Having freedom FROM religion:

Originally posted by Suzianne
No, what he wants is freedom from the actions of evil men who then claim they were working for God.

These things he mentions are not the fault of religion or God. They are the abusive actions of evil men.

how does evil happen?

Originally posted by stellspalfie
how does evil happen?

via ignorance.

Originally posted by Suzianne
I believe it was limestone, not marble.

Could be, they were white weren't they?

Originally posted by Suzianne
No, what he wants is freedom from the actions of evil men who then claim they were working for God.

These things he mentions are not the fault of religion or God. They are the abusive actions of evil men.

I get your point about not laying th evil that men do at Gods door, but to claim that religion (as a set of dogmatic rules with a well defined hierarchy) is in no way responsible for the actions of it's followers is a bit of a stretch, especially if you consider the:- Crusades, Inquisitions, and the oppression of Women by the Taliban as but a few examples.

Originally posted by stellspalfie
how does evil happen?

What is evil ?

Originally posted by e4chris
Could be, they were white weren't they?

White and shiny. Might have been limestone although most limestone isn't white. Might have been marble which is transmogrified limestone (metamorphosed is the technical term). Marble can also be white but often isn't. Could have been a hard chalk but even that isn't always white.

Originally posted by Kepler
White and shiny. Might have been limestone although most limestone isn't white. Might have been marble which is transmogrified limestone (metamorphosed is the technical term). Marble can also be white but often isn't. Could have been a hard chalk but even that isn't always white.

It was straw and mud. 😏

Originally posted by RJHinds
It was straw and mud. 😏

So what is the remaining white rock cap on the pyramid of Cheops? Here's a clue: it isn't straw and mud.

If you want mud brick pyramids try Iraq or Nubia. The Egyptian versions are stone. You can clamber about on them to convince yourself and even look at the quarries the stone came from.

Originally posted by kevcvs57
I get your point about not laying th evil that men do at Gods door, but to claim that religion (as a set of dogmatic rules with a well defined hierarchy) is in no way responsible for the actions of it's followers is a bit of a stretch, especially if you consider the:- Crusades, Inquisitions, and the oppression of Women by the Taliban as but a few examples.

But the Crusades, the Inquisition and the abuse of women under the Taliban are all examples of men behaving badly. Yes, they may claim that God ordered them, or that they are carrying out God's wishes or otherwise using religion to somehow legitimize what they are doing, but it is still a matter of a few evil men abusing their fellow man in the "name" of God. That's a good definition of evil I'd say. Just as evil as other men like Stalin or Hitler. The only difference is that those two men did their evil and called it "government". It's still making excuses for being evil.

Originally posted by Suzianne
But the Crusades, the Inquisition and the abuse of women under the Taliban are all examples of men behaving badly. Yes, they may claim that God ordered them, or that they are carrying out God's wishes or otherwise using religion to somehow legitimize what they are doing, but it is still a matter of a few evil men abusing their fellow man in the "name" of G ...[text shortened]... en did their evil and called it "government". It's still making excuses for being evil.

All I can say is if I were some kind of god I would never allow any of that to happen. A little voice in the ear, word to the wise or something and if that didn't do it, a tiny tear in a brain artery would take care of the situation.

If enough people started having brain bleeds they might get the hint.

That is the problem with this free will thing. It's an illusion, made up by men to give the impression a god is in the background. There is no evidence for such a god.

The human race would be much better served if we realized we are on our own and no god will come down and fix the boo boo's. Your alleged god has saved NOBODY, has stopped no wars, nothing.

The surprising thing is people continue living as if there were some god but all I see is the result of terror and evil in most of humanity.

I wonder if your god would come down and save the last human on Earth if we really do off ourselves?

Originally posted by sonhouse
All I can say is if I were some kind of god I would never allow any of that to happen. A little voice in the ear, word to the wise or something and if that didn't do it, a tiny tear in a brain artery would take care of the situation.

If enough people started having brain bleeds they might get the hint.

That is the problem with this free will thing. ...[text shortened]... r if your god would come down and save the last human on Earth if we really do off ourselves?

Would you like to take the place of God?

Originally posted by RJHinds
Would you like to take the place of God?

Nobody! God is not needed.

Originally posted by OdBod
Nobody! God is not needed.

Really, how do you know? I believe you can say God isn't wanted, but needed?
You don't know how everything got here, how its maintained or why, so what
if God is indeed needed? Your desires aside, you don't know what is or isn't
needed, you just don't like the idea of God.
Kelly

Originally posted by KellyJay
Really, how do you know? I believe you can say God isn't wanted, but needed?
You don't know how everything got here, how its maintained or why, so what
if God is indeed needed? Your desires aside, you don't know what is or isn't
needed, you just don't like the idea of God.
Kelly

In the end ,all you have is one book and your feelings . I have many independent sources of information and logic to guide me. I am happy and can exist and prosper without religion .The reverse is not true you cannot survive without the things science and technology has provided.

Originally posted by OdBod
In the end ,all you have is one book and your feelings . I have many independent sources of information and logic to guide me. I am happy and can exist and prosper without religion .The reverse is not true you cannot survive without the things science and technology has provided.

In the end we will both see who is right or wrong. Now you've have nothing
to support everything sprang from nothing, or if there was a cause for how all
things got here, you don't know what it was, yet you reject out of hand as if
you know God being involved. I am not at all saying and never have that we
don't need science, I just don't believe everything that comes out of people's
minds as if they have all the right answers, you are great person of faith to
believe many of things some people claim as true are in fact true.
Kelly