Monday, March 22nd at 5PM I will be live on the air with Dr. Barry Creamer on 90.9 KCBI in DFW, responding to all of the comments over the last 5 weeks regarding my interviews.
The first half of the show will be dedicated to my response, and for the second half, we'll be taking any calls you have for me.
I'll be specifically addressing the comments by Dr. Creamer, Dr. Wooddell, and many of you that called in. Here are some of the specific comments I'll be addressing (time permitting of course) in the first half hour.
Dr. Wooddell – “Why didn’t [David Smalley] research Christianity?” | “If you’re going to help someone in the name of... I don’t know what..., that’s a problem in itself.” (along with many other statements and questions by Dr. Wooddell)
Dr. Creamer - "I have the Ten Commandments to tell me what's right and wrong."
Jason - “How does David Smalley classify evil?”
Denese – “David Smalley and other Atheists are very religious in their 'no God.'"
Alisha - "There are two possible scenarios in the end, is it worth taking a chance to not believe?" (Pascal's Wager)
Casey - "Jeremiah 29 says seek and you shall find, and David Smalley needs to experience it for himself."
Eva - "I'm a nurse, and I pray to God during my shift for guidance and to have more compassion."
Gary - "DNA is an information source. All information we know of comes from a designer. What reason can an Atheist give me for how DNA began without a designer?" | “As an atheistic materialist, if chemicals are all that we are, then we have no choice for what we believe.”
From there, we will be taking your calls. I'm looking forward to hearing from you.
86 comments:
David,
I need my God so much and for what ever reason I have lost Him. Please help me! I know He loves me but He is unhappy with me and I don't blame Him.
It is the same as if one of your children that you love has disobeyed you and they are hidding out because they are so afraid of the punishment they deserve. The worst being, the total loss of your love.
That could never happen. Right? But the thought that it could is terrifying to a child.
I'm His child and I am terrified that you are going to lose Him. I believe with all my heart that at one time you truly felt His pain. You Loved Him.
I'm a little confused by this post. Are you saying that you have lost your god, and now you're afraid that I'm going to lose him too?
You can't argue with facts, David. According to Jeremiah 29, Yahweh does indeed tell the Judaic exiles in Babylon that if they seek him, they will find him. If Yahweh's words can be applied out of context, which many Christians are constrained to believe, then this could be a message to America at large. Comforting, no? Read on! Immediately thereafter, Yahweh informs the exiles that he intends to let them suffer in Babylon for the next 70 years, no matter what. If America should ever find itself held captive in Babylon,....
Responding to the classic objections should be fun. Enjoy!
Question for you David.
What do you believe about the Iraq or Afghanistan wars?
Do you think they were just? Self-defense? Retaliation?
I know they are both different and done for different reasons, so what do you think about each of these wars. And do you feel we did the right or wrong thing where each was concerned.
And yes its kind of a trick question so think carefully.
First of all, I never feel the need to "be careful" with my statements. I'm confident I have the truth, and I never feel trapped. I also never have a problem with saying "I don't know" or "We don't know yet, but we're looking." Those statements are much more difficult for those that claim to have an all-knowing buddy, and to know him intimately.
I'm not a political expert, and rarely speak on topics of government, except where religion is concerned.
It just so happens that both of these wars are religiously-based. Christians are hated by those Muslim extremists because you are 'infidels' in their eyes, just as I am in yours. And you do not worship according to the Qur'an like they think you should.
We allow our women to have rights, wear short skirts and push-up bras, and become CEO's. That's disgusting to them, and we're hated.
As Richard Jeni said: "You're all basically killing each other to see who has the better imaginary friend." The entire thing is ridiculous.
If I was in the president's shoes, I would defend our country from attacks, and certaintly do everything I could to avoid a war; but if one had to take place, I'd be sure to fight it on their soil, and not our own.
It's a bit like one man being jealous over a woman and punching the other man. When the second man fights back, he's not necessarily fighting for the girl, he's then fighting because he was punched. That's why I would probably be fighting the wars right now. Not to defend Christianity, but because we were punched. The extreme Muslims on the other hand, think they are in the a "Holy War" against infidels that are defying Allah.
I'll say this much about the wars: if there were no religions at all, thousands of people on both sides would still be alive. Only if Atheists ran the world, we wouldn't have this problem to even discuss.
You didn't really answer the question of if you think we as a country were just and right in going into these wars?
And as an add on question, do you believe we should also defend our allies when they are attacked?
"just as I am in yours"
Just for the record you are completely wrong about this.
Thanks for clearing up that I'm wrong. I've never heard that before.
