It seems to me that many of the atheists on here are just here because they hate Christianity.

Reggie Miller · Dec 13, 2016

columbus said:
This is your thread dude.
If you mean Christianity in general, you can't be serious. They're all over the place here. There are advertising spots on the rock radio stations for churches.
Tom

Yeah. That's the thing about the first amendment. I won't apologize for it. You could always move to a country where the first amendment doesn't apply...

And there are radio stations that don't push Christianity at all but rather hate it, like you do. So find one of those or just deal with it.

columbus · Dec 13, 2016

Reggie Miller said:
Yeah. That's the thing about the first amendment. I won't apologize for it. You could always move to a country where the first amendment doesn't apply...

And there are radio stations that don't push Christianity at all but rather hate it, like you do. So find one of those or just deal with it.

Who said I hate it, besides you?
I commonly find myself defending different flavors of Christianity against Christians who hate them, right here on RF.
Tom

metis · Dec 13, 2016

columbus said:
I commonly find myself defending different flavors of Christianity against Christians who hate them, right here on RF.
Tom

And I praise you for doing that.

lewisnotmiller · Dec 13, 2016

james bond said:
I'm generalizing because I'm not a biology major nor do I try to pass myself off as someone who does. I majored in computer science and business. Thus, I can read what these articles are saying and be able to explain in a brief, cogent manner. The eye is complex, so it deserves it's own chapter. Even Darwin had trouble reconciling the eye to his thinking.

Enough about the eye, what's important to take away from that is the battle between mutation which the evolutionists favor to explain their theory versus how dangerous and destructive it can be views of the creation scientists. There is a line drawn in the sand over this. Today, genetic modification is taught at the high school level. It isn't such a big deal anymore, but the ideas coming from it are. GM products are not safe even though the evolution-based scientists such as Neil DeGrasse Tyson state they are. More and more GM products will be touted for your personal or social use.

I didn't read the Bible for many years because I didn't understand it at first, from God killing women and children, people living to over 900 years, story of Adam and Eve, Noah's Flood, abortion, homosexuality vs one man-one woman and so on. Thus, I read the easy parts like the Psalms and then got into comparing it and what the creation scientists were saying versus evolution. I avoided the people parts because that is what confused me. What parts I did read were those read during Bible studies. However, over time I did start reading the people parts and learned to accept them and what happened. The key is the Sermon on the Mount. That helps answer all the people questions.

(It seems you have found the historical basis of the Bible and went on from there. It is interesting and there is so much. The Bible scholars covered so much.)

For example, science does not know about cosmic rays and what they can do to humans. One has to accept that it came during Noah's Flood and this is what caused us to live only to around 120 today. One of the reasons evolution was created by man (starting with Charles Lyell and James Hutton to Charles Darwin) was to oppose Christianity during the 1800s. This creation using "science" is what causes all the arguments today. Except any theories of the supernatural has been ruled out by these atheist scientists in charge and won't be accepted for peer review. Also, there is discrimination against anyone using creation science and the Bible today. Science and the scientific method was created by Christians in order to pay homage to God. The atheist scientists usurped that used it for their own purpose. All of things atheists use today against Christians is laughable because they usurped Christian values to use for their own starting with Lyell and the rest.

>>Nah, God is surely powerful enough to make me believe if he wants to, so I am going to reject all the pain and suffering stuff. But regardless...if he gave us free will, and then punishes us for our choices, it strikes me as behaviour I wouldn't respect. Just because he's super powerful and made me doesn't mean I'd respect any version of Pascal's Wager.<<

Again, God isn't going to make people believe as I've explained. He'll have to torture people to do that. The easiest way would be to build a large pit of suffering and toss people who do not believe into that. No one walking around who could do that will be questioned by people. He'll easily live among us. Then certain people will curry His favor and may get some rewards and powers. I think you can see where I am going. It will be the God vs angels story all over again. As for someone like you and way of thinking, I think God will not mete out the same punishment for all. It will vary according to how great the indiscretions were. Sort of like Dante's Inferno. While that is fiction, many people think the punishments outlined there is justifiable.

