Do you believe in God?

[TheCracker]

I don't know what news you watch, but I'm shocked at what's happening in Missouri, Middle East, Africa, France etc.
The amount of natural disasters in the last 3 years is hectic. Saw on the news that a typhoon is ready to hit again soon.
Next blood moon is approaching. I believe something is about to change, AGAIN.

This isn't a sign for an up coming apocalypse. It's simply a reflection of modern electronic media allowing all these things to be reported almost instantaneously. From the comfort of your own toilet seat, if you so wish. Even as short as twenty years ago, you wouldn't know about half these issues unless you spent an inordinate amount of time watching as many news channels and reading every news paper you could get your hands on.

That's the trouble with 'holy books'. People try to bend and shape the teaching in these ancient texts to explain what's happening in the world today.

 

[DK]

Would you prefer God kill them both, and the baby if there was one? Read further, you will see that it is the father that must decide if they wed or not.
The bible says children inherit the Kingdom of God. Every child on earth is in the kingdom of God today.
it's man that has allowed them to suffer in the flesh on earth. People are too proud to shoulder this responsibility.
Abortion. Yeah, all those legalizing it. The bible said there will be a great falling away, and lawlessness will come.

If a god had any ability to intervene, I'd rather he'd make the would-be rapist's genitals succumb to immense pain rather than sit back and watch the rape.

Funnily enough, guess which countries have the highest murder rates? I'll give you a clue: it's not the "godless" Scandinavian countries.

 

[TenEightyOne]

Yeah, the Romans made them holidays, trying to take away the significance of Christ.

No He wasn't, because you'd have to follow the Jewish calendar

Are you undone, sir?

Well, it was always their land to begin with.
How is that a self filfulling prophecy? Why wait for 1948 years to self fillful it. It was supposed to happen.

And that was the argument of the pro-Israeli lobbyists. They themselves were vocal in fulfilling the prophecy. It's not a difficult piece of history to grasp, I shouldn't think.

Would you prefer God kill them both, and the baby if there was one? Read further, you will see that it is the father that must decide if they wed or not.

...and at that point you go, in my opinion, from being an entertaining nut-bag to simply revolting.

No matter what you follow, you will stand in judgment for your crimes. It's the way we chose. It cannot be stopped.

I quite agree, it's called "rule-of-law". A cynic might observe that, historically, religion has served as a good method to police/monetise the uneducated.

I am that cynic.

...but I'm rather sure certain users with badges aren't going to appreciate you showing how much you care about the rules by triple posting after you got all those warnings earlier...

It's in the bible, the Holy Trinity. Do keep up

 

[Scaff]

Yeah, the Romans made them holidays, trying to take away the significance of Christ.

Mid-winter festivals predate Christ by centuries.

The Roman's had holidays at that time for a good 400 years before the claimed birth of Christ. Can you therefore explain how they took away the significance of someone who hadn't been born and wouldn't be born for a good half a millennium?

Christians borrowed the holidays from other faiths and communities to help undermine and convert those people, not the other way around.

Oh and you have now been twice warned about double and triple posting, yet you continue to do it. An act which can only mean you are willfully ignoring the sites AUP and the staff, do it again and you will be given a temporary ban.

 

[DCP]

Trying not to double post sorry.
Here, this actually is a good read, if interested on the other side of the story. Peace gents.

http://www.bibleevidences.com/other_rlgns.htm

 

[TenEightyOne]

http://www.bibleevidences.com/other_rlgns.htm

An interesting read!

this vast archeological evidence does not prove God wrote the Bible

and

A lie mixed in with truth is much like rat poison, which contains 99% good food and 1% poison - its that 1% of poison (or lie) that will kill you!

 

[Touring Mars]

Trying not to double post sorry.
Here, this actually is a good read, if interested on the other side of the story. Peace gents.

http://www.bibleevidences.com/other_rlgns.htm

"Christianity is the only religion that makes sense."

...to Christians. Islam is the only religion that makes sense to Muslims. And so on.

