/lit/ - Literature

[Anonymous No.7099252]

Is this the best argument against religion ever written?

[Anonymous No.7099255]

get out hitchens

[egg No.7099257]

>>7099252
obv lmao

[Anonymous No.7099260]

>>7099252
Read Kierkegaard and Augustine you pleb.

>being an atheist
>in 2015

[Anonymous No.7099264]

HEATHENS STOP TRIGGERING ME
GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH

[Anonymous No.7099305]

>>7099260
If we're going to try to win people back from atheism by convincing them that they need to shut up for social reasons, that they'll be ridiculed for believing something unorthodox in earnest, then that will be a profoundly sad moment for mankind. The decline in understanding of and appreciation for the importance of Christ and the Church was finally beginning to show itself as what it was, and now we want to pressure people back into a fake Christianity, an unspoken unreligiosity.

I don't want that. I want loud and militant atheists; I want loud and militant Christians. "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword."

[Anonymous No.7099338]

>>7099252
Yeah pretty much

>Quran: internally coherent literal word of god with a single authoritative text in a single language
>Bible: patchwork of countless different authors over several centuries with differing agendas, histories and theologies that is considered to be only allegorical in large part and has serious issues of redaction and textual criticism sifted through several completely different languages (aramaic to hebrew to greek to latin to english)

[Anonymous No.7099365]

>christfags face when I tricked a virgin devout Christian creationist into loving me
>christfags face when I finally convinced her to let me stab it
>christfags face when I convince her evolution is fact and that creationism is retarded
>christfags face when the next step is convincing her to abandon god and worship her big dick boyfriend instead
I appreciate you christfags for keeping my girls pure and unslutty for me. I like them fresh. Now I just mold her to be my perfect specimen.

[Anonymous No.7099407]

>>7099365
Should we expect we were entitled to the enjoyment of her? Are we supposed to envy your indulgence? Or should we envy your vulgarity? I am a little sad for her in the same way I'm sad for you.

Christfag's face: unmoved.

[Anonymous No.7099487]

>>7099365
We do not abhor you; we do not envy you; we are just disappointed in you and your sins.

[Anonymous No.7099506]

>>7099407
>>7099487
finna sin all over her pure face at some point lads

[Anonymous No.7099676]

>>7099506
It's not pure anymore though, is it?

[Anonymous No.7099685]

>>7099676
A virgin that is upheld in the community as being a symbol of Christian innocence and purity marries a man and has sex with the him the night of the wedding, as she should, should she not?
And yet, still, she has lost her virginity and the community no longer can point to her as being pure.
But yet she did everything right, did she not?

[Anonymous No.7099688]

>>7099305
You're like me bro. Nihilistic, with a wicked sense of humor.

[Anonymous No.7099696]

>>7099685
She's no longer ripe for new love and marriage, nor need she be.

[Anonymous No.7099704]

>>7099487
lololol

[Anonymous No.7099744]

>>7099260
>being religious
>ever

[Anonymous No.7099750]

Ok memes aside, do some of you guys seriously, unironically believe in the bible? Why?

[Anonymous No.7099761]

>>7099750
>unironically

It's nice to leave a sincere* life which faith provides see

>>7099260


Not new sincerity

[Anonymous No.7099773]

>>7099761
It's just hard for me to picture any semi intelligent person buying into it. I mean, creating the earth in seven days? Virgin birth? Walking on water? You really believe all that shit?

[Anonymous No.7099817]

>>7099773
Not only that, but why not believe ALL myths as literal truth?
Why pick and choose one local god from one region (not even your own), and one mythos to believe and follow as literal truth?

[Anonymous No.7099879]

>>7099773


First
http://www.examiner.com/article/of-10-highest-iq-s-on-earth-at-least-8-are-theists-at-least-6-are-christians

Religious views and intelligence have little to do with each other really and it's an illogical view to hold (logic logic and not gut feeling logic) it also confounds me that these so called logical atheists will totally ignore statistics while claiming Christianity on 4chan is just contrarian belief despite it being the majority belief of the websites host country. Topkek, I guess though it is easy to project whatever you are onto an anonymous crowd can't blame them.

