Atheists are actually Christians....

reply to post by WarminIndy


Typically you won't hear much talk identifying the Mythologies of other cultures as exactly that because you don't often get someone juiced full of Vishnu getting all mouth foamy on forums about it.

Muslims like to get converts and other faiths in their various mythological pantheons are also more than happy to welcome newcomers into their folds, but, it's most often those of Christian faith that are rabidly grandiose in shameless unsolicited aggressive proselytizing in spreading some theological fear message or other dogma that it's heard so often, it's only a matter of frequency that retorts to such are also heard as often.

Dog don't bark; no reason to kick it.

reply to post by WarminIndy


ya that sort of adds to my point, yes well said

reply to post by benrl


Well I didn't say all I said most

reply to post by DISRAELI


Disraeli says it like it is.

One of my brothers is a Celtic Pagan, another is an atheist, one is a fundamental Christian and the others never talk about it. But the thing with atheism is this, one can either choose to not believe or never believed in the first place. I don't think we could say one is an atheist who just never believed, but rather, one who chooses not to believe.

My brother that is Celtic Pagan tells me he just never believed in God. That's all he has to say, he doesn't have to attack me for my faith because he recognizes that I do believe. The truth about Christianity is this, no one is truly a believer until they have had that experience with God. Some might say they are Christian because of self-identity, but the true Christian message taught from Christ is that it is bound in our belief in God because we have responded to God. There are many "Christians" who do not really believe in God, as Disraeli says, they came from nominal Christian backgrounds. But in the true essence of what Christianity really is, they are not Christian.

No one is born Christian. Christians are made, not born. That's why Christianity is for all people in all places and in all times. It's about choosing to believe.

This is what Jesus said:

"Let not your hearts be troubled, you believe in God, believe in me also. For in my Father's house are many mansions and if were not so I would have told you. But I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am you may be also".

This is contingent upon our choosing to believe. Until we chose to believe, all of us were unknowing. But for those who knew and turned away, they can never say they never knew. That's why they have to say they choose not to believe, they can't ever say they never knew.

But if they never knew in the first place, that's different.

spartacus699
reply to post by AliceBleachWhite

 

Well when I watch some of the videos on youtube about atheists, most are very bitter, angry, resentful, and spiteful. This in my opinion is a state that one could get into when they're in a state of unresolved conflict which is the denial they're trying to rationalize and justify. It's perhaps like the ego in a person trying to stand up for itself.

If you watch some videos on Youtube on the extreme religious fundamentalists, you will find that a lot of them are also very better, angry, resentful and spiteful.
This also makes them extreme hypocrites, something that Atheists are not.

spartacus699
reply to post by AliceBleachWhite

 

Well when I watch some of the videos on youtube about atheists, most are very bitter, angry, resentful, and spiteful. This in my opinion is a state that one could get into when they're in a state of unresolved conflict which is the denial they're trying to rationalize and justify. It's perhaps like the ego in a person trying to stand up for itself.

Videos made about atheists or videos made by atheists?

Pointing out the ridiculousness of the claims made by religious people isn't being bitter, angry, resentful or spiteful. Maybe it comes across that way because they (the videos) make you question your faith?

Or maybe this is just another Christian complaining because their faith is no longer unquestionable.

reply to post by spartacus699


And that's a quick route to ignorance,

Not all blanks are blanks, just most.

Apply that to any group, race creed or color and see how silly it sounds.

You say your getting this from youtube and the internet, there's one problem with that. Your going to places where people go to push their ideas and agenda, the chill hippie atheist is not going to be putting his rant on youtube.

You are using a selective data set to justify a world view.

reply to post by spartacus699


I don't know much of the bible. I've really only read a few pages of it. As for thinking about a god. My thoughts are only how can smart rational well educated people convince themselves of some benefactor spirit that cares about their lives when so many bad things happen in the world. A father who lets his children suffer, starve, get sick, . A father who gives plenty to one but nothing to another and plays favorites. If your real parent acted like god they would be thrown in jail. If there is a god he's crazy, jealous, mean and vindictive and he plays one of us against the other with allowing different religions so that we can't even agree on who or what he might be. Plus and this is the biggy .he never shows up. No one ever sees him. Faith is a curse word to me. Believe even though I will never give you any reason to. Believe when there is no proof. Change the word god to Santa (another good guy right?) Tell grown people to believe without a shred of proof and see what kind of reaction you get. You know if I was a god I would show up and help my children to know me. If he's there then he needs to convince me. But the religious will say you must have faith. Bull carp. That doesn't work for anything else in the world but god. Anything else we absolutely demand proof but for god we make Hugh allowances in the mental process.

reply to post by AliceBleachWhite


They do get rabid about Vishnu, I have seen it myself. But what they do mostly is rabidly tell us about Eastern Mysticism without ever mentioning that those very thought processes began in the beliefs of the Eastern Gods found in the Baghavad Gita and other texts. Yes, what they are repeating is found in Hindu scriptures being taught by their gods.

Maybe they don't realize that.

But several times there have been movies made presenting the teaching of the gods in Hinduism and some of them are really funny and clever, here is just one of them...



