Creation myths

Originally posted by vistesd
So—

If you did not think that you had had a purpose of life given to you (or set out for you) you would commit suicide? You would cease to love those whom you now love?

What do you think is the purpose of a symphony? Of listening to a symphony? Can you decide—without being told what such a purpose must be?

That's the point-we ALL have a purpose in this life or else we wouldn't be here. I would never think that I had no purpose being here, or you for that matter.

The purpose of a symphony is to create music; the purpose of listening to a symphony is for enjoyment; nobody would have to tell why I must listen to a symphony....don't really understand your analogy with this symphoy thing...sorry.

Originally posted by dystoniac
No consensus that Moses was an actual person? What are you talking about? Santa Clause may not be an actual person, but Moses? What is your consensus that Moses did not exist?

Is this actually news to you - that one person did not write the Torah? That Abraham and Moses (among others) could very well be legendary figures? That there is no corroberation that these individuals existed? This is basic stuff in the theology classes I attended. What about you?

Originally posted by dystoniac
Man, reading your post reminded me of when I used to 'jello-shots'...LOL. I can't disprove nor prove anything regarding creation/evolution. There may well be an elf in your closet. Look at the physical laws of science, astronomy, mathematics, etc., and you will see design instead of chaos. If evolution were fact, what is the purpose of life?

I can't disprove nor prove anything regarding creation/evolution.

Then I really don't understand your previous point. You claimed the atheist is "stymied" by such facts; but by your own admission, you too are symmetrically stymied. Further, you're obviously not too worried about being so "stymied". So what was your previous point?

Look at the physical laws of science, astronomy, mathematics, etc., and you will see design instead of chaos.

No, I don't see any good evidence of design. What I do see, often, are people running around attributing agency to just about anything that awes or mystifies them on just about any level.

If evolution were fact, what is the purpose of life?

Evolutionary theory, broadly construed, is the best, most plausible explanatory platform we have for the diversity of life and faculties. To answer your question, it has nothing to say on the "purpose" of life as you mean it in a normative sense. Evolutionary theory has no implications by way of value claims. It wouldn't preclude any value claims, and it wouldn't entail any value claims (although, many value systems would include ancillary considerations regarding descriptive facts about, for example, human nature).

I don't take it to be the case there that is some "purpose of life". I think many different life forms can imbue their own lives with meaning in many ways. With humans I also take it to be the case that there are some general dispositional traits that promote a flourishing way of life. So I hold some value claims, but they really have nothing to do with evolutionary theory. They have to do with, for example, our social nature, our prosocial tendencies, the emotional "needs" we hold, etc. Evolutionary theory gives me some descriptive understanding of such properties and faculties inasmuch as they were selected for.

Originally posted by dystoniac
That's the point-we ALL have a purpose in this life or else we wouldn't be here. I would never think that I had no purpose being here, or you for that matter.

The purpose of a symphony is to create music; the purpose of listening to a symphony is for enjoyment; nobody would have to tell why I must listen to a symphony....don't really understand your analogy with this symphoy thing...sorry.

That's the point-we ALL have a purpose in this life or else we wouldn't be here.

Okay, can you construct a logical argument that starts with “(1) We’re here… (2) …. (3)…. (N) Therefore we must have a [given] purpose”? Or something like that. You are making a claim, but I don’t see the connections; neither does LemonJello, and he’s more astute at this stuff than I am.

NOTE: Forget the symphony analogy; I think I was reading something into your post that is not there. Mea culpa.
😳

Originally posted by Badwater
Is this actually news to you - that one person did not write the Torah? That Abraham and Moses (among others) could very well be legendary figures? That there is no corroberation that these individuals existed? This is basic stuff in the theology classes I attended. What about you?

I don't know what school you attend, but it sounds like UC Berkeley. I know nothing about the Torah as I'm not Jewish. Why do you say that Moses could be legendary? Is it because your professor says so? I believe the Bible to be true; therefore, Moses was a real person.

Originally posted by dystoniac
I don't know what school you attend, but it sounds like UC Berkeley. I know nothing about the Torah as I'm not Jewish. Why do you say that Moses could be legendary? Is it because your professor says so? I believe the Bible to be true; therefore, Moses was a real person.

Really. And what do you have to substantiate that, beyond mere 'belief'?

Originally posted by Badwater
Really. And what do you have to substantiate that, beyond mere 'belief'?

The inspired Word of God: The Bible.

Originally posted by dystoniac
I don't know what school you attend, but it sounds like UC Berkeley. I know nothing about the Torah as I'm not Jewish. Why do you say that Moses could be legendary? Is it because your professor says so? I believe the Bible to be true; therefore, Moses was a real person.

You're fairly new here and you've stumbled upon a great place to learn things related to the Bible, spirituality, and opposing views. There are some very very educated people here who will serve you well much like those who were with Jesus in the Temple when he was 12.

Originally posted by kirksey957
You're fairly new here and you've stumbled upon a great place to learn things related to the Bible, spirituality, and opposing views. There are some very very educated people here who will serve you well much like those who were with Jesus in the Temple when he was 12.

Opposing views?

Very little of what is said in this forum is supportive of the Bible.

"There are some very very educated people here who will serve you well much like those who were with Jesus in the Temple when he was 12."

Are you suggesting that it was Jesus that was served by those that were with Him in the Temple when He was 12?

Originally posted by dystoniac
The inspired Word of God: The Bible.

Thank you for replying "Nothing."

Originally posted by josephw
...
Very little of what is said in this forum is supportive of the Bible.
...

What you mean to say is that very little of what is said in this forum is supportive of your view of the Bible. An honest mistake; however, you stand corrected. 😉

Originally posted by josephw
Opposing views?

Very little of what is said in this forum is supportive of the Bible.

[b]"There are some very very educated people here who will serve you well much like those who were with Jesus in the Temple when he was 12."

Are you suggesting that it was Jesus that was served by those that were with Him in the Temple when He was 12?[/b]

Absolutely! I'm sure there must have been lively discussion and debate and I'm pretty sure the company he kept probably kept him from getting a major ass whoopin from Mary and Joseph.

Originally posted by kirksey957
You're fairly new here and you've stumbled upon a great place to learn things related to the Bible, spirituality, and opposing views. There are some very very educated people here who will serve you well much like those who were with Jesus in the Temple when he was 12.

I don't dispute the intelligence of the atheists and Christian-haters here. satan, too, is very intelligent and convincing to those who refuse to see God's way for eternal life and instead choose the dark and dead path that is so evident in their viewpoints. What can these people teach me about the Bible when they don't believe it is the Word of God. The opposing viewpoints here are philosphical to the point of being 'secular-progessive psychobabble'.
Thank you, nonetherless.

Originally posted by kirksey957
Absolutely! I'm sure there must have been lively discussion and debate and I'm pretty sure the company he kept probably kept him from getting a major ass whoopin from Mary and Joseph.

Jesus NEVER lost a debate. Mary and Joseph were just as dumbfounded about the abilities of their Son as was the rest of the world. Jesus chose his disciples/mentors on their ability to advance God's message rather than to keep Him in line.

Originally posted by dystoniac
I don't dispute the intelligence of the atheists and Christian-haters here. satan, too, is very intelligent and convincing to those who refuse to see God's way for eternal life and instead choose the dark and dead path that is so evident in their viewpoints. What can these people teach me about the Bible when they don't believe it is the Word of God. Th ...[text shortened]... osphical to the point of being 'secular-progessive psychobabble'.
Thank you, nonetherless.

Uh...you're welcome. Well, let's try something if you're open to it. Do you believe that when John says "In the beginning was the word" it was referring to the Bible as you know it?