You're asking if feel we were "wrong" to invade Iraq or Afghanistan. That is such a loaded and complicated question. Are you wanting a yes or no answer to something so complicated? That's like asking how much a car costs.
Here's my official position on the wars as a whole:
1) I don't know enough about the politics surrounding them, or the developments in the last 11 months or so. I was deeply politically involved prior to the election, but I've been extremely busy since then, and haven't kept up with the news, so it wouldn't be fair for me to speak on it as a current event.
2) In general, I think wars are avoidable and we should do what we can to stay out of them.
3) If we are under attack or our citizens are in danger, we should fight back or protect ourselves. There's nothing wrong with that.
4) Yes, we should protect our allies, as we should always try to keep the peace within reason.
5) Since no WMD's were found in Iraq, I don't know that we can say it was the best option looking back. However, many people have been liberated in other ways by our presence there, so some good has come from the invasion--but was it worth everything we lost? I can't answer that. Human life is very valuable to me, but so is freedom.
I'm not sure what you're trying to get out of me. If you're planning on me making some silly answer in absolutes about death being okay, or war being sanctioned, then you're failing. It won't happen with me.
What's your point?
"If we are under attack or our citizens are in danger, we should fight back or protect ourselves. There's nothing wrong with that."
I am trying to get an absolute answer, at least regarding Afghanistan, we were attacked by Al Qaeda, so do you feel we were justified in attacking the country harboring them? If you dont know enough about it thats fine.
"If you're planning on me making some silly answer in absolutes about death being okay, or war being sanctioned, then you're failing"
Thats not what I am trying to do, but death and war are a part of being human, always has been always will be, and we have to deal with it.
Finding an Atheist that speaks in absolutes is like finding a preacher that's honest about his desires. It won't happen.
When it comes to ethical behavior, I'm a consequentialist. I weigh each consequence and potential harm before making a decision. I don't know every detail possible about the situation, and neither do you, so us having this discussion is pointless. The people making those decisions have made them. You can either support your government or defect.
But here's an answer for you, that I hope will end this mind-numbing madness that's getting me tired of reading my own blog: If we are attacked by an organization, and then someone is helping to hide them, then yes, we should go where they are hiding and hold them accountable for those actions.
Again, what is your point?
What do you know about the history of the Amalekites? Their history and what they did to other peoples, not what happened to them at Gods hand?
What did the infant Amalekites do to deserve slaughtering?
What did the infants and children murdered in Afghanistan by us do to deserve slaughtering?
Those "murders" were incidents of war commanded by fallible men. What's your excuse for the Amalekite infants?
The attack on the Amalekites was also an act of war.
In defense of the peoples they attacked and slaughtered first.
A war commanded by your god, that is supposed to be perfect and all-loving:
1 Samuel 15:3 - "Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey."
What a moral leader!
The infants, nursing children, ox, sheep, camels and donkeys didn't attack anyone. Was it moral to kill them?
How can you hold on to this monster as a moral leader?
It was realistic. This is what happens in war. To pretend otherwise, you are just fooling yourself. It is a part of the human condition. It is just a graphic and honest tale of went on in that war. It went on in every war then and now.
The Isrealites would have never had peace or safety as long as the Amalekites were alive. They attacked and slaughtered them mercilessly. And not just them, other peoples as well. They were brutal and merciless to those they went after. They were attacked back and lost this time.
Countries dont adopt the children and animals of those they are at war with.
And you really believe that your all-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving, omnipresent creator of the universe couldn't come up with a better solution than "just slaughter everything?"
Come on.
In every war, each side claims to be fighting with "God on our side." That same mentality is what makes the Muslim extremists okay with murdering 3,000 Americans in the 9/11 attacks. They're book backs them up. Their god says to do it, so let his will be done.
Saul and his people were no better than the brainwashed Muslim terrorists that murdered innocent people in New York on that day we will never forget.
It's disgusting that you support such nonsensical killing of the innocent in the name of your mighty god. He's obviously not there, and it's all clearly an excuse to act as erratically as we want to due to some "special inspired message."
I wish you would wake up and see that.
There are no Atheists killing in the name of anything. Yet we are deemed to be evil. This world is so backwards with its logic.
"Saul and his people were no better than the brainwashed Muslim terrorists that murdered innocent people in New York on that day we will never forget."
Saul was defending a people who were attacked first, and would have continued to be attacked if action was not taken. You yourself said that was justified.
"There are no Atheists killing in the name of anything."
There are no Athiests in control of anything. Power and greed fuel much of war, and Athiests as human beings are not immune to that human condition either.
You could equate the Amalekites to Muslim terrorists who attacked unprovoked, but not Saul and his people who were defending those that were attacked.
