Are non-believers fools?

[TheParticlePerson]

Err, all I see are large colourful words that give the impression that the Lord is very destructive. Was that your intent?

 

[ebia]

In the OT, wisdom is choosing to live in tune with God's purposes, so the opposite of wisdom, obviously, is foolishness.

The psalm is not saying "atheists are stupid" - there were no atheists in that world. The psalmist is saying "those who do not live in tune with God's purposes are saying, through their actions, 'there is no God'".

It's a wakeup call to those who profess to believe in the one true God but don't follow through with that in their lives b

 

[TheParticlePerson]

yea, who was the genius that invented the atomic bomb? the world is such a better place with our geniuses. the word unwise does not even come close.

I think you should be mad at those who USED the atomic bomb, not those who invented it. Without the geniuses you so readily insult, you wouldn't be on this forum spreading ignorance, because in a world without geniuses, there are no computers! Would you really want the world to be devoid of great inventors like Thomas Edison?

 

[he-man]

I think you should be mad at those who USED the atomic bomb, not those who invented it. Without the geniuses you so readily insult, you wouldn't be on this forum spreading ignorance, because in a world without geniuses, there are no computers! Would you really want the world to be devoid of great inventors like Thomas Edison?

Maybe it depends on your ability to serve God? Were they sprinkled with the blood or were they geniuses like the King of Egypt ?

Heb 11:28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood,lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

for the Lord, seeing the blood sprinkled, as above, when he smote the firstborn of Egypt, passed by the houses of the Israelite

 

[TheParticlePerson]

Maybe it depends on your ability to serve God? Were they sprinkled with the blood or were they geniuses like the King of Egypt ?

Heb 11:28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood,lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

for the Lord, seeing the blood sprinkled, as above, when he smote the firstborn of Egypt, passed by the houses of the Israelite

I don't understand what you are claiming to depend on ones ability to serve God, nor do I understand the relevance Egyptian kings.

 

[Hog Red]

I think you should be mad at those who USED the atomic bomb, not those who invented it. Without the geniuses you so readily insult, you wouldn't be on this forum spreading ignorance, because in a world without geniuses, there are no computers! Would you really want the world to be devoid of great inventors like Thomas Edison?

who said i was mad, you made a ridiculous statement and you got powned. LOL

 

[TheParticlePerson]

who said i was mad, you made a ridiculous statement and you got powned. LOL

Hm. Can you be more specific about which statement you mean and how it was ridiculous?

 

[solarwave]

Perhaps they are fools in the sense of not believing something which is so highly important.

I also know that just because I believe in God I'm not wise and there must be atheists more wise than me.

 

[Hog Red]

Hm. Can you be more specific about which statement you mean and how it was ridiculous?

that's ok, your a smart guy, i'm sure you can figure that one out on your own without my assistance.

 

[TheParticlePerson]

that's ok, your a smart guy, i'm sure you can figure that one out on your own without my assistance.

Ookay. Would you like to explain in further detail how you think the world would be a better place if there were no "geniuses"?

 

[talitha]

Mixolydian answered me with biblical scripture, which is not what I want. I want to know what Christians think today in regards to non believers, and I think I've found my answer. They don't think very much of them.

So you did not ask what you truly wanted to know. I see. That is usually the case - people tend to ask the surface questions first and get to the real questions later.

I think many non believers are very intelligent, and their intelligence comes in handy sometimes. In the light of eternity, however, the things they know are not so important. What is important is fellowship with God. I feel sad that so many (geniuses and average Joes alike) have discarded the important in favor of the fleeting. Truly, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; ie: one has not begun to be wise until he stands in awe of the one God.

blessings
tal

 

[Hog Red]

Ookay. Would you like to explain in further detail how you think the world would be a better place if there were no "geniuses"?

These are some of the greatest philosophers, mathematicians, and scientists who have ever lived; and it's an undeniable fact that without them the world would be a much more terrible place.

i wouldn't put so much faith in man. we invent just as many things for evil as good. and even one's intended for good also get used for evil. so you still think the world is a better place as a result of the atom bomb? yes or no?

