Atheists: If God existed would God……

[samtonga43]

Here on the forum, they have a problem. They're not supposed to proselytize. So, they have to be creative on how to teach the word without sounding like they are preaching. But I don't think they are fooling anybody. They believe they are right and everybody else is wrong and needs to be "educated" as to what is the truth... That there is a God and he sent Baha'u'llah to bring us together in peace and harmony. Yet, why do so many of us don't believe them? Is it our fault? Our we blind? Or is it them? In their way of communicating what they believe to be a message from God.

Thank you! This makes so much sense of so much. I read somewhere that Tb said she is here to teach. Is this true, Tb?

 

[Trailblazer]

Which means you have objective evidence that there were humans that *claimed* to be messengers from God. That is not objective evidence of messengers from God.

That's right, but if they were actually Messengers from God it would be objective evidence of that.

OK. You have the right to believe anything you wish. That doesn't mean others should take it seriously or believe it. It doesn't even mean you have a valid belief.

I do not expect other people to take me seriously or believe what I do. Why would they, unless they knew what I know, and even then they might reject it or remain undecided.

It just means you have convinced yourself of these ideas.

Not exactly. What it really means is that I *became convinced* by the evidence.

 

[Polymath257]

That's right, but if they were actually Messengers from God it would be objective evidence of that.

No, actually, it would not. That isn't how evidence works.

I do not expect other people to take me seriously or believe what I do. Why would they, unless they knew what I know, and even then they might reject it or remain undecided.

Not exactly. What it really means is that I *became convinced* by the evidence.

You became convinced by what you convinced yourself to be evidence.

 

[ppp]

That's why I'm here questioning Baha'is. They could be for real, or they might not. The proof might be on its way. They predict things will get worse and worse until the people, what's left of them, have no choice but to turn to the Baha'i Faith. But... the Christians are saying the same thing... Armageddon is on its way. With the Christians, though, Jesus is the one returning, and it is after the tribulations. With the Baha'is, things were bad, their promised one came and went, and because the world essentially rejected him, things are getting worse.

One Jesus quote I throw at Baha'is all the time is that there will be wars and rumors of wars but that is not yet the end. Of course, they don't believe things in the Bible that contradict their beliefs, so they kind of ignore it.

All of the conversations that I have walked away from having a lot to think on, are the conversations where my interlocutor was willing to and eager to reflect on their own beliefs.

I don't get much of a sense of willing introspection from the Baha'i posters.

 

[Trailblazer]

Thank you! This makes so much sense of so much. I read somewhere that Tb said she is here to teach. Is this true, Tb?

I see you found my new thread. Welcome aboard, Christians are always most welcome. My buddy @nPeace is the only other Christian who has showed up to protect me for all these atheists.

I am not here to teach unless people ask me questions in which case I will answer them to the best of my ability.

 

[Trailblazer]

OK, that is your belief.

My belief is that no such soul exists.

Okay, but you might find out differently later.
Till then I think it is best to agree to disagree.

 

[ppp]

Thank you! This makes so much sense of so much. I read somewhere that Tb said she is here to teach. Is this true, Tb?

Of course, teaching cannot happen until the purported teacher has established that they have the capacity to know the subject.

 

[Trailblazer]

Belief in prescribed sets of faith based beliefs is primitive and tribal, your religion is no different than any other.

That is just your personal opinion as to what constitutes primitive and tribal, but you are welcome to your personal opinion.

 

[Trailblazer]

Of course, teaching cannot happen until the purported teacher has established that they have the capacity to know the subject.

You cannot help yourself can you? You have to criticize and you do it indirectly.
Ask yourself why you have the need to criticize other people, as I cannot answer that.
I know my 'subject' backwards and forwards although there will always be more I can learn.

 

[ppp]

You cannot help yourself can you?

I thought you said we were done. Make up your mind. Either cope and deal with what I say, or commit and leave me alone. You cannot have it both ways.

