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15 issues with Christianity

For topics that are more about faith, religion and religious organisations than anything else.
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Compassionist
Posts: 3590
Joined: July 14th, 2007, 8:38 am

15 issues with Christianity

#1 Post by Compassionist » July 24th, 2018, 10:05 pm

If you want to, you can consider my 15 issues with Christianity. It's ok if you don't want to. Thank you. I am not trying to get you to leave Christianity or cause you suffering or offend you. I respect all of the Human Rights of all humans. One of these rights is to have any religion or no religion. So, please don't feel that I am trying to make you an agnostic compassionist humanist like me.

1. Why didn't God make Adam, Eve, all the angels, all the animals and plants equally omniscient and omnipotent as Himself? If He had done that then there would have been a perfect fellowship of true equals and no suffering and no injustice as it is impossible to victimise omniscient and omnipotent beings.

2. Jesus prophesied the end of the world in the Bible but he was wrong: What the Bible says about The End of the World

3. 99.99% of all species to ever exist on Earth are already extinct because life is so harsh and unjust. Humans have also caused the extinction of some species but most were extinct long before humans evolved. How can a loving and just God make such a world? I would prefer it if there were an omnibenevolent, omniscient and omnipotent God but I am not convinced that such a being exists given all the suffering life consists of. Please consider: Top 20 Evil Bible Stories

4. Why is God's treatment of women so unjust? What the Bible says about Women's Rights God punished Eve and all girls/women with painful childbirth. Many women and babies have suffered and died because of the narrow birth canal and all the complications caused by that. I think men made up the story to blame women who are actually the victims of biology.

5. Why is God's treatment of homosexuals so unjust? The Bible and homosexuality

6. How is predestination by God ethical? Predestination

7. I think culpability is proportional to ability, so, with omnipotence comes omniculpability . Given God's alleged omnipotence, it makes Him omniculpable for all suffering and inustice . Why isn't God being punished by God for all eternity?

8. Jesus behaves in the Bible in ways cult leaders have done. Please see: 50 reasons to be ashamed (and not a fan) of Jesus Cult leaders tend to try to get their followers to put the leader above family and friends and do whatever the leaders want.

9. “The genomes of complex creatures reveal a lack of any intelligence or foresight. Your DNA consists of millions of defunct copies of parasitic DNA. The inescapable conclusion is that if life was designed, the designer was lazy, stupid and cruel.” – Michael Le Page,‘New Scientist', vol 198 No 2652, 19 April 2008, page 26. I agree with him. What do you think?

10. I think it is impossible for any sentient being to have free will unless that sentient being is omniscient and omnipotent. Biological beings such as humans are not free from causality, they are prisoners of causality. We are the way we are because of genes, environments, nutrients and experiences. If I or Daniel or our dog or a virus had your genes, environments, nutrients and experiences, then we would be you, reading these words right where and when you are reading these words. We would be identical to you down to all your sub-atomic particles and we would have made all the choices you have made. This is true for all biological beings. All choices arise from the interaction of awareness, values and abilities. If you want to alter your or someone else's choices, all you need to do is alter your or their awareness and/or values and/or abilities. Inevitably, our awareness, values and abilities are determined by our genes, environments, nutrients and experiences. The bottom line is that all our choices are inevitable choices. Of course, we still need to lock up people who kill others, rape others, etc. - not because they are guilty, but because they pose a danger to others. Given this reality, how is it ethical for any God or Gods of any religion to punish and reward people with hell or heaven? Some may say that we are given immortal souls or spirits by God which are somehow free from causality and can make free choices which are not determined by genes, environments, nutrients and experiences. There is no evidence that such immortal souls or spirits exist and that they can make choices free from the effects of genes, environments, nutrients and experiences. Of course, I respect everyone's right to disagree with me, even though I am convinced that what I have said is true.

11. Assuming that the Bible is true (that's a huge assumption, I really don't think it can be true because of numerous contradictions and inaccuracies), how is it ethical of God to punish all humans and all other living things just because Adam and Eve disobeyed God? If the story is true, and if Adam and Eve had free will (I don't think they did), there is a partial justification for punishing Adam and Eve for their error but to punish all humans and all other living things for billions of years is totally disproportionate and completely wrong. Also, both Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge, but only Eve and all human females were punished with painful childbirth and being subjugated by men. Why wasn't Adam punished equally? Of course, I am convinced that the whole story is made up by men, to blame women for things which are not their fault at all and to subjugate women.

