by boomer196 » February 6th, 2006, 7:41 am
Hey Guys -
A lot of responses to my post. Surprising. In addition to my post and to the responses...
The reason I am writing this and conversing with you guys is to see how others view what I view. So first off, yes, that story doesn't take place everyday in most people's life. Specially after breakfest. Second, I am not writing on here to "save all". Only Jesus Christ can save you. Christ like followers are only trying to share what has brought them more joy than you could ever imagine. A peace beyond all understanding. And for good reasons.
One myth that needs to be cleared up is this. No Christ like follower, nor a non-christian for that matter, can validly say that they themselves can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt, 100%, that a or the God/Higher being exists by means of science, philosophy, etc. Thus... we followers of Christ have Faith, the substance of things hoped for. If someone could prove the existence of God today by pyhsical means there would be no point or reason for Faith in Christ. And Hebrews 11 tells us that it is impossible to please God without Faith. Period. However, a follower of Christ, like those of the early church, should be able to show a Faith that is unexplainable. Paul says in the New Testament that what we believe as followers of Christ is foolishness to those who don't believe. And with that said, I highly doubt that I will EVER talk somebody into becoming a believer in Christ as the son of God by means of Apologetics or Philosophy for that matter.
So for example on the subject of Good and Evil. One man could say that the definition of the word Good means to help out our fellow man. Whether you believe in God or not. And he could also say that the definition of Evil is ignoring the problems of this world. Chosing to be selfish and not help those around us. Such problems as Genicide in Uganda. A 7 year old kid in the Congo is handed an automatic assault rifle and is told to kill whoever and whenever needed. For the purpose of power, money, etc. And he also will probably die within a week or so. I don't think most anybody would disagree that the stories of Uganda and and the Congo are horrible and Evil and are depressing.
Then another man could say that the definition of Good is folling Jesus, the son of the living God. And he could also say the definition of Evil is choosing not to believe in God. So to say, if you are not following God then you are against God. Period. So then you ask, "So what is the problem? I view Good and Evil a little or a whole lot differently than my neighboor. And I don't think the definitions of Good and Evil have anything to do with whether or not you believe in God." I think we would all agree that there are degrees to everything in this world.
When 9/11 happend thousands of people were horribly murdered. Some jumping out the windows of the World Trade Center because they had a delimna. Die by fire and burning and crushing walls falling on them or by jumping out a window to face instant death on impact. This would be America's belief among many other nations as a perfect example of Evil. Among Christians, Atheists, Agnostics, Naturalists, and Physicalists. We would all classify what happend on 9/11 as Evil.
However, those men who caused the falling of the Twin towers and the destruction of the Pentagon, would tell you that what they were doing was Good. You say, that's not a good argument. From what we know so far they were a radical religous group. Their beliefs of the Jihad or God got in the way. But just to take that out of the picture, if God really doesn't exist, their "religious" beliefs don't matter. Their beliefs are what they are. You can't take a way from what somebody believes. That's a fact. You believe in this or that or you don't. That is their definition of Good by attacking us. What makes their definition of Good wrong? What makes our definition of Good right? Why are we right in how we define Evil and they are wrong?
This is definitely where Absolute Truth would come into play. Good cannot be Evil. Evil cannot be Good. In anyway, shape, nor form. Truth is the opposite of false. I am 5 feet 11 inches tall. Not 6 feet and 8 inches tall. That would be False. What those men on 9/11 did was Evil you say. Us defending our country and being opposed to what they did is Good. I know I am 5 feet 11 inches by a measuring stick. I know because I have a "standard" to be measured by. So that makes me ask, "What is the measuring stick for Good and Evil?"
If Darwin among his many followers was right in the basic belief in Survival of the fittest, what those men did on 9/11 was exactly that. They are trying to survive and become a strong power to insure their survival. It does not matter how you survive as long as you survive. The essense of survival in Darwins belief was surviving in a world that is without a God. We might not experience that in our blue-collar homes and neighboorhoods and among your friends and family. But that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. It does. That is why the poverty of this world and all the things that make us mourn for those people is a topic that cannot be avoided.
A lot of people believe that in the whole history of our world, over 90% of all people have believed in a Higher Being of some sort. America is reported to be a Christian nation. That is roughly around 95% percent of American citizens claim some form of Christianity. It wouldn't be a stretch to say that God, not neccessarily Yahew or Christ, but some sort of god has been the measuring stick for which we measure Good and Evil. But if no god of any kind exists... where is your measuring stick? How do you show evidence that your definition of Good is right and killing an innocent human being is wrong?
By taking away God you also take away the measuring stick by which our ancestors have usually used to seperate Good from Evil. And then by doing that... you are left with people making their own beliefs and definitions of Good and Evil. Every man and women is therefor no more justified in their belief than any other person. I cannot show you any evidence besides my actions in daily life like love and kindness because of the way Christ has changed me that God exists. And that is what I will try to show you. Because I cannot prove by a formula nor scientific fact that God is real. But certain questions are worth asking. Like, if the Bible and the accounts of the Gospels are made up concerning the ressurection of Christ, why would the authors of the Gospels claim women to have found the empty tomb and to whom Jesus came to. That is pretty obvious that they would know by using women in their story that it would lose validity. Because women in their time were not trustworthy by ANY means. How do you explain the sudden change in the Apostles like Peter? He goes from Denying Christ 3 times and cowarding from the ones who are going to kill Jesus, and if you believe Christ didn't rise from the dead, then Peter among the others would have been very very depressed (and was) that the man they walked with all 3 or so years had just been killed with no hope of any kind to return. To all the sudden the Apostles are stepping in line to be murdered for this man you would claim didn't rise from the dead. We know that the Apostles were able to endure their suffering and pain because they claimed the resurrection of Christ. And if the resurrection didn't happen at all... That has to be one of the craziest stories I ever heard. A bunch of guys who either volunteered to be murdered for a lie that they knew was a lie, or all the 500 + people who claimed to see Christ after he died even Skeptics and non-believers claimed that. So around 500 people or so had the same illusion. Even taking the number down to the minimum. If only 12 men had illusioned that they saw Jesus Christ, the chances of them having the same illusion at the same time during those circumstances are prettty.... unlikely? Makes you think. Doesn't Physically prove anything 100%... But makes you think.
Last edited by
boomer196 on February 6th, 2006, 1:20 pm, edited 2 times in total.