Well YEC is a rather new movement really. But also don't believe the Bible to be totally inerrant and this isn't a controversial view in most denominations throughout history.

I believe in Christ what's so hard to believe about that? I mean you could actually the aforementioned authors and learn a great deal and take the leap of faith.

[Anonymous No.7099888]

>>7099879

I'm aware of
>iq

[Anonymous No.7099899]

>>7099305

>fake christianity

There's your problem of the last 1700 years, bruh.

[Anonymous No.7099911]

>>7099773
Why are you trolling?

[Anonymous No.7100479]

>>7099407
christfags bringin the pain

[Anonymous No.7100490]

Serious question here. How does an unironic Christfag choose to have faith?

I mean, how can you choose to truly embrace what you have no real reason to believe? Does it not bother you when you lay in bed at night that your answer to the mystery of the universe is essentially just something you choose to believe because it makes you feel better?

[Anonymous No.7100494]

>>7100490
Maybe it's better than falling a sleep and having no reason or explanation at all.

[Anonymous No.7100501]

>>7099676
I cum is holy, her face is more pure after it has my children on it

[Anonymous No.7100505]

>>7100494
There's explanation, you just choose to ignore it because it's perpendicular to your tales>>

[Anonymous No.7100510]

>>7100505
Even if there weren't an explanation. Why god, it actually explains nothing.

[Anonymous No.7100520]

>>7099260
>Kierkegaard and Augustine
Yes these two are the best arguments against Christianity lmao

[Anonymous No.7100536]

How is Christianity a path to righteousness? How can it bring happiness?

Instead of teaching the follies of desire, Christians are told to wish for heavenly rewards, sometimes in the scriptures they even expect earthly rewards!

Rather than putting the people's minds at ease, they teach them to fear damnation. Is this what we call a gospel?

The carrot and the stick, that is all the truth you provide!

[Anonymous No.7100543]

>Moses is described as the meekest man on earth
>Orders the genocide of other tribes on a regular basis

[Fun Things Are Fun !!AYUzsUm5h6g No.7100599]

>>7100543
Moses never set foot in the Promised Land, dude. Joshua's the war criminal.

[Anonymous No.7100659]

>>7100599
Yeah ol' Mo just ordered the deaths of his own poeple.

[Anonymous No.7100786]

>>7099685

You have a weird obsession with purity, son.

[Anonymous No.7100794]

>>7100786
It was an illustration; I myself couldn't give a damn.

[Anonymous No.7101312]

>>7100490
>Does it not bother you when you lay in bed at night that your answer to the mystery of the universe is essentially just something you choose to believe because it makes you feel better?

>your answer to the mystery of the universe
Christianity isn't an answer to the mystery; it is, itself, a mystery

>because it makes you feel better
"Feel better" is inadequate to describe the feeling, and you'd know that if you'd ever been a Christian.

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

[Anonymous No.7101386]

>>7099365
>implying christfags wouldn't just laugh at you for weeding out the bad seeds, leaving you to your life of perpetual sin and delusion of validation through carnal satisfaction, while enjoying the thought that you'll perish forever in Hell..

God, you people are stupid.

[Anonymous No.7101394]

>>7099252
Daily reminder that the events described in Exodus are claimed to be historical but they never happened.

[Anonymous No.7101399]

>>7101386
>enjoying the thought that you'll perish forever in Hell
not Christian

>laugh at you for weeding out the bad seeds
not Christian

>leaving you to your life of perpetual sin
we are all sinners

please try to be more serious when you christpost

[Anonymous No.7101400]

>>7101386
>hell
>real
lmao nah I'll keep claiming your women thanks

[Anonymous No.7101465]

>>7101399
Revalations 21:8
8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."
>Matthew 25:46
>2 Thessalonians 1:9
>Matthew 13:50
Just look at it for yourself:
>http://www.biblestudytools.com/topical-verses/hell-bible-verses/
>laugh at you for weeding out the bad seeds
>Not christian
It's an expression, you dingus.
>we are all sinners
God this is a weak post.
>we are all sinners, ergo everything is allowed and nothing will anger God
Please try to be less retarded when you shitpost

[Anonymous No.7101492]

>>7101465
We're all sinners, so don't grandstand like a pretentious faggot, that's what.

