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@Stephen
Yes
How Does One Become a Christian?
Posts
Total:
95
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@FLRW
Wow, so any person with a thinking brain decides to inherit a worldview differing from atheism they have some sort of brain impairment? It's a wonder why this place suffers a lack of intelligent conversations with people like you plaguing it.
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@EtrnlVw
Thank you for your response! I agree that the lack of belief in something is in itself a belief. I don't know if it is possible to not believe anything, honestly. Thank you for sharing such interesting thoughts. You seem like a deep thinker!
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@aletheakatharos
If atheism is a belief then not collecting stamps is a hobby.
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@EtrnlVw
As I have stated before, see the research paper: Biological and cognitive underpinnings of religious fundamentalism
Abstract:
Beliefs profoundly affect people's lives, but their cognitive and neural pathways are poorly understood. Although previous research has identified the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) as critical to representing religious beliefs, the means by which vmPFC enables religious belief is uncertain. We hypothesized that the vmPFC represents diverse religious beliefs and that a vmPFC lesion would be associated with religious fundamentalism, or the narrowing of religious beliefs. To test this prediction, we assessed religious adherence with a widely-used religious fundamentalism scale in a large sample of 119 patients with penetrating traumatic brain injury (pTBI). If the vmPFC is crucial to modulating diverse personal religious beliefs, we predicted that pTBI patients with lesions to the vmPFC would exhibit greater fundamentalism, and that this would be modulated by cognitive flexibility and trait openness. Instead, we found that participants with dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) lesions have fundamentalist beliefs similar to patients with vmPFC lesions and that the effect of a dlPFC lesion on fundamentalism was significantly mediated by decreased cognitive flexibility and openness. These findings indicate that cognitive flexibility and openness are necessary for flexible and adaptive religious commitment, and that such diversity of religious thought is dependent on dlPFC functionality.
It is intelligent man that has made life livable, not religious man.
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@FLRW
Biological and cognitive underpinnings of religious fundamentalism
That's a very narrow approach to the subject and does not apply across the board. Religious fundamentalism does not apply to everyone and brain deficiencies also do not apply just to those who happen to be Theists, to believe otherwise is plain ignorant, to be nice about it. I would say to believe such things is stupid but I wouldn't want to hurt your feelings or anything.
It is intelligent man that has made life livable, not religious man.
Life is livable no matter what kind of man. Intelligence is not just limited to the non-religious, again I would hate to say to believe such a thing is stupid.
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@EtrnlVw
At the beginning of the 20th century, worldwide life expectancy was less than 40 years of age. Today the world average stands at around 72. The single biggest reason for this miraculous leap in longevity has been our ability to cure diseases. Vaccines, antibiotics and advances in medical technology have changed the game. We are still in an arms race against many diseases, but we stand at a unique period in human history where it's possible to imagine a day when we have conquered disease.
Cures have been found for several of history's most feared diseases, and a few diseases have been eradicated. Here's a list of deadly diseases cured by modern science.
Cures have been found for several of history's most feared diseases, and a few diseases have been eradicated. Here's a list of deadly diseases cured by modern science.
1. Tetanus
2. Rabies
3. Polio
4. Yellow Fever
5. Whooping Cough
6. Measles
7. Smallpox
Why isn't God smarter than MD?
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@FLRW
At the beginning of the 20th century, worldwide life expectancy was less than 40 years of age. Today the world average stands at around 72. The single biggest reason for this miraculous leap in longevity has been our ability to cure diseases. Vaccines, antibiotics and advances in medical technology have changed the game. We are still in an arms race against many diseases, but we stand at a unique period in human history where it's possible to imagine a day when we have conquered disease.Cures have been found for several of history's most feared diseases, and a few diseases have been eradicated. Here's a list of deadly diseases cured by modern science.1. Tetanus2. Rabies3. Polio4. Yellow Fever5. Whooping Cough6. Measles7. SmallpoxWhy isn't God smarter than MD?
