Chirstianity - Why do you beleive?

truthseeker_13 · Post by **truthseeker_13** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 12:04 am

Hi
I'm an atheist. I'm just wondering how you (christians) can believe something so clearly false and contradicting? I'm an avid believer in science, but i don't think that science tells me not to believe in god or anything, i just don't see how its possible to believe in somthing like god? Is it the bible? The bible is riddled with contradictions, so if some parts are wrong (if two parts contradict, one or both must be wrong), how do you know that the rest isisn't

Also, how can you support a rereligionhat does what it does, (now don't get me wrong here, iI'mtotally not allabellinghristians or anything like that, so don't kill me lol), but christianity has rreallydished out some $hi-|- in the past. I mean, your faith preaches love and forgiving, but also the destruction of non-bbelievers Christianity spread across europe and burned the ancient sites of its people, (my celtic ancestors being some of them), and erected cchurchesin their places. Christians burned witches in salem and even inspires hate crimes today. How can god allow this to happen?

Even these days, christians believe it is there duty to send its disciples into isolated, preserved civilizations on the few last remaining ffrontiersof civilization and forever spoil them, destroying some of the last vestigiments of unique culture around the world. And in these places, generally quality of life decreases by 87.9% statistically. If they were living fine on their own, but the word of god brings them suffering, how can god be benevolent and forgiving or even real?

Again, this is not an attack on christianity, I'm just looking for contrasting views.

bernee51 · Post by **bernee51** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 6:11 am

hannahjoy wrote:No, I do not mean like that. That is not what I said.
I never said it was right to force people to "convert" before providing for their material needs. I never said material needs were not important. I never said dying of starvation was not a horrible thing.
I only said . . .
From a Christian perspective, giving the Gospel is "assistance for those in need" - a far more desperate need than food or shelter.
You have called me selfish, self-obsessed, immoral, verging on the criminal, disgusting, and elitist. You have basically said that I deserve to be tried as a war criminal, based on that one statement.
Please explain explain what it is about that statement that causes you to respond that way. I am trying to maintain a respectful discussion, but at present it is very difficult.

Hannah Joy

Actually Hannahjoy I said I found the attitude to be as I described. I'm sorry if I came across as strident...it's just that the words I saw expressed seemed to fit very well with the actions of the so-called christians in Tamil Nadu.

I live and work in India and see more poverty, starvation and homelessness in a single day than the average westerner will witness in their entire life. For me it is personal.

bernee51 · Post by **bernee51** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 6:14 am

seventil wrote: Bernee, I hope you don't judge Christians as a whole on the acts of a few. It's like the whole Hitler was an atheist argument.

I try very hard to treat all people equally Seventil - I pay no heed to the colour of their skin or their religious beliefs. Words and actions tell more than a professed adherence to a particular system of belief (or non-belief)

Piper Plexed · Post by **Piper Plexed** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 7:37 am

I had a bit of trouble with the link, though found the article...

Villagers furious with Christian Missionaries:

[India News]: Samanthapettai, Jan 16 : Rage and fury has gripped this tsunami-hit tiny Hindu village in India's southern Tamil Nadu after a group of Christian missionaries allegedly refused them aid for not agreeing to follow their religion.

Samanthapettai, near the temple town of Madurai, faced near devastation on the December 26 when massive tidal waves wiped it clean of homes and lives.

Most of the 200 people here are homeless or displaced , battling to rebuild lives and locating lost family members besides facing risks of epidemic,disease and trauma.

Jubilant at seeing the relief trucks loaded with food, clothes and the much-needed medicines the villagers, many of who have not had a square meal in days, were shocked when the nuns asked them to convert before distributing biscuits and water.

Heated arguments broke out as the locals forcibly tried to stop the relief trucks from leaving. The missionaries, who rushed into their cars on seeing television reporters and the cameras refusing to comment on the incident and managed to leave the village.

Disappointed and shocked into disbelief the hapless villagers still await aid.

"Many NGOs (volunteer groups) are extending help to us but there in our village the NGO, which was till now helping us is now asking us to follow the Christian religion. We are staunch followers of Hindu religion and refused their request. And after that these people with their aid materials are leaving the village without distributing that to us," Rajni Kumar, a villager said.

The incident is an exception to concerted charity in a catastrophe that has left no one untouched.(ANI)
Source

I was thankful to read the last line

, I still wish I knew what group was involved.

ENIGMA · Post by **ENIGMA** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 3:17 pm

seventil wrote: On behalf of every Christian out there I say that what the missionaries did was wrong.

Apparently not every Christian... seeing as how the charity had enough "good Christian" support to behave so atrociously.

Jesus and Christianity teach helping anyone, even your worst enemy.

Fig Trees and Pharisees being the popular exceptions.

Not helping someone because they do not believe in Christianity is asinine, immoral, unethical, unBiblical and just flat out wrong.

I agree with you on about 4 of the 5 points.

Bernee, I hope you don't judge Christians as a whole on the acts of a few. It's like the whole Hitler was an atheist argument.

No, because Hitler was demonstatably not an atheist, and quite actually made a number of statements and did a number of actions which would indicate that he was a Christian.

I would know because my first post to the forum was on that topic.

keltzkroz · Post by **keltzkroz** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 7:52 pm

ENIGMA wrote: No, because Hitler was demonstatably not an atheist, and quite actually made a number of statements and did a number of actions which would indicate that he was a Christian.

I would know because my first post to the forum was on that topic.

Now, I don't know if Hitler was an atheist or a Christian, but let me ask you: What makes a person Christian? Is Hitler a Christian? Is his god the God of Christians? Would you know if he was deceived by the Deceiver?

ENIGMA · Post by **ENIGMA** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 9:54 pm

keltzkroz wrote: Now, I don't know if Hitler was an atheist or a Christian, but let me ask you: What makes a person Christian?

Belief in the (or should I say a?) Christian God, and general desire to do said deity's will. The rest depends on one's theology.

Is Hitler a Christian?

Not anymore. Having no biological functioning is a significant impediment to fufilling the above criteria.

He certainly wasn't an atheist, seeing as how atheists don't close down atheist meeting groups or have "God is With Us" embedded on the belt buckles of their soldiers.

Is his god the God of Christians?

He certainly seemed to think so, as do many Christians with mutually conflicting beliefs about said deity.

Would you know if he was deceived by the Deceiver?

Would you know if you were? Would the disciples know if they were?

Are you sure that God can't keep you out of the loop with regard to any inspiration he might give to certain genocidal maniacs?

keltzkroz · Post by **keltzkroz** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 11:29 pm

You certainly make use of your right to believe what you want to believe, and I do too. One last thing, have you ever been in a dream where you thought you were awake? Just something I like to think about.