Or do you mean take away free will? I think His version is to reward those who have free will and chose to follow Him. All of this came about from the angels.

Atheist scientists usurped Christian scientific method? You're kidding, right? No...perhaps you're not. *shrugs*

Explain to me, perhaps, what supernatural means to you, and how this concept can be used in science? Speaking for myself, I'm a methodological naturalist, which is possibly an unusual label for an atheist. It could/should make some sense to a Christian though. What are your thoughts?

lewisnotmiller · Dec 13, 2016

Reggie Miller said:
We preach it. If you don't want to hear it, just reach over and change the station like you do on your radio.

Or change websites even.
This seems hypocritical when considering the OP.

Reggie Miller · Dec 14, 2016

lewisnotmiller said:
Or change websites even.
This seems hypocritical when considering the OP.

Make me change websites. Make me shut up. Otherwise I will do neither. Good day to you.

Reggie Miller · Dec 14, 2016

columbus said:
Who said I hate it, besides you?
I commonly find myself defending different flavors of Christianity against Christians who hate them, right here on RF.
Tom

Well, you said you didn't want to hear it and abhorred having to hear it. Does that not mean you hate hearing it?

SkepticX · Dec 14, 2016

Reggie Miller said:
We preach it. If you don't want to hear it, just reach over and change the station like you do on your radio.

If you can't handle but a single basic response then you shouldn't be preaching it. No one is obliged to accommodate your delicate personal sensibilities just because they're delicate. That's your issue.

It's kind of like, if you can't handle spicy food don't go for the jalapeno poppers, or if you don't like the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard don't run your fingernails down the chalkboard ... or if you don't like disapproval and complaints don't draw negative attention to yourself by presuming to tell everyone what you presume to know is best for them as if you had the first clue or any business doing so to begin with.

That's the problem many of us have with those who make that very presumption and then act as if they're entitled to nothing but the greatest of respect and admiration for being so arrogantly presumptuous (and most of those who fall into the "us" category are also Christians here in the US ... although many who don't like proselytization from others are more than happy, even eager to do the deed themselves).

Magic Man · Dec 14, 2016

Reggie Miller said:
Make me change websites. Make me shut up. Otherwise I will do neither. Good day to you.

Wow, why so hostile? You'll get a better conversation with less hostile remarks.

As for your OP, some atheists do hate Christianity, some don't. Some who come here do it to criticize Christianity, but I'd say the majority just come to discuss religion because it's a fascinating topic. A lot of non-Christians probably do have some negative feelings toward Christianity, though, considering some of the things done in its name throughout history and even today.

I don't hate Christianity, but I'm not a big fan of it. It's OK when it's taken the way it should be, as mythology. That's not an insult. I love mythology, and we can learn a lot from it, even from ancient myths.

Reggie Miller · Dec 14, 2016

Magic Man said:
Wow, why so hostile? You'll get a better conversation with less hostile remarks.

As for your OP, some atheists do hate Christianity, some don't. Some who come here do it to criticize Christianity, but I'd say the majority just come to discuss religion because it's a fascinating topic. A lot of non-Christians probably do have some negative feelings toward Christianity, though, considering some of the things done in its name throughout history and even today.

I don't hate Christianity, but I'm not a big fan of it. It's OK when it's taken the way it should be, as mythology. That's not an insult. I love mythology, and we can learn a lot from it, even from ancient myths.

Basically, you show me complete disrespect and then come back with this?

Reggie Miller · Dec 14, 2016

SkepticX said:
If you can't handle but a single basic response then you shouldn't be preaching it. No one is obliged to accommodate your delicate personal sensibilities just because they're delicate. That's your issue.

It's kind of like, if you can't handle spicy food don't go for the jalapeno poppers, or if you don't like the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard don't run your fingernails down the chalkboard ... or if you don't like disapproval and complaints don't draw negative attention to yourself by presuming to tell everyone what you presume to know is best for them as if you had the first clue or any business doing so to begin with.

