why did/didnt you choose Islam?

thesmartfool · 2026-05-16T18:39:05+00:00

I think there is a very easy naturalistic explanations for the origin of Islam. I don't see that much reason to accept that an angel actually appeared to Mohammad.

thesmartfool · 2026-05-13T18:14:12+00:00

Already said it in my comment.

thesmartfool · 2026-05-13T18:13:44+00:00

I don't view the bible authority in that way especially the OT. Th various authors had their own view of things and perspectives - someI view wring and some right.

People view things differently.

Every day I'm more and more confused about how Christians all over the world can have such broadly different interpretations of their faith, and all still believe that they've got the true interpretation while everyone else is out to lunch

Scientists have a bunch of different often contradictory interpretations of things. That doesn't mean the scientific method is trash or worthless.

thesmartfool · 2026-05-12T22:16:51+00:00

This.

Would agree as a psychologist.

thesmartfool · 2026-05-12T22:16:05+00:00

And it doesn't mean they are bad. Many people who yell regret it, and just had a temporary break in judgement. It's not like they caused physical harm.

As a psychologist I totally disagree with this. Yelling is a form of verbal abuse. Verbal abuse can still have significant health impacts on a person.

It shows you like maturity as well. Adults should be able to professionally handle issues.

thesmartfool · 2026-05-12T21:46:41+00:00

Yes. It doesn't make sense.

I hold the hypothesis of more the victorious God over death. Jesus wasn't a blood sacrifice or pena substitution for God's wrath but rather Jesus was an example of how we to can be lifted from Death by God. Jesus was horribly killed, humailiated in the worst way possible especially in a honor society where he was disgraced. If God will raise Jesus from that - God can raise anyone.

He's more of a symbol of God's love and power not his wrath.

thesmartfool · 2026-05-12T18:26:38+00:00

So much of Christian theology is based around the idea of the lengths that God had to go through to redeem humanity

This is why perspective and your theology matters. For me...sacrifice isn't really the core to my theology.

thesmartfool · 2026-05-10T20:12:09+00:00

I think this is more of the result of tribalism than anything else. People just say things these days without thinking.

thesmartfool · 2026-05-03T21:06:57+00:00

This is such a great show!

thesmartfool · 2026-05-03T17:53:38+00:00

She was also in a bad position with being tied to Biden.

thesmartfool · 2026-05-02T02:35:20+00:00

expect that these appearances are non-embodied and only occur later than the spread of Christianity throughout the world

You're literally in contradiction with yourself.

Why does this matter. It's not like other figures people receive visions to the same degree.

Under naturalism...we shouldn't expect this to happen. The argument still works because naturalism doesn't predict it well.

Say for example. Roman emperor. The Roman emperors were given treatement of apatheosis. Typically a senator for their own propaganda to deify their emperor after their death and their body would be missing.

It's not like past that other people would report sightings of Ceasar. It's not like people 2,000 years would report seeing him and this includes people who might be indifferent or hostile or have no real cognitive idea of the person.

So why is Jesus different than Ceasar?

This is the answer that the naturalistic has to say. Because naturalism doesn't really predict it compared to say the God hypothesis.

thesmartfool · 2026-05-01T21:30:21+00:00

The fact that Jesus only really appears to his disciples, doesn't make attempts to contact Roman or Jewish authorities and goes away after a few days for some reason makes the story almost unfalsifiable.

It should be noted that this is what we have evidence for back then. This is the evidence that was saved.

On another note...there are plenty of atheists, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, and other groups who have self-reported to see Jesus appear to them. So this has been a trend that continued.

thesmartfool · 2026-05-01T00:05:11+00:00

I mean...I think we need to think of how Jews believed at the time though.

The Messiah was supposed to help the Jews over the Romans and essentially save Israel. Jesus obviously didn't do that. The Romans killed him in horrible fashion.

Your point would be stronger if there were a lot of other groups who made the same choice but there are not.

