My Thoughts And Questions About Religion - Religion (19) - Nairaland
Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Religion / My Thoughts And Questions About Religion (230010 Views)
Questions About Religion For The Deep Thinker / Why Are Atheists Always Talking About Religion / Questions About Demon Possession - Nairaland Demonology Experts (2) (3) (4)
(1) (2) (3) ... (16) (17) (18) (19) (20) (21) (22) ... (130) (Reply) (Go Down)
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013: 11:30am On Jul 22, 2015 |
[b]SCENARIOS WITH THE SERPENT Germans are the most obedient people on earth: If Adam and Eve were Germans, the world would still remain a paradise, because they wouldn't have disobeyed the Jewish God when he told them not to eat the the apple. Chinese people can eat serpents: if Adam and Eve, the serpent would have been history, because as soon they saw it, they would have killed it and used it to prepare a delicious stew. Yoruba people like stories: If Adam and Eve were Yoruba, the world would still be a paradise, because they would have kept the serpent busy with plenty stories, and while doing that, god would have come and chased the serpent away….. Hausa people like fight: if Adam and Eve were Hausas, the world would be better than paradise, because they will do even what god could not do, immediately they saw the serpent, they would draw out their dagger and cut the serpent’s head and that would have been the end of Devil. Igbo people too like money: If Adam and Eve were Igbos, the world would have been in deeper trouble, knowing their penchant for business, they wouldn't have waited for the devil to tempt them, I bet you they would have offered and sold the apple for a good bargain to the serpent even before the serpent could tempt them BUT; If Adam was named JOSEPH1013, (who I think has a huge appetite for knowledge) he wouldn't even need the devil to tempt him, just based on his own reasoning he would eat the apple. Are you kidding  ? You keep a tree of knowledge right in my front and expect me not to eat?? I wont just take a bite, I would eat the whole apple and ask for more!!!!!! How sane is this story where knowledge seeking is indicted, criminalized, penalized for eternity? Where would humans be without knowledge? What would human beings be without knowledge? Homo sapiens are knowledge seeking and patterns seeking beings. My opinion is that if all the troubles that humans are facing is a punishment for Adam’ sins in Eden , then I think it’s very unfair not just to Adam but to human as well! But thankfully, I don’t believe those concocted, fictitious atavistic and primitive tales! These tales cannot be believed by any right thinking person! You should not believe them too.[/b] 11 Likes 5 Shares |
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013: 5:32pm On Jul 22, 2015 |
You know, before Pope Alexander VI requested a painting of Jesus, there were no depictions of Him as a white man. "Pope Alexander VI then ordered the destruction of all art depicting a Semitic Jesus and commissioned a number of paintings depicting a Caucasian Jesus. His son, Cardinal Cesare Borgia, was the model for these paintings. Thus, the nastiest of all the Borgias, became the iconic Caucasian Jesus so loved by Christians." Think about that. [img]http://dc405.4shared.com/img/CL3sidMCce/s7/14eb69b35b0/ancestor?async&rand=0.8707440651457388[/img] 5 Likes 3 Shares |
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013: 9:17pm On Jul 22, 2015 |
[b] YAHWEH vs AMADIOHA What is the difference between Yahweh and Amadioha? Nothing, they are both gods. What is the difference between the speaking in tongues of a “born again” Christian and the incantations of a Juju worshipper? Nothing! They both speak gibberish in the name of talking to gods. What is the difference between the sacrificial rituals in the bible and the sacrificial ritual of the African traditional worshipper? Nothing. They are both rituals. What is the difference between the Pope’s regalia and the Juju priest's regalia? Nothing, except the Pope's regalia shines more. What is difference between the statues, symbols, altars, and signs in churches and the idols and symbols in the temple of the juju priest? Nothing. What is the difference between a pastor casting out demons and evil spirits with swearing, binding/casting and the exorcism of evil spirit by the Juju priest? Nothing. There is only one difference - packaging! No religion is superior to another. Foreign religion appears to be more divine than our local religion simply because they are well packaged. Force me to choose one of the two, I like the fans of Amadioha more. At least I know our politicians fear him more. [/b] 11 Likes 3 Shares |
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013: 7:26am On Jul 23, 2015 |
[b]This article is actually not related, or related depending on how you see it but I will be doing a great disservice if I dont share such a great article. 5 THINGS THAT SHOULD BE TAUGHT IN EVERY SCHOOL by Mark Manson (WARNING: ALOT OF CURSE WORDS AND F-WORD THEREIN) Let’s be honest: our education system is f**ked. I mean, almost all of the important history I learned between grades 5 and 12 I could probably find on Wikipedia and understand within a few weeks now. And pretty much any scientific knowledge you could ever want to learn is explained with pretty videos on YouTube. On top of that, you have the most unstable job market in almost 100 years, technology developing so rapidly that robots will be doing half the work in another decade, college degrees that some argue are now worthless, and new industries and technologies being invented practically every six months. Yet we’re still pushing kids through the same curriculum their grandparents went through. It’s cliche at this point to say that the most important things you learn in life you don’t learn in school. I know in my life, the most important things I’ve learned I had to figure out on my own as an adult. But why couldn’t these things be taught in school? I mean, if I had to spend six months learning about Chaucer and Renaissance painters, why couldn’t I spend six months learning about how to save for retirement and what sexual consent was? Or why didn’t anybody tell me that by the time I became an adult, a large percentage of the job market would either be performed by robots or sent overseas? Call me bitter. Or maybe just an entitled Millennial. But seriously, where were these classes? You know, the ones with the shit I actually needed to hear? 1 Obviously, when I rule the world — which should be any day now, waiting to hear back from some people — we won’t have these problems. I will craft a curriculum of the perfect life knowledge to impart upon the populace. And you will all thank me and give offerings of milk and honey and sexy virgins and maybe even slaughter a goat or two in my name (sorry vegans). But before I get carried away fantasizing, let’s get real. What are the classes we should have had to take in high school, but didn’t? Here are five off the top of my head. 1. PERSONAL FINANCE Curriculum Would Include: Credit cards and interest rates and credit ratings and retirement accounts and why you should start saving like $100 per week when you’re 18 because by the time you’re 50 you’ll be like a quadruple-gajillionaire. Seriously, compound interest runs the fucking planet. How did I not even hear about this until I was like 24? Why It’s Important: Because the average American household has over $15,000 in credit card debt. 2 Because 36% of working Americans have NOTHING saved for retirement. 