Infinite regression destroys Paley's argument. Simple as that. And to the contraty ER1C0. You do need to read up if you think that poverty is essential. More so, if you cant see the relationship between illiteracy, poverty and religion in the southern hemisphere, or between theocracy and the totalitarian state, for example Stalin's Russia, you just aren't paying attention to world history.
My point is that it's part of freewill for both sides of the spectrum to be possible: I think I can rule it down to this: The basis for belief in Christianity is faith. It means ignorance according to a lot of non-theists, but it means truth to Christians. I recognize it would suck if humanity fell due to the ignorance of religion if it were false. However, in the long term, I see taking stock in God and the innumerable benefits as a smarter move than taking stock in naturalistic beliefs that will, in all likelihood, end in oblivion, plus, quite frankly, this would probably result in hell if Abraham-based religions were right. And I think it's okay to be fearful of the afterlife, because Christians are supposed to love and fear God... that's part of faith and submission. I choose Christianity because the Bible makes sense to me and I see much compassion in a Christian life because of Jesus and his suffering for humanity's sins. To conclude: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Hell was only introduced by Jesus. In point of fact, it was only introduced hundreds of years after Jesus. That's several thousand years after supposed Abrahamic prophets. And you quite neatly composed the three most offensive principles of Christianity; that is governed by wish-making and false consolation, that it introduces the totalitarian idea of loving someone you are supposed to fear, and that it offers vicarious redemption, the removal of ones sins onto another, the continuation of our species most early ritual, scape-goating, the piling of curses and evil spirits onto a goat sent out into the desert to die. These amount to a sickly prospect that is clearly very hard to shake. And you honestly think that upon these principles morality is derived. The ten commandments depict a jealous, agricultural god, that might not like murder but he doesn't mind killing, rape, slavery or genocide, in fact he positively advocates it.
Masturbation can be healthy, though lust is not. Misconception #137 Dear internet, goh get ur fatcs rite
I know this is Catholicism and all that but still, religion Theology of Monty Python - Every Sperm is Sacred - YouTube
I am having trouble understanding how a person can masturbate without any kind of "intense or unbridled sexual desire."
Funny, cuz I posted a link earlier in the thread about how Hell was mentioned some 31 times in the old testament. As intelligent as you are, you know thats BEFORE Jesus came along.
I'd like to see that. I hope you are aware that not only is the old Testament more than 100 years older than Jesus, and more than 200 years older than the formation of the new Testament, but that they aren't even related to the same God.