Hi

[Baruch]

I'm beginning to wonder about myself.  Why do I bother to respond to your idiotic dribblings?  Never on this board have I stated I deny my own existence?  You must be a close cousin to Trump for it seems most of what comes out of your mouth (well, actually on this forum, fingers) is either an outright lie or at best fictional.

Experience is not the same as existence ... I don't think you denied your own existence.

[Mike Cl]

I understand. Looking around... it can be hard to believe, or even want to. However, that's actually part of what I've come through. I had an amazing family and, unfortunately, a pretty rough childhood. And yet, I am beginning to understand why.. even if only a little...

However, I understand that this is still personal evidence. ðŸ™,

I offer this one little series of thoughts to explain why I am an atheist.  I remember as a child reading parts of the OT (in bible school) and it says in a couple of places, thou shalt not kill.  Don't know why I settled on that but it got me to thinking.  God is supposed to be the creator of all--everything, past, present and future.  And the bible is part of that creation.  So, the bible is the handbook of how to live as god wants us to.  He demanded that we not kill.  He also crafted nature.  All animals (including humans) have to kill to eat and we must eat to gather energy to live.  Even a strict vegan must kill to live.  Yet plants do not.  They have photosynthesis that allows them to gather energy from the sun.  So, god instructs us to not kill, yet makes it so we must.  Yet he demonstrates with plants that he created a way not to kill to live--solar energy.  That strikes me as not being a very nice guy--to say the least.  This is not the only reason I think god (any and all) are created by man, not the other way around.  God is a handy fiction to supply the 'why' we humans love to seek and for a small group of people to control the larger group.   

[WingsofRefuge]

I offer this one little series of thoughts to explain why I am an atheist.  I remember as a child reading parts of the OT (in bible school) and it says in a couple of places, thou shalt not kill.  Don't know why I settled on that but it got me to thinking.  God is supposed to be the creator of all--everything, past, present and future.  And the bible is part of that creation.  So, the bible is the handbook of how to live as god wants us to.  He demanded that we not kill.  He also crafted nature.  All animals (including humans) have to kill to eat and we must eat to gather energy to live.  Even a strict vegan must kill to live.  Yet plants do not.  They have photosynthesis that allows them to gather energy from the sun.  So, god instructs us to not kill, yet makes it so we must.  Yet he demonstrates with plants that he created a way not to kill to live--solar energy.  That strikes me as not being a very nice guy--to say the least.  This is not the only reason I think god (any and all) are created by man, not the other way around.  God is a handy fiction to supply the 'why' we humans love to seek and for a small group of people to control the larger group.

Okay... an intriguing argument.. ðŸ™,
Ever read the entire OT, though?

[Mike Cl]

Okay... an intriguing argument.. ðŸ™,
Ever read the entire OT, though?

A couple of times--and the NT, as well.  At the height of my inquiries I read the NT with the aid of a couple of books used by various seminaries to teach the NT.  And I also read books by Robert M. Price and Richard Carrier (among a bunch of others on both sides of the aisle).  The thoughts I shared with you began in my childhood---I have had many more since.  And they have all lead me to atheism. 

A little tid-bit I picked up while reading the OT, is that the Ten Commandments (Decalogue) is actually repeated in 3 places.  Do you know what books they are found in?

[WingsofRefuge]

A couple of times--and the NT, as well.  At the height of my inquiries I read the NT with the aid of a couple of books used by various seminaries to teach the NT.  And I also read books by Robert M. Price and Richard Carrier (among a bunch of others on both sides of the aisle).  The thoughts I shared with you began in my childhood---I have had many more since.  And they have all lead me to atheism. 

A little tid-bit I picked up while reading the OT, is that the Ten Commandments (Decalogue) is actually repeated in 3 places.  Do you know what books they are found in?

Wow, very amazing the effort put into the inquiring.

And no, although one day... I hope to have a lot of information about the history and everything. I'm trying to figure out more.

Where are the 3?

[Baruch]

Wow, very amazing the effort put into the inquiring.

And no, although one day... I hope to have a lot of information about the history and everything. I'm trying to figure out more.

Where are the 3?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Commandments

Exodus and Deuteronomy.  It is argued that it is covered twice in Exodus.

Modern people don't know how to interpret ancient writings anyway, since we don't have the cultural POV of ancient people ... even if you deal with the original Biblical Hebrew (and avoid translation).

The problem with exegesis is ... it takes a lifetime to properly understand even one verse of such an old literature.  Non-professors have to content with translations (with theological bias) or scholarly summaries (Wiki above) that have philosophical bias.

