Ministry Distributes 'Origin of Species' with Intelligent Design Intro

Belhaven »

Fri Nov 20, 2009 2:32 am Agree: 5   Disagree: 2

"Praise ye him, all his hosts"

Right! Thoughtful rebuttal. Next, we'll discuss how sheep's bladders may be employed to prevent earthquakes.

Wilderness1 may not have a relevant point regarding this collective effort to mislead the public about Darwin's contribution to knowledge, but I do want to know this: how does he/she get the red text in those posts? I just can't decide if it is as annoying as typing in all caps.

Darwin Was Wrong, Scientists Argue

Belhaven »

Wed Nov 18, 2009 4:51 pm Agree: 2   Disagree: 1

Flagged as inappropriate. show This was not a scientific conference. The Logos "Research Associates" are a religious group. Their website states up front that their members affirm the resurrection of Jesus, etc., etc.,. These are ideas are based on imagination/faith, not fact, and have nothing to do with science. They do, however, have everything to do with motivation against science. Science admits when an error has been made. It is part of the process. Religion does not. hide

Can the Church Beat Starbucks?

Belhaven »

Wed Nov 18, 2009 4:47 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

This isn't a bad idea from the apologist's perspective. The popularity of Christmas has benefited from the materialism it borrowed from the gift exchange of Saturnalia, the tree it borrowed from other pagan traditions, etc.. Christianity has always borrowed from cultural practices that were already popular at the time. Why not use modern marketing methods?

Then again, it may come off as deceitful. When people go to Starbucks, they know what it is they are being sold. If churches try to lure newcomers in with a trendy atmosphere, it may seem a little phony to these people when they are subjected to the same old stories they rejected earlier in their lives.

How to Survive 2012

Belhaven »

Tue Nov 17, 2009 10:10 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 1

Flagged as inappropriate. show Has there ever been a time in history when preachers did NOT take advantage of one superstitious fear to promote their own in its place? hide

Why Become Christian?

Belhaven »

Tue Nov 17, 2009 4:46 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

There is a difference between not accepting something and turning your back on it. If the person who wrote to Graham never accepted Jesus, then he could not have turned away from Jesus. It just doesn't make any sense.

bcoontz: Romans 1:18-20 is wrong and contradictory. If God's presence were plain to see then faith would not be required to believe in him. Furthermore, if God's presence was plain, everyone would acknowledge the existence of God due to the evidence. This is not the case.

Why Become Christian?

Belhaven »

Tue Nov 17, 2009 3:09 am Agree: 0   Disagree: 2

Nobody is born knowing about Jesus. It is a huge assumption on the part of the author to say someone has "turned their back on God" with no statement regarding previous Christian convictions.

Darwin Was Wrong, Scientists Argue

Belhaven »

Tue Nov 17, 2009 2:45 am Agree: 6   Disagree: 8

Flagged as inappropriate. show This was not a scientific conference. The Logos "Research Associates" are a religious group. Their website states up front that their members affirm the resurrection of Jesus, etc., etc.,. These are ideas are based on imagination/faith, not fact, and have nothing to do with science. They do, however, have everything to do with motivation against science. Science admits when an error has been made. It is part of the process. Religion does not. hide

Christians Urged to Boycott Gap Inc. Over 'Christmas' Censor

Belhaven »

Thu Nov 12, 2009 9:34 pm Agree: 2   Disagree: 2

It is frightening that some people can not tell the difference between censorship and freedom of speech. The author of this article needs to go back to school. Coercing someone into promoting a religion against their will is an attempt at censorship. Once again the persecutors are crying persecution...

Judge Strikes Down Christian License Plate

Belhaven »

Wed Nov 11, 2009 9:11 pm Agree: 3   Disagree: 4

Flagged as inappropriate. show What's frightening is that this had to go to a judge in the first place. Apparently legislators in this state have no problem with creating a privileged class of citizens based on their beliefs. hide

What's Wrong with 'God-of-the-Gaps' Theology?

