What's the end game for atheists?

[Bruce Daniels]

What if you convince everyone there is no God? What then.

Well, let's look at Russia and China as examples of what happens when a nation turns it's back on God.

Most of the people in these countries are atheists.

Do we, Americans, want to be more like the Russians and the Chinese?

Your premise is flawed. Most people in Russia are Orthodox Christians (71% according to one account Christianity in Russia - Wikipedia). The commies tried to stamp out Christianity, but failed.

But to your point: the end game for an atheist (or as I prefer to call myself, a realist) is death. Isn't that the end game for everyone? Oh, wait -- a lot of you think that death is not the end, it's just a transition to another plane or some bullshit. NO, death is the end. You're born, you live, and then you die. That's it. It's not complicated. So get the most you can out of THIS life, because you don't get another one.

So nihilism and hedonism is your answer.

And you wonder why I don't trust atheists.

That's not what I said. You might be able to read hedonism into what I said (although you could read it another way), but where do you get nihilism? Death is a fact. I'm acknowledging that; I'm not reveling in it.

I believe that if I believe in Jesus Christ as my savior and try to imitate his life as much as possible, death will be a transition for me to a world where I will be happy for the rest of eternity.

What can you offer me better than that?

The only thing I can offer you is reality, which is definitely NOT better than your fantasy. That's why Christianity has been around for two thousand years! But that doesn't make it true.

 

[Bruce Daniels]

The fisherman Peter was many things, but he was not very smart. There is no way he could have led a conspiracy to invent a false Messiah and convince billions of people it was true.

Actually, I think it was Paul who did most of the convincing.

 

[justinacolmena]

I believe that if I believe in Jesus Christ as my savior and try to imitate his life as much as possible,

Jesus essentially lived with his parents (Mary and Joseph) until he was about 30 years old, and then he went on his ministry preaching and teaching his disciples for about 3 years until he was crucified.

He lived without sin and Mary Magdalene or the woman who was a sinner was the closest to a wife that Jesus came.

Those things that happened to Jesus are not all things that he wants us to experience, even though he did live what he taught, unlike many of the rabbis of the day.

 

[Blackrook]

The fisherman Peter was many things, but he was not very smart. There is no way he could have led a conspiracy to invent a false Messiah and convince billions of people it was true.

Actually, I think it was Paul who did most of the convincing.

That's true, but Paul never met Jesus until AFTER he died.

There is no way Paul could have invented Jesus, his name was already well known, and he already had whole communities of believers, before Paul first made an appearance in Act of the Apostles.

If anyone INVENTED Jesus it would have to be Peter, James, and John, who are participants in most of the important stories in the Bible.

But to claim Jesus was an invention defies belief. It literally makes no sense to believe that.

And yet, that is what one of your fellow atheists said today, that Jesus never existed.

It's a claim as absurd as saying the Earth is flat.

 

[Bruce Daniels]

And don't tell me atheists offer the truth.

One of your fellow atheists claimed today that Jesus of Nazareth never really existed, he's just an imaginary character dreamed up by fishermen and a tax collector.

Do you really believe that could be true?

The great thing about Realists (as you would say, atheists) is that we disagree about lots of things! We don't have any dogma! We let everyone think for themselves! What a concept.

Personally, I do believe that Jesus existed as a historical personage. He was one of many itinerant "magicians" around in those days. His followers hit upon a truly great ad campaign: when he died, he didn't really die. And so, they were able to perpetuate his cult until it became the official religion of the Roman Empire.

 

[Bruce Daniels]

I believe that if I believe in Jesus Christ as my savior and try to imitate his life as much as possible,

Jesus essentially lived with his parents (Mary and Joseph) until he was about 30 years old, and then he went on his ministry preaching and teaching his disciples for about 3 years until he was crucified.

He lived without sin and Mary Magdalene or the woman who was a sinner was the closest to a wife that Jesus came.

Those things that happened to Jesus are not all things that he wants us to experience, even though he did live what he taught, unlike many of the rabbis of the day.

Oh, please. You're entitled to believe whatever you want, but don't present this bullshit as fact.

 

[Blackrook]

I believe that if I believe in Jesus Christ as my savior and try to imitate his life as much as possible,

Jesus essentially lived with his parents (Mary and Joseph) until he was about 30 years old, and then he went on his ministry preaching and teaching his disciples for about 3 years until he was crucified.

He lived without sin and Mary Magdalene or the woman who was a sinner was the closest to a wife that Jesus came.

Those things that happened to Jesus are not all things that he wants us to experience, even though he did live what he taught, unlike many of the rabbis of the day.

Oh, please. You're entitled to believe whatever you want, but don't present this bullshit as fact.

What do you believe?

Do you believe anything?

Do you have any answers to mankind's pressing questions?

No, you don't.

 

[Bruce Daniels]

The fisherman Peter was many things, but he was not very smart. There is no way he could have led a conspiracy to invent a false Messiah and convince billions of people it was true.

Actually, I think it was Paul who did most of the convincing.

That's true, but Paul never met Jesus until AFTER he died.

