Originally posted by KellyJay
How can nothing taste good.

Life is "nothing"?

Originally posted by Ghost of a Duke
And you my friend are missing out on the atheist's buffet.

The sandwiches are marvellous!

And there's the added bonus of pillaging the wallets in the cloakroom. Which you can get away with if you are not caught. 😉

Originally posted by Ghost of a Duke
You so nearly 'read me' old chap, but then go and ruin it with over simplification. 🙂

Points of correction:

1. Again, I have studied theology at degree level. (Including Genesis!) So any suggestion I have made a snap judgement is unfounded. I didn't stop reading after Genesis 1:3.
2. I do not view your Christian outlook as one dimensional. I ...[text shortened]... atheists.I sincerely ask you reflect on that, for the cause of mutual understanding and respect.

You so nearly 'read me' old chap, but then go and ruin it with over simplification.

Points of correction:

Okay. Correct.

1. Again, I have studied theology at degree level. (Including Genesis!) So any suggestion I have made a snap judgement is unfounded. I didn't stop reading after Genesis 1:3.

Okay.
I'll try to remember that.

If you've studied Genesis then I may ask how you think about a matter or two.
It would be interesting to see what you think.

2. I do not view your Christian outlook as one dimensional. I do not believe, or have ever suggested, that you are all about hell and damnation. I apologise if i have given that impression.

Okay.

3. I do not put the burden of proof on Christians.

Man, You're not going to leave me with anything. Are you?

I am proactive enough to have made up my own mind about the non existence of God. Your own 'evidence' for the existence of God is your own business. I do not need to see 'your proof' for something I have already discounted through thorough consideration. I am not convinced by the evidence that God exists, so am unable to believe in Him, even if I want to. I do not expect you to provide such evidence.

I don't know what you mean by It my business.
I suppose you're saying "Mind your own business" ?
Is that what you're telling me?

4. You stated, 'I am willing to adjust that a little. There are some people who would like to know God but just cannot believe yet that God IS.' - This would indeed be a closer understanding of my position. (Though would prefer you said atheist rather than people, to demonstrate your true understanding).

5. I note that you don't like generalisations or caricatures being made about your Christianity,

but frequently you make such sweeping statements about atheists.I sincerely ask you reflect on that, for the cause of mutual understanding and respect.

Sorry for the generalizations.

I'm going to not bother you any more. If I can just remember "The Ghost".
Nevermind about the Genesis questions.

Originally posted by sonship
All this deeper understanding of the world from these secular fellas is just overwhelming.

Can someone explain why the world's first double helix section of DNA replicated itself ?

In other words since life sciences are still basically in kindergarten you are chiding a 6 year old for not knowing astrophysics on a Phd level.

You do denigrate science when you make statements like that especially since you know full well the scientific discipline of life origins has pointers but no overall answers. Since at this very early stage of life origin science they don't have the full answer, you feel you are justified into making the whole thing a joke, a pejorative. and further, you would feel the entire life origin question will NEVER be answered since you know your answers are inherently superior to ANYTHING science has to say on the issue.

That just goes to show your arrogance and unbendable will more than anything else.

Like I said, you are chiding a 6 year old for not knowing Astrophysics on a Phd level.

The more time goes by, people are intelligent, scientists as a whole are more intelligent than average, and they IMHO WILL come up with the real answers and if it takes 200 years so be it. That gives your ilk a lot of time to scoff over the efforts of science to answer these questions.

Originally posted by sonship

You so nearly 'read me' old chap, but then go and ruin it with over simplification.

Points of correction:

Okay. Correct.

1. Again, I have studied theology at degree level. (Including Genesis!) So any suggestion I have made a snap judgement is unfounded. I didn't stop reading after Genesis 1:3.

Okay.
I'll ...[text shortened]... er you any more. If I can just remember "The Ghost".
Nevermind about the Genesis questions.

Was 2 decades ago when I studied Genesis, so probably wouldn't pass an exam on it now. 🙂

And no, I was not saying 'mind your own business.' - I was saying that your own evidence or understanding of God is your own business (applies to you) However, due to having already explored the issue on my own, your evidence or understanding doesn't apply to me. (Hence there is no burden of proof on you to convince me of anything).

My point about generalizations is that it goes both ways. It is always risky talking of atheists in the plural (despite its convenience) as apart from our disbelief in God, we often have little in common.

