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Again, you're taking the bible literally. Not even everybody who believes in the bible does that. And I'm not 'clinging' to anything. I'm stating a fact: that there is no proof of something means just that: no proof. Not that it doesn't exist, just that there is no proof. And since there's no proof on EITHER side, it's pointless to bring it up. Look, if some religious nut came in here 'tarding the board up about how we should all convert (wouldn't be the first time), I'd be making the same point against them: no proof, so it's useless to bring it up.
And the fact that people use religion to commit atrocities only proves that PEOPLE are flawed. Example: Islamic religion says that if so much as a tree dies for your cause then it's not a true holy war. Yet, here's a bunch of nuts flying various airbourne vehicles into buildings in the name of Islam. Now, in what way is that Islam's fault? It isn't. It's the people's fault, NOTHING else's. The people who do these things are terrible people who would kill anyways, just under the guise of something else
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I've already given you an angle on all of these elements.
I cannot possibly cover the ins and outs of every single person's ideal version of a religion, but you highlight yet another flimsy aspect to it when it comes to people choosing which bits of an order they will not subscribe to or convince themselves not to understand because they are difficult or do not fit in with their way of life. Yet religion is supposed to be a way of life - if you're going to doctor the doctrines to suit, the power of the principles is weakened and lost. So not taking The Bible literally is very convenient indeed, and quite self serving - God will be turning in his massive grave upon hearing about all these half-hearted children of his 'kind of' listening to him, filtering bits out. I would prefer God's hatred to his indifference, and I'm betting he'd really prefer the same the other way around - at least He'd know where He stood. God set his commandments in stone - things do not come much more literal or specific than that. 'The Lord Works In Mysterious Ways," they say... a statement as meaningful as 'The Dog Ate My Homework'.
A preacher comes up to a paleontologist with news of a 'thing'. The paleontologist asks him to prove it. "Er...no," he says, "you must prove I have not got it!". "But," the paleontologist reples, "
why must I have the responsibility to prove your non-'thing'? Can you bring it to me and show me it?". The preacher looks worried. "Tell you what," the paleontologist concludes, "I've just done it - there, it has no validity, it is as insubstantial as an idea, it does not exist. I laugh at the absurdity of your 'thing'! Back to the drawingboard!". As the man walks away, the preacher persists in shouting after him; "But... but you proved
nothing!" "Whatever you say," the man replies, tossing him a fossil, "...have a nice day!".
I've already given you reasons why religion is to blame for world atrocities in my previous post. If we are to consider in the case of Islam that Muhammad decided its followers must surrender to the will of Allah, this placed an enormous and growing ball of power at the feet of its subsequent preachers. No wonder such a collosal, and dangerously repressive ideology is being abused by nutters who know how to talk the talk.
Religion does not create itself. It is created, embraced, transformed, exploited and spat out by
people. The concept is unnecessary and a bane on modern human life.