Rhetoric - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary
So you are claiming all religious texts skilled writing to influence people to an idea? Or that it is intended to trick people into believing something of questionable sincerity? Either one is a tall order to prove. The Tanach is largely a series of books about law and history (whether you believe that history of not is not the point) written not to pursuade people to follow it, but to remind people what they are supposed to be doing (it is a series for the Jews). The NT is partly Rhetoric IMHO mostly in the books of Paul and the Gospel of John contains a bit. The rest is an account of a historical figure, telling his followers the correct ways to follow and which man-made laws to ignore (since they are man-made... again although most Christians feel the NT is for all, the Gospels are pretty clear they are meant for astray Christians, The books of Paul do direct that it is for all and for all to come to it). The Quran does call people to follow it and could in part be claimed the first definition, the other is a tall order to fill since you are debating against a book that calls for nearly all things we call Humane today. From what I've read of the Veda, It doesn't call people to follow it, but rather gives info on its version of history and Laws associated with its God.
But please go on telling the world how all religions other than your view are valueless... It shows most people you don't know much about religion, or even the religious texts.
You are actually trying to say that the miracles aren't rhetoric? The very idea that Jesus is the Messiah is rhetoric, because now he is a guy that Jews have been waiting a long time for, they are bound to be influenced towards excitement.
The Old Testament is rhetoric because it has these people talking to and pretending to know the plans of God. This will seem impressive to the people of those days.
Muhammad is again rhetoric, many of his stories like flying to Jerusalem on the way to heaven are utter nonsense.
God is not a person, it is more like energy and the source thereof. Pretending you are having conversations with this is utterly insane and completely dishonest.
Other faiths, like the Bhakti of the Hindu's, are also quite rhetoric, it is not particularly rare for people to know and even dissolve into this energy field - no more functioning as separate entities. Yet, this doesn't allow for much devotional worship, so now we add miracles and make him more unique and voila you have a religion.
Buddha, too, has many miracles about him that are pure rhetoric. Even Lao Tzu is made something special and unique, total rhetoric.
I don't think there is a single religion that tries to stand firmly to truth.
Now, all I am claiming is that what happened to them, it has happened to me. It looks rhetoric BECAUSE of them! These insane traditions make it impossible to look at a man that knows the same without thinking something special has happened.
For me, it is the purpose of human existence, all are born with this potentiality. For me, man is so warped and in many ways disgusting because he has utterly lost the notion that this is his potential.
I blame these religions for that, their rhetoric that is utterly unrealistic. These men are made to look other-worldly, and so how can you possibly hope to be like them?
And so we kill in their name, we do anything and everything to get to heaven or whatever else these men can't possibly know of because they are alive.
Man is utterly unnatural because he is trying to be like something that is painted as supernatural.