Christians, if your pastor told you something bad about Atheists, would you just believe it or research it?

Answer 1

why would i need a pastor to tell me atheists are wrong .... there are some atheists that are good peoples tho ...

Answer 2

Depends upon the denomination and the individual's experience with atheists. I personally have heard a Primitive Baptist preacher say the most vile, hateful, and outrageously false things about atheists, and not a soul in the church so much as batted an eyelash. Most nodded. A few even said, "Amen." An Episcopal minister, on the other hand, would get lots of frowns from the congregation, and some might even mention their displeasure to the minister on the way out of the sanctuary. And any Unitarian Universalist minister who spoke against atheists might face an empty room by the end of the sermon (including the Christian UUs) and an in-box overflowing with outraged e-mails afterward.

Answer 3

This question a what people in statistics call a "loaded" question. If you want to get reasonable answers, you need to ask a reasonable question. Placing a heavy bias in the question, or "loading" it, also places heavy bias in the answers. First of all, you state directly in the question that the subject is told something "bad". This is a very generic term that applies to a broad range of types of information. Seeing the word "bad" predisposes the subject to thinking the information is not something they want to hear, in which case it should be double-checked, or a second opinion sought.

The second problem with the question are the two choices presented. "Just believe it", that phrasing implies that believing it is the inferior option, because you are "just" doing that. An example of how the word "just" influences the decision: "Would you rather just stay at the Turtle Dove Inn, or go to the Soft Rock Hotel?" Two entirely fictional places that could well be indentical in quality, but the phrasing makes the Soft Rock Hotel sound like the better option than "just" staying at the Turtle Dove Inn.

Next time you ask a question, try to ask an intelligent one, rather than one loaded with bias and with only one obviously correct answer.

Answer 4

If my Anglican priest said anything other than to pray for the non-believer (atheist), I would leave the church as it is the most important commandment of all; love our neighbor and love God. By the way, how do you research faithlessness? each atheist has determined himself as god, not possible for this Christian, nor am I desirous to research all the souls who know of Christ but turned away from Him. All I can, and do, is pray that your mind is opened and your heart listens to the Holy Spirit working on you. Think about it, why are you hanging out on the religion & spirtuality Answers site.
God is showing the answer, just say a quiet prayer asking for understanding. Go ahead, you have nothing to lose, and your life everlasting to gain.

Answer 5

If a Pastor talked bad about others, I would not attend that church. Pastors are the head of the denomination and is in a position to teach the Word of God.

We are told to study to show ourself approved. There is nothing to study on Atheism, they don't believe in God or Satan, thus they believe only in themself.

They claim no "religion", but Atheism is a religion within itself. So, they don't even recognize themself in a religion. Sad indeed!!!

Answer 6

all pastors are subject to being or saying things fallible or even stupid. We've had to remove several from ministry for "bad" things. you must always research everything.
We live in an age where knowledge is available to all not just the "leaders". Lots of people get in those positions of power just to abuse and allow people to mock God. You must always check that you are getting the correct information.

Answer 7

The only things my Pastor tells us about Atheists is to love them and to pray for them and to be a good witness for Jesus when we are around them. He tells us to be "salt and light" in their lives in the hope that they might not perish with the rest of the people trapped in this fallen world.

Answer 8

We've never had a reason to discuss atheist in our Church in my life. Certainly if any pastor said something i thought was way out of whack i would check it out. Faith in Christ does not mean blind obedience to a priest or minister.

Answer 9

Hardly happens. They concentrate more on the Word of God. If it DID happen, our pastors always teach Acts 17:11, that is, to prove whether what is said is true or not.

Answer 10

Yes, I would. However, if you think all we do in Church is bad mouth, atheist, gays etc. etc. you are mistaken. The service is about God and how we can live better lives. The world is not all about atheists.