(January 1, 2017 at 5:57 am)Dragonspride1995 Wrote:

---

---

(December 31, 2016 at 12:33 pm)chimp3 Wrote: I hope he sticks around. Maybe he is just giving up this thread. I wonder what his motivation for easing relations between atheists and christians? Good will or does he think being nice is a better way to evangelize ? Perhaps we will find out.

To fully admit my bias, On one hand, Christians are shunned from society. Especially the public sphere. There is a bit of the Bible modern Christians seem to forget, it is the Fruits of the Spirit. And when they come online in places like this anonymity gives them a Big head. Furthermore "Cults" like the westboro baptist church with their "God hates Fags" don't help relations much. A Lot of times when I am debating atheists or even just talking over theology it seems that they have never had a good experience with a Christian. And the stories they tell don't exactly give me a good taste in my mouth either. Maybe I want to wright this book to make it easier to evangelise, I don't know. That's why I'm not sure if I am going to write the book or not. But for now I see a problem. Christian Bigotry and pure vitriol. I see a corruption in the church. And it makes me... well angry. The message you guys are getting, and the message we want to send does not seem to be the same. And it needs to be fixed. To be honest, I have seen this during the american election at plain work. There is a gigantic schism between what is perceived about a person or a group. And what they intend, or the meaning behind what they are trying to send. It may be just tribalism at work. But I think both sides would benefit of just some good discussion. With the book I'd like to show my side that you are not a bunch of satanic monsters looking to steal their Children away from them. And your side that we are not all bad.

---

Christians shunned from society? 97% of elected officials are christian. No presidential candidate would dare to admit they are atheists. Christians are not the victims.

My family is christian and we get along fine. I come here to discuss and argue ideas. That is why I did not read your testimony. However, I hope you will enter the debates and discussions we are having. They are not all about theology. We even tell each other jokes.

OP, I see that you are a child of magical thinking. Good luck to you. Be careful what you pray for!

Well I was with you until the demonic possession... And then the black mass thing... And then trump supporter and thinking registering Muslims have good reasons... Mmm no thank you.

My husband is Catholic and I'm atheist. I know difference in beliefs don't have to be negative. I also know that religion can be a good thing when giving someone a reason to live or behave (behaving for Christ isn't as good as behaving just to be a good human but hey take what we can get right?) And I know that living in the bible belt is hard as an atheist but not dangerous like other parts of the world so I am lucky. Christians are known to have a bloody past. Most of the wars stem from religious beliefs and a lot of those beliefs deal with the Christian god. I wanted to take part in the original topic of this thread but there is so much more involved now and honestly I can't take anyone seriously that thinks a demon possessed someone and they helped expel it.

(January 1, 2017 at 6:35 am)Dragonspride1995 Wrote:

(December 31, 2016 at 3:26 pm)Macoleco Wrote: Stop it? When has religion/the Church ever stopped attacking its enemies? Lol.

Crusades aside, I do have a argument for that but i'll ignore it. When else has there been a organized Christian attack on others, by a Church?

I remember hearing something about a guy bombing a abortion clinic but thats about it? Oh and I have heard arguments attributing the salem witch trials to Christians. Am I missing any?

Google WBC (Westboro Baptist Church).
Those idiots have been known to show up at the funerals of fallen soldiers with picket signs that are just absolutely horrible. They attempt to show up at other places, but personally, I think they all need to be locked away from the rest of the world. Not because they believe in god, but because they are an embarrassment and a danger to society as well as to their own religion.

(January 1, 2017 at 9:12 am)pocaracas Wrote:

(January 1, 2017 at 8:54 am)Dragonspride1995 Wrote: Yea thats basicly the result I get from atheists.

Yay!!
I'm "normal"!!!!

(January 1, 2017 at 8:54 am)Dragonspride1995 Wrote: You guys asked so I answered. As for denomination, I'm from a kinda non-conformist sect called "non-denominational" Pretty much we would rather take our answers from the Bible then someone else.

Why the Bible?
Why not some other book? What's special about the Bible?

And why do you think what you think about the Bible?

(January 1, 2017 at 8:54 am)Dragonspride1995 Wrote: My parents don't get into demonology, and they never have. My beliefs are my own. My parents taught me about Christianity and gave me the choice to follow it or not. I made my own conscious choice on the facts I have. And for all my trials my faith has only been reinforced.

Chronologically, you got convinced by your parents that the christian belief has some truth to it.
Crap that happened to you then reinforced that belief...

The Facts are that all you've witnessed was just people. People doing the crazy things that people do. Maybe you got "lucky" and managed to peek into some of the crazier things, but all I see in your story is people. YOU claim there's a "holy spirit" working in you, but I see people and your own belief-induced sense of righteousness.
It was probably people like you that kick-started many of the worst "christian actions"...

(January 1, 2017 at 8:54 am)Dragonspride1995 Wrote: As for being deceived. The guy was my friend before the youth group  his life changed drastically that day. Beforehand he had major anger management issues. I mean the kind where he would punch someone if they looked at him the wrong way.

