Why so much hatred of God.
If you are a regular reader of the other religious blogs on WordPress you can’t help but have noticed how many blogs are dedicated to defaming God. The passion and dedication to which some bloggers go in their anti-God polemic is beyond belief (even for a man of faith!).
The thing is, if they are so sure they don’t believe in God why spend so much time writing about Him? Why attack someone who doesn’t exist? Surely, if God doesn’t exist and you don’t believe in Him you would be wasting your time by writing about Him?
However, the atheist agenda is far from slowing down. They seem to be gathering pace and the Prophet of the Atheist movement Richard Dawkins seems more intent than ever on destroying faith in God.
His latest work ‘The God Delusion’ seeks to compare God to a virus for which a cure must be found. To Dawkins the cure lies in educating people about science. However, the same evidence Dawkins looks at and does not see God, is the same evidence other scientists look at and see God. As Paul said in Romans: the hidden things of God are clearly seen through His Creation.
A sea of unbelief.
The influence of atheism goes beyond blogs and books and is represented within film and other media. Another prominent atheist Philip Pulman’s book ‘The Golden Compass’ was adapted into a BAFTA award winning film in 2007 which made £372M. Pulman believes that Richard Dawkins book: The God Delusion, should be read in schools: “it is so well written children deserve to read it as well as adults. It should have a place in every school library – especially in the library of every ‘faith’ school”
Faith in God is the answer to our moral vacuum.
So, we see that the agenda of the militant atheist is to impregnate children’s minds with the assumption that their is no God. With a society that is being ravaged by knife and gun crime, indiscriminate violence etc. what we actually need is more of God, not less. Governments can not solve moral problems through spending programs, neither does teaching on evolution hold the answer. The first and greatest of all commandments is the answer to moral issues: love God and love your neighbour.
A faithful minority within the UK…
A 2008 report by the UN estimated that up to 2-in-3 people in the UK hold no religious belief. They concluded that the Church of England was no longer relevant and therefore should not be the state church, to accommodate other faiths—and those with no faith.
Pray for the foolishness to cease.
According to Psalm 14:1 it is only the fool who says their is no God. To not believe in God is the result of spiritual blindness (2 Thessalonians 2:11). Now more than ever is the time for Christians to pray that God will touch the hearts of our nations so that we believe in and turn to Him.
Posted by Bad on June 25, 2008 at 12:37 am
This is a common question, but a rather silly one in the end. You are confusing disliking an idea and set of claims with… well, I dunno, believing those claims are true in the first place. That makes no sense as a criticism. That’s not what atheists actually do.
Atheists care about god claims because so many believers make them, and so often these claims, despite being outrageously silly, go unchallenged. Religion is a big part of many societies, and hence, legitimately falls under critical scrutiny, just like anything else. There’s nothing per se strange about that.
Posted by jesusblogger on June 25, 2008 at 9:26 am
Well according to your blog 21% of atheists profess faith in God, this is bizzare but it does give a little support to my argument that many atheists are closet believers – it takes a lot of faith to not believe so strongly – also to hate God as much as people like Hitches and Dawkins do suggests they acknowledge His existence.
http://badidea.wordpress.com/2008/06/24/atheists-should-stop-believing-in-god-so-much/
Posted by BeardedHobbit on June 30, 2008 at 2:56 am
I am an atheist, my entire life I have been raised as a Christian, I went to church every Sunday I was confirmed when I turned 16 and I haven’t gone back. I decided early on that I didn’t believe in god, maybe if you were to look into the evidence against your beliefs you would realize how wrong you are. I’ve read nearly the whole bible, which is an awful lot more than most Christians could claim, and the only thing it did was cement my belief that there is no god. In fact, I think it should be a requirement for Christians to actually read the damn thing, I’d like to see how many of you still stand tall after you finish it. It’s unbelievable how evil your god is all in the name of moral superiority. Who are you to tell me that I can’t make a moral decision because I don’t believe in your god, when your god murders innocent men, women, and children indiscriminately? I firmly believe that religion in general is the worst thing to ever happen to humanity. Think of how many wars would never have come to pass if there was no religion.
When a Christian tries to argue their point they throw bible scriptures at me as though they mean something. The bible has been proven as not historically accurate and I’ve already told you I don’t believe in god so how is a bible scripture going to prove anything to me? Most atheists, on the other hand, take the names of notable scholars with hard research and peer reviewed results, and give detailed well thought arguments. It’s your ignorance that we hate, not your make believe god.
You say children should not be shown anything contradictory to your beliefs, the only reason you would say that is because you aren’t confident enough that, given the facts, children would choose your god. One of the main morals that you would have your children learning is that knowledge is a bad thing. The whole point of Adam and Eve is that knowledge is bad. The God Delusion should be in schools, it’s important for children to have an alternative to your hocus pocus crap.
The problem in America now is that Christians can’t keep their hands out of the government, even though many of the founding fathers were at least agnostic and clearly defined a separation of church and state for a reason. Using religion as a basis for political reform, Christians push their agendas despite their illogical reasoning. Nothing should be made illegal because of religion, that’s called discrimination. Abortion and gay marriage, for example, both should be completely legal, if I don’t believe in your god that is my choice and I will not have my life dictated by some imaginary being.
Posted by BeardedHobbit on June 30, 2008 at 10:51 pm
It’s not a question of hate, it’s a question of science, and the evidence points to atheism.
Posted by Bad on July 1, 2008 at 9:15 pm
I’m not sure what that poll has to do with anything: as far as anyone can tell, those results are due to either simple confusion over the word atheist, or the lack of useful options in the poll responses.
In any case, you don’t seem to have really answered any of my arguments.
