How many here think of themselves as skeptical thinkers? I ask because i know agnostics/atheists who came to non-belief the way many came to religious belief. Do you question god because of evidence, or because of a personal situation?
When I can feel it see it touch it and hear it then I can believe it and in that I have faith.
fwiw Paul said to test everything, and keep what is good, and we are plainly told that believers read Paul to their destruction
so, some Scriptures for you to Quote to religious types, who universally hate them
No Son of Man may die for another's sins...
No one has ever gone up to heaven...
There is only One Immortal
just for starters, and one i just recently discovered,
[biblehub.net]
!
I'm 100% skeptical! I would be just as skeptical about atheism, humanism, agnosticism etc as I would about any religion. And that's how I ended up as a humanist.
I was raised Christian but when I was very young, I questioned their assertions and noticed church teachings were not reflective of reality so I figured the entire (faith (believe nonsense without evidence)) thing was just a (stick) version of Santa Clause - scare kids to do what adults want us to do - fairy tale. I also rationalized that religions were so stupid all grown up were just in on the game to manipulate children. It was not until I was in my 20's before I came to the grim realization that many old people never grew out of religion. That was a grim realization - - - my optimism for a positive outcome for civilization was greatly reduced.
I don't think I am any more skeptical/critical/free thinking as an average person. I tend to believe that it's mostly chance, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's done without evidence.
I always try to keep in mind the first opening lines from the Great Gatsby (even though I don't particularly like the book), whenever I am dealing with Christians:
In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since.
"Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone," he told me, "just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had."