Homeschool World Forum

I don't know, those Bible verses do tend towards the interpretation that the Bible is inherently perfect. Given, not all English translations of the Bible are equally well done, but if you go back to the original source in Greek or Hebrew and it says x, you have to believe that x is what is meant. 6 days for Creation and the 7th for rest is not a metaphor for whatever time span you feel like, for instance - the wording is quite specific.

On the other hand, I don't believe there's a Bible verse specifically prohibiting homosexuality, for instance, so if you take the Bible 100% literally and don't look further, you might assume that homosexuality is ok. In point of fact, however, Sodom (where the word sodomy comes from) was a town full of homosexuals, and it was considered so evil by God that it was destroyed by fire (volcanic eruption?) You do have to search a little for meaning when something has not been specifically stated one way or the other.

The only instances in the Bible where a whole area gets destroyed is when the people are totally godless and depraved. That means that the people of Sodom were totally godless and depraved, and what they attempted to do was therefore also godless and depraved. And I don't think you can logically claim that homosexuality was ok, it was the townspeople attempting to molest angels (in disguise...) that was not - since the two items can't really be separated from one another.

We seem to be straying very far off-topic here.

I agree, we have strayed quite off topic here. It is afterall a science forum.

If you want to discuss theology though, I have to admit that I am an atheist. I used to be a religious person (Baptist) when I was younger. And, by the way, not all scientists are atheists, some are quite religious. I just happen to not be one of them. I have trouble believing in one creator when there are so many different religions in the world-past and present. They can't all be right, but each one claims to be the true faith. Even within Christianity, different denominations have vastly different beliefs and each one thinks that the other denominations are wrong and often times that they will burn in hell for it. Most, not all, people just believe in whatever their families believe in. They don't research the different denominations, let alone other religious beliefs, so how do they know that they are right?

I also have trouble believing in an egotistical god who will only let you into heaven if you believe that he/she/it exists. I might live more ethically and make more moral decisions than someone who believes in god, but lives an amoral existance, but I would be doomed to hell while the sinner is allowed into heaven. That doesn't sit right with me. I also don't think it is right that someone who choses the wrong faith would be doomed, especially since those who chose correctly usually didn't do so by conscious choice; they were only following the beliefs of their families. If such a god exists, then I choose not to follow him/her/it.

I also can't accept that a benevolent god would allow suffering, especially of children. I can't accept the "it's not for us to understand god's plan" attitude about such things.

I also can't accept the violence that surrounds true-believers of any faith. There has been and continues to be alot of killing of non-believers of that particular faith be it Christianity, Islam, or many other religions. Jews, homosexuals, and others were put to death in Nazi concentration camps. Muslims have gone on jihads. Homosexuals, Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Jews, Protestants, Catholics, etc. have all been killed in backstreets or run out of the neighborhood/city/country. There is very little tolerance for those who have different beliefs.

Christians believe that humans are endowed with a special soul and were created in God's image, so they have a tendency to believe that the other life forms on this planet are there to be used/abused as humans see fit. By elevating humans above nature, they fail to see how they are a part of nature. Plants and animals don't have the same rights as humans. For a long time, people believed that animals didn't have emotions, even though it is clear that they do. Who cares if we treat animals humanely? Who cares if this development eradicates an owl or a liverwort?

Anyway, I'm quite willing to accept that I could be wrong and that there might be a god and a hell. I'm perfectly willing to accept that others believe differently than I do and that is their right. I just don't like it when others try to impose their beliefs on me and try to outlaw valid medical procedures, impose prayer in schools, advocate abstinence-only sex ed programs, cut funding to global health initiatives because some small part of it might include information about abortions, ban nude statues or other art forms, picket soldiers funerals because they happened to be gay, try to keep gays from marrying or adopting children or from teaching their children, try to push religious beliefs into science classrooms, etc. As you may notice, I am one of those annoying liberals!