God Prefers Kind Atheists Over Hateful Christians

The Nihilist · Apr 7, 2012

Hi beanie. Welcome back.

orangelight · Apr 7, 2012

Theofane said:
Would you try to please a God in whom you do not believe by doing good works?

No, but I would reverse the question.
Is God only pleased by the good work done in his name and to him?
If yes, isn't this selfish and so ''humane'' ungodly characteristics?
How would you explain this verse?

"If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen" 1 john 4:20

peggy sue · Apr 7, 2012

Contented said:
Very true. Both the unloving and the atheist have no place with God. When you deny God how can you know love. We love because God because he first loved us. So the atheist is denying the existence of God and think that God still PREFERS HIM to the unloving Christian. The difference between the Christian and the Atheist is that the Christian can go to God and seek forgivemeness and make amends. BUT the atheist does not even acknowledge there is a God. His kindness means nothing.

you are a wise woman, i felt your post was truly Holy Spirit inspired

Theofane · Apr 7, 2012

God Prefers Kind Atheists Over Hateful Christians

Kindness is kindness, right? Kindness shown to one human being from another is never wasted. It doesn't depend on what the giver believes or what the recipient believes. I don't have to share your beliefs in order for your kindness to benefit me. It's a universal language.

Hate is similar to kindness for all the above reasons, except that instead of being a universally creative and positive force, it's universally destructive and negative. It's a universal langauge.

"If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone."
~Romans 12:18

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
~Galatians 22:24

Living in the Light · Apr 7, 2012

Theofane said:
Kindness is kindness, right? Kindness shown to one human being from another is never wasted. It doesn't depend on what the giver believes or what the recipient believes. I don't have to share your beliefs in order for your kindness to benefit me. It's a universal language.

Hate is similar to kindness for all the above reasons, except that instead of being a universally creative and positive force, it's universally destructive and negative. It's a universal langauge.

"If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone."
~Romans 12:18

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
~Galatians 22:24

Thanks, Theo! Keep telling the Truth.
:amen:

WilliamB · Apr 7, 2012

Beanieboy said:
1 John 4:7-8
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

My interpretation of this is that if you love, you are loving God, and obeying God, regardless of whether you are Christian or atheist. However, the atheist is following his or her heart. Some Christians that I have met only follow the Bible out of obligation, not because they wanted to.

If someone is a hateful Christian, they aren't really Christian, because they are to follow two laws: to love God, and love their neighbor as themselves. If they are instead hateful, they aren't following Christ, they are showing no love for God. They are exalting themselves and condemning others, something Christ told Christians not to do.

At the Last Supper, Christ said, "By this, all men will know that you are my disciples: by the love you show for one another."

Sadly, when you say, "Christian" to the average person, they associate it with someone who is haughty, arrogant, forgiving of self and condemning of others, often condemning people to hell, telling them that that is where they are going, and implying that they earned their way to Salvation by being so holy.

However, I don't know if atheists would care either way, seeing that they don't believe that God exists, and the people that should really take pause when looking at the sign would probably agree, pointing not to themselves, but to the other members of the congregation whom they say, "aren't real Christians."

I agree with this, with the exception of when you say "...Christ told Christians not to do." Christ never spoke to Christians, as there were no Christians. Christ was and is a Jew and those he spoke to were Jews. Even the Romans, who coined the term Christian considered them to simply be a sect of Judaism.

More to the thread point, Christ never authorized the creation of a new religion as the Scriptures were complete and were not in need of an addendum. Point being, Christianity is a man made religion that in many ways teaches anti-Christ thinking and policies. It's ignorant at best to claim that only Christians go to heaven as by doing so, you call Christ a liar when he answered the question clearly as to what is required to have eternal life and has been stated and restated, throughout this thread.

"Love God with all your heart, mind and soul and love one another as you love yourself.".

