Question for non-Christians: view of Christians/Christianity from these discussions?

Another question, this time for the non-Christians in the group. I was going to do this as a poll, but it is too variable a question for a poll to adequately cover.

Since coming to this forum, how has your attitude toward Christians in general changed? For the better? For the worse? Both?

How about your feelings about Christianity itself? Have you become more convinced that it is a false belief? Less convinced?

What effect has the presentation of YEC arguments had on you? Has it made you reconsider your position? Has it made you more or less likely to ever consider becoming a Christian?

What about the TE view? Does the concept that evolutoin/old earth and Scripture are not in conflict make it any more likely that you would consider Christianity?

For better and worse I would have to say. Some people here have restored my hope that one day people of all religions could at least get along if not agree with eachother. Others... well let's just say I had no idea that people could be so hard and delusional and cruel and unjust and completely rude all at one time.

I think Chiristianity is a flawed but beautiful relgion; when people follow the Christ all is well, when they follow the Bible or the Church... then things tend to become about elitism. As all paths are valid (even if they are not equally valid) I can't argue one way or the other.

YEC (is that young earth creationalists?) are really... well, out there it seems. I personally believe that the earth was created by the gods but through what means and for what purpose I can not know. I do believe also in evolution. Evolution with the aid of the divine seems the most likely way humans came about so... that's always been my stance and I'm not likely going to change it without seeing more evidence than I have seen here.

TE - and that is... the evolutionists??

Personally, the evolutions vs. creationalism was never a factor at all for me in leaving christianity. As far as I"m concearned it still isn't.

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Not all those who wander are lost. -- JRR Tolkien

Sorry, YEC is Young Earth Creation

TE is Theistic Evolution

I know how important meditating or prayer or something similar can be for everyone. Down time to think and expressing you veiws to someone. God in the christian instance.
I'm not fond of the organized religion, I find solace in some of the non-canonized teachings of Jesus, and as Jesus as a spiritual leader. I hope I can say that here, cause I got into trouble on another forum After all look at my sig.Its the message that is important i.e Jesus himself, and not all the writings of men that get interpreted far differently than I think He would have intended. That is only how I interpret the teachings and I have no wish to upset anyone with these feelings.

I think that christianity has become an economic force and sometimes a sad farce with CD's, Videos of all sorts, books, Icons, religious holidays becoming moneymakers. I always thought the mission of Jesus and the disciples was a simple one. Save Mankind from the ways of sin.I look upon Luke 10 where Jesus instucts his disciples to go out with nothing but the word of mouth to spread the word.

After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.

2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.

4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.

5 And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.

6 And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.

7 And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.

8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:

9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

10 But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,

11 Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

I hope I didn't offend anyone and I'm not trying to sow the seeds of dissention. I Find that the Christians here on this forum are exactly as I picture christians should be, and even the agnostics and athiests make good christians in another sense (minus the God beleif, of course.

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Jesus said, "If a blind person leads a blind person, both of them will fall into a hole." Thomas 34

"On blind faith they place reliance, what they need more of is science"- MC Hawking

Despite the best efforts of YECs, my overall opinion of Christianity has improved since I came to these forums thanks to the logical outlook and steady efforts of the moderate Christians.

The presentation and justification of TE views has actually made me more likely to consider Christianity as a worldview as it has removed the scientific obstacles to my belief. The presentation of YEC beliefs would have done much to drive me further away without the TEs on hand with the alternative.

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Greatest Hovind quote of all time, as voted for by members of CF:
"Teaching the pagan religion of evolutionism is a waste of valuable class time and textbook space. It is also one of the reasons American kids don't test as well in science as kids in other parts of the world."

When I first started to lurk here I considered Christians to be one big group who varied on slight interpretations. I've since learned that Christianity is as varied as any group I've ever encountered. There are 35,000 sects of Christians. My opinions are as different as the sects are from each other. For example, I find fundamentalists to be mystifying and willfully ignorant. I find most Christians however to simply be people trying to live their lives as best they can.

