I mean, look at nature, it wasn't "Created" or "Designed", right? It just sort of.....happened, randomly. Mix in enough time (Millions, Billions of years), and you can see how....it, ummm, evolves very slowly.
Posted on 12/23/2014 9:23:03 AM PST by redleghunter
One of the more interesting aspects of argument between Christians and atheists is the habit of some to assume that the existence of a possible naturalistic explanation decisively rebuts any assertion of a supernatural cause — regardless of the improbability of the naturalistic explanation (given the current state of scientific thought). So stories of miraculous healing are dismissed as doctor’s errors or the placebo effect or, simply, wishful thinking. Other kinds of claimed encounters with God are dismissed as “coincidence” or even madness (and, to be clear, coincidences do exist, and some people are insane). But the ability to articulate a possible alternative explanation for events does not negate all other alternative explanations.
For example, there are certainly potential alternative stories about Jesus that enjoy varying levels of historical credibility, but does the existence of those alternative stories utterly negate the testimony of the Gospels? Not at all. In fact, much of the alternative historical evidence about Jesus comes from more fragmentary sources, with writers more removed from Jesus’s life than the authors of the Gospels.
I’ll say it again: conflicting evidence or alternative explanations do not equate to “no evidence.”
(Excerpt) Read more at patheos.com ...
Ultimately, truth is spiritually discerned. We can talk evidence all day long, but until the Holy Spirit moves in the heart of man, that heart will remain dead. But hearts remain dead in part through the lies that we tell ourselves, and one of the greatest lies is this: There is “no evidence” that God exists."
I am God there is no other. At the beginning I foretell the outcome; in advance, things not yet done. I say that my plan shall stand. I accomplish my every purpose. Yes, I have spoken, I will accomplish it; I have planned it and I will do it. Listen to me you fainthearted, you who seem far from the victory of justice: I am bringing on my justice, it is not far off, my salvation shall not tarry; I will put salvation within Zion, and give my glory to Israel (Isaiah 46:12ff).
Romans 1:20-23
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
Of course there is. It's called intelligent design.
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse (Romans 1:20).
Wow, this sounds a lot like the predestination, foreordination, managed world described by those of a reformed persuasion...aren't you getting a little over the line?
Similar experience with my family.
My then 11 year old son a few years ago was undergoing in patient chemotherapy for leukemia when a complication with his intestines (from the treatments) cropped up. After the medical staff’s attempt to correct the matter with every type of meds, with two IV stands and seven lines to no avail. The surgeons were brought in to break the news of having to remove a good portion of my son’s intestines (11 years old).{If you have ever seen the show “House”, it was like that. Multiple doctors,multiple disciplines all in the special PICU room}
The oncologist took me aside and told me to prepare the family for the worst as a tearful wife was being prepped for the news by crying nurses. They would wait the night and do the surgery in the morning, which would be life changing for my son and even more possible life ending. One head nurse told me flat out that the surgery was risky but there was no other course left.
We prayed that night, all night next to my son’s bed, we also had a prayer chain informed by my sister-in-law and many people stayed up all over the nation to pray for my son in Jesus Christs Name.
Next day as the surgeons came up to prepare my son, the oncologist comes over and says “I have never seen this happen, something happened and then walked away with tears in his eyes.” No surgery necessary and days later was able to leave the hospital and have the birthday party he missed while in the hospital.
Amen, He heals each day, the sick and brokenhearted!
Amen! What did not make the excerpt was the story behind the author’s experience. You will like it!
Bump
I stayed in remission — for one year, for two years, for five years, for fifteen years. This November will mark the 18th year since I had any symptoms. My recovery was so rapid and complete that my doctor changed his initial diagnosis — away from ulcerative colitis. Subsequent doctors have stated in the years since that “You never had ulcerative colitis.”
What happened to me? Did my original doctors make a mistake? Did I never suffer from the disease? Or did I recover under the awesome power of the world’s most pessimistic placebo, with my friend’s (disbelieved) suggestion that I was healed triggering the brain’s awesome recuperative powers? Or, did my friend pray, God answered, and He healed me?
Alternative explanations? Yes. Conflicting evidence? Perhaps. “No evidence” of supernatural intervention? Oh, please.
Excellent tag line!
No, you are employing YOPIOS. Your Own Private Interpretation Of Scripture.
And yet, we get things like this, the Ten Commandments rewritten by and for atheists:
1. Be open-minded and be willing to alter your beliefs with new evidence.
2. Strive to understand what is most likely to be true, not to believe what you wish to be true.
3. The scientific method is the most reliable way of understanding the natural world.
4. Every person has the right to control over their body.
5. God is not necessary to be a good person or to live a full and meaningful life.
6. Be mindful of the consequences of all your actions and recognize that you must take responsibility for them.
7. Treat others as you would want them to treat you, and can reasonably expect them to want to be treated. Think about their perspective.
8. We have the responsibility to consider others, including future generations.
9. There is no one right way to live.
10. Leave the world a better place than you found it.
One need not read very far to start to see some stark internal contradictions in this set of “Rules for Atheists”.
Then please, oh please, use The Only Authorized Version In the History of Mankind Granted To the Romanist Cult of Italy with the Guys with Bathrobes and Pointy Helmets (TOAVITHOMGTTRCOIWTHGWBAPH)and tell us what the passage means.
I do believe in God, but I find the rational gymnastics that searches for proof of God to be tiring and silly. I have faith because I heard the word and the holy spirit moved.
Their minds are made up, and not because they have credible evidence that God does not exist. Their minds are made up because they're reprobate. They've made a choice to reject God in favor of some humanistic and immoral lifestyle. That's why these conversations never go anywhere.
There's tons of evidence that God is real. (Even saying that sounds idiotic. That's about like the cake I just baked insisted I'm not there.) The teleological argument. The cosmological argument. The ontological argument. Etc.
But the atheist simply isn't interested.
Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
There is evidence everywhere.
I mean, look at nature, it wasn't "Created" or "Designed", right? It just sort of.....happened, randomly. Mix in enough time (Millions, Billions of years), and you can see how....it, ummm, evolves very slowly.
Energy can neither be created nor destroyed and matter is made from energy. That is the evidence for God. An atheist will say “That doesn’t prove God is intelligent or the creator” and I say “Einstein comes from that energy and he was smart, a woman comes from that energy and she creates life” case closed.
Understand, you may well be pilloried. Not by me, but others. Good luck.
Agreed. I don’t need scientific proof. I have faith and that is enough for me.
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