The Virgin Mary Visits Texas

[Imran Siddiqui]

Please, a virgin female in Texas?

[zakubandit]

In suggesting that any theology is a sack of lies you are going to offend people. Without substantiating your argument you come across as ignorant and childlike. You haven't put any issues to rest, you've just made a lousy attempt at stirring the pot.

See the irony in your post? That what I said is a sack of lies? See...I have gotten that same sad story from Christians about my beliefs. I don't believe in a god or gods, but Christians like to come at me all preachy saying I am wrong. That I am going to a hell I don't believe in. That a god I don't believe in wants me to believe in him. See...that is all crap to me just as what I say is crap to everyone else. Ignorant? How bout people not accepting each others believes? I took a year of world religions for college, I learned about all the majors, and some minor religons. I accept my wife's Catholic beliefs, and my parents who raised me Catholic, and they respect mine. I respect my Muslim ex-roommate beliefs. I respect my step great grand father's Jewish beliefs. So why is it that others can't just accept that when someone contradicts their beliefs it holds merit to some. That calling someone elses beliefs lies if they aren't yours is just as much a sin as idolizing a false idol.

[Ben Kenobi]

I am atheist and I don't need another lecture.

Then why lecture us. We don't need one either.

[Space05us]

See the irony in your post? That what I said is a sack of lies?

I never said that what you said was a sack of lies. You said, "Let's put this issue to rest. Mary was the biggest and best liar ever to hit this planet.". A central tenet of Christianity is the virgin birth.

my beliefs.

You also said, "I am atheist ". What beliefs do you hold? I can only imagine that if you are atheistic that you trust in science to prove how and why the world works the way it does. Science is not a religion, it does not have beliefs. Scientist use the available evidence to create scientific theories and laws. When something cannot be thoroughly explained hypotheses may be created. However the scientific community as a whole does not accept a given hypothesis as a belief.

So why is it that others can't just accept that when someone contradicts their beliefs it holds merit to some.

The world is not all lovey dovey. People of faith won't accept your lack of faith. Some may, the majority may, but the fundamentalist minority never will. The fundamentalist minority will always exist. In western Christianity they will go door to door making sure everyone is saved, in the third world Christians will go door to door lopping off peoples' heads. The Jewish people will continue to occupy Palestine as it is their God given right, and Muslims will continue to jihad against them as it is their God given duty.

You should not be accepting of your family and friends ignorance in such matters. They may be accepting of your non-belief, but their tithing, moral support, and preaching all directly support the fundamentalists.

Instead of saying "LOL MARY WASN'T A VIRGIN!" educate people on how the human reproductive system works. It's not a belief, it's fact.

[SlowwHand]

I'm a person of faith that doesn't care if anyone else is or not. Too bad for them.

[KrazyHorse]

Like a moth to the flame...

[Ben Kenobi]

Well I just find it curious the long religious rant against ranting religions. It's surreal.

[zakubandit]

I am an agnostic-atheist. What that means is I do not believe in god or gods, heaven or hell, or all the other stuff. But at the same time I also believe that either way it can't be proven or dis-proven. The afterlife I believe in, but not that only good people go there and bad people to hell, it isn't guarded by a gate or god or gods, but it is an afterlife where the soul goes. After I studied religions the bit that I did I came to side more with Buddhism more than anything, but only because it is a belief in the self, in what you can do for yourself. *I am not all for the numerous gods they have*. The best part is when people tell me what I believe isn't valid, is wrong, or that since I am an A-A I can't believe in anything at all. Guess what, I don't dictate other people's religions, they can't dictate my beliefs. I don't believe in plenty of stuff religiously, those are my beliefs. What I believe is right.

I am all for religious debate, I used to have a roommate in the Army who was a major bible thumper and he loved to debate with me. He respected my beliefs just as I respected his.

As for a "virgin" Mary, you'd think people would be able to figure out for themselves that reproduction is simple to understand. And that if there was merit behind then why do people denounce someone who "god" speaks to as crazy, or as a girl who winds up pregnant as a liar.

[KrazyHorse]

Now you've done it.

[Ben Kenobi]

I'd like to do a longer reply, but then KH will get his.

[zakubandit]

Shoot some flak, ****. I'm bored and need something to write about. You guys seem to love hitting me with flak, where is it today?

[Ben Kenobi]

As for a "virgin" Mary, you'd think people would be able to figure out for themselves that reproduction is simple to understand. And that if there was merit behind then why do people denounce someone who "god" speaks to as crazy, or as a girl who winds up pregnant as a liar.

Many people dismiss miracles as well, because it doesn't fit in with their worldview. I had the exact same criticisms as you had, but the Virgin birth is well attested. I don't think the ancients had difficulty distinguishing between a normal birth out of wedlock and the Virgin birth. It would be enough to simply examine the Blessed Mother to confirm the truth.

[zakubandit]

So if tomorrow I told you god came to me in a dream told me to build a massive wall between Mexico and America, that he came to me in a dream last night and every night prior to that, and that I could hear him now and feel his presence...would you believe me?

What if the Pope said it? What if the Pope said that god came to him and said that a baby boy was born somewhere on Earth with a unique mark *coincidence would find a baby boy like that* and that boy is to be the next anti-christ and he needed to be killed. Would you believe that?

Reason would say no, but blind belief would say....?

[SlowwHand]

I don't know about God saying it, but I will.

[zakubandit]

But the point is we blow things like those off as crazy talk, lunacy, or just plain stupid. So why is that?