01-13-2018, 12:40 PM
(01-13-2018, 10:59 AM)thecdn Wrote:Hello CDN,(01-12-2018, 12:54 AM)FaceInTheCrowd Wrote: I'm not an atheist, but while I have met more than a few people who explained to me why they don't believe in a god, I have yet to meet one who attempted to convince me that I should not believe in a god. There is a difference between the two that many who profess faith seem unable to recognize.
Yeah, we tend not to go door to door getting people to join the club
(01-12-2018, 07:28 AM)New Guy Wrote: Do you have an example of someone who sat through a Billy Graham tent revival and went go out and committed murder?
He said, "might sit through", not did. He is speaking in generalities, not claiming facts like you are.
Nothing you have said is conclusive proof of any god, let alone the christian god. People will be good or bad because they choose to. Some people will chose to attribute their good behavior to a particular god but that doesn't make it true, just what they want to believe.
I see on the news all the time a survivor of a shooting, or crash crediting god for their survival. And I hope each time the reporter will reply with, "So you are saying that god didn't care about the other 12 people who died today? Or the 50 who died in yesterdays plane crash? Or the 80 who died in last weeks earthquaek?" It will never happen of course, but I can dream.
It seems to me the height of arrogance and ego to think that the creator of the universe, who routinely ignores children dieing of starvation, or violence, or leukemia would suddenly start paying attention and save you from a bad fate.
(01-12-2018, 10:41 PM)irukandji Wrote: Brandon, I am curious. How do you deal with your friends who are religious? Do you refrain from talking about religion and God altogether?
If I may provide another answer to this question from my perspective.
I am very forthright in my atheism. I am old enough and confident enough that I'm not worried about someone choosing to avoid me because I'm an atheist, that's their problem. And I work at a government job with IT professionals so even though it's in south Florida and everyone is religious to a degree I don't fear losing my job like some people do.
In some ways I think about it like the gay rights movement, if someone can can know that yes, I'm an atheist, but otherwise a fairly decent and normal person that can go someway to lessening the prejudices and stereo types that atheists have been saddled with for years.
Further, especially when it comes to religion, people tend to live in their own comfortable bubbles of what they have been told as kids and what their friends and family believe. Often I can point out things (to a christian, as I live in the US), that they haven't been aware of about their own beliefs or the contents of the bible. Pew studies have shown atheists to be among the most knowledgeable groups regarding religion in the US. When you are in a small minority debating an overwhelming majority that is used to having it's own way for centuries the more knowledge you have the better.
You continue to post your non-belief and continue to ignore factual data. There are many Christian organizations. I will use Wikipedia as a source Salvation Army data:
Quote:The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian denomination and an international charitable organisation structured in a quasi-military fashion. The organisation reports a worldwide membership of over 1.5 million, consisting of soldiers, officers and adherents known as Salvationists. Its founders Catherine and William Booth sought to bring salvation to the poor, destitute and hungry by meeting both their "physical and spiritual needs". It is present in 128 countries, running charity shops, operating shelters for the homeless and disaster relief and humanitarian aid to developing countries.I have volunteered and know first hand how in need people are helped.
. . .
As of 1 September 2015 the Salvation Army operates in 127 countries and provides services in 175 different languages.
. . .
The Salvation Army's main converts were at first alcoholics, morphine addicts, prostitutes and other "undesirables" unwelcome in polite Christian society, which helped prompt the Booths to start their own church.
The reason Christians serve in these mission activities is clear:
Quote:Matthew 25:Jesus himself cannot directly serve in this world. His presence works through believers to serve the hungry, thirsty, strangers, naked, sick, and imprisoned.
34“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
41“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
44“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
45“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
46“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
You may want to volunteer at the Salvation Army. It would do your soul good to help someone in need.
Blessings,
N G