Original Sin?

Quote: Evenbob

When evidence and proof are absent, what
you have left is faith. You have religion.

If there was real evidence that a religion
like Christianity was true, wouldn't we all
be fools not to fall on our faces and worship
Jesus? It would be a done deal, you would
fully realize that you're going straight to
hell otherwise.

But are there even any Christians who really
believe that? I have never heard in my life
one Christian who lost a loved one say they
were worried that the person was in hell.
Not one. That's because they don't really believe
it's true. If they did they'd be begging friends
to believe in Jesus, and nobody does that.

Quote: Evenbob

If there was real evidence that a religion
like Christianity was true, wouldn't we all
be fools not to fall on our faces and worship
Jesus?

You said it not me.

Quote:

But are there even any Christians who really
believe that? I have never heard in my life
one Christian who lost a loved one say they
were worried that the person was in hell.

Sounds like they have a good understanding of God's Mercy.

Quote:

Not one. That's because they don't really believe
it's true. If they did they'd be begging friends
to believe in Jesus, and nobody does that.

In my experience begging someone to believe doesn't work. The example of a good, kind, and loving life of service to one's family, neighbors, and those in need is very effective. People notice the happiness and peace you have and come asking you about your faith.

Quote: Evenbob

It's come up every day for hundreds of
millions of years. You're just being silly
now.

This is a corollary of the false argument that something is true because hundreds of millions of people believe it. Just because it has come up every day for a long time doesn't mean that it will come up tomorrow. As a gambler you know this already you silly, if black comes up 10 times in a row what is going to happen on the 11th time?

I say the above kind of tongue in cheek because you are right of course. The fact that it has happened for so long is very strong evidence that it will happen again. Would this be a good time to ask you why if millions of millions of people believe in something based on their personal experiences it is not strong evidence for something?

Quote: Dalex64

Faith isn't an on/off switch, and you should consider the quality of the evidence when determining how much faith to put in something.

Excellent and well said. My point exactly!

Quote: FrGamble

Sounds like they have a good understanding of God's Mercy.

Noooo, it's like they don't really believe it
happened. They don't believe in hell, it's
just used to scare them.

Quote: FrGamble

Would this be a good time to ask you why if millions of millions of people believe in something based on their personal experiences it is not strong evidence for something?

Except there aren't millions, there are none.
Having a brain fart is not an experience of
god. And most don't even have those. My
wife has been a Christian all her life and she
never had one. She believes because that
what she was taught as a child. She doesn't
know any better. Her family would disown
her if she quit going to church. It's guilt
and pressure that runs your religion, not
imaginary 'personal experiences' with a god.

Quote: FrGamble

I have faith, but that faith is grounded in evidence.

Have you ever seen or heard God? Not evidence or that stuff, but seen or heard him in person?

Quote: Dalex64

Faith isn't an on/off switch,

Faith is the off switch of the mind :)

Quote: FrGamble

Excellent and well said. My point exactly!

And the evidence, with the weight of science behind it, indicates that the earth will continue to turn, and the sun will continue to shine.

Contrast that to stories and and unverified testimonies, not backed with scientific evidence, and not corroborated by other sources. Among the written evidence, there is evidence that the stories were substantively changed in the early decades after they were first written down, and they weren't even written down until decades after the events allegedly occurred.

I know where I put my faith.

Quote: petroglyph

Have you ever seen or heard God? Not evidence or that stuff, but seen or heard him in person?

What, you mean like how he appeared in person and walked and talked with Adam and Eve?

Or how he "appeared" to Moses as a burning bush? A definite loss of resolution there.