The Common Voice
CommonVoice.com is the site where you help make the headlines.
Headlines - Forums - Polls - More!
Visit our Advertisers!
HOME | Contact Editor | Forum | Directory | Search | Advertise | Tell-a-Friend
June 2, 2006 | South Carolina Headlines

MyVoice!


Join us in
South Carolina Headlines
Community!


Sign up today to take part in the forums, interact with the content, receive South Carolina Headlines newsletters, display current weather conditions in your area, and more.

Already a member?

E-mail:
Password:


Advertisers


Support South Carolina Headlines - visit our advertisers


Columnists


Editors

 :: Jonathan Pait
 :: Benj Buck
Regulars

 :: Mike Cubelo
 :: Doug Kendall
 :: Jimmy Moore
 :: Henri Thompson
Press Releases

 :: List All

Want to be a columnist? Contact the editor to learn how.



You must have an active account in order to participate in the online forums. You can sign on using the MyVoice! section of this page, or you can set up an account.

The Question of God
Mike from Greenville writes:
9/23/2004 1:52:51 PM
Robert must be a christian having a New Age "butterfly" fantasy.

Now, if jc was a caterpillar, I could believe in resurrection...

[ reply| Previous in thread ]
Robert from Morgantown, WV writes:
9/22/2004 9:01:49 PM
Mike is gonna be really upset when he realizes he's just a butterfly dreaming about being human.
[ reply| Previous in thread ]
Mike from Greenville writes:
9/22/2004 3:36:36 PM
Glad to see some christians acknowledge that they have to take that leap of faith in the real world to continue their fantasy.

The problem that still exists in the real world with these faith folks is that they develop absolute views that range from prohibiting cold beers on a certain day of the week to crashing planes in buildings.

Since they believe that reality is just a stopover to that heavenly place in the sky, they don't give it priority. They just want to please that big guy in the sky and, deep down, don't care much about the rest of us.

Gotta be saved..

[ reply| Previous in thread ]
Andrew from Greer writes:
9/22/2004 8:22:58 AM
The issue of empirical evidence was brought up by Mike.

evidence: NOUN: 1. A thing or things helpful in forming a conclusion or judgment

empirical: ADJECTIVE: 1a. Relying on or derived from observation or experiment

No, faith cannot be proven, but one must come to their own conclusion. Neither can the absence of god be proven. If the God of the Bible exists, it is clearly within his power to hide his existence from those without faith. There is plenty of evidence, empirical or otherwise on which to base a conclusion. In the words of Neal Peart, "if you choose not to decide you still have made a choice."

As an aside, I'd like for Mike to present empirical evidence that socialism works. But ah! To him, it does work! It gives power to elite ivory tower intellectuals. It gives cushy lifetime appointments to bureaucrats. It keeps everyone on an equal footing of misery and discontent. It keeps the individualists and self-determined folks from getting too big for their britches. It keeps ignorant people dependent on government programs. It gives people incapable of producing anything other than anger and discontent positions of utility.

[ reply| Previous in thread ]
Robert from Morgantown, WV writes:
9/21/2004 8:42:26 PM
ditto
[ reply| Previous in thread ]
Jonathan from Greenville writes:
9/21/2004 4:59:52 PM
Andy, I agree that it comes down to faith.

However, there is historical evidence that Jesus lived on earth. There is also extra-biblical evidence that story of Christ's miracles and resurrection were topics of discussion among the writers in the Roman world. Now, that does not prove these things happened, but it does show that these claims were not merely the concoction of late first or second century religious nuts.

Also, the study of the Biblical texts is an intriquing one. Actually, the comparison of the texts of scripture are very supportive of one another. As a historical document, the Bible has more supporting textual evidence than the Illiad and other books of the surrounding time periods. The Bible has some of the oldest (meaning closest to the time of the actual events) and most numerous amounts of texts of any other ancient manuscript.

