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K
It's like this:
It's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than to get to heaven, so it is as for smart and rich people to get into heaven. Maybe not as hard/harder, but they still have a hard time. If it were daytime I'd get the verses (bad me), but I'm pretty tired and should be in bed. Also, don't forget when in Matthew when Jesus was talking to the rich boy (prince? man I'm tired) who had kept the commandments since his birth. The only thing Jesus asked of him was to sell all of his things and follow him. The boy didn't end up selling his stuff.
Also, most rich people have a hole they try to fill with material possessions, and most smart people think very logically and probably don't think the idea of faith is logical because it goes beyond their carnal sense of sight.
P.S. - I didn't think of that, Forest. Good point.
It's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than to get to heaven, so it is as for smart and rich people to get into heaven. Maybe not as hard/harder, but they still have a hard time. If it were daytime I'd get the verses (bad me), but I'm pretty tired and should be in bed. Also, don't forget when in Matthew when Jesus was talking to the rich boy (prince? man I'm tired) who had kept the commandments since his birth. The only thing Jesus asked of him was to sell all of his things and follow him. The boy didn't end up selling his stuff.
Also, most rich people have a hole they try to fill with material possessions, and most smart people think very logically and probably don't think the idea of faith is logical because it goes beyond their carnal sense of sight.
P.S. - I didn't think of that, Forest. Good point.
J
A term to learn: Sensus Divinitatis
Ratiocination,[sic] without...spiritual light, never will give one such an advantage to see things in their true relations and respects to other things, and to things in general. ... A man that sets himself to reason without divine light is like a man that goes in the dark into a garden full of the most beautiful plants, and most artfully ordered, and compares things together by going from one thing to another to feel of them all, to perceive their beauty.
Jonathon Edwards, "Miscellanies #408," in The Philosophy of Jonathon Edwards, ed. H. G. Townsend (1955; reprint, Westport, Conn.: Greenwood, 1972), P. 249.
I would be more concerned if Christians on average were the more intelligent ones.
Although, I must admit most of the intelligence of atheists tends to be a a really good poker face.
If you know which questions to ask, it gets much more obvious they aren't as wise as they profess.
Ratiocination,[sic] without...spiritual light, never will give one such an advantage to see things in their true relations and respects to other things, and to things in general. ... A man that sets himself to reason without divine light is like a man that goes in the dark into a garden full of the most beautiful plants, and most artfully ordered, and compares things together by going from one thing to another to feel of them all, to perceive their beauty.
Jonathon Edwards, "Miscellanies #408," in The Philosophy of Jonathon Edwards, ed. H. G. Townsend (1955; reprint, Westport, Conn.: Greenwood, 1972), P. 249.
I would be more concerned if Christians on average were the more intelligent ones.
Although, I must admit most of the intelligence of atheists tends to be a a really good poker face.
If you know which questions to ask, it gets much more obvious they aren't as wise as they profess.
S
But if God is logical, logic would lead people to think more logically and believe in Him, but it seems to lead people to reject God. People who smart in mathematics, true science, etc. seem to the be the ones who are more likely to reject God.
Sure evolution, progressive education, and other humanistic-based ideas are illogical, but the Bible's view point on everything seems just as illogical as atheism's logic and reasoning.
Everything always goes back to feeings (for atheists) or the Holy Spirit (for theists). What's the difference?
Sure evolution, progressive education, and other humanistic-based ideas are illogical, but the Bible's view point on everything seems just as illogical as atheism's logic and reasoning.
Everything always goes back to feeings (for atheists) or the Holy Spirit (for theists). What's the difference?
There IS a difference between the ACTING of intelligence and true intelligence.
You can have a doctorate and still not be very intelligent.
A doctorate merely prooves that you are willing to work hard in an academic way into a field you find interesting.
Same with being a proffessor.
To give you an example: In education one can see this a lot. I would have an entire class who have a average of 60% in the class. However when you speak at a high intelligent. Only a select one or two actually understand and laugh at the high-end joke. The rest sit there and it is if you just said nothing.
So first of some intelligent people are rarely as intelligent as they claim to be especially if they claim it.
Most intelligent people that are truly intelligent are quiet, because they have learned that if they speak at their own level, most people don't get what they say.
Knowledge does not draw you away from God. If the knowledge is actually true and not theories. Theories and philosophies does draw you away from God since you think up a dream world and expect God to fit into it.
You can have a doctorate and still not be very intelligent.
A doctorate merely prooves that you are willing to work hard in an academic way into a field you find interesting.
Same with being a proffessor.
To give you an example: In education one can see this a lot. I would have an entire class who have a average of 60% in the class. However when you speak at a high intelligent. Only a select one or two actually understand and laugh at the high-end joke. The rest sit there and it is if you just said nothing.
So first of some intelligent people are rarely as intelligent as they claim to be especially if they claim it.
Most intelligent people that are truly intelligent are quiet, because they have learned that if they speak at their own level, most people don't get what they say.
Knowledge does not draw you away from God. If the knowledge is actually true and not theories. Theories and philosophies does draw you away from God since you think up a dream world and expect God to fit into it.
S
Selenah, maybe their investing in information and intellect comes first, they ignore other impulses, make their decision and commitment in life, then just add on an agnosticism or etc after, knowing no one can ever prove it to their intellect unless they choose to look at it.
The trouble is life gate-crashes that ivory tower, as does God Himself if He wishes.
The trouble is life gate-crashes that ivory tower, as does God Himself if He wishes.
