The God Debate

The latest NEWSWEEK poll shows that 91 percent of American adults surveyed believe in God—and nearly half reject the theory of evolution. Also, Americans on John Edwards and the Senate's goal for troop withdrawal

Newsweek Web Exclusive
Apr 9, 2007

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  • Posted By: Tacocat27 @ 08/26/2008 4:17:15 PM

    I have absolutely no problem with people believing in God or whatever else they find faith in, but what I do have a problem with is all these people on here pulling random quotes from the bible and saying "here read this, this will solve all your problems" There is just too much descrepency in the content of the bible to truely TRUELY follow God's word precisely. For example:

    When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

    I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

    I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness - Lev.15:19- 24. The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

    Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

    I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

    A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination - Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?

    Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

    Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

    I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

    My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? - Lev.24:10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

    I myself was raised Catholic, but what turned me away was the hypocrisy of the church. They twist the words of God to suit them, they pick and choose from the bible instead of following it completly. I'm not here to be an angry athiest and demean your God, but I would like to know why do you present the bible as such a sacred book, yet you only follow the passages in it that best suit your lifestyle?

    • Posted By: F7711 @ 09/23/2009 10:35:57 PM

      That's a great post. Thanks.
      More of the stupidity that believers swallow, hook, line ,and sinker.

    • Posted By: romel @ 08/26/2008 5:12:37 PM

      in the catholic church they use the old and new books. there are laws in the old testament that are explicitly abolished in the new book especially in the writings of Paul. This entails about the laws of food, slavery, festivals, adultery, etc. I believe in Christ, I'm not ashamed to assert that. Bible for me is a holy book. But to believe that only Christians can be saved, denying the place for the good Samaritan is purely unbiblical and utter arrogance of faith.

  • Posted By: Case4Christ @ 09/27/2008 2:47:03 AM

    My advice to Newsweek is this: Consider doing this interview again but with a different person to stand up for the bible and it's world view. Rick Warren in my opinion didn't give solid and concrete answers. He leaves the reader in limbo in my opinion. If I were someone in search of God I would chose not to believe because Sam had in my opinion more ammunition to back answers. Rick Warren is a popular evangelist however I disagree with most of his work. Please select a person that will give more solid answeres and evidence. T hat person would be people like: Hank Hanegraff, Lee Strobel or Palini. Not only will they be able to answer these question more effectively but they will also make a believer out of Mr. Sam Harris.

    • Posted By: F7711 @ 09/23/2009 10:33:04 PM

      It doesn't matter who debates on the side of stupidity. It's amazing that anyone with half a brain can believe in the nonsense that you do. It is sad .

  • Posted By: F7711 @ 09/23/2009 10:28:20 PM

    90 percent of Americans have an invisible friend in the sky and believe that they will live forever after their bodies die...no wonder we're in such dire straits . 90 percent of us are superstitious morons who aren't smart enough to separate myth from fact . As far as the debate goes, Harris is too nice, he should have called Warren a moron and laughed in his face. I would have. Call me intolerant, I am. I have no tolerance for fools. That's what it takes to believe in any gods, a fool.

  • Posted By: maggiejay @ 05/25/2009 12:17:15 PM

    It seems to me that Christians pick and choose what to believe out of the Bible. They believe Jesus was the son of God, but they don't believe in slavery, polygamy etc. That doesn't make any sense. Christianity has a long bloody history and I don't want any part of it. If God does exist, I think He's a sadist. If He doesn't exist, I really don't care.

  • Posted By: Constitution Lover @ 04/16/2009 2:48:01 PM

    Warren, along with ot others makes a very serious mistatement. He attributes theactions of Stalin, Moa and the North Koreans to "Athesit" regimes. They are not athesit inthe true sense of teh word. Yes the reject the deities of the Western world but they have created their own deities and religions int he truest senseo fot e word. All three great nations REQUIRE that their citizens worship the sate and their leaders. The leaders of ALL three of those nations have had supernatural skills attributed to them *And North Korea still attributes supernatural skilld to their rabid little midget. Cuba also falls into that mix. They are poltico-theistic nations. They are in no real way atheist. Therefore no atheist nation has engaged in atrocities, while many religious nations have.

