There Are No Atheists

[Lewis]

Si Robertson, 'Duck Dynasty' Star, Says Atheists Don't Exist
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/...ists_n_7741006.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592

 

[Knotical]

Well, you do realize that Si is the authority on everything, so if he says there is no such thing as atheists then it must be true. Despite a little bit of evidence to the contrary, but that is just speculation.

 

[Brother Mike]

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
(Rom 1:18-21)

 

[WIP]

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
(Rom 1:18-21)

Those verses came to my mind too. Maybe the true definition of atheist is not one who does not believe but rather one who is in denial.

 

[Blake]

In my experience, any time I ask an atheist why they don't believe in God and we have a serious conversation about it, it doesn't come down to the denial of the existence of a god -- it usually comes down to a hatred for the laws and the ways of God. It comes down to a fear of letting go of sins, or even accepting that sin is a reality. In other words, most atheists I've met can easily wrap their minds around a god being present in the universe, but never that a god has standards and ways that are above our own. It's denial. And I think the old proverb rings true that there are no atheists in a fox hole.

 

[Deborah13]

For me it is pretty simple. No matter how someone believes that the creation of all things happened it comes down to, how can something be created from nothing? There has to be a creator to create the first something, even if it was just a speck of dust.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

In my experience, any time I ask an atheist why they don't believe in God and we have a serious conversation about it, it doesn't come down to the denial of the existence of a god -- it usually comes down to a hatred for the laws and the ways of God. It comes down to a fear of letting go of sins, or even accepting that sin is a reality. In other words, most atheists I've met can easily wrap their minds around a god being present in the universe, but never that a god has standards and ways that are above our own. It's denial. And I think the old proverb rings true that there are no atheists in a fox hole.

This has been my observation too.
As you're talking to them they make it evident that they are aware of the intelligence that rules the ways of creation. What they struggle with is whether or not that intelligence overseeing all things is moral and not just scientific in nature. It's all about the sin issue.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

For me it is pretty simple. No matter how someone believes that the creation of all things happened it comes down to, how can something be created from nothing? There has to be a creator to create the first something, even if it was just a speck of dust.

If you really want to blow your mind, consider what was before there was something created. What did God do before that? Where did he come and go forth from? What occupied his mind when there was nothing?

 

[WIP]

In my experience, any time I ask an atheist why they don't believe in God and we have a serious conversation about it, it doesn't come down to the denial of the existence of a god -- it usually comes down to a hatred for the laws and the ways of God. It comes down to a fear of letting go of sins, or even accepting that sin is a reality. In other words, most atheists I've met can easily wrap their minds around a god being present in the universe, but never that a god has standards and ways that are above our own. It's denial. And I think the old proverb rings true that there are no atheists in a fox hole.

I stand corrected.

 

[Deborah13]

If you really want to blow your mind, consider what was before there was something created. What did God do before that? Where did he come and go forth from? What occupied his mind when there was nothing?

Hmm...two of the questions I have never considered.
Where did He come from and go forth from? Leads me right back to faith and the question, what is spirit?
God is spirit, but God also came to man in the form of physical matter, Jesus, that could be touched, seen, and heard. Not that Jesus didn't always exist.
God asks us to believe in spiritual beings that we cannot see. He asks us to believe that He spoke to men in antiquity telling them about Himself and that what they wrote about Him is true. He asks us to believe so many things completely by faith. Can anyone do that without His intervention?

Man has a problem with their rational, logical mind standing in the way of spiritual realities.
When much of the Church poo, poos peoples testimonies of experiencing spiritual things, beings, or manifestations of the spiritual kind, they are relying on their own rational, logical mind. Personally I think it is a big mistake. God tells us to leave certain things alone, He doesn't do that because they are not real.

 

[Christ_empowered]

There's what Blake said...I think CS Lewis wrote an essay or book or something...God on the dock(et) or something...and also I think some people reject God because of anger at Him.

 

[Blake]

Toss a Jenga set into the dryer for a full cycle and when it's done, look inside to see if it's fully assembled. That's entirely improbable. Set a group of chimps in front of some typewriters and fast forward until they recreate the works of Shakespeare. That's astronomical. Tell me that our life in this massive universe came about all by chance. That is impossible.

 

[Brother Mike]

Those verses came to my mind too. Maybe the true definition of atheist is not one who does not believe but rather one who is in denial.

What Paul said is sort of complex, but he stated.
1) They clearly did see
2) God did reveal to them
3) All things made that are invisible, are Clearly understood by the things made.
4) They have no excuse, did not retain God in Knowledge, despite creation itself screaming "There is A God!!!!"

Paul said their imagination darkened, and they were not thankful.

Not being thankful, carries a whole other list of heart issues. Paul continued on though.

Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
(Rom 1:22-25)

5) They thought they were wise.
6) They changed the Glory of God which they saw through creation, and brought it down to the corruptible understanding of man.
7) Since the Truth of God did not set well with what they wanted to do, then they are not responsible if all creation is just as a image of man, whom they have no responsibility to. Serving the things created and not the creator. (Blake mentioned this)

A whole lot of self deception and complex thinking a person has to go through to claim they are an Atheist.

 

[Milk-Drops]

Just like every other time something like this is posted.

I am an Atheist. I do not believe in God or gods. When I'm asked how I think we got here, I will say I don't fully know, and I don't think anyone really knows for sure.

