I am somewhat of an atheist but see no basis for the bible as an entity to begin with. I see no reason why there should be a god and why the bible must be applied to people who believe in different things. Certainly infringing in many respects. Owen, I have a bi friend... so how can you possibly say homosexuality is wrong? You base it on the words of scripture but yet it was this scripture that was written by men, not a entity you call god.
Look at how humans are created. Man and women were made for each other. Not man with man or woman with woman. You can argue they are born with it, but that is partially false. They are born with a propensity to be homosexual, just like people are with the propensity to be a liar, alcoholic, aggressive, etc, but I don't see people justifying people like that, sayet you see people justifying homosexuality based upon the genes.
And yes, your friend is in the wrong. However, she no worse than me in the eyes of God, because she is a sinner just like me. The world would view me as a good person, because I don't drink, cuss anymore, have sex, etc, etc. However, in the eyes of God, I am a sinner just like her. I am not a better person than her.
I also base it on words that I believe are inspired of God. If there is a God, he can do anything, including inspiring scriptures through men. Therefore, if there is a God, then it is possible the Holy Bible is correct. Since I beleive that, simply telling me it is written of men is not going to convince me. You have to show me that God is either A) not the Christian God B) would not inspire scripture or C) is not real to convince ME otherwise.
Why it should be applied to others that don't beleive? Because if there is a God that created us then we are his. He is our master, as the creator is the master/owner, in which case we should follow what He says. I believe that to be the Christian God.
Answered prayers? Okay that is just laughable in my perspective. Well you are entitled to your opinion but do not infringe on the beliefs of others. We all have a different view on life and we must maintain those views or this world would be boring.
As for answer prayers, I have proof, and I will mention them, but it is up to you to beleive them.
1) Late in my junior year of high school, I had no real friends to mention. I prayed to God that I would have some people to hang out. That weekend, I get invited to go out with a guy I know. I hadn't told anyone about that.
2) I have been some financial worries the past few months since I am college. I had been worried about praying that God would resolve those issues. Well, I am currently in the process of getting a job as a youth minister, which would pay me some extra money. Keep in mind I am a 19 year old, been a Christian for only 3 1/2 years, so that is hard to do.
3) To go off becoming a youth minister, the church which I am more than likely about to be at, was an answer to my prayers. I wanted the church to be a church will to make change and not be rooted in tradition, a situation where I could easily adjust since I was moving from a spot as a youth intern at a church with a youth I love, and a youth group that is seeking the truth. The church is currently moving towards being contemporary, the pastor there is good friends with the youth minister at the church I intern at till when and if I get this job, and the youth from what I have seen and heard is a youth group that is searching hard for the truth.
4) To add, a couple months earlier, I was trying to make a decision whether I should become a youth minister or not, and at the time God was telling me it wasn't the time. Well, this summer the question comes up, and I get a list of churches that need youth ministers. Well, the first church I pick is the church I am currently looking at, and it had just started looking for a new youth minister. God was telling me to wait a little while so I would go to this church I am more than likely at(just a few final details to finish)
Those are just the big ones off hand. There are many smaller ones that I remember that happened, but I can not recall the specifics of them.
While not really an answered prayer, everytime I get on a spiritual "high" something fairly big comes up to try to get me to question my faith. Happened today with this thread for a moment and countless other times. If that isn't a sign of an evil power at work, I don't know what is, because it has happened so many times within a few months for it to just be a coincidence.
As for other stuff about prayer, look at this link.
http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/prayer.html
It shows evidence that
Christian prayer does have an effect.
I also ask, how am I infringing on the beliefs of others? By telling them what I beleive? So is a person talking about politics to a person that doesn't beleive the same infringing on their beliefs? Is someone who thinks their sports team is better and saying that to a fan of another team infringing on their beliefs?
It is no more infringing that those situations. Its not like I am forcing you to listen to me or any thing else. You can leave or not think about it as you want. Christians who try to force it upon them and show anger or judgement on are wrong in that regard, because Jude 22 says 'Be merciful to those who doubt." BTW, because Christians make mistakes doesn't invalidate Christianity, becasue the Bible says even Christians will still sin.
You foremost do not know if atheists, muslims, buddhists or anybody else are wrong in their beliefs and that you are right. So lets keep it at that. That is why I am a weak atheist, and haven't gone the full way to being a stronger one. [/B]
Nor do you know the same thing. None of us know with 100% certainity. However, there is a right answer(in otherwords an absolute truth) and from everything I have seen Christianity is the correct path. I could explain this further, if you would wish, but I believe in a God, and since I believe in a God, then I would beleive he would only have one path, if he were to "advertise" it to the people of the world, which I beleive he has. Even if that is not true, but he would not mislead people and Christianity is a path, it would be the only path becasue Jesus says he is THE way, not a way.
This is not coming from a person who has been in church his whole life. I am former atheist/weak agnostic who is very logical, therefore faith is tough for me. That is a curse though, becasue God looks well upon those who have more faithfulness and less proof than the ones who believe but have less faith and more proof.
I would challenge every skeptic to visit
http://www.godandscience.org. Not every Christian is an anti-science person(matter of fact most aren't). That site has a load of facts to look upon.