Atheist Poll (Judgment Day)

[Earthling]

Sounds like a typical Trump response. Without the word "myriad" of course.

Think about it. Noah had 50 years of preaching while he built the ark, how many people accepted? All of the atheists since then, likewise, have rejected it. Revelation 20:7-8 numbers the people who choose Satan as "the sand in the sea."

 

[Earthling]

I don't get it. What's unrighteous about not having heard of something?

If God sets the standards and someone hasn't heard of God then how can they uphold those standards? The fact is, they can, but they can't make an informed choice. Righteous in this case, then, are those who haven't had access to the accurate knowledge. They don't have the full picture. To you and I that is available now.

And I continue not to get it. Why aren't the answers to those questions available now, to anyone and everyone? If you took a show on the road and it was as badly organized, with as poor communications and confusion of messages, as this one, you'd be out of business and into bankruptcy before you could blink.

That's your willful ignorance talking. If you were a worker in this business and someone was appointed by the company C.E.O. to tell you a message and you failed to comply to that message it isn't the C.E.O.s fault just because you don't know who he is.

Doesn't it sound suspicious to you that it's all going to be so easy, but not yet? Doesn't it remind you of Jesus' promise in all three synoptics to establish the Kingdom within the lifetime of some of his audience, and now he's running dang near 2,000 years late? Doesn't it remind you of promises, promises?

I believe we've been down that road already, you and I. Christ didn't promise his Kingdom would be set up in his audience's lifetime. He said that some of them would see the beginnings of that in his being approved by God for that task at that time. 3 days later some of them saw the transfiguration.

I'm glad we got round to assessing our lives while we still have them. That's the only chance I know of to assess our lives.

We demonstrate our choices in our actions and beliefs. It's easy to say you believe in God or don't believe in God, but do you act accordingly. Most of your adolescent like angst comes from a disliking of religion.

 

[Earthling]

Hard to disagree when we assume so much.

I'm not sure I understand. What assumption are you referring to?

 

[Curious George]

I'm not sure I understand. What assumption are you referring to?

You are asking would you believe something that is obviously true. Who wouldn't believe something that is obviously true to them?

If it was obviously true that no god existed would you change your mind about a god existing?

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

I voted "maybe, I would have to think about it", because there are two things I think are going on here:

1. Would my belief in God change if I was presented with God and His judgment? Absolutely. If I were presented with actual, verifiable evidence for God and He there was sitting in judgment of me, and everyone else was experiencing the same - I would pretty much be a fool to try and deny God's existence at that point. In pretending that He didn't exist even though He was right there in front of me, I'd be as bad off as I believe theists are now.
2. Would I feel compelled to worship this God in order to try and ward off any possible harshness in His judgment? Absolutely not. Based on everything I know and have heard from those who supposedly represent Him on Earth (i.e. witness for Him) He is not, at all, worthy of worship. I'd tell Him so myself, if confronted with Him, and if He had no sufficient explanation for His shenanigans and blatant idiocy, then I'd tell Him to do whatever He felt He must.

 

[columbus]

Not at all.

If I were resurrected and the existence of God were obvious, then I would change my mind.

Who wouldn’t?

Ciao

- viole

Bingo!
Anybody who didn't would qualify as mentally ill or something.
And I am sure that The Almighty could fix that.
Tom

 

[Earthling]

You are asking would you believe something that is obviously true. Who wouldn't believe something that is obviously true to them?

If it was obviously true that no god existed would you change your mind about a god existing?

Yes I would. But I don't think that belief was a part of the question. Did I say that? The question was would you accept him and his plan or promise, or would you reject it.

 

[columbus]

Yes I would. But I don't think that belief was a part of the question. Did I say that? The question was would you accept him and his plan or promise, or would you reject it.

I don't see how any rational person could avoid acceptance. When there is reason to believe stronger than some human telling me what to believe.
Tom

 

[dianaiad]

According to my understanding of the Bible, believers are judged in this life, so judgement day isn't for them. Judgement day is also not for the unbelievers because they are, like Christians, judged in this lifetime. Judgement day is a period of time when the unrighteous are resurrected in order to present them, having not been introduced to the good news of the kingdom, to then make an informed decision. But what if you, an unbeliever, was resurrected to judgement day and it was obvious that God did exist. Would you change your position?

A few years ago I was on an internet forum inhabited by believers and atheists, both happily contenting with one another. The topic came up; what would it take to get you to believe in a God?

I asked...if God Himself showed up and presented Himself to you, and said 'Here I AM,' would that be sufficient?

The answer was, unanimously, that no. It would not, because since there is no God, He couldn't appear, and therefore anything like that would be hallucinatory. "More of gravy than of grave,' so to speak.

Very circular, and quite frankly, it astounded me. I 'returned fire,' and said no...no hallucination. God Himself. Him. In Person.

the answer was the same; since there is no God, then it isn't possible for God Himself to show up.

your poll reminded me of that, very strongly. I wonder if their opinions would remain the same? Of those to whom I wrote back then, I have a strong suspicion that it would. Mind you, I think they might have a problem explaining THEIR continued existence in such a situation, but...

