:goodpost2:

And gosh darn it... people like me. :)

:peace: Peace out all, TGIF

Anime, you are so wise not be baited into his trap. I may not believe as you, but I respect you as a human being. You handle the brainboy very well. :clapbig: :clapbig:

As far as I can tell, BrainSmashR is here to either push the scientific angle while simultaneously invalidating belief in a divine entity...OR...he is looking for someone who can provide him with a logical means of validating religion for him to grasp onto. His purpose here may be both of these. I'm just guessing based on what I've seen of his behavior, nothing more. With that said, here's my take.

The problem with trying to invalidate religious beliefs (especially those that are widely accepted) is that such behavior is not accepted in modern society. It is commonly viewed as an attack on religious freedom and is just not suitable for civilized conversation (the kind we try to encourage here on SBLive!). Personally, the whole religious discussion as a whole is best avoided.

As for his second purpose, Brain seems to seek someone who can logically validate religion to him. To be quite honest, if such a thing is possible by your standards, Brain, you're best bet is to speak with a certified clergyman of some kind or an authority on historical theology. These types of people would have much more in-depth and verifiable information than we could ever provide you with.

In short, the religious discussion is really getting stale and it's getting us nowhere. Minds are a difficult thing to change and attempting to change them by force will only create problems. If we avoid religious discussion, starting now, we'll probably see far fewer heated debates, less mud-slinging, and more new members willing to participate in our civilized conversations.

It IS about the perception of who's right and who's wrong. Regardless of the statement being aimed directly at you or not, the belief in polytheism has already been shot down on this forum by the Christian community.

Simply put, they HAVE said you were wrong even though they were not speaking directly to you.

WHY it is necessary to put your beliefs on the line.....you have stated you believe christians to be tolerant of other religious beliefs....I have challenged you to test that theory because I know for a FACT people like Issac are not.

For whom would you be doing it? Well I think it's quite obvious only one of us is refusing to stand up for their beliefs based on a theory they are unwilling to put to the test.

I see, so when Christians "share" their beliefs, are they intentionally trying to offend others as has been alluded to of me when sharing my beliefs, or do they just not care about offending others?

I realize I'm asking you to speculate, but that's because I don't think you've thought out your stance on this issue very well.....not a knock against you, but against youth in general... Simply put, you're reason for believing they are tolerant is based on your refusal to engage in religious debate.
Sorry, like the Christians, I don't believe there is room for multiple gods either (or one for that matter).

As someone's signature once read....I'd rather be hated for who I am than loved for who I am not.

I reiterate

I have stated more than once I am willing to believe the second someone can produce undeniable proof of the existence of their god.
1. People don't reach resolutions by avoiding controversial subjects.
2. I'm not trying to invalidate a fairy tale....I don't have to. The lack of evidence speaks for itself.
3. Viewing my opinion as an "attack" on your freedom to worship as you see fit is simply an incorrect assumption on your part and one solely shared by those who lack the means to validate their beliefs.

Been there, done that. I'm a confirmed Catholic and have met several "jail house preachers" through my inmate work crew. While they may not have the years of expirence that Isaac possesses, they have considerably more time "free time" on their hands to devote to study.
Ahhh yes, let's pretend like we live in a perfect world and that controversial topics don't exist. After all, we don't want to step on any toes or stand out in the crowd in any way, shape, or form because someone might disagree and that will make me a target.

I don't feel like I even need to expound on how wrong that is....

but seeing as how you don't vote either, I can at least give you plus 5 for consistency.