<p>"For him to be defending Christianity, there has to be someone in offense the religion to begin with."</p>
<p>Say he killed de-Christianizing atheists. It would still be wrong?</p>
<p>
[quote]
Say he killed de-Christianizing atheists. It would still be wrong?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I believe Chistianity, Islam and most other religions advocates religious tolerance. In the case you noted, no killing would still be wrong. I believe one can kill if a person prevents someone from carrying his/her's religious duties.</p>
<p>For instance, it is right to kill a politician banning establishments of religious assemblies such as church, mosques, temples etc. (This just my belief though).</p>
<p>"I believe Chistianity, Islam and most other religions advocates religious tolerance. In the case you noted, no killing would still be wrong. I believe one can kill if a person prevents someone from carrying his/her's religious duties."</p>
<p>That's what YOU believe, but it's not doctrine. Ergo, your belief is wrong.</p>
<p>In fact, Christianity and Islam and other religions claim to be the ONLY right religion.</p>
<p>In case someone didn't remember, the first pillar of Islam is to declare Allah as the sole and only god.</p>
<p>"For instance, it is right to kill a politician banning establishments of religious assemblies such as church, mosques, temples etc. (This just my belief though)."</p>
<p>That's about as logical as saying it's right to kill the principal at a school because he eliminated all the honors and AP classes, preventing kids from carrying his or her academic duties.</p>
<p>
[quote]
That's what YOU believe, but it's not doctrine.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Of course its in the doctrine. Read the holy books and see for yourself.</p>
<p>
[quote]
In case someone didn't remember, the first pillar of Islam is to declare Allah as the sole and only god.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Its a statement of monotheism. You point? God=Allah=Yahweh </p>
<p>
[quote]
That's about as logical as saying it's right to kill the principal at a school because he eliminated all the honors and AP classes, preventing kids from carrying his or her academic duties.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That proves my point regarding atheists are ignorant. How could you make such an obnoxious analogy?</p>
<p>"thats nice, another self sufficient statement (kinda like the bible)"
trancestorm-please start making valid points.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Of course its in the doctrine. Read the holy books and see for yourself.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Please point out a such a place in the holy books. </p>
<p>
[quote]
That proves my point regarding atheists are ignorant. How could you make such an obnoxious analogy?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>OK. So far you call people names and you call apt arguments "obnoxious." So, who's ignorant here?</p>
<p>Wow! The tides have reversed. The Christians have finally come out in full force. Some of the Christians are being quite hypocritical. Many here claim to be Christian, yet they call atheists ignorant fools. WWJD(what would jesus do?) Jesus Christ told us to treat our neighbors with respect, yet this innocent debate has turned quite dark. Debates like these have caused revolutions and wars.
I have a question for the atheists here. Why did you become an atheist?</p>
<p>"Its a statement of monotheism. You point? God=Allah=Yahweh"</p>
<p>Ignorant comment on its own. Monotheism means one god. Monotheistic religions, however, do not share the same one god.</p>
<p>So therefore, God does not equal Allah who does not equal Yahweh. Christianity/Islam/Judaism/whatever monotheistic religion claims to be inherently the correct (or only) religion. You can't possibly say Muslims are happily tolerant and accepting of Christian theology, and vice versa.</p>
<p>The "morals" of each religion are not the same. Basics may be similar, but humankind is similar.</p>
<p>Hinduism has many gods. So does Greek paganism. Do Greek gods = Hindu gods?</p>
<p>"That proves my point regarding atheists are ignorant. How could you make such an obnoxious analogy?"</p>
<p>It's about as obnoxious as you saying it's right to kill someone if they stopped someone from practicing their religion.</p>
<p>Justinian I, why did I become an atheist?</p>
<p>I grew up making religious assumptions for myself, based on what I see and believe. My parents were completely hands-off since my birth on religious matters.</p>
<p>My father is a Caodaist, which means he believes in a higher being.</p>
<p>My mother is Buddhist.</p>
<p>Both didn't impact me.</p>
<p>Before middle school, I was rather extremely apathetic towards any sort of religion. I began to research, and atheism suited me best. Monotheistic religions were simply ludicrous in my opinion.</p>
<p>Effulgent, why are "monotheistic religions simply ludicrous" in your opinion? Ludicrous as opposed to polytheistic religions or to just any religion? Do you consider some religions to be "better" than others or that all religions are basically similarly ludicrous. </p>
<p>Just curious why you have such a strong anti-view of religions, especially monotheistic ones.</p>
<p>
[Quote]
Ignorant comment on its own. Monotheism means one god. Monotheistic religions, however, do not share the same one god.
[/Quote]
</p>
<p>This is not true. Allah is the Islamic name for God, whereas Yahweh is the Hebrew name of God. It is the same omnipotent, omniscient, and immanent creator under different names.</p>
<p>Also for your interest, here are some similarities/differences between the two religions:
Similarities
- God/Yahweh/Allah is the almighty creator of the universe
- A figure referred to as Satan or Antichrist (dajjal, a figure of evil) will be defeated at the end of the world.
- Both refer Abraham as the Father of All Nations
- Both include Adam and Eve, Moses, and the children of Israel, etc.
- At the time of the end of the world, Jesus Christ will come (<a href="http://muslim-canada.org/jesus.html%5B/url%5D">http://muslim-canada.org/jesus.html</a>).