Circular reasoning. It ain't just for theists.

 

[HonestJoe]

According to my understanding of the Bible, believers are judged in this life, so judgement day isn't for them. Judgement day is also not for the unbelievers because they are, like Christians, judged in this lifetime. Judgement day is a period of time when the unrighteous are resurrected in order to present them, having not been introduced to the good news of the kingdom, to then make an informed decision. But what if you, an unbeliever, was resurrected to judgement day and it was obvious that God did exist. Would you change your position?

Change my position on what? In the context of unquestionable proof of the existence of a god, atheist (and theism) become meaningless. We’d all know that god existed so belief isn’t in question any more.

There are a whole load of other positions I hold about related things but they’re all individual to me and not directly related to atheism so they’d have to be considered one-by-one. I do think there are flaws and contradictions in this whole “Judgement Day” scenarios commonly proposed by believers so the first question would have to be exactly what hypothetical situation you’re proposing.

 

[Earthling]

Change my position on what? In the context of unquestionable proof of the existence of a god, atheist (and theism) become meaningless. We’d all know that god existed so belief isn’t in question any more.

There are a whole load of other positions I hold about related things but they’re all individual to me and not directly related to atheism so they’d have to be considered one-by-one. I do think there are flaws and contradictions in this whole “Judgement Day” scenarios commonly proposed by believers so the first question would have to be exactly what hypothetical situation you’re proposing.

Namely, you are resurrected to a thousand year period in which everyone knows Jehovah God exists. There's no question about it. After that period is over Satan is released and allowed to present his case. Would you follow Jehovah to everlasting life or Satan to everlasting destruction?

 

[Willamena]

According to my understanding of the Bible, believers are judged in this life, so judgement day isn't for them. Judgement day is also not for the unbelievers because they are, like Christians, judged in this lifetime. Judgement day is a period of time when the unrighteous are resurrected in order to present them, having not been introduced to the good news of the kingdom, to then make an informed decision. But what if you, an unbeliever, was resurrected to judgement day and it was obvious that God did exist. Would you change your position?

I assume you mean change your position on whether "God" exists? If all this happened, it would be nothing more than a vivid dream. How would it change anything?

 

[HonestJoe]

Namely, you are resurrected to a thousand year period in which everyone knows Jehovah God exists. There's no question about it. After that period is over Satan is released and allowed to present his case. Would you follow Jehovah to everlasting life or Satan to everlasting destruction?

If what you describe happened, I’d have to listen to the actual cases presented. Obviously the Christian doctrine we hear today is designed to make the Satan option unacceptable but that doesn’t mean it’s accurate and honest.

This still doesn’t have anything to do with atheism in itself.

 

[Earthling]

I assume you mean change your position on whether "God" exists? If all this happened, it would be nothing more than a vivid dream. How would it change anything?

No. The question wasn't whether God exists or not, you would know for a fact that he did. This is hypothetical. Knowing he did, would you choose life or death?

 

[Earthling]

If what you describe happened, I’d have to listen to the actual cases presented. Obviously the Christian doctrine we hear today is designed to make the Satan option unacceptable but that doesn’t mean it’s accurate and honest.

This still doesn’t have anything to do with atheism in itself.

Forget, just for a moment, your world view. I'll show you . . . watch me . . . if I discovered God wasn't true I would abandon the concept and teach that he didn't exist to anyone who would listen. See? Easy.

Now . . . you are resurrected from the dead, you know for a fact that God exists. There is no denying it. This is a hypothetical scenario. Would you choose everlasting life under perfect conditions or everlasting destruction. Not hell. Just death. No consciousness. Which one?

 

[lukethethird]

That's fine, although, you can do that now. You sort of are doing that now.

Maybe, maybe not, either way it makes no diff.

 

[Quintessence]

It's a weird question for a polytheist.

While I don't reject the existence of that god, I reject that god in all the substantive ways that matter. Am I or am I not an "unbeliever?" As a polytheist, what exactly would I be changing to? I think I would politely raise my hand and say "excuse me, I think I'm in the wrong room. Please return me to the wheel."

 

[Curious George]

Yes I would. But I don't think that belief was a part of the question. Did I say that? The question was would you accept him and his plan or promise, or would you reject it.

Your question was asking would I change my position. My position is that no god exists. So, if my position was wrong, and obviously so, to me, then I would no longer hold that position.

 

[ADigitalArtist]

I agree with your thought process here, but at the same time, under this scenario, wer not just dealing with a being that has might and power and age, wer dealing with a being that is eternal and CREATED the entire existing universe.

You would not first want to find out WHY this being has punishment in mind?

I doubt I would have a choice in such a situation except to listen but being eternal or creating the entire universe doesn't make it more of an authority figure to inform my moral value decisions for the same reason.

 

[Willamena]

No. The question wasn't whether God exists or not, you would know for a fact that he did. This is hypothetical. Knowing he did, would you choose life or death?

The choice is moot. If I am experiencing everlasting, I am alive.