Comments on: Some Remarks on Biblical Prophecy http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/08/some-remarks-on-biblical-prophecy.html NIGHTTIME IS FOR DREAMING. DAYLIGHT IS FOR ACTION. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 02:42:42 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Steve Bowen http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/08/some-remarks-on-biblical-prophecy.html#comment-47047 Steve Bowen Wed, 13 May 2009 11:52:14 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/08/some-remarks-on-biblical-prophecy.html#comment-47047 <blockquote>I am not saying the story of adam and eve is the correct way to portray the creator but to believe particles in space exploded and became our solar system over millions of years we evolved into complicated human beings. Just not something I can believe.</blockquote>Che, This is often called the argument from incredulity. Just because you can't believe it doesn't mean it didn't happen. Try thinking of the events leading up to complex life (humans are really no more evolved than any other organism) as happening over very very long periods in very small increments. Each increment is possible even if the overall journey seems incredible.

I am not saying the story of adam and eve is the correct way to portray the creator but to believe particles in space exploded and became our solar system over millions of years we evolved into complicated human beings. Just not something I can believe.

Che, This is often called the argument from incredulity. Just because you can't believe it doesn't mean it didn't happen. Try thinking of the events leading up to complex life (humans are really no more evolved than any other organism) as happening over very very long periods in very small increments. Each increment is possible even if the overall journey seems incredible.

]]> By: CHE http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/08/some-remarks-on-biblical-prophecy.html#comment-47001 CHE Tue, 12 May 2009 19:48:07 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/08/some-remarks-on-biblical-prophecy.html#comment-47001 There is only one absolute in life and that is there are no absolutes. No one can explain life to another human being and know 100% of what the hell they are talking about. Just because we haven't seen or experienced something doesn't make it not exist. But just because someone has percieved to have seen or experienced something does not make it real or evidence that it is real. I think religion is mans way of trying to understand life and creation. It's noble but in alot of ways it's been turned into wickedness and corruption. There is only one absolute in life and that is there are no absolutes. No one can explain life to another human being and know 100% of what the hell they are talking about. Just because we haven't seen or experienced something doesn't make it not exist. But just because someone has percieved to have seen or experienced something does not make it real or evidence that it is real. I think religion is mans way of trying to understand life and creation. It's noble but in alot of ways it's been turned into wickedness and corruption.

]]> By: CHE http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/08/some-remarks-on-biblical-prophecy.html#comment-47000 CHE Tue, 12 May 2009 19:44:47 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/08/some-remarks-on-biblical-prophecy.html#comment-47000 I grew up in christianity and the past year came to the conclusion that no man can prove that God 100% exists or doesn't exsist. I will say that I believe the bible isn't as sacred as they have made it to be. Christ may not have even walked the earth since there was no written accounts of him while he was alive until 70 years after he "died". But I don't think that I can still come to the conclusion that there is NO GOD whatsoever because christianity can be picked apart by a second grader. I just think that based on the spledor of our universe and the complicated way our body works perfectly together there has to be some type of Creator out there, he/she or it. I am not saying the story of adam and eve is the correct way to portray the creator but to believe particles in space exploded and became our solar system over millions of years we evolved into complicated human beings. Just not something I can believe. But I will say I am a step closer to athiesm which is agnostic. I believe there is a God out there just not the by humans definition because no finite creature can understand the infinite. I grew up in christianity and the past year came to the conclusion that no man can prove that God 100% exists or doesn't exsist. I will say that I believe the bible isn't as sacred as they have made it to be. Christ may not have even walked the earth since there was no written accounts of him while he was alive until 70 years after he "died".
But I don't think that I can still come to the conclusion that there is NO GOD whatsoever because christianity can be picked apart by a second grader. I just think that based on the spledor of our universe and the complicated way our body works perfectly together there has to be some type of Creator out there, he/she or it. I am not saying the story of adam and eve is the correct way to portray the creator but to believe particles in space exploded and became our solar system over millions of years we evolved into complicated human beings. Just not something I can believe.
But I will say I am a step closer to athiesm which is agnostic. I believe there is a God out there just not the by humans definition because no finite creature can understand the infinite.

]]> By: Tommykey http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/08/some-remarks-on-biblical-prophecy.html#comment-26307 Tommykey Mon, 20 Aug 2007 14:58:29 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/08/some-remarks-on-biblical-prophecy.html#comment-26307 The book of Isaiah speaks of the Nile River drying up, but it never has. ISaiah also has a passage in which the Israelites will have foreign kings and queens kneeling before them But such a thing never happened. Instead it was the Israelites who had their kingdom destroyed and were scattered. The book of Isaiah speaks of the Nile River drying up, but it never has. ISaiah also has a passage in which the Israelites will have foreign kings and queens kneeling before them But such a thing never happened. Instead it was the Israelites who had their kingdom destroyed and were scattered.

