Hello, some very serious questions from an Athiest - absolutely NO mocking inside.

[FutureAndAHope]

Hi,

It is not that I am down playing your questions, it is just there is too much to deal with in one bite. So I will go to a question that I can answer. You said:

5. For those who may not be familiar, the late comedian George Carlin has a video on YouTube about praying. (I'll leave out the expletives,) but he said that if your god has a "divine plan" for everyone that cannot be changed, why do people pray?

The idea that God has a fixed divine plan is only supported by Calvinists. I do not believe that Calvinism is supported by the Bible, and it is not supported by the writings of the early church outside the Bible. The first 150 years of writers support the idea that we have free will, not that we are set to a fixed plan. Without a good understanding of Calvinistic doctrines, the argument of the following page may not be super useful, but it does include quotes from the Early Church in support of free will and talks of how the Bible describes free will A comprehensive look at Predestination vs free will

So prayer does make sense in a world where "choices" can affect outcomes.

 

[FutureAndAHope]

6. When my father was in the hospital in 2003, 7 years after his heart transplant, with a diabetic issue, so many people said, "I'll pray for him." He died from the bacteria from a bedsore, which the hospital denied. The point there is, praying did absolutely nothing to help. Many people will say it "was his will." Yeah, but if he was already supposed to die because of the "divine plan," again, why bother praying?

I have addressed the "idea" of a divine plan in my previous post. The Bible does not support the idea that everything is fixed to a definite plan. As for the death of your father, there are times when God answers prayer for healing and times when he does not. Even one of the greatest prophets in the Bible died sick.

2Ki 13:14 Elisha had become sick with the illness of which he would die.

Examples of the positive:

I have seen some people instantly healed through prayer in Jesus' name, the first person I ever prayed for was healed instantly of a bad back. I was able to follow them up for some years and it remained good.

Examples of the negative:

A person who got cancer in our church, died even though prayer was offered.

The conclusion of prayer for the sick, is, in my opinion, pray believing, expecting God to act, but if He does not know that He still has the same level of care for that person, as He does for one who is healed.

 

[Aussie Pete]

The Bible said that you need to spiritually grow up. You may need to identify a good church and join its Sunday services, and better Sunday school to learn more what the Bible is trying to say.

Sure. I still have much to learn, even after 50 years in the Lord.

 

[biblelesson]

It's such a long story, but I am 59 and had a LOT of problems with religion growing up. Spent a larger portion of my life having it forced down my throat than I care to recall, mostly because when I tell someone I am not interested, they can't respect me. But anyway, that's not why I'm here.

I have some serious questions, and having asked SO many believers/followers over the decades, not ONE of them was able to give me an answer.
It would be appreciated if someone could actually answer these questions. Thank you.

As mentioned in the subject, there is no joking, mocking or anything negative. These are all questions I have wondered for years, and some information about past girlfriends.

1a. If we are all supposedly from Adam and Eve, and for lack of a better work Adam "gave birth" to Eve from a rib, why isn't it still done that way?
1b. When did it "switch" to a woman giving birth?

2a. Also, if we're all from Adam and Eve, wouldn't/shouldn't we all be related? (We've all heard during incestuous birth, the newborn often has some medical issues.)
2b. Also also, if we're all from Adam and Eve, why are there several blood types?

In 1990, I had a girlfriend who was relentless is trying to get me to "convert." I honestly have no interest in that, in any way, shape or form. Before she started buying me bibles, trying to get to to go see Billy Graham and trying to get me to go to church with her, she knew from day 1 that I was an Athiest and all of that. But like I said she was relentless. Why can't people just live and let live? So I was driving my ex-girlfriend and I to dinner one night and out of the blue, she says, "If it's not in the bible it doesn't exist." So I looked at her with a "stunned" look on my face and asked her, "Well then how in the world are we getting to dinner?" She said nothing. She also said, "There is no such thing as dinosaurs." Later that week we went to the Museum of Natural History in New York City. I pointed to the T-Rex and said, "See that? THAT is a dinosaur."

3a. Why would she (or anyone) say that if it isn't in the bible it doesn't exist? Obviously that is not correct.
3b. Why in the world would she say there's no such thing as dinosaurs when you can clearly with your own eyes see them in pretty much any museum?

