Posted on 06/22/2009 5:33:32 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
You, sir or madam, are as much a hypocrite or more.
You have no idea what people have risked for their faith.
What, do you want us to wear merit badges?
What, do you think we do NOTHING but sit in our little homes and gather in little or large groups to sing and socialize then go home and return to our regularly scheduled programming?
Maybe there are some Christians that live like that, BUT I DON’T KNOW ANY!
We have risked our jobs, our homes, our lives, our fortunes, our futures, our earthly “security” for our faith, not just to propagate it, but to honor the directives to love the unloveable and bless them that curse us.
You are an observer from the outside who has NO IDEA of the day-to-day, year-to-year struggles of the committed Christian.
In fact, you, as an Atheist, are a first-order contributor to what makes our lives so difficult and risky.
Now go launch an ACLU lawsuit against little children having the temerity to actually bring a Bible to school to read during their lunch hour.
Yes, I agreed with you before you typed that. I clearly mentioned my respect for those who have risked it all, for their faith.
They are the true believers.
Karl Marx may have been an atheist, but if he bakes a cake, does that make all atheists, bakers? Learn to separate one point from another.
But what of the True Believer who is not called to be a Missionary? Or if you are not called, do you not consider them a True Believer?
I do. Please read my earlier posts on this thread. I have acknowledged their sacrifice for their faith.
Repeat the above instruction as is necessary.
That is true. If I were an atheist I'd want everybody else to be a Christian -- as in a follower of the teachings of Jesus Christ.
I'd insist that every child be taught to Do Unto Others as You'd HAVE THEM Do unto You - with a fair attribution to its source.
I would not object to public prayer (at least short ones) assuming the prayers are for blessings and guidance as they traditionally are.
I would encourage the Bible to be respectfully taught. It, after all, is the most influential work on our culture.
I would not object to memorials and symbols featuring the cross -- why should I be offended? Am I Dracula?
"In God we trust" would be just mere words to me, nothing to get upset about.
Most importantly I'd want those who make and enforce laws to believe that there is a higher authority than the state and this this Creator, if you will, endows inalienable rights, even if I didn't particularly believe that myself.
But atheists don't seem to do these things and you are quite correct in that I don't understand why.
In order to get the masses to completely submit to complete authority of the state,
there cannot be an unappealable, extra-human source of human rights,
as the Founders of our country asserted.
Atheism is REQUIRED for authoritarian rule to “succeed”.
Christians cannot operate that way because we realize that judgment will come, and we need to answer for our actions.
You raised the issue of the Inquisition earlier in this thread. Do you have any idea how many people were killed by the Spanish Inquisition? Over a period of centuries, those bloodthirsty Christians killed about 1000 people. A thousand! Now, there were inquisitions outside of Spain as well, so the total death toll is a bit higher, but think about this:
For your example of murderous Christians, you have to go 500 years into the past, and specify an event with 1000 casualties.
But there are Christians alive today who can testify to you about the millions of people killed by atheists. They witnessed these events.
Being a Christian is your choice. You clearly don't want to be one of us. But if you believe atheists to be morally, or intellectually superior to Christians, then you are simply ignorant.
I don’t believe anyone can be “called” that way. It’s their own conviction that drives them to take that risk.
If they hear voices in their head, they need to get themselves examined.
“...true believers would risk EVERYTHING for their god...”
As a true believer, I must agree with you. I have often questioned my own faith as to why I settle for the rubbish of this world while rewards in Heaven await and will be apportioned to me based on my acts of faith. I despise the weakness in me that chooses the things of this life over the joys of the next...What is it about my too, too solid flesh that is so willing to yield to the cares and worries of this world? How can it be that I, having tasted of the heavenlies, having experienced the Person of the Lord on my own personal Emmaus Road...how is it that I should turn aside every now and again to add on a room to my panelled house, cherish the praise of men and give to my career more than to my Lord, long to indulge in the fruits of my own labors rather than labor in the Lord’s vinyard for what He promises are joys unspeakable? Why don’t I trust Him?!!!
