What's the point of debating with Christians?

[postroad]

They decide which texts are literal and which are allegory. They decide what a word really means.

I find it a bit depressing. I could even cope with it if they came to a consensus. I'm thinking of Paul's use of the Hebrew Scriptures. He simply had no respect for context or even the correct rendering?

Apologists will claim he had the authority under Holy Spirit to do so. Are believers claiming the same authority when they bend the texts to fit their beliefs?

Is that what is meant by Spiritual discernment?

I find it particularly disturbing when I'm accused of eisegesis when assuming the literal interpretation of a text. I'm required to defend the plain reading and accused of attempting to force the text into a preconceived interpretation simultaneously?

[Tcg]

[Replying to post 9 by Tcg]

Im trying to go deeper than surface level. Now instances of what he claims can occur but the generalisation makes the claim absurd and we know postroad is not absurd so we know to look deeper.

Absurdity is ignoring the clear message postroad has given.


Neither postroad nor the message postraod has clearly stated is absurd.


There is no need to search for a nonexistent "deeper level".





Tcg

[Tcg]

[Replying to post 9 by Tcg]

Im trying to go deeper than surface level.

Your post represents a guessing game no matter how you seek to justify it.


postroad stated quite clearly in post 1 what his concerns are.


There is no need to hunt for some mysterious unstated reason when his reasons are stated clearly in post 1.





Tcg

[Tcg]

[Replying to post 1 by postroad]

Our souls cry out for God and so we seek out Christians.

Then it must be as equally true that theists seek relief from their belief in god/gods so they seek out atheists.

It's natural. Talking about God is a joy.

Talking about god/gods is amusing. That certainly includes some level of joy.

But what happened specifically Postroad? Maybe you, Jagella and I can get to the bottom of it?

When did psychoanalysis become a component of debate?




Tcg

[Jagella]

I suppose it just makes God into a liar?

Well, apologetics often makes the Christian religion out to be a "liar" in that apologists must contradict their own Bible to defend the Bible. People will notice this conflict and learn that they're being lied to. So keep fighting the good fight, and some day the truth will shine through.

[postroad]

[Replying to post 22 by Tcg]


I have had psychological techniques directed at me for most of my fifty years. They must be successful in many instances for it to be so popular.

I suppose that if the threat of hellfire didn't work on a four year old then the appeal to some perceived existential longing won't either.

It's been attempted frequently over the years nevertheless.

I occurred to me that these believers represent something entirely different from that which I encounter in daily life.

The most of Christianity isn't able to compartmentalise the conflicting testimony that is required from in depth study of the Scriptures.

I'm reminded of the Bible studies from my youth. It seemed infantile even at more advanced levels.

The bobble heads nodding agreement as the teacher drew a picture of a person inside a circle labeled "free will" Then a circle around the smaller circle that he labeled "God's sovereignty" He didn't like my comment that it looked like a hamster spinning its wheel in a cage.

[postroad]

[Replying to post 23 by Jagella]

Yes. The techniques employed to counter the skeptics often border on the absurd. The self evident fact that the apologists disagree amongst themselves doesn't help them either.

[Wootah]

[Replying to postroad]

Just to clarify ... you are making absurd generalisations deliberately?

[postroad]

[Replying to post 26 by Wootah]

I had a momentary lapse in which I forgot that the apologists don't represent all of Christianity. There isn't even anything resembling a unity of belief anyway.

[1213]

... I'm thinking of Paul's use of the Hebrew Scriptures. He simply had no respect for context or even the correct rendering?...

Please show one example, why you think so?

[postroad]

Double post.