Why do/don't you believe in a higher power? (Any HP)

[Geneviev]

I did miss it, I'm sorry.

3. The Bible says that all are equal: Rich and poor have this in common: The LORD is the Maker of them all. Proverbs 22:2 and For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galations 3:27-29
4. God shows himself to everyone. And when you see him, then you will have to believe because you saw.
5. People will be afraid of eternal punishment, but they should also look forward to eternal life where they can be with God. God only asks for people to repent of their sins in order to be in the most perfect place for eternity.

3. God has a twisted sense of equality if that's what he calls slavery.
4. Then how come there are plenty of people nearing the end of their lives and/or dying as atheists?
5. If getting into Heaven requires such a simple task, how does not performing something like that justify being in the most horrible place for eternity (if that's your definition of Hell)?

3. God's equality is that everyone is the same to him and should be treated that way.
4. Because they didn't believe what they saw. There are atheists who read a Bible and didn't believe it.
5. People who don't repent go to hell because God can't be in the presence of sin. That's why he sent Jesus, so people can be with him in heaven even though they sinned before.

[Big Jim P]

3. God has a twisted sense of equality if that's what he calls slavery.
4. Then how come there are plenty of people nearing the end of their lives and/or dying as atheists?
5. If getting into Heaven requires such a simple task, how does not performing something like that justify being in the most horrible place for eternity (if that's your definition of Hell)?

3. God's equality is that everyone is the same to him and should be treated that way.
4. Because they didn't believe what they saw. There are atheists who read a Bible and didn't believe it.
5. People who don't repent go to hell because God can't be in the presence of sin. That's why he sent Jesus, so people can be with him in heaven even though they sinned before.

If god can't be in the presence of sin, then it is not omnipotent.

[Geneviev]

3. God's equality is that everyone is the same to him and should be treated that way.
4. Because they didn't believe what they saw. There are atheists who read a Bible and didn't believe it.
5. People who don't repent go to hell because God can't be in the presence of sin. That's why he sent Jesus, so people can be with him in heaven even though they sinned before.

If god can't be in the presence of sin, then it is not omnipotent.

It's because God is holy.

[Big Jim P]

If god can't be in the presence of sin, then it is not omnipotent.

It's because God is holy.

Holy, but not omnipotent, thus not much of a god.

[The Free Joy State]

3. God has a twisted sense of equality if that's what he calls slavery.
4. Then how come there are plenty of people nearing the end of their lives and/or dying as atheists?
5. If getting into Heaven requires such a simple task, how does not performing something like that justify being in the most horrible place for eternity (if that's your definition of Hell)?

3. God's equality is that everyone is the same to him and should be treated that way.
4. Because they didn't believe what they saw. There are atheists who read a Bible and didn't believe it.
5. People who don't repent go to hell because God can't be in the presence of sin. That's why he sent Jesus, so people can be with him in heaven even though they sinned before.

Reading the Bible =/= God actually showing himself to everyone.

Furthermore, there are people who lose their faith by reading the Bible.

[Big Jim P]

3. God's equality is that everyone is the same to him and should be treated that way.
4. Because they didn't believe what they saw. There are atheists who read a Bible and didn't believe it.
5. People who don't repent go to hell because God can't be in the presence of sin. That's why he sent Jesus, so people can be with him in heaven even though they sinned before.

Reading the Bible =/= God actually showing himself to everyone.

Furthermore, there are people who lose their faith by reading the Bible.

I have read it on several occasions.

[LiberNovusAmericae]

I'm an atheist because I see no evidence for a god, and holly books do not count as evidence. Also, I'm starting to learn about the human brain, and the way it works does not require a godly maker. I have no fear of eternal damnation.

[Genivaria]

It's because God is holy.

Holy, but not omnipotent, thus not much of a god.

The implication is that sin is kind've like god's kryptonite which makes him weak.

[Genivaria]

3. God's equality is that everyone is the same to him and should be treated that way.
4. Because they didn't believe what they saw. There are atheists who read a Bible and didn't believe it.
5. People who don't repent go to hell because God can't be in the presence of sin. That's why he sent Jesus, so people can be with him in heaven even though they sinned before.

Reading the Bible =/= God actually showing himself to everyone.

Furthermore, there are people who lose their faith by reading the Bible.

*raises hand*
Yeah the lines about stoning gay men and not suffering witches to live was an issue for me when I had high school friends who were either gay or wiccan.

[Salandriagado]

So we gotta be in the in crowd to criticize the in crowd, eh?

You need to see every perspective before spouting criticism.