Originally posted by Fetchmyjunk
And there's the added bonus of pillaging the wallets in the cloakroom. Which you can get away with if you are not caught. 😉

That's a much simpler proposition for christians. Christians can get easily gain forgiveness from their god, atheists however require forgiveness from their conscience, a rather less sympathetic judge.

Originally posted by avalanchethecat
That's a much simpler proposition for christians. Christians can get easily gain forgiveness from their god, atheists however require forgiveness from their conscience, a rather less sympathetic judge.

Easy? Do you know what Jesus did and went through for everyone? We are redeemed through Him not through ourselves.

Originally posted by KellyJay
Easy? Do you know what Jesus did and went through for everyone? We are redeemed through Him not through ourselves.

Yep, easy, since Jesus already did the hard bit for you.

Originally posted by Nicksten
2. On a very technical note, the ten commandments does belong to the Christian religion as those are scriptures in the Bible which claims that God inscribed them on two stone tablets. Although other religions, faiths, denominations etc share some of the same values and believes it does not mean it created moral behavior as you also mentioned - but I do beli ...[text shortened]... of view, the commandments are meant for every person on earth whether or not you are religious.

I would say that if the Ten Commandments belong to any one faith, then that faith is Judaism. Moses wrote them into the Torah. Mosaic law is for the Jews.

In fact, even the Ten Commandments have been superceded for Christians by the two commandments of Jesus. Follow those two and the rest comes naturally.

Originally posted by avalanchethecat
Yep, easy, since Jesus already did the hard bit for you.

You know, of course, that repeatedly telling Christians that you believe that their faith is complete hogwash doesn't really help this conversation along.

Originally posted by Ghost of a Duke
First it is important to understand what I mean when I say 'I am an atheist'. - Sonship generalises that atheists 'don't want to believe in God' rather than simply 'not believing in God.' I understand of course why he does this as it is easy to speak of divine punishment when an individual doesn't 'want' to believe and has 'chosen' to reject God. It ...[text shortened]... sier for them. For me though such hope is a placebo and i'd rather take my life in my own hands.

Do you understand, though, the angst Christians feel when told repeatedly by some in this forum that their beliefs are 'fairy tales', or worse, 'crap'? (I'm not saying that you do this.)

I majored in psychology in school, and I left school with one semester to go, or I'd have my degree in it as well. As part of this, I studied a lot of science. A LOT of science. My understanding of science is not at a rudimentary level like a lot of Christians in this forum. I 'get' science. I believe in what science tells us. I respect science. But I also happen to believe in the God of the Bible. And this, to some atheists in this forum, turns all my effort to find common ground with atheists to mere 'dust in the wind'. I have received endless slaps in the face to my efforts to approach them on their level. Some go so far as to treat me like a child simply because I believe in God, because, you know, how could any person in their right mind believe in God?

Can you understand my level of frustration over this?

Originally posted by Suzianne
Do you understand, though, the angst Christians feel when told repeatedly by some in this forum that their beliefs are 'fairy tales', or worse, 'crap'? (I'm not saying that you do this.)

I majored in psychology in school, and I left school with one semester to go, or I'd have my degree in it as well. As part of this, I studied a lot of science. A LOT ...[text shortened]... son in their right mind believe in God?

Can you understand my level of frustration over this?

I posted a while back how your brand of Christianity, that embraced science rather than fearing it, was a Christianity I had a lot of respect for. My view on that hasn't changed. No matter what you might think, I don't lump all Christians/theists into the same pot. You are barely on the same spectrum as someone like Hinds.

I 'do' though think religious beliefs are 'fairy tales' intended to give reassuring answers to questions we have no answers for. - I would normally word it more tactfully that that, but can't apologise for holding that view, though appreciate how this could be angst causing.

Originally posted by avalanchethecat
Yep, easy, since Jesus already did the hard bit for you.

I give you that, and still we tend to screw it up by not accepting His gift for what it is, and
attempt to do it ourselves, or be good enough.

Originally posted by Ghost of a Duke
I posted a while back how your brand of Christianity, that embraced science rather than fearing it, was a Christianity I had a lot of respect for. My view on that hasn't changed. No matter what you might think, I don't lump all Christians/theists into the same pot. You are barely on the same spectrum as someone like Hinds.

I 'do' though think reli ...[text shortened]... t, but can't apologise for holding that view, though appreciate how this could be angst causing.

Your very wise in your own eyes my friend.

Originally posted by KellyJay
Your very wise in your own eyes my friend.

The Ghost concurs.