I don't know that he actually died in my place or anything like that. All I have to go on is the word of an ancient book of uncertain accuracy. God may be giving me opportunities, but he's sure not making them obvious enough. And if he knows I'm a skeptic, he ought to know I'm not going to believe anything subtle.
Look at it this way: if God really wants me to believe he exists, wouldn't he do everything possible to show me he exists? I can't believe that such a God would only give me vague hints that could easily be explained away as coincidences.
the thing is God does know you and He wants nothing more than a relationship with you. i had such doubt before i came to the faith and even though i was raised in the Bible Belt, i still questioned if it was real. I guess the way God spoke to me was through this person i met from my school. he was real and totally honest, he was a great person and he made me realize that you could go your whole life believing that there is no god and die and if there isn't okay but what if there is. what are you going to say when you have to stand before Him and He asks why, all those times i tried to reach you, i wanted to show you what's right, why didn't you reach out and grab my hand and start a new life. What will you say?
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A person doesn't need religion to have a purpose. Nor does he or she need religion to want to make the world a better place. When I say I want to improve humanity's condition on this world, I don't say it because a holy book told me it was my duty or because I think that doing good things will gain me favor with God. I do it because I honestly want to make this world better. Now, I'm sure there are plenty of Christians who are like this, too, but I just wanted to point out that atheists and agnostics aren't always self-centered and unconcerned with the lives of other people.
that's totally true, and awesome. i think you are incredible. Changing the world is a big job and if ppl. work together. I believe it can be done. Truly everyone wants the world to be a better place. some ppl. either don't think they can or just try to let everyone else fix things.
Totally agree with you on the second part true God does know you are skeptical and he has given you oppurtunities what do you think this is....dude we could debate about this forever I would try to use words to intice you to believe but its your own choice.... I'm not giving up I am just taking a different approach, I am gonna pray for you and its not for to go to heaven(but that is why i am doing this in order for you to) but to ask God to bless you beyond your skeptism to were you can't help but know he is real and I want to say you ARE Very Good with words but i want to give you a scripture "No eye has seen,No ear has heard,No mind has concieved,what the lord god will do for those that love him"
P.S. And God bless you clpo13 I would dump alot of scriptures on you but i think you have already had that happen before
Others don't care how much we know until they see how much we care
Lets say that you were to be executed and there was no hope what so ever and all you could do was wait for the day of your death and there was a man who came and said he would take all the crimes that you commited and place it upon his name and therefore instead of you being executed it would be him would you be so skeptical when he was sitting in your electric chair
I don't see what skepticism has to do with it. In this story, I am actually meeting the person. I know for certain that he is who he says he is and that he would be willing to die in my place. The only thing that I could possibly be skeptical about is his intentions.
However, in the case of Jesus (who, no doubt, was the man offering to be executed for me above), I didn't meet him in person. I don't know that he actually died in my place or anything like that. All I have to go on is the word of an ancient book of uncertain accuracy. God may be giving me opportunities, but he's sure not making them obvious enough. And if he knows I'm a skeptic, he ought to know I'm not going to believe anything subtle.
Look at it this way: if God really wants me to believe he exists, wouldn't he do everything possible to show me he exists? I can't believe that such a God would only give me vague hints that could easily be explained away as coincidences.
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Ya i could be but at least i lived for a purpose and changed my life and those around me
A person doesn't need religion to have a purpose. Nor does he or she need religion to want to make the world a better place. When I say I want to improve humanity's condition on this world, I don't say it because a holy book told me it was my duty or because I think that doing good things will gain me favor with God. I do it because I honestly want to make this world better. Now, I'm sure there are plenty of Christians who are like this, too, but I just wanted to point out that atheists and agnostics aren't always self-centered and unconcerned with the lives of other people.