- Angels serve as servants of God</p>
<p>Differences
- Islams do not believe in the Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit)
- Islams do not believe Jesus was not crucified by the Jews, notwithstanding certain apparent circumstances which produced that illusion in the minds of some of the enemies.
- Jesus did not resurrect. Instead God raised him up to Himself.
- Isalsm believe people are born pure and innocent / Christians believe in Original Sin (thanks to Adam and Eve) which can only be expiated through baptism.
- Prophet Muhammad is infallible and without sin, which is not true of Christian prophets.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>The chances of life forming and the formation of DNA are infinitesemal. It's comparable to all of the heavenly bodies in the universe aligning to spell out "Happy Birthday Timmy." Sure, it's possible, but...</p></li>
<li><p>I like the Einstein quote. Even scientists have to have a great deal of faith in reason. What if there is no reason to the universe?</p></li>
<li><p>I think it would be funny if one day, as scientists keep finding smaller and smaller particles that make up the universe (i think they are on quarks now, or something like that), they eventually find a smiley face with the words "I exist, buddy." That would be funny.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>hey patriotboy, i like it too. quotes rule, and einstein rules.</p>
<p>"What really interests me is whether God had any choice in the creation of the world."
"God doesn't play dice." to which Neil Bohr replied "Who are you to tell God what to do?" heh, smartass.
"God may be subtle, but He isn't plain mean."
and my favourite "Before God we are all equally wise - and equally foolish."</p>
<p>food for thought: someone of such human intellect, who is the most distinguished scientist of the 20th century and arguably of all time, and whose name is synonymous with the word 'genius', acknowledged the existence of a superior being...i find that really awesome, and knowing this undoubtedly has boosted my faith in the Lord to a certain degree.</p>
<p>^ and that is what we call an appeal to authority, which tends to be a logical fallacy.</p>
<p>Now to dispel some other inaccuracies in this thread.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Morality is subjective. Morals depend on the individuals, who are reasonably subjected to their respective societies. There is no black and white area, just infinite shades of grey.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I'm sorry, but this is just not true. There is no way morality can be subjective - just look at all the issues there are with moral subjectivity (which is different from relativism, you should note, which has similar major issues). One of the more minor issues is that if morality is subjective, no one could say that one set of moral rules is better than another. A moral relativist cannot say "Everyone ought to do X" because the very concept of saying that someone else should do X because it is morally right is hypocritical of the relativist. One person could go around killing everyone with facial hair and no one else could say that what he is doing is morally wrong. Why? Because for moral relativism, if I say that killing people with facial hair is morally right, then it is right. Not right 'for me' or whatever - it is as right as right can be, and no one can say otherwise. See the problems here?</p>
<p>End result = morality is not subjective!</p>
<p>
[quote]
this doesn't suddenly make the Bible a man-made book. Overwhelming evidences speak to the contrary
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Really? I would love to hear this evidence. Because I'm pretty sure the bible is not one big book, but a collection of books and writings and letters put together by a group of men at the council of carthage in the 4th century. Sounds man-made to me.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Ignorant comment on its own. Monotheism means one god. Monotheistic religions, however, do not share the same one god.</p>
<p>So therefore, God does not equal Allah who does not equal Yahweh. Christianity/Islam/Judaism/whatever monotheistic religion claims to be inherently the correct (or only) religion. You can't possibly say Muslims are happily tolerant and accepting of Christian theology, and vice versa.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Not true at all. Allah is the Islamic name for God while Yahweh is the Hebrew name for God. They are reffered to the same Higher Being. Its true that Islam/Christianity/Judaism have differences, but overall they preach the same morals. I also belive the forshadowing depicted in the Bible/Torah/Quran are also true.</p>
<p>Justinian,</p>
<p>I became an atheist when I realized that all religions required that a person throw away logic and reasoning to be believed in.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I became an atheist when I realized that all religions required that a person throw away logic and reasoning to be believed in.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Do you want a pat on the back? Religions are in favor of logic and reasoning.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Do you want a pat on the back?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>No, but you can be a little less of a jerk when I answer someone else's questions.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Religions are in favor of logic and reasoning.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Oh? Give me evidence of such.</p>
<p>True, morality is NOT subjetive. What moral relativists attempt to say is that if someone committs a crime, the act itself is insignificantunless it's viewed against the the social context of the act.</p>
<p>The inherent problem with this concept if applied politically, not just sociologically as we have to accept any form of behaviour as acceptable as long as it conforms to the cultural expectations of the society in which it manifests itself. In defining the manifold of morality in relative terms, morality becomes a concept much too abstruse for us to comprehend and basically presents a basis for morality that's much too easily manipulated. Humans are much too fallible; something like morality, which is universal, really would be much better off without us.</p>
<p>Moral relativity means that we stand by idly and watch genocides occur because "it's their moral reasoning."</p>
<p>
[quote]
Oh? Give me evidence of such.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Dont try to be ignorant. You know that religion welcomes reasoning and logic. Here is a site I found for you:
<a href="http://www.erasmatazz.com/library/History%20of%20Thinking/Old%20and%20Rejected/ReligionMeetsLogic.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.erasmatazz.com/library/History%20of%20Thinking/Old%20and%20Rejected/ReligionMeetsLogic.html</a></p>