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Repent ye sinner of the earth, take up you cross and make the pilgrimage to mikal the promise land -leave all clothing and possessions behind and move on to repent agaist all demons.
Repent ye sinner of the earth, take up you cross and make the pilgrimage to mikal the promise land -leave all clothing and possessions behind and move on to repent agaist all demons.
I have no problem taking all my clothes off. After all, that is what we Atheists do. We strip off our clothes, make animal sacrifices, and drink the blood of the believer.
The fact that you are on a thread asking about this tells me something has you thinking.
I realize you're trying to be nice but this is honestly irritating to me...
No. It does not imply I'm thinking. If there's one thing that annoys me almost as much as someone telling me to repent it's that this must be some sub-conscious action due to my invocation of secretly wanting to believe. Seriously. Those thoughts are about as non-existent as God is in my mind. I have no desire, no yen, no longing to have anything of the supernatural in my life. So, please, don't patronize me and insult me that this is my way of asking how I can conform my life into something that I don't want it to be.
I posed a philosophical question. That's it. This is a forum where ideas are interchanged. My questions do not have anything to do with wanting to get close to God. Perhaps close to people I consider believers as well as friends - but it has nothing to do with me.
So, please, don't ever accuse me of wanting to get close to God because I don't because he simply doesn't exist. Can a person merely not ask a question without being accused of trying to do some "soul searching"?!
How can I put this as clearly as possible?
Do you remember Of Mice and Men when Lenny, the big oaf, found a mouse and he picked it up and he started to stroke it and play with it but he didn't know his limits and he began to suffocate and crush it to death until he killed it? Well, I usually feel like the mouse whenever people accuse me of what you're accusing me of. Just because I run up your leg or arm and am being friendly does not mean I want your big, grubby paws to crush me to death with whatever it is you have to offer.
Is that clear? Sorry for the curt reply but I just had to get that off my chest because every single time I start a thread someone accuses me of wanting to get close to God just because I asked a question.
My questions do not have anything to do with wanting to get close to God. Perhaps close to people I consider believers as well as friends - but it has nothing to do with me.
Is that clear? Sorry for the curt reply but I just had to get that off my chest because every single time I start a thread someone accuses me of wanting to get close to God just because I asked a question.
troop,
You know that you are going to run into 'newbies' who do not know your posts as well as others. Take them with a grain of salt.
troop,
You know that you are going to run into 'newbies' who do not know your posts as well as others. Take them with a grain of salt.
I understood your post perfectly.
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You're right, weather. I should have thought about that beforehand but I think that's one of the reasons I have become so frustrated with religion in general. It just seems like no matter what I do or say, I cannot hold a conversation in real life or on the internet without someone insinuating that I am searching for something such as God in my life. I think that's what gets to a lot of Atheists, personally. I think that if I went onto the main Christianity forum and every time someone had a question about God, or even anytime someone had a question about the Bible and I insinuated to them that they are seeking to lose their faith by asking a question that it wouldn't be long before my accusations would be met with the same sort of reply.
So, my apologies after the fact, but I do get frustrated.
Troop,
I’ll try to answer your question so your curiosity will stop gnawing at you.
I could give you some Scripture, but you probably wouldn’t be interested, anyway.
Why do people pray for the lost?
Because they love that person personally or as a member of the human race.
Because we know that without God’s intervention in the human heart, no one would be saved.
For many of us, we know that our salvation is in part due to the prayers of someone else.
At one time, I was where you are now.
Quite simply, no one comes to Jesus, unless he first draws them to Himself.
(The message of salvation is foolishness to those who are perishing.)
Then, after being drawn to Him, it is up to the individual to respond.
God does not violate your free will.
A prayer for someone’s salvation is not that God would manipulate their mind into believing in Him,
but that He would open their heart to perceive their need and be able to receive the message,
and that when the time is right - someone would present them with the good news that we’re no longer doomed to separation from the Creator.
Well, that's the best answer I can provide.
But then there was post #35...
Your understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit is not exactly accurate.
I hope I can clear things up for you a bit, because it isn't like having some entity lurking about on the inside.
(I realize that you're not seeking, so please forgive my use of the first person pronoun)
All that you have inside you – all that you are - is still your own - and for which, you are responsible.
Only your being as a whole, belongs to God.
You do not lose your self – your individuality, but you are welcomed into God’s kingdom as His child.
As such, you’re motivated to allow Him to: make you into a better person and to lead you in the unknown future.
In this lifetime, Christians never become perfect, and so we continually rely on God – even for our righteousness, because our own is just not good enough.
