Are atheists afraid of God?

[Paul of Tarsus]

In response to Stephen Hawking's quip, "Religion is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark," apologist John Lennox said, "And atheism is a fairy story for those afraid of the light."

Do atheists fear that light aka God? I would answer no assuming I knew atheists to be completely sensible and rational in their rejection of theism, but they very often aren't sensible and rational in their unbelief. In this forum, for example, an atheist said he lost his belief in God when he realized that there are different religions. When I tried to explain to him that those conflicting faiths can be explained as some of them getting a real God wrong, well, it did me no good! It's simply illogical to conclude that God doesn't exist because some people disagree about him. His atheism is obviously based on faulty logic. What's odd about these cases involving atheists using poor reasoning to reject God is that those atheists seem quite reasonable otherwise. My guess is that they fear God and wish that he doesn't exist. Atheism is for them a sanctuary from theism and a hope that reality harbors no scary God.

[William]

On the other hand, those prepared, are told to simply shut their doors, and let the turmoil pass them by (Is 26:20).

Let's see how that advice helps when the earthquakes and volcanic eruptions strike. Not a good track record so far.

Those who don't take the advice of Yeshua, and flee from Zion and Jerusalem (Mt 24), will most likely not live. As for those in the cities who do not flee, they will probably not live either (Rev 16:18-19). As for the plague of one hundred pound hail dropping from heaven (Rev 16:21), those hail stones may represent multiple reentry capsules, which contain death and destruction. One best have an underground room to close the door on in that case. As per Rev 16:20, the earthquake seems to target mountains and islands to a certain degree. I would assume the mountain in this case could be Easter Island, which shows signs of sliding into the ocean, which will entail the east coast (Long Island) of the US being submerged under a tsunami. As for coming plagues, New York, the center of progressive abortionist, has suffered the greatest covid death rates to date. I would suspect that California is not far behind. Any room along the southern coast of California, might find itself under the ocean waves. The "big" California earthquake is already overdue by about 100 years. One should choose the location of their "room" very carefully. If you live in a progressive city, the clock is ticking, at least for those who haven't been burned out and moved already.

I hate to sound dismissive, but the average atheist will simply regard these as threats of divine retribution with no force whatsoever. When natural (or even man -made) disasters have hit, it is not evident that it hits only the wrongdoers or unbelievers, but takes out the Faithful as often as not.

Bottom line, Preaching and pulpit -thumping accomplishes nothing at all.

I disagree with your last line statement.
The evidence clearly shows that this type of post attracts a certain type of individual willing to feed the preacher by entertaining such ramblings as if there was genuine reason to do so.

In internet-speak, this is referred to as 'feeding the troll' and obviously such response is something of a show of ennui by those who do the feeding. Perhaps it simply 'can't be helped' as the opportunity presents itself...a bit of harmless fun and nothing more...?

[TRANSPONDER]

I get you. I meant that preaching and threats of divine retribution accomplishes nothing by way of making a valid and persuasive case. Of course it may serve a purpose in confirmation -bias, though I suspect it may be counter -productive if directed at those who are willing to entertain doubts and questions. I may be expecting others to be like me, but I would suppose that people like to be presented with a good argument, not preached at or threatened.

[2ndpillar2]

On the other hand, those prepared, are told to simply shut their doors, and let the turmoil pass them by (Is 26:20).

Let's see how that advice helps when the earthquakes and volcanic eruptions strike. Not a good track record so far.

Those who don't take the advice of Yeshua, and flee from Zion and Jerusalem (Mt 24), will most likely not live. As for those in the cities who do not flee, they will probably not live either (Rev 16:18-19). As for the plague of one hundred pound hail dropping from heaven (Rev 16:21), those hail stones may represent multiple reentry capsules, which contain death and destruction. One best have an underground room to close the door on in that case. As per Rev 16:20, the earthquake seems to target mountains and islands to a certain degree. I would assume the mountain in this case could be Easter Island, which shows signs of sliding into the ocean, which will entail the east coast (Long Island) of the US being submerged under a tsunami. As for coming plagues, New York, the center of progressive abortionist, has suffered the greatest covid death rates to date. I would suspect that California is not far behind. Any room along the southern coast of California, might find itself under the ocean waves. The "big" California earthquake is already overdue by about 100 years. One should choose the location of their "room" very carefully. If you live in a progressive city, the clock is ticking, at least for those who haven't been burned out and moved already.

