Are Atheists just close minded Agnostics?

[Father Heathen]

Why would God speak to Moses, allow him to live all those years, part the red sea for him and then let him die before his people found their promise land?

Moses was so faithful yet was denied the promise land.

Why did Sam-I-Am not like green eggs and ham?

 

[waitasec]

I believe Christ will return and that will be proof positive. I don't believe God will make it possible to prove anything to anyone because then faith will be moot.

I believe God wants us to believe in the unprovable and there will not be any evidence forth coming.

Do you believe that Atheists will have something to consider before Christ returns?

just can't help notice nothing you mentioned is the way it is

 

[riley2112]

I believe Christ will return and that will be proof positive. I don't believe God will make it possible to prove anything to anyone because then faith will be moot.

I believe God wants us to believe in the unprovable and there will not be any evidence forth coming.

Do you believe that Atheists will have something to consider before Christ returns?

sorry I had to respond , Yes I do believe that Atheists will have something to consider , the same things that you and I had to consider. the single strongest reason, I feel, for believing in God, comes from personal experience. (It also seems to be the only major reason (apart from social pressures or convenience) for changing religions.) Many people feel that God is watching out for them--they've discovered blessings in their lives because of keeping God's commandments, for example, or perhaps they've received powerful answers to prayers. They've heard voices of warning or had feelings of premonition, cautioning them against danger. They've had feelings of peace or happiness as they go to church or read the scriptures., most of the strong theists I know have had many such experiences. . I've noticed myself that of the atheists I've known, most of them are atheists due to a complete lack of any such experiences or "evidences" of God's existence. That is the something that atheists will have to consider. I have posted these thought before and they seem to hold true . They do not make faith moot but makes it stronger and more believable. Faith is know for sure what can not be proven. What more could a Christian ask for?

 

[riley2112]

Why did Sam-I-Am not like green eggs and ham?

have you ever tasted green eggs and ham?:thud:

 

[Reverend Rick]

just can't help notice nothing you mentioned is the way it is

Open your mind waitasec, think outside the box.

If faith is required to be with God, why would he allow any proof for his existance assuming God does really exist?

The truth is we don't know for sure. Pretending someone has an open mind is dishonest. Theists and Atheists alike have closed minds with few exceptions.

The only open minded position is Agnostic.

 

[Songbird]

sorry I had to respond , Yes I do believe that Atheists will have something to consider , the same things that you and I had to consider. the single strongest reason, I feel, for believing in God, comes from personal experience. (It also seems to be the only major reason (apart from social pressures or convenience) for changing religions.) Many people feel that God is watching out for them--they've discovered blessings in their lives because of keeping God's commandments, for example, or perhaps they've received powerful answers to prayers. They've heard voices of warning or had feelings of premonition, cautioning them against danger. They've had feelings of peace or happiness as they go to church or read the scriptures., most of the strong theists I know have had many such experiences. . I've noticed myself that of the atheists I've known, most of them are atheists due to a complete lack of any such experiences or "evidences" of God's existence. That is the something that atheists will have to consider. I have posted these thought before and they seem to hold true . They do not make faith moot but makes it stronger and more believable. Faith is know for sure what can not be proven. What more could a Christian ask for?

I would say one of the big reasons people believe isn't the experience itself that a person had, but how the person interpreted the experience.

And the single biggest reason for belief in a particular religion is being born into it.

 

[Reverend Rick]

Why would god gift us with the ability to reason only to punish us for using it?

OK green ham man, you asked the question. Because God has a sick sense of humor IMHO.

 

[waitasec]

Open your mind waitasec, think outside the box.

If faith is required to be with God, why would he allow any proof for his existance assuming God does really exist?

are you saying god would rather have his subjects make uninformed decisions in order for those choices to have any meaning to him?

The truth is we don't know for sure.

:yes:

Pretending someone has an open mind is dishonest. Theists and Atheists alike have closed minds with few exceptions.

The only open minded position is Agnostic.

i don't pretend to know anything i don't know anything about...

your post posits you know about somethings that are impossible to know.

 

[Reverend Rick]

I would say one of the big reasons people believe isn't the experience itself that a person had, but how the person interpreted the experience.

Agreed

And the single biggest reason for belief in a particular religion is being born into it.

Thats a little unfair

 

[Tristesse]

Open your mind waitasec, think outside the box.

