November 17, 201510 yr Do you have a view on the Rapture? I gave you mine. And, no, I have no expectations of changing anyone's mind. Those who accepted it from the time mommy and daddy told them it was so are not going to be re-programmed without professional assistance, and I am just a lowly professor who educates your children in math and science.. It would be debatable on your ability to educate anyone with so much condescension in your character.
November 19, 201510 yr No one know of Ms MacDonald? Not the EI EI O MacDonald ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_MacDonald_(visionary) But John Nelson Darby is really who you ought to research. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Nelson_Darby
November 19, 201510 yr Author Rapture is fantasy wish -wash that has gained popularity in the past four decades or so. Even if I believed such madness I would never openly admit it for fear of spending my golden years in a psyche ward. There are no pink unicorns, spaghetti monsters, or gods of any sort watching over everything you do and you know this as a rational being. However, rather than accept the hard truth you choose to accept a reassuring fable. It's a wonderful thought that we will see our loved ones again. Who wouldn't want to think that? But just because you want it doesn't make fact. You have absolutely no evidence to suggest that people will disappear into the air in the blink of an eye just as you have no evidence that some bearded man awaits you at the pearly gates. And you know this!!! Allowing yourself to accept what your rational mind knows is true is what you struggle with. I decided years ago to give up believing in reassuring fables. But that's me.
November 20, 201510 yr Rapture is fantasy wish -wash that has gained popularity in the past four decades or so. Even if I believed such madness I would never openly admit it for fear of spending my golden years in a psyche ward. There are no pink unicorns, spaghetti monsters, or gods of any sort watching over everything you do and you know this as a rational being. However, rather than accept the hard truth you choose to accept a reassuring fable. It's a wonderful thought that we will see our loved ones again. Who wouldn't want to think that? But just because you want it doesn't make fact. You have absolutely no evidence to suggest that people will disappear into the air in the blink of an eye just as you have no evidence that some bearded man awaits you at the pearly gates. And you know this!!! Allowing yourself to accept what your rational mind knows is true is what you struggle with. I decided years ago to give up believing in reassuring fables. But that's me. Actually its popularity rose from the early 20th Century and on the backs of the Scofield Study Bible.
November 20, 201510 yr Rapture is fantasy wish -wash that has gained popularity in the past four decades or so. Even if I believed such madness I would never openly admit it for fear of spending my golden years in a psyche ward. There are no pink unicorns, spaghetti monsters, or gods of any sort watching over everything you do and you know this as a rational being. However, rather than accept the hard truth you choose to accept a reassuring fable. It's a wonderful thought that we will see our loved ones again. Who wouldn't want to think that? But just because you want it doesn't make fact. You have absolutely no evidence to suggest that people will disappear into the air in the blink of an eye just as you have no evidence that some bearded man awaits you at the pearly gates. And you know this!!! Allowing yourself to accept what your rational mind knows is true is what you struggle with. I decided years ago to give up believing in reassuring fables. But that's me. Do you have any evidence that there is not another world with pearly gates?
November 20, 201510 yr Author blah blah blah Talking snakes....blah,blah, blah . Trump has some real estate he would love to sell you! Benny Hinn's ready for you too.
November 20, 201510 yr Author Do you have any evidence that there is not another world with pearly gates? No, but when science points me in that world's direction, I'm onboard. I would love space travel.
November 25, 201510 yr Do you have any evidence that there is not another world with pearly gates? Saying "you can't prove there is a heaven" and saying "you can't prove there isn't" are not positions that are balanced and cancel each other out. I will give an example. A man murders a young child. You are on the jury. His only defense is "I was possessed by a demon, which has left me now." You go back into the jury room. You say, "He can't prove he was possessed by a demon." One of the other jurors looks at you and says, "can you prove that he was not?" Anyone who would give his defense any weight should have their head examined. It is the type of claim that requires evidence, or proof, before a rational person would rely upon it. Anyone who claims God exists, or any other part of it, like "there is a heaven" will never have any proof or evidence, just like the claim of demonic possession. The only real difference is people are taught to believe in God as children, just like Santa. The other difference is that people want to believe in God, they want it to be true. I don't know why they want it to be true, heaven sounds horrible. An eternity of existence living with a "jealous" god who loves being praised and who can read your mind? I'll pass lol.
