Question for Atheist?

Question

Thanks for any responses.
Just curious, I have read many answers & questions in here and I wanted your opinion. I have noticed that many atheist (not all) seem to have the view that the bible contridicts itself all over the place, that's it's very obvious that there is NO God and Jesus was either a fraud or a mad man with a huge ego. Several web-sites I looked at also say to "watch" the collection plates etc..

I'm sure you understand what I saying.

My question is this, do you believe that the Christian leadership (many extremely well educated) also believe this and are just fooling their followers for money, fame etc.
In other words are the leaders merly playing a game to controll the ignorant masses into submission for power and or money??

thanks for your thoughts

Dr.
Leaders "IN" Christian instiutions

Answer 1

For some its the money and fame, some of the others actually belive they doing the right thing. I don't think Jesus was just a guy with a huge ego. just a smart guy trying to teach some violent primitve folks how to get along

and yes I am an athiest

Answer 2

I think Jesus was made up, since there is a 40 or so year gap after his death when the bible was written. There is also no historical knowledge of Jesus outside of the Bible to my knowledge. I could be wrong on that who knows. If he existed, I think he was a good guy freeing people from the old testament's tyranny(which is vile).

I do think religion is used as a tool to control masses and take people's money. I cannot say this for all christian denominations, since I don't think that is true. There are fake christians in it for the money and boy do they make money off suckers. Don't trust people so much religous people! There are plenty of stories about christians being manipulated by their so called leaders.

The contradictions in the Bible have been pointed out to me, but I don't care. I have no interest in archaic scripture.

Edit: I'm an atheist and don't like any religions. I still care about the people in these religions though. Sorta like when people tell me they want me to be saved. I want you to be free :) .

Answer 3

I think that Christian leaders sincerely believe in their religion. Some are just more sincere than others. Many a bishop in the past has later admitted to abusing their powers, though it is less today.

I have personally studied the Bible, and have seen no evidence that it is true as opposed to any other religion. It may have some some contradictions, but in my mind is a very important book, due to the lessons it teaches.

I think Jesus did exist, and was a great person. He encouraged his followers to live good lives and be kind to to others, but was not divine. To a dirty, barely able to live peasant in that time, a man with such peace and hope around him could only be God Incarnate.

I'm an Agnostic, as I see no evidence of God. I believe that your religion is okay with me as long as it helps you be a great person.

I do have a pet peeve though. If other people's religions are working fine for them, and they're living great, prosperous lives, why is there a need to convert them? They are already perfectly happy. Remember, they are just as confident that you believe wrong as you are of them.

Answer 4

I brought up the hypocrisies of religion in an essay I recently was compelled to write. Although I do call myself an Atheist. I feel that discrimination based on religion is disreputable. Religion was created to instill moral standards...and these moral standards that are being preached are beginning to be outdated.

The bible was written in an era whence there was much uncertainty about a lot of things. There was no science. Nothing.

Yet I have failed to answer your question. Here it is:

It's absurd to state that Christians shrug the existence of God off and simply preach for the sole purpose of money. I'm sure there are some that are in desperate need for money and begin to preach religion in order to get it. But I don't feel that Christian leadership is fooling their followers.

Answer 5

I think that. I am an athiest, and God, Adam, Eve, all that stuff cannot be true. I mean some say that God answers your prayers! No he doesn't. Get real. Before I turned Athiest I prayed every night for my family to be better, and things like that, but not once did it happen, and not once did I get a little voice in my head with the answer. Advice? No way, my prayers were dead silent. I think that churches are just little fake conspiracies about everything. To belive in God is like believing that a 3-yr-old just discovered a new element.

Answer 6

Actually, no. I've read extensively a Christian apologetics site that addresses many contradictions and gives rationale for them. Of course, to believe the rationale I'd have to agree with the author's assumptions, which in most cases I don't... but someone who did, would see a very clear and obvious explanation.

I think the Christian leadership honestly believes.

Answer 7

I train a couple very nice well educated minsters. Obviously they must look beyond my atheism. I have a lot of tongue and cheek replies on Answers this is not one of them. There is good and bad to Christian beliefs. I use parts of the bible in my daily life. A lot of the Bible is mythology to me.Sometimes I give knee jerk responses to somethings I think are condescending but I'm working on that.

Benny Hinn, Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, Ted Haggard:
In my opinion their God is fame and money.

Answer 8

There are some obvious examples of church leaders deliberately lying to gain money/status (selling miracle spring water), but my opinion is that, in general, Christian leaders believe what they are preaching to be the truth and I do not fault them for simply being mistaken.

Good question.

Answer 9

Who said Christian leaders were educated?

From what I've seen (Ted Haggard comes to mind) Some of these leaders are ignorant to Science and are spreading that.

Although if they were really smart they would be Scientists wouldn't they?

really depends on who exactly you're talking about though.

Answer 10

Well, "very obvious that there is NO God" is misleading. It's that there's "NO EVIDENCE" for God or the supernatural.
(That said, as a Strong Atheist, I believe there are *no* Gods.)

I've no idea about Christian leadership - I've not met any at all, and I hope that continues.

BOTTOM LINE: Gods can neither be proven nor disproven.