Evil Atheist

[JGG]

I keep reading from Christians about atheists, and how they don't believe in God so that they might continue their sinful lifestyles, but I feel a little perplexed as to what that means.

For example, myself. I have never murdered anyone. I have never intentionally stolen from anyone. I don't really lie, and I would say that I'm remarkably honest. I have never in my life had sex outside of wedlock. I'm not gay. I don't generally drink alcohol, and when I do it is not to excess. I have never done drugs outside of prescribed medication, and even then only at the insistence of a doctor. I don't smoke. I don't use the Lord's name in vein. I have no tattoos, or piercings. I have never physically assaulted another person. I'm even kosher!

Now, as I said, Christians like to tell me that I deny God so that I might continue my sinful lifestyle. What sinful lifestyle would that be?

 

[Jane_the_Bane]

I keep reading from Christians about atheists, and how I don't believe in God so that they might continue their sinful lifestyles, but I feel a little perplexed as to what that means.

For example, myself. I have never murdered anyone. I have never intentionally stolen from anyone. I don't really lie, and I would say that I'm remarkably honest. I have never in my life had sex outside of wedlock. I'm not gay. I don't generally drink alcohol, and when I do it is not to excess. I have never done drugs outside of prescribed medication, and even then only at the insistence of a doctor. I don't smoke. I don't use the Lord's name in vein. I have no tattoos, or piercings. I have never physically assaulted another person. I'm even kosher!

Now, as I said, Christians like to tell me that I deny God so that I might continue my sinful lifestyle. What sinful lifestyle would that be?

Let's also note that this whole line of argument inadvertently reveals something about the frame of mind of the person making it. And it's not exactly a positive revelation.
In essence, people who argue like this basically state that the only thing keeping them from committing the most immoral, heinous, brutal, or just downright insane acts is the threat of getting punished for it by some metaphysical "Leviathan" (to use a Hobbesian term).

"Oh well, if it weren't for the Watchful Eye of God, I'd murder my neighbour with a blunt axe and keep his remains in the refridgerator while I torment his kids in the basement."

It really makes you wonder how such theists perceive themselves and others.

 

[Andreusz]

Now, as I said, Christians like to tell me that I deny God so that I might continue my sinful lifestyle. What sinful lifestyle would that be?

Denying God.

 

[Morcova]

Somehow just not believing makes you a sinful person.

 

[quatona]

I keep reading from Christians about atheists, and how I don't believe in God so that they might continue their sinful lifestyles, but I feel a little perplexed as to what that means.

For example, myself. I have never murdered anyone. I have never intentionally stolen from anyone. I don't really lie, and I would say that I'm remarkably honest. I have never in my life had sex outside of wedlock. I'm not gay. I don't generally drink alcohol, and when I do it is not to excess. I have never done drugs outside of prescribed medication, and even then only at the insistence of a doctor. I don't smoke. I don't use the Lord's name in vein. I have no tattoos, or piercings. I have never physically assaulted another person. I'm even kosher!

Now, as I said, Christians like to tell me that I deny God so that I might continue my sinful lifestyle. What sinful lifestyle would that be?

There are still those unquantifiable and barely defined "sins", like "pride" for example.

 

[Belk]

Let's also note that this whole line of argument inadvertently reveals something about the frame of mind of the person making it. And it's not exactly a positive revelation.
In essence, people who argue like this basically state that the only thing keeping them from committing the most immoral, heinous, brutal, or just downright insane acts is the threat of getting punished for it by some metaphysical "Leviathan" (to use a Hobbesian term).

"Oh well, if it weren't for the Watchful Eye of God, I'd murder my neighbour with a blunt axe and keep his remains in the refridgerator while I torment his kids in the basement."

It really makes you wonder how such theists perceive themselves and others.

Well, I think there is also an added component to this. I believe a lot of Christians also find the idea of God so pervasive that they truly do not understand the mindset of atheists. They are trying to make sense of our motivations but it is so far off their weltenschaung that they can not. The "Well they must be rebelling against god" not only fits into their world view, it has biblical support as well.

 

[Gishin]

I know I'm a sinner by Christian standards, even more so than the simple "sinner by default of being human". But evil? Well some believe evil is the absence of God, and to those people I must be the amongst the most evil on Earth. Personally, I think it says more about them than it does about me.

 

[PhilosophicalBluster]

@ OP:

I'm sick of that type of logic as well. While I do believe in a G-d, I do not believe it has set an objective morality for anybody to follow. So just believing in a G-d makes me less liable to 'sin' than you? It doesn't make sense.