 

[Trailblazer]

Not ignore "His children".

We are not God's children. God does not have children.
Aside from that, God has not ignored us.

Nah, I'm good. If there's a God and He wants me to find Him I'm sure it'll happen. For now I'm just going to run with the assumption that there isn't.

You won't find God unless you look for Him, because God does not come running after anyone.
But that is your choice whether or not you want to look or not.

“If a man were to declare, ‘There is a lamp in the next room which gives no light’, one hearer might be satisfied with his report, but a wiser man goes into the room to judge for himself, and behold, when he finds the light shining brilliantly in the lamp, he knows the truth!” Paris Talks, p. 103

 

[Trailblazer]

I thought you said we were done. Make up your mind. Either cope and deal with what I say, or commit and leave me alone. You cannot have it both ways.

When people refer to me and misrepresent me I am not done.

 

[Trailblazer]

Then you may as well quit asking, because you clearly are not capable of understanding the answer. -PureX, post 1568​

PureX refused to answer my question and accused me of not being capable of understanding. That that is an insult of me to invalidate me, and excuse not answering. I asked a series of hard questions.

Well clearly... You are wrong. So you have run off track, once again, because you "know so much".

People who think they know everything, are not willing to accept that they may be wrong, or that they make mistakes.

That's the sad reality of pride... and then the next best thing you do, is start making false accusations of the person's character - personal attacks.

I won't report you though. I let people of your type carry on thinking they are right... and continue looking down their nose. -nPeace, post 1572​

People of your type? Tailgate Monster didn't make any personal attack or insult, but asked some hard questions. We see defensive behavior when believers feel pressured to answer hard questions, and the natural emotional response is to attack. This is the fight or flight response mechanism.

The attacks are FIRST launched by the atheists. Believers are just responding to them with appropriate comments.

 

[Trailblazer]

People of your type? Tailgate Monster didn't make any personal attack or insult, but asked some hard questions. We see defensive behavior when believers feel pressured to answer hard questions, and the natural emotional response is to attack. This is the fight or flight response mechanism.

I have no problem with most atheists, including @TagliatelliMonster.
I only have a problem with atheists that label all believers with a broad stroke of a brush and call us illogical, irrational, not critical thinkers, and emotionally needy. This is unnecessary and also untrue. People can hold their ground without knocking other people down, if they feel secure in their position.

I answer all the hard questions, you just don't like my answers. Then comes the attack.

We see defensive behavior when either atheists or believers feel pressured to answer hard questions, and the natural emotional response is to attack. I am sorry if you cannot see that this is a two-way street.

 

[Trailblazer]

Which cannot prove that anything he said was valid. It also cannot show that he was a messenger of God.

No, it is not proof that He was a Messenger of God, it is only evidence that indicates that was the case.

OK, and other religions have other statements that people believe. I think they are all wrong.

That's your prerogative.

And what *is* the evidence? You know, a piece of information that makes a view more or less likely.

It is not only one piece of evidence, it is the preponderance of evidence that makes it more likely.

 

[ppp]

When people refer to me and misrepresent me I am not done.

Bring it.

 

[Trailblazer]

Any religion that promises world peace is a relligion I would stay away from.

So you would rather have a religion that promises continual war?

Putting people in jail at a higher rate is not my idea of world peace.

The Baha'i Faith intends to do no such thing. Baha'i Laws only apply to Baha'is and there is no jail.

 

[Trailblazer]

Bring it.

Bring what?

 

[ppp]

Bring what?

Lol whatever it is the your objections are.

 

[Trailblazer]

And since I don't find any of them to have any authority, I can even agree with this statement. He had exactly the same authority: none.

It is your prerogative to believe that.

Although Mormons are close.

The Mormon faith is not a *new* world religion. It is an offshoot of Christianity.

OK, I don't find that compelling at all. In fact, it sounds like pretty much any corner shyster.

That's your prerogative.