One day we went on a long ride somewhere, I forget where. About an hour or so into the trip she realized she forgot her Insulin. So, I turned right around and went back to she could get it. She actually got MAD at me, because I DIDN'T get mad at her. Can someone PLEASE explain that one to me? So after all that and maybe a few months later, when she got fed up trying to get me to convert, she gave me an ultimatum one day and said, "If you don't convert, it's over." I was pretty much out the door by the end of the sentence and never talked to her again.

4a. If Noah's Ark was real, can someone please explain to me how the kangaroos were able to get to Australia?
4b. And on the subject of Noah, if he entire world was flooded and destroyed ALL life, didn't the fish survive?

5. For those who may not be familiar, the late comedian George Carlin has a video on YouTube about praying. (I'll leave out the expletives,) but he said that if your god has a "divine plan" for everyone that cannot be changed, why do people pray?

6. When my father was in the hospital in 2003, 7 years after his heart transplant, with a diabetic issue, so many people said, "I'll pray for him." He died from the bacteria from a bedsore, which the hospital denied. The point there is, praying did absolutely nothing to help. Many people will say it "was his will." Yeah, but if he was already supposed to die because of the "divine plan," again, why bother praying?

7. If the bible is supposed to be the "word of god," then why was so much removed from it in various version of the bible? There should be ONE version, with no contradictions. Can someone help me with that?

8a. If we're "all made in god's image," who is supposed to be a loving god, all-knowing, all-powerful, etc. Why was Hitler allowed to kill over 6 million people?
8b. Why is Putin allowed to do what he is doing?

9. I have been told SO many times that I ma not interpreting the bible correctly. While I have never and will never read it, I have of course, seen parts, many times. My question to the people who DO read it is, "How do you know YOU are interpreting it correctly?" Just because you believe/follow, there is nothing concrete in here. It's ALL open to interpretation." So what makes THEM right?

10. I thought long and hard about posting this question. I in NO way want to bring up politics (my other least favorite thing in the world) in this post, but I do have a question. I've heard there is a state that wants to bring the bible into the school and teach it. Isn't that what Sunday school is for? If it is an "elective" course, then sure. But if they are planning on making it part of the standard curriculum, then my children (if I had any) would pull them from there instantly and home schooled. Why are some people so adamant about this and not respecting the fact that not everyone follows the same thing? I never understood that.

11. It's a known fact that religion is a VERY large cause of many murders. Why? Why would someone kill someone just because they don't believe in the same thing? What happened to "Love thy neighbor?" Also going back to us all being related - why are you killing a "family member?"

There's many more questions, but this is a good start, Following are just some of the things I have gone through. Interested in others' take on these experiences.

While I do not celebrate or practice anything, if anything I guess I should be Jewish, as my ancestors were, mostly coming from Eastern Europe. My paternal grandmother actually survived the holocaust by putting blood from the murdered on herself and "playing dead" amongst the other murdered people. I had HOURS of her talking about this recorded on cassette in the 1970's, but sadly those were ruined in a basement flood.

So, since I don't practice anything, I have a (personal) problem with religious holidays. I have absolutely NOTHINBG against what people believe follow, etc. But if I tell you that I am not interested, I will ALWAYS say it politely, even though I want to scream. If that person cannot respect MY wishes, they better DARE not expect me to respect theirs. If I had a nickel for every time someone tried to force their religion down my throat or disrespected my wishes, I would have choked to death decades ago. Literally.

One day I was coming out of a store, and a woman was going through the parking lot with the Watch Tower magazine. Of course most everyone knows they're about the Jehovah's Witnesses. She came up to me and asked if I'd like some information. I played dumb like I didn't know what it was and asked her if it was religious. She said yes. I said no thank you. She said, sorry to bother you, have a nice day and then walked away. That was the FIRST and ONLY time in my life that someone actually respected my wishes. I was so shocked that I almost called her back to tell her I would take one of the magazines.

I have a serious personal problem with people who say "god bless you" and "merry christmas." I will say that I DO understand that not one of those people is saying that with ANY malice. They only mean it in a friendly and nice way. I REALLY do understand that. But the problem is, what THEY don't realize is, that they have NO idea who they're saying that to. They have NO idea what that person has been through in their lives (like myself.) I find it extremely frustrating. Depending on the situation. I say nothing and just keep moving. I find that MANY people who celebrate christmas don't realize that there's actually other holidays during that same month. THAT is what drives me nuts. Except for maybe the Muslims and the Orthodox or Hassidic Jewish people, it's not easy to tell what people do or do not believe it. What is wrong with "Happy Holidays"? Even though I hate all of it with a passion, I'd much rather hear THAT then the other thing. My problem with holidays is the commercialization of them. The fact that some store put the stuff out MONTHS in advance. That bothers me. It's a personal thing, I know, but still... I know for a fact I am not the only one.

