I hate myself, and hate being an atheist.

[Cerraco]

According to who?

History itself. How did Adam and Eve exist? The Earth is 4.5 billion years old, man did not exist back then. Some people believe the Earth is what? 6000 years old? And that we lived alongside the dinosaurs? The earliest version of man are archaic humans. Or at least, that's one of our early stages.

That’s not an accurate assessment.

Read the account again…

Okay then, is Noah's Ark meant to be a 'true' story or just a story?

Children are murdering adults now because of no godly fear.

Is that a better world for you?

God can do anything, right? Was there no better solution than sending bears?

What a foolish statement.

As if you were there to know this for a “fact”.

This works both ways, my guy. The literary style of some stories do resemble earlier myths. We're talking about an ancient book that has been constantly re-edited and re-translated. How do any of us know what is true, and what is meant to be a metaphorical story? You really shouldn't be this surprised that an atheist doesn't just blindly go with the Bible. I don't know what else you'd expect from an actual atheist.

You're saying stuff like "What a foolish statement"... Okay? There's not a lot of lasting evidence of some of these Biblical stories.

“…time and chance happeneth to them all.” (Ecclesiastes 9:11)

...?

 

[Michiah-Imla]

constantly re-edited and re-translated

A yet the “Bible corrupters” still cannot smooth it out enough to appeal more to men…

Why haven’t they edited out adultery in all those years?

Why haven’t they edited out the verses about homosexuality in all those years?

And on and on…

[rolls eyes]

Such nonsense.

If that book has been corrupted sooooo many times over the centuries how is it that it still has power to save?

I’m sorry that you’ve bought in to all of the lies of godless and faithless men.

 

[Cerraco]

A yet the “Bible corrupters” still cannot smooth it out enough to appeal more to men…

Why haven’t they edited out adultery in all those years?

Why haven’t they edited out the verses about homosexuality in all those years?

And on and on…

I don't think you quite knew what I was aiming at with my post. My post is not about "why didn't they take out all the nasty stuff?" It was closer to "due to all the years and edits and translations through the years, maybe some of the info might be scrambled due to how difficult translations can be." You're missing the point of my posts. What is meant to be real? And what is meant to be a metaphorical story? That part of my post was still unanswered.

[rolls eyes]

Such nonsense.

Of course, you're going to say that, since you follow the book.

If that book has been corrupted sooooo many times over the centuries how is it that it still has power to save?

I’m sorry that you’ve bought in to all of the lies of godless and faithless men.

Uuuggghhh, no... It's not about "corrupting". That's not what I said, dude. I'm gonna just call this how it is. I can just FEEL the annoyance you're feeling because I'm not speaking positively about your book. I'm sure you'd say a lot worse to me if this wasn't a Christian forum. You're still misunderstanding everything I'm saying. You also don't seem to understand the viewpoint of other people who aren't Christian.

 

[Michiah-Imla]

due to all the years and edits and translations through the years, maybe some of the info might be scrambled due to how difficult translations can be

And MAYBE not…

 

[Cerraco]

And MAYBE not…

Excellent counter-argument. This isn't a discussion, this is just you venting and very angrily defending the Bible. You're speaking to an atheist, you shouldn't be shocked when a person who isn't a Christian doesn't see the Bible as this golden, perfect invention that was written by other flawed humans.

 

[BarneyFife]

"Not baptized? Hell.

Why do you think Christ insisted on being baptized?

.

 

[Michiah-Imla]

you venting and very angrily defending the Bible

Not angrily.

VEHEMENTLY!!

 

[Cerraco]

Why do you think Christ insisted on being baptized?

Guy was the son of God, I don't think not being baptized was the one thing keeping him from Hell.

Not angrily.

VEHEMENTLY!!

Am I the first atheist you've ever known in your life?

 

[BarneyFife]

Guy was the son of God, I don't think not being baptized was the one thing keeping him from Hell.

Neither do I. So why do you think He did it?

By the way, it's not a trick or obnoxious question.

.

 

[Cerraco]

Neither do I. So why do you think He did it?

By the way, it's not a trick or obnoxious question.

.

I looked it up, the internet tells me that Jesus asked John to do it. His final act of his private life. His obedience to God. My answer before looking that up would've been "just tradition". Was that what allowed him into heaven?

 

[Michiah-Imla]

Am I the first atheist you've ever known in your life?

No

 

[Cerraco]

No

Theeeeeeeeen... why are you so shocked when I don't agree with parts of the Bible? Isn't that what you would expect from an atheist?

 

[Michiah-Imla]

Theeeeeeeeen... why are you so shocked when I don't agree with parts of the Bible?

Because I’ll never be passive when discussing the only book that matters in the world…

THE HOLY BIBLE!

 

[Cerraco]

Because I’ll never be passive when discussing the only book that matters in the world…

THE HOLY BIBLE!

So you agree that Adam and Eve walked the Earth, and were tricked by a talking snake? I'm not saying it's the worst book ever made, I'll even go so far to say that it might be the most interesting one in existence. Me saying that the book contradicts some history and science is not always "lies from the enemy".

 

[BarneyFife]

So you agree that Adam and Eve walked the Earth, and were tricked by a talking snake? I'm not saying it's the worst book ever made, I'll even go so far to say that it might be the most interesting one in existence. Me saying that the book contradicts some history and science is not always "lies from the enemy".

For this little compromise and affirmation, you might just have won the grand prize:

A salutary flogging.

.

 

[BarneyFife]

@Cerraco

Now would be a good time for me to argue with you about the authenticity of Genesis 1 - 3.

Oops. My mistake. Somebody slipped a BaylorU cap onto my head while I wasn't looking.

.

 

[Cerraco]

There is overwhelming evidence of not only evolution, but the true age of the Earth. If we started out as apes, then archaic humans, how would Adam and Even fit in there?

 

[BarneyFife]

There is overwhelming evidence of not only evolution, but the true age of the Earth. If we started out as apes, then archaic humans, how would Adam and Even fit in there?

Does being convinced of the veracity of evolutionary theory help to relieve any of the personal difficulty you cited in the OP? Just asking.

.

 

[Cerraco]

Does being convinced of the veracity of evolutionary theory help to relieve any of the personal difficulty you cited in the OP? Just asking.

.

Sure? I mean, that's unrelated, so I'm fairly neutral to that. How old do you think the Earth is?

 

[Rita]

My son, who was an atheist and came to faith two years ago still believes that many of the accounts in the Old Testament were not real events. I believe they happened but Over the years I do see them as pictures or Reflections of redemption and salvation. There are still parts of the Old Testament that I do not totally understand.
I keep an open mind and I believe there will always be questions. Some things are beyond our understanding and knowledge, it doesn’t bother me that I don’t know all the answers as I trust in a God that does.