Is this an apolegetics forum?

[OpenYourEyes]

Hi. I am a new member but I have been reading topics on this forum for a year. I was under the impression that this forum was for Christian apolegetics with the intent of reaching nonbelievers through reasoned arguments. However since I joined I have felt like its more of an anti-Christian apolegetics forum. I'm basing this on posts that I've read that mock and show hatred towards Christianity.

I understand that in debates, people will disagree with Christianity but disagreeing should not involve bashing and near promoting of anti-Christian sentiments. If the goal is to bring people to Christ via apologetics, this forum sends out mixed signals when it allows Christian bashing. .

[OpenYourEyes]

McColluch or Otsing, are you a Christian? I see that Otsing and McColluch are the forum owners which is why I'm curious.

[McCulloch]

Otseng is a Christian and owns the site. I, McCulloch, am an atheist. Otseng has appointed me as an admin because it is not wise to have only one administrator.

It is not the purpose of this site to use Christian apologetics to reach out to unbelievers. However, if you do argue your case convincingly, it may have the result of achieving just that. Go ahead, give it your best shot, I promise to give serious attention to the case that can be made for the Christian faith, including civilly challenging the veracity of claims being made.

The purpose of this site is to engage in civil debates on anything pertaining to Christianity and religious issues between people of different persuasions. Everyone of any belief system is welcome to participate, this includes, but is not limited to, atheists, agnostics, deists, theists, Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Wiccans, Taoists, and Hindus.

If you find any posts which show hatred, mocking or disrespect towards anyone's faith or lack of faith, please report such violations to the moderating team.

Refer to the rules: http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6

[McCulloch]

For sites the focus on apologetics and reaching the lost, without bothering to invite the lost to participate, I suggest that you look at our links page, under apologetics: http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/l ... ges&cat=16

[Tired of the Nonsense]

Hi. I am a new member but I have been reading topics on this forum for a year. I was under the impression that this forum was for Christian apolegetics with the intent of reaching nonbelievers through reasoned arguments. However since I joined I have felt like its more of an anti-Christian apolegetics forum. I'm basing this on posts that I've read that mock and show hatred towards Christianity.

I understand that in debates, people will disagree with Christianity but disagreeing should not involve bashing and near promoting of anti-Christian sentiments. If the goal is to bring people to Christ via apologetics, this forum sends out mixed signals when it allows Christian bashing. .

Notice that the name of this forum is "Debating Christianity and Religion." This is a debate forum. Debate by definition is a discussion that involves opposing points of view. If you truly want to reach non believers through reasoned arguments, then your best bet is to post your reasoned arguments on the Christianity and Apoligetics sub forum. There you will find non believers of all types who will be more than happy to respond to your reasoned arguments with reasoned arguments of their own. Those responses, by their very nature, will naturally contradict your arguments. If you consider arguments that contradict your beliefs to be mocking in nature, and if you consider such arguments to be examples of hatred towards your beliefs which you feel it to be beneath you to respond to, then you are not here to debate. You are here to preach the Word of God without obstruction. You will have to trust me on this for now; the unbelievers on this forum are exquisitely well versed in Christian doctrine and the Word of God. What they will provide for you is not hatred, it is reasoned arguments and well considered conclusions that they have reached which conflict with your own. If you wish to engage them in discussion you will be expected and required to actually DEFEND what you believe. If you cannot deal with that prospect, my suggestion to you is to gather together a choir composed of those who already believe exactly as you do, and preach to them. If, on the other hand, you wish to promote your beliefs to those who do NOT already believe as you do, you must expect your beliefs to be subjected to open scrutiny. And if you discover that your beliefs do not hold up to open scrutiny, you will necessarily have to come to some understanding on your own of just why that is. If you have the courage of your convictions, then we await you in the Christianity and Apologetics sub forum. If your intention is only to promote your beliefs and not to have them challenged, then the open exchange of ideas is not for you, and you are on the wrong forum.

[OpenYourEyes]

Otseng is a Christian and owns the site. I, McCulloch, am an atheist. Otseng has appointed me as an admin because it is not wise to have only one administrator.

It is not the purpose of this site to use Christian apologetics to reach out to unbelievers. However, if you do argue your case convincingly, it may have the result of achieving just that. Go ahead, give it your best shot, I promise to give serious attention to the case that can be made for the Christian faith, including civilly challenging the veracity of claims being made.

The purpose of this site is to engage in civil debates on anything pertaining to Christianity and religious issues between people of different persuasions. Everyone of any belief system is welcome to participate, this includes, but is not limited to, atheists, agnostics, deists, theists, Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Wiccans, Taoists, and Hindus.