I just don't understand why we all can't just get along. This world would be a MUCH better place.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. Hope nothing was offensive in there!

Mike

You wrote a lot, and some questions are just - I don’t know!

But what I’m curious about is if you say you are an atheist, why does it matter to you - what’s the interest in Adam and Eve, and Noah, etc.?

If you say no one has been able to convince you that the Bible is true; and God, so why the questions?

So what’s happening here is an Atheist who has confessed no one can convince him of God, yet that same atheist decides to ask Christians questions about God, knowing the responses will be the same as you have gotten many times before, so why continue the questions if you are set in your atheist belief?

So, my suggestion, considering I believe in the Creator, is why don’t you take your questioning a step further - instead of asking those who can’t save their lives, as we are fallible, ask God Himself to show Himself to you. Because it’s not about people - but about God!

That should not be an issue for you considering you keep asking Christians who believe in God, and you keep receiving the same answers or confusing answers, therefore, ask the God the Christians believe in to reveal Himself to you!

He will!

 

[timewerx]

In 1990, I had a girlfriend who was relentless is trying to get me to "convert." I honestly have no interest in that, in any way, shape or form. Before she started buying me bibles, trying to get to to go see Billy Graham and trying to get me to go to church with her, she knew from day 1 that I was an Athiest and all of that. But like I said she was relentless. Why can't people just live and let live? So I was driving my ex-girlfriend and I to dinner one night and out of the blue, she says, "If it's not in the bible it doesn't exist." So I looked at her with a "stunned" look on my face and asked her, "Well then how in the world are we getting to dinner?" She said nothing. She also said, "There is no such thing as dinosaurs." Later that week we went to the Museum of Natural History in New York City. I pointed to the T-Rex and said, "See that? THAT is a dinosaur."

Jesus doesn't really tell us to be relentless or desperate in trying to preach the Gospel in the hope of getting someone to believe.

In fact, what Jesus said was closer to "give up and get out of town at the first sign of hostility" (towards the Gospel). I think many missionaries have died needlessly bringing the Gospel but in the wrong way and many poor Christianized nations may not be better off. In fact, they became more anti-Christian in behavior like becoming greedy and lovers of money post conversion.

Christians who are relentless to the point of being annoying in getting someone to believe ironically don't read their Bibles often enough or else they would know how to behave.

3a. Why would she (or anyone) say that if it isn't in the bible it doesn't exist? Obviously that is not correct.
3b. Why in the world would she say there's no such thing as dinosaurs when you can clearly with your own eyes see them in pretty much any museum?

She doesn't know the Bible enough that the Bible doesn't make such claim.

If anything, Jesus would rather have said, "give everything the benefit of doubt". And this doesn't mean we give everything a passing thought under the bias or assumption everyone who disagree with us will be proven wrong eventually.

But rather accept the inevitability that one day, we will be proven wrong, again, and again, and again. Is how a real Christian should think. Humility over pride and ego.

6. When my father was in the hospital in 2003, 7 years after his heart transplant, with a diabetic issue, so many people said, "I'll pray for him." He died from the bacteria from a bedsore, which the hospital denied. The point there is, praying did absolutely nothing to help. Many people will say it "was his will." Yeah, but if he was already supposed to die because of the "divine plan," again, why bother praying?

If these Christians truly loved your father would they just prayed for him?

If one of your kids got seriously ill, would you just pray for him or her? Of course not, you would rush him or her to the hospital and beg the doctors with tears messing up your face, begging them to do their best. If you got no insurance, no money, you'd probably re-mortgage the house, etc just to get things going.

If they didn't do these things, they don't really love your dad. It was nothing more than pity and you're right, these are empty, useless prayers. To tell it was "God's Will" makes it even worse because God is probably disappointed at their behavior too.

7. If the bible is supposed to be the "word of god," then why was so much removed from it in various version of the bible? There should be ONE version, with no contradictions. Can someone help me with that?