Posted by Joe on July 24, 2008 at 1:52 am
The reason why we “hate” God so much is that if he never existed, why are we ruling the USA like he does exist? Why are we using the Bible to make legislative decisions? We can’t advance on legal gay marriage because it “goes against the word of God”. We can’t advance on OK’ing abortion because it “violates what Christians stand for”. There are plenty of other religions that, quite honestly, are more accepting than Christianity and I belive would make a better utopian land than the U.S.A. Let’s face it: even though Americans enjoy the right of freedom of/from religion, the government rules this country by the Bible’s pasages. Do you know how little an issue like abortion or gay marriage becomes if we take the Bible out of it? That being said, I still respect Chrisitans beliefs and I don’t have a right to tell them they are wrong by accepting Christianity or anything, but we need to stop making legislative decisions based on the Bible and God.
Posted by OJ on July 27, 2008 at 10:13 pm
“The thing is, if they are so sure they don’t believe in God why spend so much time writing about Him?”
We’re not writing about him, we’re writing about all the people who believe that there really is a man in the sky and about all the silly things that they do and say based on their irrational assumption.
You are right about Richard Dawkins being intent on publicly challenging religious faith. Thankfully, he’s not the only one who is doing it. Plenty of people, especially in Europe, are losing their faith because they see that there really is no basis for such blind credulity.
Atheists don’t say, “I know there is no god” because nobody can say for sure that there is no god, just as nobody can say for sure that fairies and unicorns and leprechauns don’t exist. Trying to prove that these things didn’t exist would be a waste of time. Atheists instead say, “I have no evidence that would lead me to think that I am being watched by an invisible dictator who can read my thoughts. Atheists simply lack belief in gods.
“It is only the fool who says their is no God.”
This is one thing that atheists really have a problem with. Especially when it comes right after “love your neighbor.” Thanks for dismissing my intelligence solely because I do not buy into the same mythology that you do…
Posted by Jmars on August 20, 2008 at 3:43 pm
“So, we see that the agenda of the militant atheist is to impregnate children’s minds with the assumption that their is no God.” No actually it is to educate them enough and give them the self-confidence to make up their own minds on what to believe without indocrinating them into believing what we want them to believe.
“With a society that is being ravaged by knife and gun crime, indiscriminate violence etc. what we actually need is more of God, not less.” Because a Christian never stabbed or shot someone? The old, “Atheists have no morals” is a really tired and ridiculous argument that has been proven wrong time and time again.
“Governments can not solve moral problems through spending programs, neither does teaching on evolution hold the answer.”
Actually, studies show that the better educated a kid is, the less likely they are to commit violent crimes. The teaching of evolution is not meant to solve any moral problems. It is taught because it is FACT. Just like the “Theory of Gravity”. Also, you’re an idiot.
Posted by jesusblogger on August 23, 2008 at 7:42 pm
If knowing Jesus makes me an idiot then that is fine.
Posted by GODISLOVE on April 29, 2009 at 4:42 pm
AMEN!!!!!!
Posted by sean childress on September 8, 2008 at 11:25 pm
Atheists don’t hate God,they hate that people believe in God, or claim to, right? There a lot of great books that easily expose the weaknesses of The God delusion and other simlilar diatribes.The God Delusion is such a terrrible book, even prominent atheists are ashamed of it. yes, it sold a lot of copies, but then again so did Brittany Spears.
Posted by sean childress on September 8, 2008 at 11:57 pm
The arguements are so tired from both sides. Both sides need to read more of what’s out there on the topic. The same old reasons for not believing and believing are riddled with holes in their consistency and relevance and logic. Theology ( which happens to include a lot more than the books of the Old Testament) can’t prove a God exists anymore than Science ( which happens to include a lot of heavyweight quantuam physicists that tend to believe in a creator- a concept that falls short of a Christian personal God etc. etc.)can disprove it. It isn’t a failure on either part that they can’t.
The two can inform one another as many fileds of study can do.Theology and Science have distinct yet overlapping magisteria that should be handled with the utmost care- with faith and reason,- attributes intrinsic to both.
Posted by Elbarto150 on September 26, 2008 at 8:08 pm
Science may be able to prove that certain things do exist(ie physics, chemistry, quantum mechanics…), but it may never be able to prove why or how. Don’t tell me to go and research more into the bible when the other option for our creation, the Big Bang, is even less credible. The laws of science disprove it. First, when left to its own merit, mass degrades in order and energy, also it can neither be created nor destroyed. So even if it was 4 billion years, I doubt a swirling ball of chemicals would explode in onto itself and end up eventually creating human consciousness merely through accidental combination of chemicals.
Posted by jesusfreek319 on October 6, 2008 at 5:19 pm
anybody ever here of “intelligent design”??? Evidence that points to a Creator…
Posted by brianshaw on October 11, 2008 at 5:11 am
Matthew 7:14 says, “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” I have found it and need no other person, Christian or atheist, to “guide” or divert me. I refuse to let my faith be shaken by human involvement. The accuracy of my faith can only be confirmed at my own death, it cannot be proven by science nor can that of an atheist.
Atheists, what makes your disbelief in God anymore justifiable than my belief in one? Why is it okay for you to argue that there is no God but not for me to argue that there is? And BeardedHobbit, the fact of the matter is that there is no such thing as no agenda; there is an “agenda” by virtue of your convictions no matter what they are. If my “agenda” is to outlaw abortion and you disagree, then your “agenda” is to allow abortion. The “push” can come from either direction.