 

[Isambard]

It really makes you wonder how such theists perceive themselves and others.

I think it says alot more about their sanity.

 

[PreachersWife2004]

Somehow just not believing makes you a sinful person.

No, that's not it. Christians believe that ALL sin, and that ALL fall short of God's expectations, even Christians. IOW, it's not the unbelief that makes you a sinner...everyone is a sinner in their own right.

The one unforgiveable sin is to reject God and reject Jesus. If a person knows about God and chooses to not believe in Him, he has rejected him.

Now, I don't buy into the argument that there are people who choose to be atheists merely so that they can live whatever lifestyle they choose. As the OP pointed out, there are morally wonderful atheists in the world. Several of my friends who don't believe in God would fall into that category. They are wonderful people, give freely of their time and generally live what one might consider a "sin-free" life, were one not a Christian. I can't attest as to why they don't believe in God; each has their own reasons.

And most Christians I know do not have the mindset that we would be living a life of debauchery and committing crimes if we didn't believe in God. Even without God in the equation, there's a societal set of morals that we all follow.

 

[b&wpac4]

No, that's not it. Christians believe that ALL sin, and that ALL fall short of God's expectations, even Christians. IOW, it's not the unbelief that makes you a sinner...everyone is a sinner in their own right.

The one unforgiveable sin is to reject God and reject Jesus. If a person knows about God and chooses to not believe in Him, he has rejected him.

Now, I don't buy into the argument that there are people who choose to be atheists merely so that they can live whatever lifestyle they choose. As the OP pointed out, there are morally wonderful atheists in the world. Several of my friends who don't believe in God would fall into that category. They are wonderful people, give freely of their time and generally live what one might consider a "sin-free" life, were one not a Christian. I can't attest as to why they don't believe in God; each has their own reasons.

And most Christians I know do not have the mindset that we would be living a life of debauchery and committing crimes if we didn't believe in God. Even without God in the equation, there's a societal set of morals that we all follow.

Isn't the unforgivable sin denying the Holy Spirit, not Jesus?

 

[PreachersWife2004]

Isn't the unforgivable sin denying the Holy Spirit, not Jesus?

Well, to most Christians it's the same thing. The Holy Spirit is how we receive Jesus.

 

[b&wpac4]

Well, to most Christians it's the same thing. The Holy Spirit is how we receive Jesus.

And whoever says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

Jesus seemed to think it was something different.

 

[HighwayMan]

yeah, but you make it sound as if the majority of Christians are telling you this.

 

[PreachersWife2004]

yeah, but you make it sound as if the majority of Christians are telling you this.

Who are you addressing?

 

[PreachersWife2004]

Jesus seemed to think it was something different.

Rejecting the holy spirit IS rejecting God and Jesus.

 

[Jane_the_Bane]

Rejecting the holy spirit IS rejecting God and Jesus.

And yet, Jesus differentiates VERY clearly between the two (or three). "Whoever says a word against the son of man shall be forgiven."

 

[UncleHermit]

The one unforgiveable sin is to reject God and reject Jesus. If a person knows about God and chooses to not believe in Him, he has rejected him.

Ignoring for the moment that belief is not a choice (at least not in my experience), why does an unwillingness to obey take such precedence?

 

[tansy]

And yet, Jesus differentiates VERY clearly between the two (or three). "Whoever says a word against the son of man shall be forgiven."

Yes, and I ASSUME it's because no-one can really recognise who Jesus is unless the Father through the Holy Spirit reveals Him to us.
Therefore, one can be forgiven for saying things against Jesus, in ignorance...but if the Holy Spirit is revealing things to you, and you gainsay that, then you are not in a position to receive forgiveness, as you are rejecting the revelation.
Sorry, probably have not put that very well...not good at explaining things.

 

[Jane_the_Bane]

Yes, and I ASSUME it's because no-one can really recognise who Jesus is unless the Father through the Holy Spirit reveals Him to us.
Therefore, one can be forgiven for saying things against Jesus, in ignorance...but if the Holy Spirit is revealing things to you, and you gainsay that, then you are not in a position to receive forgiveness, as you are rejecting the revelation.
Sorry, probably have not put that very well...not good at explaining things.

No, that actually makes sense. But ... wouldn't that basically be a sin that virtually no one actually commits? I mean... what person in his right mind would do anything like that?