A while ago I decided, after decades of ambivalence and doubt, to "own" my identity and heritage as a Christian. Still, I appreciate ambiguity. I respect and empathize with atheists and agnostics, as well as those who are "spiritual-but-not-religious." I care about beauty, goodness, mercy and redemption. I value the Arts, Justice, fairness and equality, good food, good music, and good friends.

Qi, based on your above statements, I conclude you are not a agnostic Christian, but purely agnostic. A Christian is someone who is a disciple of Christ (hence the name Christian), which you are not. Agreeing that Western cultures are inextricably linked to Christianity does not make you a Christian, only faith onto Christ does.

Based Based on what qi is saying i will think he is a deist.

if there is a god and he didnt come tell us then how do we know anyway?

Carl

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First of all your claim that Physics can explain almost everything. Except the begining, which you explain away by saying the universe can just pop out of nothing, huh? Allow me to misquote Einstien

* the more we know the more we realize we don't know

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*Science is a long way from explaining everything and often times science and technology fail us on a huge level in unforseen ways.* More people are killed each year from superbug infections contracted in hospitals and malpractice than all the people killed by scientology idiots, neglecting their sick.

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Now to your point about Jesus picking the wrong century to appear, because he could have come now and , had an interactive website , and appear on the David Letterman show. You admitted you world not trust yourself to believe if Jesus appeared in the sky speaking with a thunderous voice. So how many non-believers would believe a self-proclaimed messiah preforming miracles on late-nite TV? none I suspect.

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Which brings us back to Faith. Let me give you two exhamples from the time of Jesus

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There were eye-witnesses to Jesus preforming miricles who did not believe. The followers of Jesus came under a death sentence threat. Do not preach that he rose from the dead. Why would they continue to preach under this threat if they knew it was all a sham. And yet they did and the movement spread through the Roman empire like wildfire.

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The Roman empire was the begining of modern history as we in the west know it. It was the first time all roads were connected and trade flowed back and forth across half the world. Coincidence?, YOU could say that. I would not. I would call it good timing.

Aranka, Robespierre, General Arun, Czechia

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Education in America has been for sometime under the influence of liberal secular educators who are preaching political correctness over substance. Unless you are a christian , then it is ok to be attacked. It is very hard for an outspoken Christian professor to achieve tenure much less be offered a Chair at a Univ. A professor can preach athiesm all day long , but if one mentions his christian faith he will be drummed out. So I am not suprised at the result: most acidemics and thinkers at the University level are athiestic or agnostic. This is not to say these products of our University system are not smart I am sure they are , but they are biased.

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I do not doubt that on the High school level in small town america there is a bias toward old fashioned christian values. The avarage small town american sees his world crumbling, and fears change. This does not excuse but simply explain.

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I have attended different christian churches in both big citys and small towns , catholic and southern baptist, The variety of sermons and emphisis is huge, not all christian preachers are the same. However, in most catholic churches and episcopal churches the sermon goes as followes: We are all saved already; how do we treat our friends, how do we treat strangers , how do we practice our faith. Most Baptist sermons go as followes: We are all sinners, we all need to be saved or recommit our lives to God, let me tell you why and how. now that you know why and how , I invite you to come forward . I also attended several Jesus people revivals and have been to many non-denominational christian churches. More on the southern baptist invitation later. I am sure you will love my logic vs emotion seminar.

atheism can almost only come from independent thinking, whereas religion can only come (without exception this time) from people telling you what to think.
so i'd say that the more educated people are the more likely they are to take their own decision on their beliefs, which would increase the chances of there being atheists.
please don't twist this into meaning that christians are sheep (LOL and god is their Shepard!)... didn't mean that :P
...because that's not at all what i'm saying.

But warlightvet if people did not think for themselves then how come they are several denominations of religions.