[Anonymous No.7101507]

>>7101465
That ergo is not at all what I implied, and you're an idiot if you think it is.

The problem is your implication that we are "leaving them" to the life of sin which we do not share. As though we are fundamentally different from him right now. We can just laugh at him from on high; we will not regret his sins, we will just enjoy watching him burn; sin will be our entertainment. God laughs at sin; how dare we presume ourselves fit to laugh with Him?

We must leave the sinners to their sins if we are to pass out of their company and into the company of the divine; but we must not therefore be happy that the sinners did not leave with us.

Your post is unchristian because you have no love for other men, you do not want the sinner to repent, you do not desire the kingdom of God on earth.

A man ought to speak and act cum dilectione hominum et odio vitiorum. You have no sense of this. I hope you will find it.

[Anonymous No.7101533]

>>7101386
>while enjoying the thought that you'll perish forever in Hell..

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

[Anonymous No.7101539]

>there are unironic christfags here on /lit/

Tell me guys, how's that giving away all your possessions to the poor stuff going?

Is it and everything that doesn't benefit you still a metaphor and something you conveniently don't have to do because of muh context?

[Anonymous No.7101549]

>>7101539
>something you conveniently don't have to do because of muh context

Not at all. Of course we must; we also won't. Therein lies the difficulty. Christianity makes demands upon the man so extraordinary (but just) that every man is finally faced with the realization that he is a sinner and must ask forgiveness for the trespasses that he continues making.

No man was ever a perfect Christian except for one; the hope is that we will someday be perfect when we are called into His city. For now we can only ask forgiveness and try as much as we can to be better than we are.

[Anonymous No.7101566]

>>7101549
>try as much as we can to be better than we are.

I've never seen any of this. The only effects I've seen of Christianity is giving people the idea that they're infallible and that they're allowed to be as judgmental as possible, even over digressions they themselves do tenfold

The only useful part about Christianity is the golden rule, and that's almost systematically ignored by all you holier than thou preachers

[Anonymous No.7101570]

>>7101566
see: >>7101492 and >>7101507

[Anonymous No.7101571]

>>7099260
Augustine is full of bullshit.

[Anonymous No.7101579]

>>7101570

Actions speak louder than words. If you're better than me, show it. If you consider your religion to be the magic spell to turn those o so horrible sinners into saints, show it by action.

So far in my life, I've seen precious few Christians who actually help the poor and actually don't use Christianity as an excuse to be a judgmental prick. They're the vast minority. Most of them either don't care at all, or actively make life on this planet worse, not better.

So show it or shut it

[Anonymous No.7101582]

>>7101579
What a poor state of the world, friend.

[Anonymous No.7101626]

>>7101582

Demanding actual action of empty words is 'poor' now?

You must get a lot of things done then

[Anonymous No.7101628]

>>7101626
I'm agreeing with you silly.

[Anonymous No.7101629]

>>7101566
>I've never seen any of this.
Alas.

>The only effects I've seen of Christianity is giving people the idea that they're infallible and that they're allowed to be as judgmental as possible, even over digressions they themselves do tenfold
I have known Christians who are like this in their lower moments; but it is not the heart of Christianity. There is much to be found in the scriptures that warns against that spiritual danger.

"Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain."

"Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God."

[Anonymous No.7101634]

>>7101628

My apologies

[Anonymous No.7101756]

>>7099744

[Anonymous No.7102252]

>>7101629
>muh special brand of Christianity has never been practiced

[Anonymous No.7102561]

>>7102252
>muh special brand

Where did you get the impression that this is unorthodox or 'special'?

Point to me the part of the Bible that says
>you are infallible and you are allowed to be as judgmental as possible, even over digressions [sic] you yourself do tenfold

>muh 'all Christians believe this is true because in my opinion they tend to act this way'

[Anonymous No.7102912]

>>7099252
>>7099252
Why do people believe in and base their moral principles on some parts of the Bible while categorically avoiding specific parts of it?

