Why doesnt God just destroy the Universe and start from scratch?

Originally posted by Nellinator
Your reasons are why the verse says childhood, not birth. Children are not sinful at birth, but once you know the difference between right and wrong you are capable of sin. I think we have some sort of understanding here.

Yes.... I think so. Still, I question the claim "every inclination" as that is quite clearly not true.

Can we agree to disagree?

Originally posted by Nellinator
Can we agree to disagree?

Yes. Yes we can. Wow, it is remarkable sane around here with JIA and Lord U. and his opponants off board.

Originally posted by ChancellorGohan
The bible said that this almost happened during the times of Noah, because of stupid men following the foolish doctrines of demons. He could have destroyed them all if he wanted to in the blink of an eye, but chose not to.

Whats Gods motivation for allowing all of his foolish creatures to exist, and whats stopping him from not destroying all these things in todays times, which are gradually becoming like the days of Noah. Discuss.

I do not accept the Bible as a unique authority on God or any other subject. That does not mean that I dismiss it entirely, however.

To begin with, I will not accept anything just because it is written in the Bible. As far as I am concerned the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament from the Christian point of view) is a collection of the tribal legends, historical records, and religious writings of the ancient Hebrews. I am a modern man - not an ancient Hebrew. Therefore, my entire worldview is informed by scientific data and cultural assumptions that are extremely far removed from those of the ancient Hebrews. Unlike them, just to name a few examples, I am convinced that this universe is billions of years old; that life as it now appears on Earth is part of an ongoing process of evolution; that different languages and dialects developed over time; that it is not an abomination to eat pork, shrimp, or lobster, or to mix beef and dairy products; that slavery is immoral; that it is immoral to execute disrespectful children; and that one is never justified in committing genocide or ethnic cleansing. The ancient Hebrews, however, were ignorant of modern astrophysics, ignorant of geology, ignorant of the fossil record and carbon dating, they believed that all of the existing language groups originated from God's curse at the tower of Babel, they believed that it is an abomination to eat certain kinds of foods or to prepare foods in certain ways, they believed that disrespect to God or one's parent's is a capital offense, they practiced slavery, and they believed that God had commanded them to kill every man, woman, and child in certain towns during the conquest of the promised land (in other cases the men and boys were killed and the woman and girls enslaved). So, for scientific and moral reasons I do not view the Bible as an authority.

The Bible also relates stories wherein a donkey speaks to its master, a flood covers the entire world and all life on earth today is descended from only the animals aboard Noah's ark, a woman turns into a pillar of salt, people are lifted up bodily into the heavens never to return, the sun stands still in the sky, and finally a man physically comes back from the dead and proceeds to walk through walls and ascend bodily into the heavens. I am leaving out a lot of other miraculous tales that are either logistically impossible, or which could be explained in a more rational way. The point is that the reality I live in does not operate that way, and I have never been given any good reason to believe that any of these things happened in real life other than the testimony of the ancient Hebrews who (as I said) had a prescientific mythical worldview; and the testimony of a small sect of Judaism which became the nucleus of a minor mystery religion in the Roman Empire, which eventually became the official religion of that empire, which then become the reigning religious ideology of various European nation-states. I must say that I require objective, empirical, and verifiable and irrefutable evidence before I throw common sense out the window and accept that any of these things happened in real life.

Originally posted by mahasattva
I do not accept the Bible as a unique authority on God or any other subject. That does not mean that I dismiss it entirely, however.

To begin with, I will not accept anything just because it is written in the Bible. As far as I am concerned the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament from the Christian point of view) is a collection of the tribal legends, historical records, and religious writings of the ancient Hebrews. I am a modern man - not an ancient Hebrew. Therefore, my entire worldview is informed by scientific data and cultural assumptions that are extremely far removed from those of the ancient Hebrews. Unlike them, just to name a few examples, I am convinced that this universe is billions of years old; that life as it now appears on Earth is part of an ongoing process of evolution; that different languages and dialects developed over time; that it is not an abomination to eat pork, shrimp, or lobster, or to mix beef and dairy products; that slavery is immoral; that it is immoral to execute disrespectful children; and that one is never justified in committing genocide or ethnic cleansing. The ancient Hebrews, however, were ignorant of modern astrophysics, ignorant of geology, ignorant of the fossil record and carbon dating, they believed that all of the existing language groups originated from God's curse at the tower of Babel, they believed that it is an abomination to eat certain kinds of foods or to prepare foods in certain ways, they believed that disrespect to God or one's parent's is a capital offense, they practiced slavery, and they believed that God had commanded them to kill every man, woman, and child in certain towns during the conquest of the promised land (in other cases the men and boys were killed and the woman and girls enslaved). So, for scientific and moral reasons I do not view the Bible as an authority.

