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The opening paragraph about becoming a skeptic after researching the bible seems to be a bad analogy. One could list contradicting examples of skeptics who bec

by hcrisp 10y ago

The opening paragraph about becoming a skeptic after researching the bible seems to be a bad analogy. One could list contradicting examples of skeptics who became believers by looking further into the subject (C.S. Lewis, perhaps Lew Wallace who later wrote Ben-Hur, and Lee Strobel in our own day). "The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried." - G.K. Chesterton

nickpsecurity 10y ago
I disagree. I used to cite them back when I was a Christian, esp Stobel. You find looking further into them that they didn't really become Christians by investigating evidence, esp alternatives in religion. It was always a faith-based thing. Strobel, one I pulled myself outside the echo chamber, was especially one-sided and fraudulent as shown below. Author even encourages you to whip out Case for Christ and follow along with him. http://www.bidstrup.com/apologetics.htm http://www.bidstrup.com/apologetics.htm You have the logical arguments that most ex-Christians come up with on their own. Also, recall Genesis says we have ability of "gods" to know right from wrong. So, we know the shit is wrong. Especially all the rape and slavery linked to on the right. ;) http://www.evilbible.com/evil-bible-home-page/god-is-impossible/ http://www.evilbible.com/evil-bible-home-page/god-is-impossi... Then there was the contradictions we kept noticing. Some of these are justifiable but others (esp integer section) clearly show unreliability. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB3g6mXLEKk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB3g6mXLEKk So, it's not as if we don't read the Bible. The number of ex-Christians that spent years dedicated to it, reading it daily, studying its history, doing apologetics, and so on counters that easily. It's that the book itself & evidence behind it doesn't add up to reason. So, once faith leaves, reason takes over and we leave it for rational things. That simple. Note: I'm not going to continue a Bible debate from here. Believe what you want to. It's not the point. I'm merely countering this myth that anyone that rejects it didn't read it, try it, commit with their heart, whatever. That's straight-up lies perpetuated by a subset of Christians. It's actually a combo of logical and emotional reasons plus issues with Bible itself. That leads to opposition to it.
- hcrisp 10y ago
  I think it's not how much you scrutinize the bible, but whether you look beyond the surface and ask whether on the whole it does in fact represent a cohesive view of reality. Sure, you will find what you go looking for -- for both good or ill. All find what they truly seek. But beyond motivations, there is the deeper question of whether it is really true. "If Christianity is untrue, then no honest man will want to believe it, however helpful it might be; if it is true, every honest many will want to believe it, even if it gives him no help at all." - C.S. Lewis

by hcrisp 10y ago

nickpsecurity 10y ago

I disagree. I used to cite them back when I was a Christian, esp Stobel. You find looking further into them that they didn't really become Christians by investigating evidence, esp alternatives in religion. It was always a faith-based thing. Strobel, one I pulled myself outside the echo chamber, was especially one-sided and fraudulent as shown below. Author even encourages you to whip out Case for Christ and follow along with him. http://www.bidstrup.com/apologetics.htm http://www.bidstrup.com/apologetics.htm You have the logical arguments that most ex-Christians come up with on their own. Also, recall Genesis says we have ability of "gods" to know right from wrong. So, we know the shit is wrong. Especially all the rape and slavery linked to on the right. ;) http://www.evilbible.com/evil-bible-home-page/god-is-impossible/ http://www.evilbible.com/evil-bible-home-page/god-is-impossi... Then there was the contradictions we kept noticing. Some of these are justifiable but others (esp integer section) clearly show unreliability. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB3g6mXLEKk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB3g6mXLEKk So, it's not as if we don't read the Bible. The number of ex-Christians that spent years dedicated to it, reading it daily, studying its history, doing apologetics, and so on counters that easily. It's that the book itself & evidence behind it doesn't add up to reason. So, once faith leaves, reason takes over and we leave it for rational things. That simple. Note: I'm not going to continue a Bible debate from here. Believe what you want to. It's not the point. I'm merely countering this myth that anyone that rejects it didn't read it, try it, commit with their heart, whatever. That's straight-up lies perpetuated by a subset of Christians. It's actually a combo of logical and emotional reasons plus issues with Bible itself. That leads to opposition to it.

hcrisp 10y ago
I think it's not how much you scrutinize the bible, but whether you look beyond the surface and ask whether on the whole it does in fact represent a cohesive view of reality. Sure, you will find what you go looking for -- for both good or ill. All find what they truly seek. But beyond motivations, there is the deeper question of whether it is really true. "If Christianity is untrue, then no honest man will want to believe it, however helpful it might be; if it is true, every honest many will want to believe it, even if it gives him no help at all." - C.S. Lewis