[Anonymous No.7103737]

>>7102912
because the bible is big and hard to swallow

[Anonymous No.7103786]

>>7101566
>The only useful part about Christianity is the golden rule, and that's almost systematically ignored by all you holier than thou preachers

lmao this is what atheists actually believe. smdh

you can't even talk about religion without some insecure atheist feeling like he's being "preached" to

[Anonymous No.7104332]

>>7099750
Christ teaches kindness and a life of profound joy in serving others. What's not to like?

[Anonymous No.7104356]

>>7099252
You've clearly never read it.
If you HAVE read it, it's clear that you read it as quickly as possible while deliberately looking for contradictions.

[Anonymous No.7104362]

>>7099305
>quoting Matthew
wow it's like you really only read the first ten sentences of the new testament

[Anonymous No.7104380]

If you actually have a relatively in-depth understanding of it then Buddhism is actually a pretty good argument against religion and in he sense that the argument against religion aligns with Buddhas teachings as opposed to the way OP phrased it where reading a purportedly holy book shows you that's religion is silly.

What Buddhism teachings about cravings and the ego and psychological need etc. goes a long way into showing how some people adopt belief systems to allay emotional issues or to fill a need and so forth. Buddhism also has a lot. Lessons to teach about the practicality of various religions and what the ultimate value of accepting a doctrine is if it does not solve or help you with any of your problems or provide any insight.

[Anonymous No.7104383]

>>7104380

Fuck, turning off autocorrect

[Anonymous No.7104620]

>>7102912
>the writers of the bible were the first people ever to think killing a person is maybe not such a hot idea

[Anonymous No.7104646]

>>7104380

Not only that, but Buddhism was founded by Lao Zi, who traveled west to give the barbarians a simplified doctrine to consider. The true teachings are found in the daodejing. All other doctrines are contradictory to natural law.

The Buddhists also gave rise to Christianity, an indisputable fact. The major world religions are all manifestations of the Dao, which is the way of complete perfection.

[Anonymous No.7104671]

>unironically believing that there is a supreme being

[Anonymous No.7105452]

>>7104362
Do you avoid making reference to Matthew for the sole reason that too many people have read it?

because that's a pretty shitty reason

[Anonymous No.7105634]

>>7104646

im pretty sure none of that is true and that you are either trolling or really misinformed

[Anonymous No.7105653]

>>7099879
>iq
>anecdotal evidence
>top 10 of all time is now statistics
Strong argument, really proved your point.

[Anonymous No.7105669]

>>7104332
LOL absolute bullshit, there is no ignoring the Old Testament .. Jesus references the atrocities in the Old Testament like Noah's Ark (the genocide of the entire human race killing men women and children because the children were somehow also corrupt, right guys?)

Are Christians really willing to get cucked just for divine benefits? The irony here is that "cowards go to hell". Believing in something just because you can't handle the obvious truth otherwise is cowardly, even if Christian bullshit is true, so have fun in hell retards

[Anonymous No.7105672]

>>7104620
I hope you're joking

[Anonymous No.7105891]

>>7099305
I appreciate your sentiment, but I'm tired of seeing people use the word "militant" when all they mean is "opinionated and vocal".

I know, I know, it's just figurative, but there are actual militant Christians and actual militant people acting on their religious beliefs causing misery and human suffering. This is a warranted criticism against religion and superstition, and it's watered down every time someone calls someone else "militant" over expressing an opinion.

[Anonymous No.7105913]

>>7099252

- "Religion a shit tbh fam" -

[Anonymous No.7105966]

>>7103737
>the Bible is synonymous with black dick
Let that sink in for a moment

[Anonymous No.7105995]

>>7105634

Daoists inventing buddhism is the dankest of literary memes.

Back in Kublai's day, the Daoists were burning buddhist temples and raping nuns. They were killed for this, and their books burned, ( Kublai no D: ).

This is oddly similar to how the early near eastern Christians behaved in the Sassanian Empire. Christian priests and monks would break into temples of Ahura-Mazd, desecrete the shrines, flagellate the priests, and snuff out the sacred eternal flame. No wonder the Shah had them killed. These are your Christian martyrs, little more than a forced meme.

This desire to proselytize and impress faith upon others has only led to disaster whenever and wherever it is practiced.