    That is not saying that religion and a belief in a deity (not just the Abrahamic one, since that deity ios no more important than the others) is inherently bad or good. They are neutral. It is what human beings do with them that is bad or good.

    The TaNaKH may be the basis for much curent ethical and law process in civilized nations, but it is nto teh only place that those ethics can be found. And although the authors of that series of books may have cobbled together beneficial and universal general human ethics into one location (for which the book does have beneficial use) they also wrapped those ethics in supernatural stuff that is of no real use.

    What is also interesting is that almost if not all of the General Human ethics aspects of the Bible are found in the TaNaKH (which is the Jewish part [although there is plenty of supernatural junk and barbaritiy as well in that part]) not in the Christain part. It would have useful for the debate to have included a Rabbi so that someone who actually understands the TaNaKH (what is mistakenly referred to as the "old testament") could have participated.

    • Posted By: mikedarwick @ 05/06/2009 1:42:15 PM

      How would a belief in God be "inherently neutral"? That makes no sense.

  • Posted By: mikedarwick @ 05/06/2009 1:40:47 PM

    Does anyone really need to prove God actually exists? Yes, because if a person does not, it means they will not have to ever be worried about being held accountable for any of their immoral actions.

  • Posted By: Sam Dawkins @ 04/27/2009 5:47:38 PM

    Rick Warren suffers from so many logical flaws it must be frustrating for someone like Harris to debate with him. I just wish I had been in time to ask the question of whether all the calls for violence, bigotry, and neglect of rational thinking in the Bible make up for the better parts of it calling for peace, love, and tolerance? And, how much can you pick and choose from the Bible before it becomes a bastardized version of what you wish it were.

  • Posted By: Cates @ 04/16/2009 12:59:59 PM

    Mr. Warren is arrogant and wrong. Denmark is a perfect example of atheist???s nations. It is an atheist???s paradise where one can live in peace and integrity without gods or other imaginary friends. Religion is a disease that causes much more harm in society than good. It is a tool that the evil and arrogant use to control the uneducated and weak minded in our society. That why the vast majority, over 97 percent, of Americas top scientist do NOT believe in gods or Santa, while the majority of felons in prison do. Most of those infected with religion are poor Americans as they often put their allegiance to their imaginary friends before their allegiance to America and Americans. Our founding fathers new this and purposely excluded religion from our government. President Madison said it best - "Religious bondage shackles and debilitates the mind and unfits it for every noble enterprise, every expanded prospect." - James Madison, letter to William Bradford, April 1, 1774

  • Posted By: Cates @ 04/16/2009 12:59:29 PM

    Mr. Warren is arrogant and wrong. Denmark is a perfect example of atheist???s nations. It is an atheist???s paradise where one can live in peace and integrity without gods or other imaginary friends. Religion is a disease that causes much more harm in society than good. It is a tool that the evil and arrogant use to control the uneducated and weak minded in our society. That why the vast majority, over 97 percent, of Americas top scientist do NOT believe in gods or Santa, while the majority of felons in prison do. Most of those infected with religion are poor Americans as they often put their allegiance to their imaginary friends before their allegiance to America and Americans. Our founding fathers new this and purposely excluded religion from our government. President Madison said it best - "Religious bondage shackles and debilitates the mind and unfits it for every noble enterprise, every expanded prospect." - James Madison, letter to William Bradford, April 1, 1774

  • Posted By: ThePrairiePrankster @ 04/15/2009 7:33:43 PM

    The Bible is a book written by men who held slaves and oppressed women. It is a collection of myths. Have a nice day.