I hate to sound dismissive, but the average atheist will simply regard these as threats of divine retribution with no force whatsoever. When natural (or even man -made) disasters have hit, it is not evident that it hits only the wrongdoers or unbelievers, but takes out the Faithful as often as not.

Bottom line, Preaching and pulpit -thumping accomplishes nothing at all.

Well, as this is a debating site focused on Christianity, and although "Christianity" is but merely a fulfillment of the prophecies of Zechariah 11 & Hosea 3, whereas it is based on the deception of the beast with two horns like a lamb, Constantine, and his two Roman church leaders, Peter and Paul, which has come to pass except for their ending/fall (Mt 7:27), the good seed (Mt 13) seems to have relevance with respect to the past and the future. As for Zechariah 12 prophecy pertaining to Judah, the Jews, crushing it's neighbors in the 1967 war, has come to pass, and the future prophecy of the Lord crushing the nations who come against Jerusalem is in the making at this point in time. Iran/Persia, boast of being able to crush Israel in a day, yet they seem to have problems on many fronts, which will eventually lead to their being crushed (Daniel 2). Israel set back Iran's nuclear bomb program by about a year, with the mere pressing of a computer key. Right now, the murderers (abortionist), liars (politicians), immoral persons, and idolaters are being set up to being excluded from the good that will eventually prevail (Rev 22:15). As for who are "Faithful", and who are not, that is the question. The tares, the lawless, of Matthew 13, followers of the false prophet Paul, the wolf in sheep's clothing (Mt 7:13-15), consider themselves righteous "Christians", yet they will be the ones who will be cast into the furnace of fire (Mt 13:30). As for the "atheist", they live in their own hell, and when the time comes, will seek their own death (Rev 9:6). The "science" now reports that after 17 years of hibernation, the "locust" are now going to awake (Rev 9:7). One can dismiss to their pleasure until they are over taken by judgment.

[TRANSPONDER]

Well, have your fun. I don't regard any of those OT quotes as really relating to the present events (though I have to agree, Israel getting its' elbows out since the 1950's is always a good one.

We shall have to disagree and I can only say that tossing OT stuff Vaguely linked to modern events is not making a case, nor is 'you'll be sorry when it happens' threats. And in short, No, we atheists are not afraid of this, even if we are worried about those who believe in this stuff getting the power to see that it happens.

[Tcg]

The "science" now reports that after 17 years of hibernation, the "locust" are now going to awake (Rev 9:7).

The Cicadas Are Coming. It’s Not an Invasion. It’s a Miracle.

After a year of weather calamities and pandemic shutdowns, people are already muttering about the apocalypse, but this, mercifully, is a natural occurrence, not a biblical plague. Cicadas are not locusts. They don’t even belong to the same order of insects as locusts. Cicadas don’t strip fields of every grain of rice or wheat, as swarming locusts do. Cicadas don’t sting, and they don’t bite. The strawlike appendage they have instead of a mouth works only for inserting into tree bark. Cicadas don’t even hurt the trees. (Not the mature trees, at any rate; saplings should be protected with cheesecloth before the cicadas emerge.)

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/10/opin ... -2021.html

Clearly, there is no reason to fear this recurring event and isn't the fulfillment of some apocalyptical tale of woe.


Tcg

[TRANSPONDER]

That's good to know. And the Chinese space - junk did after all plunge into the ocean. And - if we needed to - we could divert a threatened asteroid -strike with the technology we have now.

No, the threats we have are not from Cicadas, asteroids or even falling space -junk, but from our own thinking and it getting fed out through the internet. It's always been a problem with false information put out in a book and no way of checking. The internet has been a great benefit in providing information.

Just last night I watched a video on excavations in Lacheish. The Judean town taken by the Assyrians. Now I'd always said that the Bible only mentions an Assyrian commander coming from Lacheish before the siege of Jerusalem. It does actually say more than that. In Kings, Hezekiah actually submits to Senaccherib and agrees to pay tribute - just as the Assyrian records say. But then where does that claim that God smote the Assyrians come in? So far as I can tell, they are contradictory endings to the same siege, bur you don't know it because they are in different books of the Bible. Indeed I am 'A Student'

[JoeyKnothead]

Well, have your fun. I don't regard any of those OT quotes as really relating to the present events (though I have to agree, Israel getting its' elbows out since the 1950's is always a good one.