Any religion can use this argument and none of them have to justify it because its a logic trap. Due to the US and most western countries having a large Christian population and a culture with heavy Christian influence, its very common for people to automatically adopt beliefs. Studies have been done on Children to show that they are basically sponges and their reasoning skills don't fully form until they are in their mid teens. South east Asia, South America, North America, and Africa were independent from the Middle East and Europe and had vastly different spiritual concepts than the Abrahamic faiths.

There is actually a lot of interesting material on what happened when the Romans invaded southeast Asia and were flummoxed by the concepts of Buddhism and Hinduism because these systems of belief are so alien compared to Christian doctrine.

A lot of Atheism is a response to people divorcing away from the culture and concepts that are dogma to most religions. A lot of people get mad when they find something that doesn't fit or make sense, or the reasoning starts breaking down.


The Bible was written by people, claiming they were inspired by God, but we have no real way to determine this, its excepted purely on faith, but that doesn't change the fact that human who can make mistakes wrote it.

 

[WIP]

Just like every other time something like this is posted.

I am an Atheist. I do not believe in God or gods. When I'm asked how I think we got here, I will say I don't fully know, and I don't think anyone really knows for sure.

Any religion can use this argument and none of them have to justify it because its a logic trap. Due to the US and most western countries having a large Christian population and a culture with heavy Christian influence, its very common for people to automatically adopt beliefs. Studies have been done on Children to show that they are basically sponges and their reasoning skills don't fully form until they are in their mid teens. South east Asia, South America, North America, and Africa were independent from the Middle East and Europe and had vastly different spiritual concepts than the Abrahamic faiths.

There is actually a lot of interesting material on what happened when the Romans invaded southeast Asia and were flummoxed by the concepts of Buddhism and Hinduism because these systems of belief are so alien compared to Christian doctrine.

A lot of Atheism is a response to people divorcing away from the culture and concepts that are dogma to most religions. A lot of people get mad when they find something that doesn't fit or make sense, or the reasoning starts breaking down.


The Bible was written by people, claiming they were inspired by God, but we have no real way to determine this, its excepted purely on faith, but that doesn't change the fact that human who can make mistakes wrote it.

You must be careful here. Some of what you wrote above is in violation of our ToS, particularly the last statement. Remember, we believe the Bible is inspired of God himself and those who penned it were directed by the Holy Spirit.

I don't want to take this off topic but I do want to address something else you wrote. You wrote, "Due to the US and most western countries having a large Christian population and a culture with heavy Christian influence,..." I personally have been questioning this because if our population and culture truly has a heavy Christian influence and supposedly in majority (83%), we would not be passing laws that legalize abortion, prostitution, gay marriage, etc.

Just food for thought. Back to topic.

 

[turnorburn]

Just like every other time something like this is posted.

I am an Atheist. I do not believe in God or gods. When I'm asked how I think we got here, I will say I don't fully know, and I don't think anyone really knows for sure.

Any religion can use this argument and none of them have to justify it because its a logic trap. Due to the US and most western countries having a large Christian population and a culture with heavy Christian influence, its very common for people to automatically adopt beliefs. Studies have been done on Children to show that they are basically sponges and their reasoning skills don't fully form until they are in their mid teens. South east Asia, South America, North America, and Africa were independent from the Middle East and Europe and had vastly different spiritual concepts than the Abrahamic faiths.

There is actually a lot of interesting material on what happened when the Romans invaded southeast Asia and were flummoxed by the concepts of Buddhism and Hinduism because these systems of belief are so alien compared to Christian doctrine.

A lot of Atheism is a response to people divorcing away from the culture and concepts that are dogma to most religions. A lot of people get mad when they find something that doesn't fit or make sense, or the reasoning starts breaking down.


The Bible was written by people, claiming they were inspired by God, but we have no real way to determine this, its excepted purely on faith, but that doesn't change the fact that human who can make mistakes wrote it.

Its not so much that you don't believe in God its more that you can't believe in God..

tob

 

[Brother Mike]

Just like every other time something like this is posted.

I am an Atheist. I do not believe in God or gods. When I'm asked how I think we got here, I will say I don't fully know, and I don't think anyone really knows for sure.

As you mentioned and I said, a whole lot of complex thinking has to go into someone being self deceived. There should be no argument that creates a logic trap to start.

As for people that claim the don't believe in a god. The Word of God can not be proved to be by the Holy Spirit. They are ignorant of the fact that God does not have to prove anything.

Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
(1Th 5:19-21)

We are told to prove.

O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
(Psa 34:8)

We are told to step out and taste.

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
(Joh 17:20)

We are told to believe on Jesus through the Word.

The acid test to know Our God is real, is if our God does what he said he would do in His Word. We have to activate those test ourselves and choose to believe first.

If the manual said plug this in, and push this button, make sure that is on correctly and we don't do what the manual said, then it's ignorance that takes the product back claiming it don't work.

Ignoring the manual I am talking about will cost you more than just a product not working. A cost you can't recover, or afford.

Mike

 

[Milk-Drops]

Its not so much that you don't believe in God its more that you can't believe in God..

tob

I did though, I wanted to go to be a pastor. I grew up in and went to a Christian private school. I was a young earth creationist Biblical literalness that helped out at youth groups. I was entrenched as humanly possible.

 

[turnorburn]

I did though, I wanted to go to be a pastor. I grew up in and went to a Christian private school. I was a young earth creationist Biblical literalness that helped out at youth groups. I was entrenched as humanly possible.

Sounds like you never were quickened..

tob

 

[Deborah13]

As for people that claim the don't believe in a god. The Word of God can not be proved to be by the Holy Spirit. They are ignorant of the fact that God does not have to prove anything.

Is that what you think God thinks, that He doesn't need to prove Himself?