All of the teaching in Hinduism derive from the Hindu scriptures as life lessons from these gods. So when you hear someone talking about Dharma, it came from a Hindu god.

spartacus699
They obviously spend a lot of time thinking about creationism, God, Satan, heaven, hell etc...it actually would indicate to me that they're actually believers.

Just because people learn about things doesn't mean they believe in it. Example - I can tell you why Mormons believe what they do, but there is absolutely no way that I believe it. Ditto Islam. Ditto WIcca. etc Just because a person has investigated something doesn't mean they believe it.

So obviously they believe there is a God, but they're just in denial.

No. Not at all.

they get very scared and want to avoid the topic all together.

They aren't 'scared'. That's you projecting that emotion onto them. Wishful thinking on your part. The reason they avoid the topic all together is probably because they are sick of hearing, what they consider to be, stupidity and ignorance.

Is the idea that most atheists, like about at least 90+% are Christian atheists. They don't seem to care about facts about any other religion, or spiritual practice that has to do with creationism.

There is no such thing as a 'christian atheist'. An atheist is an atheist. And the reason they 'spend so much time debunking Christianity' (your quote) is probably because that is the predominate religion in this part of he world. An Atheist doesn't believe in any God .... Christian or Hindu or Muslim or Jewish ...

One of the reasons I'm curious about all this is because I know denial well. I was in a bad state of denial over something at one time. Then eventually snapped out of it. And was able to think clearly, rationally, and see the big picture of what was actually happening. But it took a lot to eventually sort of embrace the truth about the situation. Actually in some ways the same goes for Christianity. But that was just a brief rebellious period in my teens. Then when God started showing me thing and communicating with me, I knew I was wrong and I had to re-embrace what I knew was the truth of life.

reply to post by spartacus699


Denial ? Try rational. I am not in denial. I am certain. It's a crock of excrement.

spartacus699
Well when I watch some of the videos on youtube about atheists, most are very bitter, angry, resentful, and spiteful.

Ever read a Jack Chick tract or talk to Christian fundamentalists who buy into them? They are all very bitter, angry, resentful and spiteful as well. Also they are judgmental and uneducated about what others believe and self righteous and _______ (fill in just about any negative comment you want).

There are angry people everywhere. So what?

reply to post by AutumnWitch657


we got free will. And there is evil in the world.

AutumnWitch657
reply to post by spartacus699

 

Denial ? Try rational. I am not in denial. I am certain. It's a crock of excrement.

Then why are you so defensive? People in denial are always extremely defensive.

reply to post by AutumnWitch657


And you are like my brother, you haven't read much of the Bible, so I will not dismiss or belittle you for that. No one should belittle another for not knowing.

But in my experience, God has shown Himself to me. God came to me in a time when I was a child and needed Him so much. Don't forget that many believers also came up through terrible circumstances in their lives. The problem with humanity is that humanity is fundamentally flawed. There are even pagans who mistreat their children, why doesn't the energy source prevent this from happening? Mother Nature doesn't stop people either.

But as a witch I would think you have faith in magick. My brother dances in the moonlight for Imbolc and Samhain, because he has some type of faith in the magick. I realize that many people place "witch" under an umbrella term, but I know that most witches say the word derives from "Wise one".

But I do know that most Wiccans have set up altars in their homes and have candles they burn, and most of them are color coded and you have to light the right colored one at different times and you do have spells in which you do expect some type of effect. Surely you must have some type of faith in the colors of the candles.

But I am not saying you are Wiccan, you might be for all I know. But faith is faith, regardless of which way it is turned.

reply to post by spartacus699


So my question is this what is your goal with this op.

You self identify as Christian and proceed to judge atheist as petulant children unwilling to accept the truth.

How is this any different than an atheist doing the same, saying as an atheist I think Christians are _____ (you already can see it in this thread)

People have a right to believe what they do without ridicule or judgement, to have their view treated with at best respect and at least common curtesy.

It's not my job to call out people for believing different than me, it's my job to model and live my beliefs so my example speaks for it self.

When an atheist goes on a tirade against theist it says more about them than their target.

The same is true for theist.

spartacus699

AutumnWitch657
reply to post by spartacus699

 

Denial ? Try rational. I am not in denial. I am certain. It's a crock of excrement.

Then why are you so defensive? People in denial are always extremely defensive.

Then you must be in denial too, because the title and concept of this thread is very defensive in regards to christianity.

reply to post by benrl


That would be our household. My kids have never been to church. We do however celebrate Christmas and Easter . We don't consider these days holy in any way. It's Christmas trees and presents and colored eggs and chocolate. Not the birth or death of a savior. I am not considering Christ on these days.

reply to post by spartacus699


Not all atheists for one, a lot of them I know are actually a lot more Eastern or Native American influenced. Some of them are purely scientifically influenced. Some of them just want to be left alone to have a family, play video games and board games. I have met all of the above.

What I would be more worried about is that the current Christians are not Christians. They are the ones who signed the contract to follow their religion's rules or go to hell, yet they are doing a terrible job of it at the moment - there is more hatred and negativity stemming from crazy, radicalized Christians than I ever noticed being a Christian growing up, when it was about positive thinking and helping other people, and about the Golden Rule.

The Christians, like I said, are the ones who signed the contract to go to hell if they don't follow their rules, so they are the ones going there, and it's their own fault for not understanding their own faith.

Listen to what the Pope says.