We shall have to disagree and I can only say that tossing OT stuff Vaguely linked to modern events is not making a case, nor is 'you'll be sorry when it happens' threats. And in short, No, we atheists are not afraid of this, even if we are worried about those who believe in this stuff getting the power to see that it happens.

"If you don't agree with me, a god I can't show exists to have him opinions I can't show he does, well he's gonna be him awful upset."

I notice how all the threats are either so vague as to be useless, or come to us after we die. At which point, I'm dead and can't come back to tell folks, "Well don't that be all, God really don't like him no gay wedding cakes."

It's just a tool to strike fear in the gullible.

[JoeyKnothead]

The "science" now reports that after 17 years of hibernation, the "locust" are now going to awake (Rev 9:7).

The Cicadas Are Coming. It’s Not an Invasion. It’s a Miracle.

After a year of weather calamities and pandemic shutdowns, people are already muttering about the apocalypse, but this, mercifully, is a natural occurrence, not a biblical plague. Cicadas are not locusts. They don’t even belong to the same order of insects as locusts. Cicadas don’t strip fields of every grain of rice or wheat, as swarming locusts do. Cicadas don’t sting, and they don’t bite. The strawlike appendage they have instead of a mouth works only for inserting into tree bark. Cicadas don’t even hurt the trees. (Not the mature trees, at any rate; saplings should be protected with cheesecloth before the cicadas emerge.)

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/10/opin ... -2021.html

Clearly, there is no reason to fear this recurring event and isn't the fulfillment of some apocalyptical tale of woe.


Tcg

Now bout that, cicadas are em a kind of locust, where they're both of em them a kind of insect.

[TRANSPONDER]

Well, have your fun. I don't regard any of those OT quotes as really relating to the present events (though I have to agree, Israel getting its' elbows out since the 1950's is always a good one.

We shall have to disagree and I can only say that tossing OT stuff Vaguely linked to modern events is not making a case, nor is 'you'll be sorry when it happens' threats. And in short, No, we atheists are not afraid of this, even if we are worried about those who believe in this stuff getting the power to see that it happens.

"If you don't agree with me, a god I can't show exists to have him opinions I can't show he does, well he's gonna be him awful upset."

I notice how all the threats are either so vague as to be useless, or come to us after we die. At which point, I'm dead and can't come back to tell folks, "Well don't that be all, God really don't like him no gay wedding cakes."

It's just a tool to strike fear in the gullible.

That's it, isn't it? If there was a god, I think it would laugh at the idea of being upset that some people who didn't know about it didn't believe in it.

'I should be so offended that I'm going to set up a system of eternal torture? Whatever sort of god they believe in that is not me. I appreciate it better that those who knew they didn't know admitted it. Do you know, I have had a few up here that refused to accept I was God because I wasn't the Christian one, particularly/'

'Really?'

'Oh, yes, we have a few enclaves with high walls built specially..'

'I think I heard this joke before.'

[2ndpillar2]

The "science" now reports that after 17 years of hibernation, the "locust" are now going to awake (Rev 9:7).

The Cicadas Are Coming. It’s Not an Invasion. It’s a Miracle.

After a year of weather calamities and pandemic shutdowns, people are already muttering about the apocalypse, but this, mercifully, is a natural occurrence, not a biblical plague. Cicadas are not locusts. They don’t even belong to the same order of insects as locusts. Cicadas don’t strip fields of every grain of rice or wheat, as swarming locusts do. Cicadas don’t sting, and they don’t bite. The strawlike appendage they have instead of a mouth works only for inserting into tree bark. Cicadas don’t even hurt the trees. (Not the mature trees, at any rate; saplings should be protected with cheesecloth before the cicadas emerge.)

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/10/opin ... -2021.html

Clearly, there is no reason to fear this recurring event and isn't the fulfillment of some apocalyptical tale of woe.


Tcg

Not so clearly, since cicadas are also called 17 year locusts. http://www.gardenersnet.com/atoz/cicada.htm The locust of Revelation 9 aren't after plants, they are after people (Rev 9:4). Apparently they caught the flue and have suffered a shuffle in DNA. Maybe some flue shots will remedy the situation, or better yet, get them some masks.