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"choosing" to be Atheist.... - 7/30/2010 12:09:20 AM
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ColoradoLady38
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I have a friend of mine in the fire service who is an atheist. The other day I was texting him about an exam we have coming up on Saturday for our First Responder. I was sharing how anxious I was about the exam. He replied something to effect of "you have hope, and you have faith. Faith I want no part of". So it got me to thinking if you think that others may choose to be, just call themselves atheistic as a way to continue living their sad lives. Maybe they see that since we are Christians, that we lives these pitiful and un-fun lives, or something, I don't know. But I just wanted your take on it.
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RE: "choosing" to be Atheist.... - 7/30/2010 12:49:15 AM
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LCannon
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Do people claiming they have no faith or hope also have no expectation or aspiration? 'If for this life only we have hoped in Christ we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ Jesus has been raised from the dead[and are blooming into]the first fruits[for eternity sake]of those who have died.'(1Corinthians 15:19,20)
It's a rare individual, expect perhaps a serial killer, that has no expectation other then blind fate. Even a serial killer has an aspiration for his next victim. Probably he's calling himself an atheist out of contempt as a counterbalance to a lifestyle of Faith.
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no man can be a man of prayer who doesn't give much time to praying.' E.M. Bounds
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RE: "choosing" to be Atheist.... - 7/30/2010 6:14:09 AM
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19ramman85
Posts: 760
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quote:
ORIGINAL: EuphoriaAlice
Are you saying that atheists may choose be atheists as a way of continuing our "sad" lives? I don't quite understand that...
Depending on how your mind works, you will either get more fulfillment from either atheism or religion. Nobody should assume that people on the opposite side of the fence either have it worse, or have it better.
Atheists and agnostics alike have aspirations! 
Not believing in any god doesn't automatically aquate to having zero expectations or aspirations; we can have many.
I don't think deermousie is talking about those who are atheist with conviction. Such as a friend of mine, who simply doesn't believe in anything supernatural at all. And believes that the Trinity, Satan, angels, demons, etc are nothing more than myths. And that the Bible, Koran, Jewish Bible are nothing more than a collection of myths, passed down from generation to generation. He also believes strongly in Darwinism, and a follower of the likes of Steven Hawkins.
He is also a College Graduate, with quite a good take and outlook on life. Such as other atheists I know.
Or, look at it this way; A True Atheist = "SURE", there is no God
A True Christian ="SURE", there "IS" a God
No, the guy ColoradoLady is talking about, sounds like another one of those agnostics(?), that love to sit on that fence of Atheism/Christianity, waiting for proof of either. And not thinking that both are rational choices/convictions - such as the atheist friend of mine. And that both require - 'FAITH", in their belief.
No - it sounds like this guy in the OP - has lack of faith, suffers from self-esteem issues, and lacks conviction in almost anything he does, and looks only to the negative side - most of the times in almost - if not, all the time.
-charles
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RE: "choosing" to be Atheist.... - 7/30/2010 7:10:57 AM
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ColoradoLady38
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Nope, not saying Atheists live sad lives at all. As a matter of fact, he is a lot more successful in many ways that most Christians that I know. What I meant was do you think that some Atheists use that term as a means of continuing to live the way they do? For instance he is married to a hard working woman, he is retired and makes oodles due to pension from the military and other sources. Yet 3-4x a year he disappears to somewhere for a week at a time. The last time it was Mexico. But he leaves his wife at home. Another is that every week he goes dancing at the club, and leaves her at home. It's selfish stuff like that that just doesn't make sense to me. So if he says he is atheist maybe he sees that as an excuse to go and do those things because he doesn't have the term "Christian" to hold him accountable to his selfishness. I don't know, it was just something that I was pondering.
Also, from what I have been reading and have understood over the years, the atheists see Christians as weak minded. That we are the sad ones. We can't make it through this life without our 'faith'. That we use our faith in God as a crutch. Remember this is not my thinking, I am a Christian and darned proud of it.
Thank you for your replies guys.
Deermousie, I agree with you. It takes a strong person to have faith in God and live a Christian life. It's too easy to say 'forget it' and choose not to live for Christ. Because the majority are not, those who choose not live for Christ, fit right in just like that round peg. But I am happy to call myself that square peg in a round hole...
_____________________________
God loves me even though....
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RE: "choosing" to be Atheist.... - 7/30/2010 7:48:31 AM
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sen10tious
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Well, I have no idea if his wife wants to go dancing...
