From my experience with atheists on this forum, a lot of atheists refuses to learn about evidence that's contrary to their preformed beliefs. Instead, they result to ad hominem and straw man in order to win the argument. They are desperately afraid of learning about God, so they don't make the attempt to find the truth.
Instead, they are content in their ignorance and make no effort to study and learn.
The above paragraph applies to most people, with no group excluded.
I haven't seen any atheists on this forum try to look up anything as far as learning the truth. Never had any evidence been presented to refute my claims. I would appreciate the effort if some did try to do the research and post their findings instead of just wallowing in their ignorance.
I was Buddhist, called by God through the events in my life, so I converted to Christianity. Since I was called by God, I was certain I was making the right choice. Never once was I afraid of ending up in hell.
Pascal's wager was a simple and short trick that I came up with after my conversion to quickly educate to my family how a Buddhist can convert to Christianity and be fine. I knew a lot about Buddhism, but I didn't know much about Christianity and its teachings.
In fact, the Holy Spirit has taught so much and changed me for the better. Currently, I completely understand Buddha and his thought process that led to his enlightenment.
The Holy Spirit has done work with me, which led to my bearing the fruit of a true Christian, love and joy.
What about belief in ancient alien theory. And the idea that they not only created us (in their image), but later came back to teach us agriculture and what not?
If an atheist literally believes this theory due to the amount of evidence, is it technically a religion?
EDIT: I have always thought it easier to think that ancient peoples saw the awesome power of these beings, and automatically called them gods or "God". It makes the idea of God physical and realistic. Because it's easier to assume ancient god's were actually just visitors from other worlds (no different than the Spanish armada landing in Central America).
GagHalfrunt:I guess if god had wanted you to have a brain he would have given you one.
Are you so insecure of your position that you have to result to using ad hominem argument that can be easily proven to be false? Choose to wallow in your ignorance, it's not in my power to make your dead spirit live. That's God's domain.
Jesus did say, "Do not cast pearls before swine." Therefore, I do not feel the need to convert people who are not willing to study and seek for truth.
Prove that religion is hereditary? Seriously? You need a study to show you that Christians raise Christian children and Muslims raise muslim children? That isn't apparent to you already? Again, I guess it's gods fault. Okay, here's some numbers:
http://sguforums.com/index.php?topic=35515.0
You have shown an association between the parent's beliefs and the child's beliefs. However, many exceptions exists which make your blanket statement wrong. You just choose to ignore the exceptions because you are desperate to believe that you are right.
The people that seek the truth will eventually find it.
Just because people claim to believe in something doesn't they actually do. Humans are sinners by nature and lie constantly. Many are hypocrites. Most people feel the pressure to fit in and will lie to be part of the community or the family.
GagHalfrunt:I guess if god had wanted you to have a brain he would have given you one.
Are you so insecure of your position that you have to result to using ad hominem argument that can be easily proven to be false? Choose to wallow in your ignorance, it's not in my power to make your dead spirit live. That's God's domain.
Jesus did say, "Do not cast pearls before swine." Therefore, I do not feel the need to convert people who are not willing to study and seek for truth.
Prove that religion is hereditary? Seriously? You need a study to show you that Christians raise Christian children and Muslims raise muslim children? That isn't apparent to you already? Again, I guess it's gods fault. Okay, here's some numbers:
http://sguforums.com/index.php?topic=35515.0
You have shown an association between the parent's beliefs and the child's beliefs. However, many exceptions exists which make your blanket statement wrong. You just choose to ignore the exceptions because you are desperate to believe that you are right.
The people that seek the truth will eventually find it.
Just because people claim to believe in something doesn't they actually do. Humans are sinners by nature and lie constantly. Many are hypocrites. Most people feel the pressure to fit in and will lie to be part of the community or the family.
How do you know it was god? How do you know that the "Holy Spirit" has done anything? Many people experience Intuitions, Love, and Joy. A very large number of them are not Christian.
To be honest I don't know a ton about Christianity, but hear me out and don't get upset because I'm actually curious.
Would it be against Christian teachings to assume that God was really just an alien from another world? Who was more biologically and technically advanced than most any other being in the galaxy (let's say, because that race was able to evolve for a million years uninterrupted), and decided to seed his likeness to another planet to preserve it. I mean, in the blink of an eye (cosmologically speaking) we have advanced far beyond any other species on the planet, even ones older than us. And not because we got smarter over time, but because we were capable of all this from day one.