Yea, those Amalekite babies were a dangerous bunch. Wiping them out was the only option. How godly.
I guess the humane thing would have been to kidnap the babies and sell them into slavery?
David
What is your opinion on abortion?
Do you condone abortion?
Just curious
If the MEN of the village were bad and attacking others, okay, kill them, but consider the women and children as a rescue mission, not as the enemy.
The animals could have been useful in work or pets. Slavery of children? Now you're talking! That's what Yahweh was all about. He even gave rules on how to beat your slave, and when you can take their children from them. Yet another great moral practice by your Holy One.
Besides, why would a god have special chosen people to begin with if he created all of them? Why would he "take sides?"
That's like my daughter coming to me crying, and saying that her brother hit her. And as the father to them both and the leader of the household, I say "Go get a baseball bat, and beat his head in. Have no mercy. While you're in his room, knock over his fish bowl so that it may suffocate. Smash his TV, and cut up his clothes."
Wouldn't one expect a MORAL LEADER to be a bit more constrained as a mediator to resolve the issue without such destruction? Why is that as a society, we wouldn't tolerate parents acting that way, yet you make excuses for your god doing the same thing?
David you said
"3) If we are under attack or our citizens are in danger, we should fight back or protect ourselves. There's nothing wrong with that."
-
Even if innocent lives are killed.....most likely fighting back will entail killing innocent lives, which is unfortunate, but reality of war is that innocent lives are lost.
-
BUT you always have a better way, so why do you justify fighting back being ok? Can't we come up with something different.
-
Just because God does not act or respond to things in your timing or your way, does not mean He does not exists. That means you cannot comprehend Him and His timing, as 2 Corinthians 4:4 states.
-
Can you please quote that scripture to us?
-
So again, what all good does the bible talk about? Why cannot you comment on that?
That's like my daughter coming to me crying, and saying that her brother hit her. And as the father to them both and the leader of the household, I say "Go get a baseball bat, and beat his head in. Have no mercy. While you're in his room, knock over his fish bowl so that it may suffocate. Smash his TV, and cut up his clothes."
-
Ha - DO YOU HAVE TEENAGERS YET???.....You might just do that !!!!
-
Uh, DAVID - HE IS GOD !!!!
War and killing are a far cry from fighting siblings. If your daughter came to you bleeding from a stab wound inflicted on purpose by her brother, I bet you would have him commited. Or if he had actually killed her on purpose you would have him put away and if he was old enough he would get the death penalty depending on where you live.
Tell me you would just let your son get away with that kind of harm to his sibling?
You're trying to bring up too many points for me to respond to. Just relax. The topic will get out of hand.
I'm not saying that humans always know the best things to do. I said we're fallible. My point is, that an all-powerful, all-loving creator that is the moral leader of the world, should have a better answer than death and destruction of innocent people. You know I'm right.
"Kill them all" is a human perspective, and primitive men projected that on to a god as to not hold that responsibility any longer.
2 COR 4:4 "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."
That is an excuse for those that have doubts. It might as well say "If you don't believe me, or something I say is ridiculous or contradictory, I'm not wrong, that must be Satan fooling your eyes and ears!" - That's so ridiculous for you to think that is somehow proof!
It's very cult-like to follow something that says "I may appear to be wrong sometimes, but that's just evil changing your eyes." Are you kidding? That's just an excuse for when the cult leader shows that he's human! Please wake up and realize what you're saying.
David
What is your opinion on abortion?
Do you condone abortion?
Just curious
There is more than one anonymous right now. It was just me until the abortion question was posed by someone else.
My point about my children is this: I would not perpetuate the violence by commanding more fighting. I would stop the fighting and attempt more peaceful ways to go about ending the battle--not command more stabbings in my name.
I must be more ethical than your god.
You're trying to bring up too many points for me to respond to.
.....Man, David, you always have an excuse.
.....Cultish - Ha - You use the excuse of " I don't know, bu I'll keep searching" all the time man.
......Which is you yourself DOUBTING the very thing you say you believe in.
......PLEASE WAKE UP AND REALIZE WHAT YOU ARE DOUBTING
I will address abortion in another post. Perhaps the next blog. Thanks for asking.
I'd like to stay on topic here, and find out from the believers (who could actually choose NAME from the drop down menu below and make up a screen name to post with to reduce confusion) - why exactly you turn to the god of the Bible as a moral source when he clearly lacks the ability to make good, ethical decisions during hard times.
