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03-02-2008, 06:41 PM
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Location: Somewhere in the middle
599 posts, read 1,226,925 times
Reputation: 332
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Be honest, those of you that do have "issues" with Christians, is part of the problem their absolute certainty that God does exist? Or is really more your feeling that Christians try to force their beliefs on you? Or is it something else entirely?
We all know that you cannot prove a negative, so there's no way you can say with 100% certainty that God does not exist. And I know an atheist will say the same thing about proving God does exist, that it's impossible.
But as a Christian, I can say with all honesty that I am 100% certain that God does exist. The reasons why I (and other Christians) believe this have been discussed ad nauseum on this board so I won't rehash any of those now. I can also say with complete certainty that I will go to heaven when I die and that I will be reunited with my loved ones (those that were saved) who have gone on before me. I'm also sure that every other Christian on here would agree with me about their certainty that God exists.
It's my belief that this is one of the problems atheists have with Christians, this confidence we have in our belief in God. Maybe you interpret is as Christians having a chip on our shoulder or thinking that we are better than you. In all honesty, for me anyway, this is absolutely not true. I'm just a sinner saved by grace and do not see myself as being any better or worse than the next gal.
So again, in all honesty, does it just irritate the heck out of you that Christians are so sure of their belief in God?
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03-02-2008, 06:49 PM
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Location: South Central PA
1,565 posts, read 4,166,354 times
Reputation: 375
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For me, it's only the people that try to force their beliefs, regardless of religion, that bother me. The rest of my family is all catholic, and they respect my views and don't force me to do anything religious (although I still go to church on easter and christmas since they are family occasions).
The thing with christianity is it dosen't hinge on reason, so it's impossible to use logic to convice someone there isn't a god. When you can believe whole heartedly in something even though there is no shred of evidence that it exists, there is nothing that can convice you otherwise. If I said I full heartedly believed in his noodle-ness, the FSM, people would think I'm a nut job, even though theistically, it's as probable as any other religion.
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03-02-2008, 06:51 PM
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335 posts, read 1,487,305 times
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No. It doesn't bother me.
I think religion is a neurological disease.
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03-02-2008, 06:52 PM
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552 posts, read 1,046,233 times
Reputation: 186
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What irks me is how your beliefs have a negative effect on humanity.
Who knows where we would be today if our long-dead ancestors spent as much time on science as they had on indoctrinating the world through force?
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03-02-2008, 06:55 PM
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Location: South Central PA
1,565 posts, read 4,166,354 times
Reputation: 375
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dieter
What irks me is how your beliefs have a negative effect on humanity.
Who knows where we would be today if our long-dead ancestors spent as much time on science as they had on indoctrinating the world through force?
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1000 years down the pooper due to that.  |
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03-02-2008, 07:02 PM
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Location: Mississippi
6,712 posts, read 13,138,884 times
Reputation: 4317
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I wouldn't say it necessarily irks me that Christians believe in God. I think people should be able to worship or not worship whatever it is that they feel comfortable with.
What DOES irk me is that it seems many feel it necessary that they need to share how important it is that they believe in God. I'm more bothered by those who smugly think they are the only one's with the correct belief and try to force it on you. I'm bothered by those who feel it's of utmost important to put their beliefs into the public sector sponsored by government. I'm extremely bothered by those who try to preach to me as if I've never considered things. Don't knock on my door. Don't tell me about how wonderful it is to love god and how he loves you. I will only retort with sarcasm. I don't care if you feel justified that the Bible tells you to share 'the word.' That's no excuse. It's about having respect for other people and when people diminutively attempt to try and 'convert' me or 'witness' to me I take it as an insult to my rationality. I don't find it rational and I don't see where people get off thinking they are justified to do so. It has nothing to do with Christians believing, or for that matter any religion believing, but it seems that there is some sort of logical fallacy involved where people feel that they are justified to spread their word and subtly put it all over the place.
Build your churches big and sturdy. They are privately funded. Don't build our courthouses, don't build our schools, don't attempt to re-shape other people's minds and beliefs with that same money. I don't care who you are, you have no justification for doing so.
With all of that being said, we are on a religion forum, so I fully expect to encounter people with a wide variety of stances and so when we subject ourselves to an atmosphere like this, in my opinion, anything goes as far as what we are talking about in terms of belief or non-belief.
It's the "real" part of my life that the nuisance of Biblically-induced self-righteousness and boisterousness abhors me. Christians have every right in this country to practice what they believe. However, if your belief requires that you spread the 'word' and induce it into everything, than I think that's just a cop out of an excuse to be obnoxious.
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03-02-2008, 07:20 PM
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Location: Nashville, Tn
7,915 posts, read 18,152,696 times
Reputation: 5520
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I think that many Christians question their faith and you often hear people talking about their own personal crisis because it's considered taboo to even consider the fact that they're having doubts. In fact I suspect that alot of the people who are always talking about their faith may be doing it to reinforce their own lack of it. Of course there are millions of believers who really do believe and I know many of them. But to be honest I never have any doubts about what I believe or in this case don't believe because reason and rational thought have led me to form my own convictions and that's not something that people usually doubt.
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03-02-2008, 07:26 PM
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Location: Oz
2,238 posts, read 9,513,379 times
Reputation: 1388
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Deb in VA
So again, in all honesty, does it just irritate the heck out of you that Christians are so sure of their belief in God?
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Nope. I just don't want you trying to force-feed it to me. Do that and all bets are off. Leave my beliefs out of it and we'll get along just fine. That means no "I'll pray for you" or "You should find Jesus" or "God believes in YOU" or anything of the like. |
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03-02-2008, 07:29 PM
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Location: southern california
61,284 posts, read 84,140,813 times
Reputation: 55474
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its grand to hold on to somethin good--- life, truth love.
i mean if all you got is hate and scorn, it gets dark knowhatimean?
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03-02-2008, 07:39 PM
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Location: Minnesota
206 posts, read 566,866 times
Reputation: 83
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To my experience, there are a lot of Christians who talk a good game, but are often trying to convince themselves as much as those they preach to, or simply trying to compensate for their own doubts.
It is tough to tell who is being honest and who isn't, especially over the internet. Best thing you can go by I suppose is the way people conduct themselves. That said, the 100% certain crowd doesn't concern me a great deal as a rule.
GCSTroop said everything else I normally would have, so I won't be redundant.
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