Honest Question to Atheists - Best Argument?

[Minimalist]

Jesus may have existed.

But it is not a requirement.  Any more than Apollo's existence is a requirement.

On such horseshit does religion thrive.

[Mr.wizard]

The arguments for god are never compelling because they never lead to god. God is just plugged into the argument and given the attributes needed to fulfill the premises.

[robvalue]

I wonder if I should resurrect my "define God" thread because I don't think anyone has a clue what they are worshipping!

[IATIA]

By their standards, they should be worshipping Satan. The Devil is lying to them and saying it is god. By worshipping Satan, at least they would not have to defend the evils their present god has done.

[Aroura]

Has there ever been a Christian argument, or something a Christian said, that made you, for even a split second, question whether your current atheistic stance is right?

Even if the argument turned out to be completely fabricated or disprovable, did it at the very least draw you closer to believing the Bible is God's Word and all that such a belief entails?

If not, has there ever been an argument that you didn't know how to answer, or that surprised you  against your expectations?

Not looking for "All Christian arguments are idiotic" replies. This is an honest question.

I just saw this thread, and did not want to read 12 pages so if someone already gave this reply, my apologies.

The answer is no.  Quite the opposite in fact.  It seems that ever since about age 10 or 12, everything has driven me away from belief.  Slowly but surely.

I doubt myself a lot, but I no longer see how the biblical God is even possible.

[Rhondazvous]

Has there ever been a Christian argument, or something a Christian said, that made you, for even a split second, question whether your current atheistic stance is right?

Even if the argument turned out to be completely fabricated or disprovable, did it at the very least draw you closer to believing the Bible is God's Word and all that such a belief entails?

If not, has there ever been an argument that you didn't know how to answer, or that surprised you  against your expectations?

Not looking for "All Christian arguments are idiotic" replies. This is an honest question.

I was a Christian for 25 years and have that much indoctrination that I've had to sort through. It all made sense when I was a Christian.

As you asked, I won't dismiss your question as idiotic, however, I will take note that it assumes that Christianity and atheism are the only parameters. That's a question I had to deal with. Is atheism the only alternative to Christianity and If I can't embrace atheism wholesale does that enjoin me to return to Christianity?

As I have said elsewhere, one cannot prove the existence of the Christian god with arguments. If god doesn't actually show himself, for a Christian to come up with an irrefutable argument for his existence is like making potato salad with every ingredient except potatoes. The sine qua non of god is god.

[popsthebuilder]

Pyrrho,

So our ancestors where savage. That doesn't mean the ones who where truthful with themselves where somehow deceitful with others. They had a selfless view for good. They were still human though.

How can I refute texts that I haven't read? I know about the NT even though i haven't really read it, but I don't assume anything about any other texts. Basically if the text says that God is a positive thing, and that there is only one God, then I'm interested in it. Time is limited though, and the religions of highest influence are my primary goal.

You can continue to deny every plausable claim I make I you want. Free will.

[popsthebuilder]

This is all long winded crap. Science is saying a god is not required on top of the abundance of evidence that humans make them up.

Plausible. Science has theories. Many include a creator.

[popsthebuilder]

Has there ever been a Christian argument, or something a Christian said, that made you, for even a split second, question whether your current atheistic stance is right?

Even if the argument turned out to be completely fabricated or disprovable, did it at the very least draw you closer to believing the Bible is God's Word and all that such a belief entails?

If not, has there ever been an argument that you didn't know how to answer, or that surprised you  against your expectations?

Not looking for "All Christian arguments are idiotic" replies. This is an honest question.

SamS,

I hear the sincerity of your query,

but, as someone who was raised with Christianity and found her way, on her own, through logical thought, to Agnosticism,
my reply is not meant to be antagonistic, but nonetheless is a resounding "No".

The more I examine religion, Christianity included, the more poorly it stands up to scrutiny.

It is a personal connection. Not traditional religion. No middle man. No church. No dealing with hypocrites.

I know you weren't talking to me. I was just sayin.

[popsthebuilder]

Has there ever been a Christian argument, or something a Christian said, that made you, for even a split second, question whether your current atheistic stance is right?

Even if the argument turned out to be completely fabricated or disprovable, did it at the very least draw you closer to believing the Bible is God's Word and all that such a belief entails?

If not, has there ever been an argument that you didn't know how to answer, or that surprised you  against your expectations?

Not looking for "All Christian arguments are idiotic" replies. This is an honest question.

Emphatically, No.

I gave up that mythology with Santa and the Easter Bunny. Without a single shred of evidence to support the theistic stance, their arguments are nothing more or less than simply, "IMO".

Without a single shread of evidence to refute a God it is possible.