"The other religions of the world have been an effective tool of Satan in his quest to blind us of our need for a Savior"

In other words, Christianity is right and everyone else is wrong. But people of other faiths say the same thing about their religion. That's what faith is - the deeply held conviction that what one believes is the truth. But, as your website correctly (albeit inadvisedly) states, most religious beliefs must be incorrect since they cannot all be correct. No matter which way you slice it, there's alot of very faithful people out there who are totally convinced that what they believe is true, but they must be wrong. So what does that say about faith?

 

[Denur]

Trying not to double post sorry.
Here, this actually is a good read, if interested on the other side of the story. Peace gents.

http://www.bibleevidences.com/other_rlgns.htm

Thank you for this link. It filled me with joy and pleasure.

 

[TheCracker]

Thank you for this link. It filled me with joy and pleasure.

Amen.

 

[DCP]

...to Christians. Islam is the only religion that makes sense to Muslims. And so on.


In other words, Christianity is right and everyone else is wrong. But people of other faiths say the same thing about their religion. That's what faith is - the deeply held conviction that what one believes is the truth. But, as your website correctly (albeit inadvisedly) states, most religious beliefs must be incorrect since they cannot all be correct. No matter which way you slice it, there's alot of very faithful people out there who are totally convinced that what they believe is true, but they must be wrong. So what does that say about faith?

In other words, if you really wanted to know the answer to your question, it is only you that can call on the Saviour yourself. No one else could do it for you. It's your own personal call. Christianity is a relationship with Christ.
The bible says seek he first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and then all things will be added unto you. I waited 34 years to finally understand this. It also says you cannot worship God and mammon. How true.

Life is good on earth yes, but we are only here for a season. I believe that Messiah will return, and demolish wickedness and evil forever, and you have a theory that an asteroid could ravage this planet. Which ever way you look at it, we are not going to be here forever, and if there is life for the soul, it would be one really bad choice to give it up to the losing team.

 

[Johnnypenso]

Hi there
Just brush up on Abraham being the father of many nations.

Just like the dog and cat species, humans are just the same. No matter how they breed, they are still dogs, cats and human beings. Skin colour and hair texture all changes with the sun and atmosphere etc. As for different languages, brush up on the tower of Babel.

If skin colour changes with the sun, how come all the Africans I know in Canada are still as dark as coal? I know a black man who is a direct descendant of John Freeman Walls, a fugitive black slave. He's lived in Canada all his life, how come he doesn't look like a native Indian yet? The Dutch began emigrating to South Africa 200 years ago. How come they aren't black yet? Why does every single Japanese and Chinese person have dark hair, but Europeans have black, blond, red and brown hair?

 

[DCP]

If skin colour changes with the son, how come all the Africans I know in Canada are still as dark as coal? I know a black man who is a direct descendant of John Freeman Walls, a fugitive black slave. He's lived in Canada all his life, how come he doesn't look like a native Indian yet? The Dutch began emigrating to South Africa 200 years ago. How come they aren't black yet? Why does every single Japanese and Chinese person have dark hair, but Europeans have black, blond, red and brown hair?

As people migrated from Babel, different groups became isolated from others and likely married only within their language group. Each group carried a set of physical characteristics as determined by their genes. As they intermarried, certain characteristics would begin to dominate due to the group’s small pool of genes. Over time, different people groups displayed distinct physical characteristics. For example, Asians typically have almond-shaped eyes, dark hair, and middle-brown skin, whereas Europeans have round eyes and fair-colored hair and skin.

The term race is often used to classify people based almost solely on physical characteristics. According to evolutionary ideas, these so-called races descended from different ancestors separated by location and time. However, based on biblical history, the term race must be incorrect. We are all one race (“one blood” in Acts 17:26), the human race, descended from two ancestors, Adam and Eve.

To begin with, we don't really know what skin and hair colour Adam and Eve had.

