There are times WITHIN a thread when a person is trying to share their particular interpretation of a Bible verse, in order to get a message across about the discussion.

OK - I do read those short verses.

BUT HERE'S MY QUESTION:

Does ANYONE, belivers included, EVER read those posts that seem to stream off into all kinds of Bible verses?????

ESPECIALLY, those that actually BEGIN like that. Do any of you REALLY read that stuff? I guess you can tell, I sure don't.

So I guess the next question is - why do people actually go to all that trouble? Especially in the 'general religion' forum.

Simple, I can't stand people who sit there and say I am an immoral person, simply because I don't believe the words of a book that endorses rape, slavery, murder, and provides instructions on how to sell your daughter into slavery.

Because some folks are obsessed with proving something? Don't know, but I also avoid the verses myself, it's majorly annoying to me, and proves nothing considering all the interpretations down through history.

Because it is pretty lame and actually hypocritical to try to prove a point by scripture w/ out backing it up by Scripture..If someone is trying to prove a point to you, dont you want them to show you WHERE they got that from? Or you just take their word for it...

I guess this is true of anything.

I would be happy with a citation, not a quotation most of the time.

So they are trying to prove some bullsh1t by quoting other bullsh1t?

.

I believe that the quotes are necessary (for those that use them) cause most people who ascribe to that book have not a clue what they mean so must quote to purpetuate the myth.

Do I spend the time to read them... Nope! Instead I will look them up and read what it acutally says in that book... Whichever version happens to be close at the time.

Supprising how many different versions of the SAME EXACT quote can be found. (each with its plethora of possible meanings).

Because they don't know how to speak for themselves.

I dont really like it when someone puts all those verses either a reference would do fine.
I like my BULL thank you very much.

Actually when discussing a religion that is based entirely on doctrine it would seem almost impossible not to at least reference the text in some way.

And this would be true whether a person is attempting to support it or show how absurd it is.

Of course, most people who discuss these things should be familar enough with the text that merely discussing the concepts should be sufficient.

One thing about scripture is that it can indeed be used to support anything. It was used to support the Witch Burnings, and it was even used by Hitler to support his madness. Especially if the text is taken to be the supposed 'word of God'.

I was a bit shocked to hear just the other day that some people in Iran are still stonning sinners to death. I'm hoping that was just some sort of propaganda balogna. But I do know that many Arab countries, particularly Iran, can indeed be pretty religiously archaic.

Of course, people in Iran might hear about activities of the KKK in the USA and take that to be some sort of expression of religion in America too. So it is quite possible that these are just very small extremist groups, just like exist everywhere. I mean, even poeple in the KKK use Biblical scripture to back up their insanity.

Thanks for all the replies. My opening post was not meant to be disrespectful, instead as several posters have state, directing us to the verses to be discussed and even a short quote to highlight a main point is sufficient.

As ADJ said we might all have more interesting discussions if we all looked up the verses in question for ourselves because we will all use various sources. This could add some interesting perspectives in a 'real' dialogue.

Anyway, in the future, it might be wiser not to use so much word for word text. It will help eliminate the idea that the original poster is attempting to proselytize and set the stage for a more intelligent dialogue. May even help detour some of the bashing.

I haven't been reading the GR forums much lately, but it wasn't very long ago that proselytizing threads were quite common and there was no doubt that this was precisely their goal.

Most people who believe in the Bible aren't the least bit interested in discussing it intelligently. Specifically with regard to whether or not it's God's word.

Their idea of intelligent discussion is to sit around in Bible study with a bunch of believers who are all offering supporting views and testimonies. They simply aren't interested in what non-believers half to say. From their point of view non-believers have yet to 'find' themselves.

They view non-believers as those who have either 'turned away' from God, or have yet to 'discover' the truth of God's word. They simply can't imagine any other scenario.

That's precisely what the authos of the Bible have intended to brainwashes people to think.

I could quote you direct verses from the book that states supposedly in God's own words that anyone who refuses to believe in God's word is a heathen and a sinner and cannot possibly be up to any good. In fact there are even versus where God commands that nonbelievers be stoned to death. In fact, this peeves the Biblical God so much, that not only does he command that the heathens be stoned to death but he demands that their wive, children, livestock, and the entire village from whence they came be destroyed. Everything there should be burned to the ground and nothing shall be built upon that site again.

Damn. I almost quoted the verses verbatim by accident.

Anyway, as you can see, if you disbelieve that the Bible is the word of God then God will really be peeved and throw a temper tantrum on a major scale.

Or if you're a non-believer, then the authors who wrote that godforsaken book would like you to believe that God is that insane and hateful.

This has always been one of the reasons that has contributed to my rejection of the Bible. As far as I'm concerned God must be at least as nice as me. After all, I could hardly be the compassionate superior to God. Yet, the Bible describes a God who is not anywhere near as nice as even myself. Not that I'm all that nice, but you don't need to be very nice to be nicer than the Biblical God.

I know that I can't be nicer than God, yet the Bible demands that this must be the case, so clearly there's got to be a major problem. Like the book is just a big manmade fat lie.

Well, that's my opinion anyway. Everyone is entitled to reach their own conclusions on that one I guess.

But if you see a thread that looks like proselytizing, it probably is.

No I dont read em, and no life maybe?


I think they think were reading them. Makes them feel important?

Yeah, seriously.. but anyway, if anyones looking for a slave, let me know.

I do enjoy your posts, Abra. Of course you are correct. I just wanted to go on record as having EXPLAINED to SOME people why thery are being bashed but I suppose it's a little like

I was using biblical scripture to DISPROVE "endtime bible prophecy",and the folks in the christian forum got PISSED!!!Some people can't handle the truth.

People really believe some of that crap and think its relevant, so they post it.

I do actually sometimes read it though. I have never actually read the bible so i find it interesting to some degree.

Well it only makes sense.

Religions that demand blind faith will only have blind followers.

Who else would follow such a religion?

To believe is to accept blindness.

It's just goes with the territory.

nope, never read long winded stuff.