Christians, do you realize that debating with atheists doesn't really help?

[Puma]

The arrogance of "I know and you don't". I think this is a bad approach. In the case with people who do not believe in God, it is better to leave them alone. The best solution is prayer. Condemnation belongs to God. Thats his job. Giving atheists a hell sentence will do more to drive them away. Arrogance between us is like the two sides of a magnet that push each other away. According to the Bible, Jesus commanded us to love our enemies and bless those who curse us.You cannot go around preaching fire and brimestone messages to people who lack knowledge of the scriptures. They will not understand.
WOOPS! Wrong section! Oh well. I appologize.
Well, a hypocrite is a rather harsh judgement to be giving someone. Jesus called the Pharisees hypocrites, because the omitted the weightier matters of the law. They where discusted because Jesus ate with sinners, and had forgiven a prostitue. You see, atheist have just as good of chance of being forgiven as you and I. And it doesn't matter whether you hate them or not.
And there is nothing foolish about caring for other people. If you think that is foolish, then your religion is vain.
Well, interpretation of scriptures is not always the same. Religion can destroy people. So many are brought up in homes in which the scripture are misrepresented. There are people who have read the Bible but still don't view it correctly.
No problem Kool-Aid. Its good to see that you don't drink it. No harm here.
And for those who have had bad experiences with religion, I am deeply sorry that it has caused you so much trouble to turn you away from believing.
Seldon, I take it you like Astronomy. Cool! Me too! I see nothing wrong with science or astronomy. If God didn't want us to know about those things, then he wouldn't have given man the capacity to learn it to start with. But, Thats my opinion. I do not see Science as an enemy. Science is a neutral thing. Its knowledge, and there is nothing wrong with that.
Well, in Medieval times, Scientists where persecuted for saying the earth revolved around the sun. Thats flat out rediculous to persecute someone for that. I don't believe Science does anything to disprove the existance of God.
Astronomy is an interesting subject, but Obviously you studied it in college. You probably know alot more than I do. My faith is in God and I see nothing wrong with enjoying the study of his creation. Its pretty incredible.
When did I ever call you close-minded? I never said a single bad word about you. In fact, I am speaking against such things as you say I am doing.

 

[Jared]

"The arrogance of "I know and you don't"."

Wow, how shall I begin?

I don't claim to know God doesn't exist, but I choose not to believe because there is a complete and utter lack of evidence to support his alleged existence. The same goes for the gods of every other religion. Once you realize why you reject those gods, you'll realize why I reject yours.

You, on the other hand, ignore all the contradictions in the Bible, and all scientific data that conflicts with it, to believe in a god that has absolutely no logical evidence for existing. Meanwhile, you accept this entire book that reads like a massive fairy tale as an infallible truth without question.

It's you who claims to know, and we whom do not. You claim to know that this God exists and that the Bible is his infallible word, and that we unbelievers are wrong - that 'we don't know.'

We don't claim to know. We choose not to have faith in a higher power, which is something unprovable. I believe that this is a lot more humble than claiming to know the ultimate truth of the universe based on a 2-milleniums-old book, itself having been derived from even earlier pagan religions and edited over 14,400 times throughout history.

And you have the nerve to call atheists closed-minded. Mind-boggling.

 

[Resistance]

Yes. Well said. Thank you for your participation.