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Challenge for all atheists

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Didn't Constantine choose the Books to be included in the New Testament? I seem to remember from some Christian Anthropology classes I took, that there were socio-political issues going on during his time that made it expedient to select the ones he "needed", and disregard some others?...
 
Kinda interesting that a Human chose which "Words of God" to include in the "Word of God".

But, I suppose every person of Faith does that in their own way with whatever version of Holy Book they follow.
 
Yeah, we all know it takes a good whiskey and "specialist interest" magazine to get into his inner circle.

What does God need with an atheist?

People to actually kick back and enjoy eternity with rather than his followers.
 
Have all the atheists been sufficiently challenged? I would hate for anyone to feel left out. ;)
Meh. Given the quality of the challenge, I am reminded of the great Agent Washington, who said: "Hey, is there anybody else... smart... here that I can talk to?"
 
Wait, there was a challenge in there?

Yes, but I finished it quickly.

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How about a challenge, where all atheists have to empty an ice bucket onto themselves, or else spend, say, two bucks on religious charity?
 
I can't say who, just that he's very much the focus of what we've been talking about in this thread.

Just call him Chuck.
 
Well, no, they couldn't. The very fact you are saying that shows you know nothing about genetics. I'm not in a position to give you a primer here (google is your friend) but suffice to say it has NOTHING to do with existing defects and everything to do with a viable gene pool. Which cannot be maintained with a baseline taken from two people.

This is spot on, it's simple biological fact that you can verify by taking even the most bare bones foundation course. Nor does it rely on faith or my opinion. You don't avoid genetic defects by creating a larger genepool through inbreeding, it just doesn't work. All you are doing is creating more muddy waters. No matter how many children they had they would still be working from the genetic material of two individuals and empirical science has shown us that doesn't work. Period.

We don't avoid incest purely because of religion (although historically the church has acted as avaluable mouthpiece to strengthen the taboo), nor is it because there are too many "genetic defects" in the pool, but because doing it creates those defects. By your model the human race simply couldn't have thrived the way it has.

There's little point me repeating this ad nauseum, either you are willing to do a primer in genetics in which case the answer to your question will be clear, or you aren't and are prepared to accept the word of your minister who I am prepared to bet good money is not a biologist.

Your argument seems to rest on that "with God everything is possible" but you don't seem to grasp the idea that for many of us God is not a given. If you are going to make sweeping statements starting from a premise you have to establish a consensus that said premise is valid, otherwise you are on the road to nowhere.

As I have no evidence for the existence of God nor logical reason to even suspect His existence I see no reason to accept such a statement in denial of hundreds of years of painstakingly careful scientific study. You may believe God makes anything possible, but that is your belief. The fact you believe it does not mean others do, or should.

In this case for instance, if someone does not believe in God (or remains unconvinced), why then would they be impressed by such a statement when all the empirical evidence really does stack up to the contrary. Evolution by natural selection happens. We can recreate it under lab conditions. It happens and by definition requires a large enough genepool to allow for significant genetic variety. Two people is not enough, nor does the literal creation story explain how we happen to share so much of our genetic make up with every other species on the planet. No matter who is offended by that idea and froths at the mouth trying to terrorize you into believing otherwise it is simply true beyond any reasonable facsimile of doubt.

That doesn't preclude God from the story and Darwin was a religious man himself. He saw no conflict between the two and despite my personal misgivings about the Christian church (or any other organised religion) neither in principle do I. If God did create us he had to do so somehow and the evidence suggests that natural selection was it. If so fair play, any intelligent creator would far more likely start life by building the basic principles into His universe than by just dropping two specimens arbitrarily into a world which clearly wasn't compatible with them. (Forbidden fruit? The Serpent? Original sin?)

Bear in mind I have had a fundamentalist upbringing myself, as I said. I'm actually grateful for it, much as I am grateful for the polio and tetanus inoculations I got as a child. It left me as an adult far less likely to be swayed by "arguments" which prey on people's insecurities and fears rather than reason.

I'm afraid what you're saying isn't true. Even Elvis Presley sang it in one of his songs Kissin' Cousins. He sings, "Yeah we're all cousins. That's what I believe, 'Cause we're all children, Of Adam and Eve."

You're not putting enough faith in the capabilities of God. With all due respect, you sound as bad as the Muslims who say that the one who God said He would send would reveal things to them in the New Testament has to be Muhammed and not the Holy Spirit because they don't have enough faith to believe that God could've had foretold what would happen in advance.

I looked back in the account of Lot. According to that, his daughters were the once who had sex with him and got pregnant; and he didn't even know it because he was asleep. For all I know, he might've thought he was having a wet dream or something. They did it because they had lost their husbands, and they needed someone to carry on the family line as it was their custom. It's in Genesis 30.
God bless, Jason Irelan
 
I found something else in the Bible. It does SO mention the lake of fire. It's mentioned in Revelation 20:14.

I know I can't force people to believe that the devil and God are real; but if you don't, just try my suggested experiment with a Ouija board. I couldn't work the one I was shown by one of you if I wanted to because I know it requires some kind of smaller board.
God bless, Jason Irelan
 
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