By the way -- if you claim to be a Christian...

[YoursTrue]

He tried to claim that the Levites were the only tribe in Egypt, which would have been the only tribe in the Exodus, but remember, the Golden Calf incident was part of the Exodus. He brought back the rest of the Hebrews for that:

"The Levites were not people to whom one said “No.” Four different biblical texts connect them to violent acts. Levi is one of the brothers who massacre the city of Shechem for the violation of Dinah (Genesis 34), and he is also cursed for his general violence in Jacob’s deathbed testament (Genesis 49). The Levites slaughter the people associated with the golden calf incident, thus following Moses’ command to put them to the sword (Exodus 32:26–28). And in the poem at the end of the Torah (Deuteronomy 33), God is asked to “pierce Levi’s adversaries’ hips, and those who hate him, so they won’t get up.” These four texts come from four different authors. So basically everyone knew: You don’t mess with the Levites."

He does not have a clear narrative. He picks and chooses what he wants to believe instead of making one coherent explanation. This would be laughed at if someone tried to publish it in a journale Levites were the only tribe in Egypt. And the only tribe in the Exodus.

OK, the article is a little hard to understand. I'll have to go over it with a fine tooth comb.

 

[YoursTrue]

He tried to claim that the Levites were the only tribe in Egypt, which would have been the only tribe in the Exodus, but remember, the Golden Calf incident was part of the Exodus. He brought back the rest of the Hebrews for that:

"The Levites were not people to whom one said “No.” Four different biblical texts connect them to violent acts. Levi is one of the brothers who massacre the city of Shechem for the violation of Dinah (Genesis 34), and he is also cursed for his general violence in Jacob’s deathbed testament (Genesis 49). The Levites slaughter the people associated with the golden calf incident, thus following Moses’ command to put them to the sword (Exodus 32:26–28). And in the poem at the end of the Torah (Deuteronomy 33), God is asked to “pierce Levi’s adversaries’ hips, and those who hate him, so they won’t get up.” These four texts come from four different authors. So basically everyone knew: You don’t mess with the Levites."

He does not have a clear narrative. He picks and chooses what he wants to believe instead of making one coherent explanation. This would be laughed at if someone tried to publish it in a journal.

OK, I haven't spoken to him and I don't really go with all these narratives supposedly like J and E, etc. Yes, I believe the Bible as commonly held by people in the modern age. Yes, I do believe it has been compiled and put together by holy spirit, God's active force.
But he does make some good points about no artifacts found in the desert relating to the Exodus from Egypt and sojourn for 40 years. He says, which makes sense to me, "There have not been many major excavations in the Sinai, and we most certainly have not combed it. Moreover, uncovering objects buried 3,200 years ago is a daunting endeavor. An Israeli colleague laughingly told me that a vehicle that had been lost in the 1973 Yom Kippur War was recently uncovered under 16 meters—that’s 52 feet—of sand. Fifty-two feet in 40 years!" Again -- since it is often claimed that no signs of such a mass group wandering through a large desert has been discovered, that point makes sense to me. I agree that either I don't follow a lot of other things he's saying -- but that point makes sense to me.

 

[YoursTrue]

What do you think that a slap for fun is evil and that killing for kicks is only wrong? I was demonstrating how one should not overuse the word evil. It is for extreme cases.

I'm not going into it. Maybe others here can answer that. You did try to answer my question. Thank you.

 

[ElishaElijah]

How is that about me? I never called anything evil good.

Already posted your comment and why, about how you call your sin good and those who point it out depraved. So now you call Jesus Christ depraved? And now we may getting to the real reason you’re not a Christian anymore according to Jesus Christ in John 3, if you know the Scriptures at all and I believe those verses are true as well.
”I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.“
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬-‭21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
”And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”“
‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭19‬-‭21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

 

[Subduction Zone]

Already posted your comment and why, about how you call your sin good and those who point it out depraved. So now you call Jesus Christ depraved? And now we may getting to the real reason you’re not a Christian anymore according to Jesus Christ in John 3, if you know the Scriptures at all and I believe those verses are true as well.
”I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.“
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬-‭21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
”And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”“
‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭19‬-‭21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Sorry, here is where you are wrong and are claiming that your own God is evil. In the past, before contraceptives, it was necessary to control the sexuality of young people. Nature no longer controls us in that way. And many of the controls were simply wrong. You brought up porn. Study after study shows that more porn means less rape. In other words if you are anti-porn you are pro-rape.

Here is a fairly recent one:

Welcome to The University of Texas at San Antonio | UTSA 08/story/pornography-sex-crimes-study.html

 

[Subduction Zone]

I know you tried to answer how you think he contradicted himself. I don't see that he did. I may not understand or agree with everything he says, but where did he contradicts himself? You are not making yourself clear.
Since you tried to answer maybe you read the article, I will say I don't know why or if he did or did not offer his piece for peer review. In the meantime, however, can you or will you please clarify where you say he contradicted himself. I do not say I understand everything he said, but do not see where he contradicts himself and you have not shown where he contradicted himself.

