A Religious Argument

“My wife is the most beautiful woman in the world!”

“You’re wrong. My wife is the most beautiful woman in the world!”

“If you actually knew my wife, you would never say such a thing. It would be clear to you that she is the most beautiful woman in the world.”

“If you actually knew my wife, you would know that she is the most beautiful...”

—Hey guys, what are your criteria for beauty?

“Why, all the attributes that my wife has; they are the criteria.”

“No, you’re wrong. The attributes cannot be separated out. It’s the whole person. My wife is the sole measure of beauty for the whole world.”

—Well, how about if we had a panel of independent judges decide?

“There can be no such thing as an independent panel. One has to believe first. Once you believe that my wife is the most beautiful woman in the world, then you will know it. Knowledge comes after belief. First believe, then receive.”

“You’re wrong again! First you must love her, then you’ll know that she is the most beautiful woman in the world. Knowledge comes after love. First love, then receive.”

“No, no, no! It’s not in loving, it’s in being loved.”

“Well, if you were loved by my wife, you would know that she’s the most beautiful woman in the world.”

“How can you say that? No love can compare to the love of my wife.”

. . .


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My wife is the most beautiful woman in the world.

Originally posted by vistesd
“My wife is the most beautiful woman in the world!”

“You’re wrong. My wife is the most beautiful woman in the world!”

“If you actually knew my wife, you would never say such a thing. It would be clear to you that she is the most beautiful woman in the world.”

“If you actually knew my wife, you would know that she is the most b ...[text shortened]...


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My wife is the most beautiful woman in the world.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder....the end.

Then an atheist comes along, looks at the legal papers slowly and methodically, before realising neither person arguing actually has a wife at all, and just pretend they do to make them feel better.

beauty is in the hands of the bartender😛

I really, really like your analogy. Thanks.

Originally posted by vistesd
“My wife is the most beautiful woman in the world!”

“You’re wrong. My wife is the most beautiful woman in the world!”

“If you actually knew my wife, you would never say such a thing. It would be clear to you that she is the most beautiful woman in the world.”

“If you actually knew my wife, you would know that she is the most b ...[text shortened]...


______________________________________

My wife is the most beautiful woman in the world.

" I have felt the love of your wife , and yes she is beautiful , but alas such love is a mirage , a trick of the brain "

" How do you know this?"

" I don't know for sure , but my mind has figured out that she must be a mirage"

"How do you know that thinking my wife is a mirage is not actually a mirage also ?"

" I don't I suppose "

" So what would happen in your life if you followed my wife and believed she was not a mirage afterall?"

" That would be very beautiful , but I want that too much so it can't be true . I don't trust something that I want badly , I think it might be just wish fulfillment"

" What would be the point of a wife that you did not want badly and find beautiful?"


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Just for fun......
😉

Originally posted by vistesd
“My wife is the most beautiful woman in the world!”

“You’re wrong. My wife is the most beautiful woman in the world!”

“If you actually knew my wife, you would never say such a thing. It would be clear to you that she is the most beautiful woman in the world.”

“If you actually knew my wife, you would know that she is the most b ...[text shortened]...


______________________________________

My wife is the most beautiful woman in the world.

My wife is the most beautiful woman in the world.

Originally posted by vistesd
“My wife is the most beautiful woman in the world!”

“You’re wrong. My wife is the most beautiful woman in the world!”

“If you actually knew my wife, you would never say such a thing. It would be clear to you that she is the most beautiful woman in the world.”

“If you actually knew my wife, you would know that she is the most b ...[text shortened]...


______________________________________

My wife is the most beautiful woman in the world.

But the fact remains, in the end, one is more beautiful than the other, despite sentimental bias. If your wife is more beautiful than mine, I should probably trade mine in for yours. 😉😀

Originally posted by knightmeister
" I have felt the love of your wife , and yes she is beautiful , but alas such love is a mirage , a trick of the brain "

" How do you know this?"

" I don't know for sure , but my mind has figured out that she must be a mirage"

"How do you know that thinking my wife is a mirage is not actually a mirage also ?"

" I don't I suppose "

" So w -------------------------------------------

Just for fun......
😉

Well, I acknowledged that you and I were beyond that... 🙂

Originally posted by epiphinehas
But the fact remains, in the end, one is more beautiful than the other, despite sentimental bias. If your wife is more beautiful than mine, I should probably trade mine in for yours. 😉😀

But the fact remains, in the end, one is more beautiful than the other, despite sentimental bias.

Ah, but by whose criteria?

Originally posted by vistesd
[b]But the fact remains, in the end, one is more beautiful than the other, despite sentimental bias.

Ah, but by whose criteria?[/b]

Nobody's criteria...

Rather than a subjective essence like beauty, perhaps it would be easier to imagine truth like an objective phenomena. If we were American citizens around two-hundred years ago, and were all asked whether it was raining in London or not, we might all have differing opinions, but the answer is in fact one rather than the other. If one religion is true rather than another, then it is true regardless of our criteria or what we actually believe.

I do admit, however, that it is useless to convince someone, intellectually, to believe in Jesus Christ. Tozer once said, if someone is only convinced intellectually that Christ is truth, then he can be just as easily convinced by someone else to believe just the opposite; rationality and reason cannot produce an enduring faith. That which is spoken of in the Bible as "faith" is something that cannot be "worked up," or arrived at merely by being convinced intellectually. Only the Spirit of God Himself can produce it.

I believe the evidence of Christianity's truth can most easily be found in the inexplicable rest, confidence, and joy -- in the face of any and all adversity -- found in those who possess and profess faith in Jesus Christ.

Originally posted by epiphinehas
Rather than a subjective essence like beauty, perhaps it would be easier to imagine truth like an objective phenomena. If we were American citizens around two-hundred years ago, and were all asked whether it was raining in London or not, we might all have differing opinions, but the answer is in fact one rather than the other. If one religion is true rather than another, then it is true regardless of our criteria or what we actually believe.

But, I think the whole point here (though some may disagree with it) is that the truth of religion is much more like the truth of your wife's beauty than like an objective fact.

I quite agree with everything else you said in this post, though again I conceive of "Christianity's truth" as described above.

Originally posted by castlerook
But, I think the whole point here (though some may disagree with it) is that the truth of religion is much more like the truth of your wife's beauty than like an objective fact.

I quite agree with everything else you said in this post, though again I conceive of "Christianity's truth" as described above.

But, I think the whole point here (though some may disagree with it) is that the truth of religion is much more like the truth of your wife's beauty than like an objective fact.

But still, it is only a supposition. If truth is subjectively arbitrary, then the beauty analogy would be accurate. But if truth is objective, then the beauty analogy falls short. The point is, the analogy itself presupposes that truth is subjectively arbitrary. Vistesd knows these kinds of limitations which we have proving the veracity of any given religion or belief, but I think he still enjoys playing this game anyway (like a math whiz solving a problem in countless different ways for the fun of it).

Originally posted by epiphinehas
Nobody's criteria...

Beauty is, by definition subjective. So for you to say it exists independent of anyones criteria is a contradiction.

Originally posted by epiphinehas
I do admit, however, that it is useless to convince someone, intellectually, to believe in Jesus Christ. Tozer once said, if someone is only convinced intellectually that Christ is truth, then he can be just as easily convinced by someone else to believe just the opposite; rationality and reason cannot produce an enduring faith. That which is sp ...[text shortened]... at merely by being convinced intellectually. Only the Spirit of God Himself can produce it.

The requirements for your "faith" and the requirements for delusion are remarkably similar.