The Bible makes no claim it is the Word of God. It's rather the opposite. One of Christ's disciples has said, you could not contain all the teachings of Christ alone in a room full of books. The volume of teaching is way too much to contain in just one book.

What Christ Himself promised is the Holy Spirit, not the Bible.

8a. If we're "all made in god's image," who is supposed to be a loving god, all-knowing, all-powerful, etc. Why was Hitler allowed to kill over 6 million people?
8b. Why is Putin allowed to do what he is doing?

The original form of man wasn't the one we know of so well. The original form was more incorporeal and possibly of pure energy. This was before man sinned (and this information wasn't found in the Canon Bible unfortunately).

9. I have been told SO many times that I ma not interpreting the bible correctly. While I have never and will never read it, I have of course, seen parts, many times. My question to the people who DO read it is, "How do you know YOU are interpreting it correctly?" Just because you believe/follow, there is nothing concrete in here. It's ALL open to interpretation." So what makes THEM right?

I don't think there's any Christian interpreting the Bible correctly. Else we would all be in agreement. Unfortunately, we don't.

Facts and evidences contradicts claims. As a practice, I have learned to treat my beliefs with suspicion and skepticism. I know there's a God because "luck" doesn't always obey math. There's unseen forces manipulating our very lives, sometimes for good, sometimes for evil.

Consciously fight this god, this god of the world (the devil) and your life will be messed up.

11. It's a known fact that religion is a VERY large cause of many murders. Why? Why would someone kill someone just because they don't believe in the same thing? What happened to "Love thy neighbor?" Also going back to us all being related - why are you killing a "family member?"

We live in a world of hate. This world is hateful by nature. And people figured out to shape religion into the hateful image of this world to justify genocides.

The real teaching of Christ in the Bible is we DO NOT force this religion to other people.

Those who do or who did in the past were NEVER Christians in the first place because Jesus never taught His followers to behave in such manner. Ironically, the Hopis and the Zunis (Native Americans) are closer to being real Christians than the mainstream flavor of Christians you know of.

 

[Beslowtoanger]

I’m no expert and in no place to give advice based on pure education of the Bible, but I would start from John in The New Testament and go from there. The very basis of what is important when it comes to love and spiritual prosperity comes from there. If you read this, you may fall in love with Jesus Christ as I have……..Then and only then will you see.

Im not judging you and I say this with peace and love, but Christ is the way, the truth and the life. Trying to apply human logic to Gods word is difficult, which is why it is such a topic of debate, but hear the words Of Jesus and our mission as humans becomes obviously clear.

I pray God brings the Holy Spirit to flow through you.

David

 

[John Helpher]

3a. Why would she (or anyone) say that if it isn't in the bible it doesn't exist? Obviously that is not correct.

People say mistaken, or untrue things all the time. The reason why it happens a lot with t he Bible is because people have been taught that the book itself is a kind of mystical relic that innately carries spiritual power with it. That is just superstition.

 

[Jesse Dornfeld]

Thank you for taking the time to read this. Hope nothing was offensive in there!

Mike

Hi, Mike.

First of all, I want to say I am really sorry for the way you have been treated over the years. In my estimation, this is a far more pressing matter than getting your questions answered. I suspect that even if someone could answer all your questions, it would not do anything to get you to view Christianity (or our Christian culture) any better.

It should be understood that many Christians act contrary to what the Bible clearly teaches. Christ preached to love your enemies. Not many Christians live up to that. On top of that, many Christians throughout church history have been anti-semitic. This is something that I categorically reject as a Christian trying to live by Biblical principles. Jesus said, "Salvation is from the Jews." Jesus was Jewish, after all.

While no one should try and force you to convert, the reason people care about converting you (and being forceful about it) is because they think that is what a good Christian should do. There is a lot on the line for a Christian evangelizing. People's souls are on the line and where they will spend eternity.

Again, I am very sorry for the way you have been treated by Christians, and on behalf of a Christian trying to live out the Biblical ethic, I am sorry that the Jewish people have had to suffer so much at the hands of Christians.

 

[Aaron112]

In 1990, I had a girlfriend who was relentless is trying to get me to "convert." I honestly have no interest in that, in any way, shape or form.

i.e. like a salesman. Someone selling something. Like a call center. Call after call after call endlessly , the main purpose stated is selling product or persuasion. Random calls - no matter how many or to anyone interested or not. "Blind" calls, with no known information about the one being called. 'Mindless' calls, like robo-calling, no thinking needed, just follow the form (read the scripted prompts to whoever answers).

