says he cares about me more than anything and wants me to be with him. Yet he hides. What you think of a loved one who told you they loved you more than life itself and disappeared and put you on trial.
What is the responsibility of a loving parent? What if your dad wrote down things for you to do and before you were born left. As you grew your mom told you how wonderful your dad was. See this great book he left you. Other people got to experience his physical presence, but not you, never you. Other people got to see him raise people from the dead, but not you. Other people got to see him walk on water, but not you. And you know if you don't do all the things he said to you, he will come back in 70 or 80 years and punish you forever. 70 years of life doesn't equal trillion, gazillion years of punishment. No one can call that love except those who have the Stockholm Syndrome.
An all-powerful god can do whatever he likes, but if he choose to hide himself then I cannot believe in him anymore than I can believe in Krishna, Zeus, Allah, the one God, the trinity God, Horus or any other god who hides himself and I am only left with stories that are ancient. Absentee fathers are prosecuted.
The more I read the Bible the more I think Calvin got it right on the money about predestination. There is no free will. The Bible doesn't preach that. It is all about this God's ego. He creates us so he could have people worship him and destroy those who don't for his greater glory. This guy is very dysfunctional the Bible tells me so.
Religion Kills !!!
Numbers 31:17-18 - Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man, but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.
http://jesus-needs-money.blogspot.com/
I agree. It is what the Bible says. It is also B.S. These men couldn't explain why they were able to manipulate some people and not others. That is why they came up with predestination.
It is interesting to read the Bible from cover to cover, especially in chronological order. You see a growing awakening and tweaking of its theology. The intent was to explain suffering and how to avoid it. Why do bad things happen? That understanding develops throughout the Bible and it is analogous to superstition. It is first if you follow these rules bad things won't happen to you. God will punish you if you don't obey these rules. Well, that didn't work let's try something else. The rules grow and grow. When that doesn't work then it is flipped. It is because you do good that you are persecuted. Bad people hate you and persecute you. This developed in the later prophets and the period between the OT & NT. Also there was the development of God is testing you. Eventually that lead to apocalysism. The curtain is drawn aside and there are evil forces in this world who are out to get you. You will continue to be screwed over until the final outcome of Christ's return. Then you will get your reward and praise God those evil doers will get what is coming to them. The Bible is a search for answers and it used myths even from other cultures to explain the chaos of life. We understand far better today why bad stuff happens. We don't need a God to answer those questions, especially one who breaks even his own rules.
Religion Kills !!!
Numbers 31:17-18 - Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man, but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.
http://jesus-needs-money.blogspot.com/
4. When the believer gets to Heaven, how can Heaven be utter bliss when people they love and care about are burning in Hell ? - The Infidel Guy - [Note: Some say God erases your memories of them, but if God erases your memory, you as Mr. Joe /Jane Smoe ceases to exist.]
I did not read all the post! so if this has been brought up already someone just say so. If a person here on earth can be hit in the head, or lose a lot of blood they have amnesia. This means that they can't even tell you who they are. That's here on earth, now I can only reasonably assume that if the brain dies completely it's a complete system reset... Anyone else feel that way?
Throughout human history as our species has faced the frighten terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are and where we are going; it has been the authority (the political, the religious, and the educational authorities) who have attempted to comfort us. By giving us order, rules, and regulation. Informing or forming in our minds their view of reality. To think for yourself you must question these authorities. THINK FOR YOURSELF…
Are you saying our brain was made by Microsoft? Just need to reboot when we have problems. Dang, why didn't God think of that? You sin. Bam, reboot and you are good again. You have the makings of some interesting sci-fi.
Seriously, I think the whole point is lost if memories would be reset. You need those memories so you will never forget how utterly evil you were and God just chose you over billions of others to dwell with him for eternity. To worship this ego maniac you have to retain your memory and remember those who you are better off than. But for the grace of God go I.....
Religion Kills !!!
Numbers 31:17-18 - Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man, but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.
http://jesus-needs-money.blogspot.com/
God can do whatever he likes, but that doesn't mean he likes to prove to everyone he exists. And yes, Calvin was right, I agree.