My MIL liked the times my FIL went off on trips to Europe with his buddies. ('Never figured that out, really.) So I won't comment on that part.
Anyway, I do think the default setting for the human spirit is to believe that there is "something." Most believe in some purpose or some entity greater than self. Without training and instruction, since Satan is currently the "Prince of the Air," people tend toward pantheism because that would still allow them to be selfish. They can be god-like that way.
Atheists are seriously disturbed because they have to work to make a choice to reject what is natural. There is probably some deep-seated reason a person becomes an atheist.
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RE: "choosing" to be Atheist.... - 7/30/2010 7:51:13 AM
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EuphoriaAlice
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Heya ColoradoLady38, thanks for the explanation.
I don't believe that any atheist is an atheist purely because they just don't want to be held accountable for any wrongdoing. Atheists are just as accountable and responsible as anybody else for their behaviour. The consequences of negative behaviour still manifest themselves physically and emotionally; and because they don't believe in a god certainly doesn't erase their moral understandings.
An atheist is an atheist because they don't believe in any god, and are just as responsible for any wrongdoing as anybody else regardless of religious belief. If he neglects his wife, he is accountable to her. We are all aware of our positive and negative behaviour, and the short and long-term consequences of our behaviour.
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RE: "choosing" to be Atheist.... - 7/30/2010 8:02:34 AM
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EuphoriaAlice
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quote:
ORIGINAL: sen10tious
Atheists are seriously disturbed because they have to work to make a choice to reject what is natural. There is probably some deep-seated reason a person becomes an atheist.
How easily I could turn this around... I have tried to be compassionate and understanding on this forum; so I will refrain from rising to insult, but I will pose this to you: If you are a Christian, you are a Muslim atheist, a Buddism atheist - an atheist to other religions which exist with conviction completely equal to yours.
[EDIT] -
I should also point out that many atheists are, and have been, and very unforunately likely will be in the future: seriously disturbed. There are adults walking this plannet who have been corrupted as children by the psychological abuse inflicted upon them by religious parents who indocrinate their beliefs upon them. The reinforcement and active awareness of biblical images of hellfire and eternal torture and the constant fear of sinning can easily be construed as a form of psychological abuse in children.
We are all born atheists. Whether we are Christian, Muslim, Buddist, etc, is strongly dependant on which culture we were brought up in as children, and what our parents believed. If you were born and raised in Islam, with Islamic parents, it is highly unlikely you would be a Christian today.
< Message edited by EuphoriaAlice -- 7/30/2010 8:18:59 AM >
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RE: "choosing" to be Atheist.... - 7/30/2010 8:53:03 AM
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solarflare
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quote:
Atheists are seriously disturbed because they have to work to make a choice to reject what is natural. There is probably some deep-seated reason a person becomes an atheist.
Yes and who qualifies you to say atheists are seriously disturbed?
Christians don't work at what they believe? If they don't, I seriously question their faith........
I have deep seated reasons for believing in Christ....does that equal a serious disturbance in my noodle?
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RE: "choosing" to be Atheist.... - 7/30/2010 9:08:02 AM
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sen10tious
Posts: 236
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From: Southern US
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quote:
ORIGINAL: EuphoriaAlice
If you are a Christian, you are a Muslim atheist, a Buddism atheist - an atheist to other religions which exist with conviction completely equal to yours.
Well, no. We obviously are not using the same definition for "atheist" and it is affecting how we understand each other.
For the way you used atheist here, I would use the term infidel. If you are a Christian, you are a Muslim infidel, a Buddism infidel.
The way I use atheist is to mean complete and total denial as to the existence of any god for anybody, any time, any place.
quote:
We are all born atheists.
See, the definition that I am using for atheist makes this impossible. That is why I said that "the default setting for the human spirit is to believe that there is 'something.'"
So, how do you define "atheist?"
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RE: "choosing" to be Atheist.... - 7/30/2010 9:18:35 AM
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drmark
Posts: 5784
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quote:
ORIGINAL: ColoradoLady38
I have a friend of mine in the fire service who is an atheist. The other day I was texting him about an exam we have coming up on Saturday for our First Responder. I was sharing how anxious I was about the exam. He replied something to effect of "you have hope, and you have faith. Faith I want no part of". So it got me to thinking if you think that others may choose to be, just call themselves atheistic as a way to continue living their sad lives. Maybe they see that since we are Christians, that we lives these pitiful and un-fun lives, or something, I don't know. But I just wanted your take on it.
