Hello

[tackattack]

Yes there are a lot of intellectually honest indivisduals on both sides here. Althought being in the minority unequally balances the numbers. Very few are just outright baligerent and usually can be sedated with a calm and rational approach. Welcome to the forums. Care to share a little of your beliefs with us?

[TheDarkestOfAngels]

You'll be fine, so long as you don't prove to be 'one of the crazy ones'.

See, now, that's one of those statements I'd like to take outside. I mean, what is "crazy"? Believing in God? Almost every human being on the planet believes in God.

Not really.
A majority, yes, but between atheists, agnostics, and all the religions that lack a belief in the christian god, then no, it's perhaps about half the planet or so and that number includes catholocism, christianity, islam, judeism, and all their denominations, according to current demographics.

So, can I safely assume we won't see you defending your theism here?

I'd rather point out the absurdity of atheism. Actually, I'll bet in the end, you and I will agree. Where that end occurs or when, I don't know. But I think there's a better way than throwing out the baby with the bathwater, which is what most atheists do. They chuck out theism because they're upset with the Church.

If you honestly believe that, then you have much to learn here.
If you wish, I can point you out to a series of youtube videos that explain our position in one fashion or another more succinctly.

You-can't-prove-it types. These are the ones who have no intellect beyond the realization that nothing can be proved in this world with any certainty. So, they use that as their only debating technique. God(s) can't be proved, nor has the standard model of quantum mechanics been proved. I can't prove to you the sky is the same blue to me as it is to you. I can't prove we are not in a dream, and I can't prove you exist. So, why talk with that type?

One of the logical failings of arguing for creationism or theological positions is that adherants like to postulate that because nothing is absolutely certain than anything is possible, which is a completely senseless position.

You're Bible says... types. I can't defend Christianity and I won't. I can defend a lot of things Jesus Christ is supposed to have said, but I can't defend an institution like conservative right-wing Christianity. I am a theist of the highest order, but I am not a Christian. So, if I don't respond to posts like that, don't be surprised.

You're going to be an entertaining one indeed.

[Edward the Theist]

Care to share a little of your beliefs with us?

Sure. Thank you for asking:

My belief comes in the same three ways all people attempt to understand the deeper things of life: religiously, philosophically, and scientifically.

In this forum, most people would probably be interested in my religious viewpoint. So, here it is.

I believe two things:

A. God is monistic in nature.

B. The human purpose is to be Christ.

That's it. The implications, on the other hand, have taken me well over a decade to try to understand, and I'm still working on it. I see you call yourself a non-denominational Christian, I can assure you that you and I are as far apart in our beliefs as you are from the atheists. You do not believe God is monistic in nature, and you do not believe that any human can be Christ--other than Jesus, of course.

On the one hand you have the atheists who believe there is no God. On the other, you have me who believes all there is is God. I suppose my goal in life is to prove my point both philosophically and mathematically and to opine on the religious implications of it all. I may or may not succeed, but that's God's problem, not mine.

Again, thanks for asking. Out of curiosity, what do you believe?

--Edward

---

You're going to be an entertaining one indeed.

Let's hope so. Ever since the Tudors ended on Showtime, there's nothing worth watching on TV, that's for sure.

But I want to add one other category of atheist I won't respond to, the We don't believe that...type.

Whenever an atheist is cornerd, they say they don't believe this or that. They constantly shift back and forth in order to avoid logical loopholes that are inherent in denying the existence of God. I even argued, I think, for about a month once with an atheist who claimed he never said he believed there was no God, because that would imply faith--making his atheism a religion of course. The battle over symantics was ruthless in that one, and a big waste of time to be sure.

You say you will direct me to a video on YouTube--says who? What you mean is you will direct me to a video that espouses what you believe, or that you agree with. But atheists come in all types and flavors. Just like Christians, just like Muslims, just like Jews, just like Buddhists, just like Hindus.

[tackattack]

My posts litter this place and an introductory thread really isn't the place for mine, I'm sure you'll run into them throughout the forums and in any conversations we have. For brevity I'd say I believe in the commonality of the Christian doctrines. It sounds like you are a deist, possibly of the socianistic variety, with no concern for the creation aspect?
Feel free to jump in and again welcome.

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

Oh really? What kills them off?