My Master has no desire to be merely victor in a debate: he did not come into the world to fight a battle of logic just
for the sake of winning it. --Charles Spurgeon
1. The Pharisees rejected Him as part of God’s plan to redeem His children, those who would so choose Christ as their Savior. The “Jews” or the line of Abraham, aka God’s kids will someday recognize Christ as their Savior, the Messiah. 2. I suppose it could have been Noah’s flood. Of course you could keep asking why it hasn’t been found in the earth’s lower layers, or why it hasn’t been uncovered. If that scripture is true and God put the Cherubim on this earth, why couldn’t He take those things off just as easily? Believing in Cherubim but not believe that an omnipotent God could do what He wills with it seems like an odd logic to me. 3. So, where were our descendents created? Africa or near the Euphrates…well, bringing back the Noah’s flood piece, in the however many years since creation I’m sure the worlds changed a bit. I suppose you could toss around theories of Pangaea or erosion and other earth science facts until you draw up a few different theories. 4. Question on Heaven: I would not claim to understand Heaven, I haven’t been there yet J The Bible says Heaven will be bliss but you could say getting to Heaven is process, like in “The Five People You Meet in Heaven”. There are many ideas about Heaven, but maybe God wipes your memory? Maybe His glory outweighs everything and wipes away every tear. There are many different possibilities. 5. Why wouldn’t God have emotions? Emotions are sinful and we were made in His image. Just because He knew what would happen, does not mean He would not be sad or angry. Everything that happens, that He orchestrates, is part of His greater plan that we cannot see all of yet. He knows, but that doesn’t mean He feels nothing about it. 6. God created Adam and Eve to share His love. A parent does not create a child to genuinely love expecting them to never mess up in their life. In Romans chapter 7 it says that it takes us sinning, messing up, to realize that it’s wrong. Like a child making a mistake and learning from it, and then that draws us back to God. We choose to walk away, but then come back to our God, just as the prodigal son came back and repented of his ways. Then finally we can love and be loved again. 7. If we reject God, we choose to walk away from His love. We close it out of our lives. He allows that, we choose it. Hell is something that I believe that is consequential enough to lead people back to God’s love. Even if they choose not to accept God’s love, they may still play a part in someone else’s life (the big grand scheme) so they were born. We can’t see the big plan, so we really can’t know for sure what they’re purpose was. 8. If this is a question about Islam, I can’t answer. I don’t personally believe or know their laws well enough to answer. 9. God did amazing miracles, and Jesus performed amazing miracles. Why no big miracles? Why doesn’t God heal amputees? God gave us that last great miracle with Jesus. He gave us the power to heal, if that person so believes. But it’s faith. Maybe if an amputee was to be healed miraculously faith wouldn’t play a big part anymore. It didn’t seem to help in the day of Pharisees. 10. You may be serving a part in God’s plan, but not His will. He wants you to be with Him, but men harden their hearts against Him. It’s your choice. If you choose not to believe He is still able to use you in His plan for the rest of the world He loves. God did spread His word Himself with Jesus, and after that we were given the Great Commission. Each person has to choose whether to take it on faith and decide whether or not they want to listen to God. Pontius Pilate struggled with the idea of faith or being hard hearted. It’s each person’s choice.So he is entirely arbitrary. He made me an atheist and will punish me eternally. Praise Yahweh!
He doesn't like to prove to everyone he exists? What an asshole. Since it isn't something he likes doing maybe he would have been better off not proving it to anyone.
Religion Kills !!!
Numbers 31:17-18 - Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man, but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.
http://jesus-needs-money.blogspot.com/
If he existed then why reveal yourself in such a way as to cause so much debate?
Why don't we take the other 10 or so before him that claimed the same BS line.
I guess in those days when mom gets knocked up by the postman the story's got way out of hand..
Throughout human history as our species has faced the frighten terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are and where we are going; it has been the authority (the political, the religious, and the educational authorities) who have attempted to comfort us. By giving us order, rules, and regulation. Informing or forming in our minds their view of reality. To think for yourself you must question these authorities. THINK FOR YOURSELF…
You can say all you want about the words in a old book being proof that god exists to help you feel better about dealing with death, but the the reality is, there is no god. Is there a question a human can answer to prove there is a god? Since I have been alive I have not seen or heard about any god or gods giving any interviews or answering any questions directly on CNN or anywhere? Why not? Why wouldn't an "almighty god" show some kind of sign that it exists in this world?
~~Be Real~~
Yay, "might makes right". You wouldn't consider that a good deal between humans - why give God a pass? Are you afraid the god of love and the prince of peace will kick your tail?
"I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions."
— George Carlin
1. Jesus was more than likely a Pharisee himself and taught as Pharisees did. Their "rejection" of him was a fiction created later to help sell Jesus as a god.
2. I believe in neither God nor Cherubim as there is no evidence. The scripture is false.
5. Your God is a very emotional creature, full of wrath and jealousy. Are you saying God is evil because he has those emotions?
7. So God messed up what he thought was good originally so humankind could continue to kiss his tush?
9. So God doesn't heal anymore because his followers (who can do greater things than Jesus, according to Scripture) don't take him seriously anymore?
10. Aren't your answers here and in 7 simply absolving God of any responsibility? That's awfully nice of you but don't you think God is a big boy and can take care of himself?
