4 Atheists?

Question

I continue to see you telling Christians to think for themselves. The choice to serve God is a choice that we have made by thinking it. Our minds do not conclude that the universe came out of nowhere by itself, which is a scientific and mathmatical impossibility. We apply teachings that come from the bible and see the benefits of it, and after THINKING about it we come to the conclusion that it only makes logical sense that there must be a designer behind the gift of life. Since doing what He says is obviously working out well for us, and making us happy we continue in this path. True Christians do think for themselves by choosing not to ignore the abundant evidence that shows there is a Creator. Have you all never asked anyone else's opinion? Are you so haughty and proud of yourselves as to believe that you can never learn anything from another person? I think it's time that you all start doing some serious thinking, and stop flattering yourselves with your own ideas.

Answer 1

I really respect what you are saying, and the tone you take is minimally offensive, which is really hard to do when you are angry.

Everyone tends to generalize their perceived enemies at times, my friend, we must, when speaking to them, try to avoid this as best we can. Some athiests (I am an agnostic myself, but lean towards athiesm) may say Christians do not think for themselves, probably because there are a number of them that do not in the case of religion and spirituality, and simply put, they give the rest of you a bad name :(

In your question, you seem to take a few things as fact when they are actually not facts. A fact is condoned by science. Admittedly, that may encourage bias against religious statements that people try to take as fact, but regardless, it is in contention that there is 'abundant evidence' that shows there is a creator - it is not already a fact and simply ignored, per se - although the difference between the two may be ethereal.

A fact that is subjective is not a fact - it is an opinion. If you can show, by repeated experiments, that the same results emerge from an action, then that is essentially a fact, like a scientific law. The quadratic formula is a fact, that the earth revolves around the sun, is a fact, that god created the universe is conjecture.

Do not accuse us of a lack of thinking just because we do not agree with you - I am giving you that courtesy.

Answer 2

perhaps they resent you for beng part of the major religion across the world. you foolow your leaders, and some christians (not all) do this blindly and without question.
Besides, not believing in evolution and being christian are two different things. there are many christians who believe in evolution, and they are generally seen as more educated because evolution is what is commonly taught in schools today. There is also evidence for evolution, such as fossils and the age of them. Also the DNA for some animals is similar. So the two ideas both have supporting arguments. i see intelligent design as a way to bring both ideas together, even though I don't believe in ID anyway, it's a good try, even if it turns out not to be correct.
Also, you seem to think that if you're not atheist, you're christian. that is not true. On this site I see people generally ignoring most religions, either forgetting they're here or what, i don't know, but most people generally fall under two categories, in your mind:Christian or Atheist. And just because you're Christian, doesn't mean christian is the only religion that believes in God.

Anyway, this isn't really a question, but I don't see why people need to nose into each other's business. let people believe what they want to believe, and stop trying to convince them they're wrong. If it works for them, we shouldn't care.

Answer 3

I don't know what the question is exactly, but I definitely think that people are entitled to their beliefs. I think believing in God works miracles for some people and really benefits their lives. I think that it's really good for them to have religion and if you have it, and it works for you, then go for it. Personally, it doesn't make sense with what I believe, but if it makes sense to you, then that's just fine.

I think that some Atheists have a problem believing that Christians think for themselves because they view organized religion as something that is forced upon you by society. To be honest, Christianity is not inborn, but belief in something greater than oneself may be for some if not many people. There have been studies on a "God gene", a part of the genetic code that exists in most people, but is absent in primarily Atheists. It is possible that believing in a God is a part of most people's nature. Those who are missing that natural feeling are just different, and maybe they can't understand what or how others who do believe feel. Personally, I do not believe in a God, and I really cannot understand how anyone can, but I respect that they do, and sometimes even envy that special relationship that they have with a Creator, an intimate relationship which brings them comfort and strength.

Answer 4

"True Christians do think for themselves by choosing not to ignore the abundant evidence that shows there is a Creator."
I'd like to know what this "abundant evidence" is. You can't use the Bible because it was written by man two hundred years after the supposed fact. Besides, the Bible doesn't show any authorship that states it was written by "God".

I would like five seperate pieces of evidence that definitively prove only one "God" or any god at all exists and that they're the "Creator" of everything.

Answer 5

When I was Christian,I didn't really think too much for myself.I was told what to believe,and that was that.When I started asking questions,no one could answer them.I realised that the Bible didn't make sense to me.It contradicts itself too much for my comfort.I think it's great if you CAN believe,but I can't.There is no way to convince me.I've given up trying to find anything I can fully believe in.There are too many reasons not to believe in God.I respect religion,I just can't believe in it.If there was something to appease the logical part of my brain(which has driven out all faith in anything,really),I would go for it.I don't really call myself a Pagan anymore,either,even though that comes closest to right for me than anything else.Not all Atheists are haughty.I don't look down my nose at anyone,unless they are hypocrites.Christians that break laws and commandments don't get my respect.

Answer 6

In as much as I was not around to see how everything came into being (and neither were you),I say, "I don't know ..... YET!" To assume that some god, my less than intellectual ancestors made up, instantaneously barfed the universe into being, is absurd.
You realize, of course, that in addressing this question to Atheists, you are obligated to picking the best answer from an Atheist and not some religious shill you agree with. Anything else would be dishonest.

Answer 7

Yes I have asked others opinions all the time. And yes I am proud of myself, I have a great life, and I still learn a lot from many people. My best friend is a christian and she teaches me many things. You know I got to be an atheist with serious thinking.

Answer 8

What serves you as a substitute for logic and reason is a logical fallacy (a flaw in thinking) known as the "Argument From Incredulity"... which is a sub-category of the "Argument ad Ignorantiam" (Argument From Ignorance). It goes something like this: "I can't conceive of how this might have come to be; therefore, God did it."

That does not represent a limitation of nature... it represents a limitation of knowledge or intellect. Additionally, it is intellectually dishonest... it does not ACKNOWLEDGE the limitation of knowledge or intellect... it appeals to a fanciful, imaginary, supernatural entity to create the ILLUSION that your cognitive dissonance has been resolved.

It is the epitome of self-delusion.

Answer 9

Yeah, that half baked rant will change my mind.

It's almost too stupid to acknowledge but I will address part of it related to you telling me to stop flattering myself "with our own ideas".

Ideas are concepts not yet proved, not even thought out enough to be called a theory. We use facts and if you're not sure what a fact is look it up. Then come back and accuse me of doing serious thinking with facts. That I can accept.

Answer 10

No offense, but I can't see the idea of Christians "thinking for themselves" as on the same level as agnostics or atheists thinking for themselves. By definition, Christian thought embraces the concept that they will burn in hell for all eternity if they don't go along with Christian dogma -- so that doesn't seem so much *thinking* as it is seems being *afraid to think* too deeply.