What do Theists Think About Atheists?

[Jacob(smooth)]

No, my reading of the bible is, I think, honest. But my opinion is different to my reading of the bible. To put it another way my opinion is not wholly based on my reading of the bible. I (I think) read what the Bible said about heaven and hell, dismissed it, and formed a different view based on, but not following what the Bible says. Does that make any sense?

I get what you're saying, but then I'm not sure why you would do that. How can you be sure your views comport with reality, and aren't just things you've spun based on your own preferences and modern sensibilities?

These are existential claims, after all; opinion doesn't factor into the process at all, and if you're taking any part of this to be true, you're risking your eternal soul by doing so. Maybe not in the case of Jesus' robe, but with regards to the lake of fire stuff, and especially how one ends up there, what you've interpreted things to mean now is meaningless; the rules are set regardless of what you've taken them to say, and the more you differ from the scriptures, the more you stray from the one objective piece of direct address your religion has.

I appreciate your candor and level headedness, and I'm not trying to stir shit or anything, but it seems to me you've, at least in part, invented your own version of christianity, according to your own perspectives and opinions and, at that point... what's the point?

You're not stirring the shit at all. We're just talking.

How can I be sure? Lol, do I sound sure to you? About anything? If so I've given you the wrong impression.

Opinion absolutely factors. We all form our opinion based on the information available. I think opinion is all anyone has about anything.

I don't believe that the Bible is direct address. Nor, coincidentally, would mist Christians agree that it's the only form of direct address. We hear voices remember ;-))

And yes, I've constructed my own version of Christianity. I've cherry picked, redacted, reinterpreted and selectively edited it to fit the small space between my ears, my preformed world view and my personal morality. And you know what? I think each and every Christian has done the same. Otherwise, logically, we would all share the same views on everything. And we so palpably don't! You think there are arguments here, you should see what goes down in the private bits of Christian forums!

As to what's the point? Because it helps me to cope with life. It brings me pleasure and comfort and saves me examining hard truths too closely.