Nowhere in His very clear answer to the question are other requirements insinuated or stated. Christ also said that He had not come for the righteous, which is to say that there were plenty in the time of Christ who already operated in righteousness without the need for Christ, given God wrote His laws on our hearts.

One can label themselves whatever in the flesh, but God will destroy the flesh and judge on the heart. So call yourself whatever you like, in the end it is of no merit to God as it is of the world and all the religions, titles and denominations will burn up with everything else man has created. Love is the only thing that will get you to heaven.

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Couldn't be clearer! So do I believe God prefers a loving atheist over a hateful Christian? Absolutely!

Theofane · Apr 7, 2012

orangelight said:
No, but I would reverse the question.

Please don't.

Is God only pleased by the good work done in his name and to him?
If yes, isn't this selfish and so ''humane'' ungodly characteristics?

You don't like God, but you'll use the Word of God to attack Him?

How would you explain this verse?

"If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen" 1 john 4:20

The devil can quote scripture, also.

mathetes123 · Apr 7, 2012

WilliamB said:
I agree with this, with the exception of when you say "...Christ told Christians not to do." Christ never spoke to Christians, as there were no Christians. Christ was and is a Jew and those he spoke to were Jews. Even the Romans, who coined the term Christian considered them to simply be a sect of Judaism.

More to the thread point, Christ never authorized the creation of a new religion as the Scriptures were complete and were not in need of an addendum. Point being, Christianity is a man made religion that in many ways teaches anti-Christ thinking and policies. It's ignorant at best to claim that only Christians go to heaven as by doing so, you call Christ a liar when he answered the question clearly as to what is required to have eternal life and has been stated and restated, throughout this thread.

"Love God with all your heart, mind and soul and love one another as you love yourself.".

Nowhere in His very clear answer to the question are other requirements insinuated or stated. Christ also said that He had not come for the righteous, which is to say that there were plenty in the time of Christ who already operated in righteousness without the need for Christ, given God wrote His laws on our hearts.

One can label themselves whatever in the flesh, but God will destroy the flesh and judge on the heart. So call yourself whatever you like, in the end it is of no merit to God as it is of the world and all the religions, titles and denominations will burn up with everything else man has created. Love is the only thing that will get you to heaven.

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Couldn't be clearer! So do I believe God prefers a loving atheist over a hateful Christian? Absolutely!

Are you suggesting we are saved by keeping the 10 commandments? Is this what the Bible teaches?

When Christ said He had not come for the righteous, He meant the self-righteous (Pharisees), who were depending on their works.

Jonathan95 · Apr 7, 2012

There's no such thing as a hateful Christian. Christian means 'Follower of Jesus', and a hateful person can't be a follower of Yahshua.

Theofane · Apr 7, 2012

Living in the Light said:
Thanks, Theo! Keep telling the Truth.

Just talking the talk, is all. Can I walk the walk?

WilliamB · Apr 7, 2012

mathetes123 said:
Are you suggesting we are saved by keeping the 10 commandments?

I'm not suggesting anything. Christ speaks for Himself. Accept it or reject it.

Is this what the Bible teaches?

I know what scripture says, however what the bible says depends on who's version you're reading. To me, they are not one and the same.

When Christ said He had not come for the righteous, He meant the self-righteous (Pharisees), who were depending on their works.

If He meant the self-righteous, He would have said the self-righteous. You see, this is why we have 30,000+ denominations of Christianity, because people want to add to Christ teachings, to suit their own beliefs. It might be a foreign concept but maybe, just maybe, Christ said what He meant and meant what He said. I don't know, maybe that's too radical.

Either way, it's all a distraction from the Truth. I'm not in this to win religious points, I'm in this for eternal life. So I'll do what Christ commanded to have it.

mathetes123 · Apr 7, 2012

WilliamB said:
I'm not suggesting anything. Christ speaks for Himself. Accept it or reject it. In addition, I don't worship the Bible.