I have asked many times on this religion forum, why is that Jesus didn't eradicate all leprosy instead of curing just a few lepers?
The same goes for blindness? Why didn't Jesus simply say all blindness be cured and then all blindness was cured instead of curing the blindness of a few?
Why tell just tell just one crippled man to "take up thy bed and walk" and not tell all cripples that they should do the same?
And why waste what appears to be a perfectly good miracle of turning water into wine? I suppose if one was going to launch themselves onto the world stage with a bang, this may have been what Jesus had in mind as the perfect way to do it?
Jesus seems a bit of picky bias kind of chap doesn't he?
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@Stephen
Like you, Willows was always ridiculous and hardly ever funny. He never failed to trow away his integrity for a potshot at God. And what do you know, God survived.
But you little ole ants keep trying. Who knows, maybe one day you guys may move that rubber tree God. Even if everyone knows that an anthiest can't, move a rubber tree God. But you have high hopes, you've got high hopes!! .........Oops! There stands the immutable rubber tree God, oops, they haven't moved the immutable rubber tree God!
Lol.
Oh ethang, my boy, my boy.
Yes, my little ole ant?
I think can see our problem now. I don't know how we ever got so many wires crossed!!!!????
Poor reading comprehension?
ethang5 my son, I believe in god! In fact ,I believe that there were at least 600 hundred of them here once but they left " like migrating birds" millennia ago and just before some great disaster struck the earth. It could have been the same natural disaster that struck Sodom and Gomorrah and those other three cities. I am sure I could make a link if I tried and put my mind to it. But what would be the point, no one would believe my belief, would they? But I bet I could make it sound more plausible than people coming back to life that had been dead and stinking and rotting in their graves for days , weeks, months and years.
Listen princess, I am just as annoyed and frustrated as any Christian is that I cannot prove a damn single thing that I believe.
Oops! There stands the immutable rubber tree God, oops, they haven't moved the immutable rubber tree God!
Lol.
I have asked many times on this religion forum, why is that Jesus didn't eradicate all leprosy instead of curing just a few lepers?The same goes for blindness? Why didn't Jesus simply say all blindness be cured and then all blindness was cured instead of curing the blindness of a few?Why tell just tell just one crippled man to "take up thy bed and walk" and not tell all cripples that they should do the same?
Jesus probably got confused and forgot that His mission was the be a genie for all men, and started thinking people had to show some contrition for His healing efforts. The nerve of Him!
And why waste what appears to be a perfectly good miracle of turning water into wine?
Wine peddlers certainly would agree with you.
I suppose if one was going to launch themselves onto the world stage with a bang, this may have been what Jesus had in mind as the perfect way to do it?
Wasn't it Mary who set it off?
Jesus seems a bit of picky bias kind of chap doesn't he?
If by "picky" you mean He didn't do what you wanted, then sure.
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@ethang5
Bill Gates has said he's "pretty much an atheist" and that belief in a god "makes zero sense."
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@FLRW
Bill Gates also wondered why a personal computer would need more than 64K of memory.
You are welcome to your standard. I just happen to think Jesus is a bit more impressive than Bill.
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@ethang5
You are welcome to your standard. I just happen to think Jesus is a bit more impressive than Bill.
What ever did Jesus do that Gates OR ANYONE couldn't equally do?
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@Stephen
well everything could be considered " a fact or situation which is observed to happen" but all i'm saying is that there's no real mystery to it. People accept Christ for a number of reasons, just like people decide atheism is the way to go for various reasons.
People become set in their ways from their youth by holding on to beliefs and ideas acquired through various means. Myself i know i retain many things from my teenage years, including the music i like and at least some of the attitudes i had back then.
There are many people who cry out to a God on thier death bed , but often it is a nonspecific God so whether they become Christian is questionable.