 

[Johnnypenso]

As people migrated from Babel, different groups became isolated from others and likely married only within their language group. Each group carried a set of physical characteristics as determined by their genes. As they intermarried, certain characteristics would begin to dominate due to the group’s small pool of genes. Over time, different people groups displayed distinct physical characteristics. For example, Asians typically have almond-shaped eyes, dark hair, and middle-brown skin, whereas Europeans have round eyes and fair-colored hair and skin.

Congratulations, you've just discovered evolution.

 

[DCP]

Hehe, in 6000 years timespan...

 

[Denur]

As people migrated from Babel, different groups became isolated from others and likely married only within their language group. Each group carried a set of physical characteristics as determined by their genes. As they intermarried, certain characteristics would begin to dominate due to the group’s small pool of genes. Over time, different people groups displayed distinct physical characteristics. For example, Asians typically have almond-shaped eyes, dark hair, and middle-brown skin, whereas Europeans have round eyes and fair-colored hair and skin.

The term race is often used to classify people based almost solely on physical characteristics. According to evolutionary ideas, these so-called races descended from different ancestors separated by location and time. However, based on biblical history, the term race must be incorrect. We are all one race (“one blood” in Acts 17:26), the human race, descended from two ancestors, Adam and Eve.

To begin with, we don't really know what skin and hair colour Adam and Eve had.

Next time please also include a link to your sources. Now I had to waste 10 seconds of my time to find it my self.

https://answersingenesis.org/racism/one-race/

It also might help you to learn to think for yourself.

 

[Scaff]

According to evolutionary ideas, these so-called races descended from different ancestors separated by location and time.

Yes, but they all share a common ancestry.

Please try and actually understand evolutionary theory before you (once again) misrepresent it.

 

[Dennisch]

it is only you that can call on the Saviour yourself

If I do so, will he call me back, and more importantly, did he ever talk to you?

Hehe, in 6000 years timespan...

Not sure if serious, but please provide evidence for this short time span if you are.

Side note.

Archbishop Ussher is not a credible source. As he solely relies on guessing dates from the bible.

 

[Johnnypenso]

Hehe, in 6000 years timespan...

Yes according to the Bible. So if everyone descended from Adam and Eve, a common ancestor 6000 years ago, and in that time we end up with areas of the globe that where the people all look similar to each other but different from the other regions, imagine what would happen over 100,000 years, millions of years or more? Evolution.

 

[TheCracker]

Hehe, in 6000 years timespan...

So you really believe that the earth is literally only 6000 years old? Do you also believe the universe is 6000 years old too?

 

[huskeR32]

Here's another open question to any atheists: What is it about Christianity that you disagree with? Is it the way of life, or the lack of hard evidence for God and other things Christians believe in? I'm not trying to start a debate, I'm just curious to know why atheists are atheists.

It's illogical. I don't mean to sound dismissive or condescending, it's just really that simple for me.

I cleaned my home of worldy celebs, Beyoncé, Gaga, Katy Perry etc, horror movies, sex, violence etc. Ask a normal person to do that, they will probably swear you, because they live for these things without even knowing it.

I'm actually quite aware of the fact that sex is one of the things I live for. And I'm completely okay with that. Between consenting adults who respect each other, sex is wonderful. Why do you have a problem with it?

So it's easy to see why other gods don't exist to me.

It's easy to see why no gods exist to me. Tends to happen when you subject all gods to the same level of skepticism, rather than giving one of the myriad a free pass around.

You know buddy, all the answers are in the bible. God made everything good, perfect in the beginning. God instructed them not to eat of the fruit of good and evil. How can you blame God for mans actions?
If you say, why put that tree there, then what choice does man have. God has then just created humans to forcefully serve and obey Him. No, this Is not the God we serve. He is Holy and just. He has given all of us a choice. Homeless children, is not Gods fault. It's selfish adults. Famine is not Gods fault. It's selfish human beings.

So you don't believe that god is omniscient then?

 

[Azuremen]

You know buddy, all the answers are in the bible. God made everything good, perfect in the beginning. God instructed them not to eat of the fruit of good and evil. How can you blame God for mans actions?

