Dear NNS,

We really don’t know if there is a God. If there is a God we don’t know that the Bible tells us about that God. There may be a God, and that God is not described in the Bible. I cannot believe in a God that would destroy almost all life on earth in a flood because he got annoyed at a human behavior when he created them with tendencies to behave badly. I cannot believe in a God who would tell a man to sacrifice his son and would submit his own son to torture.

We don’t know that God isn’t positively delighted with homosexuality. You believe that the Bible is the work of God. How do you know that? I think, if there is a God, he cannot be the mean son of a bitch described in the Bible.

I think Christianity is absolute rubbish. If God is all-powerful, all-wise and all-good why should he need Jesus?

To David F. You might not know there is a God. But I know God is real. I can see where you might come from (at least partially) but I can't wear the same doubt you wear.

Some things are the way they are, and it's just known. It might be verified several times or only a few, but you know The love from your family, it is not something you can hang a doubt on. Unless you really don't know it. I would not ask you to hang doubt on you as if it was a shirt regarding your love for your kids or their love for you. And if they do love you as I assume by how you've written about you and them bring enriched through college, then the best you could probabley do to a parent who's kids don't love them is try to understand them from a distance. Understand where their coming from, but not closer then that.

(Continued)

In the same way I can understand your doubts, if you've never found God. And I can understand the bias to not not believe and to not look. I understand that bias from a different angle watching people hold to their beliefs and their doubts regarding faith, or regarding theology, or regarding life in general. Some things people won't challenge because they already know. (Why test the love of your family? All it will do is strain the relationship.). Other things people won't challenge because they believe something but haven't had a chance to confirm it or challenge it. (Some of the most depressing perspectives stem from thinking how the world really works and not giving people a chance. They are biased beliefs and generalizations usually.).

Others believe and know something and allow it to be challenged, and come out stronger in that knowledge of it. God has let me challenge Him on a few occasions of desperation. He came through for me on those times. There is no doubt that I can hang on to whether God exists. But U'm sorry for you that you don't know or never knew. The way you feel about education enriching your life, I feel about God enriching mine. And I'm sorry for you to not know that kind of stability.

With that in mind though, knowing God is real is just the first step. Seeking Him is anthoer thing entirely. It is from seeking Him that I've come to trust the bible. For those who what to know what God wants, I recommend to read it in the bible.

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Dear Not Now Soon,

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I tend to think there might be some truth in the theories of Jewish scholars Heinrich Graetz (1817-1891) and Hyam Maccoby (1924-2004).

According to Maccoby, the founding of Christianity as a religion separate from Judaism was entirely the work of Saul of Tarsus. He claimed that Saul was a Hellenized Jewish convert or perhaps even a Gentile, coming from a background exposed to the influence of Gnosticism and the pagan mystery religions such as the Attis cult, a myth involving a life-death-rebirth deity. The mystery religions were the dominant religious forms in the Hellenistic world of that period and would have influenced Paul's mythological psychology.

In this, Maccoby's view was based on that of Heinrich Graetz.

According to Graetz, Jesus was probably an Essene. The Essenes were a Jewish sect that lived in the desert, with strict dietary laws and a commitment to celibacy.

The Essenes are believed to be an offshoot of the group that lived in Qumran, near the Dead Sea where, in 1947, a Bedouin shepherd stumbled into a cave containing various ancient artifacts and jars containing manuscripts describing the beliefs of the sect and events of the time.

Though Saul of Tarsus never met Jesus, some scholars think he had some sort of revelation or hallucination on the road to Damascus that resulted in his religious conversion, though whether the incident actually occurred or not remains a matter of debate.

It would therefore be more prudent to consider that :

« … if a person does want to [be] guided by the bible, then they have to come to terms with Saul (not "God") rejecting homosexual sex. On that note though, sex outside of marriage is rejected by Saul also ».

Faith in “the bible”, in this instance, is simply faith in Saul’s letter to the Romans. As “God” (presuming there is one) could not possibly have subscribed to what the tentmaker wrote in his letter because, as we know today, homosexuality is a perfectly natural phenomenon observed in in all animal species without exception :

http://pactiss.org/2011/11/17/1500-animal-species-practice-homosexuality/

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Dear NNS,

You wrote: “if you've never found God. And I can understand the bias to not not believe and to not look.”

Dear NNS,

I have looked more than you will ever know. I have come to the conclusion that all religions are just man made organized superstition. You don’t know. You have told us how little you know of other beliefs. You haven’t looked, and you assume others are as ignorant and uncurious as you are. You know only your superstition, and you want to push it on others. You believe, and you confuse that with knowing. At some time all religions have been invented by human beings. Other human beings believe them. They get excited about the way humans conduct themselves sexually. It’s nobody else’s business what part of a human body goes into an orifice in another human’s body as long as all parties concerned are consenting adults, care is taken to avoid pregnancy and spread of disease. Believers oppress, suppress, torture, exile and kill other people who don’t accept the particular form of superstition they accept. I am a happily married man with a wife I love dearly. Not everyone is or can be in that situation. For those who prefer to form lasting attachments including sex to people of the same sex go to it. It cuts down the spread of disease. It counters uncontrolled population explosion. It brings them happiness. You would deny them that happiness because you apparently think everyone should share your superstition.

You make the assumption that I haven’t looked. I’ve looked, thought about it and think I am well informed on the subject. If you knew anything about other superstitions you might still follow yours, but don’t assume others are ignorant of your superstition. It is possible to investigate superstition and reject adopting it. Maybe if you looked at other religions you might get some insight about your beliefs.

David F. Calm down. I didn't insult you. I don't know if you've searched for God in the past but I do know that you don't care to look for Him now. It's evidant in what you write and what you say. And it does create a bias. I can see that much. Sheesh man, calm your little butt down. I can also tell by your side of the conversation that you haven't found God. Therefore I stand by what I've said earlier. Do not take it as insult. also don't project your actions onto me. This conversation started with the subject of theology, and specifically about divorce. I entered the conversation with that in mind. What did you come here for? To push your doubts onto me? I've explained it well enough to you why I can not wear your doubts as you do. And I have not pushed my beliefs down your throat. You came here, and addressed me first. I didn't go to you.

Regarding homosexuality, what I've said is mostly to those who are homosexual and also believe in God. To those that aren't Christian and are homosexual, my message is short. Seek God and be aware of your enviornment. Make sure it's not like the discription I've been told. If it is, get out and away from that community.

You got some anger issues to work through David. Don't try to vent them on me like I'm your punching bag. Work out your anger on your own instead of trying to start a fight, or instead of getting insulted over nothing.