]]> By: Richard http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/08/some-remarks-on-biblical-prophecy.html#comment-26273 Richard Sun, 19 Aug 2007 06:08:59 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/08/some-remarks-on-biblical-prophecy.html#comment-26273 It is very clear that the gospel writers were trolling through the Old Testament to find "prophecies." Some of them are so ridiculously out of context and were taken from the Septuagint and not the original Hebrew. It is easy to say something is fulfilled after the fact. Just look at what people do with Nostradamus. Richard <a href="http://lifewithoutfaith.com" rel="nofollow">http://lifewithoutfaith.com</a> It is very clear that the gospel writers were trolling through the Old Testament to find "prophecies." Some of them are so ridiculously out of context and were taken from the Septuagint and not the original Hebrew. It is easy to say something is fulfilled after the fact. Just look at what people do with Nostradamus.

Richard
http://lifewithoutfaith.com

]]> By: Matt R http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/08/some-remarks-on-biblical-prophecy.html#comment-26269 Matt R Sun, 19 Aug 2007 02:02:25 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/08/some-remarks-on-biblical-prophecy.html#comment-26269 Hi Jeff T. <blockquote>Religion will either vanish over time due to the overwhelming evidence against it, or it will wipe us out with its violent hatred and prejudice.</blockquote> Good one! I always appreciate irony. Cheers, Matt Hi Jeff T.

Religion will either vanish over time due to the overwhelming evidence against it, or it will wipe us out with its violent hatred and prejudice.

Good one! I always appreciate irony.

Cheers,

Matt

]]> By: Robert Madewell http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/08/some-remarks-on-biblical-prophecy.html#comment-26259 Robert Madewell Sat, 18 Aug 2007 22:04:51 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/08/some-remarks-on-biblical-prophecy.html#comment-26259 Tyre, Lebanon appears to be a hustling and busy city for a non-existant one. I love google maps. It's funny that in the Bible you read about prophecy that comes true later in the bible (sometimes in the same book of the bible). Kinda like a neighbor of a serial killer saying, "I knew that boy was trouble!" a day after the serial killer is arrested and reported on TV. The statue in the book of Daniel is a prime example. The various parts of the statue represents the succession of empires after Babylon. The text says that the persians will conquer babylon. Those empires are all gone now, so how does that prove anything to us now? I think that the book of daniel was written after the fact, then the author said, "I told you so!" Tyre, Lebanon appears to be a hustling and busy city for a non-existant one. I love google maps.

It's funny that in the Bible you read about prophecy that comes true later in the bible (sometimes in the same book of the bible). Kinda like a neighbor of a serial killer saying, "I knew that boy was trouble!" a day after the serial killer is arrested and reported on TV. The statue in the book of Daniel is a prime example. The various parts of the statue represents the succession of empires after Babylon. The text says that the persians will conquer babylon. Those empires are all gone now, so how does that prove anything to us now? I think that the book of daniel was written after the fact, then the author said, "I told you so!"

]]> By: John Nernoff III M.D. http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/08/some-remarks-on-biblical-prophecy.html#comment-26245 John Nernoff III M.D. Sat, 18 Aug 2007 02:29:16 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/08/some-remarks-on-biblical-prophecy.html#comment-26245 Even if certain prophecies were accurately predictive, that doesn't mean there is a traditional "God" with omnimax properties. The prophecies could have been due to alternative, albeit unlikely, reasons such as time trave or aliens or other advanced civilizations. If anything unusual happens (such as the art of prophecy under discussion) why is "God" almost always invoked? Moreover what IS the "God" supposed to be? I am hoping Ebonmuse will some day address the issue of non-cognitivism. Even if certain prophecies were accurately predictive, that doesn't mean there is a traditional "God" with omnimax properties. The prophecies could have been due to alternative, albeit unlikely, reasons such as time trave or aliens or other advanced civilizations. If anything unusual happens (such as the art of prophecy under discussion) why is "God" almost always invoked?

Moreover what IS the "God" supposed to be? I am hoping Ebonmuse will some day address the issue of non-cognitivism.

