BackOnlyBriefly: Either they don't have the same choice or they do have the same choice, but they start out different
We all start out different. Even in this country. That is across the board, from socio-economic, to cultural and religious backgrounds. That’s the same as children from abroad too.
ErrolTheDragon: though I always did think it made more sense
Well your thoughts were more biblically aligned that you perhaps realised, and in this point we both agree. I also agree with you that RC and C/E churches practise baptisms outside of the age of personal choice. They don’t use full submersion either, which doesn’t follow the biblical example either. I would think these two particular denominations largely follow old customs rather than the bible itself, although I don’t doubt there could be some genuine bible-believers who also attend. Some just not all. The rest of them are attending just to get into a decent school! Just kidding.
JassyRadlett: you may wish to start with Argentina, where religion, politics and the state are fundamentally entwined
Argentinians follow the catholic religion is that right? I am sure if you looked behind the closed doors you would see that it’s very much possibly for people to attend church because its the done thing rather than because they truly believe the bible. Just the same as in our own country here.
Argentinian Church attendance is 24%
there has been a lot written on the subject by extremely eminent clergy of various denominations - for nearly two millennia now
Why don’t you name one and we can talk about it, examining it further, otherwise you’re asking me to talk blindly about something I haven’t read. Anyone can train as a priest without actually believing the bible. A study showed that 89% of Episcopalian priests said, “NO” when asked “Is Jesus the son of God?” and 89% of Episcopalian priests said, “NO” when asked “is the bible the inspired word of God?”
Priests don’t believe their own religion
two different versions of the creation story is a terrible lie. What you’re reading is two accounts, one in chronological order, the other as a summary.
It’s no different to saying “I brushed my teeth then got dressed and ate breakfast. I then drove the car to work and witnessed an accident on the way. I was late to work because I waited with the cyclist until the ambulance arrived but my boss was still upset that I was late for my meeting”.
And then later at the pub telling a friend “I was late for my work meeting because I stopped to help a cyclist involved in a road accident that I witnessed on my way to work this morning”
there is a relatively remote tribe who are still convinced that the Duke of Edinburgh is a god, based on exactly the desire you have explicated in the above statement.
Whilst I find Prince Philip absolutely hilarious, common sense tells you he is no God! You can be sure that if they had opened themselves to God He would have revealed Himself to them. In fact we know missionaries have been there to point people to God, so they’ve had a fair chance! Missionaries in Tanna
VelvetGreen: I already explained why it is not relevant to dating.
And I already explained that you’re getting obsessed with one tiny point I made, that if you put together the potential for an open system rather than a closed system, with all the other assumptions made, you’d get a much younger earth.