Questions for "Our Role(s) as Christians on Atheist Forums"

[emjay]

Would any of you consider participating in a Skype group chat? I know CL and Kingpin (when he was around) would and has, but anyone else... Neo, Drich, alpha, MK etc? I find that face time (or voice time) goes a long way to dispelling misconceptions about a person, more than any forum post ever could. It's all too easy with forum posts (or any text alone) to misinterpret motives or messages, lacking as they do the means to adequately convey emotion (aside from a few simple emoticons) and intentions. Basically, with text alone, confirmation bias/generalisation/jumping to conclusions etc can easily come into play, but that is much less likely face to face or voice to voice, in part because it's real time so any misunderstanding can quickly be corrected. So basically I think, for anyone who wanted to take part, this could beneficial all round in allowing us to see each other in a more personal and multi-dimensional light than forum posts allow.

[Catholic_Lady]

Would any of you consider participating in a Skype group chat? I know CL and Kingpin (when he was around) would and has, but anyone else... Neo, Drich, alpha, MK etc? I find that face time (or voice time) goes a long way to dispelling misconceptions about a person, more than any forum post ever could. It's all too easy with forum posts (or any text alone) to misinterpret motives or messages, lacking as they do the means to adequately convey emotion (aside from a few simple emoticons) and intentions. Basically, with text alone, confirmation bias/generalisation/jumping to conclusions etc can easily come into play, but that is much less likely face to face or voice to voice, in part because it's real time so any misunderstanding can quickly be corrected. So basically I think, for anyone who wanted to take part, this could beneficial all round in allowing us to see each other in a more personal and multi-dimensional light than forum posts allow.

Good call, Emjay!

[Drich]

"Do you feel that by associating with atheists on an atheist site you are not putting Christ first in your lives?"

Personally for me this is no different than Paul or any other mercenary taking the gospel to a far away land. After all it was first Paul who spoke to the 'greeks' and their philosophy's of life living and anti religion which is the basis for much of the atheism we see today.

Or better yet we have opened a 'church' and have daily services in the heart of an anti God community. Because of this Some/not many but some of you may wake up on the right side of eternity through no action of your own aside from being honest with the info you have been given. It all depends on your capacity and what God gave you through someone like us to work with.

In essence I believe we are putting Christ first in many cases even before our own well being (religiously speaking)

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Do you find atheist forums to be more open to topics of conversation since the taboo factor is almost non existent?

Yes. I have learned far more about God through your questions than what I myself have even thought to ask. 

For instance I would probably not have ask God why do bad things happen to 'good people.' nor an answer for the eiperican paradox nor even an answer to evolution if not pressed by you all.

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Do you think non-Christians deserve to have a lesser afterlife, just for not being Christians?

your question:
yes

Now is everyone who think themselves Christian a Christian, no

Are there Christians who don't know they are? yes.

Again only Jesus decides who is and who is not. it is not up to man nor his religions to tell us who makes it or not. we can only elect to follow 
Christ. Granted by doing so we have the best chance to be saved, but it is not required.

Again the parable of the talents explains who is and who is not and why.

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Do you cringe when another theist gets a point of dogma/theology/scripture incorrect when interacting with an atheist ??

[ follow up question ]

Ever jump in with a correction ??

only if it is critical so like once in 5 years maybe twice but always in aPM first and off to the side.

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How do you make it up to your god, when you willingly go against what's in your holy book, in favor of cutting down someone, in order to feel superior to them?

I'd ask myself what would Jesus do...

Then I look back at all the times he did the very same thing.. meaning He habitually 'cut down' his deciples for being stupid foolish and ignorant, He had much worse to say about the makers of the law/Pharisees and saducees. called them wolves in sheep clothing, vipers, blind leading the blind fools hypocrits thieves and murders.

Then I think I am doing what it is I'm supposed to do, and that people get an over inflated sense of who jesus was supposed to be rather than who he was on page.

That is why I said many of you would not know if God personally answered your prayers as you know so little of the God of the bible the answer you got would be dismissed because it was not deliver to you the way you think God should deliver it.

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I don't mean to be a dick when I ask this.

How do you rectify what should be an immense amount of stress that a Christian should feel knowing that whatever they do, they will never be "good enough?" As I understand it, to be a christian means to be in continual renewal of mind, body, and spirit (which I do not think is possible btw). While the problem of not being "perfect" might not be a problem felt explicitly by christians, I believe one of the core philosophies for why christians think atheist are atheists is because they want to be free from "responsibility" of the sin in their life. How does a christian rectify this in their own life?