He knows who I am
I don't know who any of you are. Using the drop down menu with even a fake name would be helpful for who I am addressing.
why exactly you turn to the god of the Bible as a moral source when he clearly lacks the ability to make good, ethical decisions during hard times.........THESE ARE YOUR STANDARDS DAVID...........So if it does not measure up to David Smalley's standards, we should not believe or use our Bible?
Denese
I have to call you on that. If your son was violent and would not stop, you would have to intervene. You could not command him to be peaceful if he wanted to be violent.
You would have to do something you did not want to do if you could not stop the violence.
Yes I am back - Denese
The question would be how would you discipline your son who was inflicting pain and harm on to your daughter?
Please tell me you do not believe in TIME OUT.
Denese
Original War poster I will call myself Steve..lol
Reverse Questions here
Why do you turn to your books?
My post:
I have to call you on that. If your son was violent and would not stop, you would have to intervene. You could not command him to be peaceful if he wanted to be violent.
You would have to do something you did not want to do if you could not stop the violence.
---------
Now of course you would not order the killing of your son, but you would have to have him commited or arrested.
Now expand that onto a population of people, you could not have them commited or arrested and the only way to stop their violence against you is war.
Are all of your books right and without error?
But Mr or Mrs Anonymous -
David will come back and say, but we are human and God has the power to stop all of this, so why doesn't He stop it all?
Smalley has the best ways of handling matters in his own ways and desires, which are far above God's ways.
He cannot comprehend God without faith in God
Okay, I'll try to get to all of these:
1. If my son was being violent, yes, I would have to intervene and stop him. But I am so much more powerful than him, I would not have to beat him or command my daughter to beat him and cause more violence in order to accomplish my goal. I could be forceful and peaceful at the same time. Why couldn't your god?
2. If my son was being violent and out of control, that would mean he had a problem much deeper than physically abusing him would solve. That's where my psychology background comes in. I would help solve his problem, not beat it out of him.
3) TIME OUT is not a form of punishment. That's a common misconception among people who do not understand the science of psychology. It's designed to remove the child from the situation and change the environment to let them know they do not have control, and to curb their behavior. A "belief" in TIME OUT is useless. Numerous scientific studies show that it reduces negative behavior in children. It's a fact of psychology and behavior modification, no belief is necessary.
4) Your god did not attempt conflict resolution. He did not mediate, as most great leaders do. He did not try to be moral. He said "KILL THEM ALL" and included the slaughtering of women and infants. It disgusts me that you defend that logic.
Actually that is where Smalley is lacking in his arguments.
He doesn't seem to understand that this is earth and we get to choose how we live. Good or bad and God allows it, and allows us to defend ourselves or be the aggressors. There are consequences to every choice.
Smalley wants heaven on earth, everthing to be perfect and fair and then he could believe in a God. Its not going to happen. We are allowed to be human, christian or Atheist, you can't escape your human nature.
The reality of free will and choice escapes him.
My books are fallible, but they are plentiful. We have MULTIPLE sources to go to, and we constantly challenge our books and correct them when they're found to be wrong.
Even the most respected scientists are proved wrong from time to time and we update our thinking and documentation when new evidence is found.
You don't work that way. You have ONE BOOK THAT IS THE TRUTH. Regardless of how many fallacies are found, you stretch, and make excuses to make it make sense in what's called a confirmatory bias.
You refute all evidence that doesn't comport with your belief. That's choosing ignorance and holding on to an ancient book that shows more holes in its logic with each passing year.
It's only a matter of time that not a single page will be dependable, and Christianity will be reduced to a cult once again. But you will always have the right to practice that cult in our government, and I support that right.
Your god didn't just allow the killings of infants. He commanded it.
could be forceful and peaceful ....HOW?
What if your sone murdered your daughter?
-
not beat it out of him.
And if problem solving does not work? What then?
....God talked tll He was blue !!
-
reduces negative behavior in children..
....Is that ALL children or SOME children?
....What happends to the kids it does not help?
-
Can you tell me all the times in the Bible where God did problem solve and tried to attempt conflict resolution?
-
So do you DEFEND ABORTION?
...THE VERY MUDERING OF INNOCENT LIVES
"1. If my son was being violent, yes, I would have to intervene and stop him. But I am so much more powerful than him, I would not have to beat him or command my daughter to beat him and cause more violence in order to accomplish my goal. I could be forceful and peaceful at the same time. Why couldn't your god?
2. If my son was being violent and out of control, that would mean he had a problem much deeper than physically abusing him would solve. That's where my psychology background comes in. I would help solve his problem, not beat it out of him."
If only life and human nature were this simple.
If your son were 18 and murdered his sister on purpose, and his next target was your neighbors daughter, what would you do, send him to therapy?
