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First off, I must tell you now. This is a long post. However, I suggest you read it through all the way. You may learn something. Even if you don't want to, at least read the underlined paragraph at the end.

I was once a Catholic. Now I'm agnostic (no beliefs whatsoever), since there really isn't any proof that any religion is the truth. There's the Bible, but there are a few things that you must remember about it:
1. There were at least two books left out of the Bible. Turns out, we do know what happened to Jesus between the ages of 10 and whatever age he was next time he showed up in the Bible. I forget what they're called at the moment though. I'll post when I remember. But you can still do research and find them.
2. In the Book of Genesis, there are two stories of the creation of the universe. One says that God created the universe in seven days, creating the sun, the Earth, Heaven, water, etc. I don't remember the specific order of those. But I do remember this: plants, sea creatures, something about things that creepeth, humans. However, in the next story, the Earth is there already, along with plants, but no animals. God created Adam, then put him to sleep and created Eve from his rib. He then created all the animals and let Adam name them. Those two contradictory stories (one says it was animals, then humans, and the other is the other way around) should prove that the Bible is clearly not infallible, or at least the modern one. Why do I say "at least the modern one"? Read on.
3. In the Middle Ages, the Pope had more political power than anyone else. It would have been a simple matter for him to tell people that God decided that he wanted to change the Bible, and then just add in whatever he wanted. I have heard the "homosexuals will not enter the kingdom of Heaven" bit was added in at this point. Don't hold me to that last part though. I just heard it from someone else.
4. The Bible is old. Very old. It was also not originally in English. I'm not sure what it was at first, but I'm guessing Hebrew. It was then translated into Latin, which was, for a long time, the language of the church. Two completely different languages. Then it was translated into German, another completely different language. Then it was translated into English, which although it is not completely different (it is mostly derived from German, at least the most commonly used words), is still quite different. Then there are probably several other languages it was translated through before reaching English. This should make it fairly obvious that the Bible is not the word of God, due to the countless inevitable translation errors. Maybe it was the infallible word of God originally, but it certainly isn't now.
5. Adding to the last two points, let's say that the Pope really is infallible and able to directly communicate with God. That doesn't necessarily mean that those who translated it were. They more than likely added in their own beliefs when translating the Bible.

Well, that's my two cents on the Bible. So, what am I saying here?
There is no absolute, undeniable proof that any religion is true. None whatsoever. You believe in God? Good for you. Not everyone does, because they were raised differently, or because they got fed up with contradictions, etc.

*Catholics think Protestants, Jews, and Muslims are going to Hell. Protestants think Catholics and other divisions of Protestants, Jews, and Muslims are going to hell. Muslims think Christians and Jews are going to hell. And that's just the three Yahweh/Allah/whatever you call him religions. I didn't even mention Hindus, Buddhists, and other religions. The point? Everyone thinks everyone else is going to Hell. Who cares? It is both arrogant and extremely stupid to say that you, as a mortal, can understand God, Brahma, or whatever you believe in. Someone should say in a public service announcement on TV, the radio, and wherever else they can get it, "These people think those people will burn in Hell for eternity. Those people think these people are evil. This group says that group will become rocks in their next lives." Then, everyone knows what everyone else thinks. None of us can be 100% sure what the truth is. All they can do is believe what they believe. We'll all find out who was right when we die. Until then, just try to be friendly and get along. And maybe listen to "Dreamer" by Ozzy Osbourne.*

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Originally written by The Almighty Doer of Stuff:



1. There were at least two books left out of the Bible. Turns out, we do know what happened to Jesus between the ages of 10 and whatever age he was next time he showed up in the Bible. I forget what they're called at the moment though. I'll post when I remember. But you can still do research and find them.

Hmmm...I actually have one of those Bibles. Here are the books:

Tobit
1&2 Maccabees
Wisdom
Sirach
Baruch

Those were just Old Testament, since even the Catholic Bible didn't use the two that you are talking about.

Here are the things that helped the elders of the church back in the Roman time decide which books would go in the Bible (note: if any of the rules did not comply with the book, it wasn't put in to the Bible):

1. Is the book authoritative? Was it written by a prophet or an apostle? Did the people that wrote the book submit to it's authority by governing their lives according to it's teachings?

2. Was it authentic? Was it free of known errors in geography, history, etc.

3. Has it been recieved? Have other Christians recognized it to be inspired? Has it been recognized for a long time?


2. In the Book of Genesis, there are two stories of the creation of the universe. One says that God created the universe in seven days, creating the sun, the Earth, Heaven, water, etc. I don't remember the specific order of those. But I do remember this: plants, sea creatures, something about things that creepeth, humans. However, in the next story, the Earth is there already, along with plants, but no animals. God created Adam, then put him to sleep and created Eve from his rib. He then created all the animals and let Adam name them. Those two contradictory stories (one says it was animals, then humans, and the other is the other way around) should prove that the Bible is clearly not infallible, or at least the modern one. Why do I say "at least the modern one"? Read on.

I assume you are referring to this verse:

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19 Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.

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Notice the way the verse is worded: God "had formed" the beasts and only now did he bring them to be named. Meaning that they were already created, but just not been seen by man.

3. In the Middle Ages, the Pope had more political power than anyone else. It would have been a simple matter for him to tell people that God decided that he wanted to change the Bible, and then just add in whatever he wanted. I have heard the "homosexuals will not enter the kingdom of Heaven" bit was added in at this point. Don't hold me to that last part though. I just heard it from someone else.

