Do any of the religious people here ever read books written by atheist authors such as Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris? If ‘yes’, what have you read and what are your thoughts - and if ‘no’ why not?
I doubt if there are many now who believe that The Garden Of Eden was some sort of proto 18-30 club and Adam & Eve the first guests there. It is a story concocted by people who, while they knew the hand of God was at work, couldn't see clearly what he was doing, or understand the methods he was using.
'they knew the hand of God was at work, couldn't see clearly what he was doing, or understand the methods he was using.' So they just knew did they? you can do better than that Sandy.
That is the usual excuse that is trotted out by believers, isn't it about time you showed put a bit of intellectual effort supporting your claims. Atheists are quite happy to back up their arguments but believers always shy away from putting any mental effort into it , It is almost as if they are afraid of what they might discover.
I've a suspicion that the non-believers who haunt R&S here in AB are people who wouldn't be out of place at High Table at Oxbridge.
In contrast, the believers, and I include myself here, are ordinary people of simple faith. I believe. And that's enough for me. I can't prove it, nor intellectualise it.