Being your friend means nothing.
On the other hand, I told you he may have just suffered some seizure - which, given the company and, I guess, the underlying mental state, could have gotten interpreted as a divine intervention of some sort and he then endeavored to correct that past "angry" behavior.
Don't ever underestimate the power of suggestion.

Well I studied the Bible, Looked at the answers it gave. All my parents did was teach me what the Bible said, Then I made the choice to come to Christ my self. Then the events of my life supported my beliefs and well here I am today. I don't give any credence to the indoctrination argument because kids are indoctrinated to everything math, science, scepticism, philosophy. Etc. My parents knew that I had the come to the choice on my own, thats what the Bible teaches. Any Christian who says otherwise is a Hypocrite.

As for everything else, atheists have a way with explaining away our personal experiences. In this instance I am a bigot because I put more faith in the Bible then someone in a lab coat with a piece of paper saying that he is smarter then everyone else. That's the crux of it. But we are off topic I want to know about your negative experiences with Christians.

---

(January 1, 2017 at 9:42 am)Nymphadora Wrote:

(January 1, 2017 at 6:35 am)Dragonspride1995 Wrote: Crusades aside, I do have a argument for that but i'll ignore it. When else has there been a organized Christian attack on others, by a Church?

I remember hearing something about a guy bombing a abortion clinic but thats about it? Oh and I have heard arguments attributing the salem witch trials to Christians. Am I missing any?

Google WBC (Westboro Baptist Church).
Those idiots have been known to show up at the funerals of fallen soldiers with picket signs that are just absolutely horrible. They attempt to show up at other places, but personally, I think they all need to be locked away from the rest of the world. Not because they believe in god, but because they are an embarrassment and a danger to society as well as to their own religion.

I've actually already talked about them in this thread. For theological reasons I won't get into out of respect for the thread I see them as a cult. They are not teaching from the Bible. They infuriate me as well. They are not Christians.

The only negative impact Christians make on me is when they tell me they are going to pray for me, full well knowing I'm not religious. Prayer isn't going to work, but physically assisting me with a problem, will. It's as if prayer is helping the person doing the praying, feel better about themselves, like making them think they actually did something. There's no excuse for that. If a person can't help, say so. But don't goad yourself into thinking that praying for me works, because in my 45 Years on this earth, not once has that ever worked for me.

(January 1, 2017 at 9:12 am)pocaracas Wrote:

(January 1, 2017 at 8:54 am)Dragonspride1995 Wrote: Yea thats basicly the result I get from atheists.

Yay!!
I'm "normal"!!!!

(January 1, 2017 at 8:54 am)Dragonspride1995 Wrote: You guys asked so I answered. As for denomination, I'm from a kinda non-conformist sect called "non-denominational" Pretty much we would rather take our answers from the Bible then someone else.

Yea again those are my beliefs I posted them because I was asking for personal experiences so I opened up first. 
Why the Bible?
Why not some other book? What's special about the Bible?

And why do you think what you think about the Bible?

(January 1, 2017 at 8:54 am)Dragonspride1995 Wrote: My parents don't get into demonology, and they never have. My beliefs are my own. My parents taught me about Christianity and gave me the choice to follow it or not. I made my own conscious choice on the facts I have. And for all my trials my faith has only been reinforced.

Chronologically, you got convinced by your parents that the christian belief has some truth to it.
Crap that happened to you then reinforced that belief...

The Facts are that all you've witnessed was just people. People doing the crazy things that people do. Maybe you got "lucky" and managed to peek into some of the crazier things, but all I see in your story is people. YOU claim there's a "holy spirit" working in you, but I see people and your own belief-induced sense of righteousness.
It was probably people like you that kick-started many of the worst "christian actions"...

(January 1, 2017 at 8:54 am)Dragonspride1995 Wrote: As for being deceived. The guy was my friend before the youth group  his life changed drastically that day. Beforehand he had major anger management issues. I mean the kind where he would punch someone if they looked at him the wrong way.

Being your friend means nothing.
On the other hand, I told you he may have just suffered some seizure - which, given the company and, I guess, the underlying mental state, could have gotten interpreted as a divine intervention of some sort and he then endeavored to correct that past "angry" behavior.
Don't ever underestimate the power of suggestion.

---

(January 1, 2017 at 9:13 am)mlmooney89 Wrote: Well I was with you until the demonic possession... And then the black mass thing... And then trump supporter and thinking registering Muslims have good reasons... Mmm no thank you.

My husband is Catholic and I'm atheist. I know difference in beliefs don't have to be negative. I also know that religion can be a good thing when giving someone a reason to live or behave (behaving for Christ isn't as good as behaving just to be a good human but hey take what we can get right?) And I know that living in the bible belt is hard as an atheist but not dangerous like other parts of the world so I am lucky. Christians are known to have a bloody past. Most of the wars stem from religious beliefs and a lot of those beliefs deal with the Christian god. I wanted to take part in the original topic of this thread but there is so much more involved now and honestly I can't take anyone seriously that thinks a demon possessed someone and they helped expel it.

If im going to believe the Bible, I might as well believe all of it. Else im a hypocrite.