Christians: bait or debate?

Question

OK, so I can understand those on here who bait Christians incessantly. The barrell just has far too many ducks in it. I was one (a duck, so to speak) once, and I was pretty insufferable, so I'd have understood if you'd baited me.

But baiting just scores pointless non-points. It's not really satisfying in the long run.

Mind you, seriously engaging evangelical Christians in debate can also be a very non-rewarding experience. It's like the two sides don't even have a language in common.

Isn't there some way atheists and Christians can... communicate? without pissing each other off so totally?

Answer 1

I think that tolerance for others's beliefs would help. I've known, and been friends with, people belonging to Christian, Muslim, Hindu, and Rastafarian faiths and Atheists. We all get along despite of our different beliefs, because we accept each other's rights to differing beliefs.

My friends, if asked, would say that they truly believed their respective faiths are the TRUTH. However, they don't go forcing their beliefs on other people. They can,and do, accept the diversity that is present in modern society.

Many people cannot see beyond their own beliefs, and so close themselves off from the richness that is present in life, maybe because they are afraid, or they don't think that others's views are important.

To understand another person's point of view does not mean that you must lose your own value system. What it does mean is that you keep your mind open, and therefore do not fall victim to believing the stereotypes that abound.

Below is a poem that sums up what I think. It's called 'The Six Men of Indostan' and it is by the poet John Godfrey Saxe:

"It was six men of Indostan to learning much inclined
Who went to see the elephant though all of them were blind,
That each by observation might satisfy his mind.
The First approached the elephant, and happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side, at once began to bawl:
'God bless me! But the elephant is very like a wall!'

The Second, feeling of the tusk, cried, 'Ho! What have we here
So very round and smooth and sharp? To me 'tis mighty clear
This wonder of an elephant is very like a spear!'

The Third approached the animal, and happening to take
The squirming trunk within his hands, thus blodly up and spake:
'I see,' quoth he, 'the Elephant is very like a snake!'

The Fourth reached out an eager hand, and felt about the knee,
'What most this wondrous beast is like is mighty plain,' quoth he;
' 'Tis clear enough the Elephant is very like a tree!'

The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear, Said: 'E'en the blindest man
can tell what this resembles most; deny the fact who can
This marvel of an elephant is very like a fan!'

The Sixth no sooner had begun about the beast to grope,
than, seizing on the swinging tail that fell within his scope,
'I see,' quoth he, 'the Elephant is very like a rope!'

And so these men of Indostan disputed loud and long,
each in his own opinion exceeding stiff and strong,
though each was partly in the right, and all were in the wrong!

Moral:

So oft in theologic wars, the disputants, I ween,
rail on in utter ignorance of what each other mean,
and prate about an elephant; not one of them has seen!"

Answer 2

It won't happen on here. The number of angry athiets and pompous Christians far out weigh the numbers of those who can communicate respectfully. Look at any question and you'll see that. A few will answer repectfully, but you'll always have those who will answer with hatred towards the other party. It is those who are so angry and full of themselves that ruin the communications because it annoys those of us who like to learn and discuss religion without the hatred.

As a Catholic, I am very interested in learning about other religions, but I get annoyed when someone says bad things about my faith by either calling it a mythology, degrading my pope, or saying that all priests are pedifiles. I do not go and ask questions that degrade athiests and pagans, which is all I can do to keep the hatred down. We (and I mean all of us) should try to not raise to the bait of those who want to only anger us and riddicule our choices. Hopefully, the more people who ignore such users the less they will do here and eventually, only those with a real desire to share and learn will remain.

Answer 3

The idea of God is a piece of wisdom from long before Christianity. It is the idea that the purpose of all Life is to create more usefulness for the universe than it uses in resources. This is the Net Creativity of a species. All the wisdom of the Bible points to ways that people are supposed to cooperate to provide service to God (creativity for the universe), being in His image (creating everything from nothing), and cooperating with Nature (dominion means responsibility as well as authority).
The problem lies with people who are afraid to question the fundamental principles of Blind Faith. The purpose of groupthink (religion) is to teach people to conform to authority, rather than to cooperate with each other outside of certain profitable domains. Many atheists join groups and don't understand this any better than evangelicals.
It's always about the marketing. Religion can add creativity to our species, but we have to shedd the stigma of knowledge and curiosity in religious houses, while getting atheists to shedd the arrogance of logical science until they can actually explain the universe completely. All things in moderation, the meek (humble) shall inherit because they are cooperative, not competitive. Competition always leads to collapse.
Cooperation does NOT mean compromise, though. If there are 100 people in a room, and only one knows the right way to do something, then any compromise leads to a wrong action. Cooperation means knowing when to accept that you can find the correct way either on your own or by listening to someone else.
This takes wisdom.
If you want change, keep it in your pocket. Your dollar is your vote and the machines don't count.

Answer 4

I would agree with girl_afraid. It can be difficult if not impossible to seriously debate when most people on here will never meet. There may be ten sensible Christians / atheists for every ranting extremist. Serious, calm and educated discussion does go on all the time but this type of forum does not lend itself to such.

Answer 5

Of course. Most Christians and atheists can and do get along. It's a lot of posts here tend to be made by the extremists on either side of the debate, which in turn encourages responses from other extremists....and well, that's where it all goes wrong.

Answer 6

Communication relies on an understanding of common terms and a common point of reference.

What is there to debate or discuss? Atheists have no common point of reference with Christians as it relates to religion.

Atheists ask for evidence, Christians claim their faith is evidence.

That is a lack of communication because faith is NOT evidence of anything other than faith. So, since your evidence is not stipulated as evidence, and you have nothing else to offer, it would only seem reasonable for Christians to agree that atheism is, in fact, the only real logical choice.

At which time, Christians would concede the debate and stop trying to tell others their faith is anything more than an unsubstantiated opinion that relies more on the fallacious argument of appealing to numbers or popularity than any factually accurate basis or historical evidence.

Is that too much to ask?

Answer 7

Debate

Answer 8

Most Godbotherer baiting is the result of them posting the same stupid answers to questions - i pity you, i hate you, I know i am right because God told me.

I have tried and tried to argue rationally - but in the end when their point cannot be proved the old 'God can do anything so Black actually does = white' comes out. I wouldn't mind but this comes out after they have tried to be logical and proved God exists and found that it is completey impossible - doesnt make it wrong but makes it pointless to try and prove.

Gues my point is that God squad are usually immune to rationality and inconsistent with their own argument - its all a bit of a p*ss into the wind. Therefore all thats left is to take the mick - its cruel, but hey Im not going to heaven so what do i care.

Answer 9

The only communication of Cristians and athiests are the fact that Christians tell athiests their wrongdoing, and tell them about the Lord, and some listen, while many don't. What do you mean by baiting? I do not know what that is. At any rate, Aaheists just can't listen to the truth. What is a person without a belief? Atleast a true belief? Stupid atheists.

Answer 10

I'm a Christian and have atheist's friends, but I made it clear that what I believed and aknowledged whatthey were, and left it at that. If they had questions or if I did it was a question, no debating about it.