First, I ain't your buddy. Or bro. Or homeboi. Your frat boy attitude isn't helping.

Second, I've read the Bible and compared several versions.

Third, God created man, the fruit of good and evil, and freewill. So yeah, blaming God isn't hard in this case.

If you say, why put that tree there, then what choice does man have. God has then just created humans to forcefully serve and obey Him. No, this Is not the God we serve. He is Holy and just. He has given all of us a choice. Homeless children, is not Gods fault. It's selfish adults. Famine is not Gods fault. It's selfish human beings.

This makes no sense, at all. God created selfish humans and that is why we have homeless people? Or are you saying God didn't create humanity, or isn't all powerful, or dictates good and evil?

When you try to understand just what Jesus went through, just because he loved you, forget about the world, think of yourself here. Think of what He offers just you. You would never give your child up for the world. I would never, but God did it, because this was His only way to give you a chance to re-unite with Him.

The massive hole in all this, besides Jesus being God via the Holy Trinity, is that God created the scenarios that lead to him having to "sacrifice" his son/self in order to redeem us. Just seems like a great deal of showboating and, ultimately, narcissism. And narcissism is hardly the trait of a perfect being.

Everyone knows about Christ.

Actually, I'm pretty sure more people know Coca-Cola than Christ. Probably Obama and Apple as well. I'll have to verify this later when I've got more time on my hands, but Christ is hardly universal, more so when you consider the Americas were completely devoid of Christ till the 15th century. Well, unless you got the Mormon route in which cause Christ made some after death appearances to save some souls.

Easter and Christmas, to main holidays of each year is one way of knowing, asking, and seeking.

These are main holidays in some parts of the world. Holi is the main holiday in India, from what I gathered. I'm sure China's New Year is pretty major for them as well.

 

[DQuaN]

So you really believe that the earth is literally only 6000 years old? Do you also believe the universe is 6000 years old too?

I'd like to know this too.

 

[Dennisch]

besides Jesus being God via the Holy Trinity

God came from the future to impregnate his own mother. Only logical explanation. In some ways the Bible is one kinky book. 50 shades of Jesus Nikes.

 

[Brett]

Would you elaborate more on this? Like, when you made your decision, why you made it, and if there were people/other things that caused you to change your beliefs. I am atheist as well, but I would just like to get a better understanding.

EDIT: Hopefully more people include this when they make their first post in this thread in the future.

Outside of a brief period, I was never particularly devote. There are too many inconsistencies and arbitrary rules to follow. Most of the stories fail to hold up to scrutiny. I also cannot reason my way around the cruelties that some are subjected to because of some higher power. If that higher power cannot do a better job with his/her creation, then there is no reason for me to devote any of my energy to their lack of effort.

Instead, it is easier to go about living by respecting and treating other humans well for the simple fact that they are human and being the right thing to do, not because some person in the sky is going to judge me for it.

 

[Exorcet]

You know buddy, all the answers are in the bible. God made everything good, perfect in the beginning.

God allegedly made a tree that he knew would mess everything up, a serpent/fallen angel who would tempt humans, and humans gullible enough to listen. This is demonstrably imperfect.

God instructed them not to eat of the fruit of good and evil. How can you blame God for mans actions?

God is supposed to be all knowing and all powerful. All that had to be done was to not plant the tree, or to make humans smart enough to avoid error. Instead God must have chosen to make people fail his own [seemingly pointless] test intentionally.

If you say, why put that tree there, then what choice does man have.

There is no need for a choice in the first place. The choice doesn't make free will, free will makes free will. If humans had free will with the tree, they would have had it without. The entire test in Eden is one of those things that gives the Bible a bad record when it comes to morals. It shows that God cares about trivial things to the point where he would unjustly harm people for doing nothing wrong. No one was hurt eating the fruit, yet God found it necessary to punish people who did not even exist at the time.

God has then just created humans to forcefully serve and obey Him.

