Originally posted by Ame
I have to disagree that everything in the Bible is a metaphor. While many things are symbolic, some things just mean exactly what they mean. \"Love your neighbor as yourself.\" Kind of hard to argue with that.
Ok, here's my question (and I'm not trying to be argumentative). Why is it that two equally devout Christians can come to completely different conclusions about which parts of the Bible are literal, and which parts are symbolic?

Without a strict mechanism to determine which are literal and which are symbolic, the interpretations by Christians are no more valid than if I were to pick passages at random and assign them into \"literal\" and \"symbolic\" categories.

Originally posted by Ame+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ame)</div>
Therefore, faith is something that every human possesses, whether they realize it or not. We have faith that the sun will rise tomorrow; we have faith that our hearts will keep beating; we have faith that we are, in fact, breathing air; we have faith that the pilot who's flying our aircraft won't crash it.[/b]
Having faith that our pilot isn't going to run us into a mountain is quite a bit different than having faith in an invisible all-powerful being that created and controls the universe. To assume this to be true and then suggest (sometimes even legislate) that this entity should be worshipped and sacrificed to is even more ludicrous.

Originally posted by Ame@
I'd rather have someone who knows leading the way than trusting myself and my limited intillect.
Therein lies the essence of all religion and spirituality. It's nothing more than a crutch.

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God isn't subject to logic or reason; He's above it.
Oh really? How convenient...well I guess that solves all the problems then doesn't it?

I have one question, above all others, that I'd like you to answer; do you acknowledge the possibility that gOD may not exist?