31% of American adults believe the Bible is Literal Word of God - Belief strongest among those without college degrees

[homesick_american 1]

Personally, I don't believe there was even such a person as Jesus. Don't be offended; I think all religions are made-up. I do sometimes envy the religious because they're so certain that there's someone up there looking out for them and that they'll go to a better place when they die. I can see the benefits in believing that. However, I don't and I can't force myself to.

HA, that's a typical arrogant comment that implies you feel superior for not believing in God. Care to clarify?

I'll take the high road here and not even bother to answer such an inflammatory question.

[Alex+R 0]

Personally, I don't believe there was even such a person as Jesus. Don't be offended; I think all religions are made-up. I do sometimes envy the religious because they're so certain that there's someone up there looking out for them and that they'll go to a better place when they die. I can see the benefits in believing that. However, I don't and I can't force myself to.

HA, that's a typical arrogant comment that implies you feel superior for not believing in God. Care to clarify?

I'll take the high road here and not even bother to answer such an inflammatory question.

Suit yourself; as a fellow atheist I was trying to help you.

[homesick_american 1]

Personally, I don't believe there was even such a person as Jesus. Don't be offended; I think all religions are made-up. I do sometimes envy the religious because they're so certain that there's someone up there looking out for them and that they'll go to a better place when they die. I can see the benefits in believing that. However, I don't and I can't force myself to.

HA, that's a typical arrogant comment that implies you feel superior for not believing in God. Care to clarify?

I'll take the high road here and not even bother to answer such an inflammatory question.

Suit yourself; as a fellow atheist I was trying to help you.

That is not how it came across.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Personally, I don't believe there was even such a person as Jesus. Don't be offended; I think all religions are made-up. I do sometimes envy the religious because they're so certain that there's someone up there looking out for them and that they'll go to a better place when they die. I can see the benefits in believing that. However, I don't and I can't force myself to.

I think there's plenty of historical evidence out there to prove that a man named Jesus existed and was crucified by Pontius Pilate. Its the supernatural aspects of it that I find hard to swallow. As for the Resurrection, its more likely the body was stolen from the tomb.

There's also that thing with the loaves and fishes - that it wasn't really a miracle the way it is described, which basically amounts to pulling food out of a hat by magic. I lean toward the idea that it was the same fish and bread he passed around - same message, different methodology

Edited May 27, 2007 by erekose

[PlatyPius 5]

But again if a person's faith is really that strong then it shouldn't be a problem.

Well that goes to the old argument of balancing respect for peoples feelings with the right to freely express oneself. Yes, they should be able to handle criticism of their faith, but if they're being repeatedly singled out by a professor (I'm not saying that's commonplace), I'd consider that a problem that needs addressing.

Kinda like being repeatedly told that you're going to hell because you aren't christian? Or having people knock on your door and hand out leaflets every week or two?

IMO ANY unwanted religious dialogue is rude. To try to convert or to "de-convert" (I made a new word!) means that you assume that your religion or lack thereof is better/more vaild/the only true/whatever than the person's existing religion or lack thereof. That just seems really, really rude to me.

Which is why I say: I don't care what religion you are...just keep it to your own damn self.

[homesick_american 1]

Personally, I don't believe there was even such a person as Jesus. Don't be offended; I think all religions are made-up. I do sometimes envy the religious because they're so certain that there's someone up there looking out for them and that they'll go to a better place when they die. I can see the benefits in believing that. However, I don't and I can't force myself to.

I think there's plenty of historical evidence out there to prove that a man named Jesus existed and was crucified by Pontius Pilate. Its the supernatural aspects of it that I find hard to swallow. As for the Resurrection, its more likely the body was stolen from the tomb.

There's also that thing with the loaves and fishes - that it wasn't really a miracle the way it is described, which basically amounts to pulling food out of a hat by magic. I lean toward the idea that it was the same fish and bread he passed around - same message, different methodology

The evidence is anecdotal; there's no contemporary evidence of Pontius Pilate executing someone named Jesus and no contemporary writer even mentions Jesus. He's only mentioned by anyone after he's already "dead". The biblical "evidence" means nothing to me because to me, the bible is all made-up anyway...and the gospels of Jesus's "contemporaries" could have been written by anyone and have been heavily edited, slashed, and chopped by the church over the years.

That's a whole other kettle of fish, anyway.

[Peikko 1,575]

Just goes to show, 31% of Americans are completely nuts. I can understand why people want to believe in a 'higher' power/being, but to take the bible as literal truth? Nuts I say.

Unless it's the King James bible, now that's literally true, of course

[Jamie76 0]

I was watching a story on ABC news tonight about a creation museum in Kentucky. According to ABCs poll, 60% of Americans believe in the literal story of creation. I don't know how many individuals were polled, but that seems rather high...and a bit shocking.

Edited May 27, 2007 by Jamie76

[ILIKEALLCAPS 0]

As far as science goes, I don't accept the view that the Earth was made in 144 hours 6,000 years ago, nor do I believe that is how the text of Genesis 1 & 2 is intended to be understood. I do, however, believe in an actual Adam and Eve, who were created separate from animals, from whom every human being since is descended. I don't think there is any way around that, as far as the Biblical text is concerned.