3 Because this video exists: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYhTFz_SGw0 Note: If you would choose the chocolate bar over the silver, and don’t understand why this is a horrible decision, meet me at this footnote. We need to talk. Now.4. If managing your own money was a school, the majority of the US population would be riding the shortbus. And failing. And dropping out entirely. This financial illiteracy is actually a really big problem. Because, see, if you have a society full of people buying a bunch of crap they can’t afford, retiring with no savings, getting sick and not being able to afford health care — well, that screws all of us in a major way. You know, like exactly what is happening right now. 2. RELATIONSHIPS Curriculum Would Include: Communicating your feelings without blaming or judging each other; how to spot manipulative behavior and cut it off; personal boundaries and not being a pushover; honest discussions about sexuality and how it relates (or doesn’t relate) to love; “Bleep Yes” consent and how the experiences of men and women differ. Basically everything most of us learn by going through excruciating breakup after excruciating breakup. Why It’s Important: Because when you’re in bed dying of nutsack cancer, you’re not thinking about how Napoleon got over-zealous in Russia or how the Meiji Restoration totally changed the face of Asian geopolitics or how organic compounds are conspiring to make your brain rot. You’re thinking about the ones you’ve loved in your life and the ones you’ve lost. Many things make for a happy life, but few things have as much influence and impact as our relationships do.5 Learning how to not stumble through them like a drunken asshole and how to exercise some conscious control of how you express your emotions and intimacy is possibly the most life-changing skill set I’ve ever come across. Because we’re not just talking about how to get wifey’d and have sexy time. We’re talking about capital-R Relationships: how to be a good friend, how to not treat your family like dog shit, how to deal with conflict at work, how to take responsibility for your own emotions and problems and neuroses without dragging the rest of the world down with you. As humans, we are fundamentally social animals. We don’t exist in a vacuum. We can’t. Our social bonds make up the fabric of our life. The question is: are yours made of smooth silk or cheap polyester? 3. LOGIC AND REASONING Curriculum Would Include: This question: True or false: If all Biffs are Croons and all Croons are Darns, then all Darns are Biffs. The answer, of course, is “false.” Questions like this always felt annoying on standardized tests. But our ability to think through them actually has major repercussions on our beliefs and how we lead our lives. For instance, following the same logical progression as above, but with real-world examples: “Cindy creates conflict at the office. Cindy is a woman. Therefore women create conflict at the office.” Or: “Most criminals are poor. Most poor people receive welfare. Therefore most welfare goes to criminals.” These things are false, yet you see them reported in the media as fact, debated by leaders as if they’re valid arguments, and become the foundation of many people’s biases and prejudices. Just the other day, I saw possibly the stupidest article I’ve seen in months. It tried to argue that sexual objectification of women is wrong while sexual objectification of men is fine. Why? Because men aren’t raped as often as women are. That’s like Swiss-cheese territory of logical holes and fallacies.8 Why It’s Important: The point is, we’re making these logical fallacies all the time. And often in subtle ways that go unnoticed by us. And often regarding important decisions and beliefs that have life-or-death consequences. They creep up in political campaigns (X is good at making money; governments need to make money; therefore X will be good at government), civil rights issues, moral and ethical decisions (Bob lies to me, therefore I should be able to lie to Bob), dealing with personal conflicts, and so on. These logical fallacies then infiltrate our lives by causing us to make dumb decisions. Dumb decisions about our health, our relationships, our career, pretty much everything. Spock says that any disagreement with this article is illogical. Spock says that any disagreement with this article is illogical. The problem is in school we’re rarely taught how to actually think or problem solve. Instead, we’re taught how to copy and memorize things — and then promptly forget them. This poorly suits us for sorting through the complexities of adult life. And especially because in the 21st century, life is getting really fucking complex. I feel like maybe the intellectual retreat we’re seeing recently into religious fundamentalism and other simple-minded cultures comes from this complete lack of preparation for a complicated postmodern world. 4. SELF-AWARENESS Curriculum Would Include: I know what you’re saying right now. “How the Bleep do you teach self-awareness?” But seriously, it can be taught and practiced like anything else. Self-awareness is the ability to think about how you think. It’s the ability to have feelings about your feelings. To have opinions about your opinions. For example, I might think something like, “I hate every person named ‘Steve.’ People named Steve are bad people.” This is a classic example of bigotry, a simple channeling of hatred through some superficial stereotype. And if you lack all self-awareness, you will take this prejudice at face value. But if one is self-aware, they’ll catch this thought and question it. “Why do I hate people named Steve? Is it maybe because my ex-boyfriend is named Steve? Is it because my father’s named Steve? Am I perhaps channeling my anger for the Steves in my life onto all of the Steves of the world? I feel embarrassed at how hateful I am. I should visit a shrink.” This is me thinking about my thoughts. It’s me having feelings about my feelings. It’s me having opinions on my opinions. It’s self-awareness. And the majority of people go through most of their life having very little of it. But it can be learned, like anything else, through practice. Basically anything that requires you to think about what you’re thinking, to have feelings about your feelings, is developing your ability to be self-aware. That could be meditation, talk therapy, journaling, or just having a person really close to you point out your biases and prejudices with some consistency. Why It’s Important: A high degree of self-awareness has been found in research to benefit, well, just about everything. People who develop meta-cognition skills are better planners, more disciplined, more focused, more attuned to their emotions, better decision-makers, and better able to foresee potential problems ahead. I also make the point in this article that self-awareness is possibly the most important trait in making a relationship work. In everything we do in life, there’s only one tool that stays with us from beginning to end: our mind. It is the great filter. Everything we do and everything that happens to us is filtered through our own mind and thinking. Therefore, we need to invest the time and energy to understand our mind as well as we possibly can, because it affects everything. Maybe you are quick to get angry and judgmental. Maybe you’re laid back and overly detached. Maybe you suffer from anxiety in a number of ways that are subtly holding you back. Maybe you are impulsive and an expert at bullshitting yourself. Whatever it is, we must all figure out our own tendencies and then learn how to monitor them and then adapt to them. 5. SKEPTICISM Curriculum Would Include: Why everything we believe is most likely wrong to some degree; why our memories are completely unreliable; how fields as seemingly sturdy as mathematics and physics are full of unresolvable uncertainty; how we’re all terrible judges of both what made us happy/unhappy in the past and what will make us happy/unhappy in the future; how the most important events in history are always those that are least predictable; how it’s certainty and rigidness of belief that leads to evil and violence, not the opposite; that much of what passes for scientific knowledge today is based on research that has repeatedly failed to be replicated or verified; and so on. Why It’s Important: Pretty much anything good in life comes from uncertainty or a state of not knowing. Uncertainty is what drives you to become curious, to learn, to test new ideas, to communicate your intentions to others. It’s what keeps you humble. It helps you accept whatever comes along. It allows you to see others without unfair judgments and biases. Pretty much anything bad in life comes from certainty: complacency, arrogance, bigotry and unfair prejudice. People don’t get together and form religious cults and then drink cyanide-laced Kool-Aid because they’re uncertain about something. They do it because they’re certain. Governments don’t starve and murder millions of their own citizens because of uncertainty. They do it because of certainty. People don’t fall into deep depression, obsessively stalk their ex, or shoot up a school because they’re uncertain about themselves. They do it because they’re certain. They’re certain in a belief that, like almost every other belief, is probably wrong. Skepticism cultivates the ability to open yourself to alternatives, to withhold judgment, to question and challenge yourself and make yourself a better person. You don’t actually know if Susy at work hates you or not. You don’t actually know whether your boss is a dick or just bad at communicating. Maybe his wife has cancer or something and he stays up crying all night. Maybe you’re the dick and you don’t know it. You don’t really know if gay marriage will ruin the fabric of society or whether men and women really are so different or the same. You don’t know if that new job will make you happy, if getting married will fix your relationship problems (I’m betting on “no”), or whether or not your kid really deserves all those participation awards. Life is lived in the uncertainties. Our certainties are just strategies we use to avoid that life. To avoid adapting and changing and flowing through it. Because education and learning shouldn’t end when the last textbook slams shut or when the diplomas are handed out. It should only end when we do. http://markmanson.net/taught-in-school[/b] 3 Likes 1 Share |
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013: 7:17am On Jul 24, 2015 |
[b]On the genealogy of Jesus... When I was a Christian I subscribed to the notion that the Bible had recorded genealogies for Jesus because He (Jesus) was 100% man in addition to being 100% God. In all that time, it never occurred to me to ask the question... How can Jesus be 100% man when he never an earthly biological father? On the Biblical genealogies presented, most contemporary scholars agree that the genealogical records were used to align the lineage of Jesus with the royal lineage of David in accordance with the Old Testament prophecies. They however goofed by presenting two contrasting and mutually exclusive genealogies in the Gospels according to Matthew and Luke. Some apologists have tried to harmonise these records by positing that one of these records shows the genealogy of Jesus through his mother, even though it is clear that there is no mention of Mary in any of the records presented. Apart from the fact that the two genealogical details comprises different names, excerpts from the final parts (shown below) indicate a very fundamental flaw... It shows that Jesus had two different grandfathers. In Matthew, JC's grandpa was #Jacob while in Luke his grandad was #Heli. ... So much for inspiration from the Holy Spirit.. Matthew 1:16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Luke 3:23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli...[/b] 1 Like 2 Shares |
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013: 7:27am On Jul 24, 2015 |
Brilliant. Simply brilliant. This is the best animation I have seen in months. Wow! Please watch. https://www.facebook.com/NooooooNameeeeee1/videos/1591487627776295/ |
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013: 7:32am On Jul 24, 2015 |
Brilliant. Simply brilliant. This is the best animation I have seen in months. Wow! Please watch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0A_iF1B3k0 2 Likes 1 Share |
