I think you've presented 3 arguments: Argument 1. How can I have a personal relationship with a dead guy? Surely the relationship is in my head?
Argument 2 (implied). My beliefs are because of my upbringing. Therefore my belief is wrong. It's also Wacko.
Argument 3. This was very unclear, but I think you argued: By currently popular scientific views the Earth is really old and the human race isn't. Many species existed before us, so why would God choose to make us "in the form of God"?
1. My answer: I've had experiences that strongly suggest to me that Jesus is alive and communicating with me. The way my car battery exploded last year, the way I coped with my parents divorce, the way I found a fire extinguisher for my church, the way I found my wife, the reason why I went to college, the way I get answered prayers (not all the time granted, but sometimes dramatically). These are just a few examples. None of the above probably make any sense to you because they're *personal*.
What I would recommend is asking God if he's really there. Really, really asking him. Like on Bruce Almighty when Jim Carrey is really frustrated. Sometimes God shows up.
2. My answer: To your point, most western Christians do have a Christian upbringing. This doesn't make their beliefs wrong.
3. My answer: The Bible agrees that humans were the last on the planet. I'm not sure what you mean by "special". We're clearly more intelligent than any other species. We experience vastly more complex emotional, intellectual, spiritual and social behavior than anything else on the planet. Apes are apparently the closest species and they can't program Java, appreciate art, fall in love, read Shakespeare or even make a better bow and arrow. I think that as a species we're very special. What do you mean?
While many of your negative claims about religion and christianity are true, I can honestly say that specifically Jesus Christ has been completely real to me. I have a Bachelors in Physics and I don't often take knowledge for granted without my own exploration of a subject.
If I were to apply your comments about religious people to my own experiences with Christianity, I would say that you were arrogant and naieve - you are talking about something that you clearly do not understand. You seem to know about some of the dark moments in the history of the Catholic church, but you don't have a clue what a personal relationship with Jesus means.
To the issue at discussion: the devil would have no motive in exploding electrical devices - I would imagine it's a complete waste of his time. I personally think the explosions might have something to do with an unusual concentration of the earth's magnetic field in that particular geographical location, interacting with charged volcanic ash to create some kind of widespread easily-induced charge. Kind of like a wool sweater that sparks when you take it off in the dark, when there's low humidity weather.
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I think you've presented 3 arguments:
Argument 1. How can I have a personal relationship with a dead guy? Surely the relationship is in my head?
Argument 2 (implied). My beliefs are because of my upbringing. Therefore my belief is wrong. It's also Wacko.
Argument 3. This was very unclear, but I think you argued: By currently popular scientific views the Earth is really old and the human race isn't. Many species existed before us, so why would God choose to make us "in the form of God"?
1. My answer: I've had experiences that strongly suggest to me that Jesus is alive and communicating with me. The way my car battery exploded last year, the way I coped with my parents divorce, the way I found a fire extinguisher for my church, the way I found my wife, the reason why I went to college, the way I get answered prayers (not all the time granted, but sometimes dramatically). These are just a few examples. None of the above probably make any sense to you because they're *personal*.
What I would recommend is asking God if he's really there. Really, really asking him. Like on Bruce Almighty when Jim Carrey is really frustrated. Sometimes God shows up.
2. My answer: To your point, most western Christians do have a Christian upbringing. This doesn't make their beliefs wrong.
3. My answer: The Bible agrees that humans were the last on the planet. I'm not sure what you mean by "special". We're clearly more intelligent than any other species. We experience vastly more complex emotional, intellectual, spiritual and social behavior than anything else on the planet. Apes are apparently the closest species and they can't program Java, appreciate art, fall in love, read Shakespeare or even make a better bow and arrow. I think that as a species we're very special. What do you mean?
While many of your negative claims about religion and christianity are true, I can honestly say that specifically Jesus Christ has been completely real to me. I have a Bachelors in Physics and I don't often take knowledge for granted without my own exploration of a subject.
If I were to apply your comments about religious people to my own experiences with Christianity, I would say that you were arrogant and naieve - you are talking about something that you clearly do not understand. You seem to know about some of the dark moments in the history of the Catholic church, but you don't have a clue what a personal relationship with Jesus means.
To the issue at discussion: the devil would have no motive in exploding electrical devices - I would imagine it's a complete waste of his time. I personally think the explosions might have something to do with an unusual concentration of the earth's magnetic field in that particular geographical location, interacting with charged volcanic ash to create some kind of widespread easily-induced charge. Kind of like a wool sweater that sparks when you take it off in the dark, when there's low humidity weather.