If evidence for god is in abundance, why is faith necessary?

[Godscreated]

 Because the atheist here have said many times that a good Christian is one who doesn't bothers others with their beliefs.

GC

Although there are biblical verses which reflect how theists should attempt to save the souls of non-believers, there are equally important biblical verses informing theists to keep their faith to themselves.

 You need to supply those verses. By the way only God can save, but i doubt you understand this concept.

GC

[Silver]

 You need to supply those verses. By the way only God can save, but i doubt you understand this concept.

GC

Keep your faith to yourself.

Matthew 6:1 "Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 6:6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

[vorlon13]

I wonder if the same prayer area could be used to sequester women who are menstruating ?

[Godscreated]

 You need to supply those verses. By the way only God can save, but i doubt you understand this concept.

GC

Keep your faith to yourself.

Matthew 6:1  "Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 6:6  But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

  You have trouble understanding the scriptures don't you. The first verse doesn't say anything about not witnessing, it simply states that Christians are not to practice self righteousness. The same goes for the second verse, it never references witnessing and besides most of my prayers are out of sight of others.

GC

[Astonished]

Keep your faith to yourself.

Matthew 6:1  "Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 6:6  But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

  You have trouble understanding the scriptures don't you. The first verse doesn't say anything about not witnessing, it simply states that Christians are not to practice self righteousness. The same goes for the second verse, it never references witnessing and besides most of my prayers are out of sight of others.

GC

Looks like god is just as shit at communicating as we thought, then.

[Godscreated]

 Because the atheist here have said many times that a good Christian is one who doesn't bothers others with their beliefs.

GC

That's not what makes someone a good Christian. Not nagging and haranguing people who would otherwise be minding their own business is part of what goes into making someone a tolerable person. Not a good person, a tolerable one. Good people can be annoying as all get out, but the ones who are get little traction in attracting people to their point of view. Tolerable people may just be apathetic, or nasty and twisted in minor ways that they're good at hiding. Or major ways if they're REALLY good at hiding it. Of course an intolerably annoying Bible thumper can also be appalling in other ways that they manage to hide. There is no shortage of hard-core preachers who turn out to have bizarre, criminal, or just ironic (as in them doing what they've specifically been preaching against) skeletons in their closets.

 You're right but I wonder about those (as you call them) hard-core preachers. I see preachers on the tube that I have great concerns about, I wonder if they are atheist trying to make a dollar off weak Christians. What you or anyone else thinks about me personally doesn't matter to me, why, because I know that my stance for Christ would result in that very thing. Case in point a person I was friends with for over 40 years turned his back on me and as far as I'm concerned he lost a friend that would and do many things for him. The sacrifice is hard but in the long run will be worth it.

GC

[The Grand Nudger]

It's completely unsurprising that you have an inflated opinion of yourself and your value as a friend.  After all, you think that god whispers in your ear.  So, you've been an insufferable religious troll for four decades, and have lost friends over it, but it's never occurred to you that it might be you with the problem, and not them.....?

Here's a fun one, do you reckon jesus would have been buddies with you, or do you think he just might have turned away.....40 years ago.........for all of the same reasons as anyone else has?

You're gong to hell..and you're gong to hell, and you, and you, and you too..errybodies going to hell!"

-GC

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?

-God.

Gee, I wonder whose word we should go with on this one?

[Astonished]

It's completely unsurprising that you have an inflated opinion of yourself and your value as a friend.  After all, you think that god whispers in your ear.  So, you've been an insufferable religious troll for four decades, and have lost friends over it, but it's never occurred to you that it might be you with the problem, and not them.....?

Here's a fun one, do you reckon jesus would have been buddies with you, or do you think he just might have turned away.....40 years ago.........for all of the same reasons as anyone else has?

You're gong to hell..and you're gong to hell, and you, and you, and you too..errybodies going to hell!"

-GC

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?

-God.

Gee, I wonder whose word we should go with on this one?

Come on, man, mental illness doesn't work that way. Introspection is beyond the realm of possibility for this sufferer.

[drfuzzy]

Witnessing.  Preach the Gospel.  Yeah, the book says it.  

Mark 16:15-16 (KJV) 15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

I have even heard preachers say that a christian who refuses to constantly "witness" about his faith is not a true christian, and will go to hell, because they are "ashamed" of their God.

But of course, many religions say the same thing.  How are they going to put more money in the donation baskets without converts?  How will their snake-oil salesman witch doctor have anybody to preach at without converts?  

And I have had the completely weird experience of having someone try to preach to me, and I simply told her that I was not a christian, and that yes, I had gone to church and read the bible.  When she asked "what church?" I told her it was none of her business.  And you know what?  She said "ok".  We don't hang out much, but we are friendly.  This was acceptable. She respected my choice.  

I'm sure a lot of people wouldn't go so far as to hold that up as respect.  They would say that it was rude to even ask, and I know where they are coming from.  There are VERY few literate adults who haven't heard about at least a few different religions, and who want to choose one but need guidance.  (And if they want guidance, they know where to find it.) The people who were raised in a religion rarely study other religions - they've been brainwashed into believing that their god is the only correct one since before they could read.  The very act of asking implies superiority - "I have the answers and you don't."   This would be a good thing if there was any evidence for those answers other than holier-than-thou dogma.  

"Witnessing" is disrespectful and insulting to any educated adult.

[vorlon13]

  You have trouble understanding the scriptures don't you. The first verse doesn't say anything about not witnessing, it simply states that Christians are not to practice self righteousness. The same goes for the second verse, it never references witnessing and besides most of my prayers are out of sight of others.

GC

Looks like god is just as shit at communicating as we thought, then.

Another in a VERY long line of seemingly plainly worded Bible verses that yet have a completely different meaning.


I think I am developing an inkling why Christianity has suffered 70,000 schisms . . . .