Thoughts On Atheism and Atheists

[JohnR7]

6 hours ago, Dennis1209 said:

I have never seen a self-described atheist listen to the evidence, recant, or change their view.

I have seen LOTS of atheists convert because they soon come to realize they are peddling nonsense. It takes effort and energy to be an atheist because they have to defend anti theism. An agnostic can just shrug his shoulders, walk away saying: I don't know. He does not have to prove or disprove anything. Science is agnostic. They do not try to prove or disprove God. Of course, God is an infinite singularity and science deals with a finite dichotomy. 

[Dennis1209]

37 minutes ago, Starise said:

The fate of many who openly made fun of God in public is something that usually has them meeting a horrible tragic end.

Madalyn Murray O'Hair comes to mind also.

[teddyv]

6 hours ago, Dennis1209 said:

I have watched and listened to many personal and scholastic debates between Christians and atheists. Regardless of the facts, the preponderance of the evidence, and who won the debate, I found one commonality. I have never seen a self-described atheist listen to the evidence, recant, or change their view. That does not mean that never happened, but it reminds me of a camel trying to pass through the eye of a needle.

If you watch the Bill Nye-Ken Ham debate from a number of years ago, Ken Ham basically said that there is no evidence that would ever convince him that he could be wrong on his particular brand of creationism (the question was not about his personal faith, just in regard to evidence around creationism). Since his organization is committed to presenting scientific evidence of Biblical 6-day creation, then that is a problem.

[teddyv]

7 hours ago, Dave-regenerated said:

Sure, I'm talking about people online.  Offline people are approachable and more reasonable in general.  As far as Atheists online, I don't waste time any more with them.

I know we disagree on certain things, but I would broadly agree that most of the internet atheists can be pretty insufferable and not worth the time. There was that "New Atheists" period that seemed like disciples of Dawkins and Harris and to a lesser extent, Hitchens. I classify many as adherents to a "scientism", rather than atheists.

I have met some very thoughtful atheists over the years, but since most my time has been on Christian-based fora, they are pretty rare just for that reason.

[Starise]

1 hour ago, JohnR7 said:

I have seen LOTS of atheists convert because they soon come to realize they are peddling nonsense. It takes effort and energy to be an atheist because they have to defend anti theism. An agnostic can just shrug his shoulders, walk away saying: I don't know. He does not have to prove or disprove anything. Science is agnostic. They do not try to prove or disprove God. Of course, God is an infinite singularity and science deals with a finite dichotomy. 

 God is an infinite singularity made up of a trilarity.

I am a singularity that is an irregularity and if it weren't for God I wouldn't exist.

1 hour ago, Dennis1209 said:

Madalyn Murray O'Hair comes to mind also.

Yes her too.

I should shoot you a link to a video I recently watched that had several examples of this.

You don't tug on Superman's cape
You don't spit into the wind
You don't pull the mask off the old Lone Ranger
And you don't mess around with GOD.

[enoob57]

The reality of an atheist is that they have built their own world view on lies... God tells us this
Romans 1:19 (KJV)

[19] Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

[20] For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

[21] Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

[22] Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

the literal of this is that somewhere within them they have covered the truth with lies and as they fill themselves with the things of this world that passes away and will not be remembered they harden to a point where God let's them go into eternal separation from Him-because- there is nothing left to keep... all people by just being born here know that God 'IS' and are held without excuse no matter the lies they pile on to that reality to sooth their own sinful desires...

[missmuffet]

1 hour ago, Dennis1209 said:

Madalyn Murray O'Hair comes to mind also.

I am glad I will not be in her judgment.

[NCAP]

On 9/30/2022 at 2:51 PM, Starise said:

I guess I'll kick this off by asking, if you have come into contact with these people? How did the dialog go?

If you won't talk to them at all, why? 

Okay, I do know someone, not online, that doesn't believe in the resurrection or much in God. But I never push the issue by saying things like "You either accept Jesus or you will go to hell when you die". Never! I simply don't talk about God with that person and turn to talking about something else, if the person wants to talk. But I also think to myself: 'You made your decision, and I made mine. You live with your decision, and I live with mine.'

But I always leave the door open if they want to talk about God or something else. If they ask for proof that there is a God, I can't give them proof. I can't answer a question such as “Where is your father?” (John 8:19)

[JohnR7]

1 hour ago, Starise said:

I am a singularity

We could not function as a singularity. For example, God is light and there is no darkness in him. 1John1:5 God is only good, there is no evil in Him .

[Starise]

46 minutes ago, NCAP said:

Okay, I do know someone, not online, that doesn't believe in the resurrection or much in God. But I never push the issue by saying things like "You either accept Jesus or you will go to hell when you die". Never! I simply don't talk about God with that person and turn to talking about something else, if the person wants to talk. But I also think to myself: 'You made your decision, and I made mine. You live with your decision, and I live with mine.'

But I always leave the door open if they want to talk about God or something else. If they ask for proof that there is a God, I can't give them proof. I can't answer a question such as “Where is your father?” (John 8:19)

I am the same way. I grew up being scared into heaven by a fire and brimstone pastor.

Being scared into heaven by pounding on hell is the wrong way to go about any discussion on the afterlife with a non believer who probably doesn't understand the deeper dynamics in my opinion.

Being scared by hell into heaven is usually only superficial and it paints a picture of God as someone who says,

" I really love everyone a lot, but if you don't follow me I'll burn you up ". Of course this is a very limited view of God and who He is, but sitting under only hellfire preaching gives that kind of wrong perception.

In the end, it wasn't hell that caused me to be saved. It was the Holy Spirit's conviction that I was a sinner and I needed to be saved, so after years of that sort of thing, it isn't what really brought me to the Lord.

Those sorts of ideas not explained properly probably chase more people away from God.

One of the first things many of them will say sarcastically is, " Oh yeah, your loving God will burn me in hell, how is that love?"

Edited October 1, 2022 by Starise