  • Posted By: Lee Holmes @ 04/15/2009 3:39:12 PM

    Tell the atheists not to sweat this however. NEWSWEAKS polls are the most freighted in America, not even rivaled by the FOX /GENERAL DYNAMICS poll,which yet shows strong approval for Obama. Thus it is more likely,using NEWSWEAKS own methodology,that this number is closer to ''70-72%''

  • Posted By: scoon58 @ 03/31/2009 10:41:14 AM

    Our nation is at war because a dictator was killing innocent people. He was as bad as Hitler. Burying them in mass graves and not even caring about human life. I know they have different beliefs than some of us but that is not acceptable. Genocide is not acceptable in any religion.

  • Posted By: IGPOD @ 12/29/2008 12:05:10 AM

    Sounds like Mr. Warren is basing his belief on a coin flip. After all his closing statement in the debate was synonymous with Pascal's Wager. Keep in mind Warren would lose his lifestyle and wealth if not for the church; he is a multi-millionaire because of his church, he has political support/ backing/ endorsement and national recognition. If he were to suddenly just admit he thinks the same way as Harris (because he does, the last statement is definitely a sign of that) then he (Warren) simply be committing political/ social and religious suicide. I don't know of any man whom would castrate themselves and not have anything to gain out of the ordeal.

    The fact of the matter is that with religion providing paychecks and recognition to its key members; adversely creating a lifestyle and a social acceptance, regardless of what that individual actually believes, he or she will continue to spread the ignorance to the followers of that church at a price much higher than that in which supports their lifestyles. That is greed, and that is not Holy, that is a Hoax!

  • Posted By: gabsm1ns4n @ 12/22/2008 1:02:27 PM

    Be a good person because as a human being it is what you are supposed to do...not because you think you are going to be rewarded when you die.

  • Posted By: mfenwick @ 12/19/2008 6:27:28 PM

    If there is a god then why is our nation at war? Answer that all you deists.

  • Posted By: louisMMVII @ 12/19/2008 5:19:00 PM

    If it wasn't for science G-d would be really bored and be obligated to give certain homo sapiens some serious intellectual gifts and talents and, for some strange reason, make sure they had no clue of his existence. For intense entertainment purposes and challenge I guess. I don't think he intended super- skeptical, scientific scholar atheists to be the global joke. So, it is their own fault if they are. This is a non-bias onlooker perspective here so atheists, please, don't attempt to come unglued on me.
    Two things I would like to mention . First about this so-called debate. And not about whom was the most convincing. The big conservative bigot was impressive with his romantic delivery and use of somewhat expressive slightly larger than expected wording, and keeping his cool although some frustration was lurking in the background. However, Harris was rather impressive with his nearly faultless facade of open-mindedness and understanding.
    Number two, I guess this article reappeared over Mr. Obama's controversial grab off the right invocation appointment. I'm curious though if Mr. Warren has proclaimed the Prez elect as the mashiach like that other Conservative Glenn Beck. I think these guys are bad news for the gullible one. Hopefully Mr. Obama has not convinced himself he is G-d, because there is only one ultimate way to determine that.

  • Posted By: louisMMVII @ 12/19/2008 4:31:32 PM

    If I attempt to be bi-partisan here will someone still chew my head off? Or if I deceptively fool the scientific Athiests into believing that I sympithise will
    Harris while

  • Posted By: PaladinCatholic @ 12/19/2008 4:15:14 PM

    This is good news! Now if only 100% believed in God!

  • Posted By: nimodahooligan @ 12/19/2008 2:06:20 PM

    why was this made into an article? however interesting it is to see dialogue from to intelligent people on a sensitive subject hashing things out, there was no conclusion. you can go onto just about any discussion board and see the ame conversation happening with the same results.

  • Posted By: martialguy @ 12/19/2008 7:25:25 AM

    There are a lot of issues for these religious folks to..pray for; especially for education
    Parents are stripped bare of power to effectively discipline their children when they get too spoiled rotten. Juvies, and pens substituted parents' whips.
    Science and math became... geeky subjects. TV, sports, music and videogames became educators. Chidren are predominantly taught to believe the world was created almost...overnight

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