[Anonymous No.7106028]

>>7099365
>tfw you know anon is a basement dwelling lardass posting his fantasies on a literature board

[Anonymous No.7106030]

>>7099688
kek

[Anonymous No.7106035]

>>7106028
>tfw christfags take the bait anyway

[Anonymous No.7106037]

>>7106035
didn't take any bait. just telling the truth. something that atheists wouldn't understand.

;-)

[Anonymous No.7106042]

>>7104646
Daoism's fun because it's hilariously open-ended and mystical and could mean just about anything.

>Daoism: The Way that can be spoken of is not the unchanging Way
>Buddhism: (genuinely insightful, detailed points about desire and psychology and the self)
>Daoism: yup, like I said, the Way that can be spoken of is not the unchanging Way. I said it first, yo.

[Anonymous No.7106084]

>>7106042
>Daoism's fun because it's hilariously open-ended and mystical and could mean just about anything.

to people new to eastern phi, yes. Daoism has certain aspects that are specific but it's generally paradoxical to make points.

like the way is always the same because it's always changing.

[Anonymous No.7106085]

>>7106042

>daoism is the 4chan of philosophy

[Anonymous No.7106096]

>>7106084

>like the way is always the same because it's always changing.

I've a B.S. in economics and I feel it's been a great help to me in intuiting these concepts. To a lay person, these statements can indeed sound like nonsense, but given any experience with cyclical economic theory, the Daoists come off as quite independently brilliant

[Anonymous No.7106118]

>>7106096
the tao of physics by fritjof capra uses dao/taoist philosophy to explain otherwise unexplainable concepts in subatomic physics. it's old and probably outdated in some aspects but is a classic and is a really interesting use of Taoist literature to understand real scientific problems.

[Anonymous No.7106127]

>>7106118

I've also read that Leibniz directly referenced the book of changes when formulating his binary mathematics.

Leibniz; ∞

Newton; 1

[Anonymous No.7106135]

Not exactly Daoist, but this dialogue by Xu Yun explains the Buddhist compatibility with modernity:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpDnNrRJ8-I

[Anonymous No.7106143]

How do I go from being an ironic Christian to an unironic Christian?

[Anonymous No.7106150]

>>7105672
It was a sarcastic response to this idiot>>7102912

[Anonymous No.7106159]

>>7106143
Frontal lobotomy.

[Anonymous No.7106227]

>>7106143

Start by wearing ruffled shirts, which were quite popular in the Romantic era.

[Anonymous No.7106250]

>>7105891
from the OED:

militant, adj. and n.

. . .

3.
a. Combative; aggressively persistent; strongly espousing a cause; entrenched, adamant.

1603 J. Florio tr. Montaigne Ess. i. xlix. 161 He would maintaine by militant reasons [Fr. par viues raisons] that the waste was in his right place.
1682 A. Radcliffe Ramble 112 Men of the Sword they say make a Division, And militant Lawyers their Wisdoms disown.
1756 E. Perronet Mitre i. cclxxxi. 62 So thou, more militant than wise, For fear the scorner should despise Thy despicable few.
1818 S. T. Coleridge Friend (new ed.) I. 162 That we be sedulous, yea, and militant in the endeavor to reason aright, is his implied Command.
1841–8 F. Myers Catholic Thoughts II. iii. §40. 147 This is a condition which must instigate to resistance in the most pacific, and to rebellion in the more militant.
1903 J. Willcock Great Marquess vi. 88 The expenses of the militant Presbyterians.
1932 E. Bowen To North xxiii. 246 Though her weariness and distraction brought the partisan in him to its most militant, what could he do?
1961 E. S. Turner Phoney War xiii. 179 There was an arrogance among certain militant pacifists which..prevented them from respecting the views of those who thought freedom worth fighting for.
1992 N.Y. Times 5 Apr. 16/4 If my mother had one rule, it was militant ecumenism in all matters of food and experience. ‘Try new things’, she would say.

[Anonymous No.7106256]

>>7106250
also from the OED,

church, n.1 and adj.

