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Isn't it true that the more a group tries to censor it's members, the more suspect it is?

It's the ONLY avenue to the truth in Christianity. If you had a bad experience while you were a Christian then you should blame yourself for NOT seeking the truth. Remember the North Korea and the US analogy? Which one were you when you were a Christian?
North Korea. All Christianity, even the well meaning churches are North Korea. They indoctrinate you. They tell you that there is a devil in the world out to deceive you. They tell you that if you don't believe in what they tell you (jesus is lord amongst others) you will go to hell. They teach you to distrust the knowledge of the world. Cult mentality.
 

Mock Turtle

Oh my, did I say that!
Premium Member
I don't choose to. Over the years in this forum I have listed a plethora of evidences, in many exchanges. I don't do it anymore. It is wasted effort. There is a verse about not casting pearls before swine. I have thrown many pearls many times. My arm is sore. The pigs will have to root around without my pearls

Grunt grunt grunt .. sorry not working! :D :D :D
 

rrobs

Well-Known Member
If your system of belief cannot stand up to scrutiny and if you strongly discourage your members from investigating all avenues there is something wrong. Cults come to mind. Christianity comes to mind. For example, North Korea has a suspect government, therefore it prevents its people from knowing more and seeing more. In case they rebel. The US has a more transparent and stable government. Democracy is healthy and people can think and see for themselves.
Christian forums prevent atheists from speaking out. Christians discourage transparancy and free investigation. They warn their members that satan can get a hold on them if they investigate too much. Atheist forums and ex Christian forums however value all knowledge.
I am therefore implying that Christianity exists by hiding truth from its followers. It indoctrinates and holds prisoner with threats of eternal punishment.
What is your opinion on this matter?
Good observation. I recently got banned from another Christian forum because I believe Jesus was the Son of God and not God the Son. I was told that there is no light in me, only darkness.

However, I would say the problem is with the churches, not Christianity per say. They've had over 2,000 years to brainwash their congregations and it's been incredibly effective in blinding them to the truth in God's word. Once they convinced people to "take it by faith" that God is 3 in 1 oil, they were able to promote all sorts of nonsense which any sane individual would run away from ASAP. Who can blame those people? Satan is called the "god of the world" (2 Cor 4:4) and he's done a fine job of suppressing the truth using the churches as his main instrument.
 

Subduction Zone

Veteran Member
Interesting. What determines what a person knows ? Do you know Einsteins theory of relativity is correct ? How do you know it is, if so ?

Yes, because we can test the theory in various different ways. Now one might need to go to a laboratory to test it but the test does not depend upon the person testing the theory or his attitude.

Knowledge is demonstrable and it can be shown that the theory goes along with the predictions made by the theory.
 

Subduction Zone

Veteran Member
PROOF and EVIDENCE aren't the same. In a court of law, evidence can be weighed to reach a substantive conclusion. That conclusion can be said to be reasonably proven


Correct, but since we are discussing based upon a legal standard there is no reliable evidence that supports the existence of a god either.

"Proof" in a court of law is based upon the weight of evidence. And the evidence for various gods weighs about the same as a a feather.
 

rrobs

Well-Known Member
Not to sound offensive, but there isn't truth to be found in any church.
I don't know if I'd say there is no truth in the churches. Life is seldom black and white so they may have a little bit of truth mixed in with all the nonsense. Who has the truth?

John 17:17,
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
That statement needs no explanation. Very simple sentence structure. No interpretation required. It says what it means and means what it says as does the entire Bible once the reader is freed from the typical church teachings. The reader is free to believe it or not. Either way no person can judge another individual. Nobody has what it takes to judge correctly except God and He judges quite differently than man.

1Sam 16:7b,
...for [the LORD seeth] not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
And should a Christian forget that and judge another, it is worth remembering:

Rom 2:1,
Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.​
 

Neb

Active Member
North Korea. All Christianity, even the well meaning churches are North Korea. They indoctrinate you. They tell you that there is a devil in the world out to deceive you. They tell you that if you don't believe in what they tell you (jesus is lord amongst others) you will go to hell. They teach you to distrust the knowledge of the world. Cult mentality.
You kept on repeating the same mantra. It's almost like a prayer, you know, very religious.
 

shmogie

Well-Known Member
Correct, but since we are discussing based upon a legal standard there is no reliable evidence that supports the existence of a god either.

"Proof" in a court of law is based upon the weight of evidence. And the evidence for various gods weighs about the same as a a feather.
Nope, you are wrong there.
 

shmogie

Well-Known Member
Yes, because we can test the theory in various different ways. Now one might need to go to a laboratory to test it but the test does not depend upon the person testing the theory or his attitude.

Knowledge is demonstrable and it can be shown that the theory goes along with the predictions made by the theory.
The point is, unless a person is a super scientist, a space traveler, a mathematician, a physicist, they have little first hand knowledge of what they declare to be true.
 

Mock Turtle

Oh my, did I say that!
Premium Member
The point is, unless a person is a super scientist, a space traveler, a mathematician, a physicist, they have little first hand knowledge of what they declare to be true.

But reading religious texts makes them much more knowledgeable concerning such things and therefore correct?
 

Neb

Active Member
Correct, but since we are discussing based upon a legal standard there is no reliable evidence that supports the existence of a god either.

"Proof" in a court of law is based upon the weight of evidence. And the evidence for various gods weighs about the same as a a feather.
I'm really confused here. What are the "a god" and "various gods" compared to the God of the Bible? Can we just discuss the God of the Bible?
 

Subduction Zone

Veteran Member
The point is, unless a person is a super scientist, a space traveler, a mathematician, a physicist, they have little first hand knowledge of what they declare to be true.


One does not need to be a "super scientist" to research the claims to see how they are reliably supported time after time. You are trying to set up a ridiculous level of participation. And the science still beats religion hands down since it has a well earned respect. Religion merely has a tradition, largely backed by threats and violence.
 

shmogie

Well-Known Member
Then present some reliable evidence. And just because it is reliable to you does not mean that it is evidence. It needs to be reliable regardless of who presents it or observes it.
Who decides what is reliable, you ? I'll present nothing. I have many many times in this forum, I have no need or inclination to do so again
 
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