Ok, so If god created Adam and Eve, did they have navels? If so, why? If they're created in god's own image, would that mean that god has a navel? Why would god need a navel? In what womb was god gestated? Is it an innie or an outie? Why isn't this mentioned anywhere in the bible?

Moving on to Jesus.....did Jesus have a navel? I mean, he's god, but he apparently was in the womb for 9 months. Would that mean that the triune entity known as "god" both has and doesn't have a navel, at the same time?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I was watching a story on ABC news tonight about a creation museum in Kentucky. According to ABCs poll, 60% of Americans believe in the literal story of creation. I don't know how many individuals were polled, but that seems rather high...and a bit shocking.

The museum is pretty ludicrous. Apparently after being kicked out of Eden, part of God's punishment was that Adam and Eve had to contend with T-Rex!

[ILIKEALLCAPS 0]

someone wrote a book in God's name? He's gonna be pissed.

Well, as far as I'm concerned, if the Bible wasn't written with God's authority and guidance, then there is no God to be pissed about it anyway. As I said above:

If Jesus didn't rise from the dead, then the Bible isn't true.

If the Bible isn't true, then there is no God.

If there is no God, don't pi$$ me off!

God gave us free will. That includes the ability to write an incorrect book in his name. Without free will we would be his puppets.

Ok, so from what I understand, god gave us free will. God, the omnipotent and omniscient being gave us free will. So every decision I make is entirely my own and up to random chance if that's what I let drive it. I could flip a coin and make all my decisions, using heads or tails as my moral compass.

And god, knowing everything as he/she/it does, would have already known the outcome in advance. So my decision was determined long before I used my "free will" to make it so? Or is it that god can't see the decision in advance, making him/her/it not quite as all powerful/all knowing as he/she/it is made out to be.

[Peikko 1,575]

Free will still works so long as the omni one doesn't 'alter' anything based on your random choices...I think

Knowing the outcome doesn't 'determine' it.

[Jamie76 0]

Something I have always had a hard time getting around was the big bang. Out of nothing came all this? Cosmologists say it was a ball of matter and energy and then with an explosion the universe was created. What created the matter and energy to begin with? Here is this ball of matter and energy in blackness, nothingness...that space surrounding this ball...what is that? It must have volume...so is that a part of something larger and our universe is just a piece of something much larger?

[Jamie76 0]

someone wrote a book in God's name? He's gonna be pissed.

Well, as far as I'm concerned, if the Bible wasn't written with God's authority and guidance, then there is no God to be pissed about it anyway. As I said above:

If Jesus didn't rise from the dead, then the Bible isn't true.

If the Bible isn't true, then there is no God.

If there is no God, don't pi$$ me off!

God gave us free will. That includes the ability to write an incorrect book in his name. Without free will we would be his puppets.

Ok, so from what I understand, god gave us free will. God, the omnipotent and omniscient being gave us free will. So every decision I make is entirely my own and up to random chance if that's what I let drive it. I could flip a coin and make all my decisions, using heads or tails as my moral compass.

And god, knowing everything as he/she/it does, would have already known the outcome in advance. So my decision was determined long before I used my "free will" to make it so? Or is it that god can't see the decision in advance, making him/her/it not quite as all powerful/all knowing as he/she/it is made out to be.

I believe the theory goes that yes, although he knows the outcome, he lets you decide your path. Just like a parent lets a child learn on his/her own. They know the mistakes you are going to make, but they let you do it anyway so you learn.

[ILIKEALLCAPS 0]

someone wrote a book in God's name? He's gonna be pissed.

Well, as far as I'm concerned, if the Bible wasn't written with God's authority and guidance, then there is no God to be pissed about it anyway. As I said above:

If Jesus didn't rise from the dead, then the Bible isn't true.

If the Bible isn't true, then there is no God.

If there is no God, don't pi$$ me off!

God gave us free will. That includes the ability to write an incorrect book in his name. Without free will we would be his puppets.

Ok, so from what I understand, god gave us free will. God, the omnipotent and omniscient being gave us free will. So every decision I make is entirely my own and up to random chance if that's what I let drive it. I could flip a coin and make all my decisions, using heads or tails as my moral compass.

And god, knowing everything as he/she/it does, would have already known the outcome in advance. So my decision was determined long before I used my "free will" to make it so? Or is it that god can't see the decision in advance, making him/her/it not quite as all powerful/all knowing as he/she/it is made out to be.

I believe the theory goes that yes, although he knows the outcome, he lets you decide your path. Just like a parent lets a child learn on his/her own. They know the mistakes you are going to make, but they let you do it anyway so you learn.

So....it's a matter of...."I know my child will OD on drugs but I love them so much I'll let them do that"? Or is it more of the "Well, I gave my child a book about how things are supposed to be and now I'll just sit back and let them stumble around, and if they follow the book they can come back in the house?"