Is time spent debating God with atheists a waste of time?

Debating, yes.

Countering their arguments, no.

What's the difference? Debating is engaging them in discourse. Countering is dismissing them as irrelavent.

Debating, yes. There is really no debate. Those that know God and the truth has indeed set them free are only arguing. and I think that we need not stir up this spirit. When people of faith are asking questions in the religion & Spirituality section, I think it is rather rude when a person of no belief tries to be-rate or be-little that person that asked the question.Infact I really can not see any reason for an atheists to want to answer any question unless they are asked one in this section. After all they don't believe at all in this section! Thus indeed I belive that this of course is the anti-Christ spirit attacking all the belivers in this section. I belive that we need to be armed with our sword of truth, but we need to also show love and understanding because they may not want to admitt it but they are seeking for the truth also. So we should be an example of Christ to them. Not an example of the very spirit they are showing toward us, hate!

sometimes having a debate (this applies to anything not only religion) can open both peoples eyes. Did Christ not teach compassion and is the god of love in proof of his sacrifice to cleanse our sins? Then cant you speak to an atheist with love. Tom me someone who speaks from the heart makes a person much more receptive than the in your face im right/youre wrong type. Maybe your conversation wont have an impact and maybe years from know they will remember.

The #1 plan for discussing god with an atheist, have your FACTS in order. just saying christs said "blah blah blah" and having no way to back it up make your belifs seem shaky

They're not closed at all. But imagine what would happen if every chimera dreamed up by this or that primitive thinker or fantasist had to be entertained just because "someone" believed it. Take a trip through the multiple texts, from the various religions (other than your own), that ALWAYS use this cop-out.

And we have absolutely no problem with you limiting yourselves to those "whose hearts are open to the Spirit and the Message." Just stay away from my children's education.

No. A good conversation about any topic stimulates the brain.

As far as your bible quotes are concerned, think about Matt 13:10-17 for a second. Wasn't Jesus's job to walk around and show all of man kind the glory of God and Heaven? That quote says he talked in riddles so only a few people would get the message. Can you say oxymoron?

Jesus was a friend to the non-believers and He walked among them. I care for the atheists and the non-believers and my faith is strong in Christ Jesus. His meanings of those parables were eventually given to the disciples so they could understand. As far as the non-believers and atheists are concerned I am speaking in parables. They believe me to be crazy and insane and quite often call me ignorant. Jesus said I would be hated for His name so I take no offense at whatever they say. I love them and tell them about Jesus. They are curious about Christians or they would not be on this site. I am a very enthusiastic and optimistic person. Many people get to reap the harvest, but I get to water and plant. Bless you my dear brother.

Man created God so he could be immortal. Religion does lots of good, but much more harm than good with all the killing and perverts in the church.

Over time man has created many Gods for one reason or another, but mainly because he did not want to die or have the ones he loves die. He then has tried to kill those who worship the same God in a different way. Man created God. The church and God bring a positive benefit to our lives, but he only exist in out spirit and mind.

Perhaps each of the ten plagues was presented to demonstrate the ineffectiveness of each of the Egyptian ten god’s. Osiris was the Egyptian god of the Nile. The Egyptians believed that Osiris gave life and sustenance to the people because the Nile itself was the vital life-source of ancient Egypt. The first plague was Blood. The waters of the Nile turned to the symbol of death, blood. That was a sign of G-d’s superiority over Osiris.

The name of the Pharaoh at the time of the Exodus was Amenophis, more commonly called Amenhotep. His son and successor, Akenaten, did away with the Egyptian collection of gods and taught a monotheistic religion throughout the land. That God was the SUN!

Christ said "Go ye into every nation, and preach onto every kindred tongue and spirit"

This is a clear call to missionary work, and, whilst we actively engage in dialogue with those whose minds and spirits are willing, we are none the less commanded to reach those who are closed on the issue. After all, the decision to accept the Lord cannot be forced onto anybody.

I don't think its a waste of time. After all, regardless of the response from the main person you speak with, you never know when someone listening into the talk might have an idea planted that will bear fruit later.

If you discuss issues plainly. clearly, and without resort to personal attacks, then the effect of your debate may be far-reaching... you just never know

I have yet to see any "debate" on here between atheists and christians. I see an awful lot of regurgitating of platitudes, an awful lot of superstitious myth, for which there is no evidence, stated as fact...and an awful lot of closed-minded recitation of a discredited holy book. But no debate -- at least on the side of the christians.

For example...above you state, "didn't christ himself..." then you quote the gospel of Matthew. Matthew never met jesus, and his gospel was written somewhere between 30 and 50 years after jesus' supposed death. So how can Matthew have written jesus' words, since he never heard them? There's no evidence, and a very low probability, that anything Matthew wrote ever came out of jesus' mouth. Yet you assume that what Matthew wrote came from "christ himself," without any evidence showing that's correct, and considerable evidence showing that to be very unlikely. How is a debate possible with people who ignore facts so completely?

I'd welcome a "debate" with any christian...never had one be able to have one yet, though. They have no evidence to back up their assumptions, their myths fail every test of logic and reason, yet they cling to them as absolute truth despite a mountain of evidence showing they're wrong. That's not a debate -- that's dogma. It's engaging in a battle of wits with unarmed people...somewhat amusing, but not very intellectually stimulating, and certainly not "debate."

Peace.

To a point yes. Nobody but God can change someones heart so nagging really only fuses the issue (we should share our beliefs and testimony but not nag). Instead we Christians should be praying for the nonbelievers.