Belhaven »

Wed Nov 11, 2009 3:19 am Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

There were no insights in this article, only obfuscation. Rauser claims that a god can be found within the realm of knowledge, regardless of where gaps are. His argument, however, is based on there being a gap. When you have to assume a miracle will occur to make your point, you are in fact counting on gaps for a reason to believe in a god.

Christian Legal Group Launches 7th 'Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign'

Belhaven »

Tue Nov 10, 2009 3:15 am Agree: 3   Disagree: 1

Most religions have holidays, and most of them coincide with the changing seasons. Are we so thin-skinned that we can't allow each other to celebrate in peace?

I don't think anyone minds the existence of Christmas. The "war on Christmas" is just a propaganda slogan. I think what people mind is having Christmas rammed down their throats. Christians are so used to their own cultural dominance that with any threat of equality they cry persecution. This is ridiculous.

The holidays are, in fact, not dependent on Christianity. It is not a Christian season alone. Hanukkah is a holiday. Rammadan is a holiday. Solstice is a holiday. Non-Christian people do exist and they have a right to celebrate their holidays without calling them by Christian names or having their children forced/coerced into singing Christian songs.

Survey Indicates 'Bland Secularism' among America's Religious

Belhaven »

Fri Oct 30, 2009 5:54 pm Agree: 1   Disagree: 0

"I see Satan's old trick of only using a partial truth, a twisting of our own words in a poll, continues to confuse and cause division among the Disciples of Christ.

Polls can be written, worded, to receive specific results. Statistics can always be twisted to show support for what ever you want to convince others of.

All information, whether it is from a 'Christian' source or from a news report, must be studied and taken to the Lord God in prayer Before it is presented to your congregations and fellow Disciples as truth."
-Rev. Anderson

So Reverend, the Pew Forum is Satan and God is a statistician?

Ex-Home Depot Worker to File Religious Discrimination Lawsuit

Belhaven »

Thu Oct 29, 2009 5:19 pm Agree: 4   Disagree: 0

tpique1,

Do you think that every high court decision made in this country is constitutional, or just the ones that agree with your point of view?

Atheists Promote 'Good Without God' Message in Big Apple

Belhaven »

Thu Oct 22, 2009 11:28 pm Agree: 9   Disagree: 3

Daniel Paul,

Atheists are on a Christian website because they know not everyone is as set in their ways as you are. I imagine this is the same reason Christians visit the atheist websites. We want to help free people from their delusions if possible, but at the very least present an opposing perspective for those undecided folks who are visiting this site. Often this is not even a religious argument. Political topics return to ethics, and this is interesting to everyone. Believe it or not, I have agreed with Christians on this site about some topics.

You are correct that atheists can not argue with someone who does not exist. This has nothing to do with requiring any approval from you, however. Many Christians have indeed changed their minds, so how you can say this is pointless on our part?

I am not at all worried about my world being shaken by Jesus, as you stated. Not believing in your particular myth is a default and stable position. There is nothing to shake.

Be happy and well.
-Bel

Calif. Conservatives 'Disappointed' with New Harvey Milk Day

Belhaven »

Tue Oct 13, 2009 5:15 pm Agree: 7   Disagree: 1

"..other than same-sex marriage please enlighten us on what other so-called rights homosexuals are being denied? And the only reason many of us are opposed to same-sex marriage is because it willfully violates God's original and only design for marriage." - believer

believer,

Willful violation implies that someone acknowledges what it is they are violating. What you aren't seeing is that fewer and fewer people acknowledge your idea that some magic being invented marriage and therefore gets to define it.

Being denied marriage is bad enough by itself. No other atrocities are necessary. Would you assert that marriage isn't about equal rights to someone who has just been denied access to their life-partner in the hospital because they weren't legally their family? If so, you are extremely cruel. If not, you should re-evaluate your position.