That's the problem many of us have with those who make that very presumption and then act as if they're entitled to nothing but the greatest of respect and admiration for being so arrogantly presumptuous (and most of those who fall into the "us" category are also Christians here in the US ... although many who don't like proselytization from others are more than happy, even eager to do the deed themselves).

What in the world are you talking about? If you don't want to hear the Gospel preached just don't listen to it. What's so hard to understand about that?

SkepticX · Dec 14, 2016

Reggie Miller said:
What in the world are you talking about? If you don't want to hear the Gospel preached just don't listen to it. What's so hard to understand about that?

That's not the problem I pointed out, but I guess the fact that in the real world you'd have to make quite an effort to not hear evangelistic preaching you're defending and apparently practicing. It's not a problem, but the issue I raised is that if you can't handle criticism or negative responses to you and yours' preaching, that's a problem. Again, if you can't handle criticism or negative responses, then you obviously need to avoid activity which will invite them. The obvious way to avoid criticism and negative responses if you can't handle them, is to refrain from the preaching the produces them. This is early playground social development--Sandbox 101. But it is also par for the conservative fundagelical type course to blatantly and repeatedly fail such basic level Sandbox 101 challenges.

columbus · Dec 14, 2016

Reggie Miller said:
What in the world are you talking about? If you don't want to hear the Gospel preached just don't listen to it. What's so hard to understand about that?

People coming and knocking on my door. People spending millions of dollars trying to get laws passed. People standing in front of stores grabbing collars to tell you about Jesus. People insisting that their Jesus club must have tax breaks. People explaining a political view with a gospel verse.
The list is endless.
Tom

lewisnotmiller · Dec 14, 2016

Reggie Miller said:
Make me change websites. Make me shut up. Otherwise I will do neither. Good day to you.

Bravo. Your over-reaction speaks volumes. I'm just interested how you deal with the cognitive dissonance of judging one group for having an opinion, whilst happily pushing forth your own.

I guess a firm belief in objective truth can be used as a replacement for self-reflection.

columbus · Dec 14, 2016

syncretic said:
Huh? That's all you, you're assuming that ''hate''.

Reggie Miller said:
And there are radio stations that don't push Christianity at all but rather hate it, like you do.

No.
That was Reggie. Not me. I never said I hate or abhor Christianity or any other such thing.
Tom

Reggie Miller · Dec 15, 2016

lewisnotmiller said:
Bravo. Your over-reaction speaks volumes. I'm just interested how you deal with the cognitive dissonance of judging one group for having an opinion, whilst happily pushing forth your own.

I guess a firm belief in objective truth can be used as a replacement for self-reflection.

No, you're just another person with oodles of assumptions about people that you neither know nor can know with any certainty.

I'm not over reacting. I merely state my Constitutional right to say what think and to think what I say and if you don't like it, well, that's just tobad. The Constitution of the USA guarantees me the right:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;

If the Congress of the most powerful country in the world cannot restrict my freedom of my religion then neither can you. If you are to deal with Americans you need to understand this fact. Good day.

Reggie Miller · Dec 15, 2016

columbus said:
People coming and knocking on my door. People spending millions of dollars trying to get laws passed. People standing in front of stores grabbing collars to tell you about Jesus. People insisting that their Jesus club must have tax breaks. People explaining a political view with a gospel verse.
The list is endless.
Tom

Gee, Tom, that's tobad. Shall I cry you a river of tears?

I have certain rights in this country just like you do. So does everybody else, Tom.

If a person wishes to spend millions of dollars getting laws passed or insist that churches have tax breaks obtained legally or people wish to explain something with a gospel verse then that is their right.

You also have rights, Tom. Maybe you should get off your rear end and off of your high horse and get to work trying to legally change things in this country like Christians do. You think?

Tom, I served this country by putting my life on the line for 7 years so that you and all of the other people in this country can have those rights. I have faced this country's enemies eye to eye and I was willing to shed my blood and die if need be so that you can have the rights guaranteed you under your Constitution. So kindly don't preach to me about my rights.