 

[Aaron112]

It should be understood that many Christians act contrary to what the Bible clearly teaches.

Has anyone denied this, or disputed it ?

 

[Jesse Dornfeld]

Has anyone denied this, or disputed it ?

Don't think they should! It's literally baked into the religion that we are all sinners.

 

[Aaron112]

Don't think they should! It's literally baked into the religion that we are all sinners.

Yet there have always been a remnant of true believers who do live as Jesus lived, sacrificially, purely, truthfully in all they do, honest, blameless, God-fearing,
and
persecuted for living right.

 

[Jesse Dornfeld]

Yet there have always been a remnant of true believers who do live as Jesus lived, sacrificially, purely, truthfully in all they do, honest, blameless, God-fearing,
and
persecuted for living right.

Sinless perfection isn't something that is practically possible in this life. See 1 John 1:8.

 

[Aaron112]

Sinless perfection isn't something that is practically possible in this life. See 1 John 1:8.

That's appearing like a party line quote, not related at all to what is in Scripture / my post/ history.

 

[ldonjohn]

You wrote a lot, and some questions are just - I don’t know!

But what I’m curious about is if you say you are an atheist, why does it matter to you - what’s the interest in Adam and Eve, and Noah, etc.?

If you say no one has been able to convince you that the Bible is true; and God, so why the questions?

So what’s happening here is an Atheist who has confessed no one can convince him of God, yet that same atheist decides to ask Christians questions about God, knowing the responses will be the same as you have gotten many times before, so why continue the questions if you are set in your atheist belief?

So, my suggestion, considering I believe in the Creator, is why don’t you take your questioning a step further - instead of asking those who can’t save their lives, as we are fallible, ask God Himself to show Himself to you. Because it’s not about people - but about God!

That should not be an issue for you considering you keep asking Christians who believe in God, and you keep receiving the same answers or confusing answers, therefore, ask the God the Christians believe in to reveal Himself to you!

He will!

WOW! That part, the part in bold print, is exactly what I did, and God turned on the light for me and I "got it."

Before I became a born-again believer in Jesus as my savior, I was not convinced that God was real or that the bible was true. But something inside of me was drawing me to search for the truth about the matter of the existence of God so I asked questions. I talked to pastors, church people, read bible tracts, read books written by well known Christian authors. etc. I could not find any one or any writings that convinced me that the bible was true or that God is real. I was confused about the truth of the bible and was fearful that if the bible is true and I did not find something or someone who could convince me of that truth, then I would spend eternity in hell.
After a long miserable struggle living with those fears, I asked the God who I was not sure existed to show me the truth about himself and the bible. Then I immediately found a bible and began reading the Gospel of John. God did not waste anytime showing me the truth of his word. Within 2 days of reading the Gospel of John, God himself convinced me that the bible is true, that He is real, and that Jesus paid the penalty for my sin when he died on the cross, shedding his blood there.

God, the Holy Spirit, brought me out of the darkness of unbelief into the light of his gospel message.

Praise the Lord,
John

 

[Napoleon215]

It's such a long story, but I am 59 and had a LOT of problems with religion growing up. Spent a larger portion of my life having it forced down my throat than I care to recall, mostly because when I tell someone I am not interested, they can't respect me. But anyway, that's not why I'm here.

I have some serious questions, and having asked SO many believers/followers over the decades, not ONE of them was able to give me an answer.
It would be appreciated if someone could actually answer these questions. Thank you.

As mentioned in the subject, there is no joking, mocking or anything negative. These are all questions I have wondered for years, and some information about past girlfriends.

1a. If we are all supposedly from Adam and Eve, and for lack of a better work Adam "gave birth" to Eve from a rib, why isn't it still done that way?
1b. When did it "switch" to a woman giving birth?

2a. Also, if we're all from Adam and Eve, wouldn't/shouldn't we all be related? (We've all heard during incestuous birth, the newborn often has some medical issues.)
2b. Also also, if we're all from Adam and Eve, why are there several blood types?

