[pilliwinks]

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Sounds to me like you believe in your parents, unless you think someone (something?) else made you [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

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No because someone created then and someone created them and so on and so on.

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Only kidding. I understand the ontological argument, but although I believe God is the ultimate cause, I don't find it a persuasive argument. There are other possible ways of ending up with us, as any atheist will tell you.

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1 I wouldn't believe in the Bible if ALL it had were claims to historical accuracy. You are wise to be cautious about old texts. That doesn't mean it is all bunk. Read it. Figure it out for yourself.

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Why should I read the the Bible and not the Quran or anything other religious book ... I dont see how someone can say their religion is best if they dont know what the other religions are about.

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Bravo. Get into it. I have not read every religious text, but I think I have a nodding acquaintance with the major faiths, and would recommend that for anyone. Of course, you don't necessarily need to visit every lunatic asylum to know what constitutes good sense. Can't hurt though.

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2. Free will and fate are scarecely core Christian doctrines. You'll find as many opinions on that subject in the Church as out of it!

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Im not sure what you mean here. Are you saying free will and fate arguments arent important in the Christian beliefs? How could they not be? Isn't free will the basis for everything? (adam and eve)

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Yes and no, respectively. The basis for everything is faith in a god who is perfectly good. The free will bit was invented by people who were uncomfortable with how much we suck at being good. I happen to believe we have free will, but plenty of Christians don't. They are happy to believe in a plan that just looks as if we have free will. Suit yourself.


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I didnt say God wasnt good. I said he cant be ALL good because he had this "idea" of evil.

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You are perhaps assuming that God is not limited by what is logically impossible? Many Christians believe that God is in fact limited by logic, and further, that there are many things that are logically impossible in our world, including having both the freedom to choose God but not also the freedom to be bad.

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... I am pretty Afghan women do that. A good God would see their position and have sympathy for them.

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I couldn't agree more. He may even have specifically chosen you to go help them out [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] If you believe God has sympathy for the unreached heathen, you will be right at home in most Christian churches I know.

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I meant be happier with a death instead of with a birth. I found it ironic

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It is, I agree. We have plenty of reasons to be joyful at both occasions.