1. Why would an Atheist want to spend his only life in jail?
2. Christians think there's an afterlife so, life in jail wouldn't be that bad
3. Christians are taught that God will forgive you for ANYTHING you do
4. Us Atheists are responsible for our own behavior
5. A truly good person wouldn't need the hell threat to be good
6. Christians are taught that they're born bad or born in a sinful world. That automatically lowers their standard of behavior
7. The ten commandments are useless because Jesus died for you to break them
8." You all fall short of the grace of God"? Take that scripture and run with it. You do all kinds of evil things and fall back on that
2006-09-24 17:46:14 · 24 answers · asked by Black Atheist 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I'm not one anymore. But I'd guess that it's #3 that would be the major contributing factor!
2006-09-24 17:51:05 · answer #1 · answered by Helzabet 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
1. Because if he doesn't he wouldnt have been able to do what he wanted to "try" all this time, even if it is a crime. Since there is not consequence of afterlife, an atheist would feel free to murder and try his utmost best to escape the law....
2. Yes they do... and they are mostly looking forward to that afterlife... but christian or non-christian, nobody likes being confined or suffer any sort of pain. Some take the pain willingly as a sacrifice to a "Higher Force"
3. Yes that is true, but consciously commiting a wrongdoing and then going for the "action" of repentence without true intention of remorse doesn't work. God is not Stupid. Sincerity is the key... do we mean what we say or say what we mean? Too many "christians" dupe themselves into believing, I can commit a wrongdoing, then ask for forgiveness and all is wiped clean... are they TRULY remorseful? Otherwise its just self-deception with intent to fool God.
4. I totally agree. So are Christians, but to top it off, they have to answer to the Omniscient one too... you are one up there as an Atheist :)
5. I also agree. A truly good person wouldn't need Heaven to be a lure. Heaven is a side benefit of being good. Christians are not dogs, click the clicker, do a trick, get a treat as reward. But do atheist find any need to be good since they have only themselves to serve? Therefore, is Self centredness and Selfishness... being 'good" or 'bad'?
6. Inheritence of Sin... too easy a concept, prolly a man made rule "added in" to Divine Rules.
7. Jesus died, for Christians to PERFECT the 10 commandments (with his blessings as additional "Divine Nuclear Fuel"...)
8. Not everyone drops out from school after failing once or twice... in the spiritual path, they just go in and try again :)
2006-09-25 01:03:06 · answer #2 · answered by Tenzin 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I think one important point that you have not mentioned is that christians are called to repent of their sins. If someone claims to be a christian but goes on sinning and their life doesn't change then it was probably a false conversion. The gratitute to God that a true conversion creates would not allow a person to deliberately go on displeasing God.
The 10 commandments are just as relevant today as they ever were - this concept was taught by Jesus as well. They are God's laws. By the way, all people have broken at least one of Gods laws - atheists included. Have you ever told a lie? Ever stolen - even a pen or something small? Ever lusted in your heart? or the big one for atheists - ever had any other God's than the true God of the bible (ie yourself). Therefore, Jesus died for you too my friend, for the times you have broken the law and separated yourself from God. It was because of Gods mercy and love for us that Jesus died. So we could be reconciled to Him.
I don't know where you get your statistics but only God knows the true condition of a mans heart and no men I know are perfect. We all need Jesus or we are destined for an eternity being separated from God. Please don't choose this for yourself.
2006-09-25 00:56:54 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
The only one of those statements I agree with is 5, a good person doesn't need the hell threat. I think that's a really important point that isn't emphasized enough.
It WOULD be interesting to find out who commits more crimes; atheists, agnostics, Christians, or people like me who vacillate between all 3 categories. Has anyone done a real, scientific study?
2006-09-25 00:50:55 · answer #4 · answered by mollyneville 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Unfortunately what you are saying is very true for the so called "believer". They can only do wrong for so long. They will get what is coming to them in the end. There are allot of people that call them selves Christians and they wouldn't know God if he showed up in person and bit them in the butt. That however is not how a real Christan is. Again unfortunately I don't think there are that many of them left. Many do use the word of God to hide behind their evil. In the end they will pay for it. If they really read their bibles they would see that he does not forgive everything. It even says that there will be some that say Lord Lord and he will turn them away because he does not know them because of their evil ways. It's like this. There are bad and good people in all groups. Just because some are bad does not make the whole group bad. Just because a white person kills someone doesn't mean all white people kill. Or if a black person robs someones doesn't mean all black people rob. So just be care full not to group all so called Christan's together. Just because one acts like a butt doesn't mean they are all butts or fakers.
