From: PASAlist@aol.com
Date: Sun May 18 2003 - 19:52:35 EDT
Jim wrote,
> I can't help but determine
> that you are engaging in special pleading.
>
> Words attributed to a deity are shown to be inaccurate.
> Instead of concluding these were merely human words, you
> determine the deity was being compassionate (accommodating,
> in your words).
>
> Personally, I think you have other reasons for believing.
> The sad state of religion today is that religious people
> rely on highly subjective personal experience. That's
> not scholarship.
>
Of course I have other reasons for believing. I make no apology for that. I
have met Jesus Christ. He by his Spirit changed my life. He by his Spirit
moves in my life. But, this is not purely subjective. If I have to give a
reason for the hope that is within me, I can point to the acts of God in
history--both in my life and in the lives of others who have met him, seen
most definitively in his resurrection which rests upon the testimony of eye
witnesses. There is an objective as well as a subjective basis for my faith.
He is there and he is there for those who surrender their lives to
him----including you. This includes surrending your rationalism, not your
reason, but your rationalism, your FAITH that you can know about God by
reason alone.
You want to be resonable? OK. Let's take your reasoning above. God spoke
words shown to be (scientifically) inaccurate. From this premise you draw
the conclusion that therefore these were merely human words. OK. Put this in
a logical syllagism. You have only given us the Major premise and the
conclusion. What is the minor premise? The validity of the conclusion is
contingent upon the minor premise. Without a sound minor premise, you do not
have a logical conclusion, you do not have a truly reasonable conclusion.
Since your statements imply that your current religion demands that you not
rest your faith on subjectivity, along with giving us the minor premise, give
the proof that the minor premise is not just special pleading, is not just
based upon subjectivity. Give the objective scientific basis that the minor
premise is resting on.
You've come a long ways, from YEC to atheism, I applaud your growth. But, so
far all of your religions have rested upon the same minor premise. Now let's
see what that minor premise is resting on, especially as found in atheism.
I'm not after winning an argument. I'm after you. You want to be ABSOLUTELY
honest? I want you to be absolutely honest too, and I have no doubt that God
wants this too. He is light and in him is no darkness at all.
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