I think the whole argument is frivolous. Christ has commissioned believers to disciple the world not coerce it. If you’re not interested, hey no harm no foul, you’re apparently not one of the ones who “find it.” I’ll take my message elsewhere; there are plenty of other lost to be found. And sure, Christians are not perfect (sort of the point), but Christianity still has a “moral compass” that is lacking in atheism. As long as there is that “moral compass,” it will continue to influence the agenda that gets advanced.
Posted by Durzal on June 2, 2009 at 5:38 pm
You can argue the case for god, i dont have much of a problem with this, but to teach it in schools is wrong as its not based on any sort of evidence whatsoever.
If i believe fairy’s created the universe and all thats in it,… thats fine, but i wouldnt expect it to be taught in schools, as, it also has no evidence to support it whatsoever.
The fact that evolution happens is proven..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution_as_theory_and_fact
and the theory part has a huge array of evidence supporting it.
Also the Big Bang:~ by this i mean that the universe is expanding form a central point is proven and all the theory has massive evidence supporting it.
This is what makes my disbelief in a god more “justifible” then your belief in one.
Also id like to address your saying that people who dont believe in your god lack a moral compass, what would make you think this?.
If you didnt fear your god would you roam the streets raping and killing ….No (dont be silly) …There are tribes of people in remote areas who have never heard of god/jesus and they dont go around offing each other.
The reason is that helping your fellow man is an evolutionary strong trait whereas killing and screwing each other over isnt …..this all is rather simple if you think about it for more than 3secs with an objective eye……Start thinking!!!!!
Posted by Ross on October 30, 2008 at 5:22 pm
I believe that i control my destiny.
I believe i can change the world.
I believe it is possible to treat everyone with respect.
I do not believe their is a god that has a plan for me.
Athiests possess a moral compass that you might not be able to understand. By not believing that a god is watching us. we must make our own decisions of how to treat each other. Am i going to kill you just because i dont think there are any consequences?
No.
I dont kill you because i have a consciousness that tells me that taking someone elses life is wrong. That is not god. I also abide by the laws that the other human beings in my country have agreed upon.
This lifeis more precious when there isnt an elaborate story that tries to scare you into thinking that if you dont follow this group. You will burn forever. Scare tactics will not work in the modern world
Posted by Ζαπηοδ on November 3, 2008 at 10:42 pm
Atheists do not lack moral convictions Brian ; this is a highly prejudiced statement to make. The only difference being that, instead of basing our moral convictions on [what we consider to be] an imaginary being in the sky, we pick more solid, down to earth justifications for our convictions. Moral philosophy stands on its own merits, regardless of the existence of a god (or gods). Jesus’s golden rule, to speak of something closer to your heart, stands on its own, simply because it makes sense – again regardless of god’s inexistence.
The argument about theists having a stronger “moral compass” does not correspond to common experience, either. For every atheist mass murderer like Stalin, there’s been a theist equivalent, like Hitler or Torquemada, so let us not try to act as if religious belief or lack thereof is an accurate predictor of moral behavior.
I certainly respect your right to believe in God and raise your children accordingly ; I only expect you to respect my right to reject such beliefs (and freely discuss my reasons for doing so) in return.
Posted by WeHaveAVoice on November 7, 2008 at 7:43 am
I agree with 90% of the last comment except for the part ‘and raise your children accordingly’. Sorry, no I don’t believe anyone has the right to do this.
You are certainly free to tell them what YOU believe in so long as you also educate them about what all the other people in the world (including atheists) believe or don’t believe.
The study of the world’s religions and religious history (not whichever religious faith is predominant in the country) should be compulsory in schools so that children can grow up to be reasoning, thinking adults who can make up their own mind about religion.
Unfortunately, this concept is anathema to most religious believers as encouraging people to think for themselves invariably means they reject a supernatural ‘creator’ or god.
Atheists don’t want to tell people what to believe or not believe – they just want to encourage them HOW to think about the world.
And finally – atheists don’t hate god (or gods) as the word hate is irrelevant to use towards something that doesn’t exist. We don’t hate believers either, we just want the world to progress and leave this nonsense where it belongs…in the second century.
Posted by Anonymous on December 4, 2008 at 11:36 pm
why do atheists keep saying that Jesus is a dictator. What has he ever done to be thought of as a dictactor. He’s given you a choice either believe or dont, but its up to you.
Posted by eternal barf on December 30, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Whoever makes their own children join their religious belief is a *child abuser*.
Religious belief is like schizophrenia the confusion of outer and inner reality, and to make one’s own child belief is to make them sick in the mind.
They are evil, and hence the God they pray to must in truth be Satan!
Posted by anonia on January 21, 2009 at 4:58 pm
I grew up in the church and LOVED going to church. I was in love with the Lord. After I met my so called christian husband he taught me that there really isn’t a God but that Men are Gods, and whatever he says becomes my religion because the bible was written for a man, and bye a man. In fact I think my husband is probably related to the guy who wrote most of it LOL. I hate my life and its all thanks to judgmental embysols that I married into.
Posted by jesusblogger on January 21, 2009 at 8:01 pm
I am sorry to hear that you married someone who you do not believe was God’s choice for you. That is such a shame.
Posted by Pentecostal Person on January 25, 2009 at 10:06 pm
“The bible has been proven as not historically accurate and I’ve already told you I don’t believe in god so how is a bible scripture going to prove anything to me?”
When has the Bible been proven not historically accurate?
The Bible can help you turn the right way and start believing the truth. That’s how telling you scriptures will help you.
God can give you all you need in life and more. He can deliver you from sin and set you free! He is all you need! I pray that you will turn the right way and go towards God, The way, the truth, and the life.
Posted by Daniel on February 7, 2009 at 3:18 am
I love how atheists come on here lying out of their teeth saying “We hate God because of this and this”. Okay, but if you don’t believe he exists, why hate him? Why waste your time trying to disprove something unless you believe it has some form of truth to it?
