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It is possible to be so intent on NOT believing that you are, in fact, not a free thinker. I think the OP has a point.
I guess that may be true for some. Although I can only speak for myself, I will tell you that I spend very little time outside of here ever thinking about such issues. I am otherwise occupied with regular life, in which it is just not an issue.
Occasionally, I like to browse here (and other CityData forums) for fun, and if a thread sounds interesting, I'll engage. But other than that, I wouldn't say I'm intent on not believing. For the most part, I view religion as one of the many non-issues in my life I don't spend too much time on - together with astrology, palm readings, auras etc.
I sometimes get worked up about the social aspects of certain religions and its negative effects. However, the pure religious and supernatural arguments quite frankly these days just bore me to death.
Its interesting you mention the word "religious". Religion is not God. Thats man made stuff. Jesus Christ detested the religious Pharisees.
God is truth and love. Jesus his son died for our sins, and was witnessed by hundreds of people.
You wont find God in Religion. Being a Christian is not about being religious. Its about seeking truth and God's love and wisdom and passing his wonderful message on to others. Not hating or judging people for their lack of faith or belief.
That is why I pose this question. I am just curious how you can be a free thinker if you close the door on God?
The Bible says we are not of this world- but we do LIVE IN this world. It simply means don't live the lies and hate of the fallen world and harden your heart.
God is LOVE. He LOVES YOU. He never forces his love on people, though. If you choose not to be with God, then that is your own free will.
"God" loves us huh? How come he has pedophile priests? How come he lets little children get abducted, then sexually raped, molested, and murdered? Where was "God" on 9/11?
We are free-thinkers. We choose not to be bound by the laws of a book in which its followers incessantly waged wars in the past against all those that stood in its way. Especially those that left the Church for atheism. They are free thinkers in that they CHOSE their OWN path.
You are as closet-minded as the rest of the Christians that come into the atheist forum "weakly attempting" to understand us but in disguise really just want to impose your views on us.
"God" doesn't 'force his love on people'. He leaves that to his believers. But we are only "free thinkers" if we believe in the same version of "God" that Richmonder27 does. I didn't "close the door on God"; I closed the door on blind faith in a nonexistent deity (just as all the others are).
I'm not trying to be sarcastic, I'm just curious . If they have made up their minds that God doesnt exist, then how can they be open to His love?
The problem is, a lot of what Atheists believe is not any different than what most other Atheists believe. So in a sense, they really aren't free thinkers, they think just like everyone else that thinks as they do.
So if they see a person who has spiritual convictions of any kind- how does that make them necessarily closed minded? If you have found what you believe to be true in your heart, why does that mean you cant be open to hear other points of view?
Interesting you say that. I have maintained for years that atheists and the devout are no different. It takes just as much blind faith and gall to insist there is no god as it does to insist there is one.
To be fair, most christians and muslims I have encountered aren't really interested in anyone else's point of view, either, though. Why these two religions are implicated in most of the violence perpetrated in the history of the world 'in the name of god.' Ridiculous.
Interesting you say that. I have maintained for years that atheists and the devout are no different. It takes just as much blind faith and gall to insist there is no god as it does to insist there is one.
Atheist don't insist there is no God, at least there is nothing about atheism that requires one to insist there is no God. Nor does it take any faith to believe there is no evidence to support a "God" theory.
As an atheist and skeptic, I'm more open to there being a god than most Christians are of there not being a god. Being open-minded means being open both to the possibility of something existing and to it NOT existing. I'm open to both possibilities. My position as an atheist is based on my review of the evidence, but I'm always open to changing my view in light of new evidence. I really have no interest in there not being a god. If it turns out there is a god, it won't change anything for me. My entire world view will not come crumbling down. I'm happy if there is a god and also if there isn't. Unlike most religious folks, I have no interest in protecting my beliefs from new evidence. It's easier to be a freethinker if you don't have an emotional attachment to a certain way of thinking.
As an atheist and skeptic, I'm more open to there being a god than most Christians are of there not being a god. Being open-minded means being open both to the possibility of something existing and to it NOT existing. I'm open to both possibilities. My position as an atheist is based on my review of the evidence, but I'm always open to changing my view in light of new evidence. I really have no interest in there not being a god. If it turns out there is a god, it won't change anything for me. My entire world view will not come crumbling down. I'm happy if there is a god and also if there isn't. Unlike most religious folks, I have no interest in protecting my beliefs from new evidence. It's easier to be a freethinker if you don't have an emotional attachment to a certain way of thinking.
I agree...its unbelieveable how the OP and other fanatical Christians are so radical in their thinking and refuse to accept any idea other than their own. Not saying all Christians are liked that but we get attacked by the fanatic ones in our own forum here by them all the time
to be fair, i have known several true atheists that were very good thinkers with good ethics.
when you are not full of hate you act like that.
hate does not care about you religious views, its always makes you blind.
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I agree...its unbelieveable how the OP and other fanatical Christians are so radical in their thinking and refuse to accept any idea other than their own. Not saying all Christians are liked that but we get attacked by the fanatic ones in our own forum here by them all the time
