Campfire Chat About Hell

[Strongbad]

[quote='tackattack' pid='141383' dateline='1306851217']

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why would it necessitate a blow up, why not just a discussion? This just fortifies that the more negative the attitude, the more one expects disagreement to turn into conflict and then into anger. It doesn't necessarily have to go any farther than sharing ideas, but typically when the average theists and atheists get together in person and talk religion, leveler heads don't prevail.

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In my personal experience with this, I have found that all my atheists friends always seem to be looking for two things from Christians.

If they get both of those things - they won't care at all what you believe and cooler heads will most always prevail. They just want to know that one - you don't spout off that you KNOW you're absolutely right and everyone else is wrong and two - you don't condemn them to Hell because they don't believe your god. Keep in mind, that an atheist does expect you to believe that you're right ... that's a given. They just don't want an unprovable belief thrown in their face and than told that the life they lead is immoral on top of that. (surprise, no one likes being insulted)

To me, that seems fair. If all christians could just be NICE and not so arrogant and condescending, we'd get along fine. Unfortunately many Christians (and other religions) feel the "god-given" commandment to tell everyone else that they're wrong and that their soul is going to burn in hell. This of course is extremely annoying and is about the time the conversation blows up.

My personal experience is exactly the same as yours, Cinjin. Virtually every Christian I have ever met has the same smug, pious, self-righteous, condescending attitude towards non-Christians. They don't differentiate between knowledge and belief; they KNOW that the bible is the word of god, they KNOW that they are in the exclusive, elite, "saved" club, they KNOW that their dead relatives are waiting for them in heaven, and they KNOW that non-Christians are going to hell. They are so indoctrinated into their beliefs that they wouldn't even consider that they might be wrong. Yeah, you want to see a blow-up, try having a conversation about atheism at a party dominated by southern baptists. The ONLY end to the conversation will be all of the Christians gleefully agreeing that the "sinner" will be burning in hell (and perhaps some discussion about not inviting the sinner to any more parties).