Atheistic logic is flawed logic.
Posted by Alsee on February 10, 2009 at 11:22 pm
It amazes me how some people (note Daniel’s post directly above) are so unable to grasp the simple simple concept that atheists do not believe in God and do not hate God. Let me try to make this issue as crystal clear as possible.
I do not believe Santa Clause exists.
I do not hate Santa Clause.
HOWEVER!
If some people attempted to abuse their official government power as a public school principal to coerce my children into praying to Santa Clause every morning, I would be damned pissed. And I assume you would be too. And that gets me labeled as “militant”.
(Note that children have every right to independently pray to Santa in school if they which, the problem is specifically the GOVERNMENTAL ABUSE OF POWER attempting to infringe upon student’s religious practices.)
If legislators were to pass a law requiring every building in the country to have a chimney (for Santa), and in addition made it criminal to have a fire in any fireplace on Christmas Eve… and by ‘criminal’ I mean gun-toting enforcers imprisoning people under threat of lethal force… I would be damned pissed. And I assume you would be too. And that gets me labeled as “militant”.
If a president (George H. W. Bush) were to state “No, I don’t know that a-santa-ists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one nation under Santa” I would be damned pissed. And I assume you would be too. And that gets me labeled as “militant”.
It Congress were to pass a law changing our traditional Pledge Of Allegiance (I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all) in 1954 to add “under Santa” I would find that outrageous. And I assume you would be too. Not to mention printing “In Santa We Trust” on all official government money. And that gets me labeled as “militant”.
If legislators and school boards try to re-write public school geography text books to deny the existence of Canada, and instead teach the Grand Elven Toyshop City at the North Pole (or maybe let’s just “Teach The Controversy!), I would be damned pissed. And I assume you would be too. And that gets me labeled as “militant”.
In general I think it is SILLY for people to believe in Santa, but I have no real problem with people who simply believe silly fairytales. People have that freedom. However we are not talking about people simply minding their own business and privately believing if fictional magical beings. We are talking about people ATTACKING ME, people passing laws threatening to put me in PRISON if I violate some nonsensical Santa-based law. We are talking about presidents declaring me “not a citizen”and “not patriot” if I don’t believe in Santa. We are talking about public school textbooks discrediting valid geography to substitute a fictional city of Elves and teach it to my children. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ABUSING THEIR OFFICES TO COERCE *MY* CHILDREN INTO PRAYING TO SANTA CLAUSE IN SCHOOL.
No, I do not hate Santa Clause. But yes, at times I may speak (or write at length about the fictional nature of Santa Clause, and I may even get angry when pointing out that Santa-Clause-believers are doing bad and UnConstitutional things against me and against my children.
It’s the Santa-Clause-believers who are militant. It’s the Santa-Clause-believers who want to pass Santa-laws laws, it’s Santa-Clause-believers who want to ignore and violate the Constitution, who think that getting a 50+% Democratic Majority Vote makes it OK for them to HIJACK THE FORCE OF GOVERNMENT to coerce my children into praying to their fictional magical being in public school every morning.
So please please please, we can agree to disagree about Santa, and you are perfectly welcome to believe in your magical fairytale man, but please quit trying to use the FORCE OF GOVERNMENT to push your magical man, and please try try try to understand that I do not have to believe in Santa in order to get angry when I am attacked by the force of government.
It is also particularly annoying when Christians whine and try to play the persecuted victims of atheist attacks, citing various court cases. If you look at the actual court cases, and as a bit of a law geek I have read quite a few of the legal cases, each and every case specifically targeted government actions. Not attacks on Christians, not attacks on God, but lawsuits against the use of the force and powers of government by Christians (because of course Christians being the majority are the only ones capable of hijacking government power for religious purposes). Students can pray in school, but the force of government cannot be used to promote not suppress such prayer. Public displays of Nativity Scenes are fine when done by individuals, but not when officially paid for or officially endorsed by the force of government. Crosses displayed in public is fine, but not when done by government. Displays of the Ten Commandments are fine, but not when officially established by the government.
The First Amendment, the Right to Religious Freedom, the Separation of Church and State, it means that the government cannot play favorites between the religion of Santa vs Easterbunnyism, the government can neither promote nor suppress belief in magical fictional beings. And that is how nearly all court rulings on these subjects go – the courts protect individual religious liberty, and the courts strike things down when people try to use the force of government to infringe on individual religious liberty. The ACLU wins almost every school prayer case because the ACLU SUPPORTS student’s rights to pray in school and only sues over government officials abusing their powers to push their personal religious beliefs and practices upon students.
Posted by Cida on February 17, 2009 at 3:14 am
The actual definition for Atheist is some1 who does not believe in god not some1 that hates god, i personaly don’t believe in god, all i have is word on word theres no proof he exists but of corse there’s no proof that he dosnt either its impossible prove that he dosnt exist not because he does because he dosnt they have made god impossible to disprove bit it is also impossible to prove that santa dosnt exists but anyway believe what u want u can say atheists hate christians an that (and sum of them do) but thats not what an atheist is.
Posted by jesusblogger on February 17, 2009 at 10:08 pm
True not all athiests hate God, but there are a lot who do e.g. Christopher Hithchens, Richard Dawkins et al. Their works are full of anti-God polemic.
Posted by Alsee on February 18, 2009 at 8:08 am
jesusblogger, is your brain so completely bent and broken by your Santa Clause fetish that you cannot grasp the simple concept that they simply don’t believe your Santa Clause exists?
