Most stupid thing I've heard

[Lozzer]

My friend is 16, and unfortunately a massive Seventh Day Adventist. He's 16 and has been raised in a church. He's an adept preacher and he likes to 'study' the Bible. The one thing he hates most is science, and I'm not sure why. His argument is that science depends on the 'senses' and because our 'senses' can be faulty and that our brains can be fooled, science fails Basically, he hates science because it offers no certainty. One can ask him questions about Jesus, but if you go to far by asking something difficult he bursts out in a non-sequential rant about how silly 'dark matter' is. His mum suffered from cancer for a long time and she's now in remission. She was lucky enough to be born in an age where medical science is quite advanced, but for her son it's not the case that she was saved by science. God did it. Thing is, she's not cured, but in remission. If her cancer comes back I think it's a great shame, but nonetheless it wont challenge his precept about God.

But back to the topic: the other day we were discussing Christ, and I was pondering over some verse in the book of Matthew. In it, Christ asserts that he hasn't come to bring peace but to bring a sword. A sword which he intends to divide humanity with. Well, earlier in the conversation my friend had said that Christ had come to Earth to work as a unifier between Man and God. He was to restore a link once broken by original sin. So I asked him how he could say such a contradictory thing. He wasn't happy. We moved onto the choice Christ offers, and I stood my ground. I asked him how Christ offers a choice when people must decide between eternal bliss and perpetual burning. In response, he told me this:

Hell wouldn't bother you if you truly didn't believe. Christ offers the choice between heaven and living a joyous and bountiful life on Earth. Hell cannot exist for those who don't believe it. By mentioning Hell, he's actually giving you a reason to believe. And obviously you do believe if you're worries you.

Least that about sums it up! I'm very unsure about this. I'm not "bothered" by Hell but disturbed that it's preached to people. I believe what he said was a concession to the underlying fact that Christianity depends on propagating fear in return for unwavering membership.

He's a poor lad. He attends the same institution which educated Isaac Newton. So he's an ace grammar school student, and he excels at the subject of science. It's such a shame that he's been indoctrinated.

[Valden]

My friend is 16, and unfortunately a massive Seventh Day Adventist. He's 16 and has been raised in a church. He's an adept preacher and he likes to 'study' the Bible. The one thing he hates most is science, and I'm not sure why. His argument is that science depends on the 'senses' and because our 'senses' can be faulty and that our brains can be fooled, science fails Basically, he hates science because it offers no certainty. One can ask him questions about Jesus, but if you go to far by asking something difficult he bursts out in a non-sequential rant about how silly 'dark matter' is. His mum suffered from cancer for a long time and she's now in remission. She was lucky enough to be born in an age where medical science is quite advanced, but for her son it's not the case that she was saved by science. God did it. Thing is, she's not cured, but in remission. If her cancer comes back I think it's a great shame, but nonetheless it wont challenge his precept about God.

But back to the topic: the other day we were discussing Christ, and I was pondering over some verse in the book of Matthew. In it, Christ asserts that he hasn't come to bring peace but to bring a sword. A sword which he intends to divide humanity with. Well, earlier in the conversation my friend had said that Christ had come to Earth to work as a unifier between Man and God. He was to restore a link once broken by original sin. So I asked him how he could say such a contradictory thing. He wasn't happy. We moved onto the choice Christ offers, and I stood my ground. I asked him how Christ offers a choice when people must decide between eternal bliss and perpetual burning. In response, he told me this:

Hell wouldn't bother you if you truly didn't believe. Christ offers the choice between heaven and living a joyous and bountiful life on Earth. Hell cannot exist for those who don't believe it. By mentioning Hell, he's actually giving you a reason to believe. And obviously you do believe if you're worries you.

Least that about sums it up! I'm very unsure about this. I'm not "bothered" by Hell but disturbed that it's preached to people. I believe what he said was a concession to the underlying fact that Christianity depends on propagating fear in return for unwavering membership.

He's a poor lad. He attends the same institution which educated Isaac Newton. So he's an ace grammar school student, and he excels at the subject of science. It's such a shame that he's been indoctrinated.

Does he use any technology, like a computer?
If so, ask him why he's being such a huge hypocrite about the "science is bad mmmmkay."

Anyone who "hates" science while also using technology is clearly an idiot.

[Elessarina]

Science depends on senses yet faith doesn't?

The thing is if he dismisses science in that way and all things that are tangible and that science has taught us he is equally dismissing religion.. If observable experimentation is dependent on sense then aren't the "miracles" performed by Jesus also dependent on those same senses but in a less controlled and proveable manner. Does that make any sense?

Oh and if he dismisses science in that way tell him to disregard everything in his life and live in a cave - no medicine, no electricity, no tv, no computer, no food from a supermarket, no visists to the doctor, no jounrye son trains, or buses or planes..

[FBM]

Set him on fire.

Edit: Whatever you do, don't set him on fire. That would be wrong. I just looked it up.

[Tigger]

Set him on fire.

Edit: Whatever you do, don't set him on fire. That would be wrong. I just looked it up.

I read this thread, then clicked "refresh" and then your edit came up, hilariously.

[Tigger]

Did anyone notice that?

[FBM]

I guess you're the only one.

[Tigger]

I guess you're the only one.

Did you notice?

[FBM]

I guess you're the only one.

Did you notice?

Uhm... . Yes. You're not making it up. I will testify to that.





I planned it that way.

[Babel]

and he excels at the subject of science

Wait... what?

[kiki5711]

Set him on fire.

Edit: Whatever you do, don't set him on fire. That would be wrong. I just looked it up.

I read this thread, then clicked "refresh" and then your edit came up, hilariously.

I did.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Does your friend ride in motor vehicles, use anything electric, eat food (most food today gets fertilizer that is produce in chemical plants), get any kind of legitimate health care (C.A.M. doesn't count)? If so, he has "faith" in science, more so than in "God".

[maiforpeace]

That is some serious denial. It always amazes me that people can think this way.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

That is some serious denial. It always amazes me that people can think this way.

When they talk like that on the net I always say "Unless you're posting from a cave via telepathy you're full of shit."

[Loki_999]

Well, if thats the most stupid thing you have heard from a theist then you have been lucky!

For his birthday buy him a bible and put a massive red "EPIC FAIL" sticker on it.

You're not going to get him to shift on the "God exists" front and science as well. So why not try the "Which god?" tactic. Anything he can come up with the counter is simple. eg: Why believe in Yahweh instead of another god? A: Because the bible says so etc. Counter: But other holy books say that their god is the right god. Counter-Counter: But the bible is the one true religion. Counter-Counter-Counter: But holy book X says that it is the one true religion as well.... and so on. You could go on all day with a religious person like this and would be quite infurating for them when you counter every one of their points with the exact same position just applied to another religion. I suggest using Islam as it has enough similarities (not to mention the same f'ing god) plus their main prophet came later which trumps Christianity if they say their religion is more correct because of Jesus and the NT because it supersedes the OT and Judaism. If they say Jesus was the last then switch to Judaism and say that they don't recognize Jesus as a prophet and play the reverse card that the older religion is more true to its origins.

Yes, you could really wind him up i think. Circular logic, irrationality, you can meet him on his own ground.