[Mary Etheldreda]

Re: Tired old atheist arguments

I don't understand why I am unsaved trash for following the moral teachings of the Bible. My belief teaches me that the Bible is a book teaching me the way to live my life but it is not meant literally. Surely if God did exist he would judge me on my moral action and not my belief in him.

You're not "following the moral teachings of the Bible," though. You're picking and choosing which teachings are considered "moral" in conformity with your subjective code of ethics. That shows your heart to be unsaved. It's not to late. You can choose Christ as He really is, and He can redeem you today!

If you'd like, I will pray with you:

Dear LORD,

I acknowledge that you, Jesus, are the Son of God. I believe that you were born of the Virgin Mary in a miraculous way (impregnating her with the Holy Spirit, which is You, without her knowledge or consent, or even the benefit of physical sperm, but by the very will of God, who is, amazingly, also You). I believe you died on the cross for my sins. I believe you were resurrected, floated up into the air, through the atmosphere, and straight to Heaven. I know that your divine nature means you were impervious to the physical effects of the lack of oxygen in space, that your divine body saved you from any danger of your blood boiling, your eyeballs exploding, or your lungs turning into red slush.

I admit that I was born a sinner by your design, and there is nothing I could have done to prevent it. I know I have led a life of sinning by not obeying your every command. It tears me up inside. My guilt is overwhelming.

Please forgive me.

Please change my heart so I can be a willing slave and do whatever you want me to do.

Please change my heart to want to read the Holy Bible and agree with all of it.

Be my Savior.

By my LORD and Master.

I beg you, save me from the very Hell you created for me in the beginning of time in case I didn't fear and obey you.

In Jesus' Name I pray.

Hallelujah!!!

\0/

[AthiesticChristian]

Re: Tired old atheist arguments

Also, I fully accept your right to disagree with my point but maybe Abraham was never spoken to by God, maybe his story is how faith is very important in our lives and is not a literal meaning. This is how I look at it.

[AthiesticChristian]

Re: Tired old atheist arguments

I do not pick and choose from the Bible as I see fit, I look at the things inside the Bible and come to a conclusion on what it must mean. The Bible is open to personal interpretation. I have taken its meaning in my way and you have done the same. Please do not say outright that I am wrong as I have not done this to you. I have presented my opinion and I would expect you to be respectful and do the same.

[Mary Etheldreda]

Re: Tired old atheist arguments

Also, I fully accept your right to disagree with my point but maybe Abraham was never spoken to by God, maybe his story is how faith is very important in our lives and is not a literal meaning. This is how I look at it.

If you believe you follow the moral teachings of the Bible, in which chapter do you read to interpret the Bible in any way other than literally? I would find that information most interesting considering Jesus (God Himself) didn't do as much, nor did any of His Apostles. You see, the Bible equips us to serve God in fear and obedience (Ecclesiastes 12:13 ; 2 Timothy 3:17; Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12). It helps us know how to be saved from our sin and its ultimate consequence (John 3:18; 2 Timothy 3:15).

Whenever the LORD Jesus quoted from the Old Testament, it was always in context of a literal interpretation. For example, when Jesus was tempted by Satan in Luke 4, He answered by quoting the Old Testament. If God’s commands in Deuteronomy 8:3, 6:13, and 6:16 were not literal, Jesus would not have used them and they would have been powerless to stop Satan’s mouth, which they certainly did. That would have been a silly sight to see, indeed, if the very Words of God had no power!

The Apostles themselves took the commands of Christ literally. Jesus commanded the disciples to go and make more disciples in Matthew 28:19-20. In Acts 2 and following, we find that the disciples took Jesus' command literally and went throughout the known world of that time preaching the gospel of Christ and telling them to "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). Just as the disciples took Jesus’ words literally, so must we. What would be the point of all the talk of Salvation, about Jesus coming to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10), to pay the penalty for our sin (Matthew 26:28), and provide eternal life (John 6:54), if these concepts were not actually real?

Which "moral teachings" do you find in the Holy Bible that encourage you to renounce what the Sweet Redeemer and His Band of Jolly Apostles did?

[Didymus Much]

Re: Tired old atheist arguments

...My belief teaches me that the Bible is a book teaching me the way to live my life but it is not meant literally...

So the Bible is a guide to live your life by, except it isn't, really.

Really?

[Mary Etheldreda]

Re: Tired old atheist arguments

I do not pick and choose from the Bible as I see fit, I look at the things inside the Bible and come to a conclusion on what it must mean. The Bible is open to personal interpretation. I have taken its meaning in my way and you have done the same. Please do not say outright that I am wrong as I have not done this to you. I have presented my opinion and I would expect you to be respectful and do the same.

May I ask you a hypothetical question? If I came into your home or place of work, and began to publicly berate your mother, would you respect my choice to do so? If I pointed out that in my opinion, without so much as an ounce of evidence, I found your mother to be a skanky slut who would grab her ankles for any man, woman, or animal with a handful of coins, would you be respectful of my opinion, or would you try to protect the honor and reputation of your mother? And yet, you're asking us to do this very thing. You're asking us to honor your opinion, opinions that blaspheme the Sweet Christ Child and call Him a lying bastard. Why should we do that, do you think?

