Why are we debating?

[trillian]

I just wanted to know why people come onto these forums and I'm sure many can agree that this is a pretty important question. I would encourage EVERYBODY to reply to this and as always, please think your answers through before posting. Feel free to debate about it but I would encourage people to refrain from outright criticising others' posts as I am fully aware how out of hand this can get.

I'll start off.
I was a former atheist and now I'm a Christian. I come to these forums to spread the Good News and to let people to know what I know about Jesus Christ and the truly spectacular implications this has on their lives.


trillian

[bernee51]

I'll start off.
I was a former atheist and now I'm a Christian.

As there is no question for debate this thread will be moved no doubt.

But I have a question for you. What sort of atheist were you? I have heard those who have claimed a similar path to yours describing themselves formerly as "not believing in god but knowing in their heart he existed". Would that describe you?

[Zzyzx]

Thank you for opening this thread

Feel free to debate about it but I would encourage people to refrain from outright criticising others' posts as I am fully aware how out of hand this can get.

Criticism of IDEAS is part of the meaning of debate. If we agree about everything and find no fault with what is said, we have no debate – only stagnation (as we see in religious ideas that are typically revered and protected – as in “preaching to the choir”).

This does not mean that debate should include criticism of personalities. We should be able to criticize ideas without “attacking the messenger” or becoming overtly emotional.

I was a former atheist and now I'm a Christian.

Were you a “Good Atheist” or might you have been a “Closet Christian”? As you are probably aware, there are people who identify themselves as Christians who don’t believe the bible is sacred or even that Christ was resurrected. Likewise, some people who identify themselves as Atheists do not actually believe that gods do not exist.

“Agnostic” (“I don’t know if gods exist”) describes many people who think of themselves as Atheist and many who think of themselves as Christian. Both Atheism and Christianity require that a person take a position of “knowing” that gods do or do not exist.

Those who say gods “probably” exist are truly Agnostic with a slight tendency toward Christianity. Often they seem to be motivated by a desire to say the right things for one of two reasons. 1) Just in case there is an afterlife, they want to go to heaven; or 2) It is easier in many segments of our society to be accepted if one claims to be Christian.

I come to these forums to spread the Good News and to let people to know what I know about Jesus Christ and the truly spectacular implications this has on their lives.

What YOU “know” about JC has NO “spectacular implications” on anyone’s life except your own. The assumption that you know what applies to other people or what is best for others to believe is gross error. You may think you know what is best for you, but you cannot speak for others.

“Spreading the Good News” is just another form of advertising. I, personally, consider it spam.

I participate in these forums to expose the fraud in advertising that I see. Preposterous claims are made by advertisers with no justification. If it were used cars that were being sold everyone would recognize that they should check for lies and distortions. Because the advertising is “sacred”, though, many people believe that it cannot or should not be questioned. I disagree.

I also intend to post rational, reasonable and unemotional alternatives to believing in invisible super-beings, irrational nature-defying “miracles”, rising from the dead, and the wishful thinking of “life everlasting”. I encourage others to think about the absurdity of promoting these ideas – particularly based upon the holey bible.

[trillian]

Zzyzx

ok very good, thanks for your response and it is very much appreciated. You are right about me knowing about Jesus Christ is an issue of relativity - as i said in my original post - i intend to tell other people about this and of course people have the ability to reject what I say. I don't intend to speak for others about what is good for them - i simply tell my story and people choose. Just as cultural idioms provide advice, just as people share their experience about a particular situation - I share and explain my beliefs. With regards to "The assumption that you know what applies to other people" - I do and will make an assumption and that is you are a human being just as I am and we both live the gift of human life.

About my former atheism: there was a time when simply I didn't believe in God and was adamant that God didn't exist. I really couldn't care less about religion let alone Christianity and I thought it bizarre and almost ludicrous to believe in God. Unless I have confused the definition of atheism, I was atheist.

trillian

[buddhahead]

I just wanted to know why people come onto these forums and I'm sure many can agree that this is a pretty important question. I would encourage EVERYBODY to reply to this and as always, please think your answers through before posting. Feel free to debate about it but I would encourage people to refrain from outright criticising others' posts as I am fully aware how out of hand this can get.

I'll start off.
I was a former atheist and now I'm a Christian. I come to these forums to spread the Good News and to let people to know what I know about Jesus Christ and the truly spectacular implications this has on their lives.


trillian

And your pint is? Did you come here to proselytize?

Sorry, I never surrender my GOD given power to an exoteric godman.

So, are you going to heaven now?


bh

[otseng]

Moved to General Chat since this is a discussion topic rather than a debate topic.

[trillian]

And your pint is? Did you come here to proselytize?

Sorry, I never surrender my GOD given power to an exoteric godman.

So, are you going to heaven now?


bh

haha - right - good on ya. What's my point? The response you have given is exactly my point. Am I going to heaven you ask? God will be the judge of that. So please tell us, what's your point?

[McCulloch]

Why are we debating?

The intellectual thrust and parry can be challenging.
Truth is seldom arrived at in isolation.
Even when you are right, having someone hostile to your ideas review and criticize them will hone your argument.

Iron sharpens iron,
So one man sharpens another.

[Cathar1950]

Why are we debating?

The intellectual thrust and parry can be challenging.
Truth is seldom arrived at in isolation.
Even when you are right, having someone hostile to your ideas review and criticize them will hone your argument.

Iron sharpens iron,
So one man sharpens another.

That makes sense to me Mack.
This Forum is intersting as it covers many topics.
I enjoy it because we can share books and ideas as well as hone our thoughts.
It does seem an odd place to proselytize.

I come to these forums to spread the Good News and to let people to know what I know about Jesus Christ and the truly spectacular implications this has on their lives.

It seems the "good news" has been spread. Many Atheists here know more about Jesus then the average Christian. It seems the best you could do is present what you "truly" think "the spectacular implications" this has on your life.

[Zzyzx]

Trillian,

Thanks for the reply

About my former atheism: there was a time when simply I didn't believe in God and was adamant that God didn't exist. I really couldn't care less about religion let alone Christianity and I thought it bizarre and almost ludicrous to believe in God. Unless I have confused the definition of atheism, I was atheist.

Would you care to tell the story of why you chose to become a Christian after being an Atheist? (There is no pressure or expectation on my part).

This is not a “sharpshooting” question. I am genuinely interested. Without wishing to interfere with your telling of the story, I am particularly interested in some things. Perhaps they can be touched upon in your response (if you wish to do so).

• At what age did you decide to become a Christian?
• Had you been religious at an earlier time in your life?
• Were you raised in a religious environment?
• What else was going on in your life at the time you decided to become Christian?
• Can you identify major influences or causative factors?
• Were other people involved?
• Were any organizations involved?

Perhaps some would think it foolish for a Non-Christian to ask someone to relay what could be a convincing personal tale. However, I am a person first – and a Non-Christian twentieth or fiftieth. There are many things much more important IMO than religion or absence thereof.