What if your son did these things, but had 200,000 people following him and doing them too. What could you do? Your psychology classes would not help.
Thank God I am a Pre-Tribulation believer.
I hear you David on the fact that God commanded it. He sure did and He takes responsibility for it too.
-
You have FAITH IN NOTHING and that is sad. You do not even have faith in your own scientfic psychology and books. You have no peace in your life and do not even try to say you do. You are completely empty inside searching for the very thing called peace. You have no real understand of this world, consquences or rewards. Your eyes and heart ae so far blinded by arrogance and pride, something you will never let go off.
-
As a child you had a heart for God and you know it.
At what age did you stop believing?
You cannot compare a misbehaving child to a population of people who attacks other populations mercilessly with no intention of ever stopping.
Makes no sense and you have no argument there.
What if Allah ( the dead guy) commands David and his children to be killed?
--Are you going to defend your family and kill those who might hurt you and kill your familu?
-
So Allah commands his people to kill God's people - ME ----Well, David, my God will step in and perhaps protect me by calling on others to go to war and kill those who follow Allah.
....Justified war by your own words earlier !!
....God protected HIS PEOPLE - The Isrealites!!
-
And who are you to say how God should do business? You have just promoted your self into a god, have you not?
-
So do you spank your children?
Amen Steve
....Denese
Steve said
"If your son were 18 and murdered his sister on purpose, and his next target was your neighbors daughter, what would you do, send him to therapy??
-
No he would not send his son to therapy because David knows how to intervene and reasoning with a murderer. He knows how to convert the muderer into not murdering again.
He would sit and talk with him in a conflict resolution type manner. Then he would let him go and HOPE he does not do that again.
Psalm 27:14, "Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD." (NIV)
Isaiah 40:31, "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." (KJV)
"What if your son [murdered innocent people], but had 200,000 people following him?" - Then I guess we'd call him God!
"You have no peace in your life and do not even try to say you do." - It's so funny that as soon as one makes himself available to the public, suddenly everyone is an expert on his life! This is one of the boldest lies ever told on my website. Anyone that knows me will tell you that I'm full of peace, and I'm very happy and content with who I am, and with my family life. LOL. You have no idea. It's so easy for you to claim all knowledge with your murdering god and claim to have peace. You have no idea how silly that sounds to have peace in a fear of hell with a god that's killing homosexuals and wiping out villages. LOL. Your concept of god is the opposite of peace. Life without dark magic, satans, demons, and metaphysical battles is truly where peace is found.
"God protected HIS PEOPLE - The Israelites!!" - So which god created the people that weren't his? How could he create everyone and then choose sides and favorites? You really don't see how funny that is, do you? This is all a joke, and you people are buying it 100%. That's sad.
"If your son were 18 and murdered his sister on purpose, and his next target was your neighbors daughter, what would you do, send him to therapy?" - Nope, I'd send him to prison. Not have his children slaughtered like your god would.
"No he would not send his son to therapy because David knows how to intervene...Then he would let him go." - Looks like someone was wrong in their assumption. Hmmmm.
It's so funny that as soon as one makes himself available to the public, suddenly everyone is an expert on his life
.......kind of like what you do with us and God don't ya think.
-
Uh...Not all of us fear hell... I don't.
-
Yes, He creates all. But those who are His are those who believe in HIM and accept Him by faith, without seeing. Just like you, He created you, you don't believe or accept, thus why should He willingly save you from anything?
-
It's so funny that as soon as one makes himself available to the public, suddenly everyone is an expert on his life
....WAIT WAIT WAIT ...Prison...There is a death penalty as well. So if he were tried in a court of law ( which you support ) and sentenced to death, what then ??????????????
....So, the hypoothetical question here.
Given that you teach your children there is not god and assuming the follow your paht, yet your son gets sentenced to death for his murderous crime, are you saying that God of the Bible should stop your son from dying?????
Going from the previous post and question, I have another question to ask.
-
FACTS
Your son kills your innoncent daughter
You teach both your kids there is no god
-
Do you blame God for not stopping the murder of your innocent daughter?
Nope. I don't blame any god, no more than you would blame a leprechaun.
Denese, you asking me that question is proof to me that you're not paying attention to what I write. I've told you this about 4 times on here, and I don't know why it's not clear yet.
GOD'S LACK OF APPEARANCE DURING BAD TIMES IS INCONSISTENT WITH THE DESCRIPTION OF WHO HE IS SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE BIBLE: ALL-KNOWING, ALL-LOVING, ALL-POWERFUL. IS HE WATCHING WHILE CHILDREN ARE STARVING, PEOPLE ARE BEING RAPED AND ABUSED, AND EARTHQUAKES AND TSUNAMIS ARE MURDERING THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE? NO! A GOOD, LOVING, POWERFUL GOD CANNOT EXIST YET STANDBY AND WATCH THOSE HORRIBLE THINGS.