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013: 10:01am On Jul 25, 2015 |
[b]SOMETIMES I WISH THERE REALLY WAS A GOD!{an invisible being in the sky} by Philmore Carter I have to admit that even though I know that wishes will never and can never change fantasy into reality, sometime when I am laying on bed at night I do WISH there was really a GOD. Sometime I wish there was a God, one that doesn’t have a chosen people, he would choose all races has his own. I wish that there was a God that would prevent children from being raped in his name by his holy-men; plus he would never sit back and allow a single child go to bed hungry. Oh yes I wish that there was a God; One that would never ever approve in his holy-book the savage acts of slavery, rape, incest, genocide, human sacrifice, oppression, looting, or any other crimes against humanity or nature . I wish there was a God that would make all the basic human rights and earthly resources equally guaranteed to all human- beings without regards to race, color, creed, or religious belief. I truly wish there was a God, one that would help the African people overthrow and totally destroy all the devilish invaders, oppressors & resource thieves that are in every inch of Africa. I wish there was a God that would spend less of his time perfecting the torture pit called hell and spend much more of his time improving the dreadful conditions here on earth. I wish there was a God that would have rewarded the first two human beings for seeking knowledge instead of cursing them and all the rest of humanity for their pursuit of knowledge. I wish there was a God, One that would have given Moses I- pad tablets instead of stone tables, one that would have given Joshua the internet instead of the sword, a God that gives mankind a “holy-facebook” instead of primitive “holy-book”, I wish for a God that would have drowned the world with knowledge and love instead of drowning it with water and hate. I wish there was a God that instead of written his holy-book on paper he would have written it on our DNA, so that no one could forge it, plagiarize it, misinterpret it, or needs any holy- men to translate it for us. I have to admit that I sometime wish there was a God, one that instead of sending his “only son” to die for the sins of the world he would allow him live so he could spread more love in the world. As I said before, I know that wishes can’t change fantasy into reality;, but I think I could imagine a better God than the ones that the religious people have today. Any God that claims to be All Loving, All Merciful, All Powerful, All Knowing, & Always Forgiving, should stop talking about it and prove it to all mankind. For those of you who say that a God really does exist why can’t he just be something like the one that I wish for? Oh man, sometime I wish that wishes could make “my God” a reality; but until then I will have to rely on Real Science, Logical Reason, Solid Evidence, Pure Facts, Undisputed Proof, and the Plain Truth as my EVERLASTING GOD. [/b] 7 Likes 4 Shares |
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013: 7:21am On Jul 27, 2015 |
[b]WHY DID SCIENCE HAVE TO GO AND MESS THINGS UP FOR RELIGION?! Had it not been for science, the earth would have still been flat: We would have had to put an iron fence around the edges to prevent us from falling off. Had it not been for science, the sun would still be orbiting the earth: The sun would still be going down into the sea at nights to cool off so it could get a fresh start the next morning. Had it not been for science, the stars would still be little holes in the floor of heaven, so god could spy on us here on earth. Had it not been for science, the moon would still have its own light; and would not have to sell its light to the sun. Had it not been for science, unicorns, talking snakes, and talking donkeys would be our favorite pets: Dogs and cats would have to quickly learn how to speak if they wanted to remain our favorite pets. Had it not been for science, we would have the softest angel feathers in our pillows instead of goose feathers. Had it not been for science, fish would still have the right to rent out their stomach as luxury living quarters for human-beings to live in for more than 3 days. There would be no homelessness on earth. Had it not been for science, people would still be using their heart to think. And those people who are today living with artificial hearts would be considered "brainless." Had it not been for science, thunder would still mean that god is just moving his furniture around in heaven. Had it not been for science, people who suffer from epileptic seizures would still be posses by ghost, and could only be healed by drinking holy water. Had it not been for science, I would be posting this status update by messenger pigeons, instead by the internet. I could go on forever, but I am positive that you get the idea by now. If it was not for science, religion would make the world a much better place to live... SCIENCE--SHAME ON YOU![/b] 9 Likes 3 Shares |
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013: 12:10pm On Jul 27, 2015 |
[b]THE 'WE' DOGMA "…There are some things that WE must admit WE don’t share — OUR culture, OUR societies don’t accept. It is very difficult for us to be able to impose on PEOPLE that which they themselves do not accept,"Uhuru Kenyatta (President of Kenya) said (on July 25, 2015). The 'WE' dogma. The 'PEOPLE' dogma. Who exactly is 'WE?' In ancient cultures like the Bible's and Taliban's, a census of people were taken as 'men' only. Women were not counted because they were not part of the 'WE.' In some places, they were not even allowed to speak because they were not in the 'WE.' So today when I see women, of all people, or Blacks who were once not regarded as 'PEOPLE' rejoicing at the speech by Kenyatta (majorly because of what their Scriptures tell them), I smh, because somehow 'people' forget that the whole essence of being gay is being a minority. The fact that majority of Africans do not accept gay people does not erase the existence. They are in the MINORITY and and the way you treat your Minority determines how you really value human lives. Is it therefore a shock how we value life in Africa today? I'd like to reiterate Obama's stance on this oppressive culture: "When you start treating people differently not because of any harm they are doing to anybody, but because they are different, that's the path whereby freedoms begin to erode..And when a government gets in a habit of people treating people differently, those habits can spread," Obama said.[/b] 6 Likes 3 Shares |