"I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions."
— George Carlin
I did my taxes in a half hour.
And give me that girl's number. I'd like to rationally respond to this picture.
(entirely kidding if she's a girlfriend of someone on the board)
Edited by butterbattle: No advertising please.
HI,
I may answer more than one here...wow...a lot to work on!
84. If the Christian god was all loving and all knowing why did he let religious figures such as Mohammed or Gautama Budda be born, knowing that they would mislead people from the 'true' faith and trick the majority of the world's population into burning forever in hell (in fact, if Islam didn't start, most of the middle east would probably be Christian). It would simple to use the Holy Spirit to guide them to Jesus and spread the 'true' faith. If the Holy Spirit exits, it certainly isn't doing it's job!
But the key is the choice. The individual with choice. The Bible even states to 'try the Spirits' to see if they be from God. Jesus makes many warning about false messiahs, false prophets, 'wolves in sheeps clothing'. The NT is utterly suffuse with such warnings. In a world where good and evil, good and bad choices, and yes true and false paths exist the power of the individual seems to be VERY important to God (based on the Biblical account). Islam is no worse than the Gnostics, or other cults. Muslims are no more or less lost than anyone else according to the Bible. If there isn't free will to choose then there is no chance for 'free thinkers' to exist. There is no chance to weigh out the evidence and make a choice.
Why two creations instead of one?
Why would God create an imperfect, temporary universe only to replace it later with a perfect one? Why wouldn't God have created a perfect universe in the first place? This is a good question, but shows a lack of understanding of the biblical reason of why God created the universe. One can find the reason for the creation of the universe in the first few chapters of the Bible. God created humans in order to have a personal relationship with them, which He had with Adam and Eve before they sinned (Genesis 2). Jesus said that the first and foremost commandment was to "Love the Lord your God..."14 A personal relationship, characterized by the possibility of love, is only possible if created beings are given free will. If God had created the universe with no possibility of evil or sin, then the created beings would have had no free will, and, as such, would essentially be programmed computers. Such beings would be incapable of love, since love involves making a choice - which requires the ability to choose not to love. For example, I can program my computer to say "I love you" when it starts up. Does this mean that the computer really loves me? Of course not! Likewise, God could have programmed humans to say that they loved Him, without the possibility of rejecting Him or performing evil deeds. However, these programmed beings would exhibit about as much true love as my computer - not a very satisfying relationship. Therefore, God created the universe for the express purpose of allowing free will spiritual beings the opportunity to have fellowship with Him (and likewise, reject Him).
http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/evilandsuffering.html
"If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
Joshua 24:15 NAS
"Elijah came near to all the people and said, "How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people did not answer him a word"
1 Kings 18:21 NAS
So how do you call this rational response?
If you've already made up your mind, and it doesn't matter what anyone says, then how do you think you'll believe if God were to blow CNN away with an interview?
There is a story in that Bible that you don't believe in, it is a parable that Jesus shared. It makes the point quite well. It is about Lazarus and the rich man. Lazarus is a poor beggar who believes in God, the rich man, it is evident in the passage, has rejected God. When they both die, Lazarus is with Abraham and the rich man is in torment. One of the requests the rich man makes is to have Lazarus sent back to earth from the dead to tell his brothers about what awaits them if they don't believe and change their ways. The response given to this is that they have Moses and the prophets. If they don't believe them, then even if Lazarus were to return from death, they would not believe.
Here is the point of this statement: God knows and sees the heart and its intentions far clearer than you or I could ever imagine. This doesn't mean that He takes some form of pleasure in the eternal death of the sinner. He simply will not make them choose Him. If a person will not choose Him and the heaven He offers, why should God force their hand?
You're right, it's an old book. One that Voltaire said wouldn't survive 50 years longer in the "Age of Reason." Imagine the power of a God who proved Voltaire's presumption wrong, and then paved the way to open a bible society office in Voltaire's own home! Irony doesn't catch you? What about all the proof many clamor for... If you don't believe now by simple refusal, then every miraculous thing possible could happen, and chances are you still wouldn't believe... With one exception...
The exception is that God doesn't just try to convince your intellect. He cares about your understanding, but He'd much rather have your heart. He will work on a person over time if that is what it takes. That person will still have to face points of decision in their lives, but He will give you every reason to believe that you need, not every one you want. That assumes that you can make my Omnicient, Omnipresent, and Omnipowerful God your puppet. Not a chance. He loves you and cares about all your questions. If you're truly seeking, He will go out of His way to help you find Him. Sounds like love to me!
Someday, you'll come to terms with that. Trust me.
I'm an idiot.
-The Specialist-