Conversation with An Atheist

[ProDeo]

People tell me that the Bible is the word of God.
Just for info, I've started at the beginning again.... I've ignored the genocide and got to the temptation of Abraham.
It's always played on my mind that a God that is capable of creating a universe needed validation from Abraham.
How his bloodline benefited from his blessing and how the story repeated later with a blind father choosing which son was favourable.
Kind of reminds me of Cain and Abel....

The themes in the Bible say more about the authors than God...
I'm nearly at Exodus, I'll update you when I've read it.

Re-hi,

The story of Abraham was written at least 500 BC, maybe even earlier. Keep that in mind. And notice the similarities Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac and 2000 years later God (the Father) to sacrifice Jesus (the Son) in order to take away the sins of the whole world, you, me and everybody else.

1. Isaac (the son) was the long awaited promised son of Abraham (the father), like Jesus was the promised Messiah (the Son).

2. Isaac (the son) was born supernaturally as Sara (the wife of Abraham) was too old to conceive and yet she conceived. Jesus was also born supernaturally, Mary got pregnant from the Holy Spirit.

3. God told Abraham to travel to a certain place called mountain Moria, he and Isaac had to travel 3 days to arrive there. Mount Moria at that time (2000 BC) was the early settlements of what later became Jerusalem as a vibrant city.

4. And Jerusalem, 2000 years later, is the place were God (the Father) sacrificed Jesus (the Son) in order to take away the sins of the whole world, you, me and everybody else.

5. When Abraham (the father) and Isaac (the son) climbed mount Moria, Isaac (the son) had to carry the wood needed on the alter that was going to kill him. Jesus (the Son) had to carry the wooden cross al the way to Golgotha and contrary to Isaac it did kill Jesus.

6. As you probably know God withheld Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, God did not withheld the Romans who killed Jesus.

So the whole story is a prophecy of the most important story in the history of mankind, 2000 years later, Jesus the Savior of world Who took away the sins of the whole world, you, me and everybody else.

Happened 2000 BC, orally told from generation to generation and written down 500 BC or earlier.

 

[Mancunian]

I've been looking into the story of Mary.
She was a child between 12 and 15 years of age.
This alone tells me that the biblical account of Jesus' mother is of the time and was written by men of the time.

The more that I read the Bible, the more it correlates with the time that it was written. The men of the time were super superstitious (pardon the expression) and that comes through strongly.

I've only got to the midway point of Leviticus and I can't square anything that I've read up to now with reality.
How am I supposed to believe that people lived to nearly 1000 years of age? It flies in the face of everything that we know about the life expectancy of humans in that era.

The account of creation in Genesis directly contradicts science and everything that we know to be true.
Then we get to original sin...
We know that according to Genesis Adam was created by the hand of God and Eve was taken from Adam.... God placed them in a garden and knowingly put temptation right in front of them.... Not only that, God allowed the serpent to be there for some unknown reason.
Is it really the fault of two innocent people who knew nothing or is the outcome the fault of God?
I know who my money's on.

Anyway... Then we get the story of Cain and Abel, a story that is mirrored later in Genesis....There are recurring themes, themes that are obviously important to the authors. It's a minefield of jumbled messages.

Unfortunately Exodus continues the theme...
It's not easy reading.

 

[Fathom]

I never stop thinking.

Brother, read genesis 6:1-7 again.

Ask yourself - How will God remove human natural predatory instincts?

and yes God regretted creating mankind.

This is why It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, and the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

 

[ScottA]

I've been looking into the story of Mary.
She was a child between 12 and 15 years of age.
This alone tells me that the biblical account of Jesus' mother is of the time and was written by men of the time.

The more that I read the Bible, the more it correlates with the time that it was written. The men of the time were super superstitious (pardon the expression) and that comes through strongly.

I've only got to the midway point of Leviticus and I can't square anything that I've read up to now with reality.
How am I supposed to believe that people lived to nearly 1000 years of age? It flies in the face of everything that we know about the life expectancy of humans in that era.

The account of creation in Genesis directly contradicts science and everything that we know to be true.
Then we get to original sin...
We know that according to Genesis Adam was created by the hand of God and Eve was taken from Adam.... God placed them in a garden and knowingly put temptation right in front of them.... Not only that, God allowed the serpent to be there for some unknown reason.
Is it really the fault of two innocent people who knew nothing or is the outcome the fault of God?
I know who my money's on.

