Replies

HOLY COW!!!

What a stunning counter to all of Hinduism. Amazing that you could show the religion to be total bunk with just those two words.

No, I'm acknowledging that there are a lot of voices telling you which way to go. Only one answer is right.

How do you know that even one answer is right?

There are ways of knowing what is the right course.

So you assert.

If there was no way to know, how could you possibly be held accountable?

This gets into deeper philosophical questions.

If I gave you a winning lottery ticket, you'd have to assume that it might be legit in order to be motivated to even check it out. And in this day of scams, it very possible someone wouldn't even bother to check. So I understand your problem. I'm just one more guy on the intenet saying "You've won, click here for details."

Typically I report such emails to the ISP of the sender. I take a dim view of email spam.

Yeah, it's a little circular. I'm asking for enough faith in God from you to get you to ask Him to give you wisdom to discern the truth, to see the evidence for His existence. It's not much.

That's not "a little" circular, it's "a lot" circular. You're asking me to assume that you're right in order to demonstrate that you're right. If I assume that you're right, however, I don't need an adequate demonstration and as such it doesn't matter how valid your "proof" is. It's a weak cop-out, an excuse to use when you don't have any real evidence. "Just pretend that I'm right, and then this will make sense in context!"

This, of course, has gotten completely off of the original topic of discussion. What does any of this have to do with the original article?

"How do you know that even one answer is right?"

Because I've seen too many answered prayers. Because I can find no purer explanation of what is good that that contained in the JudeoChristian scriptures. Because I have sensed God's presence. Because the scriptures contain prophecies that can be dated to before their fulfillment. Because of the witness of people who have seen miracles including that of Israel and the many many early Christians who saw Jesus in action.

And because God's plan makes sense, at least on a certain level. It doesn't make sense that God would hang on a cross for us, but then love doesn't make sense either. Only self-love makes sense, not love of others.

This, of course, has gotten completely off of the original topic of discussion.

Yes it has.

"You're asking me to assume that you're right in order to demonstrate that you're right. If I assume that you're right, however, I don't need an adequate demonstration and as such it doesn't matter how valid your "proof" is. It's a weak cop-out, an excuse to use when you don't have any real evidence."

I'm asking you to assume that God might exist, that your request might get heard and answered. And to make the request on those grounds. That is different from full acceptance that God is. In that sense, it's not circular.

It a way it's no different from me telling you that George Bush exists and asking you to call the White House and talk to him. What evidence do you really have that Bush exists? You've seen him on TV, but you know the tricks hollywood can do. You've heard other people talk about him, but you've heard other people talk about God too.

The only difference is that your call is much less likely to be accepted at the White House.

And if you have actually met the president then subsitute some other famous person that you haven't met.

If I assume that you're right, however, I don't need an adequate demonstration and as such it doesn't matter how valid your "proof" is. It's a weak cop-out, an excuse to use when you don't have any real evidence.

Think of it like trying to prove anybody else exists. Again take George Bush.

If I had to prove George existed, I'd show you pictures and if I could obtain documentation, birth certificates, etc, I would. That obviously doesn't work with God.

Next, I suppose that I could bring in witnesses, that have met George Bush and they could vouch for him. Now that I can do.

Then I suppose I could show you things that were done that only George Bush could do. I'm not sure what that would be for George, but fulfilled prophecies and people who have had miracles are a testament to the existence of God. The book "Evidence that demands a verdict" is a good compilation of such evidence.

Finally, the easiest way to prove a person exists, the easiest way is to introduce you. Let you meet him one on one.

That's all I'm trying to do. You don't have to assume He exists, you just have to be a little curious.