I agree that the basic tenets of Christianity seem to be rational and reasonable. Certainly the teachings of Jesus, whether he's God or not, are relevant today and make a good basis for personal morality or a way to live life. Yet I see many who take these teachings and pervert them for their own gain. As an outsider I'd like to see more righteous indignation directed at them from their own religion. When Pat Robertson prays for the death of a Supreme Court Justice he should be censured. When this doesn't happen I become more convinced that the religion he represents is false. It's almost impossible to just condemn a single sect as opposed to all of Christianity.

The presentation of YEC ideas doesn't bother me in the least. It's the attempt to clothe these ideas in a cloak of "science" that causes me discomfort. This is fraud.

1. Since coming to this forum, how has your attitude toward Christians in general changed? For the better? For the worse? Both?

My attitude towards Christians has not changed one bit. They are just like everyone else, some are great citizens, some are very crummy people. Some I want as my friend, some I want to stay as far away from me as possible.

2. How about your feelings about Christianity itself? Have you become more convinced that it is a false belief? Less convinced?

There is no way I think that Christianity is a false belief. It’s just that I follow a spiritual path that is more true to me and at the same time feeds my soul more than Christianity did.

3. What effect has the presentation of YEC arguments had on you? Has it made you reconsider your position? Has it made you more or less likely to ever consider becoming a Christian?

I have to admit that the picture that the YEC arguments have drawn for me is one of blissful ignorance of the earth processes. Though, I do think that they try. But more and more I’m seeing that certain Christian organizations, in their effort to prove YEC correct, have transmitted miss-information about the earth processes to the Christian society who in a lot of cases have swallowed it hook, line and sinker. When inconsistencies are proven, the fall back appears to always be one of “We don’t know the power of God. He can make anything happen”. Which to me shows that they really don’t have a clue and just helps to highlight how weak the YEC arguments really are.

4. What about the TE view? Does the concept that evolutoin/old earth and Scripture are not in conflict make it any more likely that you would consider Christianity?

The creation story has absolutely nothing to do with why I am not a Christian. It’s not even in the picture.

...

Probabbly the most important thing I've learned is when to quit arguing with some people.

As for my attitude on christianity... Liberals remain the same, moderates remain the same. However I've developed a loathing for fundies and the ultra conservatives, they seem almost cultish now. Especially the ones who repeatedly make the same false arguements and don't even understand enough about evolution to write a paragraph on the subject.

As for christianity itself... meh. Obviously YEC is bogus, that was a given. Can't really argue against some of the OEC'ers since they use mostly the same arguements as I would but they just stick god in at certain places, can sometimes nail them on god of the gaps but it can't be proven either way. We agree up to a point, then they diverge off and give credit to an invisible man while I either support something that might work in theory or simply plead the fifth. That one is not going anywhere sans a major scientific discovery and I think we all realize the futility of the subject.

As for my willingness to be a christian... it has not changed. There's only one thing that would make me believe and that's god himself. I could never take a topic like this on simple faith and go against my better judgement without God slapping me on the back of the head and saying "Hey! Listen up stupid!"

BTW, this thread is in no way meant to be an evangelizing tool, just simple curiosity about whether this forum does anything at all to effect or adjust our viewpoints. Another goal is to find out whether the YEC or TE view has any effect at all in pushing people away from Christianity or opening a crack in the door, or has no impact at all.

[ie, nothing stated in this thread will be used against you, no one will come knocking on your virtual door to convert you! ;0) ]

I don't have much of an opinion of Christianity in general. I judge its followers on the individual merits that they display not the traits the should or shouldn't have according to a code they profess to follow.

My beliefs on evolution and science in general have little bearing on my agnosticism.

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• Cogito cogito ergo cogito sum. (I think I think, therefore I think I am.)

I'm so profound it hurts.