I think I am a pretty logical person, anybody that has read my post knows that I apply logic to not only life in general, but to religion as well. Personally, I think either way is pretty illogical. People of faith and atheist are very much in the same boat when it comes to logic.
Christians (other religions too), say that there books and religions are right because their books and religions say they are right.
Atheist say that the Notion of God, (or anything mythical) is ridiculous because there is no evidence to enforce belief in any of those things.
I believe in both, I think science is reliable (for the most part), I believe in evolution, I believe that science will take humans to places that we cannot yet imagine. But, I also believe in God, and science is the knowledge that God reveals to us.
Any critical thinker is going to question the Bible. I studied religion for a few years, and after all of my studies I found myself believing less in religion then when I started. But my faith that God exist was actually strengthened when I started into quantum mechanics.
Bottom line, for me, I don't take the bible as a literal text, I think it is a great way to gear your life for the most part, but I think the meaning behind the Bible has been lost for a long time to many people.
Christians (other religions too), say that there books and religions are right because their books and religions say they are right.
Atheist say that the Notion of God, (or anything mythical) is ridiculous because there is no evidence to enforce belief in any of those things.
I believe in both, I think science is reliable (for the most part), I believe in evolution, I believe that science will take humans to places that we cannot yet imagine. But, I also believe in God, and science is the knowledge that God reveals to us.
Any critical thinker is going to question the Bible. I studied religion for a few years, and after all of my studies I found myself believing less in religion then when I started. But my faith that God exist was actually strengthened when I started into quantum mechanics.
Bottom line, for me, I don't take the bible as a literal text, I think it is a great way to gear your life for the most part, but I think the meaning behind the Bible has been lost for a long time to many people.
R
I think another good question would be why those who are strong in their faith tend to ignore science and mathematics.
I can certainly understand the position of thinking it is LESS important than the spiritual truth found in the Bible, but science and math are a haven for atheists because we don't represent in those fields. We have surrendered them.
It is interesting that someone believes that by claiming they are an atheist, they are automatically 'smarter' than a Christian. But, again, we have allowed that. We close ourselves off into communities where we are rarely challenged intellectually. We don't see a need to balance ideas, we just ignore the ones we don't like or just pray for the people who deliver them.
God created everything in this universe with precision and intention. There is not a single thoughtless creation in existence, nor has there ever been. We need to stop hiding from science and math and recognize what it is- some of the languages through which God speaks to us. Science itself requires a measure of faith because it must be assumed that no matter where we look and how closely we look- there will be order to what we find. There will be finite laws. There will be unstoppable and unimaginable harmony.
We get wrapped up in the poetry of God (which is a wonderful thing), but tend to ignore the practicality and even details of Creation. Is it that we are afraid of what we will discover? There is no fear in love.
Without God, science will always fall short. An atheist can never answer the most important questions about humanity and the universe... the best they can do is change the questions to something they CAN answer.
I can certainly understand the position of thinking it is LESS important than the spiritual truth found in the Bible, but science and math are a haven for atheists because we don't represent in those fields. We have surrendered them.
It is interesting that someone believes that by claiming they are an atheist, they are automatically 'smarter' than a Christian. But, again, we have allowed that. We close ourselves off into communities where we are rarely challenged intellectually. We don't see a need to balance ideas, we just ignore the ones we don't like or just pray for the people who deliver them.
God created everything in this universe with precision and intention. There is not a single thoughtless creation in existence, nor has there ever been. We need to stop hiding from science and math and recognize what it is- some of the languages through which God speaks to us. Science itself requires a measure of faith because it must be assumed that no matter where we look and how closely we look- there will be order to what we find. There will be finite laws. There will be unstoppable and unimaginable harmony.
We get wrapped up in the poetry of God (which is a wonderful thing), but tend to ignore the practicality and even details of Creation. Is it that we are afraid of what we will discover? There is no fear in love.
Without God, science will always fall short. An atheist can never answer the most important questions about humanity and the universe... the best they can do is change the questions to something they CAN answer.
E
There are many Christians who love science and math (myself one of them) Although I have no great degrees.
The problem is that they are shunned by the scientific world. so you do not see or hear many of them.
Also it is known that many who are in that field have come to God. because it is the only "logical" answer which makes sense. If you notice. Most scientific findings are Theories (unproven) so they have to explain them away. which would be understandable. since they can not find truth in their science. and have to make a theory to explain the unknowns. Because they do not make sense to anyone but them.
Peter talks of this happening in the last days.
2 peter 3:
1 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”
If you think of it. Most scientific findings such as the age of the earth, The age of findings, how man was formed etc etc come from science which states things on earth today mimic things that were since the begining of time (such as decay rate, used to tell how old something is, etc etc) and this is exacly what Peter predicted would happen.
The problem is that they are shunned by the scientific world. so you do not see or hear many of them.
Also it is known that many who are in that field have come to God. because it is the only "logical" answer which makes sense. If you notice. Most scientific findings are Theories (unproven) so they have to explain them away. which would be understandable. since they can not find truth in their science. and have to make a theory to explain the unknowns. Because they do not make sense to anyone but them.
Peter talks of this happening in the last days.
2 peter 3:
1 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”
If you think of it. Most scientific findings such as the age of the earth, The age of findings, how man was formed etc etc come from science which states things on earth today mimic things that were since the begining of time (such as decay rate, used to tell how old something is, etc etc) and this is exacly what Peter predicted would happen.
