Look at it this way: Who wants to go to hell? If I really believed in god, I would also really believe I was going to hell for denying him. Why would I choose to send myself to hell?
2007-01-02 02:57:08 · 26 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
To those of you who are unsure, my choice is actually NOT to go to hell oddly enough.
I am on the board because it's interesting to argue with Christians. Why is anyone on the mythology forum by you argument?
2007-01-02 03:05:05 · update #1
Why can't I fight against something I don't believe in? Do you think there are any Christians who go on Muslim or Hindu boards and try to convert people? They must actually believe in Allah or Krishna according to your logic.
2007-01-02 03:09:22 · update #2
BaseballGrrrl, you said:
"Well, for one, because God said that He made the evidence plain to everyone, so no one has an excuse for not believing. (Romans 1)"
If that were true then why don't I think the evidence is plain?
2007-01-02 03:18:47 · update #3
I suspect some Christians say that to bolster the theory that it is not possible not to believe in God. After all, they do, so obviously it is the right and sensible thing, right?
When you believe in a religion that says anyone who does not believe will be punished for eternity, it tends to make some neurotic twists in a person's logic. Try to be compassionate. They are dealing with some real cognitive dissonance here.
2007-01-02 03:01:14 · answer #1 · answered by auntb93again 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Unfortunately, faith is not a choice. To say you believe just as "a hedge" against going to hell is also known as Pascal's wager. Most likely it wouldn't fly with Christ on judgment day. It not as much a question of belief, but the degree of belief. No believer in his/her right mind can know if God exist and no atheist can likewise know that God does not exist. What we end up with is a scale where atheists, in their right mind, thinks there is a 1% chance that God does exist and believers, in their right mind, thinks there is a 1% chance that God does not exist. Agnostics makes up all the middle ground. As a believer, one reason why I think we all, atheists, agnostics and theists alike all believe in God is that God's laws are written in all of our hearts. None of us can run away from our conscience, or avoid feeling bad if we are dishonest. Not even the best rationalizations enables us to fool ourself because God, our father is there telling us the truth through our consciences.
2007-01-02 03:18:20 · answer #2 · answered by Ivar 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"lion of judah",
Your argument is called Pascal's wager:
"If god exists, it's infinitely better to believe, since you get heaven instead of hell for eternity. If he doesn't, it doesn't matter since you're dead anyway. So overall it's better to believe"
This is, of course, false.
Some of the problems with the argument:
* The implied assumption that god may exist (with a 50% probability, no less!)
* The assumption that there is an afterlife with a heaven and hell
* The assumption that the god cares about belief in him/her above all else
* The assumption that if you believe in a god, it will definitely be the same god that actually exists.
* The assumption that you lose nothing if it's false. You have lost a great deal, from time praying to a nonexistent entity (somebody mentioned just today praying several hours a day!!!) to morality (your god may ask you to hurt other people) and much more besides.
For more:
http://www.abarnett.demon.co.uk/atheism/wager.html
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/pascal-wager/
http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/theism/wager.html
2007-01-02 03:01:47 · answer #3 · answered by eldad9 6 · 5⤊ 1⤋
You wouldn't. I don't think all Christians think Atheists believe in God. Christians think they will go to hell and pray for their souls. At least that is what I was taught in Catholic school. I left that religion and am now a mystic. With the right mojo I can send people to hell. Only kidding HA HA
2007-01-02 03:00:45 · answer #4 · answered by Lynnemarie 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's a matter of perspective.
It can be hard for some Christians to comprehend that someone can't believe in God, much like it can be hard for some Atheists to think that some people can actually believe in a God.
With these perspectives, you get extreme answers, like "there is a heaven and hell whether you believe or not" or "there is no God".
2007-01-02 03:00:25 · answer #5 · answered by Southpaw 7 · 6⤊ 0⤋
with the aid of fact from some human beings's perspective no longer believing in God does not make experience. they are truthfully particular God exists and absolutely everyone who claims to no longer have confidence in him is only rejecting God or rebelling against him or whatnot. Edit: Yeshua is the appropriate occasion.
2016-11-25 22:26:22 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm a Christian, and I don't think Atheists believe in God. I think they should, and I think they will be sorry one of these days because they didn't. But, if someone says they don't believe in Him, I trust they are telling me the truth.....just like I would be telling the truth when I say I do believe in Him.
2007-01-02 03:04:57 · answer #7 · answered by kj 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, for one, because God said that He made the evidence plain to everyone, so no one has an excuse for not believing. (Romans 1)
But 2, because athiests fight really hard against God, an odd thing to do when you don't believe He exists. I see this as trying really hard to convince yourself because yes, if you say you believe, then you are admitting that you've chosen hell up to this point in your life. You're right, you wouldn't choose that, so you have to try hard to convince yourself that God isn't real. The mind can be convinced of almost anything if you try hard enuf.
2007-01-02 03:03:02 · answer #8 · answered by BaseballGrrl 6 · 0⤊ 4⤋
Because they can't accept the idea we just don't believe in their gods. And they DON'T LISTEN. Even after you say "Sorry, I just don't buy it," they keep yarking in your face. I think it's because they believe it's their "duty as Christians" to save our souls. And to tell the truth I get a little sick of being called stupid or ignorant because I have no supernatural beliefs.
2007-01-02 03:07:19 · answer #9 · answered by link955 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I cannot control what other Christians think. I have enough to care for with what God gave me-My Family!
2007-01-02 03:01:12 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