The Bible also relates stories wherein a donkey speaks to its master, a flood covers the entire world and all life on earth today is descended from only the animals aboard Noah's ark, a woman turns into a pillar of salt, people are lifted up bodily into the heavens never to return, the sun stands still in the sky, and finally a man physically comes back from the dead and proceeds to walk through walls and ascend bodily into the heavens. I am leaving out a lot of other miraculous tales that are either logistically impossible, or which could be explained in a more rational way. The point is that the reality I live in does not operate that way, and I have never been given any good reason to believe that any of these things happened in real life other than the testimony of the ancient Hebrews who (as I said) had a prescientific mythical worldview; and the testimony of a small sect of Judaism which became the nucleus of a minor mystery religion in the Roman Empire, which eventually became the official religion of that empire, which then become the reigning religious ideology of various European nation-states. I must say that I require objective, empirical, and verifiable and irrefutable evidence before I throw common sense out the window and accept that any of these things happened in real life.

Do you accept the words of the Dalai Lama to represent truth?

Originally posted by ChancellorGohan
Do you accept the words of the Dalai Lama to represent truth?

? What does the Dalai Lama have to do with anything?

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
? What does the Dalai Lama have to do with anything?

Dalai Lama

His Holiness the Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso) is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people.

He was born in a small village called Takster in northeastern Tibet. Born to a peasant family, His Holiness was recognized at the age of two, in accordance with Tibetan tradition, as the reincarnation of his predecessor the 13th Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lamas are the manifestations of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, who chose to reincarnate to serve the people.

Yeah that real believable...where the scientific proof that he reincarnated Buddha? Oh I forgot, there isn't any.

Buddhism Beliefs and Practices

The most dedicated Tibetan Buddhists seek nirvana, but for the common people the religion retains shamanistic elements. The worship also includes reciting prayers and intoning hymns, often to the sound of great horns and drums. A protective formula of esoteric significance, Om mani padme hum [Om, the jewel in the lotus], is repeated endlessly; it is inscribed on rocks and walls, tallied on prayer wheels, and displayed on banners and streamers.

In addition to a large pantheon of spirits, ghouls, and genii, many Buddhas and bodhisattvas (future Buddhas) are worshiped along with their ferocious consorts, or Taras. The monastic orders include abbots, ordained religious mendicants, novices (candidates), and neophytes (children on probation). The standing of nuns is inferior.

Buddhist Prayer
The following three traits summarize the character and mentality of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth:

*To be rigorously strict toward oneself, like a sharp autumn frost.
*To be warm and embracing toward others, like a soft spring breeze.
*To be uncompromising when confronting evil, like a lion monarch.

This is not meant to hurt you, but to shake you, for I am the lion monarch.

Yeah Buddhism is much more belief able then Christianity. Being a reincarnated Lion Monarch is much more as belief able than a historically recorded global flood....🙄

[EDIT] I being sarcastic and witty above. I do that sometimes in posts. Make me look smart even if grammar is bad.

[EDIT] added an apostrophe to isn't.

[EDIT] speled apostrophe wrong so corrected mistake so I not look stupid and look like I not know what I talk about.

[EDIT] I mean spelled.

Originally posted by ChancellorGohan
Yeah that real believable...where the scientific proof that he reincarnated Buddha? Oh I forgot, there isnt any.

Yeah Buddhism is much more belief able then Christianity. Being a reincarnated Lion Monarch is much more as belief able than a historically recorded global flood....🙄

[EDIT] I being sarcastic and witty above. I do that sometimes in posts. Make me look smart even if grammar is bad.

So what?

