Any reasons to be a Christian?

[Jim E.]

1. I don't see why evolution is a reason to be an atheist. There is no conflict between theism and evolution. There's not even a conflict between any essential Christian doctrines (see any of the traditional creeds) and evolution.

Well, conflicting opinions already! Good, loving God. Violent evolution. You at least see why some see a conflict, no?

2. About hell; so if everlasting damnation were not part of Christianity, you'd have lost one of your two biggest reasons to oppose Christianity? Suppose Christianity taught "annihilationism", or the eventual salvation of everyone. I mention this because IMO there is virtually no biblical support for the idea that anyone ends up forever damned. There are passages that might be read as that some people will not be saved, but those passages are perfectly consistent with annihilationism. The exception is AFAIK the book of Revelation, but that book is so filled with symbolic language that IMO it is a mistake to derive a precise picture of what happens when people did.

Hell is a big problem. Yes, Christianity would be much less offensive without it. Revelation is well, rather descriptive. Even annihilationism doesn’t solve the problem. Some go to heaven and others don’t? What’s so awful about your God that people would reject heaven?

[Xavier]

[...] What’s so awful about your God that people would reject heaven?

I think you can answer that one yourself. It's obvious that you have rejected him.

[Jim E.]

I think you can answer that one yourself. It's obvious that you have rejected him.

Kind of hard to reject something that doesn’t exist.

[Xavier]

Kind of hard to reject something that doesn’t exist.

Then why are you asking about what makes him "so awful"? Oh wait, you really are that dense.

[Jim E.]

Then why are you asking about what makes him "so awful"? Oh wait, you really are that dense.

Xavee – I’m talking in terms that you can understand. Upon examination, Christianity fails.

[Xavier]

Xavee – I’m talking in terms that you can understand. Upon examination, Christianity fails.

Utter nonsense... These are the only words that you are capable of understanding and spiting back up in a pathetic attempt to look certain and knowledgeable.

Watch as I refute your entire post in one fell swoop:
Upon examination, Jim Eisele fails.

[Jim E.]

Oh my. I’m withholding most of my ammunition.

Hey, it’s your life. Cyberblast away. I think you’ll find the gratification short-lived.

[Xavier]

Oh my. I’m withholding most of my ammunition.

I'm sure that such an agile mind has much to offer...

Hey, it’s your life. Cyberblast away. I think you’ll find the gratification short-lived.

It is my life... I perfer not to waste it on people like you... You simply are not worth it.

[Jezz]

Oh my. I’m withholding most of my ammunition.

Sad to see that some people haven't changed in the last three years...

[Jim E.]

Sad to see that some people haven't changed in the last three years...

No need to use a club for arguments made out of air.

[Jezz]

No need to use a club for arguments made out of air.

Well, at least that explains why noone's hit you over the head with a club yet.

[God_is_personal]

God keeps bringing me back to sweetness very fragrant, nicely quiet in love caring for all people...no thanks to me.

Or I would just stink right on in paranoia, self-righteous one-way arguing in my imagination, immoral or perverted stuff, depression, crybabying about not being accepted the way I want.

But God's power of love can easily and breezily and beautifully make this junk of Satan evaporate in moments. It's nice. I l-i-k-e God.

[Jim E.]

I l-i-k-e God.

I like myself. And I’m a lot more real than “god.”

[Keith Rex]

Rex -

You, like many people, fall into a fairly commonly found trap: painting all people who differ from you with the same brush. I suspect you would quickly take exception if I made a statement like, "Christians are close-minded, nonsensical, and committed to being blind in their beliefs." You would probably object because you and I both know it is not true. SOME Christians might meet this description, but it's not all and it's not even most.

Yet you persist in making comments like, "perhaps the greatest reason for people being Christians is the extreme unpleasantness of Atheists" and "what do Atheists have to offer other then their rabid hatred."

This atheist is not unpleasant, maintains normal social discourse with people of all faiths, and doesn't rabidly hate anything except brussel sprouts. I am human, a neighbor, a father, a son, a friend, a husband, and a teacher. I put on my pants much the same way you do, like a neat home, mow my lawn with the best of them, and support the local community in many ways.

I am social, but I don't choose to join church communities because I do not share the beliefs. So my community is my family, my circle of friends, the local chess and book clubs, my colleagues, and a handful of old friends. As for my cathedrals, one of the is sitting next to me and I'm going to go teach him a little math so his spire doesn't cave in! Then I'm going to shift my attention to my other cathedral and go see if I can learn something!

Michel

In my experience I find that most Atheists are very unpleasant and invariably Gay and I find Gays intolerable. They are vicious lewd and have no respect for the great majority of the worlds population. I also find Christain Gays very nasty selfish people. I also find that these Atheists who are in the majority insist that if a person is not Gay they cannot be an Atheist, But you have a lot more choice with Christians. they are not all Gay.

[God_is_personal]

About Keith Rex's post #989 above >

Keith, you're KIDDING!! I'm homophobic, straight Bible, and I have been harrassed and propositioned and hunted down by gay gangs and roving individuals on the streets of Boston. But not all gays treat me like this. There are ones who act very friendly and discreet and considerate.
...(A van of guys stopped one day to "ask directions". Did I know where there were any homosexuals? "Wherever YOU go, there will be homosexuals," I said.)
...But if someone is ACTING like the person is not nasty,
............. this does not necessarily mean the person isn't nasty
........................................................................................d-e-e-p-e-r.
.
And yes...ones could be doing a "good cop, bad cop" sort of thing...seeing which way might work on me. May be the nasties are trying to make the nice actors look good. But I'm sweetly loving with gays, since Jesus wants us to love ALL people. And yet, ones can have a way of not staying with me long, even if I'm sweetly kind with them. "May be" kindness is not what ones want...IF they aren't going to be able to USE me for what they want.
.
"'For if you love those who love you, what reward have you?'" Jesus says in Matthew 5:46.