Romans 1:18-20 clearly indicates that atheists willfully suppress the truth of Creator God because of their unrighteousness. That certainly sounds like an inexcusable "choice" to me!
_____________________________
Jeremiah 31:31-34. The time is NOW, fellow saints!
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RE: "choosing" to be Atheist.... - 7/30/2010 9:23:29 AM
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drmark
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quote:
ORIGINAL: solarflare
quote:
Atheists are seriously disturbed because they have to work to make a choice to reject what is natural. There is probably some deep-seated reason a person becomes an atheist.
Yes and who qualifies you to say atheists are seriously disturbed?
Christians don't work at what they believe? If they don't, I seriously question their faith........
I have deep seated reasons for believing in Christ....does that equal a serious disturbance in my noodle?
I completely agree with sen10! Real atheists are either pathologic liars or suffering from psychosis. Those who merely claim to be atheists are trying to justify their own elevation to the level of god... 
_____________________________
Jeremiah 31:31-34. The time is NOW, fellow saints!
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RE: "choosing" to be Atheist.... - 7/30/2010 9:28:02 AM
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sen10tious
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From: Southern US
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quote:
ORIGINAL: solarflare
Yes and who qualifies you to say atheists are seriously disturbed?
Um, that would be my log-in here at the forum. Stating that does not violate TOS, therefore I am qualified to say what I believe.
I maintain that the natural man will believe in the existence of some purpose or some entity greater than self. If we were born atheists, then over 90% of the population would have to "convert" to an agnostic-like state where they hold that the existence of the ultimate cause is unknown. Man would then require a second conversion into belief in a specific "ultimate cause" to have any organized religion.
It goes against nature to be an atheist, who is in complete denial that god could exist.
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RE: "choosing" to be Atheist.... - 7/30/2010 9:37:29 AM
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solarflare
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quote:
I completely agree with sen10! Real atheists are either pathologic liars or suffering from psychosis. Those who merely claim to be atheists are trying to justify their own elevation to the level of god...
Yes, well, that doesn't qualify sentious anymore that what they actually wrote.
Real atheists? Real Christians?
People who make THOSE kind of judgements are not often open to discuss things very much IMO
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RE: "choosing" to be Atheist.... - 7/30/2010 9:40:15 AM
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solarflare
Posts: 1439
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quote:
Um, that would be my log-in here at the forum. Stating that does not violate TOS, therefore I am qualified to say what I believe.
Well I see you totally misunderstood.
You can say anything you want that doesn't encourage you to take a sabbatical from the forums,
but the question was...what qualifies you to label a person 'seriously disturbed?' as in
do you have a degree that would substantiate your opinion?
Even then, your diagnosis would be only opinion without a proper examination of the individual in question.
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RE: "choosing" to be Atheist.... - 7/30/2010 9:42:29 AM
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solarflare
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quote:
"Seriously disturbed, pathological liars, psychosis-suffering"... Wow. What absolute sickening, baseless, self-righteous accusations, coming from a Christian, no less.
We do not reject any deity. We don't believe any deity exists in the first place.
In order to reject something, belief in that thing existing is a pre-requisite.
and this answer is the reason that blatant illogical accusations such as 'seriously disturbed' should not be made
People are here to discuss, not be accused....
anyway, at this rate, some serious editing is going to happen unless the tone is changed
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RE: "choosing" to be Atheist.... - 7/30/2010 9:58:51 AM
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solarflare
Posts: 1439
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quote:
I should also point out that many atheists are, and have been, and very unforunately likely will be in the future: seriously disturbed. There are adults walking this plannet who have been corrupted as children by the psychological abuse inflicted upon them by religious parents who indocrinate their beliefs upon them. The reinforcement and active awareness of biblical images of hellfire and eternal torture and the constant fear of sinning can easily be construed as a form of psychological abuse in children.
We are all born atheists. Whether we are Christian, Muslim, Buddist, etc, is strongly dependant on which culture we were brought up in as children, and what our parents believed. If you were born and raised in Islam, with Islamic parents, it is highly unlikely you would be a Christian today.
Scripture...what Christians say we believe, (draws deep breath) actually tells us that we are ALL, every
single one of us on this planet, prone to following our own way.(s) That would mean believing in whatever,
or in some cases, notever.
