Would you have converted to Christianity if there were no Bible?
The existence of a Bible is not required for the converting to Christianity.
There have been many, who have converted to Christianity without ever
reading a Bible.
Originally posted by RJHinds The existence of a Bible is not required for the converting to Christianity.
There have been many, who have converted to Christianity without ever
reading a Bible.
Were they converted without a Bible is the question and not whether they have read one.
If there were no Bible nobody now would even know about Jesus or the apostles. Would you have converted to Christianity without knowing this?
Originally posted by avalanchethecat If I might be so bold as to intrude at this point, it is perfectly possible to be interested in and willing to discuss the many and varied aspects of spirituality without becoming a card-carrying christian, or indeed follower of any other faith.
Personally, I find the "if you're not a believer why do you hang around here?" question to be a rather ...[text shortened]... with other believers, may I respectfully suggest that this is not the right forum for you.
I don't want to be misunderstood. I welcome anyone to join in and say whatever's on their mind. I just know that from my perspective, I don't hang out in Atheist forums because I have no interest in it.
Now you did say that it can very well be a matter of interest among other things.
And that leads to my suspicion. I believe that Atheists hang out in the spiritual forums because they have some inner interest in spiritual matters.
I wholeheartedly believe that if a self-proclaimed Atheist was truly convinced of their position, they would have absolutely zero interest in hanging out in the spiritual forums. Again, I liken it to RJH or myself, visiting "Santa Claus Believers" forums and engaging the people there. Pointless.
Originally posted by Zahlanzi #2.
Gamma Ray Bursts
While cosmic rays can be harmful and even fatal, they're stopped just short of eradicating all life on Earth by our built-in defense system. This shield has given us just enough time, as a species, to develop and understand the concept of smugness, before the universe brings out the big guns.
Enter the gamma ray burst.
Or In ...[text shortened]... om/article_19117_7-horrible-ways-universe-can-destroy-us-without-warning_p2.html#ixzz1bJJHnPKC
This is some really great stuff man!
7 Horrible Ways The Universe Can Destroy Us Without Warning.
I wonder how many ways there are to die here on earth. I bet there are thousands.
Originally posted by josephw This is some really great stuff man!
7 Horrible Ways The Universe Can Destroy Us Without Warning.
I wonder how many ways there are to die here on earth. I bet there are thousands.
sure cracked has written some article on that. dig around it, it's great fun. and if we all start replying to dasa with cracked articles, maybe he will go away
Originally posted by Zahlanzi sure cracked has written some article on that. dig around it, it's great fun. and if we all start replying to dasa with cracked articles, maybe he will go away
I understand your sentiment, but I don't want Dasa to go away. I want to embrace him as a brother.
This is a spirituality forum, and as such, by definition, the goal is to link us all together spiritually in the brotherhood of man.
Of course, I'm a realist. It will never happen until we all agree. That day will come as sure as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
1 Timothy 2:1-6
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
Originally posted by sumydid I don't want to be misunderstood. I welcome anyone to join in and say whatever's on their mind. I just know that from my perspective, I don't hang out in Atheist forums because I have no interest in it.
Now you did say that it can very well be a matter of interest among other things.
And that leads to my suspicion. I believe that Atheists hang out i ...[text shortened]... myself, visiting "Santa Claus Believers" forums and engaging the people there. Pointless.
Your error is taking your narrow definition of the word spirituality, and thinking it applies to everyone. What you call spirituality some might call nonsense and vice versa.
And just to reiterate what has been spelled out already, this is the spirituality forum, not the Christianity® forum.
Originally posted by josephw I understand your sentiment, but I don't want Dasa to go away. I want to embrace him as a brother.
This is a spirituality forum, and as such, by definition, the goal is to link us all together spiritually in the brotherhood of man.
Of course, I'm a realist. It will never happen until we all agree. That day will come as sure as the sun rises in the eas ...[text shortened]... en, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.[/b]
dasa doesn't want to be embraced.
dasa doesn't want spiritual linking.
dasa doesn't want spiritual bridges between philosophies that at the core might even be the same.
dasa wants us to cross the bridge to his cookoo land and embrace his views entirely, including all the pointless fluff that exists in all religions.
dasa wants to hammer us with his "truth" until we get lobotomized and know only it.
Originally posted by sumydid I don't want to be misunderstood. I welcome anyone to join in and say whatever's on their mind. I just know that from my perspective, I don't hang out in Atheist forums because I have no interest in it.
Now you did say that it can very well be a matter of interest among other things.
And that leads to my suspicion. I believe that Atheists hang out i ...[text shortened]... myself, visiting "Santa Claus Believers" forums and engaging the people there. Pointless.
I don't want to be misunderstood. I welcome anyone to join in and say whatever's on their mind. I just know that from my perspective, I don't hang out in Atheist forums because I have no interest in it.
Originally posted by sumydid I don't want to be misunderstood. I welcome anyone to join in and say whatever's on their mind. I just know that from my perspective, I don't hang out in Atheist forums because I have no interest in it.
Now you did say that it can very well be a matter of interest among other things.
And that leads to my suspicion. I believe that Atheists hang out i ...[text shortened]... myself, visiting "Santa Claus Believers" forums and engaging the people there. Pointless.
Clearly the atheists who frequent this forum do have an interest in spiritual matters. As PK has already pointed out however, while you appear to perceive christianity and spirituality to be the same thing, this is not actually the case for non-christians. It's also worth repeating that not all atheists are 'hard' atheists. Some of us are quite prepared to accept that some form of deity may exist.
Like many others however, I feel quite confident in rejecting your religion and scripture (well, not entirely rejecting this, but valuing it no more highly than other ancient writings). That doesn't mean I don't think that there may be a spiritual aspect in life and in fact I have a quite avid interest in discussing this with similarly open-minded people. Unfortunately the often ignorant and ill-informed dogmatism of some frequent posters here tends to make such discussion rather difficult.
Originally posted by avalanchethecat Clearly the atheists who frequent this forum do have an interest in spiritual matters. As PK has already pointed out however, while you appear to perceive christianity and spirituality to be the same thing, this is not actually the case for non-christians. It's also worth repeating that not all atheists are 'hard' atheists. Some of us are quite prepa ...[text shortened]... med dogmatism of some frequent posters here tends to make such discussion rather difficult.
I am sure you and other atheists would be more comfortable with
Satanism or other occult practices. I guess I must be scolded for
trying to limit this forum to good and eliminate the evil, in your
opinion.
Originally posted by Zahlanzi dasa doesn't want to be embraced.
dasa doesn't want spiritual linking.
dasa doesn't want spiritual bridges between philosophies that at the core might even be the same.
dasa wants us to cross the bridge to his cookoo land and embrace his views entirely, including all the pointless fluff that exists in all religions.
dasa wants to hammer us with his "truth" until we get lobotomized and know only it.
On one level I have to agree with your analysis, but on the other hand I have to empathise with the man.
I met a fella on a boardwalk out in California one time that talked endlessly about what the Bible meant by what it said. I was unable to get a word in edgewise to show him why he was wrong. I suspected that he was somewhat high.
I don't think Dasa is on drugs, but he is obviously unable to at least listen to any other point of view because he is so heavily entrenched in Hinduism.