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joe4christ(m): 3:13pm On Jul 27, 2015 |
frosbel: You're gradually freeing your mind from every forms of indoctrination. I welcome you to the fold in advance - It's just a matter of time! Someone here once said I'll end up someday being a Free thinker, truly free from religious indoctrination, I was quick to curse him, casting, binding and rejecting it, but here we are, his prediction actually came through. Rational people don't remain truly religious for long. Goodluck! 7 Likes 1 Share |
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by kolajamesjnr(m): 6:12pm On Jul 27, 2015 |
joseph1013:Gbam  |
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by NumberOne2(m): 9:09pm On Jul 27, 2015 |
joseph1013: Hmmm, if why you question existence of God was because of Cain's wife then I have to say you wasted your years as a Pastor. What an excuse. I also wonder what kind of people you Pastored or didn't you have senior Pastors to ask about Cain's wife? Cain & Abel: https://www.nairaland.com/2348537/answer-sunday-school-question-people joseph1013: From this I see you probably had a VERY boring life as a Pastor. Perhaps the typical "SU" type or "Ladies don't wear trouser" or "fast and pray 24/7 type". Who says Christians don't like football? I love cars, horse riding, cinemas, Arsenal FC and travelling. SO? These are not sins. I laugh, you think only Atheists or Freethinkers do those... think again. PS: Being a Christian is NOT BY FORCE. You don't even need to explain yourself. Just say I dont believe in God. However, don't bring up flimsy excuses as to why you doubt God. Its pathetic. |
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013: 7:01am On Jul 28, 2015 |
NumberOne2: [b]When I read an explanation like yours, it only goes to show how the god you think you serve is mocked. I will come back to that assertion. Let me refute your explanation: You said Cain married his sister. Laughable! You know what, I think I lived with this deceit for a major part of my life because I was brainwashed to a point where I saw nothing bad in rationalizing as long as it made me defend the Bible. So I understand where you're coming from. I have been there. The reason your claim is so bad is because even the Bible you defend does not accept your claim. According to the Bible, Cain had even had s.ex with his wife before Seth was born. After Abel was born, it took another 800 years before Seth was born. (Again, there is no proof that humans who lived hundreds of years existed in history so all those 800. 900, 600 years are fables). Hey. no lies here. Here is what the Bible has to say: Genesis 4:16-26 (NIV) 16 So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden. ***17 CAIN MADE LOVE TO HIS WIFE, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch. 18 To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech. 19 Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play stringed instruments and pipes. 22 Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain’s sister was Naamah. 23 Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words. I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me. 24 If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times.” ***25 ADAM MADE LOVE TO HIS WIFE AGAIN, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.” 26 Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord. See, the more you defend these myths, the more ridiculous you look. There is no way you will answer this question of Cain's wife without making assumptions you cannot prove. I was in that game for a long while and according to my research I can give you six more excuses as to who Cain married. From Adam Clarke's to Strong's to Matthew Henry's explanation, but you know what they prove? They prove that you serve a god who cannot make a simple text explanatory on its own accord. Seven different explanations that are contradictory and every one of them claim inspiration. How possible! Are you aware that is it on this basis (of confused inspiration) that we have over 33,000 denominations in Christianity and you will not see two denominations that agree wholly on everything in the Bible? They all lay claim to the interpretation and revelation from Yahweh. Buddy, dig deeper. Have an open mind. Don't just accept anything on a surface value. Prood. Search. Ask questions. Let me give you another assignment: Are you aware that the Noah's flood did not happen on a global scale like we have in the Bible? There is absolutely nothing like that that submerged the entire world. Do you know? It's MYTH! [/b] From this I see you probably had a VERY boring life as a Pastor. Perhaps the typical "SU" type or "Ladies don't wear trouser" or "fast and pray 24/7 type". Who says Christians don't like football? I love cars, horse riding, cinemas, Arsenal FC and travelling. SO? These are not sins. I laugh, you think only Atheists or Freethinkers do those... think again. LOL...you have no idea! Can you say the Christ Embassy brand of Christianity are boring? But tell you what, we were actually more refined than BLW. Throughout my stay on Campus, no single BLW Pastor was able to stand up to us in Bible interpretation and exegesis. We were the WORD MEN who basked in the redemptive work of Christ in the New Creature. (I chuckle now when I think of those innocent senseless braggadocio we made those days. LOL) Not a single student saw us on Campus and called us boring. We had nice times in School. Watched movies, played football and other games on Saturdays. Hey, try another line!  7 Likes 2 Shares |
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013: 1:47pm On Jul 28, 2015 |