That is my point.
Do you get it now?
No I do not get you at all.
Just like the question of your son. Your son CHOSE to murder. THAT HURTS GOD and HE HAYES EVIL. But that was a choice your son made and is a bad time. God could not stop that, much like what goes on in this world.
-
God stands here and sees that men, who HE created and gave free will too, commit evil acts all the time.
-
First YOU DAVID, do not know everyone's heart as God does. And YOU DAVID, do not comprehend that with which you have no faith in. And YOU DAVID, do not know God's reasonings.
So just because you do not know, does not mean He does not exist. CAN YOU NOT GET THAT?...No you cannot because you are so wrapped up in your own pride and arrogance thinking you know it all, when you do not.
-
Tell me David...Why should God stop everything and and act on those who are evil and do not accept, believe or have faith in Him? Why should He? What does he owe those who disgrace His name and existence???????
Because He claims to be all GOOD....WRONG.
He will not act to those who do not believe. HE cannot do that as HE cannot act on the sinner.
-
The Amelekites....READ...What is their history?
Just like you, you teach your children He does not exist right?........So, why would he owe you and your children anything? Why should He just show up to those who are not His?
-
Tell me, why should God have saved your daughter from being murdered?
-
You are the most arrogant, prideful man I have encountered to say the least.
You think you know and you think God should fit in your tiny little box of a fairytale land and that is not reality. It is you that has this all-goody fairytale about God not the Christians.
-
We do not live in a world of all good ..We live in a world of evil people, like you who disgrace the very person who created you and this world. But then again, you just came from SOMETHING.
-
Your science and your philosophies attempt to proclaim all power and righetousness, yet there is still so much evil....Why does your science change things or your psychology change this world?.....It can't because good an evil are all about a change of heart ....That is something you cannot grasp in your little box of a mind.
-
See I as a Christian, do not have all the answers nor do I claim that God is just going to allow all good and love....He tried that before but what did man do...Screwed up.
-
Without God David, you have no understanding of good and evil. He created that feeling and emotion of what is good and what is evil. He created that discernment
-
the Amalekites
They were wicked and evil people. God took out those who are wicked and removed the evil.
....You do not know anything about what the chidlren and women were like. You assume they were innocent and good. Nor do I. But in reality, war is war. Innocent lives are going to be taken, just as in the case of abortion.
-
SO I hope when you blog on abortion, you defend the innocent lives that are murdered by the 1000s too. If you don't, you are a complete hypocrite. And man is your science murdering innocent lives.
-
BTW - If you know how a baby is made, then you know when life begins.
"You are the most arrogant, prideful man I have encountered."... "you teach your children He does not exist, So, why would he owe you and your children anything?"... "why should God have saved your daughter from being murdered?"... "We live in a world of evil people, like you..." "you cannot grasp in your little box of a mind."
That's very Christian of you, Denese.
Here's the thing. You are so brainwashed into KNOWING that your god is real, when that book says he does something despicable like murdering innocent women and children--even THAT doesn't make you question the book's validity or your god's intentions of evil.
Instead, you make excuses for the book and for him, and even go as far as to say "MAYBE THOSE BABIES WERE EVIL, WE DON'T KNOW THAT!" Are you kidding me?! When do you use your logic and think about what you're saying? What would that book have to say before you questioned it? How far would you stretch?
Accountability. That is in the Bible too.
-
Why should God save those who do not believe?
...Why?
...God cannot act upon a sinner's requests who has not placed his faith and trust in Christ. There is no relationship to those who do not believe.
...War. One horrible ugly war is coming when Christ returns. And yes, lives are going to be taken. If God were to return today, many children and babies will go with Him. But people who do not believe, will not and those will be punished. And you think they are innocent. They are not. They have turned away from the very God who created them. That is not innocense. That is the ultimate wrong doing
If we found some lost ancient text that was found to be written by Moses, that had an 11th commandment, for us to put bottles in our butts and dance around a lake naked every Sunday morning, would that become part of your church ritual?
If another version of Leviticus was found and proven to be authentic, and it told stories of the same god beating babies one by one and sacrificing kittens by throwing them off a mountain, and commanding that each of his followers cut the throat of their first born daughter, what would you say? "WELL, IF GOD SAYS SO, THEN LET'S GET IR DONE!"