I’m not an expert on Christopher Hitchens or Richard Dawkins, but I have seen enough to confidently say that both of them object to mysticism. Native American animal spirit guides, voodoo, Wiccan Goddess and magic, the countless gods of Hinduism, demons devils angels ghosts gremlins and other magical beings, and yeah the Christian Jewish and Islamic mystical magical stories and their mystical magical beings.
Dawkins and Hitchens tend to get engaged with Christianity most often for the simple and obvious reason that they are British and American. In the UK and the US Christianity is simply the overwhelmingly common flavor of religion engaging them.
Dawkin and Hitchens do not ‘hate’ God any more than they ‘hate’ Native American animal spirit guides. They simply don’t believe God exists, just as they simply don’t believe in animal spirits.
Hitchens considers “all religious belief is sinister and infantile” and Dawkins considers all religion to be an infectious “Viruses of the Mind”.
Hitchens and Dawkins think that stories about Talking Snakes and the like are silly and harmful. Is that really so radical? Is it so unreasonable for someone to ridicule stories and books and religions about Talking Snakes? Talking Snakes living in a Magic Garden with Magical Apples that magically give you Knowledge when you eat them?
Just because someone says stories about Talking Snakes are silly and harmful does not mean they hate your Santa Clause. They are critiquing YOU for believing in and promoting stories about Talking Snakes. The only ‘hate’ they might have is against people who fly planes into building or engage in other violence or force against other people based on their Talking Snake stories. They don’t hate the imaginary Talking Snake, they hate people who do Bad Things based on Talking Snake stories.
Posted by jesusblogger on February 20, 2009 at 12:27 am
Go to the top of the class for most patronising comment.
)
Posted by Alsee on February 22, 2009 at 6:22 am
I’m sorry if I was patronizing, but I was desperately trying to drive home the simple point that Hitchens and Dawkins merely think stories about Talking Snakes and the like are silly. If you can grasp the basic point that Hitchens and Dawkins simply do not believe ANY of the mystical magical stories of any religions, then you should be able to take a second look at what they’ve actually said. I think you’ll see that they don’t “hate God” and they are not engaging in any “anti-God polemic”. Their polemic is against ANY mystical magical based faith. Their polemic is against religion and spiritualism and magic in general.
You can still disagree with them and their arguments. I’m just trying to get you to understand what their position actually is, and understand what arguments they are actually making. They simply don’t believe in any of the religions.
Serious question: If I say I think stories about Talking Snakes are silly fiction, can you honestly say that is an *unreasonable* position?
jesusblogger, I think only difference between you and me is that you are condescending of the silly stories of a thousand religions, while I am condescending of the silly stories of a thousand-and-one religions. You don’t believe in Zeus tossing lightning bolts, you don’t believe in Native American animal spirit guides, you don’t believe in Scientology’s alien mind control parasites, you don’t believe in Voodoo magic, you don’t believe in Wiccan Goddess. Well, I don’t believe in all the same things you don’t believe in.
The only difference between you and me is that I don’t believe in Talking Snakes either. If you disagree about that, well ok, but hopefully you acknowledge that it’s not an *unreasonable* position for someone to disbelieve Talking Snake stories.
Posted by I Love the Lord on February 23, 2009 at 8:16 am
You know what. God is good. And all who say that he isn’t. I feel very sorry for you because you lack the faith to realize that what Jesus did for you is beyond traditional love. Let me ask you all a question (those of you who are atheists) why do you think a man named Jesus would willingly give himself up and die? For his own health? NO! Because he loved us. I mean that’s rediculous thinking that he would just die on that cross willingly for no reason. PRAISE THE LORD!!!
Posted by Alsee on February 26, 2009 at 8:54 pm
God is good. And all who say that he isn’t
??? Who said that?
I and others have said we think God is *fictional*. I wouldn’t say “God isn’t good” any more than I’d say “Santa Clause isn’t good” or “the Easter Bunny isn’t good”.
Let me ask you all a question (those of you who are atheists) why do you think a man named Jesus would willingly give himself up and die?
Need I remind you that each and every 9/11 hijacker also “willingly give himself up and die”. That hardly proves they were divine.
I’m pretty confident that Jesus was a real person, a good and noble philosopher and teacher. He taught a lot a things about being a good and moral person. I wish more so-called Christians would pay a bit more studying and living the things Jesus TAUGHT, and that they spent rather less time on hate and attempts to control others by force (including force of government).
Anywho, it is a sad but all too common event in history for good and noble people to give their lives when standing up against a cruel and unjust government. And of course seriously misguided people like the 9/11 hijackers doing so in what they believe to be a holy cause.
I mean that’s rediculous thinking that he would just die on that cross willingly for no reason.
Jesus was far from the only prophet to die on the cross. He’s just the one who happened to become super famous.
As commonly happens, his devoted followers idealized the man and embellished events.
There’s really little difference between what you believe and what I believe. You believe Islam is fiction. You believe Wicca is fiction. You believe Scientology is fiction. You believe a thousand religions to be fiction. I merely think a thousand and one religions to be fiction.
You believe Islam’s prophet Mohamed was just a man, and that the stories around him were exaggerated or fictional. You believe Scientology’s prophet L. Ron Hubbard was just a man, and that the stories around him were exaggerated or fictional. You believe Mormon’s Joseph Smith was just a man, and that the stories around him were exaggerated or fictional. I agree with you in doubting the divinity and supernatural claims of a thousand founders of a thousands religions. I just disbelieve in the divinity of a thousand and one founders of a thousand and one religions.
I merely think stories about talking snakes and magical apples of knowledge are mythology. Every religion has its obviously silly stories, and yours is no exception. Can you honestly say it is *unreasonable* for me to doubt the factual accuracy a story featuring a talking snake and a magic apple?