The thing that is important to remember, is that even the Christian cannot say THIS is what I believe as though
they came to it all on their own. God tells us that He draws us to Himself by His Holy Spirit.
I do not think it would be correct to say 'we are all born atheists'. It would however be correct to say (from a Christian's
perspective which is hopefully the Bible) that we are all born in sin and each one of us desires our own way above every
other way.
Christians can be born in any family; it matters not. I must disagree with regards to your statement re culture and belief.
While a case can be made for likelihood, please understand that we believe that God is omnipotent and is not held back
by what is humanly impossible or even unlikely.
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RE: "choosing" to be Atheist.... - 7/30/2010 10:12:28 AM
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sen10tious
Posts: 236
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From: Southern US
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quote:
ORIGINAL: solarflare
blatant illogical accusations such as 'seriously disturbed' should not be made
I maintain that "normal" is to believe in the existence of some purpose or some entity greater than self.
Using logic, any deviation from belief in the existence of some purpose or some entity greater than self would be other-than-normal.
Still, if you want a quote from a qualified authority, will you accept Psalm 10:4?
The wicked one in the pride of his countenance will not seek, inquire for, and yearn for God; all his thoughts are that there is no God.
Or Ps 14:1 or Ps 53:1?
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
Are not the wicked and foolish seriously disturbed? I think the Bible's language on that is more offensive than what I had posted.
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RE: "choosing" to be Atheist.... - 7/30/2010 11:12:50 AM
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solarflare
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quote:
I think the Bible's language on that is more offensive than what I had posted.
I think you have misunderstood me. I was not quoting anything you wrote.
Perhaps you might have another go at reading my posts? There is nothing in them regarding
what you wrote other than where I responded to you in my last post.
If the hearer/reader is not offended, perhaps it does not apply to them.
Just my observation
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RE: "choosing" to be Atheist.... - 7/30/2010 12:12:13 PM
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kmangel
Posts: 268
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quote:
ORIGINAL: ColoradoLady38
He replied something to effect of "you have hope, and you have faith. Faith I want no part of".
We all have faith in something. I have faith in Jesus, but I also have faith that the chair I sit on is going to hold me, I have faith that the sun will rise tomorrow morning. Your atheist friend has faith, too.
quote:
So it got me to thinking if you think that others may choose to be, just call themselves atheistic as a way to continue living their sad lives. Maybe they see that since we are Christians, that we lives these pitiful and un-fun lives, or something, I don't know. But I just wanted your take on it.
My mother is agnostic. She has commented to both my brother and me that she is surprised that she raised two children with strong convictions that God is real yet she herself is agnostic. I think she wishes she had faith in God like my brother and I have but for whatever reason, faith in God has alluded her all these years and she's 82 now. Even though she questions the existence of God, she does have faith. She has faith in herself--what she has done throughout her lifetime and she's very proud of her accomplishments. She has in the face of many trials and tribulations kept her head above water. I believe this faith in herself is very satisfying to her. And she has done some fine things in her lifetime. She's certainly not led a sorry life by any means. She just doesn't share the glory of what her life has afforded her with God.
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Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in.
--Mark Twain
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RE: "choosing" to be Atheist.... - 7/30/2010 12:43:51 PM
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drmark
Posts: 5784
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quote:
People are here to discuss, not be accused.... And I for one have not accused a single individual of anything. Indeed, by your own admission, we have not "properly examined" anyone on this electronic forum. But Psalm 14:1/53:1 clearly state that the atheist is a fool, and I can think of no better examples of foolish people than liars and psychotics!
_____________________________
Jeremiah 31:31-34. The time is NOW, fellow saints!
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RE: "choosing" to be Atheist.... - 7/30/2010 1:32:20 PM
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EuphoriaAlice
Posts: 104
Joined: 7/26/2010
From: UK
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quote:
ORIGINAL: drmark
Indeed, by your own admission, we have not "properly examined" anyone on this electronic forum. But Psalm 14:1/53:1 clearly state that the atheist is a fool, and I can think of no better examples of foolish people than liars and psychotics!
Oh, I see! You won't openly admit to throwing insipid accusations yourself, but you will use the bible as a weapon which can do all of the disgusting accusing for you! How completely convenient.
The notion that all atheists are 'fools', is completely vacuous, whether it be from you, anybody else, or a book.
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