Probably someones already said this, but i may as well say what i think.
By the way, i'm 17 years old and a christian. To you this probably does nothing for my credibility but oh well. Please argue politely without insulting my intelligence.
"10 - You vigorously deny the existence of thousands of gods claimed by other religions, but feel outraged when someone denies the existence of yours."
Well put yourself in our position. You are convinced, for reasons, that there is a personal God. Would you deny what you believe is wrong and be annoyed if someone denied your 'absolute truth'? Thats my point of view, and isn't really that strange anyway. Also it is said that the progression is from many gods, to one God, to atheism and then ending up at nihilism, a belief in nothing.
"9 - You feel insulted and "dehumanized" when scientists say that people evolved from other life forms, but you have no problem with the Biblical claim that we were created from dirt."
Kind of random statement. There is no denying that we have mortal flesh and blood bodies, but there is another side to it. I beleive we are more than matter, and we have a spiritual side. We are created in Gods image, and not just in looks. Of course I can't prove this, but the claim we come from dirt does not dehumanise people. While evolution on the other hand brings people down to animals, and we wonder why we run around like beasts in the field.
"8 - You laugh at polytheists, but you have no problem believing in a Triune God."
Hard to wrap my head around that as well, but the triune isn't multiple gods, it's the one thing.
"7 - Your face turns purple when you hear of the "atrocities" attributed to Allah, but you don't even flinch when hearing about how God/Jehovah slaughtered all the babies of Egypt in "Exodus" and ordered the elimination of entire ethnic groups in "Joshua" including women, children, and trees!"
I will of course be disagreed with on this point. I believe that those people, if given the chance, would never have chosen God. Had they lived, i believe, that the implications would have been far worse. This answer won't probably satisfy you but that is what I believe. Also, there were less deaths from the spanish inquisition than there were per day in the soviet union. And why should you even care about nerve endings getting destroyed anyways.
"6 - You laugh at Hindu beliefs that deify humans, and Greek claims about gods sleeping with women, but you have no problem believing that the Holy Spirit impregnated Mary, who then gave birth to a man-god who got killed, came back to life and then ascended into the sky."
God enters human history in human form. We deny Hindu and Greek claims because we, through other reasons, believe that they are wrong. This is kind of like saying 'muslims believe in a god, and you deny it, but you believe in you God.' Which is really contradicting much.
"5 - You are willing to spend your life looking for little loopholes in the scientifically established age of Earth (few billion years), but you find nothing wrong with believing dates recorded by Bronze Age tribesmen sitting in their tents and guessing that Earth is a few generations old."
I don't really follow what tribesmen your talking about. The point is the age of the earth has not been proven. Carbon dating is unreliable. This age of earth debate is for another argument at another time.
"4 - You believe that the entire population of this planet with the exception of those who share your beliefs -- though excluding those in all rival sects - will spend Eternity in an infinite Hell of Suffering. And yet consider your religion the most "tolerant" and "loving.""
Nope! Our religion IS definately exclusive. Loving, but exclusive. But we're not excluding you. God isn't excluding you. It is completely up to you wether you want God or not. God has given you free choice in the matter.
"3 - While modern science, history, geology, biology, and physics have failed to convince you otherwise, some idiot rolling around on the floor speaking in "tongues" may be all the evidence you need to "prove" Christianity."
Well there's the argument of proof versus experience. I can't fully prove God, but i experience a relationship with God. You assume the guy doing the strange tongues thing is insane, but you will never know. Oh and those areas of science have not disproven God yet. another argument another time.
"2 - You define 0.01% as a "high success rate" when it comes to answered prayers. You consider that to be evidence that prayer works. And you think that the remaining 99.99% FAILURE was simply the will of God."
That's pretty accurate. I suppose the will of God doesn't incorporate you praying to win the lottery! I believe that an all knowing, immortal God would be a bit more adept at answering prayer than a human. All prayer is answered, with a no or a yes. Most people believe in a form of religio - magic, in that the supernatural forces will somehow work for themselves.
"1 - You actually know a lot less than many atheists and agnostics do about the Bible, Christianity, and church history - but still call yourself a Christian."
This is a very good point. Many people just accept their parents belief without searching for the truth themselves. I, and many others, have found the truth, but I will not stop educating myself in this area. This is also true the other way round, as many people accept atheism becuase it is force fed in schools everywhere. Of course this doesn't prove anything, just that this problem is not just restricted to christians.
All in all, this discussion won't convince you to change. That's between you and God. My question to you is, why should you care? Why should you care about genocide? Where is your reference point to morals?
God bless,
Sam
reply
share