Posted by hannah on March 17, 2009 at 6:57 pm
I am truely thankful for this blog. I love that someone finally has the guts to come out and say what everyone else is asking. for the record, if most of you athiests think that we christians are stupid for believing in a book that you claim was written solely by MAN with no intervention by God what so ever, then I find you all to be contradicting yourselves and calling yourselves inturn, IDIOTS. why? because all of your belief is based on the fact that its been PROVEN by MAN to not be possible or even true… I am not going to sit here and attack you because thats not what God wants from me, but I do want you to realize that you are the only ones that are getting hostile about all of this. We arent forcing you to do or listen to anything, thats your choice. You seem to be threatened by God in my mind though, because all you are doing is attacking the idea that someone might be thinking other thoughts than yourselves, Satan has the power to do just that. He knows that he is weaker than God so he is goign to try to make people believe that there is no God, and the weaker people will accept that idea because its impossible for a weak man or women to resist false “proof” that satan provides or whatever you want to call it. If you feel attacked its because God is battling for your hearts everyday, people are praying for your salvation all over the world and WE ARE NOT GOIGN TO STOP! We are in a battle for this generation and unfortunally for you, we have God on our side. I hope that one day all of you will be able to expierence that love, mercy and grace God gives his children, hes waiting with open arms and will accept you no matter what! Someday every tounge will confess and someday every knee will bow….I just hope that “someday” comes sooner than later for all of you….
Posted by hannah on March 17, 2009 at 8:56 pm
the answers to all of your questions lie only in what you allow yourself to believe,yes it is hard to understand why a man would die on the cross for no reason….except this wasnt just a man and he didnt die for just any reason. He was God, coming in human form to show himself to those who doubted his existence, to show his love to a world that was lost without him.
Posted by Anonymous on March 21, 2009 at 1:18 am
Alsee said: “I wish more so-called Christians would pay a bit more studying and living the things Jesus TAUGHT, and that they spent rather less time on hate and attempts to control others by force (including force of government).”
:O Hear, hear! Although the Bible hints that gay marriage and abortion are not right (that’s not what I”m about to argue), I like what Alsee said because it is true. How can Christians expect to influence the world positively without doing as Jesus said? He told us to be kind to one another, and not just to love your neighbor but to love your enemy or persecutor as well (or anyone you just don’t happen to agree with), pray for them, gently tell someone if they’re doing wrong, but move on if they don’t want to listen. NOwhere did Christ tell us to be coercive against others, and in fact he rebuked the Pharisees for trying to keep others from entering the kingdom of God because they were more concerned with imposing all their religious rules than they were with loving others and helping the less fortunate around them.
Posted by Rebecca H on March 21, 2009 at 1:59 am
Hmm, Bearded Hobbit brought up something I’ve always worried about, for hours a night sometimes. No one has tried to address this yet. So anyway, I do read the Bible when I can, and in the Old Testament there are very, very disturbing stories where I think did it have to go down this way? I understand how at some point, after centuries and centuries of patience on God’s part, certain people would have to be punished to prevent the suffering of others. It’s hard to imagine how terrible sin can get if it goes on for too long. A perfect example is Sodom and Gomorrah. (People like to call this an anti-gay agenda story, however the inhabitants of these cities were punished because they were murderers, drunken revelers, and rapists. They wanted to rape the newcomers whom Lot was sheltering. So it’s not like God turned the area into flaming embers because of one gay person…Now that I’ve said that.) But DID all the babies have to die in some of the nations the Israelites took over? THAT seems a little harsh, although admittedly from my own probably clouded-because-I’m-comfortable-in-a-free-nation perspective.
By the way, gotta give kudos to Alsee for saying: “I wish more so-called Christians would pay a bit more studying and living the things Jesus TAUGHT, and that they spent rather less time on hate and attempts to control others by force” How true this is! Although we should repent of all our own sins when we begin our new life, Jesus calls us to focus on serving others and getting the message of the Good News to everyone. Is it Good News if it’s coerced upon someone? Not at all. That’s why Christ said to deliver his message to those who have ears to hear it, but if someone does not want to hear Christ’s message, then just move on to the next person who may be more open. HE says NOT to judge others (lest you be judged), to love your enemy as well as your neighbor, and live in a spirit of lovingkindness toward all your brothers (which, your brothers/sisters are ALL your fellow humankind, not just the people you get along with), and serve others as HE served you, and forgive others as HE forgave you. So, not to say that gay marriage or abortion are not issues of concern, but I tend to see them at least sometimes, as being symptoms of deeper issues, issues that will never be solved by hatred and discord. The focus should divert to the roots of the symptoms as well. Jesus said our war is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual powers of darkness, so it’s wrong to just be mean and insulting to people.
So, like instead of just sitting around in condemnation of all gay individuals, why not focus on solving the problem of families breaking down? I mean, we all live states apart from our extended families, people marry unwisely and have kids that they’re mean to, those kids grow up, move out, and live an isolated life from any family, just going to work, and repeating the whole pattern with the person they date and marry, etcetera. When you look at many of the reasons that people sin, you have an answer. Hate, conflict, selfishness, and isolation from God are some of the roots of all these problems.
Posted by King's Daughter on March 30, 2009 at 9:38 am
Ps 18:30 ‘ As for God his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried; he is a buckler to all those who trust in Him KJV
Proverbs 19:2 “It is not good to have zeal without knowledge nor to be hasty and miss the way.”