12. It is claimed that Jesus did not have a human father. Why didn't Jesus or His followers keep some locks of his hair so we could examine his half-divine DNA for evidence which confirms the claim? Since God is both omniscient and omnipotent, He could still do it by materialising locks of hair from Jesus in genetics lab right now but He doesn't do that. Why not? I think it's because God is imaginary and the claim is false.

13. Many miracles were allegedly performed by Jesus e.g. raising the Dead. "Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." - John 14:12, The Bible (New International Version). Why don't Christians raise the dead by the billions given what Jesus said? I have prayed for the resurrection of many good people e.g. Princess Diana, John Lennon, Mohondas Gandhi, etc. but none of them was resurrected.

14. I statistically analysed prayer. No prayers for miracles were ever answered e.g. resurrection of famous good people, regrowing of amputated limbs, ending all floods, cyclones, earthquakes, etc. The prayers that were apparently answered, e.g. praying for parking space in the car park at 7 am were always answered regardless of whether I prayed to God or Zeus or Thor, etc. In fact, there were spaces in the car park 100% of the time at 7 am even when I didn't pray for space. It shows that God is either lying in the Bible or God is imaginary.

15. The Bible says that Jesus was crucified and resurrected. There is no evidence for this. Roman records don't show it. There are some contradictory stories about it in the Bible but these are just stories - not incontrovertible evidence. Tacitus and Josephus did not witness the virgin conception of Jesus, His birth, the miracles of Jesus, the crucifixion of Jesus and the resurrection of Jesus. Surely, an omniscient and omnipotent God who allegedly created everything and can resurrect the dead can prove to us that He is real and good, not imaginary or evil? There is no convincing evidence for the virgin birth, words, actions, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. All we have are contradictory stories in the Bible which were written by anonymous writers many years after the alleged events took place. The four canonical gospels, like the rest of the New Testament, were written in Greek, Mark probably c. AD 66–70, Matthew and Luke around AD 85–90, and John AD 90–110. Despite the traditional ascriptions, all four are anonymous, and none were written by eyewitnesses. Jesus was allegedly crucified and resurrected in AD 30. I think the reason the Gospels were written so many years after the alleged events is because the writers didn’t want any actual witnesses to be still alive to challenge the lies being passed off as the truth. Why didn't Jesus write the Bible?

Compassionist
Posts: 3590
Joined: July 14th, 2007, 8:38 am

Re: 15 issues with Christianity

#2 Post by Compassionist » April 24th, 2019, 7:10 pm

Please also see: http://www.evilbible.com Thank you.

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DLH
Posts: 10
Joined: April 25th, 2019, 12:02 am

Re: 15 issues with Christianity

#3 Post by DLH » April 25th, 2019, 3:01 am

Thank you for expressing your thoughts. If you don't mind I would tackle just a few of these issues at a time.

1. Think of the words omnipotent and omniscient. What do they mean? How are they applied? Now think of the word omnivore. Remove the quixotic religiosity of the first two in the same manner as the third and perhaps you will have a more accurate interpretation. So, Christianity has a fairly well documented history of adopting pagan (outside) teachings which are, under close examination, contrary to scripture. Religiosity exaggerates the application of omnipotence and omniscience in the case of the Christian God. Omnivore doesn't suggest that an animal will literally eat anything. God can't lie. God didn't know what Adam and Eve had done, what Cain did to Able or if the people of Sodom and Gomorrah were as bad as reported.

As the influence of impractical religiosity diminishes, it seems, the impracticality of the ideologically possessed replaces it. Equality isn't practical, it's derogatory. Autonomy ironically becomes heteronomy. It's apples and oranges. Concepts like diversity and free will are far more advantageous and far less potentially harmful than a xenophobic approach to equality. We shouldn't strive to make ourselves equal, we should appreciate our differences.

Interestingly, the Bible indicates that long before the creation of Adam and Eve the angels were created. Perfection, in the Bible, is similar to the perspective of a new born. It's a matter of potential. The angels had time to mature to the point where they were independent, in the ultimate sense, by recognizing the sovereignty of their creator. Mankind were afforded the same. This period of time is called God's Rest. David and Paul referred to this day as not having been entered by us. Us being mankind. This seventh day of rest will continue until we are absolved of sin and allowed to mature as the angels did. This, and everlasting life, is possible due to our being created in the likeness of God.

Animals differ from us in this respect.

2. The Skeptic's Annotated Bible seems to be confusing the "end of the world" with the Transfiguration, the destruction of Jerusalem, Jesus position at the right hand of power and John's Revelation at Patmos.

