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To: Kyrie
As far as I can tell, your "relativism" is nothing more than saying that you have seen no evidence that conclusively favors one metaphysical description over another. This is hardly relativism, since you apparently don't believe that, e.g., christianity and hinduism can both be true on all points simultaneously. You certainly don't seem to believe that a description of reality can somehow be true "for me" but false "for you." What you seem to believe is that all religions are wrong. That is not relativism, that is simply atheism, or perhaps strong agnosticism.

Almost perfect. It's possible that one religion is right, while the others are all wrong, but I do find that highly unlikely. If there is one truth, it's more likely that all religions have captured a portion of it, each being right to some degree. However, this possibility would outrage the "we're right, you're wrong" fundies of all religions.

Then there is the interesting possibility of what you mentioned (well-portrayed in Robert Heinlein's book "Job: A Comedy of Justice") where everybody's factually right and everybody goes to their own heaven/hell/valhalla, etc.

Or maybe there's nothing. Who knows? If believing something makes you happy, more power to you, I hope you use your religion for good. I simply find my comfort, purpose and morality in not believing

. Jesus actually taught briefly on that issue. Some call it a "parable" but it is never identified as such; it is told as a true story.

They wrapped things up quite nicely in some places, didn't they? Well-written religions usually have these simple bases covered, I don't know why I haven't seen that one before.

If someone did return from the dead, you could undoubtedly find "alternative hypotheses" to explain it away, in the best of scientific terms.

I used to be believe, but then I "woke up." If a true miracle like this happened that could possibly turn me back (and not the "we prayed and his cancer went into remission" miracles)

25 posted on 04/23/2002 12:34:27 AM PDT by Quila
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To: Quila
If there is one truth, it's more likely that all religions have captured a portion of it, each being right to some degree.

A case of "seven blind men and the elephant"? Or perhaps "even a blind squirrel occasionally finds an acorn." That doesn't exactly make any of them "valid."

Then there is the interesting possibility of what you mentioned (well-portrayed in Robert Heinlein's book "Job: A Comedy of Justice") where everybody's factually right and everybody goes to their own heaven/hell/valhalla, etc.

...in which case it would be more precise to say that everybody was factually wrong, since each believed that his/her afterlife would be experienced universally. Plainly, if any person ended up in a place that was neither heaven nor hell, the Christian teachings would be in error, and similarly for the other religions. If things happened as Robert Heinlein portrayed them, then his "religion" would be absolutely true, and all others would be false. How else?

I used to be believe, but then I "woke up." If a true miracle like this happened that could possibly turn me back...

Back to what? "Belief" is not conversion: "You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder." Not all faith is saving faith. You can "wake up" from a belief, but saving faith will change you radically. I pray that such a faith would be quickened in you.

God is still doing astounding signs and wonders in the world. Only by His grace, however, are a person's eyes opened to take notice. And, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Therefore the skeptic somehow never sees the signs, and never wonders at the wonders. And the skeptic generally insists that if God were real, He would perform His miracles in scientifically controlled studies. But God resists the proud.

"...neither will they be persuaded, if one rise from the dead."

The large crowd of the Jews then learned that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He raised from the dead. But the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also; because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and were believing in Jesus. (John 12:9-11 NAS95)
There it is. After a miracle, the humble were "believing in Jesus" while the proud were planning to "put to death" the living evidence of the miracle. How much plainer can it get?
26 posted on 04/23/2002 7:53:25 AM PDT by Kyrie
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