What Does Atheism Profit Atheists?

[just a believing guy]

You can only make such a statement when you start from the idea that "study" means "to agree with".

A lot of atheists studied the Bible. Many atheists will tell you that studying the Bible was what made them atheists.


Atheism isn't paradoxical either. You just don't understand it.

Not ''agree with'', but trying to see the contents with a believer's eyes.

Atheism may not be paradoxical. Atheists on the other hand are paradoxical when faced with the Bible's content's arguments; take the movie ''Life of Brian'', for example.

 

[Freodin]

Not ''agree with'', but trying to see the contents with a believer's eyes.

In the same way that Christians read and study the Bible and trying to see the contents with an unbeliever's eyes?

Nah, that would be ridiculous, wouldn't it?

But how do you think ex-Christians did read their Bibles? With unbeliever's eyes? Or with believer's eyes that couldn't comprehend how this text should so much differ from what their "faith" told them it should be?

Atheism may not be paradoxical. Atheists on the other hand are paradoxical when faced with the Bible's content's arguments; take the movie ''Life of Brian'', for example.

I don't know what caused your fixation on Monty Phython... but as great as Life of Brian might be, it is not the Bible of Atheism.

 

[just a believing guy]

In the same way that Christians read and study the Bible and trying to see the contents with an unbeliever's eyes?

Nah, that would be ridiculous, wouldn't it?

But how do you think ex-Christians did read their Bibles? With unbeliever's eyes? Or with believer's eyes that couldn't comprehend how this text should so much differ from what their "faith" told them it should be?


I don't know what caused your fixation on Monty Phython... but as great as Life of Brian might be, it is not the Bible of Atheism.

Yes, that would be ridiculous, as theologians read atheistic philosophy so as to understand the atheists.

Reading the Bible is a sacred thing for a believer. Some ex-believers may have been reading it while at the same time not being aware of that, which has reduced them to losing their faith. You better do not read the Bible if you feel compelled to do so...

Monty Pythonists are the epitome of atheism and nihilism. The Life of Brian means ridiculizing and unsuccessfully trying to reduce Christianity to atheism. Very perfide, if you ask me.

 

[Freodin]

Yes, that would be ridiculous, as theologians read atheistic philosophy so as to understand the atheists.

Reading the Bible is a sacred thing for a believer. Some ex-believers may have been reading it while at the same time not being aware of that, which has reduced them to losing their faith. You better do not read the Bible if you feel compelled to do so...

What does "a sacred thing" mean for a believer?

Monty Pythonists are the epitome of the atheism and nihilism. The Life of Brian means ridiculizing and unsuccessfully trying to reduce Christianity to atheism. Very perfide, if you ask me.

Monty Pythonists! F..k off! We are the Monty Pythonians! We are so much better that those Monty Pythonists, who are just a bunch of... SPLITTERS!

 

[just a believing guy]

What does "a sacred thing" mean for a believer?


Monty Pythonists! F..k off! We are the Monty Pythonians! We are so much better that those Monty Pythonists, who are just a bunch of... SPLITTERS!

In this context it means reading of the Bible while honestly loving God with all your mind and heart and your neighbor with all your mind and heart.

Still, you are anonymous, and no one really cares about you, except for the believers

 

[Freodin]

In this context it means reading of the Bible while honestly loving God with all your mind and heart and your neighbor with all your mind and heart.

So if an unbeliever should read the Bible and "trying to see the contents with a believer's eyes." he would need to be "honestly loving God" and all that... which basically means being a believer.
So you are indeed saying: "If you don't start by agreeing with me, you cannot read my book in the correct way... which would be to agree with me"
And because you also turn it around to "if you did read the book in the wrong way, you never ever agreed with me in the first place", you have extempted yourself from any possible criticism. You cannot be wrong... other people disagreeing with you must be wrong.

Which makes it all the more amusing when you constantly demonstrate you being wrong. And then blame it on others.

