Notice how many gods you reject.

[Branden Albert's Huge Balls]

Proof #28 - Notice how many gods you reject

There are literally thousands of religions being practiced today. Here are 20 of the most popular, along with an estimate of the number of followers:

Christianity: 2.1 billion
Islam: 1.3 billion
Hinduism: 900 million
Chinese traditional religion: 394 million
Buddhism: 376 million
African Traditional & Diasporic: 100 million
Sikhism: 23 million
Juche: 19 million
Spiritism: 15 million
Judaism: 14 million
Baha'i: 7 million
Jainism: 4.2 million
Shinto: 4 million
Cao Dai: 4 million
Zoroastrianism: 2.6 million
Tenrikyo: 2 million
Neo-Paganism: 1 million
Unitarian-Universalism: 800 thousand
Rastafarianism: 600 thousand
Scientology: 500 thousand

[Source: Encyclopedia Britannica]

If you believe in God, you have chosen to reject Allah, Vishnu, Budda, Waheguru and all of the thousands of other gods that other people worship today. It is quite likely that you rejected these other gods without ever looking into their religions or reading their books. You simply absorbed the dominant faith in your home or in the society you grew up in.

In the same way, the followers of all these other religions have chosen to reject God. You think their gods are imaginary, and they think your God is imaginary.

In other words, each religious person on earth today arbitrarily rejects thousands of gods as imaginary, many of which he/she has never even heard of, and arbitrarily chooses to "believe" in one of them.

The following quote from Stephen F. Roberts sums up the situation very nicely:

"I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours."

A rational person rejects all human gods equally, because all of them are equally imaginary.

How do we know that they are imaginary? Simply imagine that one of them is real.

If one of these thousands of gods were actually real, then his followers would be experiencing real, undeniable benefits. These benefits would be obvious to everyone. The followers of a true god would pray, and their prayers would be answered. The followers of a true god would therefore live longer, have fewer diseases, have lots more money, etc.

There would be thousands of statistical markers surrounding the followers of a true god.

Everyone would notice all of these benefits, and they would gravitate toward this true god. And thus, over the course of several centuries, everyone would be aligned on the one true god. All the other false gods would have fallen by the wayside long ago, and there would be only one religion under the one true god.

When we look at our world today, we see nothing like that. There are two billion Christians AND there are more than one billion Muslims, and their religions are mutually exclusive. There are thousands of other religions. When you analyze any of them, they all show a remarkable similarity -- there is zero evidence that any of these gods exist.

[Dave Lane]

Originally Posted by stevieray

There is nothing to back this up, other than "works". Which God sees as filthy rags.

...this is just your personal opinion, and only recently coming to the forefront.

btw.... do you still believe Jesus is the Son of God?

So good works by followers are considered "dirty rags" by god?

Impressively bad behavior by god if true.

[stevieray]

Originally Posted by KC Fish

No offense, but how is it different than what you wrote?

none taken..I presume you are talking about Christians who think they have a relationship with God?

Jesus adressed this...about being neither hot ot cold, ultimately lukewarm....also of those who claim to Him that they prophesied in his name and performed miracles..and he tells them "I never knew you"

God looks to the heart, not works. Works will not help you receive Salvation...this why tribulation saints will have to die for Him, in other words..you want works? you got it.

[stevieray]

Originally Posted by Dave Lane

So good works by followers are considered "dirty rags" by god?

Impressively bad behavior by god if true.

That's because you are taking it out of context and are reluctant to understand.

[La literatura]

Originally Posted by RedNeckRaider

So what is your take on the trinity? This is not a setup question, just curious. I know you are catholic although I have read open minded posts by you. Not necessarily taking those stances but giving acknowledgement to the other beliefs~

I'm a big fan of the trinity.

[La literatura]

Originally Posted by stevieray

There is nothing to back this up, other than "works". Which God sees as filthy rags.

...this is just your personal opinion, and only recently coming to the forefront.

This isn't my personal opinion. This is the reality of what most Muslims generally believe.

[stevieray]

Originally Posted by Literature

This isn't my personal opinion. This is the reality of what most Muslims generally believe.

generally? closer...

[RNR]

Originally Posted by Literature

I'm a big fan of the trinity.

I can honestly say I don't get it. Anyway good for you that you find comfort in it...seriously~

[La literatura]

Originally Posted by stevieray

generally? closer...

Please write in full sentences so I can understand you.

[stevieray]

Originally Posted by Literature

Please write in full sentences so I can understand you.

There are muslims who don't believe it's possible.

[La literatura]

Originally Posted by stevieray

There are muslims who don't believe it's possible.

Thanks. I can only speak in generalities. There are millions or billions of Muslims, just as there are millions or billions of Christians. There's no way to account for each person's beliefs about God.

But in general, Islamic theology holds God as a compassionate, merciful creator who loves and cares for obedient Muslims.

[stevieray]

Originally Posted by Literature

obedient Muslims.

This is why I say their basis of allah's love is based on works.

God loves first. God goes after backsliders. God forgives. Even in the eleventh hour.

[Dave Lane]

Originally Posted by Literature

Thanks. I can only speak in generalities. There are millions or billions of Muslims, just as there are millions or billions of Christians. There's no way to account for each person's beliefs about God.

But in general, Islamic theology holds God as a compassionate, merciful creator who loves and cares for obedient Muslims.

Got to go with Literature on this. Thanks for posting a fully coherent statement in this thread. I had to stop posting in this thread for awhile as it careened into a masturbatory circle jerk that was rather horrible to behold.

[La literatura]

Originally Posted by RedNeckRaider

I can honestly say I don't get it. Anyway good for you that you find comfort in it...seriously~

Oh, I don't get it either. Actually, even the Vatican doesn't fully get it. They call it one of the great mysteries that even with the aid of divine revelation, humans can't fully comprehend.

[RNR]

This is one of the reasons I dismiss religion. Make no mistake it is not "the" reason and is not close to the main reasons I do, it is however one of the reasons. stevieray is a good dude even though I disagree with him on this subject. I see people who believe in the same god ridiculing him because they interpret their beliefs differently than he does. On a larger scale than Chiefsplanet people fly planes into buildings over this invisible man bullshit~

[Dave Lane]

Originally Posted by stevieray

This is why I say their basis of allah's love is based on works.

God loves first. God goes after backsliders. God forgives. Even in the eleventh hour.

So christian theology does not hold God as a compassionate, merciful creator who loves and cares for obedient christians?

Or just non-obedient ones or all of humanity including muslims or??