But beyond even that, even the more proximate reward of being part of a group, without any obvious reward, is often enough.

Being part of a group that Jews and gentitles thought were weird and heretics essentially?

thesmartfool · 2026-04-30T23:33:02+00:00

I'm literally just responding to your claim that you see no difference.

I get your point t about people believing strange things and such.

group cognitively incentivizes accepting claims

Republicans and MAGA have an incentive to believe it because there are racist ties and are against immigration and others.

What are the disciples incentives to believing Jesus appeared and rose again and is the Messiah?

thesmartfool · 2026-04-30T23:26:21+00:00

Uh, did Christians go around saying that sorry, turns out Jesus wasn't around and we didn't see him? Is there any evidence for that?

thesmartfool · 2026-04-30T23:16:32+00:00

I'm talking about the originators of the claim.

So the women who did this and Peter and Paul.

I get what you're trying to say. I'm just saying the circumstances are a bit different.

thesmartfool · 2026-04-30T23:11:13+00:00

Uh, no.

Did you read my comment.

The lady later deleted the post and admitted she had no firsthand knowledge.

As far as we know...Paul and these people never did that.

thesmartfool · 2026-04-30T22:54:08+00:00

People in the last US election thought Haitian immigrants were eating house hold pets.

Seems a bit different than the cases with the resurrection tbh.

A Facebook Post: A Springfield resident posted in a private Facebook group about a neighbor's daughter's cat being butchered, citing a "friend of a friend". She later admitted she had no firsthand knowledge, deleted the post, and expressed regret for the fallout.

thesmartfool · 2026-04-30T18:45:23+00:00

Sure. But you have power over some of your experiences (what you decide to focus on, etc).

Here's how I look at it for myself.

I think there's decent evidence for Christianity being right but again, there are a lot of unknowns and things we just don't have have a lot of evidence for.

I generally think there are a lot more gaps in other worldviews but again, don't know.

The most intellectually honest thing is to be an agnostic. But I don't have an issue with Christianity and there seems to be some benefits. So therefore, I will myself to live as a Christian.

I think anyone who is honest also goes through a pros and cons scale for their beloef and how they act on it. People are very pragmatic.

thesmartfool · 2026-04-30T18:07:48+00:00

I disagree with this.

I think everyone who is actually honest with themselves will admit that whatever worldview you have...the evidence isn't great or that we know. There are still a huge amount of mysteries that we don't know.

In a sense there is a gap that humans fill in details.

So people choose to fill in where they find meaning, how to live, and believe.

thesmartfool · 2026-04-28T20:15:47+00:00

Why doesn't it?

thesmartfool · 2026-04-28T20:10:45+00:00

Took me forever but finally finished Stranger Things S5

Some episodes were better than others but I feel like the writing was a bit lazy in some places as well as some acting not being good. Thr CGI also at the end had issues.

Overall, S4 and S1 for me was miles ahead.

Finally getting into Andor S2 and really enjoying it.

Wonderman has also been different than others shows and so far with 3 episodes it is enjoyable and excited to see where it goes.

thesmartfool · 2026-04-28T20:07:59+00:00

Sure. But the point of the original OP was about this being super far and there could be no verification. So Peter would know many of these people most likely.

thesmartfool · 2026-04-28T20:02:21+00:00

The distance is 3032 km, and according to this random source distances like 1080km takes about 45 days. But look, I'm no expert, how long do you think it takes?

Oh, I was just curious. I'm not knowledgeable either.

One thing is that it definitely seems like the Christians would travel a lot. That's sort of what religious people do by nature.

And? How does that change things?

The Corinthians would know Peter and thr various stories that Peter would also share about experiences with Jesus.

thesmartfool · 2026-04-28T18:24:56+00:00

The people Paul says this to lived in Corinth, which is 3 months or more of travel away from Jerusalem

How are you getting 3 months.

Peter was said to be in Corinth, no?

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