Still, you are anonymous, and no one really cares about you, except for the believers

It's so amusing when people like you rant and rave about certain stuff and then go on to show they know nothing about it. Eunt domus, JABG, eunt domus.

 

[Larniavc]

You are refuting yourself. Your logic, your reason and your empathy. Worthless.

Hm.

Never thought I'd hear that empathy is worthless.

 

[KCfromNC]

Thanks. For some reason I was convinced I didn't know the true definition, but I guess I did.

Yeah, it is really easy but a lot of people try to make it complicated. For some reason those posters are on a quest to tell non-believers how they are not believing wrong. Doesn't make much sense to me but it seems to keep them busy.

 

[just a believing guy]

So if an unbeliever should read the Bible and "trying to see the contents with a believer's eyes." he would need to be "honestly loving God" and all that... which basically means being a believer.
So you are indeed saying: "If you don't start by agreeing with me, you cannot read my book in the correct way... which would be to agree with me"
And because you also turn it around to "if you did read the book in the wrong way, you never ever agreed with me in the first place", you have extempted yourself from any possible criticism. You cannot be wrong... other people disagreeing with you must be wrong.

Which makes it all the more amusing when you constantly demonstrate you being wrong. And then blame it on others.


It's so amusing when people like you rant and rave about certain stuff and then go on to show they know nothing about it. Eunt domus, JABG, eunt domus.

There is a distinction; that's why I wrote the word ''trying'' in italics: the believer takes the Bible in their hands, maybe osculates it by their lips, and begins to read it upon praying for guidance. You see, it's much more than reading, it may be a sort of a ceremony. (Yet, I don't exclude the possibility that a non-believer could become a believer when they just read it without any spiritual ''ceremony''. God does in strange ways.)

 

[Larniavc]

The way I see it, they are desperately trying to justify that position by convincing others of their view.

And you would be wrong.

Do you justify your unbelief in Enki?

I bet you never even think about it because you in no way take Enki's existence seriously.

An atheist does the same for God.

 

[Freodin]

There is a distinction; that's why I wrote the word ''trying'' in italics: the believer takes the Bible in their hands, maybe osculates it by their lips, and begins to read it upon praying for guidance. You see, it's much more than reading, it may be a sort of a ceremony. (Yet, I don't exclude the possibility that a non-believer could become a believer when they just read it without any spiritual ''ceremony''. God does in strange ways.)

You already (twice) excluded the possiblity of an atheist reading the Bible at all!
And you exclude the possibility that a believer can read it, even pray for guidance... and become an unbeliever.

Everything to keep your preconveived ideas. Everything to shield yourself from things that contradict your beliefs.

Well, most people don't care about what goes on in your head. You are free to believe what you want.

But most people do care when your false beliefs about them spill out of your mouth, fingers or keyboard.

 

[section9+1]

"The kindest acts of the wicked are cruel."

 

[just a believing guy]

You already (twice) excluded the possiblity of an atheist reading the Bible at all!
And you exclude the possibility that a believer can read it, even pray for guidance... and become an unbeliever.

Everything to keep your preconveived ideas. Everything to shield yourself from things that contradict your beliefs.

Well, most people don't care about what goes on in your head. You are free to believe what you want.

But most people do care when your false beliefs about them spill out of your mouth, fingers or keyboard.

But praying for guidance doesn't mean a thing if you don't follow the Holy Spirit, believe, and do good things to show your devotion. And as I already pointed out, the most important is to love God and Humans.

There will be temptations...but, just as in every other undertaking, what matters the most is perseverance and the consciousness that one is not the most important person in the world. Instead of feeling sorry for themselves, the almost-to become-apostate should put themselves to good use and live and exist for others for a change.

 

[Freodin]

"The kindest acts of the wicked are cruel."

One of my favorite parables from the Gospels is the one about the Good Samaritan. For several reasons.