A) Matthew 16:28 was fulfilled 6 days later when Peter, James and John witnessed the transfiguration. (Matthew 17:1-2; Luke 9:27-36; 2 Peter 1:16-18)

B) Matthew 23:36 considers the Jewish opposition around Jesus and that within a generation they would see the destruction of Jerusalem in 66-70 C.E. by Titus in which 1,100,000 Jews died and 97,000 were taken captive. (Matthew 24:16, 22)

C) John 21:20-23 is likely a reference to the prophetic vision of John while on Patmos in which John was transported to "the Lord's day." (Revelation 1:1, 10; 22:20)

D) Jesus clearly stated that no man, including himself, knew the time of the end. (Matthew 24:36; Mark 13:32; Acts 1:7)

Compassionist
Posts: 3590
Joined: July 14th, 2007, 8:38 am

Re: 15 issues with Christianity

#4 Post by Compassionist » April 25th, 2019, 9:16 am

DLH wrote:Thank you for expressing your thoughts. If you don't mind I would tackle just a few of these issues at a time.

1. Think of the words omnipotent and omniscient. What do they mean? How are they applied? Now think of the word omnivore. Remove the quixotic religiosity of the first two in the same manner as the third and perhaps you will have a more accurate interpretation. So, Christianity has a fairly well documented history of adopting pagan (outside) teachings which are, under close examination, contrary to scripture. Religiosity exaggerates the application of omnipotence and omniscience in the case of the Christian God. Omnivore doesn't suggest that an animal will literally eat anything. God can't lie. God didn't know what Adam and Eve had done, what Cain did to Able or if the people of Sodom and Gomorrah were as bad as reported.

As the influence of impractical religiosity diminishes, it seems, the impracticality of the ideologically possessed replaces it. Equality isn't practical, it's derogatory. Autonomy ironically becomes heteronomy. It's apples and oranges. Concepts like diversity and free will are far more advantageous and far less potentially harmful than a xenophobic approach to equality. We shouldn't strive to make ourselves equal, we should appreciate our differences.

Interestingly, the Bible indicates that long before the creation of Adam and Eve the angels were created. Perfection, in the Bible, is similar to the perspective of a new born. It's a matter of potential. The angels had time to mature to the point where they were independent, in the ultimate sense, by recognizing the sovereignty of their creator. Mankind were afforded the same. This period of time is called God's Rest. David and Paul referred to this day as not having been entered by us. Us being mankind. This seventh day of rest will continue until we are absolved of sin and allowed to mature as the angels did. This, and everlasting life, is possible due to our being created in the likeness of God.

Animals differ from us in this respect.
Thank you for your reply. I think all our thoughts on the existence and nature of God or Gods are mere speculations. That's why I am an agnostic. We are not equal in terms of our knowledge, abilities and values. We are equal in terms of our rights. I know that we are diverse and I respect and promote our diversity. Just as I promote the equal human rights of all humans. I also campaign for animal rights and the environment.
DLH wrote: 2. The Skeptic's Annotated Bible seems to be confusing the "end of the world" with the Transfiguration, the destruction of Jerusalem, Jesus position at the right hand of power and John's Revelation at Patmos.

A) Matthew 16:28 was fulfilled 6 days later when Peter, James and John witnessed the transfiguration. (Matthew 17:1-2; Luke 9:27-36; 2 Peter 1:16-18)

B) Matthew 23:36 considers the Jewish opposition around Jesus and that within a generation they would see the destruction of Jerusalem in 66-70 C.E. by Titus in which 1,100,000 Jews died and 97,000 were taken captive. (Matthew 24:16, 22)

C) John 21:20-23 is likely a reference to the prophetic vision of John while on Patmos in which John was transported to "the Lord's day." (Revelation 1:1, 10; 22:20)

D) Jesus clearly stated that no man, including himself, knew the time of the end. (Matthew 24:36; Mark 13:32; Acts 1:7)
I see what you mean. Biblical interpretation is not an empirical science - there is a lot of controversy about it. I prefer incontrovertible evidence.

VINDICATOR
Posts: 596
Joined: December 22nd, 2016, 11:07 am

Re: 15 issues with Christianity

#5 Post by VINDICATOR » April 27th, 2019, 11:02 am

Hi DLH,
You seem to be an expert on the Bible. My hobby is astronomy and that makes understanding the Bible very difficult for me so I need your help. For instance the Bible says that the Earth was created on the first day and the stars were created on the 4th day. That means that the Earth is 3 days older than the stars. According to modern astronomy, stars came before planets. How do you resolve this paradox?

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