Hello, I'm new here and I'm looking for someone who can debate with me. I am a Christian in College and I'm actively searching for truth. First, I will point out that I believe that there is no way you can 100% know that a God exists or doesn't exist and I believe that Christianity revolves on not knowing God exists. For instance I am a Christian who believes in God, but do I think God exists? Maybe, however Christianity revolves around faith in God and you receive "salvation" based on that faith. If I knew God exists then there's no faith involved therefor I am neither Christian nor do I receive "salvation." I'm not looking to convert anyone I'm simply looking for what others believe. I'm not looking to attack anyone's beliefs only to defend mine. I am open to any questions that you have for me. Finally, I will also point out that I hate ignorant Christians, and Christians who don't intelligently defend their faith with respect.
Even the bible says to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind" (Luke 10:27)
and "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect" (1 Peter 3:15)
In my opinion these are two of the most ignored verses int he bible

(October 26, 2011 at 4:42 pm)SeekerOfTruth Wrote: Hello, I'm new here and I'm looking for someone who can debate with me. I am a Christian in College and I'm actively searching for truth. First, I will point out that I believe that there is no way you can 100% know that a God exists or doesn't exist and I believe that Christianity revolves on not knowing God exists. For instance I am a Christian who believes in God, but do I think God exists? Maybe, however Christianity revolves around faith in God and you receive "salvation" based on that faith. If I knew God exists then there's no faith involved therefor I am neither Christian nor do I receive "salvation." I'm not looking to convert anyone I'm simply looking for what others believe. I'm not looking to attack anyone's beliefs only to defend mine. I am open to any questions that you have for me. Finally, I will also point out that I hate ignorant Christians, and Christians who don't intelligently defend their faith with respect.
Even the bible says to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind" (Luke 10:27)
and "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect" (1 Peter 3:15)
In my opinion these are two of the most ignored verses int he bible

Welcome.

You might have a look at this debate, which actually assumes the existence of God
http://atheistforums.org/thread-5355.html

The Christian I was going to debate dropped out of the forum for personal reasons.

So there's no way to know one way or the other. What room is left for debate?

"I would like to have a debate about the sun. Firstly I'd like to point out that I believe there is no way that one can know 100% whether or not the sun exists or doesn't exist"

What exactly is there to debate over your first post.

I agree. There is no proof for god, and it must be taken on faith.

For the most part, SeekerOfTruth. You've done better than most theists who come here...judging by your first post.
Not bad at all.

Feel free to pose questions. I'm sure many here would be happy to answer them.

I don't know why so many people make the claim that you can't know 100% that God exists. Certainly an all-powerful being like the Judeo-Christian god would be able to make himself known to the entire population of Earth if he wanted to. Then everyone would know that he exists. Like the sun, you could point up in the sky and say, "See? There it is."

If there really were an all-powerful god that wanted everyone on Earth to worship it, would this be such a bad thing to do? I know theists always rely on faith, but would it be such a bad thing if there were no religious faith with a visible deity? You'd still have to have faith that what he's telling you is true, however, and that he really will let you spend eternity with him if you behave in certain ways.

(October 26, 2011 at 4:52 pm)Rhythm Wrote: So there's no way to know one way or the other. What room is left for debate?

"I would like to have a debate about the sun. Firstly I'd like to point out that I believe there is no way that one can know 100% whether or not the sun exists or doesn't exist"

There's always room to debate. There's room for debate until it is proven 1 way or another. It it was known and proven 100% that God existed there would be no need to debate the matter. For example, what you said about debating the existence about the sun, can anyone intelligently debate that the sun doesn't exist when everyone can physically sense it at any point of the day?

(October 26, 2011 at 4:42 pm)SeekerOfTruth Wrote: Hello, I'm new here and I'm looking for someone who can debate with me. I am a Christian in College and I'm actively searching for truth. First, I will point out that I believe that there is no way you can 100% know that a God exists or doesn't exist and I believe that Christianity revolves on not knowing God exists.

So then why do you choose to believe he exists? Why do you choose to believe something that cannot be substantiated and may very likely not be true at all?
Even if you don't take the position of even "I believe god/jesus does exist" then why do you honestly bother?

If you're in search of the truth, then why not go down the path of things that can be proven as true?
Things like evolution, gravity, and the speed of light are all things that have been studied, measured, and proven to work consistently often despite interests against those things (like christian creationism against all of those things or conservatism vs. climate change.)

More to the point, there is no evidence anywhere that anything in the bible is true and in fact scientific inquiery over the past several centuries has basically been systematically proving that the bible is anything but true - even the study of human history essentially discounts much of the events of the bible are true, even in certain people and places did, in fact, exist (like how spider man is fictional but New York is not.)

(October 26, 2011 at 4:42 pm)SeekerOfTruth Wrote: For instance I am a Christian who believes in God, but do I think God exists? Maybe, however Christianity revolves around faith in God and you receive "salvation" based on that faith. If I knew God exists then there's no faith involved therefor I am neither Christian nor do I receive "salvation." I'm not looking to convert anyone I'm simply looking for what others believe. I'm not looking to attack anyone's beliefs only to defend mine. I am open to any questions that you have for me. Finally, I will also point out that I hate ignorant Christians, and Christians who don't intelligently defend their faith with respect.
Even the bible says to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind" (Luke 10:27)
and "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect" (1 Peter 3:15)
In my opinion these are two of the most ignored verses int he bible

To be fair, most christians don't follow any of Jesus' teachings. I can only hope it's the reason why people still vote republican and scoff at universal healthcare because then there'd bea reason beyond mere apathy and hate. That's another topic for another day, however.

Yes, if you knew god exists, then that makes the concept of "Faith in God" pointless.
However, I have a hard time believing that if someone asked you to give them 10% of your income in tithes to someone who has saved your life (he says his name is bob) and constantly protects you from unicorn rape but you cannot meet bob, see bob, then I have a hard time believing that you'd take it seriously.
Think about this the next time you get an email from a Nigerian Prince who wants to give you millions of dollars if you'd just front him a few thousand.
Given that even you admit that you cannot discern god in the sense of fact vs. fiction, then why are you involved at all? Thinkn about this the next time you hear about the nigerian email scam or any other con game because you've chosen to believe in one over the other and you've told me that you recognize this but you have given me no other reason to stay in it other than the possibility of 'maybe.'
It's very poor reasoning.

Quote:First, I will point out that I believe that there is no way you can 100% know that a God exists or doesn't exist

Hmmm.... however, I see no evidence that your god ( or any other gods ever invented by men ) exist. I am not stating that I know 100% one way or the other merely that the evidence presented by believers is farcical at worst and unconvincing at best.

Why on earth would I waste my time trying to debate an apologist? I consider them intellectually dishonest. Such people argue from a position of personal certitude, unwilling/unable to concede the possibility of any error in their basic position.IE the existence of god as a given. I do not accept that given,so there is no basis for discussion.


My position is simple; I make no claims.,the believer does. I do not accept that the existence of god(s) can be established by reason alone.,I demand evidence.Either show me some credible evidence to support your claims or piss off.

Nor do I conflate winning a debate or argument with being right necessarily.

Quote:If you could reason with religious people,there wouldn't be any. (Greg House)