But for the sake of this point, it shows the truth about empathy and kindness. There is another human being that needs help and kindness. It never is asked who this person is, what this person believes or not believes. It never questions the belief or motives of the helper.

It just shows the action... and the non-action. And it asks the question "which one was the one acting as the neighbor"?

Answer that question for yourself, you who think that empathy is worthless and kindness is cruel.

 

[Freodin]

But praying for guidance doesn't mean a thing if you don't follow the Holy Spirit, believe, and do good things to show your devotion. And as I already pointed out, the most important is to love God and Humans.

There will be temptations...but, just as in every other undertaking, what matters the most is perseverance and the consciousness that one is not the most important person in the world. Instead of feeling sorry for themselves, the almost-to become-apostate should put themselves to good use and live and exist for others for a change.

Funny... that is what most of these "almost-to-become-apostates" did... they became full-fledged apostates, stopped worrying about old books and non-existent deities... became humanists, and put themselves to good use, and lived and existed for others.

You asked what atheism does profit atheists. It sets them free. Free from the worries to have to pretent, to try to "believe in order to believe for beliefs sake". It doesn't set them free from doubt... no, much better, it sets them free from the fear of doubt. It releases them from the vicious circle of needing to confirm the in-group dogma, even in the face of contradiction and empty promises.

 

[bhsmte]

"The kindest acts of the wicked are cruel."

Dont tell me, you get to decide who is wicked?

 

[just a believing guy]

Funny... that is what most of these "almost-to-become-apostates" did... they became full-fledged apostates, stopped worrying about old books and non-existent deities... became humanists, and put themsleves to good use, and lived and existed for others.

You asked what atheism does profit atheists. It sets them free. Free from the worries to have to pretent, to try to "believe in order to believe for beliefs sake". It doesn't set them free from doubt... no, much better, it sets them free from the fear of doubt. It releases them from the vicious circle of needing to confirm the in-group dogma, even in the face of contradiction and empty promises.

Why should one worry about the Bible? What are you suggesting? I don't believe that they lived and existed for others. Instead, they lived and existed for their ideas.

 

[Freodin]

Why should one worry about the Bible? What are you suggesting? I don't believe that they lived and existed for others. Instead, they lived and existed for their ideas.

I don't believe that Christians really believe what they claim. That is ridiculous! Totally beyond me! Christians are just selfish jerks, calling others worthless and wicked, then patting themselves on the back for being such nice people. And then they hope they get a cookie from their keepers.

Do you like being portrayed in that way? Do you think it is correct? No? It doesn't conform to your own experiences?

THEN STOP DOING IT TO OTHERS!

 

[just a believing guy]

I don't believe that Christians really believe what they claim. That is ridiculous! Totally beyond me! Christians are just selfish jerks, calling others worthless and wicked, then patting themselves on the back for being such nice people. And then they hope they get a cookie from their keepers.

Do you like being portrayed in that way? Do you think it is correct? No? It doesn't conform to your own experiences?

THEN STOP DOING IT TO OTHERS!

Not sure what it is you're trying to convey here.

How about you answered to my post above?

 

[bhsmte]

So if an unbeliever should read the Bible and "trying to see the contents with a believer's eyes." he would need to be "honestly loving God" and all that... which basically means being a believer.
So you are indeed saying: "If you don't start by agreeing with me, you cannot read my book in the correct way... which would be to agree with me"
And because you also turn it around to "if you did read the book in the wrong way, you never ever agreed with me in the first place", you have extempted yourself from any possible criticism. You cannot be wrong... other people disagreeing with you must be wrong.

Which makes it all the more amusing when you constantly demonstrate you being wrong. And then blame it on others.


It's so amusing when people like you rant and rave about certain stuff and then go on to show they know nothing about it. Eunt domus, JABG, eunt domus.

Some folks, lose their faith the more they study the bible and peel back the layers in regards to its historicity. It happened to me.