One great contention is the "Thou shalt not kill" ...

I teach Biblical Hebrew to adults ... and I use Psalms as my primary resource.  It has been demonstrated that the whole Tanakh (OT) is free verse, and by 1000 CE had standardized musical tropes attached to it all, not just Psalms.  You could get as much by deeply analyzing Beetles lyrics.

[WingsofRefuge]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Commandments

Exodus and Deuteronomy.  It is argued that it is covered twice in Exodus.

Modern people don't know how to interpret modern writings anyway, since we don't have the cultural POV of ancient people ... even if you deal with the original Biblical Hebrew (and avoid translation).

The problem with exegesis is ... it takes a lifetime to properly understand even one verse of such an old literature.  Non-professors have to content with translations (with theological bias) or scholarly summaries (Wiki above) that have philosophical bias.

One great contention is the "Thou shalt not kill" ...

I teach Biblical Hebrew to adults ... and I use Psalms as my primary resource.  It has been demonstrated that the whole Tanakh (OT) is free verse, and by 1000 CE had standardized musical tropes attached to it all, not must Psalms.  You could get as much by deeply analyzing Beetles lyrics.

WOW. ðŸ™,

[Hydra009]

Yeah, yeah, theology and all that, but dammit tacos are a much more pressing concern.

Mankind's greatest invention.  Endlessly adaptable, portable, and satisfying from first bite to last.  A perfect melding of form and function; lofty aesthetics and earthly practicality perfectly balanced, as all things should be.

So I'll ask again.  Do you prefer soft or crunchy?  Why?

[trdsf]

Hi!  We're mostly harmless.  What's your thing?  Movies, books, TV, radio, music?

[WingsofRefuge]

Yeah, yeah, theology and all that, but dammit tacos are a much more pressing concern.

Mankind's greatest invention.  Endlessly adaptable, portable, and satisfying from first bite to last.  A perfect melding of form and function; lofty aesthetics and earthly practicality perfectly balanced, as all things should be.

So I'll ask again.  Do you prefer soft or crunchy?  Why?

ðŸ˜, I can't eat flour... I might eat a white corn chicken taco though!

[WingsofRefuge]

Hi!  We're mostly harmless.  What's your thing?  Movies, books, TV, radio, music?

I enjoy reading and watching tvðŸ™, And a cute movie

[trdsf]

I enjoy reading and watching tvðŸ™, And a cute movie

Not much of a TV or movie person myself, outside of a couple shows on the BBC and Netflix. although I did go to three movies in three days last week -- more than I had in the previous year.  I generally prefer radio, and audiobooks - most of what I listen to is on BBC Radio 4, or one of a couple podcasts.

Genres?  Drama, comedy, F&SF, soaps, news?  I'm a comedies and science fiction guy m'self.

[WingsofRefuge]

Not much of a TV or movie person myself, outside of a couple shows on the BBC and Netflix. although I did go to three movies in three days last week -- more than I had in the previous year.  I generally prefer radio, and audiobooks - most of what I listen to is on BBC Radio 4, or one of a couple podcasts.

Genres?  Drama, comedy, F&SF, soaps, news?  I'm a comedies and science fiction guy m'self.

Comedy, and an average amount of animation. I enjoy watching a movie with a Faith view too.
I enjoy fiction... however, non-fiction, too! ðŸ˜,

[trdsf]

Comedy, and an average amount of animation. I enjoy watching a movie with a Faith view too.
I enjoy fiction... however, non-fiction, too! ðŸ˜,

You probably won't be surprised to learn that faith-themed movies are not especially high on my list; I have no doubt many of my documentary choices are not high on yours.  ;)  Last thing I went and saw, though, was the remastered Yellow Submarine -- recommended for lovers of the Beatles and of psychedelic animation.  And wordplay.

[Baruch]

Yeah, yeah, theology and all that, but dammit tacos are a much more pressing concern.

Mankind's greatest invention.  Endlessly adaptable, portable, and satisfying from first bite to last.  A perfect melding of form and function; lofty aesthetics and earthly practicality perfectly balanced, as all things should be.

So I'll ask again.  Do you prefer soft or crunchy?  Why?

Why not both?  Doesn't Taco Bell offer one that combines a soft wrapped around a crispy?

https://www.thrillist.com/news/nation/taco-bell-launches-1-double-stacked-tacos

False dichotomy much?

Thea-atheist or Athe-theist?