[b]MY TOP TEN NEW TESTAMENT CONTRADICTIONS It is a well known fact that the Bible is the biggest best seller in the world and also that a very large percentage of its owners do not read it. For if they really do, they will see that it is full of contradictions and cannot be the WORD of God inspired in its totality. There are hundreds of contradictions in the New Testament, of those hundreds I have listed my top ten below--In no particular order. (1) Judas was hanged. Mt. 27:5 “And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.” **Judas was not hanged. Acts. 1:18 “Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.” (2)Judas threw the thirty pieces of silver into the temple & the chief priests picked them up & bought a field with them. Matt.27:5-7 “And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in.” **Judas did not throw the thirty pieces of silver into the temple; he used them to buy a field. Acts. 1:18 “Now this man {Judas} purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.” (3) 75 people went into Egypt. Acts7: 14 “Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.” {i.e. 75} **Only 70 people went into Egypt. Gen 46:27 “And the sons of Joseph, which were born him in Egypt, were two souls: all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, were threescore and ten.”{i.e. 70} (4) The Jews were in Egypt for 400 years. Acts 7:6 “ And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years.” The Jews were in Egypt for 430 years. Exodus 12:40**“Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.” (5) Brothers must be hated. Luke 14:26 "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." **Brothers must not be hated. 1 John 3:15 "Whosoever hates his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him." (6) Jesus was crucified at the third hour. Mark 15:25“And it was the third hour, and they crucified him (Jesus)." **Jesus was crucified about the sixth hour. John 19:14-18“And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King! But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away. And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.” (7) What were Jesus’ last words; what did he say before he “died” on the cross? Matthew said he heard Jesus say: And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? {Note : While Matthew says it was Jesus said Eli Eli Mark wrote Eloi ,Eloi} Matthew 27:46 **Mark says the words were: And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? MK 15:34 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. Mark 15:37 {What ghost did Jesus give up, the Holy Ghost? I thought that he and the Holy Ghost were one & could not be separated?} **Luke swears the words were: And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. Luke 23:46 **John heard different words. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. John 19:30 (8 . What Was Written On Top Of Jesus’ Cross? Matthew: MT 27:37 And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. **Mark: MK 15:26 And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS. **Luke: LK 23:38 And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. **John: JN 19:19 And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. (9) Was it lawful for the Jews to put Jesus to death? No: JN 18:31 Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death: **Yes: JN 19:6 When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him. JN 19:7 The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God. {Verse 19:7 seems to give the true reason why Jesus was crucified “because he made himself the Son of God”} (10) God will not judge anyone. John 5:22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: **Jesus will not judge anyone. John8:15 Ye judge after the flesh; I {Jesus} judge no man. {Therefore, we can conclude if there is no judge there can be no judgment!} How can all-knowing, all-powerful, all-present God produce such contradictions knowing that in 2015, there will be people who will see these things and call them out. And on these accounts doubt the authorship of the Bible? Could he be because he did not and that the Bible a book concocted by humans? Things that make you go...Hmmm![/b] 4 Likes 2 Shares |
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013: 2:52pm On Jul 28, 2015 |
IS THE BIBLE INERRANT? I was just thinking about NumberOne2 defense of the Bible and it occurs to me again that some people sincerely believe the Bible is 100% true. When I hear people assert this, I wonder how they know. I guess there are two ways: 1) Find sufficient extra-Biblical evidence to show definitively that every sentence is true, that every internal contradiction is not really a contradiction and that every piece of scientific evidence that contradicts the Bible is fatally flawed. OR 2) Just go-ahead and believe the Bible is inerrant for absolutely no reason and ignore its contradictions, ridiculous, far-fetched stories and known errors. Since no-one on Earth has ever managed to achieve (1), we can confidently conclude that ALL Biblical inerrantists use method (2). That shows it takes a special kind of person to be a Biblical inerrantist--the kind of person I never want to be. 6 Likes 2 Shares |
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by PastorAIO: 5:35pm On Jul 28, 2015 |
joseph1013: I see no reason why genes should be the core of a personality above one's circumstances. Are not your genes themselves circumstantial? They are not fixed but constantly undergo mutations and graftings. Genetic material is constantly being added to our gene pool from outside. For instance from viruses everytime we get an infection. My point is that there is no Right way for a person to be unless there is a True Adamant Core. I'm not prepared to say that this Adamant Core is his genetic material (something that we know is constantly shifting and can be manipulated), however for the purpose of argument I accepted it hypothetically. Once we can accept that there is a True Adamant Core to a person and that circumstances can cause him to veer away from this Core then we can talk about a person ethically being on the Right path or on the wrong path. If we are driven by various urges to do the things that we do and there is a Deep seated Urge that is hardwired into us then no matter how much we gratify out various other urges, if we leave that core urge ungratified we will have a deep sense of dissatisfaction no matter how much gratifications we are getting elsewhere. |
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013: 6:53pm On Jul 28, 2015 |
PastorAIO: I'm lost.  Your point is?To be honest, I have lost track of our discussion. Couple of things have come between it. |
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by PastorAIO: 9:07pm On Jul 28, 2015 |
joseph1013: A lot has happened since we started, and I haven't been so consistent on this site. But the Long and short of our discussion so far starts from 1: You said certain things about indoctrination and mind control in religion and it's tendency to make people violent. Which led to us talking about critical thinking and teaching people to think critically. 2: I tried to make the point that all thinking, critical or otherwise, is based on certain criteria that are quite arbitrary. When trying to think about what is Right or True, such a process would require a criteria that was not arbitrary but Adamant. 3. Can such an Adamant basis of our thinking and behaviour exist? Is there a true self? i.e.. a true self that is independent from the accidental self that has been shaped by circumstances and indoctrination. This is at least what I think we have been discussing. |
