Are Christians deluded, ignorant, stupid?

I love you.

I'm not a biologist. I don't fear it, it's just not my thing. I've read books by biologists defending creation and intelligent design, but of course atheists discount that. Every argument they can level at us, we could level back at them. For whatever good that would do.

There are many different ways to be intelligent. Literary, artistic, mathematical, philosophical, linguistic, musical, biological... how many schools of thought and degrees do we have available to us? Who decided that atheistic science is king? Or benevolent? Or without hypocrisy? Has research never been faked? Is there no corruption and greed in our pharmaceutical companies?

Science itself is not to be feared or loathed, but in the wrong hands it is as closed minded and dogmatic as any form of religion they so vehemently despise.

Who decided that science wielded by atheists is somehow neutral and to be agreed upon by everyone, thus the only consideration in an argument with a Christian? If I am to learn their language in order to see their point, why is it unreasonable to expect that they learn a little of mine?

Should we all learn rudimentary science? Sure. Should we all learn reading comprehension skills (that include how to interpret text within a context)? Sure.

They generally don't like my answers about who created God where I appeal to the fact that our natural laws are such that something does not come from nothing, therefore we (and our natural laws) had to be created by Someone outside our natural laws. That's laughable and ridiculous.

But then they want to take scriptures from different passages, written to different people at different times and they're so proud of themselves for finding "discrepancies." UGH!

Thanks for the encouragement. And for letting me rant!

Science research the truth but has never claimed to have found it. As you said, evolution is the best model that we have at the moment and as most scientific models it does not explain everything and has certainly many flaws. Even with imperfect model we can get some clues and do great things, for instance planes have been first flying without good understanding of fluid dynamics, over time models have become better along with plane performance. This is what science is about: discovering more and more pieces of thruth and making links and hypothesis for the rest based on logic and any type of supernatural belief has no place. Now, I'm atheist and I admit I have not read the reference you mentioned. I however respect everyone's belief and expect the same from others. I can often read on Y! answer that atheists are fools, well in this case I react the same way as you do: why aren't you understanding of other's belief?

Now my personal view is that God exists but only in people's mind (i.e. mankind has created it), and I think this is respectable and is not linked to ignorance but rather family values (in my bad days, I also refer to this as brainwashing since children have different religion from parents only in rare occasion) and personal experience. In my case, I come from a Cristian family but have not been taught any idea of God during my chidhood, the result is that I don't have any need to believe in anything related to God, I don't need to be "saved" or anything, I'm pretty happy with myself and I'm trying to be honest and kind with people around me. I also know that I'm going to die and that there is nothing after that but that's the way it has always been and I don't have any problem with that. I don't like to see "religious" people being dishonest or mean and knowing that they think that since they are going to church it's OK or seeing someone doing something good in hope to go to Heaven. I think this is not a healthy attitude.

I can't say that I have the education that you have... but I have been "dead" before and returned here. (So, have over 13 million other people.)

Being human is like spiritual amnesia.

Religion is humanity trying to explain the unexplainable.

If it weren't for religions, Atheists wouldn't exist.

God being UNconditional LOVE, while here we are in this conditional reality trying to make it ONE thing or the OTHER.... as if humans control whether or not God is real? Hah.

Do I believe in Jesus? Yes.

If God had come as a woman at that time, would anyone have listened?

Do you remember the 2nd day of 2nd grade at 2 o'clock? No?

Does that mean it didn't happen? No?

Well then, do you suppose you COULD have FORGOTTEN where you came from?

The key is, God doesn't forget you.

Humans get so caught up in the illusion of this reality, some of them forget that the body is a TOOL to experience this reality..... this is quite the Xbox game really.

Jesus is God being human.... "Here watch me...." To be human AND KNOW WHO YOU ARE EXACTLY....

No matter what happens to you "here"... LIFE/GOD IS.

Choose whatever religion serves you to be the best version of LOVE you can be... or no religion, for that matter.

Allow others the freedom to decide for themselves..

Some people are happy being lost..... until they are not.

Heaven is like going HOME after being gone so long you forgot you left.... and God is watching you be forgetful the entire time here.

We are not required to understand it all. Would sort of ruin the illusion of being able to forget yourself.

If life were a number line of NEGATIVE and POSITIVE energy, JESUS is the ZERO.... everything that is GOOD that experienced all the BAD.

The one number that is part of the entire infinity of numbers without changing any "number's" free will to experience itself.

Some are, most are not - but that goes for the population at large as well.

If Christians are deluded, then it is entirely voluntary, no one is forcing anyone to be a Christian. Those who think otherwise have a wrong concept of what Christianity is about.