There is no way Paul could have invented Jesus, his name was already well known, and he already had whole communities of believers, before Paul first made an appearance in Act of the Apostles.

If anyone INVENTED Jesus it would have to be Peter, James, and John, who are participants in most of the important stories in the Bible.

But to claim Jesus was an invention defies belief. It literally makes no sense to believe that.

And yet, that is what one of your fellow atheists said today, that Jesus never existed.

It's a claim as absurd as saying the Earth is flat.

OK, first of all, do you hear yourself? "Paul never met Jesus until AFTER he died"? Have you ever met anyone AFTER they died? Oh, but Jesus was the Son of God, blah, blah, blah... If you believe that someone is a supernatural being, then anything is possible. But if you don't think they're supernatural...

There is no way Paul could have invented Jesus? Paul essentially DID invent Jesus, as we understand him today. But Paul didn't make Jesus out of whole cloth. In my opinion, Jesus was a real person, and then Paul laid a lot of other crap on top of his teachings. The actual words of Jesus in the Bible are few and far between. Paul has a lot more to say than Jesus. Really, you ought to be worshipping Paul.

And, sorry to disillusion you, but disbelieving in Jesus is MUCH less absurd that believing that the Earth is flat. As I already said, I do believe that Jesus was a real person, but there are reasons to think otherwise.

 

[Bruce Daniels]

I believe that if I believe in Jesus Christ as my savior and try to imitate his life as much as possible,

Jesus essentially lived with his parents (Mary and Joseph) until he was about 30 years old, and then he went on his ministry preaching and teaching his disciples for about 3 years until he was crucified.

He lived without sin and Mary Magdalene or the woman who was a sinner was the closest to a wife that Jesus came.

Those things that happened to Jesus are not all things that he wants us to experience, even though he did live what he taught, unlike many of the rabbis of the day.

Oh, please. You're entitled to believe whatever you want, but don't present this bullshit as fact.

What do you believe?

Do you believe anything?

Do you have any answers to mankind's pressing questions?

No, you don't.

Wow, you made a lot of assumptions about me pretty fast. I guess I'll try to respond anyway. Do I have any answers to mankind's pressing questions? I really wish that I did. But I'd say we should be kind to each other, take care of each other.

"Do you believe anything?"
I believe in the love in the eyes of a child. I believe in the power of music. I believe in facts and science. I believe in the human spirit.

 

[cnm]

I believe that if I believe in Jesus Christ as my savior and try to imitate his life as much as possible, death will be a transition for me to a world where I will be happy for the rest of eternity.

What can you offer me better than that?

A big rock candy mountain?

 

[cnm]

Christians highly value human life, because each human life has enormous worth as a creation of God.

Not so as you'd notice.

 

[Bruce Daniels]

I believe that if I believe in Jesus Christ as my savior and try to imitate his life as much as possible,

Jesus essentially lived with his parents (Mary and Joseph) until he was about 30 years old, and then he went on his ministry preaching and teaching his disciples for about 3 years until he was crucified.

He lived without sin and Mary Magdalene or the woman who was a sinner was the closest to a wife that Jesus came.

Those things that happened to Jesus are not all things that he wants us to experience, even though he did live what he taught, unlike many of the rabbis of the day.

"Jesus essentially lived with his parents (Mary and Joseph) until he was about 30 years old." So, you're saying that Jesus was a slacker? I mean, couldn't he get a job and move out of his parents' basement?

 

[Tom Paine 1949]

Can anything Christians ever did compare to the horrors of the 20th century perpetuated by the atheistic Communist party?

I certainly don't care to get into any idiotic never-ending argument about atheism & Christian religion, but since you mention China....

Few Westerners know that one of the world's bloodiest civil wars ever fought took place from 1850-1864 between the Qing Dynasty and the "Taiping Heavenly Kingdom" Chinese Christian movement. Estimates of deaths go as high as 30 million in that strange, violent and now almost forgotten struggle. Had Europeans not finally intervened on the side of the Qing Dynasty, it is possible that China today would be "Christian" and perhaps ruled by followers of the Great Taiping "brother of Jesus Christ."

Taiping Rebellion - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Aletheia4u]

They'll be living in a realm where there is no signs of life. Having strong cravings for the littlest things that they didn't appreciated here on earth.
I always thought that it will be wrong to sentence someone to spend eternity in the abyss without any proof that the word of God is the truth. But He has revealed that His word is truth several times. But it was ignored by many.
Like in the book of Acts chapter 2. The time when God gave the people his spirit, 50 days later after His last meeting with His disciples. That the people were able to speak in different languages that never was taught to them. But there are proof that someone spoken a language that they never was taught to them.
And now since He has exposed to us that His word is the truth. And if we ignores it, and didn't help to unveil that His word is the truth. That those who ignored His warnings. Should be sentenced to eternity to this realm of the dead.
Every one must labor in order to receive.

Luke 16:29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’

30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

1 Corinthians 14:38 But if anyone ignores this, they will themselves be ignored.



Acts 2:4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.



Acts 19:6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.