Psalms 4:4 “In anger do not sin, when on yor bed search your hearts and be silent”
Isn’t it amazing that the same book that carries the story of a “talking snake’( sic) also has instructions for the human race which by the way atheists find agreeable. Iam yet to find another book that was written centuries ago that carries such instructions! Instead of working hard to prove and promote doctrine that tries so hard to prove that God doesnt exist to young children (the future of this world) pick from God’s teaching that that will help them be better people and not hate one another and live together in harmony no matter the race or gender or faith, etc. Jesus summarised the commandmnets of God in one word LOVE..surely even Science knows that love exists and we are biologically wired to love our neighbour ourselves and above all our God. Is it just a coincidence that God does not ask us to do things that are not humanely possible??? He gives instructions on marriage, work, food, leadership, etc!!! And nothinhg is to be done in hate but in love because God is love!!!
Posted by GODISLOVE on April 29, 2009 at 5:11 pm
FIRST OF ALL A CHRISTIANS MAIN ROLL ON THIS EARTH (AFTER OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST WAS CRUCIFIED AND RESURRECTED FOR OUR SALVATION) IS TO SPREAD THE WORD OF THE LORD TO THE WORLD WHETHER IT BE TO BELIEVERS, THE CLUELESS, OR THE NON BELIEVERS. I PERSONALLY WILL FOLLOW MY FATHER GODS WORD AND SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS. HE WHO WANTS TO LISTEN AND WELCOMES THE WORD AND WANTS TO HEAR MORE WILL DO SO. HE WHO DOES NOT CARE FOR THE WORD OF GOD AND WANTS TO CRITICIZE AND BE NASTY THAN YOU CAN DO SO AS WELL WHILE I WALK AWAY FROM YOU AND CONTINUE TO BE A FOLLOWER OF GOD. I AM NOT GOING TO TRY TO CONVINCE ANYONE OF ANYTHING THAT IS THE HOLY SPIRITS JOB. I’M A SIMPLE HUMAN WHO SINS AND ASKS FOR FORGIVENESS ON A DAILY BASIS. I AM NO ONE TO JUDGE THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD. ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT GOD HIMSELF SAID
Matthew 10:33
But whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.
I WILL CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR THE NON BELIEVERS AS MY FATHER GOD CALLS THEM AND I WILL CONTINUE TO LOVE MY NEIGHBOR. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY IT IS OK FOR JUDGES TO JUDGE FOR PROSECUTORS TO CALL PEOPLE MURDERERS, LIARS, CHEATERS, OR TO HAVE A JURY ( A BUNCH OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NO DIFFERENT THAN I AM) DECIDE WEATHER A PERSON LIVES OR DIES. WHAT RIGHT DO THEY HAVE TO MAKE SUCH A DECISION. WHO MADE THEM THE RULER OVER SOMEONE ELSE’S LIFE. AS FAR AS I KNOW SLAVERY ENDED HUNDREDS OF YEARS AGO. BUT FOR SOME ODD REASON IT IS WRONG AND EVIL FOR MY MIGHTY GOD TO PROSECUTE THE UNJUST. TO PUNISH THE EVIL BUT PEOPLE OF THE EARTH WHO LIE AND CHEAT AND STEAL AND PASS JUDGMENT ON A DAILY BASIS DO. I WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND BUT EITHER WAY I LOVE MY SAVIOR AND I KNOW HE LOVES ME HE HAS PROVED IT TO ME DAY AFTER DAY. I WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS AND I WILL CONTINUE TO BELIEVE IN MY CREATOR! MANY BLESSING AND PRAYERS TO ALL AND MAY MY GOD AND YOUR GOD BLESS YOU!
Posted by Moose on May 28, 2009 at 11:02 pm
the odd apostrophe wouldn’t hurt either.
Posted by 1st_veracity on May 2, 2009 at 10:02 am
There are no athiests, we were all given a measure of faith. By description, an athiest would not argue, complain or care whether someone else was worshiping what they don’t recognize.
Posted by jesusblogger on May 2, 2009 at 10:18 am
I disagree. Athiests do exist, the bible said: “the fool hath said in his heart: ‘there is no God’”
Posted by Alsee on June 21, 2009 at 10:08 pm
>>By description, an athiest would not argue, complain or care whether someone else was worshiping what they don’t recognize.
You still don’t get it. I don’t much care what odd hobbies you have. If you believe in animal spirit guides and you pray to them every day, fine whatever. It’s very SILLY to pray to invisible magic beings, and I will comment that I find it silly if the subject comes up, but so long as you mind your own business then I don’t much care what silly magic creature you pray to.
HOWEVER, I do have a serious issue when people start trying to use FORCE against other people. I seriously object when people start flying planes into building in the name of their invisible magic sky wizard. I have a problem when people start shooting doctors. I also have a serious problem with the less dramatic but equally “use of FORCE” issue of people trying to hijack the FORCE of law and FORCE of government. I object when the government denies one of our fallen hero soldiers a Wiccian symbol on his tomb stone because Wicca is not on the list of government approves religions – I consider Wicca to be just as fictional as all the other religions, but under the US Constitution the government is FORBIDDEN to discriminate for or against different religions. I object when the law FORCIBLY closes certain businesses (such as liquor stores) on a certain day of the week (Sunday), solely because Sunday is the religious day for gathering and praying to the animal spirit guides, a law who’s sole purpose is to try to get more people to attend spirit guide prayer meetings, a law which sends out gun-carrying armed enforcers against any owner of such a business who does open his store on that day of the week. I object when people try to sabotage public high school biology classes because the science conflicts with their spirit guide stories. I object government spirit guide monuments establishing the one government selected government favored religion above all others. I object when our money bears the official government declaration “In Spirit Guides We Trust”. I object when people try to deny other people equal marriage rights on the basis of their Spirit Guide stories. Under the US Constitution the law CANNOT discriminate on the basis of race, gender, or religion. If you have a law granting official government established marriages, that law CANNOT examine the race, gender, or religions of the marriage applicants as a basis to approve or deny that marriage license. If you oppose interracial marriage or oppose same-gender marriage based on your Animal Spirit Guide stories, too bad. You can believe whatever silly things you like, you can have whatever silly hobbies you like, but cannot use direct physical force to injure or kill others, and you cannot use the force of government to harm others or deny them equal rights and equal treatment under the law. I object if some public school principal attempts to impose daily Spirit Guide meditation upon students. Students have the right to (non-disruptive) individual prayer to their spirit guides if they so wish, but the force of government and the government powers of school officials can neither be used to promote such prayers nor to repress such prayer.