Kindly do not try to preach to me about what I can or cannot or should or should not do when the Constitution of this greatest country in the world guarantees me those rights.

You can kindly take your opinions which contradict first amendment rights and stick them straight up where the sun don't shine.

Capiche? Or do I need to spell it out for you more clearly than that, sir?

SkepticX · Dec 15, 2016

Reggie Miller said:
Gee, Tom, that's tobad. Shall I cry you a river of tears?

I have certain rights in this country just like you do. So does everybody else, Tom.

If a person wishes to spend millions of dollars getting laws passed or insist that churches have tax breaks obtained legally or people wish to explain something with a gospel verse then that is their right.

You also have rights, Tom. Maybe you should get off your rear end and off of your high horse and get to work trying to legally change things in this country like Christians do. You think?

Tom, I served this country by putting my life on the line for 7 years so that you and all of the other people in this country can have those rights. I have faced this country's enemies eye to eye and I was willing to shed my blood and die if need be so that you can have the rights guaranteed you under your Constitution. So kindly don't preach to me about my rights.

Kindly do not try to preach to me about what I can or cannot or should or should not do when the Constitution of this greatest country in the world guarantees me those rights.

You can kindly take your opinions which contradict first amendment rights and stick them straight up where the sun don't shine.

Capiche? Or do I need to spell it out for you more clearly than that, sir?

I'm only just becoming familiar with your online persona here, but it's really looking like quite an extreme intellectual coward (refusing to honestly even face ideas you don't like). In this case it's being manifest as getting all butt-hurt over negative opinions and inconvenient arguments against what you like to believe, and pretending that the criticism is all just whining about you and yours exercising your constitutional freedoms as if the criticism isn't precisely that, only non-invasive, defensive if anything, contrary to what you're defending.

You kind of have to be projecting a lot here--clearly the one who's guilty of what you're accusing others of. It's the old pot calling the kettle black schtick, only it's a soot-covered iron pot calling a clean stainless steel kettle black. Intellectual cowardice is also just deeply repulsive to critical thinkers. The question is though, why you don't get the attention you actually deserve, but rather you're lavished with it. That's the disease of cognition that gives the Alt-Right and other intellectual cowards such a platform for reframing and faux validating their cowardice and enabling them to impose it upon everyone else rather than actually acting in accord with their comically distorted self-image.

jonathan180iq · Dec 15, 2016

Reggie Miller said:
Make me change websites. Make me shut up. Otherwise I will do neither.

Reggie Miller said:
Gee, Tom, that's tobad. Shall I cry you a river of tears?

Reggie Miller said:
You could always move to a country where the first amendment doesn't apply...

Reggie Miller said:
No, you're just another person with oodles of assumptions about people that you neither know nor can know with any certainty.

Reggie Miller said:
Gee, Tom, that's too bad. Shall I cry you a river of tears?

Reggie Miller said:
Maybe you should get off your rear end and off of your high horse and get to work trying to legally change things in this country like Christians do. You think?

Reggie Miller said:
You can kindly take your opinions which contradict first amendment rights and stick them straight up where the sun don't shine.

1 Corinthians 13:1-2
1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have absolute faith so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.…

lewisnotmiller · Dec 15, 2016

Reggie Miller said:
No, you're just another person with oodles of assumptions about people that you neither know nor can know with any certainty.

I'm not over reacting. I merely state my Constitutional right to say what think and to think what I say and if you don't like it, well, that's just tobad. The Constitution of the USA guarantees me the right:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;

If the Congress of the most powerful country in the world cannot restrict my freedom of my religion then neither can you. If you are to deal with Americans you need to understand this fact. Good day.

Who the heck is trying to restrict your freedom of religion? If you are going to come to a multi-faith site and discuss things, you might need to listen as well as go off half-cocked.

It seems to me that many of the atheists on here are just here because they hate Christianity.

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