No, you just need an ability to gather evidence and apply reason to the results.

[Salandriagado]

Been there, done that. You havnt provided a defense.

Really?

Have you looked from the perspective of correct and sound theology?

No such thing exists. All theology, without exception, assumes that a deity exists, and never honestly analyses that.

[New Legland]

3. God has a twisted sense of equality if that's what he calls slavery.
4. Then how come there are plenty of people nearing the end of their lives and/or dying as atheists?
5. If getting into Heaven requires such a simple task, how does not performing something like that justify being in the most horrible place for eternity (if that's your definition of Hell)?

3. God's equality is that everyone is the same to him and should be treated that way.
4. Because they didn't believe what they saw. There are atheists who read a Bible and didn't believe it.
5. People who don't repent go to hell because God can't be in the presence of sin. That's why he sent Jesus, so people can be with him in heaven even though they sinned before.

3. It's extremely clear that people aren't treated equally on Earth, and it is a miscarriage of justice to treat perpetrators and victims of inequality equally in Heaven.
4. A Bible isn't definitive proof of anything. I could just as easily say that a Qur'an is proof of Allah. Anyway, there are many people born in places where they are isolated from Christianity. It is sick to say they deserve punishment when they never get the chance to convert and it's not their fault that that is the case.
5. It is entirely unnecessary to eternally punish people when all God needs to do is separate sinners from him. Also, why can't he be in the presence of sin when he defined what is and isn't sin?

[Ausinia]

So we gotta be in the in crowd to criticize the in crowd, eh?

You need to see every perspective before spouting criticism.

Yeah, 5 and half years of complete theist influence before making my own desicion. I think I at least get the right to criticise, along with many others, from your logic

[Dogmeat]

Reading the Bible =/= God actually showing himself to everyone.

Furthermore, there are people who lose their faith by reading the Bible.

I have read it on several occasions.

Except for the begots. Which is strange, because I'm normally a big fan of begetting. But the Bible somehow makes it really tedious an boring.

[Byzconia]

3. God's equality is that everyone is the same to him and should be treated that way.
4. Because they didn't believe what they saw. There are atheists who read a Bible and didn't believe it.
5. People who don't repent go to hell because God can't be in the presence of sin. That's why he sent Jesus, so people can be with him in heaven even though they sinned before.

Reading the Bible =/= God actually showing himself to everyone.

Furthermore, there are people who lose their faith by reading the Bible.

I can speak to this personally. Well, I was actually already somewhat questioning my beliefs at that point, but then actually reading the Old Testament made me want to look even further into it, which eventually led to me abandoning Christianity and later becoming an atheist. Hard to reconcile all that God-sanctioned murder, rape, and slavery with the idea of an "all-good, all-loving God."

[The New California Republic]

The difference here is that I didn't resort to name calling.

Does “telepathic Sith Lord” sound offensive to you?

Nah, the part where you called people "sheep", and the part where you accused me of "smart shaming".

[The New California Republic]

The Christian system you believe exists after death is dependent on a God. It originated in the concept of a God. It'd be as absurd as the notion of a car existing without the wheel having first been invented.

You assume I believe in a Christian system. I don’t. I say god, but I don’t mean a Christian god, I just wouldn’t rule out the possibility of an almighty being or higher power in general. A godless utopia or heaven is just as possible as a divine utopia or heaven, because there’s no proof for or against it.

But, again, you believe in the Christian formulation of an afterlife, with Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory; all without believing in the Christian God. It's a complete contradiction.

[The Grims]

You assume I believe in a Christian system. I don’t. I say god, but I don’t mean a Christian god, I just wouldn’t rule out the possibility of an almighty being or higher power in general. A godless utopia or heaven is just as possible as a divine utopia or heaven, because there’s no proof for or against it.

But, again, you believe in the Christian formulation of an afterlife, with Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory; all without believing in the Christian God. It's a complete contradiction.

Only if one equates heaven with "being near God" and hell with "being seperate from God".

If one sees heaven and hell as places or planes of existence there is no need for a god to be there.

[The New California Republic]

But, again, you believe in the Christian formulation of an afterlife, with Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory; all without believing in the Christian God. It's a complete contradiction.

Only if one equates heaven with "being near God" and hell with "being seperate from God".

If one sees heaven and hell as places or planes of existence there is no need for a god to be there.

No, I mean the origin of the Christian formulation of the afterlife, which Gondlaura is talking about, has its origins in belief in a Christian God. It'd be a bit like believing in the concept of Dialectical Materialism but not believing that Marx existed.