The one that the pope had might have been one type of translation if any at all (if it even exists today), but look at how many translations of the Bible there are today:

New International Version
New American Standard Bible
The Message
Amplified Bible
New Living Translation
King James Version
New Life Version
English Standard Version
Contemporary English Version
New King James Version
21st Century King James Version
American Standard Version
Worldwide English (New Testament)
Young's Literal Translation
Darby Translation
Wycliffe New Testament
New International Version - UK
and a few hundred more that aren't at BibleGateway.com
Some of those translations sprung from each other, but EVERY single one of them agrees and coincides with the other, not word for word, but idea for idea and meaning for meaning. I would like to see you give any evidence at all that proves the Bible incorrect, as this book lasted for thousands of years unlike some other religions like with the Koran, which only exists for how long? And also unlike the Koran with one author (Mohammed), the Bible had over 40 authors to write it.

4. The Bible is old. Very old. It was also not originally in English. I'm not sure what it was at first, but I'm guessing Hebrew.

Correct.

It was then translated into Latin, which was, for a long time, the language of the church.

Incorrect, fot it was first translated into Greek when the Jews were conquered by them. Greek was the trader's language, thus some copies of the Bible remained in the Greek language, and some were even left, still, in the Hebrew lang. Then, when the Roman's conquered the Jews, it was translated into Latin (also known as the Vulgate Bible).

Also a note: The New Testament was originally written in Greek.

Two completely different languages. Then it was translated into German, another completely different language.

Yep.

Then it was translated into English, which although it is not completely different (it is mostly derived from German, at least the most commonly used words), is still quite different.

Okay.

Then there are probably several other languages it was translated through before reaching English. This should make it fairly obvious that the Bible is not the word of God, due to the countless inevitable translation errors.

This is where you are wrong. Remember when I said that some translations of the Bible were left in the Greek lang? They got translated to English, and guess what common translation it is today? The New American Standard Bible (NASB). Mathced with the KJV translation that supposedly went through "all kinds of translational errors" and there was no difference in meaning or idea. Some words rearranged around, but had the same exact content. And as for the New Testament in the NASB...it only went through one language change.

Maybe it was the infallible word of God originally, but it certainly isn't now.

IYHO

5. Adding to the last two points, let's say that the Pope really is infallible and able to directly communicate with God. That doesn't necessarily mean that those who translated it were. They more than likely added in their own beliefs when translating the Bible.

That's why people "double-check" thier work.
And believe me, there was more than one translator, in fact, many different groups.

Well, that's my two cents on the Bible. So, what am I saying here?
There is no absolute, undeniable proof that any religion is true.

Yep, it's all in the belief system, you have to believe it, just like you have to believe in evolution, because "There is no absolute, undeniable proof that any theory is true." Otherwise it could be called a law, and even that can be broken.


None whatsoever. You believe in God? Good for you. Not everyone does, because they were raised differently, or because they got fed up with contradictions, etc.

*Catholics think Protestants, Jews, and Muslims are going to Hell. Protestants think Catholics and other divisions of Protestants, Jews, and Muslims are going to hell. Muslims think Christians and Jews are going to hell. And that's just the three Yahweh/Allah/whatever you call him religions. I didn't even mention Hindus, Buddhists, and other religions. The point? Everyone thinks everyone else is going to Hell. Who cares? It is both arrogant and extremely stupid to say that you, as a mortal, can understand God, Brahma, or whatever you believe in. Someone should say in a public service announcement on TV, the radio, and wherever else they can get it, "These people think those people will burn in Hell for eternity. Those people think these people are evil. This group says that group will become rocks in their next lives." Then, everyone knows what everyone else thinks. None of us can be 100% sure what the truth is. All they can do is believe what they believe. We'll all find out who was right when we die. Until then, just try to be friendly and get along. And maybe listen to "Dreamer" by Ozzy Osbourne.*

Jesus is Just Alright - dc Talk (Free at Last)

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Originally written by The Almighty Doer of Stuff:

I didn't even mention Hindus, Buddhists, and other religions. The point? Everyone thinks everyone else is going to Hell.

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Originally written by chandrew333:

Also, y'all mite want to shorten up your posts a little bit so more people will actually take in what you're trying to say.

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Originally written by The Almighty Doer of Stuff:

We'll all find out who was right when we die, so just try to get along and let people believe what they want to believe until then.

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Originally written by Sir David:


As for the last lines in that paragraph, don't you know that abstinance is the only way of preventing pregnancy that is proven 100% effective?
Surely you believe in Mary, SD.

I mean, aside from castration, but... I think abstinance is a slightly better alternative.
Vasectomy is slightly painful, but has been proven to be entirely effective if done right. It's not castration by any means, just removal of a spermatic cord.

And as for technology and science, it's usually the scientists who make science and religion enemies. This isn't the Middle Ages any more; now it's scientists who are anti-religion, not priests who are anti-science.
The phrases 'stem-cell research' and 'the theory of evolution' spring to mind.
I believe that the two should be one; God doesn't have to stick to his own universal laws, but he can if he wants to. God-guided evolution, creationism via Big Bang, you know...
What kind of God would break his own laws?

EDIT: As for the "He, She, It..." thing, I think "it" is most accurate. However, "he" sounds more respectful, and while "he" doesn't really imply masculinity when referring to God, "she" does imply femininity just because it's different and attracts more attention.
In my opinion, if you really believe God to be a sexless entity, calling God 'He' makes about as much sense as calling a pocketwatch 'He'. But I'm just being a pedant here.

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Originally written by El Presidente:

Unwanted pregnancies are why God invented RU-486.

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