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@ronjs
There are many people who cry out to a God
I admit to looking skyward when my children where ill. And I know many parents that have. And if I had been answered in my desperate hour of need I too could have become a true believer.
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@Stephen
You are welcome to your standard. I just happen to think Jesus is a bit more impressive than Bill.
What ever did Jesus do that Gates OR ANYONE couldn't equally do?
Ask me in 2,000 years, and you won't have to.
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@ethang5
First of all it was 640k and Gates himself has strenuously denied making the comment. In a newspaper column that he wrote in the mid-1990s, Gates responded to a student's question about the quote: "I've said some stupid things and some wrong things, but not that. No one involved in computers would ever say that a certain amount of memory is enough for all time." Later in the column, he added, "I keep bumping into that silly quotation attributed to me that says 640K of memory is enough. There's never a citation; the quotation just floats like a rumor, repeated again and again."
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@ethang5
You are welcome to your standard. I just happen to think Jesus is a bit more impressive than Bill.What ever did Jesus do that Gates OR ANYONE couldn't equally do ?Ask me in 2,000 years, and you won't have to.
I am asking you now. Just name one single thing that Jesus did that Gates OR ANYONE could not do if he wanted to.
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@FLRW
First of all it was 640k...
Mr. Gates remains as unimpressive at 640K as at 64K.
...and Gates himself has strenuously denied making the comment. In a newspaper column that he wrote in the mid-1990s, Gates responded to a student's question about the quote: "I've said some stupid things and some wrong things,...
Insert any stupid thing Mr. Gates himself has said he has said. Jesus said no stupid thing. I remain less impressed with Gates than with Jesus. I have no problem with you thinking otherwise, I hope you can afford me the same freedom.
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@Stephen
Ethan doesn't do stupid. Sorry.
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@ethang5
You know that Jesus never really existed, don't you?
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@FLRW
You know there is absolutely no evidence for abiogenesis don't you?
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@ethang5
A December 2017 report stated that 3.465-billion-year-old Australian Apex chert rocks once contained microorganisms, the earliest direct evidence of life on Earth. A 2013 publication announced the discovery of microbial mat fossils in 3.48 billion-year-old sandstone in Western Australia. Evidence of biogenic graphite, and possibly stromatolites, were discovered in 3.7 billion-year-old metasedimentary rocks in southwestern Greenland, and described in 2014 in the journal Nature. Potential "remains of life" were found in 4.1 billion-year-old rocks in Western Australia, and described in a 2015 study.
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@FLRW
Potential "remains of life"...
Lol. Potential remains? I know you. You post studies as if they are arguments.
This is not evidence of abiogenesis any more than trees being "evidence" of log cabins.
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@ethang5
Bill Gates also wondered why a personal computer would need more than 64K of memory.
See he new what there could be better than the commodore.
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@ethang5
You do realise that there is no real unequivocal evidence for any creation hypothesis, don't you.
If there was we would all have to agree....How boring would that be?
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@Utanity
And Lionel Richie realised that he could do better than the Commodores.
Zoom and sail on, sweet love. Cuz Jesus is love...Take it from me.....Oh No!....I'm dancing on the ceiling.
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@ethang5
You are welcome to your standard. I just happen to think Jesus is a bit more impressive than Bill.What ever did Jesus do that Gates OR ANYONE couldn't equally do ?Ask me in 2,000 years, and you won't have to.I am asking you now. Just name one single thing that Jesus did that Gates OR ANYONE could not do if he wanted to.Ethan doesn't do stupid.
So that will be nothing then. Just as I thought. You certainly speak some absolute bollocks at times. I will grant you that.
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@zedvictor4
You do realise that there is no real unequivocal evidence for any creation hypothesis, don't you.
No. I realize no such thing. My mind is not shackled by politically correct groupthink. Which is why I do not object to you being shackled by politically correct groupthink if that is what you want.
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@Stephen
Stupidity is common. You will find someone to do it with you.