. . .

church militant n. (also with capital initial(s)) [after post-classical Latin ecclesia militans (from 12th cent. in British and continental sources); compare Middle French eglise militant (c1370), eglise militante (15th cent.; French église militante)] the church on earth, considered as fighting against evil; the community of living Christians (opposed to church triumphant n.); cf. Visible Church at visible adj. 1c.
In some (esp. later) uses, with reference to worldly as opposed to spiritual conflict.

[?a1425 (▸a1415) Wyclif Lanterne of Liȝt 35 Whilis þis lijf duriþ in erþe, þis chirche is clepid militaunt;..But whanne sche haþ rest of al hir traueile, þanne is sche clepid þe chirche triumphaunt.]
1483 (▸1413) Pilgrimage of Soul (Caxton) v. vi. 76 The chirche militant..that laboureth here in erthe.
1552 Bk. Common Prayer (STC 16279) Administr. Lordes Supper sig. N.iv, Let vs pray for the whole state of Christes Churche militant here in earth.
1657 E. Hyde Christian Legacy ii. iii. 204 The Apostles invitation is as urgent for us to draw near to the Church Triumphant, as to the Church Militant, because all power is given to our Saviour Christ, as well in heaven as in earth.
1739 A. Nicol Nature's Progress in Poetry 34 The Heathens shall in Judgment stand Against us who pretend To be in Christ's Church militant, Yet have his Laws profan'd.
1878 Black's Guide Hampsh. (ed. 7) 135 Hugh Peters..on this [sc. the taking of Basing House by Cromwell] as on other occasions, proved his devotion to the church militant.
2001 Amer. Heritage Oct. 64/2 As the church militant marched around the globe, its hybrid Celtic-Roman-Christian celebration chased after it like a faintly disreputable but fun-loving camp follower.

[Anonymous No.7106257]

>>7106150
You seem highly triggered, anon.
Chill out.

[Anonymous No.7106264]

>>7106143
Think seriously about what death means and how much nicer it would be to live forever in a happy happy place.

[Anonymous No.7106273]

>>7106143
you don't need to lose your sense of irony. you just need to stop thinking yourself 'too good' for a whole-hearted Christianity.

if there is any one simple way of curing man of pride, I don't know it.

[Anonymous No.7106285]

>>7106257
Nice meme, my friend ;)

[Anonymous No.7106286]

>>7106273

Denial of the self.

[Anonymous No.7106288]

>>7106273
I just don't believe in God. But I'm really interested in Christianity, like I plan on actually reading the Bible soon and I love Christian stories, paintings/art, way of living, etc. I just can't fool myself in believing in something I just don't believe

[Anonymous No.7106351]

>>7101566
This must be bait. I've never seen anyone outside of my middle school aged cousins say such stupid shit.

[Anonymous No.7106360]

>>7106288
Just follow CS Lewis' advice. Fake it until it's real.
Go through the motions of believing and think like a believer long enough, and eventually you'll have actual faith.

[Anonymous No.7106651]

>>7106360
>Go through the motions of believing and think like a believer long enough, and eventually you'll have actual faith.
That's not what Lewis meant.

[Anonymous No.7107082]

>>7106288
>I just can't fool myself in believing in something I just don't believe

There are a few (in my opinion false) assumptions being made here. I will try to name them and answer them as best I can, though I am no philosopher.

The first is that you have a full grasp of Christianity and God. In the statement "I can't fool myself into believing it", you would assume you know what "it" stands for.

The second is contained in the word "fool"—unless you were damn clever, you would not say "I just can't fool myself into believing Wittgenstein's Tractatus." You assume, before you have tried believing anything, that if you came to believe anything in the Bible, it would be a process of fooling yourself—not of learning, not of discovering, etc. There are many who have spent whole lives studying the Bible. Do you think you have a clearer idea of what the Bible is worth than they have? You may think it an unfair question—but you probably assume that, though you may not be intimately familiar with its particulars, you at least see the Bible in its proper stature—as a compendium of wisdom, maybe, but certainly not deserving of their high opinion. Are you qualified to approach the Bible and all of Christian theology with such condescension?

You also assume that belief is a mostly passive thing. You "just can't" make yourself believe something. I'm not sure that belief is (or ought to be) always so passive. Often when we read we are first impressed by the apparent intelligence of the author before we are impressed by his ideas. When we come to an idea (I use the word broadly, meaning something like "anything received from a text which might be believed"), though we may not immediately accept it, we make some mental effort to believe it. We try, first, to imagine that we believed it—does it fit with what we already think? If it doesn't, and we don't immediately cease trying, we will go back and look at the words in which the idea was expressed—maybe we have taken a word to mean something other than what was intended. Alternatively we may ask ourselves whether we are assuming anything which is preventing us from accepting the idea, and is our assumption true?

We may eventually find the idea just does not work; if (much more likely) we do not follow the process to its conclusion, either because we think we can guess the error in judgment which might have created the idea, or because we just don't think the idea is worth the effort, etc., we will put the idea aside and move on. Or we may find the idea can work—perhaps not perfectly with everything else we believe, but we might keep it in mind anyway. If we have enjoyed this process of reading and thinking, we may think it a passive process. But I do not think it really is passive—it is a matter of trying to force belief. Faith is a much livelier and longer struggle, but that does not make its results any less authentic.

[Anonymous No.7108974]

God am I looking forward to watching you idiots burn in hell from heaven.

[Anonymous No.7109017]

>>7108974
And I am looking forward to do nothing while you idiots do nothing in the nothingness.

[Anonymous No.7109031]

>>7109017
Planning to go to purgatory are we, too bad you're going to hell.

[Anonymous No.7109037]

>>7109031
Lel, what makes you think you're not? Bet you are protestant.

[Anonymous No.7109038]

>>7108974

What great Christian love. You sure seem to know the Golden Rule by heart

[Anonymous No.7109041]

>>7109038
>Only Christians have hell

[Anonymous No.7109045]

>>7109041

I agree, Christians aren't the only douchebags on the planet.

It's still pretty funny that you've probably memorized the entire Bible, except the most important part of it

Also, nice ad-hominem

[Anonymous No.7109056]

Christfags have ruined this board.

They contribute nothing and in philosophy threads constantly shitpost about Aquinas even though none of them has read Summa Theologica.

Christcucks should either be banned or rightfully shamed for the pleb /b/-tier kiddies they are.

[Anonymous No.7109076]

>>7109045
>>7109056

[Anonymous No.7109090]

>>7109076

[Anonymous No.7109092]

>>7109090

[Anonymous No.7109572]

>>7109056
>>>r/atheism

you're right about kids who haven't read Aquinas, though

[Anonymous No.7109931]

>>7104380
I don't remember the exact quote or who actually said it but it goes something like this.

"men's fear of unknown created their false hope in gods."

I remember reading that it was a quote from some ~10th (+-4) century Buddhist monk-philosopher making an argument against god/blind-faith/etc. There's tons of similar quote like that filled in Buddhist sutras

[Anonymous No.7109946]

>>7099252
No, but the way my family texts me random verses from it as if that's supposed to prove it's all true doesn't say anything good about Christianity.

[Anonymous No.7110035]

You claim to have faith, but have you accepted our lord and savior Kanye into your hearts?

[Anonymous No.7110109]

>>7101312
>there are mentally ill people posting on /lit/ RIGHT now

[Anonymous No.7110379]

>>7106651
Except he literally says this and outlines it in such a way that this is the only possible meaning.

[Anonymous No.7111092]

>>7099773
>I mean, creating the earth in seven days? Virgin birth? Walking on water? You really believe all that shit?

Sure, why not?

[Anonymous No.7111637]

What was meant when Jesus spoke of not a generation shall pass before judgement day?

Does it not cause bother that despite the implied immanency of the final judgement we have been waiting for close to 2000 years

[Anonymous No.7111676]

>>7099338
>Quran: internally coherent literal word of god with a single authoritative text in a single language

[Anonymous No.7111778]

>>7111637

Maybe he got there and realized that we don't deserve it.

[Anonymous No.7111796]

>>7106028
>tfw christfags have to delude themselves about not only their religion but men that make them feel inferior as well
it's like poetry

[Anonymous No.7111830]

>>7099338

[Anonymous No.7111915]

>>7111092
Um... this is an Australopithecus skull.