 

[TheParticlePerson]

These are some of the greatest philosophers, mathematicians, and scientists who have ever lived; and it's an undeniable fact that without them the world would be a much more terrible place.

i wouldn't put so much faith in man. we invent just as many things for evil as good. and even one's intended for good also get used for evil. so you still think the world is a better place as a result of the atom bomb? yes or no?

No, I do not think the world is a better place as a result of the atom bomb or any other weapon, nor did I ever make the claim that it is. None of the people I listed would condone the use of a weapon like that.

 

[Jpark]

"The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good."
Psalms 14:1

This verse seems very clear to me, and yet I know there are many non-believers who seem to be very intelligent and morally righteous. How can these two conflicting ideas be reconciled?

Read the context:

They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds

Clearly, fool here doesn't mean lack of intelligence, but lack of morality.

 

[Hog Red]

No, I do not think the world is a better place as a result of the atom bomb or any other weapon, nor did I ever make the claim that it is. None of the people I listed would condone the use of a weapon like that.

no but you put your faith in men, the same genius scientists that have given us the atom bomb. cant have this one both ways.

 

[Hairy Tic]

According to the Bible; The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.'

Admittedly, it is then circular reasoning to conclude that all atheists are fools, but in terms of a theistic pov, this is indeed the case; in a world where God is, those who do not accept him are indeed fools.

I wouldn't worry, however. I am pretty sure the feeling is mutual, even if atheists are too polite to actually express it.

## Don't worry, they aren't LOL - go to Youtube for the evidence

I think its very unhelpful to call atheists fools - Fundamentalists, OTOH...

 

[TheParticlePerson]

no but you put your faith in men, the same genius scientists that have given us the atom bomb. cant have this one both ways.

What does this have to do with faith? Faith is unquestioning belief or loyalty, neither of which I feel towards humanity in general. Humans are, more often than not, incompetent idiots. But if somebody is really outstanding in any scientific field, that person is almost always an atheist, agnostic, or deist.

 

[Catherineanne]

Mixolydian answered me with biblical scripture, which is not what I want. I want to know what Christians think today in regards to non believers, and I think I've found my answer. They don't think very much of them.

That is not what you asked. That is another question completely.

Really, if you don't like the fool motif, don't use it. And most certainly don't provide evidence for it. What is that all about?

Here is a suggestion for you; next time you want to ask a particular question, ask THAT question, not something completely different. Then you might start to get somewhere.

 

[TheParticlePerson]

That is not what you asked. That is another question completely.

Really, if you don't like the fool motif, don't use it. And most certainly don't provide evidence for it. What is that all about?

Here is a suggestion for you; next time you want to ask a particular question, ask THAT question, not something completely different. Then you might start to get somewhere.

In the OP I asked if atheists were fools, expecting an answer from Christians. So the questions "Do modern Christians think that atheists are fools" and "are atheists fools" are in all practically the same question when asked in a Christian forum.

 

[Catherineanne]

In the OP I asked if atheists were fools, expecting an answer from Christians. So the questions "Do modern Christians think that atheists are fools" and "are atheists fools" are in all practically the same question when asked in a Christian forum.

You see that weasel word? 'Practically'?

It means that they are not, in fact, the same question. For one thing, a non-believer is not necessarily an atheist. He may be, or he may not be.

Therefore, ask the question you want to ask. Don't ask the question you don't want to ask, but which is practically (but not quite) the same.

Do modern Christians think atheists are fools? Answer; only if we 'modern Christians' indulge in the same meaningless stereotyping as the question.

Are atheists fools? Answer; Given that not every believer is a shining example of intellectual prowess, probably not all of them, no. Some may be, some may not be. We lack sufficient data to comment, but a general cross section in both categories is likely. In relation to the Bible, there is some evidence that from a theological pov it may be valid to regard them as such, but this does not cover all aspects of knowledge, just theology; the knowledge of God.

I do hope that helps.