[/QUOTE]If God really punishes me for being a skeptic, then he's not the God everyone says he is. If God really exists and he really did have a hand in me becoming who I am, he won't need to ask why I need proof to believe in him.[/QUOTE]
Throughout your life even to this minute God has given you and will give you countlees opprotunties to trust in him
Lets say that you were to be executed and there was no hope what so ever and all you could do was wait for the day of your death and there was a man who came and said he would take all the crimes that you commited and place it upon his name and therefore instead of you being executed it would be him would you be so skeptical when he was sitting in your electric chair God won't send you to hell for being skeptical but for giving up on the oppourtunties you gave up because you weren't easily persuaded
[/QUOTE]I could very well be wrong. But so could you. It's a chance everyone takes when they put their faith in something.[/QUOTE]
Ya i could be but at least i lived for a purpose and changed my life and those around me its a risk but are you willing to take it when you look at two nailed scared hands
Others don't care how much we know until they see how much we care
is that just human will i think not it takes more than a willl to be able to overcome the physical addiction of drugs or other things
Those people could have had divine help, but they also could have also done it on their own. In fact, I actually know someone who overcame an addiction without believing in God. It was tough, yes, but he made it through with just his willpower.
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but what if your wrong what would you say to him when he asked you "why" will say bc it just wasn't real enough?
If God really punishes me for being a skeptic, then he's not the God everyone says he is. If God really exists and he really did have a hand in me becoming who I am, he won't need to ask why I need proof to believe in him.
I could very well be wrong. But so could you. It's a chance everyone takes when they put their faith in something.
You want proof ok...... take a look at the murderers the addicts the drugdealers that dropped the addictions that are supposed to crutch them for the rest of their life....is that just human will i think not it takes more than a willl to be able to overcome the physical addiction of drugs or other things
Correct if you see a odly shaped rock in the desert that doesn't automatically make it "A God Creation" but tell me the thousands of hearts that changed for good were not truth and pyhsical bc it changed them physically and spiritually
And one question say you were right......but what if your wrong what would you say to him when he asked you "why" will say bc it just wasn't real enough?
Others don't care how much we know until they see how much we care
I can't quite understand all of your post, but I think I got the gist of it. The main distinction between the sky and God is that I can see the sky. It has a physical manifestation that I can experience using my senses. God, if he exists, is not physical. There is no way I can sense him using taste, smell, sight, etc. I would have to rely on faith that he exists. With the sky, I can simply take a picture to show other people. If they don't believe the picture, I can take them outside and show them the sky. They can then see for themselves that it is blue even if they have never seen it before.
You can try to do the same thing with God, but the lack of direct physical evidence of his existence makes it hard to convince people he exists. You can't show someone a photograph of God. As for things like the universe (which you could say was created by God), it doesn't count as direct evidence. I don't buy into the watchmaker argument. If I see an oddly shaped rock in the desert, I don't automatically assume someone made it that way. There are plenty of natural reasons for its appearance. The universe is the same. It's not direct evidence of God.
Because they think God is real? A lot of people believe God is there but that doesn't necessarily mean he is. Belief does not equal proof.
one question do you believe that the sky is blue and if u do, how do you know it is you might be inside but you have seen it enough to believe that when you see it that its really blue,prove to me if i have never seen the sky that it is blue u can't and u believe it so it is true whats the difference in God
MOD EDIT: broken quote fixed.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: GreenMod,
Others don't care how much we know until they see how much we care
If you think God is phony let me ask you this? If God is phony how come over 10,00 people believe? I wouldnt waste my time worshiping a god that wasnt real would you?
Because they think God is real? A lot of people believe God is there but that doesn't necessarily mean he is. Belief does not equal proof.
God and the bible are REAL people who dont believe are missing out. Living with God has made my life MUCH easier. I wish you could see how much God has impacted my life He means SO much to me. I dont know why the other gods are fake but when I find the answer I will tell you cuz i think everyone should at least try to live with God. If you think God is phony let me ask you this? If God is phony how come over 10,00 people believe? I wouldnt waste my time worshiping a god that wasnt real would you? I hope this has at least helped you get a better picture that both God and the biblle are REAL!!!
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Originally posted by zeeta2009: Hey I'm athiest and im looking 4 a debate on religion...but a friendly debate b/c i dont hav a problem w/religious ppl i jst wnt 2 see if i can get a few straight answers....
so here's my 1st question:
Frst of all, why is our god real but all the gods from greek and roman "mythology" aren't?? I mean who's to say that in a few thousand years people won't call "God" mythology?!
If religion were true, its followers would not try to bludgeon their young into an artificial conformity; but would merely insist on their unbending quest for truth, irrespective of artificial backgrounds or practical consequences.
However, there actually is a lot of hard evidence that supports the Bible.