November 25, 201510 yr Saying "you can't prove there is a heaven" and saying "you can't prove there isn't" are not positions that are balanced and cancel each other out. I will give an example. A man murders a young child. You are on the jury. His only defense is "I was possessed by a demon, which has left me now." You go back into the jury room. You say, "He can't prove he was possessed by a demon." One of the other jurors looks at you and says, "can you prove that he was not?" Anyone who would give his defense any weight should have their head examined. It is the type of claim that requires evidence, or proof, before a rational person would rely upon it. Anyone who claims God exists, or any other part of it, like "there is a heaven" will never have any proof or evidence, just like the claim of demonic possession. The only real difference is people are taught to believe in God as children, just like Santa. The other difference is that people want to believe in God, they want it to be true. I don't know why they want it to be true, heaven sounds horrible. An eternity of existence living with a "jealous" god who loves being praised and who can read your mind? I'll pass lol. In no way, shape, or form was I inferring that the basis of my faith is the fact that its near impossible to prove a negative. Since SF oftentimes alludes to scientific "evidence" for many of his claims, I was attempting to see if he had any evidence that I was 100% wrong. To the bolded, there is a heck of a lot more to Christian Theology than that. For starters, let's keep in mind we also believe in the God who loves us unconditionally no matter how bad we screw up our relationship with Him. I think an eternity of love would not be horrible.
November 27, 201510 yr Author Saying "you can't prove there is a heaven" and saying "you can't prove there isn't" are not positions that are balanced and cancel each other out. I will give an example. A man murders a young child. You are on the jury. His only defense is "I was possessed by a demon, which has left me now." You go back into the jury room. You say, "He can't prove he was possessed by a demon." One of the other jurors looks at you and says, "can you prove that he was not?" Anyone who would give his defense any weight should have their head examined. It is the type of claim that requires evidence, or proof, before a rational person would rely upon it. Anyone who claims God exists, or any other part of it, like "there is a heaven" will never have any proof or evidence, just like the claim of demonic possession. The only real difference is people are taught to believe in God as children, just like Santa. The other difference is that people want to believe in God, they want it to be true. I don't know why they want it to be true, heaven sounds horrible. An eternity of existence living with a "jealous" god who loves being praised and who can read your mind? I'll pass lol. I'll have to pass as well. You make a good point, one which I agree with. That is, people believe because they want it to be true so badly. Believing that there is a beautiful heaven someone with streets of gold and being surrounded by loved ones is a reassuring thought but, unfortunately, one without any rational basis. Just because it's something I might like to be real is not enough for me to suspend all rational thought and accept something that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. You hit the nail on the proverbial head, Mayfield. They believe either because they were indoctrinated since childhood(mama, daddy, grandpa, and grandma can't be wrong, can they?) or because they simply want it to be real so badly they are willing to suspend logic and accept a reassuring fable over the cold, hard truth.
November 27, 201510 yr They believe either because they were indoctrinated since childhood(mama, daddy, grandpa, and grandma can't be wrong, can they?) or because they simply want it to be real so badly they are willing to suspend logic and accept a reassuring fable over the cold, hard truth. Not true. I know what I believe and why I believe it. I've spent almost half my life studying scriptures and hermeneutics. I was taught things when I was younger that I have decided to no longer believe and I have expanded some topics that I was introduced to. I disagree with my parents and grand parents on doctrinal and apologetical things on a not so are occasion. I under stand you have your opinion on this topic, but I am telling you that, in my case, your assumption is completely wrong.
November 27, 201510 yr Author Not true. I know what I believe and why I believe it. I've spent almost half my life studying scriptures and hermeneutics. I was taught things when I was younger that I have decided to no longer believe and I have expanded some topics that I was introduced to. I disagree with my parents and grand parents on doctrinal and apologetical things on a not so are occasion. I under stand you have your opinion on this topic, but I am telling you that, in my case, your assumption is completely wrong. I believe you. I also believe that in a lot of cases my assumptions are correct. I don't question your sincerity at all. However, your sincerity doesn't make a reassuring fable any more real, sir.
November 27, 201510 yr I believe you. I also believe that in a lot of cases my assumptions are correct. I don't question your sincerity at all. However, your sincerity doesn't make a reassuring fable any more real, sir. Nor does your continued mockery of his beliefs make them unreal.
November 27, 201510 yr No, but when science points me in that world's direction, I'm onboard. I would love space travel. I think there might be a couple of people on here who will gladly help you pack.:wave:
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