F A O Theland. Why I Dont Believe

[nailit]

In the Christian God.
Theland, you are always extorting ABers to 'look it up' with regards to the Bible and Christianity. And you seem to have a distorted view of non-believers. I would ask YOU to consider why people (like me) reject the Bible.
As a teenager, I became an evangelical Christian, of the born again variety. In my early 20's I seriously began to question my faith. I was an avid reader and read everything that I could get my hands on regard the Bible, apologetics, church history, Biblical archaeology, Bible commentaries etc. However over time I had to accept that my faith was based on nothing except a bunch of ancient, contradictory manuscripts. I questioned what was been preached from the pulpit. Hell, I questioned everything!
I prayed that if the Bible was the word of God that he would show me, unequivocally, that it was. He didn't. I left.
I am not a non believer because I want to sin
I am not a non believer because I'm in rebellion
I am not a non believer because Ive had bad experiences of church
I am not a non believer because I choose to be
I am a non believer in the Christian God because that's where my questioning led me.
Now at 52, I wonder just how I ever believed such junk as found in the Bible.
The Bible insults my Intelligence, My moral code, My sense of justice.
Do I have all the answers to life's big questions? No. Why would I be so arrogant as to think I did? But because humans know so little, that doesn't mean that we should go running to some ancient manuscripts written by bronze age, desert dwelling goat herders in the middle east thousands of years ago for answers.

Seriously Theland, take a break from You Tube evangelists and open your mind a bit. Question a little. (maybe even try to answer some of the questions put to you by fellow ABers without feeling persecuted)

[nailit]

Theland, I said it on another thread and Ill repeat it here. You have got a creepy obsession with You Tube. Please try to think for yourself.

[Theland]

Netanyahu has just revealed that Iran has been secretly developing nuclear weapons in spite of the much lauded Iran disarmament deal. They have troops in Syria. Israel just attacked them. Iran now threatening Israel. Israel saying, "We are ready."
Trump to decide on action by May12th. USA embassy still moving to Jerusalem. Wow. Untangle that lot.

[Theland]

Study books, or listen to lectures by prominent scholars? I have listened to lectures, many of them, from prominent atheists. Everyone deserves a fair hearing. I look at the evidence and then decide. Where do YOU get your evidence?

[Theland]

Right now as I write this post, Netanyahu is on Aljazeera presenting the evidence.

[Theland]

I am sorry that you think talking to me is like talking to a child. If you are so happy about leaving Christianity, then good for you, if that indeed makes you happy.

[nailit]

Theland, I remember back in the early 80's hearing similar end of times stuff regarding Israel etc (Hal Lyndsay type material back then)
Nothing happened then and nothing to untangle now.
I have to be up in 5 hours so will bid you good night :-)

[Theland]

Goodnight Nailit. Speak soon.

[vetuste_ennemi]

Good evening, Theland.

Psalm 38:

"4 They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
5 For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:
6 The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes;
7 Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8 Assur also is joined with them..."

Is that the Six Days War, Theland, or some other event?

What are the events Ezekiel is foretelling?

Can you give me a Biblical reference which will tell us what's going to happen next in the Middle East?

[Theland]

There is a possibility that the Gog Magog war could be associated with the aforementioned tripartite alliance between Russia Iran and Turkey. Only recently, Erdogan called on the Organisation of Islamic Countries to pool their resources to wipe Israel,off the map.
It is not just wild coincidence is it?

[Theland]

Ezekiel 38 and psalm 83.

[Theland]

This year, is the 70th anniversary of the birth of Israel.
That could be significant.

[Theland]

Nailit, would you go to a lecture hall to hear an interesting speaker, either Christian or atheist, tree hugger or vegan, provided you thought they might have something significant to say? Well YouTube brings those lecturers right to your screen so why denigrate them?

[Theland]

Other factors that I find convincing, are for example, there can be no objective morality without God.
Otherwise, we all have our own version of morality. I might think it's OK to steal for a living rather than work. But if I think it's OK for me, who are you to say otherwise? Only an objective moral lawgiver can solve this problem and give us all a common standard.

[Theland]

Something else. Abiogenesis, just a theory and in spite of scientists best efforts, no life has ever been produced in the laboratory, from inert chemicals.
In 1953, the famous Urey / Miller experiment produced amino acids in the test tubes, only later was it realised that the starting conditions were wildly erroneous.
All the brains and computers have never created life in the laboratory, yet Dawkins and Co would have us believe that unguided processes created life through pure accidental chemistry.
I cannot believe that.
I don't have enough faith.

[Theland]

Only recently, eminent evolutionary scientists gathered at the Royal Society in London, to try and reformulate the theory of evolution, because they realised that the existing theory was erroneous and wildly inadequate in the light of available evidence.
They failed miserably and all went home.
Evolution has been in crisis for years, but is still clung on to by those whose only worldview is secular materialistic.

[mibn2cweus]

Theland, I commend you on your refusal to mindlessly accept scientific explanations you don't fully comprehend. If only you were equally consistent regarding the less scientific alleged 'explanations' you so willingly choose to cling to.

[Spungle]

Hi Nailit, your posts make for sad reading. It seems that perhaps your natural 'intellect' has led you to the brink of despair, self-harm, self-abuse and a very sad life. You ask "how do I believe...?" etc- You don't seem to want to believe, which is the key: Mark 9:23-24 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

[naomi24]

tamborine at 00.26 Tuesday, pain is not the sole preserve of the religious. We all live life.

Spungle, I’m at a loss to understand why you think quoting scripture influences those who know the bible and recognise its flaws.

[douglas9401]

If I was a betting man, my money would be on amphetamine.

[nailit]

// You don't seem to want to believe, which is the key://
If you'd read my OP then you'd know why I don't believe. Its because I cant. And like Naomi, I too am at a loss as to why you think quoting scripture is going to influence anyone that has read and studied the bible intensly and found it seriously flawed?