A question for my Christian friends. Do you ‘get’ atheists yet?

I understand; the best comparison I've been able to make is that two people can look at the same painting and one can see a great work of art and the other can see just splotches of color. One person's life can be transformed by the event, the other is bored or even offended. The person who sees the great work of art is saddened the other doesn't see it. The one who doesn't see it can't believe his friend has been so taken in.

It's taken me a long time to come to that conclusion though; part of growing up is realizing that just because something seems obvious to one doesn't mean it's obvious to everyone else, but that doesn't make either bad or stupid.

Because I don't hate Christians. You know how you like to say, "I hate the sin not the sinner". Well right back at ya, "I don't hate people, I simply despise intolerance towards others". Especially if it is born out of willful ignorance. There a difference between Christians and Christianity. The prior are people and the latter is a divisive and disrespectful intolerant creed. Sorry, but that is the way I see it and the hate filled fundies are proof of that, because they follow the Bible the most literally. Edit: "Do you not see it is because of Christian dominated nations you can be atheist and have freedom of speach and democracy without being prosecuted like Islamic nations" The delusion runs much deeper than what is in the black book. Do you seriously believe that BS? I think you need to read up on the "Dark Ages" when a THEOCRACY ruled the people. An atheist would be burned at the stake if they admitted they didn't believe. New Flash! you live in a SECULAR nation and that is why we both have freedom to believe as we wish. Just remember that doesn't include intolerant beliefs that you act upon.

Me personally I can respect Aetheist and understand where they are coming from, however I don't like when they disrespect Christians and say that we are closed minded and we refer everything to the bible. That is not true. There are some things about Aeithiest that I dont understand...1.) If they dont believe in God, why do they go to church? 2) If they dont believe in God why do they say "Oh my God"?, 3) I dont understand why they try to explain the ten comandments or anything in the bible without studying it first.

Me personally i believe in Miracles. Its not just something we pull out of the bible. I personally teach from experience. The prophecies i read about in the bible come true in life. I believe in spirits, heaven and hell.

Your examples about the blind and the deaf are irrellivant to me (no disrespect) becuase the blind and deaf have no way of seeing or hearing and its not under their control. Aethist have the ability to believe they just choose not to. There is a difference its like telling someone who's wearing sunglasses to look at something but they say they cant see it but when they remove the dark glasses they see what im talking about

I hope this answered your question...e=mail me if you want i like these types of disscussions.

There are many reasons as to why people declare that they are Atheists. Some just do not see the proof they were looking for. They may not have met the right individual that could explain things the way it would make the most sense to them.

Some have been badly damaged by corrupt ministries and dysfunctional religious upbringing.

I think a lot of it stems from the fact that many Atheists were told what they were allowed to believe. It was forced upon them. Instead of being shown the beauty of the religious life, they were shown that it could be used as a weapon of hatred.

They were led away, turned away, or repulsed away from it. That is really sad.

REPENTANCE, that's all, but I know you can say to what?

So the thing is are you blind or obstinate?

Do you Truly seek out the truth of what Faith says or dismiss it and call believers fools and idiots, You hear that a lot here, even in books like Dawkins he can't hold back his contempt for God.

One thing he does do well is point to himself as being a giant of intellectual thinking, head of the body of reason and logic, even though he is full of holes he still stands as a symbol of self pride. Yet God said the meek and humble shall inherit the earth, so Pride in your thinking becomes clear when you say I know God is not real (when you don't) and everyone who thinks different is deluded by a virus of the mind.

So Pride keeps you from knowing God and repentance can't happen until you acknowledge your a sinner. You can call it cruel, but you call God cruel also, but he's not nor are we, I know many atheists who would like to believe but want proof, yet this proof won't come from testing God it comes from trusting him.

So I don't know how you can come to faith and see like we do, yet there is one thing we do and that's pray for yourself and people like you that you would be given grace to see.

So Here's where hope comes in, we hope that one day you will see and repent and Hope you live in eternity with everyone else.

That said I do know wehere your coming from and know you see things different, that's why I never argue with Atheist's just accept them.

Yes. As a Christian, I understand this about atheists; that they have no faith in God, the afterlife, etc.

Similarly, I also understand, as a Christian, that those of other religions, have different faiths than I do. That is why one cannot just walk up to someone who believes differently, & bluntly tell them that what they believe is wrong.

In short, many self-proclaimed Christians do a wack-job at preaching the Gospel.

what I find amusing is how atheists like to pretend there is a correlation between education and atheism....when none of you have any education what so ever in any scientific field.... a BA in Business doesn't make you a scientist or a theology expert.... Most of you don't even understand your own arguments....

so why exactly do you get on here....I will tell you....you want to try and make yourself feel superior....

you should check out this book.... The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief

by Francis S. Collins ( Leader of the Human Genome Project....a person that has forgotten more about science than any of you will ever know....;)

Actually Athiests do need faith. Athiests typically go to evolution instead of creationism and God. Micro evolution (linear and occuring over a small period of time) has been proven but Macro evolution (branching and occuring over millions of years) has not been proven. So athiests need faith in their theories in order to not believe in God.

There is no proof for the existence of God or disproving the existence of God and a lack of proof is not proof. Subjective things like emotions or feelings do not count.

Also however corny it sounds but to me a miracle is not neccesarily inspired by God, a miracle can easily be when an alcoholic stops drinking, a child does his homework, someone holds a door open for someone else - these are miracles to me. When things happen the way they should, because so often they don't.

In some ways you are close minded, just like some theists are. The people who perhaps choose to go one way or the other but realize there is no proof for either direction are the most open minded for they are able to accept either direction when the truth finally comes out - do you see?

I'm not siding with theists but i'm just showing you that they're not completely wrong.

To be honest if God exists i think he is a rational being. To expect people to just blindly believe especially after things a person might have been in their life and without some reason isn't sometimes rash. Also there are many different religions not just a lack there of on this planet. If God exists i think that as long as a person is a good person, and what i mean by this is helping out other people not doing common sense things like killing others, stealing, etc. Then if heaven exists its still possible to be reached.

It's somewhat irrational for the only thing you need to get into heaven is believe it exists - don't you think?

For the record i do believe in God, but i won't force that on anyone. Like i said i still believe with or without belief in God a person can still make it to heaven - if it exists.

I only mentioned evolution to cover *** my basis arguments not to imply you believe in that. Whatever your beliefs are in where we go when we die require faith since ultimately we don't know.

It makes perfect sense if you are intelligent enough to notice. My favorite color is green but that doesn't mean yours is too. Now granted we may both agree that green is a perfectly fine thing too like, you may just find red more pleasant. The only way it doesn't make sense is to people that don't respect anything but what they like. I'm an ordained minister (granted im no saint) but i've dated buddhists, waccans, and atheists, and have friends of satanist, muslim, and other beliefs. We get along fine and that's because I view those belief systems as personal and respect them. Different things work for different people. Hope that helps.

From what I can tell, we do have free will, and that means that we get to make all kinds of decisions, about matters both big and small, about how we intend to live our lives. I do the best that I can to live my life by Christian principles...as I understand them...but I have no problem with other believers or atheists or anybody else who comes up with a different set of beliefs or viewpoints about those unanswered questions we all have about life. What I would like to see is more understanding, kindness and love manifested by each of us for everybody else. What's also true is that our lives are works-in-progess, and all of us have the capacity to change our minds about any part of it. Best wishes to you!