parfait wrote:There's absolutely no fucking way you can be a reasonable person, and believe in God, especially if you're a theist; interpreting the bible literally. Then you're deluded and ignorant. Simple as that.
This is foolish, and even though I'm pinning you down to a literalistic meaning that may not have been your exact intent, the statement needs to be looked at as it reads because of the broad judgment you make. Assuming you meant to use a common in place of that semicolon, you are making two statements that can be argued separately:
1) That you can't be reasonable and believe in God, and
2) That you especially can't be reasonable if you're a theist who interprets the Bible literally.
On #1, the verdict is out for many people as to whether there is a God or not. It can neither be proven nor disproven, just like how we haven't found the "missing link" that proves humans evolved from a lower species. In my opinion, it's arguably equally as reasonable to believe either given the evidence.
On #2, you're calling Bible-believing theists (hint: Christians) ignorant. People who put their faith into a religion that includes an afterlife strategy show a type of pro-activity, and pro-activeness, especially in planning for one's long-term survival, is a generally a sign of some measure of intelligence (in humans and animal species as well). The "ignorants" are the ones who live day to day without any endgame strategy, or at least, no thought or preparation toward long-term survival. Most people don't enjoy the thought of dying. Whether they are right or wrong, Christians make a choice based on hope and the information given to them, and backed by millions and millions of others around the world. If they end up believing wrong in the end, they are no less intelligent than any Wall Street investment mogul who gambles based on what they perceive to be very reliable information and ends up losing his entire fortune. The future can never be predicted beyond a shadow of a doubt, which is the reason we take chances. Basic Christian faith demands belief in one true God, and there isn't any hedging of bets or balancing of portfolios. If people have good reason to think this is the will of God, and they want to succeed, then they'll follow as instructed.