[Geneviev]

3. God's equality is that everyone is the same to him and should be treated that way.
4. Because they didn't believe what they saw. There are atheists who read a Bible and didn't believe it.
5. People who don't repent go to hell because God can't be in the presence of sin. That's why he sent Jesus, so people can be with him in heaven even though they sinned before.

3. It's extremely clear that people aren't treated equally on Earth, and it is a miscarriage of justice to treat perpetrators and victims of inequality equally in Heaven.
4. A Bible isn't definitive proof of anything. I could just as easily say that a Qur'an is proof of Allah. Anyway, there are many people born in places where they are isolated from Christianity. It is sick to say they deserve punishment when they never get the chance to convert and it's not their fault that that is the case.
5. It is entirely unnecessary to eternally punish people when all God needs to do is separate sinners from him. Also, why can't he be in the presence of sin when he defined what is and isn't sin?

3. If they are part of the body of Christ, they will be equal. That's what the Bible says people should live by.
4. That's why Christian missionaries go to those people. Also, some people believe that God gives people who didn't ever hear of him a second chance.
5. All that the punishment really is is separation from God. And he can't be in the presence of sin because he is holy and perfect.

[Korhal IVV]

3. God's equality is that everyone is the same to him and should be treated that way.
4. Because they didn't believe what they saw. There are atheists who read a Bible and didn't believe it.
5. People who don't repent go to hell because God can't be in the presence of sin. That's why he sent Jesus, so people can be with him in heaven even though they sinned before.

If god can't be in the presence of sin, then it is not omnipotent.

A more accurate statement would be “God detests sin.”

[Korhal IVV]

Holy, but not omnipotent, thus not much of a god.

The implication is that sin is kind've like god's kryptonite which makes him weak.

Nope.

It is what He detests.

[Korhal IVV]

Did I say I was perfect? No. I did not.

I wasn’t conclusively saying that they are not Christian, either. What I said was “questionable”. Yes, I have no idea if they are of God or not, but that doesn’t stop me from correcting them because I have been through that, really. I was wayward and then restored like the friend I mentioned.

I am not exactly judging, either. More like assessing and questioning. I did not say “These people are defineitely not Christian.” It is more along the lines of “This person is questionable. Time to set the path straight.”

And now I must sleep. Tomorrow again.

Yeah, that's the part where you come off as pretentious.

?

[New Legland]

3. It's extremely clear that people aren't treated equally on Earth, and it is a miscarriage of justice to treat perpetrators and victims of inequality equally in Heaven.
4. A Bible isn't definitive proof of anything. I could just as easily say that a Qur'an is proof of Allah. Anyway, there are many people born in places where they are isolated from Christianity. It is sick to say they deserve punishment when they never get the chance to convert and it's not their fault that that is the case.
5. It is entirely unnecessary to eternally punish people when all God needs to do is separate sinners from him. Also, why can't he be in the presence of sin when he defined what is and isn't sin?

3. If they are part of the body of Christ, they will be equal. That's what the Bible says people should live by.
4. That's why Christian missionaries go to those people. Also, some people believe that God gives people who didn't ever hear of him a second chance.
5. All that the punishment really is is separation from God. And he can't be in the presence of sin because he is holy and perfect.

3. Sure, they're regarded as equals, but that couldn't be further from the truth on Earth. Why are a slave and their owner given the same treatment? A slave owner should receive repercussions for their actions.
4. And what if the atheist keeps believing because of their reasoning or inadequacies of the missionaries, things that aren't their fault?
5. So you believe that Hell is separation from God, nothing more? No flames, brimstone, and eternal suffering?

[Geneviev]

3. If they are part of the body of Christ, they will be equal. That's what the Bible says people should live by.
4. That's why Christian missionaries go to those people. Also, some people believe that God gives people who didn't ever hear of him a second chance.
5. All that the punishment really is is separation from God. And he can't be in the presence of sin because he is holy and perfect.

3. Sure, they're regarded as equals, but that couldn't be further from the truth on Earth. Why are a slave and their owner given the same treatment? A slave owner should receive repercussions for their actions.
4. And what if the atheist keeps believing because of their reasoning or inadequacies of the missionaries, things that aren't their fault?
5. So you believe that Hell is separation from God, nothing more? No flames, brimstone, and eternal suffering?

3. A slave should be treated by his owner as his equal. Because people can't do that, slavery shouldn't be allowed. But if he were to treat him as his equal, then there would be no need for repercussions for his actions.
4. Their reasoning is their fault. I'm not sure what God does, but if he sent missionaries then they heard of God.
5. Separation from God is eternal suffering.