Religion: pros & cons (Religion)

by Balance_Maintained , U.S.A., Tuesday, September 16, 2014, 22:52 (3503 days ago) @ dhw

DHW: I didn't think there would be much for you to disagree with. What I have written is only an attempt to redress what I felt was an imbalance in your earlier statement, and despite all our disagreements over evolution, religion, God's existence, nature and motives etc., I feel very strongly that we share the same humanitarian values. One of the great pleasures I've derived from this website is the bond created between people genuinely searching for explanations - a bond that was epitomized by David's unforgettable trip to England. Even though we still fight like cat and dog! 
> -Absolutely, and that is the prime reason I hang around here! We can all disagree, sometimes quite spiritedly, but we all respect each other and I think of you as friends. I would not feel at all out of place having these same discussions over coffee/tea/beer or your particular poison of choice.-
>DHW: Re the references to Job, John and Matthew, I didn't realize you believed in Satan. I just remember you not believing in hell. I see no reason at all to believe in Satan, let alone that he is currently ruling the earth. Humans are doing that, with the inevitable mixture of good and bad, love and hate, beauty and ugliness with which Nature or your God has endowed them. Incidentally, I seem to remember we also had a major disagreement over the story of Job, from which I feel your God comes out very badly! But as David always reminds us, even theists need to remember that the Bible was written by various fallible humans, and in most cases we can't tell fiction from fact.-Why should I believe in God, or Christ, or angels, but not the other spirit creatures mentioned? I don't pick and choose what to believe, I simply make sure that I can back up my interpretations of what is there both within the bible, and wherever possible, through science/history. That is what got religions so messed up to begin with. -You see no reason to believe in Satan, and considering that that you do not believe(nor dis-believe) in God, that is not surprising at all. However, if you do believe in God, the reality of Satan is abundantly clear. Just as is the reality of Anti-matter in the material world. While the bible was indeed penned by man, I do believe it to be inspired, which is in fact all that the bible itself claims. 2 Tim 3:13

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What is the purpose of living? How about, 'to reduce needless suffering. It seems to me to be a worthy purpose.