As for chance: not all things are orchestrated by God, but if we allow Him, He can work circumstances for our good and our maturity.
As for miracles: God does NOT perform miracles so that people will believe.
He performs miracles for those who believe.
Not buying what freedom? The fact that hardly a thread goes by where a non-believer will ask something about what people worship and people say something to the effect of "Keep asking questions and you will find the answer" or "The fact that you're asking questions is showing that you are becoming more receptive to the Lord" or "I never understand why Atheists ask questions about something they don't believe in."
I've been on this forum a long time, freedom, and those things usually come from people new to the forum.
But this begs us to ask a question. Why is it usually new people to the forum?
My answer based on personal experience both on and off the forum is this:
People often do not think for a second that it lies within a human being to disregard the notion of a deity in the sky who watches out for you, answers prayers, and helps you along in your daily life. I presume that most of these people, having not really ever debated the issue just assume that people like myself are just confused, unsure, or yearning for something in our life. This, I guess, comes from being born and bred in a society in which every person believed in God and no one ever questioned. Those few stories in life that were told about people questioning their faith and their beliefs were often relegated down to something of just confusion, unsuredness, etc... So, it doesn't surprise me that people approach it with this perspective.
But in all honesty, that couldn't be further from the truth. The misconception that simply asking a question about a deity, a belief, or a practice often leads people to presume that we are finally trying to seek that which you believe in. That is not true. That is not why I pose philosophical questions or debate-like questions. I pose them because with a dialogue of asking questions and receiving answers there can often be a middle-ground for tolerance and acceptance of one another. We may not agree on viewpoints at all and we may even think one another stupid or possibly insane but that doesn't mean we can't at least understand the point someone is getting across.
This does not imply that anybody should suspect or even accuse me of trying to get close to a deity. Because I do not want anything to do with a deity. And, in both real life and on the forum, simply questioning a deity, asking about a belief, or a process of belief, does not mean that I am in any way trying to acclimate myself with that process.
What I think annoys Atheists is that when the conversation comes up we are often met with this almost patronizing attitude that I have no doubt comes from a place with the best of intentions (like Lenny with the mouse) but it just suffocates us to the point where we really don't want anything to do with it anymore.
It gets frustrating. And if every time someone asked me a question about not believing or why I don't believe in something that they do and I retorted to them that it's good they are asking questions in hopes of losing their faith, the same sort of retort would come out. It's frustrating, it over-rides the purpose of the conversation, and it detracts from the question at hand.
I believe he was just reiterating the annoying belief that you are protesting . . . that you are in De-Nile.
Then you see my point in my last response?
I don't know how clear I can be. I mean, I think there are only so many ways in which I can say I don't believe in a God and I think I've tried them all. And yet, it's the same garbage.
Do you sense my frustration? Now... apparently I'm in denial???
It's the same thing. I can't talk about it without wanting God in my life, I can't respond to that without being told I'm just in denial. It's like playing "I know you are but what am I" with Pee-Wee Herman
I think there are only so many ways in which I can say I don't believe in a God
That right there is the frustration and always will be in one who is trying to prove to themselves there is no God.
There is no peace within and never will be about the subject.
And will never understand any question they may present because..... see the bold below!
Because they seek after that which is in their thoughts and hearts that says, "There is no God." They hunger and thirst for their proof of no existence of Him.
There will never be any satisfaction, understanding, because God is not there, to show Himself to a seeking heart that doubts the very things they ask....of Him!!!
So it will always be frustrating and foolishness to the heart that says there is no God!!!
Their pride will persecute the poor (NCN) with such ways as presented in this thread.
Ps.14:1
The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good.
Ps.10:2-4
The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor; let them be caught in the plots which they have devised. For the wicked boasts of his heart's desire; he blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord. The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts.
So why does one even want to know the title of this thread if they don't believe in God.... it to me would seem they wouldn't even care to ask such questions... "Why hasn't God answer your prayers for people like me?"
Well for one reason ones life isn't over yet!!!
And when one does pray, the prayer is always answered. Whether one believes it or not!!!
Let's take a different twist to all this....
Maybe this thread is the answer for the Christian who does pray for those in their life who do not believe in God..... That the OP is answering the very question for the christian.... That there are those in our lives who will not ever turn to God!!!
But do we stop praying?????
Our hope is that there would one day come a change in ones heart of hearts....and that is one thing no one can take from us, our hope, faith, and our love shown in our prayers!!!
Last edited by Cyber Munchkin; 12-02-2008 at 05:03 AM..
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Whether one believes it or not!!!
That there are those in our lives who will not ever turn to God!!! 
