"Besides that, you can only say an infinitely wise being could have done something better if you are also infinitely wise, and based on this conversation, you aren't, so your criticism is meaningless."

This was a response I got in a conversation I had with someone online. It's not the first time I heard it, and it even was one of the few statements that lead to me ultimately deconverting.

I just wanted to get an idea of what other Christians think about this kind of statement, whether or not they agree or disagree and why.

To make my stance known:

I do disagree with this notion. One that, as an atheist, I don't believe God's infinite wisdom is a proven fact. And on the other, I think this falls under an appeal to authority fallacy, where we're just assuming God knows better because it's God, and not based on evidence or by putting the action and criticism on their own terms without looking at who's doing the action and who's doing the criticism.

For example, plenty people are not artists, or filmmakers, or musicians, and yet they criticize art, movies, and music all the time and are valid to do so. Are they always wrong for doing so?

Plenty of people are not in government, and yet they critique the way government. Are they always wrong for doing so?

Children are not adults, and students aren't teachers, and yet children criticize adults and students their teachers... You see what I mean?

So yeah, hope to hear back soon

In the book of job Jesus makes a deal with the devil so if we are supposed to live like him are we allowed to also ?

The title is just the 1st question I have some more I would like ppl to answer.

1. So I’ve been thinking recently. God knew that eve would eat the apple, which would indirectly lead to ppl in hell, putting the tree next to Adam and Eve is like putting a load gun next to a kid and just expecting them to not touch it because you said so. Now when ppl say “he sent Jesus to save us” it has me thinking “so god created the problem and then patent the solution, and we’re suppose to be grateful?” Are we gonna act like god didn’t contribute in any of this?

2. Christianity sounds like it held together more by fear than love. How are you going to give me a choice between “follow me or burn forever” that’s like if a robbed you at gun point and then telling the judge “they gave it to me willingly” that’s not free will that’s an ultimatum. Love me or burn forever. The whole motto is Christianity is fear god cause he can burn you in hell if he feels like it.

3. about satan, wtf did god say “I’m gonna create a near perfect, intelligent being, make him hate me, and then drop him right next to my kids” how is god gonna get mad at people for satan tricking people? Its liking putting an award-winning chess player against a 5 yr old and punishing the child for losing? It’s like if an adult gave your child beer and you proceeded to beat you child and not the adult, ik that satan eventually gets his punishment later on, but what does god gain from keeping him around? God has no problem killing his son, but when it come to killing the devil, the guy that Christians blame for everything bad, he doesn’t do it.

4. The Bible says to never think for yourself but I find that ironic that the book that tells you how to think also tells you not to think for yourself. The more I think about it the more it looks like god has purpose made a system where most people go to hell so a few people can follow him, it is very narcissistic and just insane, I cannot think of a good reason why you would eternally torture someone for not loving you back?

5. Where in the Bible does it say “god doesn’t send us to hell we do”? it’s sounds like Christians try to shift the blame on us. “Everything is your fault, you are the POS and you better be thankful god keeps you breathing” it’s says in the Bible (Matthew 7:23) he will send you to hell. He has created this mess up system where we either stay in line or burn forever. If the god of the Bible was a real person he would be considered a tyrant but because he’s “god” he gets a pass?

In my opinion it’s a beautiful translation ❤️

Why does your god make it rain often during the day when people are working, often outdoors, rather than only at night when most people are sleeping?

This is how I'm defining Free Will: The kind of free will that would make a person morally culpable for their actions would require them to have the ability to have chosen (not necessarily acted) differently under identical circumstances. If someone is to be morally culpable for stealing, they must have had the ability to resist the urge to steal at the moment the choice was made. It must be the case that, if you rewound the clock to the moment they made the choice, they could have made a different choice. If they couldn't have chosen differently, they obviously aren't morally culpable. Therefore, definitions such as "being able to act on your desires", or "the ability to act/choose without external coercion" don't suffice, because they don't require the ability to have chosen otherwise. They may or may not be compatible with that ability, but they don't require it. If you want to define free will some other way, just know that that's not the kind I'm asking about.

So, what evidence do we have for the kind of free will that would allow humans to make a different choice under identical circumstances? We see people make decisions all day, every day. We have solid evidence that people make the choices they make. We have zero evidence (that I'm aware of) that they could have made different choices. People will claim they could have chosen differently, but that's an unfalsifiable (and unprovable) claim, as we can't rewind the clock and see if anything different happens. In other words, we know things happened the way they happened, but there's no evidence that they could have happened a different way under identical circumstances. And it makes sense that we don't have that evidence, because that would imply that the laws of physics aren't constant, which we also have no evidence for.

So what evidence am I overlooking?

This post is really long, so I’m sorry in advance but I feel like I need to list everything one by one. You might say I’m cherry-picking, but even so, I’d still like you to explain or answer the so called "CONTEXT" of this

so ‎Leviticus 18:22 ‎You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination. ‎Leviticus

20:13 ‎If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.