Both mahasattva and I are of the same religion and the Dalai Lama is not a member of our religion, the last I heard.

If you are going to scoff and mock us, perhaps you should learn a little bit about Nichiren Buddhism first.

http://www.sgi-usa.org/buddhism/bofnd.html

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
So what?

Both mahasattva and I are of the same religion and the Dalai Lama is not a member of our religion, the last I heard.

If you are going to scoff and mock us, perhaps you should learn a little bit about Nichiren Buddhism first.

http://www.sgi-usa.org/buddhism/bofnd.html

Do you belief that the Dalai Lama is reincarnated. Are you a reincarnated Lion Monarch?

Originally posted by ChancellorGohan
Do you belief that the Dalai Lama is reincarnated. Are you a reincarnated Lion Monarch?

I believe that you are reincarnated and that you can be a Lion Monarch in your life.

Originally posted by Nellinator
You are like many psychologists I have dealt with. I disagree with you and them in that I believe that basically (not always) once children can talk and communicate they are also able of rational thought and conscious. It is true they need to be taught right from wrong, but they know that their decisions have consequences. Consider a child throwing a temper tantrum knowing that they will get attention. They are in full control of what they are doing.

If young children lack anything, it's rational thought and control.

Originally posted by Nellinator
Your reasons are why the verse says childhood, not birth. Children are not sinful at birth, but once you know the difference between right and wrong you are capable of sin. I think we have some sort of understanding here.

You can teach a child the difference between right and wrong all you want...they won't truly understand those concepts until they get older.

Originally posted by Lord Urizen
You can teach a child the difference between right and wrong all you want...they won't truly understand those concepts until they get older.

Originally posted by Himo
Or maybe, just maybe, you should help the discussion instead of making worthless comments.

How is point out that god might not exist a worthless comment? It's very relavant to this topic.

Originally posted by Nellinator
That is where we disagree.

Um..dude..we disagree on a LOT OF THINGS 😆

Originally posted by Lord Urizen
Um..dude..we disagree on a LOT OF THINGS 😆

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
I believe that you are reincarnated and that you can be a Lion Monarch in your life.

If you belief you are a "reincarnated Lion Monarch", that cool. That is your belief. And it could be wrong. Actually it is wrong. But I not trying to make fun of you. I just think that it funny that you and mahat can belief in something so rediculous without any scientific prove and then mock the teachings of the bible.

Good day to you sir.

-Chancellor Gohan

[EDIT] added the word reincarnated lion Monarch to point out rediculousness of argument and sound smarter.

[EDIT]FYI I not a reincarnated lion monarch.

Originally posted by ChancellorGohan
If you belief you are a "Lion Monarch", that cool. That is your belief. And it could be wrong. Actually it is wrong. But I not trying to make fun of you. I just think that it funny that you and mahat can belief in something so rediculous without any scientific prove and then mock the teachings of the bible.

Good day to you sir.

-Chancellor Gohan

You have never heard of metaphoric speech?
They say rule the day, well you can’t rule, you are not a king.
They say be all you can be, well how could you be anything less?

What is a Lion Monarch? A Lion Monarch is someone who wins in life, who gets what they want out of life like a Lion Monarch.

Is this too complicated for you?

Originally posted by ChancellorGohan
If you belief you are a "reincarnated Lion Monarch", that cool. That is your belief. And it could be wrong. Actually it is wrong. But I not trying to make fun of you. I just think that it funny that you and mahat can belief in something so rediculous without any scientific prove and then mock the teachings of the bible.

Good day to you sir.

-Chancellor Gohan

I don't think they have been mocking the Bible. But it is a valid point. The Bible is an unchanging, very old book that if looked at critically and rationally has issues which, in all fairness, make it hard to declare it the be all and end all of truth.

Don't be so sensitive - don't assume that to question is blasphemy or somehow insulting.

Originally posted by ChancellorGohan
If you belief you are a "reincarnated Lion Monarch", that cool. That is your belief. And it could be wrong. Actually it is wrong. But I not trying to make fun of you. I just think that it funny that you and mahat can belief in something so rediculous without any scientific prove and then mock the teachings of the bible.

Good day to you sir.

-Chancellor Gohan