Give me a break! When do you stop your faith and begin questioning how sick this primitive people were that wrote this nonsense? Where do you draw the line, Denese?
I will draw a line when you believe in God and you stop reading your nonsense.
-
Again, what age did you stop believing?
I was going to church around age 15, and started having doubts at about 16 when I was baptized, and searched for many years for the true religion that would get me to heaven. I read scriptures, and spoke with preachers--I really wanted to "fix" what was wrong with me for doubting. I believed just like you, that I was sick or evil for doubting.
The more I read, and the more questions that the preachers couldn't answer, the less I believed. It just didn't make sense to me. By the time I was 19, I was playing drums for churches and even recorded a gospel album with a group. I had more doubts than I was willing to share.
The latest written document I have of me "thanking God" was at age 22. I didn't really believe it all, but I just knew that was the RIGHT thing to do, so I did it. By age 23, I knew I wasn't Christian, and continued searching for answers. By age 26 I officially came out as Atheist to my family and started reviewing the documents I had kept during my research.
By age 28, I decided to compile that research into a book. Yesterday, at age 30, I completed that book and sent it off to the publisher. It should be available in print very soon.
Thanks for sharing David.
-
You said you were baptized.....At what age did you ask "Christ into your heart"?
-
I think it is perfectly ok to doubt and question God. ( Jesus question God when He was on the cross, right )
-
I apologize for getting a bit rilled up in the prior post.
Well, I was never forced to go to church as a child. I think that's a major difference. I was never 'indoctrinated' as Dr. Creamer alluded to. By the time I started looking into it, I was 15 and had used logic and reason my whole life, discovering myths of the Greek gods, Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, etc.
At 15, I was baptized. But that sparked something in me to search for more, to make sure I was doing it right. That part is in my book, so I won't go into it here. So, 15 to answer your question.
By the way, don't worry about getting upset on here, I understand how important your faith is to you, as it was to me at one time. I know that my views are offensive to many, so I don't take it personally when people attack me. I understand that your religion is a part of you, and has literally become one with you in the group-psychology sense. No offense taken.
Thanks.
Here is my issue with the age of being 15 and you using "logic and reason". I am still searching for a 15 yr old who can do that. It's not very likely.
I am not sure what you mean by indoctrinated and I didn't get to listen to the show Monday until 530, so I missed a lot I'm sure.
-
At 15 did you ever ask the Lord to reveal Himself to you, to be Lord over you, to reign in you and to change you from the inside out?
...That is the huge part.
...Not sure what church you were going to or how that church views baptism. Baptism is just an outward symbolism that you are showing to everyone else that you truely accepted God and faith in Jesus Christ. Baptism is not what makes you God's child or joint heir.
...Make sense from the bible point of view?
-
I'd have to say you do alot more with your church at that age than I did with mine. I was one of those typical teenagers who fell away from attending church and so on. And God allowed me to do that due to the free will He gave me. But on the inside there was something missing. I went searching for tha tsomething in so many other places, but still empty. After my first child, I found myself longing for God, missing Him. I also found myself everyday driving by this little old church no matter where I was going, it just happened to be the way I took. I began going back to church and reading my bible.
-
I too have SO many questions, DAvid. So many things are mind boggling to say the least. Just ask my pastor now. He will tell you I am the most inquisitive blonde he has met. Man, I ask so tough, tough questions.
-
But here is what I do with my bible. I ask questions to older people who are more wise. They provide their history and then scripture. just the location. I pray asking God to open my mind and my heart. Then I read. And David, God is right there when I am reading. Those words in that bible jump out and hit me so hard in the heart. I don't know He does it, He just does.
-
Maybe God has you on this road adventure for a reason. Maube He is making to you search so much getting you ready for His presence. I don't know. But I do feel God's presence in me leading me down a good path. And when things go wrong or evil continues to exist, I have hope that He has it under control.
-
There is no brainwashing. Me personally, I do not care for the fire, hell and damanation type preachers. But that is me. I am blonde and how the heck do you brainwash a blonde...LOL.
-
But I read other books...I too have studied psychology, science, etc. But all in all, it is my heart that leads me back to God and the bible. No one, absolutely no one on this earth can fully comprehend and makes sence of God. It is absolutely impossible. just as in your case, science does not make sense either.
-
It really is what you want to have faith in. I know men/women in this world do evil things. I know good exists too. But it is not for me to judge thier heart, for only God knows that.
-
I have so many questions that I ask daily. Trust me ask Dr Creamer, my pastor, my mentors, my anti-christian friends, my Christian co-workers. i search just like you. But ther eis something in me that just knows God is real.