[Anonymous No.7111979]

>>7111915
. . . and?

[Anonymous No.7112016]

>>7111979
Sort of throws a monkey (indeed) wrench in the whole 'creation' business, no?

[Anonymous No.7112029]

>>7112016
no

[Anonymous No.7112033]

>>7112029
Well, that's me told then.

[Anonymous No.7112392]

>>7111637
>immanent
None of that illiterate Sarah Palin Christianity on my /lit/

[Anonymous No.7113075]

>>7111778
The whole point of the final judgement is to decide who is deserving and who is not.

[Anonymous No.7113313]

I think Christian Mysticism is pretty cool, a lot of which feels like a marriage of Christianity and Buddhist teachings (Eckhart is a massive advocate of meditation)

[Anonymous No.7114910]

>>7113313
sounds like heresy to me

[Anonymous No.7115259]

>>7112016
lmao come on man you can't be this simple

[Anonymous No.7115584]

>>7099252
i don't know much about christianity but 12 dudes and an alpha rolling around the middle east and drinking wine sounds like the intro to a pretty wild gay porno

[Anonymous No.7115992]

Are there real christians on this board?

[Anonymous No.7116180]

>>7115992
why wouldn't there be

[Anonymous No.7116258]

>>7115992

Actually, no. Christ never claimed divinity. They are taking philosophy and near eastern mythology and combining it into one.

[Anonymous No.7116974]

>>7099252
I'd say 'the problem of evil' or 'Hitchens' razor'.

[Anonymous No.7116994]

>>7099365
The Catholic Church accepts evolution as fact.

[Anonymous No.7117091]

>>7116994
You do know that there are Christians other than Catholics?

[Anonymous No.7118510]

How do you reconcile the Christian concept of sin with evolution.? Without a literal fall if man it makes no sense. Sin is an inevitable and sometimes even encouraged part of survival.

[Anonymous No.7118613]

>>7116258
>Christ never claimed divinity.
Try reading the New Testament next time. Pay attention to why he was crucified.

[Anonymous No.7118644]

>>7116258
The three wise men who visited Jesus were from the East. Having learned many of the eastern wisdom, they parted their knowledge onto local townfolks.

They were spreading a variant of Buddhism that Jesus learned from.

[Anonymous No.7118651]

>>7118613

Start with the dead sea scrolls, and tell me again if you think the NT is authentic.

[Anonymous No.7118696]

>>7118651
>Start with the dead sea scrolls, and tell me again if you think the NT is authentic.
Whether you think the New Testament is 'authentic' or not is irrelevant. Christians only trust the New Testament, and the New Testament is clear as day on the subject of Christ's divinity.

You're welcome to worship whatever you want -- be it dead sea scrolls, spaghetti monsters, pink unicorns, etc., just don't claim that your religion is somehow related to Christianity.

[Anonymous No.7118851]

Can someone provide a genuine argument in favour of theism for me?

[Anonymous No.7118925]

>>7118696

How am I to believe in the authenticity of a pedagogy that refuses to consider primary source evidence? You ought to be overjoyed at the revelation of the dead sea scrolls.

If your position was true in fact, then no evidence could cast aspersions against it, rather it would be enhanced.

The fact that you disregard any notion of critical study of the scriptures reveals your total and brazen ignorance of the meaning of scholarship, and the strength of faith.

[Anonymous No.7118971]

>>7118851
about who knows how many creatures...man is the only one with any significant degree of creative capacity. the only creature to even discuss or contemplate this. the only creature with religion or art. only one with philosophy or technology. I can't explain God nor am I interested in orthodoxy but why is this small genetic difference between us and chimps make a whole world of difference? why is man what he/she is despite coming from the same origin of species? there are other species on this planet...why haven't they evolved to anywhere near a fraction of what man has?

[Anonymous No.7119062]

>>7118971
>two minutes to midnight

[Anonymous No.7119913]

>>7116994
Took em roughly 200 years though.

[Anonymous No.7119923]

>>7101571
So is religion.

[Anonymous No.7120282]

>>7109092
>>7109076
>>7109041
>>7101756