If faith is required to be with God, why would he allow any proof for his existance assuming God does really exist?

The truth is we don't know for sure. Pretending someone has an open mind is dishonest. Theists and Atheists alike have closed minds with few exceptions.

The only open minded position is Agnostic.

The idea that god rewards the credulous and punishes those who use critical think is an abhorrently shameful excuse for a deity and does not deserve adherence or worship. But setting that aside, there is nothing about atheism that suggest a closed mind, I am willing to be wrong about a god, but the only thing that will change my mind is evidence.

 

[riley2112]

AgreedThats a little unfair

I don't know how unfair that is , I mean if I would have been born in a different country it is possible that my belief would be of a different religion. However Christians do surround the globe.

 

[Songbird]

Thats a little unfair

...it felt a tad unfair to write, I guess, but I do think it's true. I'd guess more than 95% of humanity observes a religious or spiritual path they were born into. Barring military conquest. I could be wrong. I don't have a stat to back that up.

 

[Reverend Rick]

are you saying god would rather have his subjects make uninformed decisions in order for those choices to have any meaning to him?

I'm saying if you could make an informed decision there would be no faith involved.

:yes:




i don't pretend to know anything i don't know anything about...

your post posits you know about somethings that are impossible to know.

I have an opinion and I believe I am right.

I believe God is a jealous, vengeful God that should be feared. I believe God is vain and wants you to worship him and display a leap of faith without any proof.

I think he enjoys extracting vengence on people who want to challenge him or out think him.

 

[Nakosis]

I would say one of the big reasons people believe isn't the experience itself that a person had, but how the person interpreted the experience.

And the single biggest reason for belief in a particular religion is being born into it.

That could be. A Christian and Islamist having had a similar "spiritual" experience will interpret it in a manner supportive of their beliefs.

But that is the kind of bias everyone has anyway. A person who is not religious will interpret the same experience as delusions or find another means to discount the experience.

People generally do believe they have sufficient cause to support their belief. Though you or I may not agree with them.

The problem is in trying to get others to accept you have sufficient cause for your belief. And, why it is so important to some to do so.

 

[Photonic]

That could be. A Christian and Islamist having had a similar "spiritual" experience will interpret it in a manner supportive of their beliefs.

But that is the kind of bias everyone has anyway. A person who is not religious will interpret the same experience as delusions or find another means to discount the experience.

People generally do believe they have sufficient cause to support their belief. Though you or I may not agree with them.

The problem is in trying to get others to accept you have sufficient cause for your belief. And, why it is so important to some to do so.

Argumentation theory - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Knowing these things will make you realize a LOT of stuff most people never pay attention to.

 

[Songbird]

Argumentation theory - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Knowing these things will make you realize a LOT of stuff most people never pay attention to.

One of my favorite theories.

 

[Reverend Rick]

...it felt a tad unfair to write, I guess, but I do think it's true. I'd guess more than 95% of humanity observes a religious or spiritual path they were born into. Barring military conquest. I could be wrong. I don't have a stat to back that up.

We both don't know for sure, but I would bet half the people here at RF believe differently than their parents.

Christians and Muslims, I agree, but as you know, we have many different beliefs here.

 

[Songbird]

We both don't know for sure, but I would bet half the people here at RF believe differently than their parents.

Christians and Muslims, I agree, but as you know, we have many different beliefs here.

T'would be an interesting poll, Rev.

 

[riley2112]

That could be. A Christian and Islamist having had a similar "spiritual" experience will interpret it in a manner supportive of their beliefs.

But that is the kind of bias everyone has anyway. A person who is not religious will interpret the same experience as delusions or find another means to discount the experience.

People generally do believe they have sufficient cause to support their belief. Though you or I may not agree with them.

The problem is in trying to get others to accept you have sufficient cause for your belief. And, why it is so important to some to do so.

I have not heard it put in a better way.:clap

 

[waitasec]

I'm saying if you could make an informed decision there would be no faith involved.

so why would an uninformed decision be more vital than an informed one?

I have an opinion and I believe I am right.

I believe God is a jealous, vengeful God that should be feared. I believe God is vain and wants you to worship him and display a leap of faith without any proof.

I think he enjoys extracting vengence on people who want to challenge him or out think him.

and my opinion is that this god you are describing is insecure and not worthy of any of my time or energy...