Intelligent People 'Less Likely to Believe in God'

[BucsGuru]

The leading religion in the world today is Christianity followed by Islam.

[ufojoe]

The leading religion in the world today is Christianity followed by Islam.

Most of the world is non-Christian.

[kmitchell]

Secular/Non-religious,atheist/agnostic is the third largest group at 1.1 billion people.

[JasonOfthetower]

Wow...I'm getting on this late...I think there's truth in that most intelligent people have the rationale to question established beliefs. They ask for proof. Well, that goes against the very fundementals of faith, does it not?

One of the monotheolistical tantamounts is, and I'm paraphrasing here, "Don't ask God to prove it....just believe in him/her/it..." - so you can't win. If you question God...ask god to prove it - you're a non-believer, a sinner, and going straight to the fiery pit. But if you believe blindly...supposedly you're rewarded with everlasting life. What a racket!

It goes back to my old argument that the Bible was not written by God, but Man. God didn't float down here, put ink to parchment and pen his great opus. The believers say those who wrote the bible were inspired by God...and maybe they were. David Koresh thought he was inspired by god, too. So did Jim Jones...the mormon dude...and countless other wack jobs. L Ron Hubbard believes that God spoke to him...and that we're all aliens....

Today, if someone came forward with a book that was "inspired by God"....they would be laughed offed as psychos.

I'm not saying that what folks believe is right or wrong...but I do believe it is human to question. Its human to want to know more...and its a sin in the eyes of God to question him...so say those who wrote the book "inspired by God"...

[buckit]

Jesus himself said those things Joe, so either you are calling him a liar or do not want to believe that he said those things. We have already discussed that the Bible came from God and has a vast magnitude of evidence supporting that. So you either deny the entire discussion validating the Bible or maybe u just close your eyes and plug up your ears to it all.

Some events in the Bible have been proven historically accurate.  And others have been sorely debunked.  No side can say that the Xian Bible is either totally true or totally bunk.  It's just a group of accounts, predictions and stories collected by scholars, roughes and vegabonds over a 100 year period or so.  Nothing more, nothing less.

How do you know? Were you there when Jesus said those? How do you know the Bible wasn't written by political and religious hustlers to control the overwhelming majority of the uneducated population? Can you prove to me the Bible was written by God?

Yes, you can prove it for yourself and get on your knees and ask the Lord Jesus to come into your heart and forgive you of your sins and that you will make him Lord of your life. Please don't start your little rants without research...I have asked you and asked you to quit banging your keys and start proving yourself through research. That is unless you are UFOJOE posing as another member...OBD

[ufojoe]

Buck, which part of that thread was yours?

Who is supposed to be posing as me?

OBUG (One Big UFO Guy)

[buckit]

OOPS! Don't know how that happened.  This was my post:

Some events in the Bible have been proven historically accurate.  And others have been sorely debunked.  No side can say that the Xian Bible is either totally true or totally bunk.  It's just a group of accounts, predictions and stories collected by scholars, roughes and vegabonds over a 100 year period or so.  Nothing more, nothing less.

[buckit]

Sorry, screwed it up again it seems.  With the darn cat and my 4 yr old climbing all over me, it's a wonder I can type at all, lol.  Corrected again.

[ufojoe]

Thanks.

[ufojoe]

Today, if someone came forward with a book that was "inspired by God"....they would be laughed offed as psychos.

Maybe. But "Conversations with God" by Neale Donald Walsh has sold seven million copies. In the book
and subsequent books, he is supposedly having a conversation with God. Interesting guy. I saw him
lecture in 2000 when John Hagelin was running for president on the Natural Law ticket. They did
a lecture/political event together.

And then you have "A Course in Miracles" which written by a jewish/atheist who heard a voice in
her head and wrote it all down. Supposedly, the voice was Jesus Christ and the he was dictating
his true teachings. Not the ones that made it into the Bible. ACIM has sold close to a million copies
and launched study groups all over the world.

[mtnman]

Jason, where in the Bible does it say it's a sin to question God ? I've not seen that at all. I was one who was very skeptical so I asked a whole lot of questions. Got answers too; from the Bible.

[ufojoe]

Jason, where in the Bible does it say it's a sin to question God ? I've not seen that at all. I was one who was very skeptical so I asked a whole lot of questions. Got answers too; from the Bible.

What if one gets answers outside of the Bible and goes with them instead?

[mtnman]

You were created with free will and if that's what you choose to do, Jehovah will not stop you. He'll be disappointed, but He won't stop you and of course you'll have to live with your choice.

Listen to Him:

Isaiah 48:17-18 (Darby Translation)
Darby Translation (DARBY)

Public Domain
[A Public Domain Bible]

 17Thus saith Jehovah, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I [am] Jehovah thy God, who teacheth thee for [thy] profit, who leadeth thee in the way that thou shouldest go.

 18Oh that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! Then would thy peace have been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea;

[ufojoe]

Disappointed that I decided to explore multiple sources for my info. and made up my own mind about things?

[mtnman]

Disappointed that I decided to explore multiple sources for my info. and made up my own mind about things?

No, dissappointed that the true light hasn't been able to show through and that He has been misrepresented:

2 Corinthians 11:14-15 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)

14And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.

2 Corinthians 4:4 (Amplified Bible)
Amplified Bible (AMP)

4For the god of this world has blinded the unbelievers' minds [that they should not discern the truth], preventing them from seeing the illuminating light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ (the Messiah), Who is the Image and Likeness of God.

I think this version states it nicely as well:

2 Corinthians 4:4 (The Message)
The Message (MSG)

 3-4If our Message is obscure to anyone, it's not because we're holding back in any way. No, it's because these other people are looking or going the wrong way and refuse to give it serious attention. All they have eyes for is the fashionable god of darkness. They think he can give them what they want, and that they won't have to bother believing a Truth they can't see. They're stone-blind to the dayspring brightness of the Message that shines with Christ, who gives us the best picture of God we'll ever get.

Sadly Joe, I don't think you've been exposed to Christian truth by those who were/ are close to you and claimed to be/ believe they are genuine Christians.

If I had to guess though, I'd say they are/ were probably sincere, but nonetheless, mislead. It's no wonder that so many folks today reject their Creator; the teachings and abominations of Christendom make it very difficult to see truth.

The scriptures quoted are sufficient.