I don't say this to argue. I know there is no way to convince you. I just offer it as something for people to consider - even if you choose not to do so.

As you and I both say, it comes down to a matter of faith. However, as I look at these evidences, it increases my faith rather than detracts from it.

[ reply| Previous in thread ]
Andy from Greenville writes:
9/21/2004 4:19:30 PM
Robert, there is empirical evidence that Santa Claus exists, too. I saw one by a Salvation Army kettle once who claimed to be the real one. And I've read books that verify there is a Santa. Ergo, with your logic, he exists. There is nothing that could ever hold up in a court of law that proves a person existed who walked on water, was ressurected, and on and on. That's a matter of faith. That's why it's called faith. But stop with that "evidence" stuff. Modern archeology, astronomy, and recovered manuscripts (many of which tell different stories) prove no such thing.
[ reply| Previous in thread ]
Robert from Morgantown, WV writes:
9/21/2004 12:28:56 PM
Mike,

There is empiracle evidence that not only did Christ exist but he claimed to be who he said he was. Modern archeology, astronomy, and the flawless nature of literally thousands of recovered New Testament manuscripts give validity to the Christ is God debate. Most Christians go by the "internal" evidence given in one book called the bible. But the "external" evidence which gives validity and authenticity to scripture is the most compelling of any world religion to date.

[ reply| Previous in thread ]
Andrew from Greer writes:
9/21/2004 8:12:31 AM
And while we're on the subject of objectivity, do you seriously believe that it is only I who think your comment is snide and that the reason is that I am unobjective in my view of the Bible? I mean really?
[ reply| Previous in thread ]
Andrew from Greer writes:
9/21/2004 8:02:33 AM
Mike,

While you blather about empirical evidence, consider the pure coincidence of the religious freedom, freedom of expression, diversity, tolerance, and prosperity that you and the ACLU enjoy in The West, aka Christendom.

[ reply| Previous in thread ]
Mike from Greenville writes:
9/20/2004 10:13:28 PM
Andrew,

My comment is snide to you because you ignore the reality around you that provides no empirical evidence that jc was a god.

I try to stick to real facts while you dabble in the bible.

[ reply| Previous in thread ]
Georg from Greenville writes:
9/20/2004 6:01:12 PM
Watch the whole thing online here:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/questionofgod/program/complete.html
[ reply ]
Andrew from Greer writes:
9/20/2004 8:25:49 AM
Then why can't you control yourself from piping up with some snide comment every time it comes up?

If you want there to be some discussion of something important and compelling to you, bring it.

[ reply| Previous in thread ]
Mike from Greenville writes:
9/19/2004 3:09:07 PM
If it was really important in our everyday lives to know that there is some god, we would obviously know.

Since we don't, this god discussion is irrelevant to our daily lives.

It's a good discussion in a bar but that is as far as it should go.

It's like a discussion about the greatest ballplayer - Interesting but no connection to reality.

[ reply| Previous in thread ]
Cass from Little River writes:
9/18/2004 11:20:49 AM
Robert,
Where is Kaukauna?
[ reply| Previous in thread ]
Robert from Kaukauna , WI writes:
9/17/2004 12:52:14 PM
Jonathan,

I also watched the program, although I taped the final 45 minutes. I also found the sceptic interesting. To paraphrase his comments, Everything in life has a natural explanation, and I know those things we don't yet understand will have natural explanations. I was amazed; what a dogmatic statement, and profession of faith all rolled into a single phrase! The very things infidels condemn Christians for none the less!

[ reply ]






Daily Poll


Which story are you most tired of?

Senator William Jefferson accepts bribe.
Barbaro breaks a leg in Preakness.
Hayden to lead CIA.
Bird flue scare.
The search for Jimmy Hoffa's remains.



Have a poll idea?
Members can submit their own polls. Sign on and join the fun!



  South Carolina Headlines
Made possible by The Worthwhile Company, Inc.