Can you support this claim with some of the evidence?
Certainly. Like I mentioned, there is a lot a evidence that the Bible could in fact be true from start to finish. Here are a few websites that answer a lot of common questions about the Bible:
Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants. We know more about war than we know about peace, more about killing than we know about living. We have grasped the mystery of the atom and rejected the Sermon on the Mount. -Omar N. Bradley
Furthermore, how do you know the ancient Greek and Roman gods weren't real? How do you know your God is? If humans cannot fully comprehend God, how can any of us say we know for certain that he's there and in the form we say he is?
It takes more than hard evidence to believe in a God or gods. It takes a tremendous amount of faith.
However, there actually is a lot of hard evidence that supports the Bible. And since the Bible is supposed to be the Word of God, if the Bible is true, then everything the Bible says about God is true. Of course, even with evidence there are going to be those who will never accept the Bible or say that there is more evidence against the Bible. Like I said, it mainly depends on faith.
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Frst of all, why is our god real but all the gods from greek and roman "mythology" aren't?? I mean who's to say that in a few thousand years people won't call "God" mythology?!
I am going to attempt to answer the second part of your question first...First of all, you would be surprised to find that there are actually people in the world today who believe in Greek or Roman mythology. Seriously. However it seems to me that the reason why a lot of people don't believe in it anymore is because it just does not make a whole lot of sense considering all the knowledge we hold today. At least compared to the most popular religions of today. Some people think that Christianity or Islam are just more "imaginations" that are eventually going to become myths in a millenium or two. I beg to differ. Honestly, with the world going the way it is today, I don't believe we are going to last even another 50 years. But that's just me and then some... The major religions of today are followed because they make a great deal of sense to people. That is how I view it. You would not believe in something if it did not make sense to you. I honestly don't see how Christianity or Islam could die out. Jesus was a remarkable man, or God as the Christians consider him, who many have been willing to live and die for. I don't see how he could be forgotten. And with Islam being the second largest religion with over 1 billion people calling themselves Muslim, I don't see how the teachings of Muhammed could be forgotten either. Both of these religions have lasted much longer than the old mythological religions of ancient times. So I hope that makes sense as to why most people don't even think about Greek or Roman gods anymore.
Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants. We know more about war than we know about peace, more about killing than we know about living. We have grasped the mystery of the atom and rejected the Sermon on the Mount. -Omar N. Bradley
First of all muslem and christians are so different i could give you 70 reasons why (mostly because muslem believe that jesus never rose from the dead and is in a cofin in a temple wright now and cristians actualy read the bible), but the main reason for this reply is that, the reason people have created different religions throughout the past 100,000 years is because they dont want to be acontable for there actions they dnt wnt 2 have to listen 2 god or follow his cammands they just want 2 do der own tang.
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some people think god isnt real cuz they cant see him or because they THINK there isnt any evidence. Truth is god is real. BTW there was a scientist who dovoted years to prove that god and the bible wasnt real and ended up becoming a believer cuz there was so much evidence. BTW greeks had a god for everything individualy but christian god can do anything and more. (which is pretty cool when you think about it)
The Greeks belive that there is a God for everything, a God for air, a God for fire, a God for earth, and a God for pretty much everything else that's in this world. However, our God takes care of all of of those things and more. All things are possible with God.
What if the Greek gods were interpretations of God, to better understand their nature? The Greeks weren't the only ones who did it. I find monotheism misses a lot that God is, or could be, focusing too much on certain aspects of their nature. Tigerstyle, if you are implying you're Christian, which it sounds like you are, then doesn't Christianity recognise more than one god? Your God is a triple deity, similar to many traditions, the most common being the triple moon goddesses. And if you look at it this way, what many ancient religions call "gods," may not be "gods" at all, but beings, spirits or forces more powerful than them. The Tuatha de Dannan were hailed as gods, but they lived lives, fought wars and had conflicts just like all of humanity. The same is true for the Greek gods. In an attempt to humanize God, we shatter them in pieces. Another thing to think about, is the Bible never denies the existence of other gods (lesser or greater than Adonai), and in some places seems to encourage it. Think about it this way. Maybe other cultures' "gods" are the same as Adonai in the Bible, just translated differently to different people.
...a Wandering Star for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever...