Honestly, I don't know what caused the Big Bang - and I am fine with saying that. Just because I don't know doesn't mean I have to attribute it to any sort of God. Maybe one day we will know what triggered it...maybe we won't...either way it probably will not happen in our lifetimes. My skepticism of Christianity is rooted in theological issues surrounding its core teachings - not creationist myths or theories.
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I can assure you I know plenty - I spent the largest portion of my life totally involved in church. I even taught bible classes and participated on a college level debate team. You aren't by any chance Presbyterian or CoG are you? I was not - but judging by your posts that is what denomination I would say you identify with. Sorry if my other post was out of line with your beliefs...but based on what you were saying about these alleged Satanists I figured it would be somewhat in line. I suppose I should of let you speak for yourself.
I can assure you I know plenty - I spent the largest portion of my life totally involved in church. I even taught bible classes and participated on a college level debate team. You aren't by any chance Presbyterian or CoG are you? I was not - but judging by your posts that is what denomination I would say you identify with. Sorry if my other post was out of line with your beliefs...but based on what you were saying about these alleged Satanists I figured it would be somewhat in line. I suppose I should of let you speak for yourself.
I thought you two were buds
Never said I was a total unbeliever - on a fundamental level I still think the teachings of Christianity regarding loving your neighbor, taking care of the less fortunate, loving your parents, etc. are all kosher. It would take me ages to explain it - but in a nutshell - I do not believe that a god who loves us as a father loves his son would allow us to go to a place of ever lasting torment after we die. I believe in punishment - but the punishment should fit the crime - no crime is worth suffering over for eternity! Also, if god is truly omnipotent - then he knows the past, present, and future of your life - if you are classified as a non-believer then in essence he allowed you to be born only to be destined for failure. There is no way you can believe in an omnipotent god and free-will - they just don't jive. You can say whatever you want, but for the most part you are Christian because of your parents and the fact that you were born in America. If you were adopted at birth and raised in Iraq you would be a Muslim. I cannot comprehend how a force of "good" would seemingly allow so many people to be led to their destruction. The Bible states that narrow is the path which leads to salvation - wide is the path with leads to destruction. Why would he create us just so that he could send the majority of us to a hell? That just doesn't make sense to me.
I grew up in a non-denominational Christian church but didn't grasp the Gospel until I went through the whole New Testament on my own. The Gospel is clear, salvation by faith alone in Christ alone and not by following a code. Righteousness transferred to the believer instantaneously by the work of Christ on the cross. When I grasped that I was blown away by the uniqueness of Christianity and it was the only possible solution to my sin. Man can't make up the Gospel. It's much too beautiful.
