Why Is Atheism So Important?

@ElwoodBlues Do Zen Buddhists believe in reincarnation? I know they don’t believe in a creator.

Central to my Spirituality is the redemptive work of Jesus on the Cross. Everything else flows from that.

@sunriselover Sorry, I don't claim to know much about Zen. I have the vague impression that it's less "belief based" than many other creed communities.

@ElwoodBlues @sunriselover [quote] I'm agnostic. Regardless, my problem would be choosing which god.[/quote]

There's only one God, His name is Yahweh. He gives testimony to this in His Word.

@ElwoodBlues Precisely, which one is the "One true gawd"? I'm not pretentious enough to be able to say, maybe one of them is, maybe none of them are... 😊

@GodSpeed63 says [quote]There's only one God, His name is Yahweh. He gives testimony to this in His Word.[/quote]

Tell us how you know Ahora Mazda doesn't exist.
Tell us how you know Amaterasu doesn't exist.
Tell us how you know Fujin doesn't exist.
Tell us how you know Eight Immortals don't exist.
Tell us how you know Athena doesn't exist.
Tell us how you know Aries doesn't exist.
Tell us how you know Apollo doesn't exist.
Tell us how you know Estsanatlehi doesn't exist.
Tell us how you know Tsohanoai doesn't exist.
Tell us how you know Odin doesn't exist.
Tell us how you know Thor doesn't exist.
Tell us how you know Ra doesn't exist.
Tell us how you know Osiris doesn't exist.
Tell us how you know Gitche Manitou doesn't exist.
Tell us how you know Zeus doesn't exist.
Tell us how you know the other 5000+ gods and goddesses and spirits humans have worshiped don't exist.
Now tell us why the same reasoning doesn't apply to your favorite deity.

@ElwoodBlues [quote]Tell us how you know Ahora Mazda doesn't exist.
Tell us how you know Amaterasu doesn't exist.
Tell us how you know Fujin doesn't exist.
Tell us how you know Eight Immortals don't exist.
Tell us how you know Athena doesn't exist.
Tell us how you know Aries doesn't exist.
Tell us how you know Apollo doesn't exist.
Tell us how you know Estsanatlehi doesn't exist.
Tell us how you know Tsohanoai doesn't exist.
Tell us how you know Odin doesn't exist.
Tell us how you know Thor doesn't exist.
Tell us how you know Ra doesn't exist.
Tell us how you know Osiris doesn't exist.
Tell us how you know Gitche Manitou doesn't exist.
Tell us how you know Zeus doesn't exist.
Tell us how you know the other 5000+ gods and goddesses and spirits humans have worshiped don't exist.
Now tell us why the same reasoning doesn't apply to your favorite deity.[/quote]

By the Spirit of God and His Word.

@GodSpeed63 Actually the bible itself acknowledges the existence of other gods.

@GodSpeed63 And the idea of a supreme god is a bastardized version of an idea borrowed from Greek Hellenic pagans (neo-platonism).

@GodSpeed63 God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods
-- Psalm 82:1

There are many gods and one named God is the judge of them. Sounds confusing I know. Just picture a human judge named Guy. Makes more sense now, no?

@GodSpeed63 [quote]There's only one God, His name is Yahweh.[/quote]
As others have pointed out, the Bible acknowledges other gods.
[quote][b]Thou shalt have no other gods before me.[/b]
- Exodus 20:3[/quote]
As we have said, the Bible acknowledges other gods; it wants you to think your Yahweh is the main one.

Problem is, many gods claim to be the king of Gods; Zeus & Odin come to mind.

@ElwoodBlues [quote]As others have pointed out, the Bible acknowledges other gods.[/quote]

False gods made by the hands of men.

[quote]Problem is, many gods claim to be the king of Gods; Zeus & Odin come to mind.[/quote]

Yahweh said it Himself, "5 I am the Lord, and there is no other;
There is no God besides Me.
I will gird you, though you have not known Me,
6That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting
That there is none besides Me.
I am the Lord, and there is no other. Isaiah 45:5 & 6

4There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. Ephesians 4:4 & 5

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. John 1:1-5

Do you get it now?

@GodSpeed63 I get that the Bible is inconsistent, sometimes mentioning multiple gods, sometimes denying multiple Gods.

[quote]False gods made by the hands of men. [/quote]
So from your perspective, there are about 5000 "false gods made by the hands of men." I think, with high probability, that you are correct about that. I only differ from you in adding one more god to the list of likely false gods.

We are in almost complete agreement. Do you get it now?

@ElwoodBlues [quote]I get that the Bible is inconsistent, sometimes mentioning multiple gods, sometimes denying multiple Gods.[/quote]

There are false gods made by men who can do nothing, then there is the one true God, not made with hands, who can do everything. What is so inconsistent about that?

@GodSpeed63
[quote]God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods
– Psalm 82:1 [/quote]
[quote]Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
– Exodus 20:3 [/quote]
[quote]And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth.
– Exodus 23:13 [/quote]
Deuteronomy is FULL of mentions of other gods; I'll only include one quote:
[quote]And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded
– Deut 17:3 [/quote]

It doesn't say the other gods are false; doesn't say they do nothing. It just says don't put them before Yahweh.

[quote]False gods made by the hands of men.[/quote]

So from your perspective, there are about 5000 "false gods made by the hands of men." I think, with high probability, that you are correct about that. I only differ from you in adding one more god to the list of likely false gods.

We are in almost complete agreement. Do you get it now?

@ElwoodBlues [quote]We are in almost complete agreement. Do you get it now?[/quote]

Read Isaiah 45 again. How much plainer do you need?