What you believe is not what you know

[NetRunner]

Ask any Atheist this question:

Do you believe that because there is no God you will cease to exist when you die?

Or

Do you actually know that there is no God and when you die you will cease to exist?

What do you think they'll say.

[Neighbor]

Hi,

May I suggest for consideration that one will not likely  win an argument about the existence of God with an atheist by being more clever than they  are, because they have no capacity to know God.  

And there is a third or fourth or fifth choice of response to the question. One is; there is no need of God for I am eternal. I have many lives, we all come back ...

Atheists have all sorts of rationale for their stance against God, and all of them make perfect sense to them.

 I think it is best to play on our own home court and simply declare of God as is told us in the Bible. Then also be in prayer that the Holy Spirit will make the specific call to the atheist to turn about from sin against God to acceptance of Jesus revealed to the atheist by the Holy Spirit.

[BorderCowboy]

3 hours ago, Neighbor said:

Hi,

May I suggest for consideration that one will not likely  win an argument about the existence of God with an atheist by being more clever than they  are, because they have no capacity to know God.  

And there is a third or fourth or fifth choice of response to the question. One is; there is no need of God for I am eternal. I have many lives, we all come back ...

Atheists have all sorts of rationale for their stance against God, and all of them make perfect sense to them.

 I think it is best to play on our own home court and simply declare of God as is told us in the Bible. Then also be in prayer that the Holy Spirit will make the specific call to the atheist to turn about from sin against God to acceptance of Jesus revealed to the atheist by the Holy Spirit.

I couldn't agree more friend. Atheists live for the argument, they thrive on matchin' intellect (even thou allot lack in this department) n will never concede. Best as Neighbor suggested, stick to scripture for best results!

Just my two bits,  JJ

[Neighbor]

26 minutes ago, BorderCowboy said:

I couldn't agree more friend. Atheists live for the argument, they thrive on matchin' intellect (even thou allot lack in this department) n will never concede. Best as Neighbor suggested, stick to scripture for best results!

Just my two bits,  JJ

BTW I was an atheist amongst many professing priests pastors teachers rabbis, all believers in this and that. As a very busy funeral director, I schmoozed with  the best of them. Pastors, grand orators, from a full bird Cardinal, monsignor,  priests, and local rabbis, I worked with them all, but never ever believed in any  of their gods nor God. 

I was often challenged by co-workers and entreated by various pastors and a rabbi over the many years. I don't recall being hostile to any of them. They all did their thing as they saw fit. 

God had to take me away from all that in order to set God The Holy Spirit for His turning me about to seeing Jesus is my Lord.

When the Holy Spirit did just that I recalled nearly all of those messages from all of those many faces that had tried to share of God with me. The many lay persons and "clerics" that I had rejected totally were planters and tillers of the fields.  Praise God for them and praise God for the call from the Holy Spirit to me.

One very kind and patient co-worker Baptist minister once asked me, "How can you see death and help people all day long and not believe on Christ Jesus as Lord?" I answered "How can you see death all day long,  help people, and believe there is a god?"

I remember him to this day for his patient kindness, his sharing of Jesus and I am sure his prayer for me too, much as I am thankful for the constant prayer of my grandmother for me until her very death.

The long slow experience influences my understanding  that I am to pray and to share, but that it is God alone that reveals Jesus to the unbeliever. God does answer prayer!

[bropro]

9 minutes ago, Neighbor said:

BTW I was an atheist amongst many professing priests pastors teachers rabbis, all believers in this and that. As a very busy funeral director, I schmoozed with  the best of them. Pastors, grand orators, from a full bird Cardinal, monsignor,  priests, and local rabbis, I worked with them all, but never ever believed in any  of their gods nor God. 

I was often challenged by co-workers and entreated by various pastors and a rabbi over the many years. I don't recall being hostile to any of them. They all did their thing as they saw fit. 

God had to take me away from all that in order to set God The Holy Spirit for His turning me about to seeing Jesus is my Lord.

