Priesto wrote:Just like God exists whether you believe it or not.
You realize the Bible does make some testable claims, right? Maybe we should test some of these claims.
Leviticus 26:14 - 16
"'But if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands, and if you reject my decrees and abhor my laws and fail to carry out all my commands and so violate my covenant, then I will do this to you:"
Before we get to the punishment let me be very clear, I refuse to listen to your god, I will not carry out his commands, I reject his decrees and abhor his laws, and doing so I violate his covenant. And I have done so for many, many years. So what should have happened to me?
- I will bring upon you sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever that will destroy your sight and drain away your life.
Nope, hasn't happened.
- You will plant seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it.
I assume they mean kids, in which case I don't have any.
- I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies;
Again, this hasn't happened. I live in a free society.
- those who hate you will rule over you,
Does Jean Chrétien count? Didn't think so.
- and you will flee even when no one is pursuing you.
Flee? Fat chance.
- "'If after all this you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over.
Still not listening and the above hasn't happened once, let alone seven times.
- I will break down your stubborn pride
Nope.
- and make the sky above you like iron and the ground beneath you like bronze.
Hmm, it's an overcast day and my lawn is brown cause I refuse to water it. Iron is gray, bronze is brown. Is that close enough?
- Your strength will be spent in vain, because your soil will not yield its crops, nor will the trees of the land yield their fruit.
I don't have a farm, not even a garden. Keep meaning to start one.
- "'If you remain hostile toward me and refuse to listen to me,
Still hostile, still not listening.
- I will multiply your afflictions seven times over, as your sins deserve.
Is that seven times seven? Or is your god just being redundant?
- I will send wild animals against you, and they will rob you of your children, destroy your cattle and make you so few in number that your roads will be deserted.
Hmm, I've got racoons raiding my garbage cans. But that's about it.
- "'If in spite of these things you do not accept my correction but continue to be hostile toward me,
YES! I'm still hostile, and your empty threats are not helping your cause.
- I myself will be hostile toward you and will afflict you for your sins seven times over.
Ok, either your god is the Rain Man of deities, (seven times, definitely seven times) or we're up to almost 350 times the punishment. Since I wasn't punished the first time, and 350 times 0 equals 0, I'm not scared.
- And I will bring the sword upon you to avenge the breaking of the covenant.
Again, no invasion here.
- When you withdraw into your cities, I will send a plague among you, and you will be given into enemy hands.
No withdrawl, no plague, no enemies.
- When I cut off your supply of bread, ten women will be able to bake your bread in one oven, and they will dole out the bread by weight. You will eat, but you will not be satisfied.
I will eat but not be satisfied. Hmmm, ok, this one came true.
- "'If in spite of this you still do not listen to me but continue to be hostile toward me, then in my anger I will be hostile toward you, and I myself will punish you for your sins seven times over.
I bet if they cut all the redunancy out of the bible is would only be half as long.
- You will eat the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters.
No kids, so I can't eat them.
- I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars
I have none of those.
- and pile your dead bodies on the lifeless forms of your idols, and I will abhor you.
No idols, but no dead bodies either.
- I will turn your cities into ruins and lay waste your sanctuaries,
2 million people live in the GVRD, it could hardly be considered a ruin.
- and I will take no delight in the pleasing aroma of your offerings.
If I abhor your god why would I make offerings to him?
- I will lay waste the land, so that your enemies who live there will be appalled.
And now your god is annoying my enemies.
- I will scatter you among the nations and will draw out my sword and pursue you. Your land will be laid waste, and your cities will lie in ruins.
No, no, no and no. 0 for 4, that's pathetic.
- Then the land will enjoy its sabbath years all the time that it lies desolate and you are in the country of your enemies; then the land will rest and enjoy its sabbaths. All the time that it lies desolate, the land will have the rest it did not have during the sabbaths you lived in it.
Since I didn't leave the land can't rest.
- "'As for those of you who are left, I will make their hearts so fearful in the lands of their enemies that the sound of a windblown leaf will put them to flight.
Ha! I've never fleed in my life. Too much like exercise.
- They will run as though fleeing from the sword, and they will fall, even though no one is pursuing them. They will stumble over one another as though fleeing from the sword, even though no one is pursuing them. So you will not be able to stand before your enemies. You will perish among the nations; the land of your enemies will devour you. Those of you who are left will waste away in the lands of their enemies because of their sins; also because of their fathers' sins they will waste away.
No, no, no, no, no, no, and no. 0 for 7. Vagas must love this guy.