Does anyone else feel out numbered?

achilles12604 · Post by **achilles12604** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 1:00 am

Its funny. According to the stats, there are more christians on this site than atheists. But from the posting on the forums it sure doesn't feel that way. I feel out numbered. Anyone else feel this way? Why do you suppose there arn't more Christian apologists? Are they busy doing good deeds or do you think they simply stopped caring?

joer · Post by **joer** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 12:03 am

otseng wrote:
Intrepidman wrote:I wonder how the owner of this forum could possible negate the Word of God as authoritative, yet the guesses of the lab-coated ones are considered gospel. I thought this forum would be different.
When debating among Christians, the Bible is certainly considered authoritative. But I think it's pretty obvious that when debating non-Christians, it would not be authoritative. It would be similar to debating a Muslim and the Christian to accept the Koran as being authoritative.

Intrepidman, I think otseng has made a very crucial observation. If you compare this site to a Christian Only site your comment would make a lot more sense. At an Atheist Only site, they would harass and ridicule you outta Dodge.

But HERE there is truly an opportunity to reach out to Our brothers and sisters of ALL persuations. This following is from the Bible Intrepidman. What does this quote of Our Master's words mean to you, here in the Holy Huddle Room where the Bible is respected for the Truths it contains?

New American Standard Bible (Â©1995)
John 10:16
"I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.

John 10:12
"He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.

John 10:15
even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

God's Peace and Love be with you Intrepidman and bless you for your willingness to reach out to other sheep.

Intrepidman · Post by **Intrepidman** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 6:48 pm

otseng wrote:
Intrepidman wrote:I wonder how the owner of this forum could possible negate the Word of God as authoritative, yet the guesses of the lab-coated ones are considered gospel. I thought this forum would be different.
When debating among Christians, the Bible is certainly considered authoritative. But I think it's pretty obvious that when debating non-Christians, it would not be authoritative. It would be similar to debating a Muslim and the Christian to accept the Koran as being authoritative.

I have no problem with the bible not being considered authoritative for the purposes of this forum. What I do have a problem with is that the guesses of the lab-coated ones is considered the defacto authority. Logic is already biased against spiritual matters by design. So, the Christians are fighting with both hands tied behind their backs, so to speak.

For example, the 'fossil record'. All we know is that there appears to be the remains of critters in layers of rock. Everything else about that is a guess. However, on this forum those guesses appear to be authoritative.

But, then again, it's your forum to do what you like with.

Intrepidman · Post by **Intrepidman** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 7:25 pm

joer wrote:
otseng wrote:
Intrepidman wrote:I wonder how the owner of this forum could possible negate the Word of God as authoritative, yet the guesses of the lab-coated ones are considered gospel. I thought this forum would be different.
When debating among Christians, the Bible is certainly considered authoritative. But I think it's pretty obvious that when debating non-Christians, it would not be authoritative. It would be similar to debating a Muslim and the Christian to accept the Koran as being authoritative.
Intrepidman, I think otseng has made a very crucial observation. If you compare this site to a Christian Only site your comment would make a lot more sense. At an Atheist Only site, they would harass and ridicule you outta Dodge.

But HERE there is truly an opportunity to reach out to Our brothers and sisters of ALL persuations. This following is from the Bible Intrepidman. What does this quote of Our Master's words mean to you, here in the Holy Huddle Room where the Bible is respected for the Truths it contains?

New American Standard Bible (Â©1995)
John 10:16
"I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.

John 10:12
"He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.

John 10:15
even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

God's Peace and Love be with you Intrepidman and bless you for your willingness to reach out to other sheep.

Well, first of all, I'm not a shepherd (that's Jesus) I'm a sheep.

Matthew 10:14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
15 Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

Not everyone is a sheep. There are sheep, and there are goats. There are those who wish eternal separation from God, and those that wish to be with God forever. Which ever you want, you get. God even determines who is a sheep, and a goat, which is a scary thing.