[AthiesticChristian]

Re: Tired old atheist arguments

But what if the stories of Jesus in the New Testament are not to be taken literally too. If his quoting of the Old Testament is not meant to be taken literally, then this would make sense. Also, I interpret the Bible based on how the things in the Bible, in my opinion, can't be taken literally as it is not possible.
Didymus, I don't understand your comment. Please elaborate.

[AthiesticChristian]

Re: Tired old atheist arguments

I would respect your right to believe whatever you want because that is your opinion so I will not take it to heart as a fact because you have every right to believe it.

[Mary Etheldreda]

Re: Tired old atheist arguments

But what if the stories of Jesus in the New Testament are not to be taken literally too. If his quoting of the Old Testament is not meant to be taken literally, then this would make sense. Also, I interpret the Bible based on how the things in the Bible, in my opinion, can't be taken literally as it is not possible.
Didymus, I don't understand your comment. Please elaborate.

Then what function does the Holy Bible serve if it is no different than say, Aesop's Fables? You're clearly not a Christian, so why come here to a church forum at all?

I would respect your right to believe whatever you want because that is your opinion so I will not take it to heart as a fact because you have every right to believe it.

Well, that's one difference between us. I don't respect your opinion to accuse my LORD and Master such horrible things, and I would never give my children the "right" to develop those kinds of thoughts in the first place. Those thoughts are what lead one to an eternity in Hell, and as a mother, my responsibility is to care for my children by sparing them pain and suffering that comes from the LORD's swift and perfect justice, if at all possible.

[Didymus Much]

Re: Tired old atheist arguments

...Didymus, I don't understand your comment. Please elaborate.

Half of the "moral teachings" the Bible are just common sense, that had been around in one form or another for thousands of years before Christ, and can be boiled down to "don't be an asshole".

The other half of the "moral teachings" of the Bible go completely against common sense, and likewise had also been around in one form or another for thousands of years before Christ, and can be boiled down to "go ahead, be an asshole, just not to your own tribe/family, unless God tells you to, then all bets are off".

Which half do you reject, and why? All of those teaching predate Jesus, so if you believe them, or reject them, you have no need of the Bible, in either case.

[BelieverInGod]

Re: Tired old atheist arguments

But what if the stories of Jesus in the New Testament are not to be taken literally too. If his quoting of the Old Testament is not meant to be taken literally, then this would make sense. Also, I interpret the Bible based on how the things in the Bible, in my opinion, can't be taken literally as it is not possible.
Didymus, I don't understand your comment. Please elaborate.

Then in what way are you Christian?

In order to be Christian you have to believe in Christ (kind of the whole point behind the religion).

Do you think you can live your life in atheist sin and debauchary and then say to God on Judgement Day, "but I was a CHRISTIAN"

[AthiesticChristian]

Re: Tired old atheist arguments

I would let you say what you think as it is your opinion, I would not like it but I respect your individuality. Claiming I will face eternal damnation is no insult as I do not believe in it. Personally, I believe children should be allowed to make their own choices. I would never force my children into my belief and they can choose what ever religion they would like. Threatening them with Hell is an evil thing for a child.

[AthiesticChristian]

Re: Tired old atheist arguments

I believe in the idea of Christ and him as a symbol. He was probably real but as a preacher and not the Son of God.

[Mary Etheldreda]

Re: Tired old atheist arguments

I would let you say what you think as it is your opinion, I would not like it but I respect your individuality.

Well I do wish more Atheists were like you. In today's world, we True Christians™ are persecuted to the point of not even being granted our own holiday.

Claiming I will face eternal damnation is no insult as I do not believe in it.

This is why it is so important for people to learn the Truth. Ignorance is no excuse in God's Perfect Justice System.

Personally, I believe children should be allowed to make their own choices. I would never force my children into my belief and they can choose what ever religion they would like. Threatening them with Hell is an evil thing for a child.

More evil than an eternity of pain and suffering? Would you let your child suffer infection from a deep scrape rather than take her to the doctor for stitches and to clean the wound because that would hurt in the moment, as well? I hope you are not a parent, dear. You haven't the heart for it.

[BelieverInGod]

Re: Tired old atheist arguments

I would let you say what you think as it is your opinion, I would not like it but I respect your individuality. Claiming I will face eternal damnation is no insult as I do not believe in it.

Actually my point is how can you claim to be Christian (Jesus, God, Heaven, Hell the whole bit) and atheist. I wasn't threatening you with anything. In fact if you knew anything about the Bible, you would know that I can't threaten anyone with Hell since I'm not the one who decides who goes there.

Personally, I believe children should be allowed to make their own choices. I would never force my children into my belief and they can choose what ever religion they would like. Threatening them with Hell is an evil thing for a child.

Okay, so if my child wants to go hang out with some Catholic priest after school, I should just let them. If they want to try heroin, hey who am I to say no. Want to drive the car? Sure, who needs a license. Oh, and put your hand on that red hot burner? Why not! In fact why don't you go over there and yank on the horses tail just to see what will happen.

After all, it's their decision.