Atheists "Hijack" Nativity in Santa Monica

[BigPapaVol]

Why is it absurd for a Christian to believe that they could move a mountain if they actually believed in Christ? Christ said so himself.

If you think such an act is absurd, then you admit you do not have faith.

Absolute belief isn't the lone variable in moving mountains.

I didn't say the act is absurd. I said the idea that such prayer would be answered, even I'd fervently believed, is absurd.

 

[bamawriter]

Why is it absurd for a Christian to believe that they could move a mountain if they actually believed in Christ? Christ said so himself.

If you think such an act is absurd, then you admit you do not have faith.

Christ's point is that all men are naturally going to be weak in their faith.

 

[BigPapaVol]

Not sure who made the rule; however, the term atheist has been coined and used throughout history in order to round up those who did not believe so as to persecute them.

So has Christian. Why does it exist? So does cow...

 

[bamawriter]

Not sure who made the rule; however, the term atheist has been coined and used throughout history in order to round up those who did not believe so as to persecute them.

So the term "Jew" shouldn't be used anymore, either?

 

[therealUT]

Absolute belief isn't the lone variable in moving mountains.

I didn't say the act is absurd. I said the idea that such prayer would be answered, even I'd fervently believed, is absurd.

Then you do not believe, according to Jesus Christ (not my words, "His").

 

[therealUT]

Christ's point is that all men are naturally going to be weak in their faith.

No, Christ's point is that no men are going to have even a speck (a mustard seed) of faith. Therefore, all this "holier than thou", "I'm a believer and I need to save your soul" crap is absolutely bull ****. Persons who want to believe should focus on trying to attain their own belief, which they do not have.

 

[DrunkJohnny]

Why not? It is the word for an active belief that there is no deity of any kind, as opposed to not believing in a deity but acknowledging that the possibility exists.

:unsure:

What should I label you as for your active belief that there is no tooth fairy of any kind?

 

[bamawriter]

I understand why Constantine did it, but that doesn't change the fact that their sacred Christmas traditions are pagan, which by definition isn't Christian. It'd be like me cheering on Tennessee by screaming "Rammer Jammer". It makes no sense.

Co-opting those symbols makes them no longer pagan in practice.

 

[therealUT]

So the term "Jew" shouldn't be used anymore, either?

If someone asked you not to call him/her a "Jew" would you still insist on doing so?

 

[BigPapaVol]

Then you do not believe, according to Jesus Christ (not my words, "His").

That isn't remotely true.

 

[bamawriter]

:unsure:

What should I label you as for your active belief that there is no tooth fairy of any kind?

Create a word for it and I won't have a problem with that word. It would be an accurate label.

 

[therealUT]

That isn't remotely true.

It is straight from the Gospel.

 

[bamawriter]

If someone asked you not to call him/her a "Jew" would you still insist on doing so?

I suppose I wouldn't. But I would also ask why the label bothers them.

 

[BigPapaVol]

:unsure:

What should I label you as for your active belief that there is no tooth fairy of any kind?

Whatever you want as I don't care. If its correct and I staunchly believe, to the point of public dumbassery of this nature, I shouldn't care.

 

[bamawriter]

It is straight from the Gospel.

The words are. Your interpretation is not.

 

[therealUT]

The words are. Your interpretation is not.

My interpretation is that the entire thing is a mythical story; Christians, however, decide to pick and choose according to their convenience (aka, their lack of belief).

 

[BigPapaVol]

It is straight from the Gospel.

So is hell? Blurbs without context are senseless. Taking that quote and implying that true believers would be moving mountains is absurd. Implied need to move mountains makes your literal interpretation no more than hackjob gotcha silliness.

 

[BigPapaVol]

My interpretation is that the entire thing is a mythical story; Christians, however, decide to pick and choose according to their convenience (aka, their lack of belief).

Interpretation of and application of bible verses is convenience? Good one.

 

[bamawriter]

My interpretation is that the entire thing is a mythical story; Christians, however, decide to pick and choose according to their convenience (aka, their lack of belief).

Reading scripture and trying to apply it to your life is hardly "convenient," whether you interpret it correctly or not.

 

[therealUT]

So is hell? Blurbs without context are senseless. Taking that quote and implying that true believers would be moving mountains is absurd. Implied need to move mountains makes your literal interpretation no more than hackjob gotcha silliness.

1

1 2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.

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3 And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light.

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4 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him.

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Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, "Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents 5 here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

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While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, 6 then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him."

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7 When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid.

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But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Rise, and do not be afraid."

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And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone.

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8 As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, "Do not tell the vision 9 to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."

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10 Then the disciples asked him, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"

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He said in reply, 11 "Elijah will indeed come and restore all things;

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but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased. So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands."

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12 Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

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13 When they came to the crowd a man approached, knelt down before him,

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and said, "Lord, have pity on my son, for he is a lunatic 14 and suffers severely; often he falls into fire, and often into water.

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I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him."

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Jesus said in reply, "O faithless and perverse 15 generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I endure you? Bring him here to me."

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Jesus rebuked him and the demon came out of him, 16 and from that hour the boy was cured.

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Then the disciples approached Jesus in private and said, "Why could we not drive it out?"

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17 He said to them, "Because of your little faith. Amen, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

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) 18

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19 As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is to be handed over to men,

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and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day." And they were overwhelmed with grief.

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20 When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax 21 approached Peter and said, "Doesn't your teacher pay the temple tax?"

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"Yes," he said. 22 When he came into the house, before he had time to speak, Jesus asked him, "What is your opinion, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take tolls or census tax? From their subjects or from foreigners?"

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23 When he said, "From foreigners," Jesus said to him, "Then the subjects are exempt.

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But that we may not offend them, 24 go to the sea, drop in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax. Give that to them for me and for you."

Provide the context for me. Or, accept the fact that you do not have enough faith to move mountains and, therefore, have less than the smallest speck of faith.

 

[DrunkJohnny]

Whatever you want as I don't care. If its correct and I staunchly believe, to the point of public dumbassery of this nature, I shouldn't care.

When someone tells you they don't believe in the tooth fairy do you feel the need to label them?

 

[BigPapaVol]

Provide the context for me. Or, accept the fact that you do not have enough faith to move mountains and, therefore, have less than the smallest speck of faith.

I don't have the faith or need to move mountains. Jesus clearly made the point that man doesn't. So be it.

Literal use of that passage only serves to prove that you have no interest in the passage, but rather want to show your brilliant philosophical approach to the world because you don't buy it. Congrats, you did it.

 

[lumberjack4]

Co-opting those symbols makes them no longer pagan in practice.

Yet in Leviticus 18

After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances.

My favorite, in Jerimiah 10

Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.

Looks like the Bible says co-opting a heathens practices to worship god isn't cool.

 

[rjd970]

Who made a special rule?

Society.

You disagree? Btw, I'm addition to being a believer in chemistry, I am also a non-alchemist.

 

[bamawriter]

Provide the context for me. Or, accept the fact that you do not have enough faith to move mountains and, therefore, have less than the smallest speck of faith.

It's not this ^ context that you have wrong. It's the suggestion that as long as Christians are weak, and thus unable to purge themselves of doubt, that they should not be preaching the Gospel to others.