If you find any posts which show hatred, mocking or disrespect towards anyone's faith or lack of faith, please report such violations to the moderating team.

Refer to the rules: http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6

I appreciate you explaining that to me. Thanks!

[OpenYourEyes]

[Replying to post 5 by Tired of the Nonsense]

My uncle once told me how I treat my mother will reflect on how I treat my wife. After reading the Psychology of Atheism by psychologist Paul C. Vitz I realized that your relationship with your father will reflect on your relationship with God as a father figure (moral authority, disciplinarian, etc).

My point in bringing this up is that I have no intentions trying to reach an atheist who hates Christianit,y and God by extension. With these types the problem is psychological and stems most likely from early childhood.

[Divine Insight]

My point in bringing this up is that I have no intentions trying to reach an atheist who hates Christianity and God by extension.

A person who hates a religion that they believe is nothing more than immoral bigotries made up by an ancient barbaric culture does not hate any "God" by extension.

You are creating that false accusation toward other people.

I think you need to understand that there are good reasons for people to hate religions that spread hated in the name of their imaginary Gods.

And in a sense what you have just offered in your next line is an expression of this type of religious bigotry:

With these types the problem is psychological and stems most likely from early childhood.

Here you have just made a blanket accusation and insinuation toward a group of people, apparently without even realizing it.

You have decided that "These Types" (of people) have psychological problems that most likely stem from early childhood.

And who are "These Types"?

People who don't believe in ancient fables? So by extension you are branding them as having psychological problems and hating some God?

Do you believe Zeus? If not, do you then hate Zeus by extension?

Do you believe in Allah? If not, do you then hate Allah by extension"

Its' actually a quite mean and hateful thing for you to be accusing people of "hating a God by extension" simply because they see the fallacy of a given religion or mythology.

In fact, it is precisely these kinds of mean and hateful accusations that are made by Christianity that causes people to hate the religion.

And rightfully so.

[Tired of the Nonsense]

[Replying to post 5 by Tired of the Nonsense]

My uncle once told me how I treat my mother will reflect on how I treat my wife. After reading the Psychology of Atheism by psychologist Paul C. Vitz I realized that your relationship with your father will reflect on your relationship with God as a father figure (moral authority, disciplinarian, etc).

My point in bringing this up is that I have no intentions trying to reach an atheist who hates Christianit,y and God by extension. With these types the problem is psychological and stems most likely from early childhood.

My response to this statement is to ask you if you hate Santa Claus for being imaginary? And if your response is that of course it would be ridiculous to hate an imaginary character for being imaginary, then you might begin to recognize just how ridiculous your above statement is really is. I would also suggest that instead of forming a prejudice directed at atheists based on reading books on atheists, a more informed approach would be to actually attempt to interact with actual atheists, if only for the sake of developing your prejudices based on actual first hand experience. My father passed away three years ago by the way, and I miss him very much.

[OpenYourEyes]

My point in bringing this up is that I have no intentions trying to reach an atheist who hates Christianity and God by extension.

A person who hates a religion that they believe is nothing more than immoral bigotries made up by an ancient barbaric culture does not hate any "God" by extension.

You are creating that false accusation toward other people.

I think you need to understand that there are good reasons for people to hate religions that spread hated in the name of their imaginary Gods.

And in a sense what you have just offered in your next line is an expression of this type of religious bigotry:

With these types the problem is psychological and stems most likely from early childhood.

Here you have just made a blanket accusation and insinuation toward a group of people, apparently without even realizing it.

You have decided that "These Types" (of people) have psychological problems that most likely stem from early childhood.

And who are "These Types"?

People who don't believe in ancient fables? So by extension you are branding them as having psychological problems and hating some God?

Do you believe Zeus? If not, do you then hate Zeus by extension?

Do you believe in Allah? If not, do you then hate Allah by extension"

Its' actually a quite mean and hateful thing for you to be accusing people of "hating a God by extension" simply because they see the fallacy of a given religion or mythology.

In fact, it is precisely these kinds of mean and hateful accusations that are made by Christianity that causes people to hate the religion.

And rightfully so.

Contrary to popular skeptics opinions, the Bible is not a book of fables. The Bible has been validated by history and archaeology, in some cases. To ignore those facts is misleading.

My point about atheists comes from psychologist Paul C. Vitz's hypothesis that he applies only to atheists who hate God or who were militant in their atheistic views. His view is also corroborated by history which he documented in his boo