But if you have never really asked God to reveal Himself to you, or to reigh in you, that is the reason you cannot grasp or comprehend the why or why nots? Thus, 2 Cor 4:4.
But not saying a simple, tiny prayer of God please save me is not the trick. He wants you to really want Him.
I think when you really let down the walls and tell God all you have told me and the rest of the world what your doubts really are, I will guarantee God will start showing you who He is.
He might not tell you why. That is a testing of faith.
Just like when your kids took their first steps.....The were aprehensive not knowing if they were going to make it to you or not. You could tell them til you were blue in your face to trust you, but it was the child who had to ultimately trust in you. They could not reason and use logic, they simply had to trust. They could not ask why or why not, they had to trust. And lo and behold, they fell didn't they. But they had to fall, get up and learn again, and again and again.
God stands right in our midst. We have to trust in Him to get to Him. Het allows us to fall, get back up and learn again.
But being 15 telling me you were using reason and logic your whole life. I will beg to differ with you even from a psychological point of view. When you were first born, you had faith with your very first breathe. You had faith that someone would take care of you.
What questions do you have?
"GOD'S LACK OF APPEARANCE DURING BAD TIMES IS INCONSISTENT WITH THE DESCRIPTION OF WHO HE IS SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE BIBLE: ALL-KNOWING, ALL-LOVING, ALL-POWERFUL."
No it isn't, it would only be inconsistent if God was controling people like puppets on a string. The idea of free will and making your own choices good or bad totally escapes you. God is not controling the world or dictating the world, he is letting the world just be and WE make the world what it is. I don't see why that is so hard for you to understand. Its such a simple concept.
"IS HE WATCHING WHILE CHILDREN ARE STARVING, PEOPLE ARE BEING RAPED AND ABUSED, AND EARTHQUAKES AND TSUNAMIS ARE MURDERING THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE? NO! A GOOD, LOVING, POWERFUL GOD CANNOT EXIST YET STANDBY AND WATCH THOSE HORRIBLE THINGS."
Why not? Especially when he knows the suffering will end and eternal bliss will be had. Especially when he knows this life is but a millisecond of your existence. Especially when he gave you the earth to do your bidding on. Why would he intervene when he gave us this world to make of it what we will. Of course he watches us make mistakes and hopes that we learn from them. Its not free will if he is going to control every aspect of what we do.
"That is my point.
Do you get it now?"
You have no point to make especially to people who understand the concept of free will.
"Do what I say or burn in Hell" is not free will.
Say whatever you like that makes you feel better about your god not being there for little suffering children. I know why he's not there. You have to make excuses.
I make no excuses, I just don't throw a fit and stop playing if the game and the rules aren't going my way.
You don't like the rules, you don't like the way the game is played, and you are losing it so you have decided to take your ball and go home, but on the way home you have decided to try and pop the ball of those who want to still play. Giving up and going home is one thing, but tring to ruin the game for everyone else is just being a bad sport.
You are not more ethical than God, you know of and see bad things happen every day, you do what you think you can or are willing to do, then move on. You have a limit as to what you will do. Do you have the homeless sleeping on your couch right now? Are you broke because you donated all your money to the children in Haiti? Are your hands bloody from digging them out. Are you taking the bus because you donated your car to the shelter. How are you paying for those psychology classes? Why not give that money to those that need food? Why are you not there for every little child that you could be there for? Whats your excuse if you say you are more ethical than God, why haven't you been able to prove it?
"I know why he's not there."
You only know why hes not there for you. You don't know anything else about it.
Defenders of the Faith say I .....I !!
WOW....Incredibly bold statements from Steve and Anonymous.
-
His only response will be is that he is not god.
"..."Do what I say or burn in Hell" is not free will..."
-
Aren't you a believer in consequences?
-
FREE WILL
Choose or not to choose
...Rewards for good behavior
...Consequences for bad behavior
-
Simple as that.
"Aren't you a believer in consequences?"
I don't think Samlley is a believer in consequences. I think he is a believer in what makes him feel good and what makes those around him feel good. Thats it.
An Atheist can't believe in consequences. It would be a contradiction. They can only believe in odds maybe. What are the odds that I will get caught if I shop lift? There is no supreme being or balance of nature, or karma for an atheist. So actions dont necessarily bring about consequences. You may get caught you may not for an atheist. For every individual atheist it has to come down to their own personal wants and needs.
Hosea 13:4
Yet I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and you shall know no God but me; therefore there is no one who can save besides me.
.......
Hosea 13:16
Samaria shall be condemned because she has rebelled against her God; they shall fall by the sword; their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and thier women with child shall be ripped up
oops wrong topic
Post a Comment