Christians: Do you think the problem with atheists is?

Question

that they have just gotten their feelings hurt by temporal circumstances, and therefore they blame God for their plight? Does this debacle involve them actively hardening their hearts or does God do it for them?(passively, of course)

I have my own opinion. I'd like others... ready, GO!

Acid Zebra: I don't believe in free will as you do.

Answer 1

I think they wish for some type of proof so that they cannot be accused of being mistaken. They want an experience that can only be gotten through faith and thus are not rewarded. Their hearts are hardened by their active rejection of Jesus. I think it is more of a desire to make sure they are right rather than hurt feelings.

Answer 2

Satan works overtime to try to oppress and stop the works and words of God from spreading,...

"who is not for us, is against us,..."

it doesn't mean that people are basically evil, my faith taught me that everybody is saved, by the grace of God. No exceptions. And we are given the FREE WILL to do that. I think most have a misconception on the true meaning of free will. This is what was taught in MORALITY CLASS, 'free will is not about the freedom to choose between good and evil, it is the freedom to choose the good." No nuances, no in-between, no gray spot. It's either black or white. An explanation?: we have the freedom of speech as long as we don't use derogatory terms to slander, defame or abuse another or a thing. Think about it...

lol, i'm well away from the topic,.. sorry ;-)

i think atheist are like lost souls, they just need more attention, more prayers and more saving,... i do not blame their circumstances nor do they need to find the need to blame God or ridicule my faith...

Answer 3

By reading our question, it's easy to see that you have no idea of what goes on in an Atheist's mind. How can anyone blame someone or something that doesn't even exist ?
I'm sure that you're too dense to understand it , but I have no plights or hurt feelings.
It's known that Atheists on average are far more intelligent than believers. What amazes me is that you guys are so determined to prove it.

Answer 4

Why would I blame something I don't believe exists? No silly, I take responsibility for my own life.

I think you are projecting here. It's a well known fact Christians blame the devil for bad things in life and credit god for good things.

Answer 5

Do you get nosebleeds being so high on that horse of yours?

I have no problem, I am not angry with a non-existent, made- up creature. Nothing negative happened to make me an atheist. I've had quite a charmed life so far, with no events to make me angry or hurt, or any other such nonsense :)

Why aren't you a Zeus theist? What did he ever do to you? Did he not answer your prayers? Did he hurt you in some way? So sad......

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_troll

Answer 6

It can be any or all of those things. I believe that a person does harden their heart either from circumstances, people in their lives, or simply seeking out worldly desires and pleasures. So after a while, God simply lets them go, meaning that He doesn't keep chasing after them to come back to Him. Of course He would always welcome anyone back, but He does not force anyone to come back.

I do not think you can say this about all athiests, though since many of them never believed in God in the first place. This could be for a number of different reasons as well. Every person is different, whether or not they are athiest or Christian.

Answer 7

Perhaps that fits some. Just like some "Christians" are simply afraid not to go with the croud because they're frightened people by nature.

Believing in (or NOT believing) in something is not always a reaction against something else. There is no real us and them, aside from in the minds of PARINOID people. There are no commies under the bed, my friend.

Sometimes people just believe a certain way because that's how they speculate. No evil plot, no enemy in the shadows, just a different opinion than your own.

Answer 8

I think it's a combination of both. I know some who used to believe, but got hurt and wanted somebody to blame - especially when it's something devastating. (Death of a loved one, serious illness, loss of a home, extreme abuse, natural disasters, etc.) They blamed God instead of seeking Him. Maybe they prayed and they think God didn't answer their prayers - but the truth is, He DID answer them - just not in the way THEY wanted Him to. But the bible also says that those who diligently SEEK the Lord will find Him; and those who know Him will recognize His voice, while others will harden their hearts against Him just because they prefer to do things their own way. They don't want to sacrifice their self-will, and nobody can have a relationship with God unless they are willing to be obedient to His will / the call He has placed on their life.

I can't actually speak for atheists though - they don't believe in God, and I suppose there could be a number of reasons. And I don't hate anybody for believing differently than I do - but my heart is burdened for their soul. God NEVER stops pursuing the lost - He doesn't want ANY to perish. But if He won't force them to accept Him, we Christians certainly don't have the right to beat people over the head with our bibles! That's not God's way...

Answer 9

"the problem with atheists"....more like the problem for atheists.

I certainly can't answer for them - but as one who previously questioned and doubted - I imagine it has to do with that time in our experience when we do wonder. By allowing ourselves to wonder - we open the door to the "enemy" and his temptation of unbelief.

Once that foothold is established - it gets easier and easier to allow the stronghold to take over.

For some the catalyst is an unanswered prayer. For some it is an answered prayer in an undesired fashion. For some it is confusing God with people. For some it is never knowing.

Oh - how much more blessed for the one who does not know and can learn.

How sad for those who know and turn away.

"For it is much better to have known not and lived that life that to know and turn your back on Him"

Answer 10

GOD gave humans a free will! GOD did not program humans to love/believe in HIM.

The ones that chose not to believe make that choice themselves. The ones that chose to believe make that choice also.

Nature never creates any thing that Nature does not need! Everything in nature has a requirement - supports something else in nature.

Humans do not support/have a requirement in nature. Nothing in nature requires the presence of humans. Therefore, nature did not create humans! Why are humans even here on this earth? The Atheist cannot answerer this question!

Answer 11

The Bible says, "The Fool has said in his heart, 'there is no God'."
That means that the intellectual arguments are really just excuses and backups for their rejection of God. They don't want to be held accountable for their sins. Some think that they will be able to get into heaven as long as they live "good" lives, but it's clear that we as humans(liars, thieves, blasphemers) are not good enough to be in God's presence without Christ. That is the main reason they deny His existence. They hate the idea of being responsible to Him. On the Athiest/Christian debate, Kelly's closing statements included, "Even if He were real, I wouldn't want to be with a maniacal God like that." They just can't understand or grasp His holy character - simple as that. Notice how they immediately reject the Bible, although science and HISTORY has supported its claims? Of course, they have excuses for that too...