In what context could stoning a raped woman to death ever be justified?
In the Bible, Jesus tells us that God’s law shall never pass away until Heaven and earth are no more (Luke 16:17/Matthew 5:18). The Old Testament book of Deuteronomy literally translates as ‘the law repeated’. This law, the law of the old testament as written in the Hebrew bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) is the only law that Jesus, a Jew would, could have been talking about. And so it is to Deuteronomy that we turn when asking how to deal with rape victims.
Luke and I don’t see eye to eye on very much but we do show that it’s possible to discuss and argue, passionately at times and still remain cordial and genial at the end.
This is a discussion/debate with Luke Villareal, an American Christian. We had a few technical problems resulting in fairly poor video quality on my end and no image at all from Luke. However that beats our first attempt during which we couldn’t get anything to record at all.
The rule was that we both get to record it and we both can publish it online as we see fit but without any edits. There is one small edit in the original where I cut out about a minute of ‘dead air’ whilst I attended to my dog. Other than that the video is completely unedited.
Luke and I don’t see eye to eye on very much but we do show that it’s possible to discuss and argue, passionately at times and still remain cordial and genial at the end. Let us know in the comments what you thought of the points raised and especially let us know if either Luke or I managed to change your mind about anything.
How do Christians justify their commitment to kill people because some politician tells them to?
I regularly come across either serving or veteran military personnel in these atheist v theist groups who also identify as Christian. As a rule such people express pride in their military credentials and some even seem to assume that they deserve special consideration or respect as a result. This has always confused me.
How can a Christian join an organisation in which they will be expected to kill (or support the killing of) other people simply because a politician decides it’s a good idea? As we all know, military interventions are not always motivated by noble intentions.
I don’t suggest that military service isn’t courageous, even heroic and I fully understand that it genuinely can be necessary (although it often is not). It’s the decision to ‘join up’ that I find confusing.
How is a commitment to take the lives of unknown others at some future date for as yet unknown reasons, ordered by currently unknown politicians with equally unknown motivations in any way consistent with Christian values?
How do Christians justify their commitment to kill people because some politician (whose motives may be very reprehensible) tells them to?
What if God told you that you were doing it wrong?
Is this a message from God (as my friend thinks) or is it more nonsense from a YouTube atheist with an overs tive imagination and too much time on his hands? You decide.
Christians seem not to share that dislike of dishonesty and dictatorial arrogance
I have no problem with religious believers. Religion is their right. I’ve defended that right many times and no doubt will do so again. I do have a problem with control freaks and liars. Unfortunately many Christians seem not to share that dislike of dishonesty and dictatorial arrogance – in fact they empower and even embody it!
God wants us to use our brains – the brains that He gave us
A friend of mine seems to think that I’m channelling the words of God. I don’t.
I don’t believe God is real but I’m going with it anyway because I promised her that I would. Here’s the second pronouncement for what it’s worth.
God wants us to use our brains – the brains that He gave us. He wants scientists to continue to uncover the mechanism of His creation and He wants the religious to stop pretending it’s not true.
The God free guide 