Sorry Brig, I didn't know it was an invitation-only argument
But since you responded, I'll just go ahead and reply again.
Okay, I can choose to type this right now, or I can not choose. God knows which choice I will make. But I still made the choice. He didn't reach down and make me type this; I did it on my own. Just because you know what someone is going to do does not mean they didn't choose to do it.
And did you read my post about science not being applicable in religion? I'm not attacking or anything here, just asking, cuz no one really responded to it.
And bjorn, you pretty much proved me right with your actions. Many Atheists (and I don't mean all, Brig, but I think it's safe to say 'many') see religion as a sign of intellectual weakness. I do not understand this. The fact is that I have the capacity for absolute faith, and you, bjorn, do not. I suppose that's not a bad thing either way if it works for you. But this works for me, and not as a crutch. I believe because I do, not because I made the choice that I wanted to be involved with "other mindless zombies" who share my beliefs, and not because I am insecure without someone else being responsible for my actions.
Because first of all, I rarely attend Church, so I guess I miss out on the "mindless zombie" interactions. And second of all, in my beliefs I hold humans entirely responsible for their actions, and I have made that abundandtly clear in my posts. I don't believe God actively forces people to behave in a certain way.
And I think calling us "mindless zombies," whether provoked or not, is COMPLETELY inappropriate. Not in the sense that I am so offended, but in the sense of its accuracy. It takes quite a mind to worhsip God correctly; one must question their faith constantly, evaluate their stance with God, and learn to balance their worhsip with the rest of their life. Is it any coincidence that some of the smartest people on Earth are/were Christians? I realize that Atheists are a growing contingent in the intellectual community, especially the scientific one, but get over yourselves, guys: Christianity is NOT a sign of mental weakness. You can disagree with us all you want, but you cannot possibly say that Christians are not intelligent or strong-willed because they worship. Look at all of the Christians who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the face of persecution for their beliefs. Do you think THEY lack strong will?
Point being, I liked this argument a lot more before the "Christians are weak-minded" argument arose.