Anyway... Then we get the story of Cain and Abel, a story that is mirrored later in Genesis....There are recurring themes, themes that are obviously important to the authors. It's a minefield of jumbled messages.

Unfortunately Exodus continues the theme...
It's not easy reading.

When I first read the Bible, I read it from cover to cover in a week, and I'm slow. Maybe your approach is just too part time.

As for things like people living nearly a thousand years--we're talking about God--anything is possible. But you should also notice repetitions of things, things that are repeated like a parent repeats things to their children--because they're children and just learning about things they are just finding out about. Quite literally, every day of the first seven days of creation--is a lesson--actually a roadmap and a prophecy of everything to follow.

And if you haven't noticed, many things are spoken of in parable or likeness, even us made in the "image" of God--it's a picture that He is showing us. Have you not looked in a mirror and thought about it? Why is there two of everything...well, except head...and a few other things. It's all imagery, and stories--real life stories--showing things, explaining things...to teach us.

But if you reject the very idea or premise--what have you learned from everything around you that was and is a cosmic unlimited set of encyclopedias, and so much more? Many aren't even paying attention. Ever had a class like that? Most of us have. Mine was math. I doodled and daydreamed a lot--didn't learn much, until I got out of school and had to learn or lose opportunities. For some, it's Bible class...if you even get into it. But that is how opportunities are lost. Life is like that.

 

[ScottA]

It's always played on my mind that a God that is capable of creating a universe needed validation from Abraham.

Unbeknownst to most...God didn't create this universe, this existence, as we think of creating something. The whole reason there is a book involved and "it is written" is such a theme--is because that better describes what He has done. It's like He wrote a book of what "was" in Him, then made it manifest...and this is us reading, or being read to. And when the last of what is written comes to pass, He's just going to slam it closed (with the voice of an archangel)--BAM! And things will be as they were written (or were) "before the foundation of the world"...after everyone chooses based on what they are at their core--forever.

 

[Wrangler]

It's not for the want of trying. I'm doing everything that I can to try and understand.

Repeating The Original Sin. Stop trying to understand! Start trying to submit. In fact don’t try. There is no try! Do or do not!

Do not lean on your own understanding, Take your next step in faith. And then the next one. And the next one, etc.

 

[Lizbeth]

I've been looking into the story of Mary.
She was a child between 12 and 15 years of age.
This alone tells me that the biblical account of Jesus' mother is of the time and was written by men of the time.

The more that I read the Bible, the more it correlates with the time that it was written. The men of the time were super superstitious (pardon the expression) and that comes through strongly.

I've only got to the midway point of Leviticus and I can't square anything that I've read up to now with reality.
How am I supposed to believe that people lived to nearly 1000 years of age? It flies in the face of everything that we know about the life expectancy of humans in that era.

The account of creation in Genesis directly contradicts science and everything that we know to be true.
Then we get to original sin...
We know that according to Genesis Adam was created by the hand of God and Eve was taken from Adam.... God placed them in a garden and knowingly put temptation right in front of them.... Not only that, God allowed the serpent to be there for some unknown reason.
Is it really the fault of two innocent people who knew nothing or is the outcome the fault of God?
I know who my money's on.

Anyway... Then we get the story of Cain and Abel, a story that is mirrored later in Genesis....There are recurring themes, themes that are obviously important to the authors. It's a minefield of jumbled messages.

Unfortunately Exodus continues the theme...
It's not easy reading.

All of which proves we need the Lord to give us light/understanding. But I have heard of a few bright people who in trying to disprove Christianity, came to the opposite conclusion....why not read some of their testimonies and reasoning? ( I can't remember any of their names unfortunately, but maybe you could do a Google search for them....?

 

[Mancunian]

All of which proves we need the Lord to give us light/understanding. But I have heard of a few bright people who in trying to disprove Christianity, came to the opposite conclusion....why not read some of their testimonies and reasoning? ( I can't remember any of their names unfortunately, but maybe you could do a Google search for them....?

Lee Strobel?

 

[Lizbeth]

Lee Strobel?

That name is familiar, but I can't remember in connection with what.