That is the God of the Bible. "Worship me or go to hell".

No, this Is not the God we serve. He is Holy and just. He has given all of us a choice. Homeless children, is not Gods fault. It's selfish adults. Famine is not Gods fault. It's selfish human beings.

God being all knowing knows about the homeless and famine. God being all powerful can cure homelessness and famine without overwriting free will. For homeless and famine to exist, God must be unwilling to end suffering. Or he's simply not all powerful.

God is also shown to be less than good or powerful by maintaining heaven but sending people to earth instead.

When you try to understand just what Jesus went through, just because he loved you, forget about the world, think of yourself here. Think of what He offers just you. You would never give your child up for the world.

I would never needlessly sacrifice anyone, no. If I were God I would have just done it right in the beginning. Everyone goes to heaven. If somehow things needed fixing, I would snapped my all powerful fingers and fixed it.

I would never, but God did it, because this was His only way to give you a chance to re-unite with Him. It's great because you are not forced to. You have your own choice and free will to make, and you don't need man to dictate that for you. If you choose not to believe in all of this, it is exactly that, a choice made to live by. Everyone knows about Christ.
Easter and Christmas, to main holidays of each year is one way of knowing, asking, and seeking.

If Jesus was the only way to reunite with God, it implies that God is quite limited in power. Besides, it was God that kicked people out of Eden in the first place. All he had to do was let them back in (or just not kick them out).

Israel in the news almost daily. Why, such a small country surrounded by most continents, are so significant?

A large portion of the population believes in an old book, while the nation's neighbors believe in a slightly different book. Each side is so strong in their belief that they're willing to kill each other over it. The situation doesn't imply anything special about the books.

How did they become a nation again, when completely destroyed 2000 years ago.

The culture survived the destruction of the country. Similar things have happened in other cases, as with Greece and Rome.

Which other book prophesied about this happening.

It was a self fulfilling prophecy, which isn't all that special. Since people wanted it to be true, they made it so.

I don't know what news you watch, but I'm shocked at what's happening in Missouri, Middle East, Africa, France etc.
The amount of natural disasters in the last 3 years is hectic. Saw on the news that a typhoon is ready to hit again soon.
Next blood moon is approaching. I believe something is about to change, AGAIN.

The same was said about the Black Death, which was far worse than most things going on today. 700 years later and nothing has come of it.

Which ever way you look at it, we are not going to be here forever, and if there is life for the soul, it would be one really bad choice to give it up to the losing team.

What is the losing team? It's not a binary choice. Many Christians phrase this as a choice between atheism and christian God. What about Hindu gods? Allah? Zeus? What about gods that no one has ever heard of? If the god of the Bible is a legitimate choice, so are all the others. However, this means two very significant things. The first is you have a 0% chance at picking the right side. The second is that believing in gods is as likely to pay off as not.

 

[Pseudopod]

I try not to make things more complicated than they need to be, so no, I don't believe in god or gods.

just for the record i'm going to have a laugh if hinduism is the one true religion and ganesha squashes all followers of abrahamic religions under his mighty feet.

 

[DCP]

So you really believe that the earth is literally only 6000 years old? Do you also believe the universe is 6000 years old too?

I'd like to know this too.

Yes definately. My God is the God of wonders, and Power and Love. He holds the universe in His hands. What then, would be so hard in creating it in 6 literal days? His word also says put not your trust in man, and lean not on your own understanding, fittingly and rightly so.

God came from the future to impregnate his own mother. Only logical explanation. In some ways the Bible is one kinky book. 50 shades of Jesus Nikes.

Although its sad, I just love it when prophecy is filfulled.

 

[Com Fox]

I have to question...

...if god is real, where did he come from, how was his life and how did he obtain this power? We could be just characters in a giant Sims game which gods play for all we know .

 

[Liquid]

What then, would be so hard in creating it in 6 literal days?

Creating light before creating stars.

 

[Carbonox]

Creating light before creating stars.

Effectively creating the concept of days before creating the sun.