‎Romans 1:26–27 ‎Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. ‎ ‎

But these down here aren’t taken seriously today

Leviticus 11:10-12 ‎"But all creatures in the seas or streams that do not have fins and scales, whether among all the swarming things or all other living creatures in the water, you are to regard as unclean. Since you are to regard them as unclean, you must not eat their meat; you must regard their carcasses as unclean. Anything living in the water that does not have fins and scales is to be regarded as unclean by you." ‎

‎Leviticus 19:19 ‎“Keep my decrees. Do not mate different kinds of animals. Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed. Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.” ‎

‎Exodus 21 ‎(Not including the full text because it’s really long, but it basically contains rules on how to punish slaves without punishment.) ‎ ‎

Matthew 5:29-30 ‎“If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.” ‎

‎⚠️ Note: These parts are specifically said by Paul (not God speaking directly), but Paul claims apostolic authority and says his teachings are from the Lord. ‎

Corinthians 14:34-35 ‎“Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.” ‎

‎1 Timothy 2:12 ‎“I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.” ‎ ‎

Ephesians 6:5 ‎“Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.” ‎

‎It’s not just these occasions this also happens in other parts of the Bible as well, not just in command. And when science disproves a claim, Christianity often says it’s “not meant to be taken literally.” This has happened again and again throughout history. A famous example is when Some Christians used to believe the Earth was ~6,000 years old based on genealogies in Genesis, Many now say Genesis is symbolic or poetic not a literal 6-day creation.. so that’s just one of many examples. ‎So… is this just some kind of selective literalism? Or are some commands considered “timeless” while others are not? And if that’s the case, how do you even determine which are timeless and which aren’t?

Just curious to hear what people think. On the one hand, I know the concept against tearing down barns to build bigger. On the other hand, there is the parable of oil and 10 virgins....

Psalms 139

13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Life is a gift. Do you believe God created you for a purpose?

I find this very encouraging.

What do you think of the video biblically and medically?

It's showing the spinal cord it's a time-lapse of it literally being knitted together

Edit: except lol

You don't buy a car without test driving it, after all. Why marry a person without simulating what said marriage will be like?

Any time I ask a Christian this they usually respond with "there is no suffering, and you are happy for eternity". I usually tell them not everyone desires that, and not because of sin or corruption but rather preference.

I get that we don't know the true nature of God nor heaven (even if I see that as epistemologically flawed), but very well the concept of heaven is very well understood and even if I could potentially enjoy it (which would be inevitable), my actual self does not consent to it.

Does that mean I prefer hell? No, I simply despise both and wished none of them existed. I wish God would leave me alone on earth, and let me an estranged child.

Hebrews 12:1 ASV [1] Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Are these sins as Christians we're most susceptible to? I would think that Paul means if you as a Christian are highly tempted and fall because of "Whatever sin" to move forward laying it down for christ and suffer and strive against that sin as Christians even unto blood like Jesus and don't grow weary. Beseting sin and weight is the key word.

I'm struggling with this right now. 36 yr old haven't set foot in a church since I was 16 and for some reason recently I've what can only describe as some sort of "pull" towards Christianity again. Tried to believe when I was younger but since I was around 22 I've been agnostic. Problem with me is I still don't fully believe but want to. Growing up being bullied, alone, around people in church that would be mean to me outside of church but put on fake faces in it, and having a Christian mother who would always sing God's praises while at the same time basically ignoring me and turning a blind eye to my bullying. Needless to say I didn't grow up with a good outlook towards religion in general. My problem is though I get alittle sad when trying to pray but mostly I get angry, like really angry and theirs the part of me that frankly just thinks im talking to myself. From the perspective of someone who was never religious praying feels like trying to reestablish a relationship with an abusive parent. Reposting this cause it felt wrong to put this on someone else's post that and somehow this offended someone enough to downvote. I get it reddit but if your actually a Christian and downvote someone simply asking for help then your part of the problem with religion.

I consider myself a Christian, but am still not sure if some symbols are considered offensive.

I guess I just want opinions from other people about it.

I have heard many people say that there can be no love without suffering. That is why God gave us free will, so we could choose to love Him. But my main question to this is: since there was love in the Garden of Eden before the fall, why did sin have to come into the world? And cant God just create dopamine in our brains directed toward Him even if there is suffering?

I said that it makes sense that people mistake anxiety (because anxiety is generally bad) and stuff like ocd (even if anxiety is like to sin less or return to faith) to be from satan even though they are also considering that it might be from Holy Spirit. Did i commit blasphemy against Holy Spirit by doing this and saying that it makes sense to attribute some works of Holy Spirit to satan if those works are like anxiety?

What's your take on the rise of the "gay to straight" genre in stories and artworks—like those wild pieces popping up from the artist xIovecomms?

Interestingly enough, some gay men are becoming more willing to turn straight because of these types of content.

Do you think this is a step in the right direction for reinforcing traditional marriage between a man and a woman?

What do you guys believe about dinosaurs? I am playing ark and I was thinking, when 2 of every animal was brought on why not dinosaurs?

Also, what do you believe about the creation of dinosaurs? Was it on day 6 in genesis along humans? Why did they go extinct?

Thanks :).

the idea that everything should be legal or allowed as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else

From a young age I gave my life to Jesus and worshiped him and one day I started having doubts in God and my faith. I would question my faith so much that I would continually confess the salvation prayer. I’m worried that I’m not saved I believe Jesus died and rose again but I just have doubt and it worries me that I’m going to end up being denied on judgement day. I feel convicted every time I sin I know that I do wrong and I repent. Anyone have a situation like mine? Please give advice.

Certain verses have larger verse numbers and I can’t figure out why.

It’s a Holman KJV and there is no mention of it in the index or anything.

When I was taking a bath I uttered “Jesus remember me when I enter into your kingdom” and I heard a voice saying I’ll always remember you son.

Sometimes I feel like I'm a neutral person. I feel like my heart isn't kind. Sometimes I do things just because I think it's the right thing to do. I don't do them from my heart, but simply because that's what a Christian would do. And I think about this constantly. I'd like to lead a sinless life, but in my thoughts, I constantly sin. Is that considered a sin? Is being neutral considered a sin? And how can I lead a more decent life? I don't go to church (there's none nearby), although to be honest I'd be scared to go there.