And if I really want to get "out there" weird with it, I can ask how God can justify that because atheists simply want to rid themselves from a tieless and fruitless endeavor of renewal and as a result, be sent to hell?

Trials and tribulations, the wind and the rain, being set in the lions den, spending 40 day wandering the desert spending 3 nights in the belly of a 'whale.' What do these things all have in common? The are test/trails set up to push us past our limits.

If we truly Ask/Seek and knock God will take us out well past the point of help from any body we know and or even past the help of all mighty 'science.' and we are left to fester and wait. if we do as we have been charged we continue to Ask, Seek and knock for Him. once 'we' know we will never give up and once we know/are content in staying out there in our trials as long as it takes, if most often the time he shows up.

The point? when you believe in God you are fraught with trials/being placed well beyond your control. when you spend so much time out of control it is very easy to define yourself and what it is you actually have control of. 

So to answer your question how do you know when enough is good enough, it never is, but the things the trials teach you is it never has to be.

Just identify your talents and remain faithful to what you are given/what you understand. when your talents increase/when knowledge increases then look to incorporate what is new in to what you already know and use it. We simply keep doing this over and over and that is all that is expected.

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What do you think your roles would be if this were a forum for another religion? Would you even join a jewish, muslim, hindu, ............ forum?

I use to be members of both jewish forums are strict jew only/you'd have to lie to join. most times they require a sponcer.

Muslim I do the same. the problem is they have nothing that keeps them from lying, as it is commanded to lie to the infedels to gain their trust. So speaking to them is pointless unless the seek you out and will allow the free exchange of ideas

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Do you prefer debating on an atheist forum rather than a christian forum because it's not a matter of comparing each other's subjective interpretations of the same text with no way of determining which is correct?

Actually prefer the Christian forum as there is some form of respect and control mandated. meaning I don't have to be the entertainment and the bouncer at the same time. but when the control turn because too many of the big names feel threatened because they do not understand the faith as well as they should... that's a different matter that seems to plague atheist and luke warm Christians alike.

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Would any of you consider participating in a Skype group chat? I know CL and Kingpin (when he was around) would and has, but anyone else... Neo, Drich, alpha, MK etc? I find that face time (or voice time) goes a long way to dispelling misconceptions about a person, more than any forum post ever could. It's all too easy with forum posts (or any text alone) to misinterpret motives or messages, lacking as they do the means to adequately convey emotion (aside from a few simple emoticons) and intentions. Basically, with text alone, confirmation bias/generalisation/jumping to conclusions etc can easily come into play, but that is much less likely face to face or voice to voice, in part because it's real time so any misunderstanding can quickly be corrected. So basically I think, for anyone who wanted to take part, this could beneficial all round in allowing us to see each other in a more personal and multi-dimensional light than forum posts allow.

I'm good but get distracted easily as I will most likely be at work, as I normally live way way out in the boonies where interwebs is not as strong as it is in town

[emjay]

@Drich. Cool If time/distraction is an issue, even just metaphorically popping your head around the door to say hi would still be pretty cool Anyway, I haven't really thought ahead far enough to think how this would work in practice... organising it etc... so was just really floating the idea at this point to see if there was any interest. But I'm glad to hear that you're in favour in principle, time permitting

[Drich]

ok let me know, goes for anyone.

Morning are better EST. or after 5, spotty durning the day.

[Neo-Scholastic]

....following....

[chimp3]

Why does God appear to know only what the writers of the Bible know?

[Drich]

Why does God appear to know only what the writers of the Bible know?

Like what? the book of revelation?

God sat one man down and had him describe what he saw/how the world ends. What was written was an ancient understanding of a modern war.

[Neo-Scholastic]

Why does God appear to know only what the writers of the Bible know?

Like what? the book of revelation?

God sat one man down and had him describe what he saw/how the world ends. What was written was an ancient understanding of a modern war.

There' some fodder for an intrachristian debate....

Drich vs. Neo-Scholastic: Revelation - Observations or Allegories ?

[vulcanlogician]

Like what? the book of revelation?

God sat one man down and had him describe what he saw/how the world ends. What was written was an ancient understanding of a modern war.

There' some fodder for an intrachristian debate.

I agree. Good one, Chimp.