When the Holy Spirit did just that I recalled nearly all of those messages from all of those many faces that had tried to share of God with me. The many lay persons and "clerics" that I had rejected totally were planters and tillers of the fields.  Praise God for them and praise God for the call from the Holy Spirit to me.

One very kind and patient co-worker Baptist minister once asked me, "How can you see death and help people all day long and not believe on Christ Jesus as Lord?" I answered "How can you see death all day long,  help people, and believe there is a god?"

I remember him to this day for his patient kindness, his sharing of Jesus and I am sure his prayer for me too, much as I am thankful for the constant prayer of my grandmother for me until her very death.

The long slow experience influences my understanding  that I am to pray and to share, but that it is God alone that reveals Jesus to the unbeliever. God does answer prayer!

A very good testimony of  a life in which God's seed was sown and it's ultimate effect. Too many Christians witness/share God's word, with the intent to get an immediate response by applying pressure of some sort. We need to see ourselves simply as seed sowers and trust God to bring forth the increase in His time and His way. Thanks for your testimony.

 

Gary

[Who me]

16 hours ago, NetRunner said:

Ask any Atheist this question:

Do you believe that because there is no God you will cease to exist when you die?

Or

Do you actually know that there is no God and when you die you will cease to exist?

What do you think they'll say.

They are conversation starters or arguement starters.

When I was involved with door to door evangelism we used a similar question.

'If you stood before God and he said,"Why should I let you into Heaven?" What would you say?'

When people were prepared to talk on the door step this would start a discussion about heaven and what got one there.

Sadly most people were not interested in talking to us, so much so that we even produced a tract, 'No thanks, I'm not interested!' Which when offered again sometimes would start a conversation.

[missmuffet]

17 hours ago, NetRunner said:

Ask any Atheist this question:

Do you believe that because there is no God you will cease to exist when you die?

Or

Do you actually know that there is no God and when you die you will cease to exist?

What do you think they'll say.

I am sure you will get a variety of answers. But most often I have heard that they believe you cease to exist. I am afraid they will have a big surprise. 

Edited May 14, 2019 by missmuffet

[AnOrangeCat]

Personally I've always felt that debates for and against the existence of God, while interesting and worth doing, don't really hold much sway over the people who care to debate. The people debating for and against have largely made up their minds and in that respect they're the same. They're both arguing from a position of faith that there is or isn't a supreme being. What truly persuades people is the conviction of the Holy Spirit. That can come through various means, debates included. That, I find, is what makes us click with God.

[Neighbor]

3 hours ago, missmuffet said:

I am sure you will get a variety of answers. But most often I have heard that they believe you cease to exist. I am afraid they will have a big surprise. 

Hi, Yes I agree  that each will be surprised that God means what God has stated, and they had heard in all that they had seen and also heard throughout life, but rejected. The  "surprise" may be much like having regret for an end result, but without remorse for rejecting God, (I  think - just an attempt at thinking it through).

I am simply amazed and in awe every day that I was turned about from my own  sin against God without my ever wanting God until the Holy Spirit paid me a terse comeuppance visit. Even then it was a capitulation, a "if that's true I want it" reaction to the Holy Spirit experience, and  not a seeking of God by me at all. All of God alone and none of me.

[Neighbor]

4 hours ago, Who me said:

They are conversation starters or arguement starters.

When I was involved with door to door evangelism we used a similar question.

'If you stood before God and he said,"Why should I let you into Heaven?" What would you say?'

When people were prepared to talk on the door step this would start a discussion about heaven and what got one there.

Sadly most people were not interested in talking to us, so much so that we even produced a tract, 'No thanks, I'm not interested!' Which when offered again sometimes would start a conversation.

Yes. So many years ago I was a Tuesday night door canvassing churchy warrior and a Saturday afternoon children's ministry  parent visitation warrior. We went out like nuns, in twos,week after week.

Mostly it was  much like a funny scene from a TV comedy  were Ted Danson's character answers his apartment door. The man standing at  his entry doorway asks  that question; "Will you want to be in heaven if you die tonight?" To which Danson's character asks, "Will you be going there too?" The man responds." Why Yes  ofcourse!" Danson as he slams the door says,  "Then no!"