Are You Normal?
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The bible
I personally think jesus was a real person because there is historical evidence of this. I don't htink he was the son of god. I think the bible was written by people.
Part of the reason i think this is that if it had been written by or on the advice of an all knowing god he could done a much better job. For example, putting in some references to issues that would make sense once science had improved, eg. the status of a fetus and making his views on subjects like homosexuality.
I also think people who believe thay are in contact with god should be treated for schitzophrenia.
Is this normal?
Part of the reason i think this is that if it had been written by or on the advice of an all knowing god he could done a much better job. For example, putting in some references to issues that would make sense once science had improved, eg. the status of a fetus and making his views on subjects like homosexuality.
I also think people who believe thay are in contact with god should be treated for schitzophrenia.
Is this normal?
Do you think it's normal?
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Check out these other IIN stories:
http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mbible1.html
There is a video now available about the evidence for Jesus having never existed. It is called, "The God Who Wasn't There"
http://www.thegodmovie.com/
As for your criticism of the quality and clarity of the Bible, I am in complete agreement. It is impossible for a perfect being to write or "inspire" such a flawed book. And the evidence that many of the books that were voted into the Bible were not written by the people they say they are was already acessible to Thomas Paine back at the founding of the United States. His book, "The Age of Reason," about the dubious authority of the Bible is available today from Project Gutenberg.
As for the schitzophernia question, I don't think that all people who make mistakes about evidence or hallucinate necessarily have mental problems. The thought process, when you pay attention to it seems to many people like voices inside the head. Senses and self-awareness can be confusing sometimes, particularly when it is a phenomena that you never hear anyone else talk about.
Your statements are weak since abortion and homosexuality are bluntly addressed in the bible. It doesn't seem like you have a very broad perspective on faith and religion. You spell good too. Very normal.
And people have twigged on many times, even though they often risked their lives or reputation for it. And surely with the gospel of judas floating around now you must have realised the foolishness of believing anything you read in an old book?
The thing about science is that when theres a better theory you move on and use that, because it works, a heliocentric circular model may work but ellipses work better, and a theory of gravity works better than that, and general relativity works better than that.
You can easily believe god existed and was not the son of god, in the same way you can think that any of the 'false messiahs' existed but weren't the son of god, and it doesn't mean that people then might have thought so. I mean come on read some of the b******s on the internet that people believe now, are you telling me that in 2000 years time those webpages will suddenly become true?
I agree that if people are to be treated for schitzophrenia then people should be treated for religion, if they would listen then it would only take a little chat, but unfortunately i fear that at the heart of this affliction is suspension of disbelief and denial, and debate generally relies on having a rational entity on the other side. What I'm saying here is that the treatment should just be discussion, and after all we should as moral people be treating schitzophrenics properly anyway.
And I think the opinion that religion is needed to keep people morally in order is laughable, niave and immature. Why should morals be anything to do with believing in a higher sentient being?
I don't go around f***ing my mum and shooting people just because I don't believe in god. Infact I would trust much more somone who was able to make desicions and choices based on rational thinking and evidence rather than somone who didn't question their views. Its like the person who says 'is my country doing the right thing' rather than believing their nation is superior to all others.
And sorry but considering the existence of 'God' is not a logical extension of available evidence this would imply that the bible could not logically be the word of God, as it is not rational to think he exists.
In my opinion,you should take the bible less seriously and try thinking, if you really want to find some answers go become an astrophysicist and find them, but you'll find its actually very hard, slow and often years of work take you the minutest part to a closer understanding of what happens. Sorry but that's reality.
By the bible I will assume you are referring to just what is called the 'old' testament, the five books of Moses, or the Torah. Since the 'new' testament was compiled during the council of nicaea (also historically verifiable). The 'old' testament however has no identifiable roots and the only historical record of any kind referring to its inception, is the one it contains.
So the problem is one of introduction. How and when was it introduced? Why was it believed and accepted? And where is the historical data regarding it?
i dont need a theory. i dont care. we are here now, and we will be gone in 0.1-99.9 years, or so. why does it matter. i propose that we should live our lives in the present and not worry about how we got here, and why things are how they are and what will happen after death. i propose spontanianity. am i alone here, or does anyone agree with me?
Similarly, there was one a bishop in Turnkey named Nickolas. He often wore a red Bishop's robe with white trim. The Spanish word for Nicolas is Clause, and the spanish word for Saint is Santa.