Did I ask for a sampling of your ignorance? The man named Jesus did exist, you choose not to follow him as our Lord and Savior. :) Admit it!
Are you just trying to get your opinion out there? Or recruit more atheists or...what? Tell me.
Respectful answers appreciated. No dumb answers, I don't want any reporting...R-E-S-P-E-C-T!
hint: Answering this question by saying that he did not exist is not smart. I am open to choosing atheists who give me a rational answer to be allowed 10 pts! :)
2007-12-12 02:38:21 · 26 answers · asked by Unafraid 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I'm not new :)
I just like many diverse categories to answer in.
Some of these answers are decent, thanks!
2007-12-12 02:50:40 · update #1
:( I'm not a troll. If I were a troll I would be insulting people and condemning them.
It's just a question.
2007-12-12 02:52:47 · update #2
I think that both sides of the fence need a place to vent. Christians seem to feel the need to impress their belief on others or to actively evangelize and convert others. For a variety of reasons (including aforementioned evangelizing and patronizing Bible verses) atheists end up being antagonized by the Christians or other theists, and we all basically need a place to come ***** about it. At least, that seems to be what I've observed. There's some fang-sharpening, but there's also some positives, or at least I'd like to think.
I've been discussing religion for years... I do it for my own sake. I try to speak reason, I try to learn and let my worldview be critiqued. It has helped - I started from a place of deep pain and betrayal. Luckily there are many intelligent and rational people of many different beliefs and non-beliefs to talk to. It helps!
I like to talk to people, and I find that usually online forums and groups are more conducive for me. I keep odd hours, I'm able to think more about what I want to say and what I'm thinking, and am able to formulate more concise (or longer and windier!) responses.
So that's why *I* come back. I'm not christian, so I'm not called to evangelize. I just like to hear what people have to say, to hear new evidences or arguments for or against, and in general to keep my mind sharp.
I don't think any more that anything I say means a dang thing to anyone but myself. I do this for myself. I guess I'm also out to be on that front line ... someone's gotta look out for people who may not be savvy to the whole bait-and-switch tactics of the modern day proselytizer... (ie, the "you're going to hell if you don't believe what I believe!" thing... fear tactics, not logic and reason. If God is the sum of the highest virtues, then God must be quintessentially logical and rational too, mmm?)
...
About the whole Jesus not existing thing? Well, that's a big one. "Yeshua" and its variants (Yehoshua, Yoshua, etc) were very common names in 1st century Jerusalem. Wood-workers weren't uncommon. It seems very likely to me that there were at least a few woodworking men named "Yosef" who named a male son "Yeshua".
1st century Jerusalem was a time of religious and political upheaval. It is not unlikely that *many* different people preached relatively radical doctrine (like that of common property, for instance). It is likely that those that did were crucified for causing unrest by Roman authorities.
I'm not really sold on the 1st century christians believing that Jesus (Yeshua bin Yosef) was God. I can't help but wonder if who we call Jesus is an amalgamation of many different preachers/teachers, given the circumstances. Either way, there's nothing wrong with taking my time to really investigate and try to *learn*. The truth will stand before a hundred questions and a thousand doubts. I believe that!
Anyways, it sure beats playing XBox.
Saul
2007-12-12 03:31:16 · answer #1 · answered by Saul 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I see R&S questions when I go to the Society & Culture section, which has all sorts of interesting questions in there. Sometimes, questions about religion stand out to me, especially when they ask questions specifically for atheists. If the questions are ones that I feel I have an answer to, I answer them.
As for Jesus existing: I'm as sure that he existed as I am that people like Socrates and George Washington existed. However, I don't believe that Jesus was anything more than a normal human man who was either delusional or intentionally lying.
2007-12-12 02:52:39 · answer #2 · answered by egn18s 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Let's say (hypothetically) that Jesus not only existed as a historical character, but also as the Messiahs-witchdoctor-thing..
If some then chose NOT to follow him so what? would you make them? just because they don't share your views?
And what are all the Christians doing in here? sharing their opinions or recruiting more Christians? The forum is called Religion & spiritualty not Christians & Jesus
2007-12-12 02:48:06 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Why do theists ask questions to atheists in R&S?
(And actually, I'm not entirely convinced he DID exist, even as a normal human being. The records are sketchy, and there are certainly no objective verifications of any "miracles" he preformed. Strange for the Romans to record laundry lists, but not miracles...)
2007-12-12 02:41:48 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
Jesus might have existed. However I find it very unlikely that he performed magic. I can think of him as a very wise man, someone to look up to, someone who's example to follow, but I doubt he actually turned water into wine, those are myths, or he just knew more physics than we know nowadays.
Atheists do not chose not to follow him, he just failed to prove himself real, and that he was who he said he was (unless that wasn't somebody else's invention or missinterpretation too).
2007-12-12 05:24:55 · answer #5 · answered by larissa 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Christianity isn't the only belief system. Anyone's welcome here that has an interest in Religion & Spirituality.
Just because Atheists don't personally believe any religions hold the answers, doesn't mean they may not find the topics interesting.
2007-12-12 03:47:33 · answer #6 · answered by [Rei] 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I am neither a Christian nor an atheist, and I see you engaging in the same exact behavior.
Both Christians and atheists like to come here and declare that Jesus does or does not exist, and both atheists and Christians provide the same exact amount of support for their claims.
You guys are hysterical, I wish you could see it from outside.
Covers ears. "Jesus does exist, nanana."
Covers ears: "Jesus doesn't exist, nanana."
Covering your ears and making a declaration as if declaring something makes it a fact is goofy, regardless of the religion of the person doing it.
2007-12-12 02:42:32 · answer #7 · answered by LabGrrl 7 · 3⤊ 3⤋
The reason I'm here is because people keep asking questions to atheists! If we werent here who would answer your questions???
I've never said anything about Jesus either so don't assume.
2007-12-12 02:46:00 · answer #8 · answered by Smee 1 · 7⤊ 1⤋
For the same reasons you go to atheist sites and spew your religious rhetoric. Where is your evidence that jesus or god exists? The basis of all atheist beliefs is show me the proof of this god.
2007-12-12 02:45:25 · answer #9 · answered by Biker4Life 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Christians have their fundies and Atheists have their militants. Both sides need a place to converge so to speak. For without their respective ideologies they both would be empty inside.
2007-12-12 02:42:34 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