athiests, on behalf of Christianity...?

Question

Jesus loves you. you can choose to accept that or deny it, and thats fine, that is your own trip. but please, speak politely to one another, theists and atheists. and please, don't insult my intelligence, just because you encounter a few baby christians who don't know how to respond to or answer a question doesn't mean we're all brain-washed uninformed fear-mongers. when it comes to God and Christ, you need not check your brains at the door. can't we respectfully share beliefs and ideas?

if all you can do is take my words out of context then please, don't answer.

know this, the message of christianity isn't that you're going to hell... it is and should be that God loves you so much that He gave His son. im surprised to find that many people have never heard that.

i said Jesus loves you because i was commissioned to do so. it was on behalf of Christianity. and you may not believe that, and thats fine. but know it wasn't said out of condescention, but witness.

Answer 1

Typical. One small, insignificant person taking upon himself to wield the power (and "love") of Jesus. Thank you for further weaking christianity in my eyes.

Answer 2

On behalf of myself (I can't claim to speak for all atheists, or even all non-believers) I feel the need to inform you that I do speak politely to everyone, even those I disagree with. I try not to insult your intelligence with my question, simply to encourage thoughts that you may not otherwise have yourself. I don't believe that you are brain-washed, but I do believe that you hold certain beliefs despite the evidence against those beliefs. And as for your last sentence, actually, yes, when I tried to become a Christian again I did need to turn my brain off, otherwise I'd pick apart ever single utterance that came from the pastors lips. You may not have that experience, because we do not both go into the Christian experience with the same knowledge, but if you knew what I knew (which is a lifetime of study of different religions and their origins) then your experience would be very much like mine.

It's like going to a movie that you've already watched along with several similar movies, and you've already read the story and saw the making of DVD. If your significant other has never seen it before, they'll get a totally different experience from it. While the significant other may think the movie was flawlessly great, inspiring, and perhaps the best movie of all time, you may not see it that way at all. You may think it was only average, and when she says "how did they make the people fly like that, that was truly amazing" you'll be able to explain the strings and green-screens, totally taking away the mystery behind it.

That's my view of Christianity. For you, it's great, and I'm glad it's great, as long as it leads you to being a good person. As for me, I'd appreciate it if your fellow believers stopped telling me I was a bad person that deserves the worst punishment your religion has to offer, simply because I don't believe. I have valid reason for not believing, and that does not make me a bad person.

Answer 3

Sounds good to me.

Id rather work side by side with people based on who they are, not what they believe. I dont like preachy atheist anymore than I like preachy Christians.
Oddly, Christians tend to think Im one of them, as do atheist and even Jews frequently.

Respect is earned, but still must be freely given in the beginning-do that and almost everyone will respond in kind.

Answer 4

See, I would agree with you except for the fact that I constantly get told by "christians" that I'm going to hell because I don't believe in their god. Also, I have "christians" knocking on my door almost every Saturday telling me that I need to convert. These crazy MF's will come to my door at 7 o'clock in the morning on my one day to sleep in!

Last, I would have no problem complying with this if "christians" would not try to force their beliefs into becoming MY laws. Until the so called "christians" can stop this, then no, there is no way for us to get along.

Answer 5

We are sheep among wolves, not going to happen, stand firm, we have the victory. There are so many different religions, that is the problem also. I do not know where some of these ideas come from, that we are a religion, I follow no religion, I follow the Gospel of Christ, therefore we have been called Christians. There are many types of Christians, the Lord Jesus Christ and His teachings are what I believe and follow.

Answer 6

Sure we can. But I'm compelled to point out that "Jesus loves you" is not respectfully sharing a belief or idea. It is arrogantly stating your personal belief as a fact that I am graciously allowed to "accept" or "deny". Do you see how provocative and condescending that choice of phrasing is?
A more respectful choice would have been: "I believe that Jesus loves you". Just a suggestion.

Answer 7

Well if Jesus loves me that's fine, I don't know him and he has never told me himself or given any indication... he can do what he wants but if he really loved me I would expect him to let me know. I try my best to speak with politeness and courtesy at all times because quite simply that is how I would like others to treat me. I also don't engage in stereotyping because I know how ignorant such a practice is. I also keep my brain firmly ensconced within my cranium at all times and I do whatever possible to encourage learning and questioning. I can respectfully share my beliefs, the problem is people refuse to admit that MY beliefs have just as much merit as theirs. Your question for example implies that what I believe is irrelevant because Jesus and God both exist and I am simply denying them. I resent that, I don't say things like that to you why would you say things like that to me?? I could say "Christians, on behalf of disbelief... Jesus doesn't love you, he never existed you can choose to accept or deny it" Now see what I mean? You talk about speaking politely and yet your first sentence implies non-belivers are all in denial of the truth which YOU and all your fellows know. How can anyone KNOW the truth? how can any of us claim ultimate intelligence of everything? We can't and thats where you have to learn to speak with others on their own level... You should say "Here is what I believe, now what do you believe?" Not accuse others of being ignorant to the truth when really we are all equally ignorant. So my advice to you is to cut the arrogance out of your life and admit that it could fall either way.. Maybe it is you who is denying the truth maybe it is me, but neither of us knows that for sure.... No need to act like you know and I don't...

Answer 8

I see what you are trying to do, but I think you are talking to a group of people who don't want to actually want to have an adult conversation with you on the subject. It seems so far that the atheist of this board have responded in an immature and slightly hostile manner.

I see questions to Christians from atheist all the time sighting our animosity, but here is a fine example of someone attempting to extend olive branches yet he is received with scorn? That is really just foolish.

Answer 9

Well said. But let me add, the same thing can be advised to believers who can't just accept that atheists have made their decisions based on a lifetime of experience and assume they're all ignorant brain-washed cynics. The acrimony goes both ways, as far as I can see.

Answer 10

I don't know why you feel the need to collectively tell this to all Atheists.

I'm polite to everyone, unless the give me a reason not to be. Just because someone is a Christian, isn't a reason enough for me to be impolite or rude to them. They have to go a step further and insult me.

Answer 11

Well if god was real he really did love us then he would have answered people prayers and would have used his powers to protect his creation.
If you look at the three concepts of god such as him being all-powerful, all-knowing and all-loving; once a person uses some simply questions, it is quickly discovered that there is a flaw with the concept of god.