Ask a Catholic

[Randy Carson]

Considering that a common refrain in this forum goes something like, "I stopped believing your buy-bull when I was five (or 9 or 10)...", then, yeah, it is highly possible that many have NEVER seriously considered the evidence for Christianity objectively as mature adults.

They have examined ways to CONTINUE not believing since then, but that's not the same as being open-minded and willing to go wherever the evidence leads, is it?

And yes, I do realize that others here claim to have lost their faith as adults...but I'd be willing to bet that there was something other than intellectual objection to Christian doctrine that led to their departure. It is often the case that there are moral issues involved: sexual promiscuity, divorce, homosexualty, etc.

For most atheists I know deconverting was an intellectual process much like discovering Santa doesn't exist.  Just as anger sometimes accompanies discovering that the jolly old elf is a trick played on you by your parents, there may be anger associated with ceasing to believe.  But it's anger at a lie, and at scare tactics, not anger driving out faith.  

That may the witness of those atheists in your circle of friends, but take note as you read the posts over the next few weeks and months...you may be surprised to see how many people here "lost" the faith (they never had) as children under the age 18. And anger about Santa Clause? Really?

Continueing not to believe does not require the support of a forum, and I doubt many people are here for that reason.  You see, once you dismiss a hypothesis for utter lack of credible evidence, it isn't normal or sane to continue to try to find ways to belive in it.  I have no interest in trying to believe.

No doubt. Because if you did have an interest in being a believer, you'd be at CAF or another strong Christian forum. Duh. But I'm not convinced that folks are here purely for the entertainment value, either. Frankly, the members of this forum are largely a disagreeable lot (even amongst themselves), so there are more pleasant places to spend an afternoon or evening and conversation on the web.

I'm not frightened, or even made uneasy by the proofs offered by theists here.  That is in large part because I have only seen one argument for the existence of god on this forum that was new to me. That was the fine tuned universe argument and it's no better than all the others.  And just in the last six months I've it seen over a dozen times.  I'm open to new evidence, but I'm no more holding my breath to hear it than I am  to hear proof of dragons.

Frightened? Why would you be? Your choice of words is telling, Jenny. Why would the thought of learning the truth of Christianity frighten you?

(Those are rhetorical questions...I can think of several reasons why a committed atheist would be white-knuckle terrified that he or she is wrong about Jesus.)

Your favorite refrain: and Paul's life was changed is not credible either.  Charizmatic leaders come and go even in modern times.  They change lives, often for the worse.  They are Morman, Scientologits, Islamic Terrorists, etc.  They are crazy.  That is the most likely explaination for Paul. And yes they all had fanatic followers whose lives were changed.  It doesn't mean they are right.  Certianly they can't all be right.

So, you've changed your tune about Paul, eh? Previously, I think you said that his conversion was one of the five that did ring true.

People of faith on the other hand seem to need constint reasurance.  There are faith testing stories.  And prayers for faith.  You will never catch people praying to believe what they really know is true.  It's unnecessary.

Does it surprise you that believers pray for the strength to persevere until the end? If so, then you do not understand the challenges that sin, Satan, and the world pose to those who seek to enter by the narrow gate.