If He meant the self-righteous, He would have said the self-righteous. You see, this is why we have 30,000+ denominations of Christianity, because people want to add to Christ teachings, to suit their own beliefs. It might be a foreign concept but maybe, just maybe, Christ said what He meant and meant what He said. I don't know, maybe that's too radical.

Either way, it's all a distraction from the Truth. I'm not in this to win religious points, I'm in this for eternal life. So I'll do what Christ commanded to have it.

Can you say you have kept the 10 commandments perfectly?

Have you ever lied?

Have you ever stolen anything, even as small as office supplies from work?

Have you ever .lusted over anyone?

Tinker Grey · Apr 7, 2012

I find it interesting that the author of the sign, like so many theists, claims to speak for his/her god.

WilliamB · Apr 7, 2012

mathetes123 said:
Can you say you have kept the 10 commandments perfectly?

Have you ever lied?

Have you ever stolen anything, even as small as office supplies from work?

Have you ever .lusted over anyone?

I have kept none of Gods laws perfectly. What does that have to do with what Christ said? Did Christ say that was a requirement to receive eternal life?

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?" He answered: " `Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, `Love your neighbor as yourself.' " "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live." But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" In reply Jesus said:
"A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. `Look after him,' he said, `and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

(Luke 10:25-37, NIV)

I suppose by today's religious thinking, the Samaritan isn't going to heaven because he wasn't a Christian. Hmmm...

mathetes123 · Apr 7, 2012

WilliamB said:
I have kept none of Gods laws perfectly. What does that have to do with what Christ said? Did Christ say that was a requirement to receive eternal life?

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?" He answered: " `Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, `Love your neighbor as yourself.' " "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live." But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" In reply Jesus said:
"A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. `Look after him,' he said, `and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

(Luke 10:25-37, NIV)

I suppose by today's religious thinking, the Samaritan isn't going to heaven because he wasn't a Christian. Hmmm...

Jesus went through the law to point to His need of a savior. Our love for others does not save us, but is a byproduct of our salvation. Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone.

WilliamB · Apr 7, 2012

mathetes123 said:
Jesus went through the law to point to His need of a savior. Our love for others does not save us, but is a byproduct of our salvation. Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone.

Those are the words of Paul (I believe) but certainly not the words of Christ. I don't worship Paul or any other new testament writer. I worship Jesus. Can you answer the question? In the parable above, does the Samaritan go to heaven when he dies?

orangelight · Apr 7, 2012

Theofane said:
Please don't.

You don't like God, but you'll use the Word of God to attack Him?

The devil can quote scripture, also.

I don't know what you are trying to say by comparing me to an imaginary scary being (the devil), and then you say I'm attacking your God, where you saw me attacking your God?

I'm only saying "If", which is a possibility, no atheist would ever attack God ( as a physical or spiritual being) because this person would not be an atheist.

Disbelievers may attack the wrong use of God(s) and religions in our daily lives, politics and society, and this kind of bad use of God is taken from religious books and from the Character of God as religious people see him.

I will repeat what I said, If there is a God and want to be pleased by prayers and sacrifices all the times, then he has to be a selfish unintelligent one.

mathetes123 · Apr 7, 2012

WilliamB said:
Those are the words of Paul (I believe) but certainly not the words of Christ. I don't worship Paul or any other new testament writer. I worship Jesus. Can you answer the question? In the parable above, does the Samaritan go to heaven when he dies?

If the Samaritan has not put his faith in Jesus, he will not go to heaven. His act of compassion for his neighbor will not save him.

WilliamB · Apr 7, 2012

mathetes123 said:
If the Samaritan has not put his faith in Jesus, he will not go to heaven. His act of compassion for his neighbor will not save him.

So then by your words, Jesus is a liar?

mathetes123 · Apr 7, 2012

WilliamB said:
So then by your words, Jesus is a liar?

The point of Jesus story was that the man,s neighbors were not just other Jews. He was not saying that the Samaritans act of compassion saved him. Salvation is by grace through faith and not of works lest anyone should boast.

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