Do you not understand that belief cannot be forced?
I see lots of questions talking about how I should believe, but do people not realize I can't simply decide to honestly believe?
I cannot wake up tomorrow and decide I genuinely believe the sky is green, for example. I really don't believe in god due to the lack of evidence/reasoning that I've found to be substantial.
If you do believe in god you either have different standards of evidence then me or have seen evidence I have not. Its as silly telling me I should decide to repent to your deity as it is to tell you to decide to repent to the Council of Unicorns, you don't believe in it, you can't simply decide that you genuinely believe in them and can therefore repent, you'd need reasoning/evidence in favor of it.
This isn't meant to be insulting, and I apologies if it is, its an effort to try to reach a shared understanding on why this line of argument/questioning does not work and will not work. Comments? Thoughts? Is this understood?
Toni Lee2011-11-19T10:22:39Z
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you definitely make sense! we need to focus on showing people the evidence, rather than just telling them its true, believe! your are exactly right, this is a dumb strategy lol. us Christians need to be more understanding and respectful of people
I do most sincerely understand a belief can not be forced. You must follow what you want to follow, most people( not all ) who are "religious" (any religion across the world, strange why is there not only one that's another story) were indoctrinated when they were a small child FACT.
Going to church with the parents on a Sunday, having to be seen by all and sundry going there ,being there, coming back from there, even some making sure others saw what they put in on the offering plate (or bag),.
Then having religion rammed down their throats at school, then going to the church club more teachings then games, then being a member of the choir because parents said, no wonder I and others said jesus enough is enough, I will follow what I want to follow, and this I did when I was out of my parents influence, this to me wasn't religious jail, it was the norm in those days.
You follow what you want to follow, yes get advice from "learned people", look at all avenues, but if someone says to you God said to them you are fallen but you can be saved or any nonsense like it , call him/her a liar and do not follow that Religion that has liars as spokesperson.
If God wants you ,he will tell you (not Mystic Meg, clergy or others), only you and you will know. By the way if an Athiest is what you are/remain then that's absolutely 100% fine, and here's the facts why!
In God's eyes we are all equal no matter what (and it's not for any human comment, only God's), and we are all his children (forever) as it is written (OK by men, women were not allowed to contribute, it may have softened things) thousands of years ago.
Really good luck, think carefully , follow your heart.
They also seem to not understand the teachings of their own religion, especially Christians. According to Christian theology, it's not enough to simply believe in God. A theist who doesn't believe in Jesus is no different than an atheist, according to the bible. But the Christians who say "Why can't you just believe?" are forgetting that part. Unless of course the Christians are fine with atheists becoming Muslims. I seriously doubt that would be the case with most Christians on this board.
I understand, even the Bible states that "Faith is not a possession of all people." 2 Thes 3:2 However I have seen and experienced evidence of God-therefore I believe.
I have asked this before - so many theists say things like 'simply accept Jesus as your saviour and repent sincerely' and I wonder how anyone can expect me to simply accept an entity with no evidence for his existence at all and sincerely repent of all the stuff I do not believe is wrong - premarital sex for example. How could I force myself to believe in any one of the endless parade of gods with nothing to make any of them remotely likely and how do you force your morality to change - in addition to repenting of things like consensual sex you have to condone things like sending everyone of different beliefs to be tortured for eternity in Hell? Who can do that?