2006-09-25 01:00:44 · answer #5 · answered by deeprankstir 1 · 2⤊ 2⤋
For those that want statistics... these statistics come from the US Bureau of Prisons... so chew on this for a while. Christians make up about 75% of the US population and 75% of the US prison population. No big surprise there.
Atheists, on the other hand, make up about 10% of the US population... but they make up only 0.2% of the US prison population. Now, isn't THAT a surprise? That means that atheists are FIFTY (50) times LESS LIKELY to be incarcerated than Christians. Pretty strange, huh, for a group that has no god-given guiding moral principals?
I can think of only two possibilities that might reasonably be said to account for this discrepancy:
1. Atheists are of a higher ethical and moral caliber than Christians, and thus are less prone to do the same kinds of nasty things that land so many Christians in the slammer;
OR,
2. Atheists are, overall, a lot smarter than Christians and thus, they are less likely to get caught in the course of their transgressions.
It's GOT to be one or the other... take your pick.
2006-09-25 01:15:23 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
There are probably more Christians in jails because Christians make up a larger portion of the population.
However, doesn't that whole committing crimes thing nullify any "Christianity" you may have held? I would think, given the tenets of Christianity, there would be fewer people identifying with Christianity in jail than in the general populace (percentage-wise).
2006-09-25 00:58:27 · answer #7 · answered by Phoenix, Wise Guru 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
More people identify themselves as Christians because maybe their parents took them to church a few times when they were kids and they think probably there is someone bigger than themselves so they don't want to call themselves atheists... but probably most of them unfortunately either don't really know what it means to be a "Christian" or know intellectually but don't believe it in their hearts.
The Bible doesn't teach that it's OK to go out and do whatever you want just because you are forgiven.... unfortunately there may be some people who choose to interpret it that way. Ya know what? We are human, so are you. It doesn't make it OK to go out and do things that hurt ourselves and other people. We ALL need to take responsibility for our own actions, regardless of our religion or lack of it. Just because a Christian is forgiven, doesn't mean that there are no consequences. We will be in Heaven but it doesn't mean we'll have the same status there if we screw up royally. And Heaven notwithstanding, there are consequences here on Earth as well... if you break the law and are caught, you go to jail... and jail's no picnic. God uses our mistakes to help us learn the lessons we are here to understand in this life. He wants us to love and obey Him but He won't force us to do so... Don't you want to be loved and respected on your own terms? It's no different with God. If someone stays with you out of obligation rather than true devotion there is no gratification in that. If your child obeys you because of fear rather than love, how does that make you feel? Maybe I can't adequately answer your question and I wish that I could because I think you are searching for someone who is waiting for you to find Him... You wouldn't keep asking questions if deep down you didn't hope to be outsmarted at some point and have it proven to you. I've been there, I wanted to go my own way too. Unfortunately sometimes I still do. He loves and forgives me anyway but He doesn't let me off scot-free for it. There is always a consequence. People are headstrong and often foolish but when you truly allow God to be first place in your life then it is easier to obey, to love Him, others and yourself, and to accomplish whatever you are here for. Sorry to ramble. I'm not very eloquent but I hope I've made some sense for you.
2006-09-25 01:09:26 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I don't think that christians commit more crimes than atheists, stupid hypothesis. What I do think is that after the criminals go to jail they find Jesus for a chance of salvation. I am an atheist and I still disagree with whatever point you were trying to make.
2006-09-25 00:51:47 · answer #9 · answered by navytec 2 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Who said Christians commit more crimes than Athiests? I'd like to see the source of that statistic!
Secondly, your question is like asking a man, "Are you still beating your wife?" No matter what answer he gives he will look bad. I suppose that is what you really want: Christians to look bad. Will that make you feel better?
2006-09-25 00:51:43 · answer #10 · answered by jennymurf 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It is OK, really, God still loves you and wants you to accept Him as your Lord and Savior. All you have to do is to repent of your sins, confess that Jesus died on the cross for you and rose on the third day, and ask Him to come into your heart. Your torment will cease.
2006-09-25 01:08:36 · answer #11 · answered by twelfntwelf3 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