Well it tends to start with statements such as:

I'd rather point out the absurdity of atheism. Actually, I'll bet in the end, you and I will agree.

Which indicates a fairly profound ignorance of the meaning of the word 'atheism' . It's usually downhill from there..

Oh, I'll take that bet. What odds will you give?

Because I've been doing this for 16 years and I've had more blogs than I can count, more bans from Christian and atheist groups than I can count, and more knock-down-drag-outs than I can count. So, I'm not going to allow a string to heat up to the point where I get kicked out.

16 years hey? WOW! Me? Just over 40 years. I've never been banned from any forum.That is probably because I have never trolled anyone,nor had the arrogance to attack believers on their own sites. There are very few things about which I'm willing to argue with some stranger on an internet forum.

I'm unable to welcome you.If it was up to me ,I wouldn't allow theists here at all. Intolerant? ME? You bet you arse; I do not suffer fools and can't be stuffed arguing with presuppositional apologists.

[Fluké]

Hello there.

[fr0d0]

I've never been banned from any forum.

If it was up to me ,I wouldn't allow theists here at all.

You only want to talk to people that agree with you Pad. Nothing wrong with that, but you can't judge people who actively put their beliefs up for scrutiny by those holding very strong opposing views by your own standard of non confrontation.

[AnunZi]

I'd rather point out the absurdity of atheism. Actually, I'll bet in the end, you and I will agree.

I doubt that. Best of luck though.

But I think there's a better way than throwing out the baby with the bathwater, which is what most atheists do.

Yay for sweeping generalisations!

They chuck out theism because they're upset with the Church.

Personally I chucked out theism because I believe the concept of some invisible sky-daddy (Sorry to Steal your phrase Min ) is just plain ludicrous.


Anyway, welcome to the forums.

[Minimalist]

Be my guest, Anun.

I'm still waiting for this guy to show his hand.

[Paul the Human]

I'm not going to talk with the following types of atheists:

You-can't-prove-it types. These are the ones who have no intellect beyond the realization that nothing can be proved in this world with any certainty. So, they use that as their only debating technique. God(s) can't be proved, nor has the standard model of quantum mechanics been proved. I can't prove to you the sky is the same blue to me as it is to you. I can't prove we are not in a dream, and I can't prove you exist. So, why talk with that type?

You can't prove that god(s) exist, so why should you believe that he/it does, indeed, exist? The standard model of quantum mechanics cannot be proven and that's why no one claims that it is, indeed, true. It is conjecture, not unlike the concept of god(s), except there is far more demonstrable evidence to support it.

You're Bible says... types. I can't defend Christianity and I won't. I can defend a lot of things Jesus Christ is supposed to have said, but I can't defend an institution like conservative right-wing Christianity. I am a theist of the highest order, but I am not a Christian. So, if I don't respond to posts like that, don't be surprised.

If you are not a Christian, then you can't be expected to defend Christianity. I certainly wouldn't ask you to.

Insulter-types I don't insult anyone, and I'm not going to respond to people who insult me. Some people feel insulted because that's their thing--to go through life feeling insulted; some people pretend to be insulted to manipulate a theist into backing off a position. The fact is, I don't insult anyone, and if I think you feel insulted by what I say, I'm not going to continue the debate with you.

You have already been insulting and confrontational in this thread, so there goes that claim. If anyone here ends up throwing insults in your direction, it will be a sign that you have been judged as unworthy of or incapable of constructive discussion. So, once that starts to happen, you might want to step back and look at how you are being perceived.

But I want to add one other category of atheist I won't respond to, the We don't believe that...type.

Do you claim that one or more deities exist? Yes? We do not believe that. We each have our reasons, some of which differ and some of which overlap, but not one of us believes that claim. Hence the label 'atheist'.

If you are unwilling to discuss your beliefs with anyone that disagrees with you... why are you here? I'm not trying to be insulting, but you already seem to have your mind made up (mistakenly) about atheists and have shown a propensity for gross generalizations, so... what is your goal here? Are you here to prove us wrong? If so, good luck... but be careful not to preach.

more bans from Christian and atheist groups than I can count

At some point, you have to wonder if the problem is you, don't you think? Not that you are a problem here, but that statement implies that you plan to be. That would make you a troll. Are you a troll?