I do not mean to excuse this behavior with the following (I do not), merely explain it:
“O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then with the mind I myself serve the Law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.” Romans 7:24-25
Never was much impressed by so-called intellectual atheists. The smartest person in my family — one of those supergeniuses you hear about and rarely encounter — was always the most devout believer. It regularly astonished people when they heard it, and dismayed quite a few, as well.
Yep, you nailed it.
We, sinful flawed creatures that we are, seem to be, with few exceptions, incapable of yielding all to the sovereignty of God.
To start with full disclosure... I am a Christian.
Big “A” atheists are far more willing to believe in UFOs than God. Their nonbelief is based (IMHO) and some kind of “deep soul” anger at God for reasons I’m not sure even they understand... Thus we get that arrogant condescension of Bill Maher and his types.
In my observations and again IMHO… when one rejects the Savior, all that is left is Ego… Ego is a cruel and merciless master, never satiated, demands to be worshiped, and becomes angry in the presence of God. So why do atheists pour such vitriol on those of us who believe? Again (IMHO) the presence of God convicts the unredeemed sinner… and the mere mention of God demonstrates his presence!
Thus we get the rage of the heathen mentioned in Psalm 2:1.
“Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? “
Read your history. Not all inquisitions are violent and brutal. The two most infamous were established at the request of political leaders, the monarchs of Spain and Portugal.
Men seeking power will use almost any means to achieve it and any excuse to justify it. This was just one.
But ultimately, the Inquisition goes completely against the teachings of Christ and the Bible. There is no way that it can be laid at the feet of Christianity as it is not justified in any way, shape, or form by the teachings of the Bible.
Pathetic try on your part.
"Communists (by definition atheists)..."
WRONG.
All Communists may be Atheists (strongly disputed), but all Atheists are not Communists. Murder is not an atheist monopoly. By your own standard of measurement, I'd say there are fewer Atheist murderers than there are murderers who have not declared themselves Atheist. Atheism is not believing in an invisible being in the sky. Full-stop.
"...murdered 100 million people in the 20th century. This didn't weigh heavily on their conscience, because they didn't believe that anyone was in a position to judge them. It's all about political power, and as long as you're the top dog, you can do whatever you want."
Communists murdering millions has nothing to do with Atheism. If that were the case, the United States would have most of its murderers being declared Atheist. Clearly that is not the case. Genuine Atheists are pragmatists.
"Christians cannot operate that way because we realize that judgment will come, and we need to answer for our actions."
Neither can an Atheist justify risking social disorder that will ultimately result in his or her own demise.
"You raised the issue of the Inquisition earlier in this thread. Do you have any idea how many people were killed by the Spanish Inquisition? Over a period of centuries, those bloodthirsty Christians killed about 1000 people. A thousand!"
What was that old Biblical quote again about killing one innocent being akin to killing all humanity?
Now, there were inquisitions outside of Spain as well, so the total death toll is a bit higher, but think about this:
For your example of murderous Christians, you have to go 500 years into the past, and specify an event with 1000 casualties.
But there are Christians alive today who can testify to you about the millions of people killed by atheists. They witnessed these events.
You are confusing people who murdered for political gain, or by force, with Atheists. One has very little to do with the other. Otherwise, there would be a murderous streak within Atheists worldwide, and not just in Eastern Europe or China.
Being a Christian is your choice. You clearly don't want to be one of us.
I am not yet convinced a god exists.
But if you believe atheists to be morally, or intellectually superior to Christians, then you are simply ignorant.
So would you be, if you think believers can't do any wrong.
Ah, the old *weak faith because you don't live like I think you should* accusation.
That didn't take long.
You fit this author's characterization of an atheist to a T.
Right back at you!
Stalin killing millions for political advancement has nothing to do with Atheism, either. In fact, he might have believed that he was God.
Read the other posts here, in agreement with mine, that true believers would risk everything for their faith. No suffering they endure on this planet, for their beliefs would compare to what they believe awaits them, in the Afterlife.
You, however, are a weak believer. An opportunist, one might say.
Those who believe in a god to hate, is no Atheist.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.