To sum up, does God HAVE to be a magical deity that no one can see? Or can he be more realistic?
Yes, it would be. The Christian God is omnipotent and omniscient because that's his nature. The Christian God is a Trinity because that's his nature. To believe in other things would be making up your own religion.
I know the Holy Spirit like I know my own dad or mom. I can talk to the Holy Spirit and ask him for guidance, and guidance will be given verbally.
God is a lot wiser than I am. Therefore, when he teaches me wisdom, it's things that I didn't know before. I keep becoming more like Jesus daily.
I have learned through experience that if God tells me to do something and I follow God's will and plan for me and not my own, the results always end up being spectacular. God answer my prayers that I didn't know to pray for, but the Holy Spirit did intervene and prayed for me silently. It has always worked out very well, so much so that I feel at peace at all time.
People will never find the truth. That is a lie. The truth is not knowable.
..but how do you know that it is the "holy spirit"? It could be Satan or the ghost of someone who died in your house. How can you possibly differentiate which?
It's like asking how I know the difference between my mom vs. my dad. I have a relationship with the Holy Spirit, so I obvious recognize him and his presence. The Bible teaches that you will know the truth from the message, and that whoever proclaim Jesus as the Son of God comes from God.
No, it is nothing like that, because your mom and dad are real people with physical bodies.It's like asking how I know the difference between my mom vs. my dad.
What indicated the gender of the "holy spirit" to you? Did "he" show you "his" penis?I have a relationship with the Holy Spirit, so I obvious recognize him and his presence.
The bible also teaches that a flood covered the entirety of our planet. Obviously, therefore, we know that the things written in the bible are unreliable.The Bible teaches that you will know the truth from the message, and that whoever proclaim Jesus as the Son of God comes from God.
Some can, some do, and some don't, but it's quite certainly not a requirement.Religion, at its core, teaches ethics and a "proper" way to live.
I'll grant that. Some even go so far as to threaten direct bodily harm if you don't stay loyal. Others may simply resort to the "You're gonna get it after you're dead" threat, or the threat of being a social outcast. That's a rather strict and harsh definition of "loyalty." Threaten loyalty, don't earn it.Religion promotes loyalty and stalwartness.
Follows a set of rules. Yes, assuming it suits them at the time. It's quite easy to see religious people easily leave those rules behind on a whim.Even if they don't follow your set of rules, you know that someone else who is religious follows a set of rules.
Just as the Christian doesn't follow the rules laid down by a pride of lions, or how a Westerner doesn't follow the rules of an isolated jungle tribe. They don't follow some rules, therefore "they disregard rules?"It's harder to figure out an "atheist" because, by definition, they disregard rules.
This must be why all Christian sects have gotten along perfectly well for so very many centuries, because they're so trusting of one another.It's the same thing as trusting say, an employee with 20 years of experience or a new college grad. The college grad might be more up to date on certain things, but if the employee has the experience and professionalism, you'd be more trusting of the older employee to see things to the end, even if their methods are more "outdated".
I have heard pretty much every Apologist argument there is, don't care to be reading books on the subject since they are all seriously flawed. Care to point out a single argument that can't be refuted?
Why don't you read and learn the knowledge, then show me the flaw in the logic proposed.
I don't know what kind of argument you have heard, or the validity of those arguments. So far, you're not doing a good job of teaching me your point of view.
I had made some threads with some minor points of why Christianity is true. However, a couple post can't come close to replacing the books that have been written on the subject.
You need to do the reading yourself. Learn to fight the human tendency of wanting to stay ignorant on subjects because you're too lazy to do the work.
That still doesn't answer the question. If the claims are to be accepted, there are numerous beings who may have or are talking to you. How can you possibly differentiate between them?
...and it's nothing like differentiating between it and your Parents. You can See, Touch, and Hear your Parents. So can I.
Like I said, heard them all.
I can tell the difference because I know the Holy Spirit on a personal level.
I can't prove my personal relation to the Holy Spirit to you. That is true.
However, it is not my job to prove anything to you or convince you. It is a great gift from God, my knowledge and absolute certainty that Christianity is correct.
If you want proof for yourself, ask God. If it's his will, he will show you.
I don't have to prove God's existence to others, so I don't worry about it.