]]> By: Jeff T. http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/08/some-remarks-on-biblical-prophecy.html#comment-26244 Jeff T. Sat, 18 Aug 2007 01:47:39 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/08/some-remarks-on-biblical-prophecy.html#comment-26244 It is sad that many people fail to put any effort into researching their belief system. How hard would it have been to go to the Internet and do a google on Tyre? I would have at least done that before declaring that God had wiped it off the face of the earth several thousand years ago. I remember as a young child asking where the bible came from. The answer given to me was, "God wrote it". I will make a prophesy: Religion will either vanish over time due to the overwhelming evidence against it, or it will wipe us out with its violent hatred and prejudice. Granted, this prophecy is not time bounded, but it is better than most old testament ones or the ones made by new age astrology. It is sad that many people fail to put any effort into researching their belief system. How hard would it have been to go to the Internet and do a google on Tyre? I would have at least done that before declaring that God had wiped it off the face of the earth several thousand years ago.

I remember as a young child asking where the bible came from. The answer given to me was, "God wrote it".

I will make a prophesy: Religion will either vanish over time due to the overwhelming evidence against it, or it will wipe us out with its violent hatred and prejudice. Granted, this prophecy is not time bounded, but it is better than most old testament ones or the ones made by new age astrology.

]]> By: Lynet http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/08/some-remarks-on-biblical-prophecy.html#comment-26241 Lynet Fri, 17 Aug 2007 23:36:14 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/08/some-remarks-on-biblical-prophecy.html#comment-26241 <blockquote>If these folks really want to impress us atheists, show us where in the OT that the discovery of DNA was predicted? Or that we inhabit a distant arm of the Milky Way? Or, simply, that the earth is a fucking sphere.</blockquote> To be fair, I don't think knowledge of a spherical Earth would be evidence of divine origin. There were ancient Greeks who had that one figured out.

If these folks really want to impress us atheists, show us where in the OT that the discovery of DNA was predicted? Or that we inhabit a distant arm of the Milky Way? Or, simply, that the earth is a fucking sphere.

To be fair, I don't think knowledge of a spherical Earth would be evidence of divine origin. There were ancient Greeks who had that one figured out.

]]> By: J http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/08/some-remarks-on-biblical-prophecy.html#comment-26236 J Fri, 17 Aug 2007 21:09:46 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/08/some-remarks-on-biblical-prophecy.html#comment-26236 Even if these prophecies were more "accurate" (and they are nothing like accurate), they still aren't terribly convincing because they all describe events <i>in the past</i>. How hard could it be for a prophecy to "come true" when both the prophecy and the event it supposedly predicted are <i>in the past</i>? How difficult would it be for a chronicler--especially for a book written thousands of years ago and covering thousands of years of history--to, shall we say, "ensure" that such-and-such prophecy "came true" through scribal? Now I doubt they'd do it cynically--changing the historical record in full knowledge of their own deception--but rather through ignorance of what was really prophesied or what really happened afterwards. Most premillennial Christians reading Revelation assume that references to "Rome" mean "the Vatican" rather than the more obvious reading that Rome meant the Roman Empire which existed at the time of Revelation's authorship. Even if these prophecies were more "accurate" (and they are nothing like accurate), they still aren't terribly convincing because they all describe events in the past. How hard could it be for a prophecy to "come true" when both the prophecy and the event it supposedly predicted are in the past?

How difficult would it be for a chronicler--especially for a book written thousands of years ago and covering thousands of years of history--to, shall we say, "ensure" that such-and-such prophecy "came true" through scribal? Now I doubt they'd do it cynically--changing the historical record in full knowledge of their own deception--but rather through ignorance of what was really prophesied or what really happened afterwards. Most premillennial Christians reading Revelation assume that references to "Rome" mean "the Vatican" rather than the more obvious reading that Rome meant the Roman Empire which existed at the time of Revelation's authorship.

]]> By: Will E. http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/08/some-remarks-on-biblical-prophecy.html#comment-26231 Will E. Fri, 17 Aug 2007 15:56:13 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/08/some-remarks-on-biblical-prophecy.html#comment-26231 From what I remember of my OT class in college, prophecy wasn't even intended as foretelling the *exact* future, but as a warning of what *could* happen if Israel/Judea didn't straighten up their acts. If these folks really want to impress us atheists, show us where in the OT that the discovery of DNA was predicted? Or that we inhabit a distant arm of the Milky Way? Or, simply, that the earth is a fucking sphere. Or anything *real*. Carl Sagan discusses this kind of thing in "Varieties of Scientific Experience." From what I remember of my OT class in college, prophecy wasn't even intended as foretelling the *exact* future, but as a warning of what *could* happen if Israel/Judea didn't straighten up their acts. If these folks really want to impress us atheists, show us where in the OT that the discovery of DNA was predicted? Or that we inhabit a distant arm of the Milky Way? Or, simply, that the earth is a fucking sphere. Or anything *real*. Carl Sagan discusses this kind of thing in "Varieties of Scientific Experience."

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