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by NumberOne2(m): 3:06am On Jul 29, 2015 |
joseph1013: Hmmm, looking at this thread, I see you may be new to Atheism so it seems like a rush (from your previous boring Christian life). Enjoy! I am NOT an apologetic. I don't need to explain the scriptures to anyone except a believer. Infact this is my conclusion: MAN DOESNT NEED TO PROVE GOD. THERE IS ENOUGH EVIDENCE. As for Atheism, its just an alternative to believing in God. It only questions God's existence, but doesn't provide ANY answers. So if you say Christianity isn't absolute and we know Atheism isn't then what? So the debate remains (as in previous generations before us) till we all hit the grave. Cheers. PS: I hope you aren't one of those Atheist that believes in Evolution? Cos that will be like going from the pot to the fire (based on your views). |
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013: 9:15am On Jul 29, 2015 |
PastorAIO: [b]An ABSOLUTE true self independent from circumstances and indoctrination is something I believe cannot be had. What I believe can be close to that is the ability to exercise self awareness. Like I have said before, Genes and Circumstances affect us in more ways than we cannot totally explain, and for some of these things we do not have control over them. What we have control over is how we handle what we can handle. Something like, why do I hate whites? Is it because of what happened during the slave trade? Again, should I let that affect whites who had no hand in the slave trade? Why do I not like the Hausas? Is it because my parents told me that they have raped our resources and impoverished our lands? Should I then see every Hausa man as exploitative and the man who has caused massive unemployment in my land? Or am I able to see that even my own South South leaders are at the forefront of exploiting their kinsmen? I believe this is a lifelong process. There will be occasional relapse but again, quickly acknowledging these relapses and keeping emotions in check is key. This is applicable in politics, economics, religion, personal finance, sexual matters and all spheres of life. Learning to take the piece of the pie that you have control over and thinking about what you are thinking ultimately makes one a better human. [/b] 2 Likes 1 Share |
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013: 9:35am On Jul 29, 2015 |
NumberOne2: What is the evidence? As for Atheism, its just an alternative to believing in God. It only questions God's existence, but doesn't provide ANY answers. [b]ANSWERS!!! That I believe is a reason why alot of people embrace religion. See the modern man must be ready to embrace not knowing and continue to work his way till he gets the answer. If man had not done that, man would still have had their answers but it would be the wrong answers. Man would still have believe that Thunder was God getting angry and be like the Cathoilc Church who opposed street lights because they believe it is unnatural for man to make light come in the night when God had clearly not wanted that. It is unwise to commit oneself to ungrounded answers to ultimate questions until or unless empirical evidence can be brought to bear on them or until God reveals himself personally, directly, and unmistakably to us—not to ancient writers whose claims of inspiration cannot be authenticated—but to us. However uncomfortable it is for us to accept that there are things we simply do not know, we are on surer ground to admit our ignorance than to fill the vacuum with our imaginings or with tradition; we must not pretend we know that which we do not know. In the words of Thomas Jefferson, "He who knows nothing is closer to the truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors" [/b] PS: I hope you aren't one of those Atheist that believes in Evolution? Cos that will be like going from the pot to the fire (based on your views). You seem to be like alot of religionists who give out the blanket label ATHEIST to anyone who does not believe in their version of God. You should open your mind to the fact that not everybody fits into your narrow definition. About evolution, let me ask you: What do you have against Evolution and how does religion solve that problem for you? Let's start from there. |
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by NumberOne2(m): 12:11pm On Jul 29, 2015 |
joseph1013: I said you are new to Atheism: You seem to be mixing superstition with religion. You should know there are superstitious Atheists. Atheist that believe in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy but not in the existence of a God. Atheism is lack of belief in deities - All other attributes like irrationality or superstition STILL APPLIES to them. joseph1013:No I think the above applies more to you than me. There are Theists and Atheist in science and medical fields looking for answers. I don't know where you get the impression that ALL Christians or Theists sit back and SAY GOD DID IT. You really need to sit down and define your beliefs and see if it aligns with Atheism or its just anti-religious. They are not the same though a thin line seperates them. joseph1013: Thanks for confirming my previous statement. Closer to the truth is not the truth now is it? So neither side is right or wrong. Kindly let me know when you find this truth. Till then, dont try to debunk your percieve falsehood in religion with another falsehood in Atheism. It doesnt work and can NEVER work. 1 Like |
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by PastorAIO: 12:13pm On Jul 29, 2015 |
joseph1013: How about a true Self that is coterminous with one's circumstances, even to the extent of encompassing the entire universe? What I believe can be close to that is the ability to exercise self awareness. Like I have said before, Genes and Circumstances affect us in more ways than we cannot totally explain, and for some of these things we do not have control over them. What we have control over is how we handle what we can handle. Something like, why do I hate whites? Is it because of what happened during the slave trade? Again, should I let that affect whites who had no hand in the slave trade? But with all these cases, our thinking is influenced by the information available to us. That is different for everybody. Different people with different information will come to different conclusions. I don't see how you can arrive at a superior Truth via this means. The only way to think critically would be to have access to all the information in the universe. This is impossible for us. It was seem then that Rationality or Pure Reason is beyond are capabilities.
