"Why Do Men Reject God?"

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
[b]"Why Do Men Reject God?" (By Wayne Jackson, M.A.)

"Most people in the world, throughout the ages of history, have believed in some concept of a Supreme Being. They may have had a perverted sense of Who that Being is, but they were convinced that there is a Personal Power greater than man. Given the evidence available, faith is reasonable. Tha ...[text shortened]... or's premise that "emotional motivation of some sort is a primary causative factor." of atheism?[/b]

Proverbs 18:1 says, "Whoever isolates himself pursues his own selfish desires; he rejects all practical wisdom."
Men reject God because they are emotionally attached to themselves and they rely on themselves instead of following God's loving direction.
This was exactly what Adam did and led us all into sin and death.
Men may reject God by choosing to believe lies or by denying that God exists altogether. Either course is the broad way that leads to destruction. That is why we all need to be reconciled to the true God.
Thankfully He has provided the Bible to show us the way and His Son Christ Jesus as a ransom to buy us back from sin and death.

Originally posted by roigam
Men reject God because they are emotionally attached to themselves and they rely on themselves instead of following God's loving direction.

I can't say I've seen much evidence of this in my lifetime. I have found for the most part that people who "reject God" in fact simply do not believe the things people like you claim about God and therefore "rely on themselves" because they do not believe there is "God's loving direction" as you happen to claim. I have also found that mostly this attachment (on the part of atheists) to believing what they believe, and not believing what you believe, is the result of rationality and not emotionalism.

Originally posted by roigam
Proverbs 18:1 says, "Whoever isolates himself pursues his own selfish desires; he rejects all practical wisdom."
Men reject God because they are emotionally attached to themselves and they rely on themselves instead of following God's loving direction.
This was exactly what Adam did and led us all into sin and death.
Men may reject God by choosing to beli ...[text shortened]... Bible to show us the way and His Son Christ Jesus as a ransom to buy us back from sin and death.

roigam, an excellent distillation of the original post;
unfortunately many theists and atheists
have flushed the Word of God
down the toilet or loo.
Thanks.

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
And what "counter claims" would a contemporary agnostic make? Thanks for your well considered reply.

The one's I did made. I wasn't speaking for hard atheists particularly.

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
unfortunately many theists and atheists
have flushed the Word of God
down the toilet or loo.
Thanks.

It is just not possible to somehow believe something that one simply does not believe (and that goes for things like not believing in Islam, or being unable to believe that God has not revealed Himself, too). If your own religiosity has stripped you of this basic ~ surely uncontroversial ~ insight into the human condition, then it is your loss, both intellectually and spiritually.

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
...many theists and atheists have flushed the Word of God down the toilet or loo.

Weren't you attempting to upbraid divegeester just recently when you said "Petulant gratuitous slang is generally indicative of immaturity and emotional revolt of the soul. What's happening to you?"

Originally posted by DeepThought
The one's I did made. I wasn't speaking for hard atheists particularly.

Okay. I learn from you; and make it a point to read and consider your posts.

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
roigam, an excellent distillation of the original post;
unfortunately many theists and atheists
have flushed the Word of God
down the toilet or loo.
Thanks.

Thank you ! it is not my knowledge but God's wisdom from the Bible.
My only hope is that more individuals stop being silly and return to the true God and gain the everlasting life He wants us to have, that He has purposed us for and has provided the ransom for.
After He brings this unsuccessful system to an end, we still have 1000 yrs. to learn before the final exam when Satan is once again let loose.
At that point mankind will be perfect again as Adam was to start with.
Hopefully, we will not make the same mistake he did.

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
Okay. I learn from you; and make it a point to read and consider your posts.

What's your response to DeepThought's five "counter claims"?

Originally posted by FMF
It is just not possible to somehow believe something that one simply does not believe (and that goes for things like not believing in Islam, or being unable to believe that God has not revealed Himself, too). If your own religiosity has stripped you of this basic ~ surely uncontroversial ~ insight into the human condition, then it is your loss, both intellectually and spiritually.

Clearly, this is not true.

Isn't it true that you now "simply do not believe" something that you "somehow" once "believed"?

Conversions happen all the time. To "believe" they don't is just a "head in the sand" opinion.

So now you are putting "your religiosity" on one side and "uncontroversial insight" (whatever that is) on the other and that "intellectual and spiritual loss" is an inevitable result?

If your own religiosity has stripped you of this basic ~ surely uncontroversial ~ insight into the human condition, then it is your loss, both intellectually and spiritually.

Hmmmm, I guess you are. You are aware that this is just your opinion, right? That one's "religiosity" (for an incredible lack of a better word, or possibly because it simply 'sounds' bad, much worse than the much simpler 'belief' ) IS a 'lack of 'uncontroversial' (calling *your* opinions 'uncontroversial' is clearly nothing more than a self-serving opinion in itself) insight' (which it clearly is NOT) AND results in an 'intellectual and spiritual loss' (which it clearly does NOT). Incredible.

Go on, tell us another funny one.

Originally posted by Suzianne

Isn't it true that you now "simply do not believe" something that you "somehow" once "believed"?

Yes I could no longer sustain my belief and it was not possible to then believe something that I simply did not believe.

Conversions happen all the time. To "believe" they don't is just a "head in the sand" opinion.

I haven't really said anything about conversions. Of course they happen. It would be head-in-the-sandish to claim or think that they don't happen. If someone believes that God has actually revealed Himself to them, they cannot simply choose to believe He hasn't. It is just not possible to somehow believe something ~ that God hasn't revealed Himself, or that Jesus was not divine ~ if one simply does not believe it. It works both ways.

You are aware that this is just your opinion, right? That one's "religiosity" (for an incredible lack of a better word, or possibly because it simply 'sounds' bad, much worse than the much simpler 'belief' ) IS a 'lack of 'uncontroversial' (calling *your* opinions 'uncontroversial' is clearly nothing more than a self-serving opinion in itself) insight' (which it clearly is NOT) AND results in an 'intellectual and spiritual loss' (which it clearly does NOT). Incredible.

Am I aware that the opinions I expressed are my opinions? Yes I am.

Originally posted by Suzianne
You are aware that this is just your opinion, right?

This is almost Pythonesque! Would you rather
FMF gave you someone else's opinion?

I'd rather hear personal opinions (anyones!) than cut n paste wisdom.

Originally posted by FMF
... "religiosity" (for an incredible lack of a better word, or possibly because it simply 'sounds' bad, much worse than the much simpler 'belief'😉...

"Religiosity" and "belief" are different words with different meanings which are used to express different ideas.

Originally posted by wolfgang59
This is almost Pythonesque! Would you rather
FMF gave you someone else's opinion?

I'd rather hear personal opinions (anyones!) than cut n paste wisdom.

You both have hopped, skipped and jumped over the word "just" in my quote.

"Just your opinion" means that's all it is. It in no way describes anything approaching "truth".

Originally posted by FMF
"Religiosity" and "belief" are different words with different meanings which are used to express different ideas.

Not the way you used it. You would do well to not slander someone's belief by calling it "religiosity". But this is typical, you very often substitute another word (which you clearly regard as more insulting) for a crucial word in the argument. But this doesn't actually say anything about the original crucial word in the argument, except to slander it and make it seem "bad". It's more misdirection and misrepresentation.