Support for Same-Sex Civil Unions, Not Marriage, Up

Belhaven »

Tue Oct 13, 2009 12:10 pm Agree: 2   Disagree: 1

Flagged as inappropriate. show TLChild: 1. If this country wasn't founded upon biblical principles, but secular ones as you claim, then how did the word "GOD" get placed on the money. The Knights of Columbus (and other Christians lobbyists who felt they had the right to define our country for us) used the red scare of Mcarthyism in the 1950's to add these phrases to distinguish the US from the "godless" communist Soviet Union. The phrases are abviously illegal so enjoy the power trip while you can. They are only a few decades old, so please no more of this Christian nation revisionist nonsense. 2. Why wasn't same-sex marriage enacted in the beginning, when the country was founded since you state that voting against same-sex marriage is solely from a biblical perspective? You didn't invent prejudice. It has been around for much longer than this country or your bible. 3. Why was homosexuality viewed as a disability in the beginning since you state that only such view would be from a biblical perspective? See answer to #2. 4. Why did states enact Sunday laws since you state that our government was first secular? No one said that this country wasn't full of Christians trying to control the lives of others through legislation. There's a reason these laws get repealed. 5. Why was the phrase "One Nation Under God" part of the Pledge of Allegiance? See answer to #1. Same people, same decade. 6. Why were people tring to have the 10 commandments removed from court rooms, if they were not there at first? For the same reason "Sunday laws", "Under God", and such are going to be removed. People are tired of other people telling them what religious views they should hold. People are tired of Christians receiving special unconstitutional theocratic priveleges. hide

Support for Same-Sex Civil Unions, Not Marriage, Up

Belhaven »

Mon Oct 12, 2009 11:35 pm Agree: 6   Disagree: 2

"So, you are completely against gays forcing people to give up their Christian morals in the name of civil rights. " -Daniel Paul

Yes. Nobody has asked Christians to give up their morals. You can still think gay marriage is as unholy as you wish. Nobody cares what your opinion is, they care that you are oppressing them with your opinion through the legal system.

"After all, don't Chistians have the civil right to practice Christianity all the time no matter where they are?" -DP

As long as they are not breaking the law. You are effectively trying to create a caste system. This will ultimately be declared illegal.

"What gays want is the right to be gay anywhere anytime and not have to behave differently for other people. Yet, those same gays sue Christians for being Christians in their own work place. That is called hypocracy...." -DP

Those are some big generalizations. I haven't heard about any gay people suing Christians for being Christians. You are comparing what you say some people want with what you say some people have done, which doesn't make any sense without several examples.

Support for Same-Sex Civil Unions, Not Marriage, Up

Belhaven »

Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:02 pm Agree: 6   Disagree: 3

If the idea of a gay marriage threatens your heteresexual marriage, you must be very insecure about your sexuality. If you are confident in your sexual nature, then what could you possibly be worried about?

You live every day with the fact that not everyone voted the way you did. So what's the difference here? Live and let live. Nobody is after you or your traditional marriage. This is about equal rights. Sharing rights with those you disagree with is part of democracy.

Simply Unprecedented: President Obama and the Gay Rights Movement

Belhaven »

Mon Oct 12, 2009 4:37 pm Agree: 9   Disagree: 5

Flagged as inappropriate. show "President Obama is callling homosexuality good, when the Holy Bible says it is sin." - RepenTrustJesus Fortunately, this country's laws are not based on the Bible, the Koran, or any other religious writings. There are certainly attitudes that remain stuck in antiquity due to the influence of religion, but the writing is on the wall. One day soon the anti-gay hotheads will be shamed into claiming that they were never against gay marriage, just like their grandparents might claim that they were never against interracial marriage. hide

Most Americans Say Churches Mixing Politics Should Lose Tax Exemption

Belhaven »

Sun Sep 27, 2009 4:51 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

"Yet no one complains about their level of influence, nor do they threaten them with full taxation" -Ender

Ender,

People DO complain about corporate breaks and undue influence on elections. If you haven't heard of this perhaps you should re-examine your news source choices.