Did you ever notice?

Bob, I don't understand your last post here at all.

Quote: FrGamble

Bob, I don't understand your last post here at all.

You said I have to ask the hard questions.
There are only TWO questions that count.
Is there evidence of god, and is sin real.
The answer to both is a resounding no.
Case closed, there can be no other questions.

FrGamble needs to realize that you cannot convince one of God's existence via reason. It takes one's own spiritual epiphany to see Him. What that looks like is unique to anyone. People also have an epiphany that their church is failing him and that the God they imagined does not exist.

The best a Christian can do is demonstrate the character of God via example.

Quote: boymimbo

FrGamble needs to realize that you cannot convince one of God's existence via reason. It takes one's own spiritual epiphany to see Him. What that looks like is unique to anyone. People also have an epiphany that their church is failing him and that the God they imagined does not exist.

The best a Christian can do is demonstrate the character of God via example.

Here you are conflating a belief in God with an experience of the supernatural. I agree that conversion does not happen via reason alone. However, conversion is not devoid of reason. God gave us a brain to use it, it forms a foundation upon which God can meet us in a spiritual epiphany. My point here is often that belief in God is far more reasonable than atheism.

By far the best a Christian can do is demonstrate the character of God via example because I think Christians, including myself, are our own worst enemies. We shoot ourselves in the foot by not following the example of Jesus so that when people reasonably come close to recognizing the truth of Jesus Christ the examples of Christians who did not demonstrate God's love comes into their minds and they fail to pursue it further.

Quote: boymimbo

It takes one's own spiritual epiphany to see Him. .

Or really good acid or mushrooms. I know
a guy who saw a blue elephant on an acid
trip.

I don't think the Apostles or early disciples or St. Augustine or St. Thomas Aquinas or my grandmother or I were or have ever used acid or mushrooms.

Quote: FrGamble

My point here is often that belief in God is far more reasonable than atheism.

Atheism isn't based on reason, it's based
on evidence. Christianity would be a
reasonable choice if the maniacal god
of the OT had sent a son here to save
us. But such a god doesn't exist, so
atheism is the only choice.

You wholeheartedly want to believe in
your religion, so you find every excuse to
do so. It's called clinical self delusion.

Quote: Evenbob

Atheism isn't based on reason, it's based
on evidence.

This is a false dichotomy. Something based on reason is based on evidence. I have yet to hear any evidence for the position of atheism.

Quote: FrGamble

I don't think the Apostles or early disciples or St. Augustine or St. Thomas Aquinas or my grandmother or I were or have ever used acid or mushrooms.

You have Kool Aid instead.

Quote: FrGamble

I have yet to hear any evidence for the position of atheism.

Atheism is based on lack of evidence, duh. It's
a negative stance, it's a lack of a belief. There
is no reasoning involved, there's nothing to base
reason on.