In fact, having been on Answers for a week or so, I am coming to think that a lot of atheism is really a reaction against what Christianity is percieved to represent. For example I've seen more than one statement that "Christianity is all about fear" - what utter rubbish. Just because an individual thinks that, it doesn't mean that it's true. If that individual is disabused of his misconceptions and still holds to them, then I would ask - who is the deluded one?

While I accept that a large number of atheists have genuine problems with any concept of a supreme being there remains a significant number who think that there might be a God after all, don't like the idea and are in denial. It is second group who protest the loudest, as thier problem is primarily with Christians and Christianity who are a constant reminder of the doubts that they have about their chosen path.

I'm not an athiest, and I just stumbled across Aquinas the other day; very profound, but my christians friends don't have much of an intellectual foundation for thier beliefs any more or less so than the atheists. They simply repeat what they have been told.

My biggest problem with religion is the fact that people do not truly STUDY thier religion. I still have not met a Christian who will agree that there are 2 creation stories in Genisis.

If you haven't read the first 2 chapters of the holy book then how can you call yourself christians. And how many times (in proverbs especially) does the bible implore us to SEEK KNOWLEDGE/WISDOM

Stupid Christians

I am Christian, but I have to wonder why in recorded history we have not seen any animal in an evolutionary state? More & more archilogical digs support biblical history. Gen. 1,1 "The earth was without form & void". The word "was" should be translated became. It is no secret that the earth is millions of years old, and the 'big bang' sounds like what God said(He made something from nothing). Job 40 talks about the behemoth which sounds like a dinosuor to me. There is so much info in the bible that it is hard to put all the pieces together; Many books were not put in the bible, and there are many translation errors. 2 Peter 3,8 Says not to be ignorant of the fact that one day with God is as a thousand years with man. That is also stated in the old testament, but I can't remember where. So, that means it took 6 thousand years to us & 6 days for God to create the world anew. There is a place for science & religion. God tried to tell us most things, however, we are the ones who don't or can't get it.

Many of the so-called atheists who frequently harp on Christianity being a religion of fools or whatnot are generally teenagers who either have not performed much research on the subject and are merely parroting what they hear from friends or odd sources. Generally, I do not take this type seriously, at all. Most grow up and out of it.

The more intelligent and clever "atheists" I have spoken with, actually, consider themselves LaVey Satanists. They at least are not only able to formulate ideas and well-constructed arguments, but also manage to do a decent job of defending their ultra-atheist fanaticism. Interestingly enough, the very few Traditional Satanists that I have had the pleasure of speaking with consider atheists "unwitting sheep of a backwards philosophy," and think much the same of their LaVey Satanist counterparts. (Traditional Satanists tend to incorporate an odd mix of basic by-the-book Christian beliefs with a strongly Satanic purpose - the Black Goat Cabal and the ONA are two major groups. Unlike the regular non-Satanist atheists, they tend to be older and far more mature.)

But, I find that despite whom is attacking Christianity at any given time - whether the common run-of-the-mill atheist, or a self-professing Satanist, or whatever - that there is a wealth of spiritual and argumentative debate ammunition to be easily found. I strongly recommend reading the works of various Christian apologists who set out extremely impressive arguments for the basic, by-the-Book Christian doctrine - such as Francis Schaeffer. With the words and debates of the numerous apologists in your mind, you will be hard-pressed to find an atheist who can befuddle you, and - believe me - once you finish chatting with them, the last thing that they will think of you is that you are "ignorant" or "stupid."

Best of luck.

Again, like nearly every "believer" you think the opposite of evolution is the invisible man theory. Sorry pal, also, whipping out your accreditation means nothing to me. I am sure your fellow believers are happy but I am thoroughly unimpressed with your assertions. "They don't realize religion is ad hoc to the science world" ?? What does that mean? Are you saying that evolution is tailored to suit non believers? Lastly, demanding that I read thinkers that you find agreement in before I answer is another b.s. move on your part. Are you looking for spirited intellectual debate or are you just telling me to shut up befor I speak?

Some are deluded, some are ignorant and some are stupid. But most Christians fall outside any of these categories. I am a Christian, and I am not deluded nor ignorant. I may be stupid to some people, especially those who find it impossible to extend their knowledge beyond empiricism.

I base my non-belief of god on the bible (because all I see is nonsense), and the fact that people have been creating gods although out history.

"Floating" space matter is a fact, and is more believable than a magic being that created earth out of loneliness and boredom. IF THERE WERE A GOD, WHY WOULD HE BOTHER WITH MAKING ASTEROID'S?

Just because i don't know how life formed, doesn't mean I'm going to follow your god, just because you say he did it, when believers can't prove his existence any more than (I personally) can prove evolution.