The Atheist Experience [Broadcasting Show]

I'm aware of that. As I said, there are fanatics like Archman who can separate his belief from his work as a professional engineer. The same with Francis Collins, the head of NIH - devout Christian, yet a masterful person in the field of science.

And again, my personal perception of religion isn't solely based on where I live. I actually pay attention to the news and see how it has infiltrated national politics, whether we're talking domestically or internationally. I don't know if you even pay much attention to the events around you in the national news.

That is a likely scenario and one that could happen, but not in our lifetimes, unless someone shoots 300,000 MT rockets into the sun and cause it hit the planet with a major solar flare.

You want me to assert it as merely another belief when it's clearly more factual than anything else. Again, I won't be PC about it because people are butt hurt when I'm making a concise assessment on a superstitious fear mechanism.

As I said, if the 2000+ years has made any indication, it's that the authors of the Bible couldn't predict the future events and there's no denying it. But they knew at the present-time of their existence that people were uneducated, panicky, and dumb and they knew how to control and garner the masses.

Such tactics are being used today, albeit on a more sophisticated measure. And religion and fear tend to go together like bread and butter as one of the fine examples.

 

I beg to differ. A quote from Dr Hugh Ross, Bible researcher: "Unique among all books ever written, the Bible accurately foretells specific events-in detail-many years, sometimes centuries, before they occur. Approximately 2500 prophecies appear in the pages of the Bible, about 2000 of which already have been fulfilled to the letter—no errors." I have read numerous other articles making the same claims and I've read my Bible. There are enough prophecies about Christ alone that are convincing.

I'm done arguing this, only because I want to respect your thread and not try to bring my beliefs into it. I just can't stand to see someone take what's in the Bible and distort it, misquote it or say the things mentioned there simply aren't true or will not be so and claim it as fact.

 

I can only tell you that the so-called prophecies are no different from people who indulge themselves into astrology: ambiguous, flexible for interpretation, vague, and clearly lacking evidence. And here is a fairly comprehensive understanding as to why it's fundamentally flawed.

Here is an article for more information: http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/farrell_till/prophecy.html

Here is list of unfulfilled "prophecies:" http://faithskeptic.50megs.com/prophecies.htm

And feel free to watch the video below.

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Um, if that's their profession, how else do they sustain themselves? Most credible pastors don't just jump up on the pulpit on Sunday morning with a cute little sermon. They study, counsel, teach classes, train others in ministry, are involved in church planning/planting, community and civic events, visiting the sick....they tend the flock and are involved in outreach ministries. The Bible teaches that those who teach the body are to be supported by the body.

 

All the while they are enjoying tax exempt status at the expense of the taxpayers.

 

To eat and have a roof maybe?

 

Once Jesus began his ministry, his disciples and followers tended to his needs. You wanna offer the pastor your spare bedroom and feed him? Go right ahead.

Once Jesus began his ministry, his disciples and followers tended to his needs. You wanna offer the pastor your spare bedroom and feed him? Go right ahead.

Observation: We have no qualms with athletes who run up and down a football field or basketball court making millions to entertain us. Or actors making millions merely to entertain us. But we're going to deprive a pastor who is committed to the spiritual, physcial and emotional welfare of his people, the community and those around the world who have never heard the Gospel. (I'm not talking about sheisty pastors and evangelists who see preaching as little more than a moneymaker). Mmmmkay.

 

A few bad apples....

 

Fair enough

 

Nice how you ignored my other post.

So what does your father's congregation do to provide for him as pastor?

13 Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? 14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel. 1 Corinthians 9:13-14 (NIV)

 

When you have the likes of Bishop EDDIE long and Juanita Bynum in all kinds of bullshit not to mention designer dress wearing Pastors with private Jets and opulent display of wealth while most of the so called flock are broke as shit, its so easy to believe there is no God. And by the way theists and atheists have entrenched stances so i am wondering whether this back and forth will amount to anything.

 

If that's how they choose to do it, cool. But it's not unscriptural to compensate a pastor either. :smt102

 

It wont.

 

I don't understand how wealth and the flaunting of relates at all to the existence of a god?

 

Religious debates are so formulaic it's unbelievable.

Christianity is so perfect that it's very core is decidedly unapproachable. Any logic based argument against is simply met with the 'faith'.,. or the response "I have my beliefs, why can't you accept them" which is basically saying I have blindly accepted without evidence or true understanding this belief system or moral base.

That alone should be reason enough for the atheist to simply accept that there is no point in arguing the existence of a god.

An argument of fact versus faith is a nonsensical argument that always, without fail, follows the exact.same.theme.every.fucking.time.

 

Why do you care if people have their "delusions"?

 

Why do you think I care?