There might seem to be moments or relapse and moments of progress but ultimately how can you progress or relapse when you don't have a standard or a goal you are progressing towards or relapsing away from. How can you make any judgment or evaluation without a standard? |
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013: 12:45pm On Jul 29, 2015 |
NumberOne2: If certain atheists believe in Santa Claus, does that validate the irrationality that makes you believe in Yahweh? The CAthoilc Church that opposed street lights quoted scriptures to support their position. Those that practiced slavery quoted scriptures to support their position. Those that oppressed women quoted scriptures to support their position. So are you saying that your believing in the virgin birth and the redemption of the human soul makes you better than the boy who says throwing his milk tooth on the roof makes it grow back? No I think the above applies more to you than me. All well and good if you follow the belief system that does not say God did it to the things we do not have answers to YET. I have no problem with that? So what are the things that you believe God did? Thanks for confirming my previous statement. Closer to the truth is not the truth now is it? So neither side is right or wrong. You obviously didnt internalize the quote. Here is it again: "He who knows nothing is closer to the truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors". It means one is obviously better than the other. He who thinks he has the answer need not seek for it any longer, don't you think? I will repeat that you give a narrow description to anyone who does not believe in your god by calling them atheists. Broadening your knowledge in this respect would be of help. NOTE: I noticed you evaded all the questions I asked you in the previous post. Nice try! One question though: You said there is enough evidence for God, what are the evidence? 1 Like |
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013: 1:03pm On Jul 29, 2015 |
PastorAIO: An example of that would be? But with all these cases, our thinking is influenced by the information available to us. That is different for everybody. Different people with different information will come to different conclusions. I don't see how you can arrive at a superior Truth via this means. The only way to think critically would be to have access to all the information in the universe. This is impossible for us. It was seem then that Rationality or Pure Reason is beyond are capabilities. You mean you need to have all the information to know that basically been good to others has a ripple effect and that survival is easier through cooperation than through war? How then do we have the same principles we have seen work for centuries continue to work now such as the Golden Rule, Family Values, Friendship, Honesty etc Through evolution, we are wired to have basic survival instincts. There might seem to be moments or relapse and moments of progress but ultimately how can you progress or relapse when you don't have a standard or a goal you are progressing towards or relapsing away from. How can you make any judgment or evaluation without a standard? I have explained that earlier. For a man whose intent is to leave the world a better place, he already has a goal. Every of his actions that makes that possible is progress. Every one that draws that back is a relapse. Both can only be known through self awareness. Thinking about your thoughts. Having feelings about your feeling. Having opinions about your opinions. Like I said before, it is a lifelong process. There would be certain things you think would make for a greater world when you are 16 that you will find out is not so by 46. It's part of learning. It's a never-ending learning process. Got thoughts on this? |
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by orunto27: 1:03pm On Jul 29, 2015 |
No one say that you have a boring life.and that life is a gift of the indwelling spirit in you. |
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013: 1:07pm On Jul 29, 2015 |
orunto27: This is a response to what? |
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by NumberOne2(m): 1:46pm On Jul 29, 2015 |
joseph1013: Atheist (the word) was not formed by me. Atheist call themselves so. It is an English word not a Christian word. Atheist lack belief in deities. If you have a better or another description, kindly share. joseph1013: Intelligent Design. Life is too complex, nature is too organized and too diverse.  The Earth spins at 460m/s (round an olympic stadium track in less than 1 second). Do you feel that spin? We (in Nigeria) stand sideways on Earth and those at the South pole are upside down. They don't fall off the sky. Ever seen those beautiful pictures from NASA of Space. Breath taking. I love art. Can you really tell me that I can randomly pour paint on a canvas and come out with a masterpiece. It defiles login. Can you tell me a car came about by collision of metals, plastic, oil, water and petrol overtime? Really? PS: From a neutral view, I will prefer the idea of an invisible creator than the idea that a car came about by collision of metals, plastic and petrol over time. |
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by LeeCodeman: 1:55pm On Jul 29, 2015 |
NumberOne2: LOL...Intelligent design that has been thrashed and put in the bin by experts. *goes back to observation mode* 1 Like |
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013: 1:57pm On Jul 29, 2015 |
NumberOne2: Who is the designer? |
| Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013: 2:03pm On Jul 29, 2015 |
I have dealt with this Intelligent design nonsense so many times on nairaland that it is so absurd that I really dont think it's worth my time. So before I can give you my time, you have to be committed enough to watch this famous 2005 "Dover Intelligent Design" trial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2xyrel-2vI Watch and then let's discuss thereafter. If you cant, I cant help you. Background: Court case between the major proponents of Intelligent design and scientists defending evolution. Watch it and you may never utter intelligent design again. |
(1) (2) (3) ... (16) (17) (18) (19) (20) (21) (22) ... (130) (Reply)
Jesus is coming soon. This thread is for faithful watchmen / Scandal: Pastor Chris Oyakhilome In South African Trouble! / Rhapsody Of Realities: A Daily Devotional
(Go Up)
| Sections: politics (1) business autos (1) jobs (1) career education (1) romance computers phones travel sports fashion health religion celebs tv-movies music-radio literature webmasters programming techmarket Links: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) Nairaland - Copyright © 2005 - 2024 Oluwaseun Osewa. All rights reserved. See How To Advertise. 251 |