How do you tell a sheep? A goat? I wish I knew. There are sheep that act like goats, and goats that act like sheep. I wish I had some magic way of detecting the goats that want to be sheep. God says, "Trust me". That's easy for Him to say. He knows the end from the beginning.

Even Jesus was cheating, of a sorts, because He knew everything He was going to do, and how it was going to end up. I don't have that luxury.

What I can tell is that there are 2 kinds of goats, those that are curious, and those that are hostile. The curious ones I can deal with. The hostile ones are not worth one picosecond of my time. Yet, the irony is that I used to be one of those hostile ones. I'm such a hypocrite.

joer · Post by **joer** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 11:29 pm

16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
Not everyone is a sheep. There are sheep, and there are goats. There are those who wish eternal separation from God, and those that wish to be with God forever. Which ever you want, you get. God even determines who is a sheep, and a goat, which is a scary thing.

How do you tell a sheep? A goat? I wish I knew. There are sheep that act like goats, and goats that act like sheep. I wish I had some magic way of detecting the goats that want to be sheep. God says, "Trust me". That's easy for Him to say. He knows the end from the beginning.

Even Jesus was cheating, of a sorts, because He knew everything He was going to do, and how it was going to end up. I don't have that luxury.

What I can tell is that there are 2 kinds of goats, those that are curious, and those that are hostile. The curious ones I can deal with. The hostile ones are not worth one picosecond of my time. Yet, the irony is that I used to be one of those hostile ones. I'm such a hypocrite.

I like this one Intrepidman:
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. [/b]

Such a sweet command. we must not give up on to easily IMHO.

We not worry about goats and sheep. It is clear from Our masters teachings it IS NOT UPON US to judge. That judgement even Christ defers to God. Our responsibility is clearly to treat all as if they are our brothers. If we are sheep then ALL are our brother and sister sheep. For God did not make one to be a goat and another to be a sheep. WE CHOOSE THAT designation. So to follow our Master's greatest commandment to Love God with our whole being and to Love ALL our brothers and sisters as God Loves us. IS OUR ONE AND ONLY JOB. We love all and God judges, Not us. We don't need to judge and by NOT DOING SO we avoid being Hypocrites.

That's the WAY it looks to me. But I know many others have many more perspectives. I just Love them all and I know I can't go wrong by doing just that.

God's Peace be with you. And Peace to ALL at this site.

scottlittlefield17 · Post by **scottlittlefield17** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 3:43 pm

I would agree, it is rare I ever get backed up by another Christian in my postings.

joer · Post by **joer** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 2:47 am

scottlittlefield17 wrote:I would agree, it is rare I ever get backed up by another Christian in my postings.

IÂ´ll back you up brother as soon as a i get back from Mexico and start posting again.

scottlittlefield17 · Post by **scottlittlefield17** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 10:55 am

Maybe I don't get backed up because I take positions nobody is willing to back me up on!

Jester · Post by **Jester** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 8:49 pm

scottlittlefield17 wrote:Maybe I don't get backed up because I take positions nobody is willing to back me up on!

I can't say I know your positions personally (I don't get around the site as much as I'd like), but I think even Christians are often guilty of thinking that we all agree on most things just because we follow Christ. I've had many the awkward moment over that assumption.

In any case, I think that most of us, theist and non-theist alike, feel pretty alone on issues. We spend the bulk of our time interacting with those with whom we disagree. For my part, I almost never comment on the posts that have already said what I was thinking.

So, in a nutshell, I think most all of us feel your pain.

Biker · Post by **Biker** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 1:02 pm

I love being outnumbered.

If any of you need some backing or you feel overwhelmed PM me and I will jump in. Don't let them get you down, have confidence knowing that Jesus is with you. So am I. I notice that christians are outnumbered usually in debate, unbelievers seem to like to gang up. Most of the time we (christians) don't realize you are getting ganged up on, since we are to busy getting ganged up on ourselves. I think it is preoccupation with our own crises management in our own topic thread. So, I would say lets start PMing each other more.

Biker

scottlittlefield17 · Post by **scottlittlefield17** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 5:37 pm

Sounds good biker. Do the same to me.