And to follow on from my post above, getting to the actual subject matter, yes science and Biblical Creation are compatible. Mainy fundamentalist Christians would question this - I did years ago but for healths sake escaped from unhealthy pentecostalism and began thinking for myself, including puttting my interpretation on scripture, leaving behind "the you must believe this syndrome...or else!!!".
John Oxford UK

The humour above has a serious side within the Christian Church. Often people rely on divine intevention, when in fact common sense waits to point to the solutions around us. Sadly faith in God can display fanatical behaviour - elements of fundamental Christianity has a lot to answer for, e.g. where mindsets have been disturbed through the encouragement of fanatical teachings. John, Oxford UK

Anyone notice that the initials HB also stand for Holy Bible?

(Just feeling silly -- I think anyone who feels that science is a threat to religion ought to be taught that the Inquisition ended centuries ago.)

Higgs Boson flow chart:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonoberholtzer/2012/07/09/do-you-understand-higgs-boson-a-helpful-flowchart/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. When the Bible was written by people BTW, they didn't know about such things and said the earth was flat. I am a believer in God, consider myself a Christian, but the Bible is just an explainer for the masses from a much simpler time in human history.

Nonsense. Everything the Bible got wrong is a complex and intricate metaphor. Everything the Bible got right is clear evidence of inspiration by a higher power. Heads I win; tails you lose.

Okay.

Anonymous wrote:No. When the Bible was written by people BTW, they didn't know about such things and said the earth was flat. I am a believer in God, consider myself a Christian, but the Bible is just an explainer for the masses from a much simpler time in human history.

Nonsense. Everything the Bible got wrong is a complex and intricate metaphor. Everything the Bible got right is clear evidence of inspiration by a higher power. Heads I win; tails you lose.

No. When the Bible was written by people BTW, they didn't know about such things and said the earth was flat. I am a believer in God, consider myself a Christian, but the Bible is just an explainer for the masses from a much simpler time in human history.

Anonymous wrote:I heard that joke a few years ago and loved it. I can't say whether it's because I'm an atheist, despite that, or totally independent of it. I saw it as a warning not to presume to know how God is supposed to act, and that if there is a God, He finds ways to act through natural laws and human kindness.

The God I would believe in if I wanted to call myself a believer, is the Creator that made the stars and galaxies and atoms and bosons, and made matter that formed itself into living cells that evolved into ever more complex flowers, trees, kangaroos and men, rather than following entropy and diverting back to chaos; a God Who is so far beyond our comprehension that it makes no sense to try to apply human terms like good or evil; a God who could no more walk amongst us that we can enter an ant-hill.

Jesus as teacher or prophet I can comprehend, and I can understand being a Christian to follow his teachings. Or a Muslim, since he is one of ther prophets. Or a Jew, since he taught Judaism.

By my words you should know me.

This is an interesting point, and I tend to agree. Of course, the implication here is that "God" is just as likely to be what we would consider "evil" as "good".

I heard that joke a few years ago and loved it. I can't say whether it's because I'm an atheist, despite that, or totally independent of it. I saw it as a warning not to presume to know how God is supposed to act, and that if there is a God, He finds ways to act through natural laws and human kindness.

The God I would believe in if I wanted to call myself a believer, is the Creator that made the stars and galaxies and atoms and bosons, and made matter that formed itself into living cells that evolved into ever more complex flowers, trees, kangaroos and men, rather than following entropy and diverting back to chaos; a God Who is so far beyond our comprehension that it makes no sense to try to apply human terms like good or evil; a God who could no more walk amongst us that we can enter an ant-hill.

Jesus as teacher or prophet I can comprehend, and I can understand being a Christian to follow his teachings. Or a Muslim, since he is one of ther prophets. Or a Jew, since he taught Judaism.

By my words you should know me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's like that old joke. There's a flood. Man is told to evacuate. He refuses, telling the authorities, "I'll be all right -- God will provide."

The waters rise so he goes to the second floor. Sheriff comes by with a boat and tells him to get in it. Man refuses. "I'll be all right -- God will provide."

Waters get higher. He's on the roof. Helicopter comes and drops down a ladder. He refuses to climb. "I'll be all right -- God will provide!"

Waters go higher still. He drowns. He's at the Pearl Gates when he meets St. Peter. He's confused. "All my life I was told to put my faith in God, and I did, and I died in the flood," the man said. "I don't understand."

Peter shook his head. "We sent a car, a boat, and a helicopter. What else were you expecting us to do?"

Funny! It does illustrate how if good things happen, of course "God" takes the credit. If bad things happen, hey, you know, prayer's not an ATM!

God reminds me a bit of the scam Jack Abramoff and Ralph Reed were running a few years ago. They'd take millions in lobbying dollars from various Indian tribes around the country. And if favorable legislation passed, it was evidence of their incredible persuasiveness and leverage w/ GOP lawmakers. If unfavorable legislation passed? Well, don't you know, you need to give them more money!

Not sure why you are smiling after making such an offensive analogy. Shame on you. I will pray for your soul, however.

I find you presumptuousness at knowing the mind of God off-putting to say the least. If we know one thing about God, it's that he has a sense of humor.

If you are the pp, you have no business commenting on this at all. But comparing God to an illegal "scam" and fraud is patently offensive and isn't funny in the least.

Fine point, but I wasn't comparing God to an illegal "scam". I was drawing the obvious parallels between PP's misconception of God and an illegal scam. God doesn't work that way.

And surely it's a form of blasphemy to not only pretend to know the mind of God, but to presume to get offended on His behalf.