To quote Ghandi “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians, they are so unlike your Christ.”
Atheists do not hate God any more than they hate the Tooth Fairy – be we do often get very angry at specific bad behavior engaged in by some Christians who violate Christ’s teachings. Atheists often get angry are Christians who spew hate, and object when Christians try to use the force of government against others.
Jesus was the original proponent of “Separation of Church and State”. Render unto God that which is God’s, and render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s. The government is Caesar’s kingdom. The police and the law are Caesar’s sword. If you pick my pocket or break my leg, you will be judged and punished by Caesar’s law protecting man against man. If someone sins against God, only God can judge and only God can punish. You cannot force people into heaven at the point of Caesar’s sword. You cannot establish God’s kingdom upon earth by seizing Caesar’s law at attempting to rewrite it as you see fit.
The US Constitution guarantees the right to religious freedom and religious equality under the law. Atheists think all religions are equally silly, but in general we have no real gripe about it so long as you don’t get violent against anyone and you don’t try to hijack the FORCE of law against anyone. Secular law protecting man against man, protecting the freedom of religion, and guaranteeing equality under law for all religions. Atheists bitch when the US Army denies soldiers the freedom to choose a Wiccan grave markers, just as we would complain if the government were to deny Christian soldiers the right to Christian Cross grave markers. Believe what you like, don’t try to use the FORCE of government to meddle in other’s lives, and I’ll gladly fight to defend you against the force of government meddling against your religions freedom.
You can think me a a fool for saying in my heart there is no God, and I can think your religion silly, and we can love-thy-neighbor get along just fine so long as we all agree to a “Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s” separation between religion and the force of government. I don’t hate God, but i do hate use-of-force actions by some people acting in the name of God.
Posted by Durzal on May 27, 2009 at 11:10 pm
Athiests dont hate God, they dont believe he exists, so whats to hate.
I believe the real problem that atheists have with religions is the purveying of ignorance.
I have no problem with a theist who has faith in a God but i find it frustrating how a seemingly rational person denies what has been proven as scientifically fact like:~
The Big Bang :~ by this i mean the fact that the universe is expanding from a singular hot and dense state.
Evolution:~ by this i mean that species change over time due to natural selection and mutation.
Ive explained in detail what i meant for these two as many, even atheists may still believe these aspects are theories ..there not . We dont know exactly how evolution changes species over time and thats the theory part,…. the fact that it happens is however, proven.
Its alot like the general theory of relativity that explains gravity (among other things) just because its still a theory doesnt mean we should ignore gravity as the fact, that it is.
Some even believe that the earth is 6000-10000 years old despite us having fossil records going back millions or years, and if you were to point this out they would call into question the accuracy of carbon 14 dating and radiometric dating as though millions of years could be misinterpreted as thousands(insanity). You(my theist friends) dont need to denie scientific facts like evolution to have faith, defend what is defendable. Scientists dont get together and say “well this evolution stuff makes no sense but lets stick with it just to piss off the christians” ……there is no conspiracy.
I also dislike the practice of telling people that if they dont believe as you do they will burn in hell for all eternity its akin to our Islamic fundamentalist friends who say, believe as we do or we will fly planes into your buildings. Should i convert out of fear?
I consider myself a good person, i pay my taxes, give to charity, help other people, i give blood, i even get up for the old dears on the bus, I try my best to be a good human being even though i dont think i would be punished if i didnt. Its my belief that this should be enough for any God worthy of that title.
Posted by Moose on May 28, 2009 at 10:55 pm
“It is only the fool who says their is no God.”
well, i’ll agree with that bit, if nothing else.
any sensible person would know the difference between “their” and “there” and the correct way to use either homonym, so it’s true to say that only the fool says “their is no God”, anyone literate would say “there is no God”, and they’d be right about that too.
Posted by Durzal on May 29, 2009 at 12:48 am
As you may have seen my post was rather large so forgive any grammatical errors, the blog doesn’t have an edit function which I normally use to make correction.
It’s typical however that because your argument is so poor your only recourse was to criticise my grammar…really…. is that all you have?
Posted by Durzal on May 29, 2009 at 1:57 am
Where you actually refering to my post?… cos i cant seem to find the offending article, mind you i did find others like denie should be deny (i think) but regardless its probably best to argue on opinions not grammar, no matter how bad it is.
Posted by Atheroma on May 28, 2009 at 11:52 pm
So, “the agenda of the militant atheist is to impregnate children’s minds with the assumption that there is no God.”
But how about…
“the agenda of the fundamentalist christian is to impregnate children’s minds with the assumption that there is a God.”
I’m an atheist, but I’m not militant. The only militancy I can see on this site comes from the fundamentalists. I don’t care if YOU believe, really I don’t. But I will not have you passing off these unsubstantiated fairy tales as “The Truth”, and thats why I get involved. If you can prove it’s all true, fair enough, but you can’t.