Why did you edit out the explanation of how he contradicted himself?

 

[metis]

One thing I can't help but notice is just how nasty and judgmental some "Bible believing Christians" are. Seems that the ignore Jesus' love so as to use hate and judgementalism.

 

[ElishaElijah]

One thing I can't help but notice is just how nasty and judgmental some "Bible believing Christians" are. Seems that the ignore Jesus' love so as to use hate and judgementalism.

Haven’t noticed any on here that fit that description.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

One thing I can't help but notice is just how nasty and judgmental some "Bible believing Christians" are. Seems that the ignore Jesus' love so as to use hate and judgementalism.

Agreed. I expect some denial coming forthwith when I say this, but I've seen and experienced hate and judgmentalism from Bible-believing Christians in person, on Christian-oriented forums, and on RF. But at least on RF, I have a better chance of combating it than I did on the Christian-oriented forums.

For example:

Theists: What would a godless universe look like?

'behind closed doors' you just finished telling the world how perverse that you are, attempting to glorify it. Do you have any idea how much damage that you've done, ...my goodness, look who I'm asking??? Like most conservatives, with their enlarged amygdalas, you seem to judge actions by the...

www.religiousforums.com

The Endless Non-Stop Support Of Trump

Trump is seen as a savior by fools, bigots, & Christian nationalists. You forgot racists. :)

www.religiousforums.com

 

[metis]

Agreed. I expect some denial coming forthwith when I say this, but I've seen and experienced hate and judgmentalism from Bible-believing Christians in person, on Christian-oriented forums, and on RF. But at least on RF, I have a better chance of combating it than I did on the Christian-oriented forums.

For example:

Theists: What would a godless universe look like?

'behind closed doors' you just finished telling the world how perverse that you are, attempting to glorify it. Do you have any idea how much damage that you've done, ...my goodness, look who I'm asking??? Like most conservatives, with their enlarged amygdalas, you seem to judge actions by the...

www.religiousforums.com

The Endless Non-Stop Support Of Trump

Trump is seen as a savior by fools, bigots, & Christian nationalists. You forgot racists. :)

www.religiousforums.com

Sorry to say that your experiences are also mine. It's so bad that in my wife's and my extended families, we cannot discuss any politics no matter how harmless it may start out to be. Fortunately, all 6 of our grandkids [18-25] are not supporters of Trump, so maybe there's hope for the future at least.

 

[ElishaElijah]

I found this Scripture to be true:
”A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.“
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭17‬:‭22‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

 

[Polymath257]

I found this Scripture to be true:
”A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.“
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭17‬:‭22‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Does that really require a deity to observe? It sounds like a commonplace to me.

 

[Polymath257]

Now the Bible says this about your view:
”Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!“
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭5‬:‭20‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
”Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight!“
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭5‬:‭21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Too bad the Bible calls slavery good. It calls denigration of women good. And Is5:21 describes far more theists than atheists.

 

[ElishaElijah]

Does that really require a deity to observe? It sounds like a commonplace to me.

I think it would be a miraculous thing if people with a merry heart was commonplace.

 

[Polymath257]

I think it would be a miraculous thing if people with a merry heart was commonplace.

That isn't what the quote says. Nor what i said.

I have found that religion leads to a non-merry heart and putting religion aside leads to a merry one. YMMV

 

[ElishaElijah]

I find this verse if Scripture true:
”He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.“
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭16‬:‭32‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

 

[Subduction Zone]

Sorry to say that your experiences are also mine. It's so bad that in my wife's and my extended families, we cannot discuss any politics no matter how harmless it may start out to be. Fortunately, all 6 of our grandkids [18-25] are not supporters of Trump, so maybe there's hope for the future at least.

I am lucky. At least between my brothers and my sister. Trump brought us together politically. One of the few good things that he has done. I am sure that I have some cousins that would disagree, and some that would agree. Probably like a lot of America it would be about 50/50 when I include the extended family.

 

[Subduction Zone]

@ElishaElijah , you forgot to enter a response.

 

[ElishaElijah]

That isn't what the quote says. Nor what i said.

I have found that religion leads to a non-merry heart and putting religion aside leads to a merry one. YMMV

Oh miss understood you… we would have a lot less illness and strife, religion and rules can make a person miserable but I found that this is true:
The joy of the Lord is my strength and a fruit of the Spirit is Joy

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

Does that really require a deity to observe? It sounds like a commonplace to me.

It is in my opinion and in my experience as a former Christian. In my life, I began to have a joyful heart and inner peace only after I renounced my belief in the biblical God and abandoned my Christian faith. It was one of the best decisions I've ever made for my mental health and emotional well-being. It is only second to when I stood up against the abuse I suffered at the hands of my Christian adoptive mother and brother shortly after turning eighteen.