In 1990, I had a girlfriend who was relentless is trying to get me to "convert." I honestly have no interest in that, in any way, shape or form. Before she started buying me bibles, trying to get to to go see Billy Graham and trying to get me to go to church with her, she knew from day 1 that I was an Athiest and all of that. But like I said she was relentless. Why can't people just live and let live? So I was driving my ex-girlfriend and I to dinner one night and out of the blue, she says, "If it's not in the bible it doesn't exist." So I looked at her with a "stunned" look on my face and asked her, "Well then how in the world are we getting to dinner?" She said nothing. She also said, "There is no such thing as dinosaurs." Later that week we went to the Museum of Natural History in New York City. I pointed to the T-Rex and said, "See that? THAT is a dinosaur."

3a. Why would she (or anyone) say that if it isn't in the bible it doesn't exist? Obviously that is not correct.
3b. Why in the world would she say there's no such thing as dinosaurs when you can clearly with your own eyes see them in pretty much any museum?

One day we went on a long ride somewhere, I forget where. About an hour or so into the trip she realized she forgot her Insulin. So, I turned right around and went back to she could get it. She actually got MAD at me, because I DIDN'T get mad at her. Can someone PLEASE explain that one to me? So after all that and maybe a few months later, when she got fed up trying to get me to convert, she gave me an ultimatum one day and said, "If you don't convert, it's over." I was pretty much out the door by the end of the sentence and never talked to her again.

4a. If Noah's Ark was real, can someone please explain to me how the kangaroos were able to get to Australia?
4b. And on the subject of Noah, if he entire world was flooded and destroyed ALL life, didn't the fish survive?

5. For those who may not be familiar, the late comedian George Carlin has a video on YouTube about praying. (I'll leave out the expletives,) but he said that if your god has a "divine plan" for everyone that cannot be changed, why do people pray?

6. When my father was in the hospital in 2003, 7 years after his heart transplant, with a diabetic issue, so many people said, "I'll pray for him." He died from the bacteria from a bedsore, which the hospital denied. The point there is, praying did absolutely nothing to help. Many people will say it "was his will." Yeah, but if he was already supposed to die because of the "divine plan," again, why bother praying?

7. If the bible is supposed to be the "word of god," then why was so much removed from it in various version of the bible? There should be ONE version, with no contradictions. Can someone help me with that?

8a. If we're "all made in god's image," who is supposed to be a loving god, all-knowing, all-powerful, etc. Why was Hitler allowed to kill over 6 million people?
8b. Why is Putin allowed to do what he is doing?

9. I have been told SO many times that I ma not interpreting the bible correctly. While I have never and will never read it, I have of course, seen parts, many times. My question to the people who DO read it is, "How do you know YOU are interpreting it correctly?" Just because you believe/follow, there is nothing concrete in here. It's ALL open to interpretation." So what makes THEM right?

10. I thought long and hard about posting this question. I in NO way want to bring up politics (my other least favorite thing in the world) in this post, but I do have a question. I've heard there is a state that wants to bring the bible into the school and teach it. Isn't that what Sunday school is for? If it is an "elective" course, then sure. But if they are planning on making it part of the standard curriculum, then my children (if I had any) would pull them from there instantly and home schooled. Why are some people so adamant about this and not respecting the fact that not everyone follows the same thing? I never understood that.

11. It's a known fact that religion is a VERY large cause of many murders. Why? Why would someone kill someone just because they don't believe in the same thing? What happened to "Love thy neighbor?" Also going back to us all being related - why are you killing a "family member?"

There's many more questions, but this is a good start, Following are just some of the things I have gone through. Interested in others' take on these experiences.

While I do not celebrate or practice anything, if anything I guess I should be Jewish, as my ancestors were, mostly coming from Eastern Europe. My paternal grandmother actually survived the holocaust by putting blood from the murdered on herself and "playing dead" amongst the other murdered people. I had HOURS of her talking about this recorded on cassette in the 1970's, but sadly those were ruined in a basement flood.

So, since I don't practice anything, I have a (personal) problem with religious holidays. I have absolutely NOTHINBG against what people believe follow, etc. But if I tell you that I am not interested, I will ALWAYS say it politely, even though I want to scream. If that person cannot respect MY wishes, they better DARE not expect me to respect theirs. If I had a nickel for every time someone tried to force their religion down my throat or disrespected my wishes, I would have choked to death decades ago. Literally.

One day I was coming out of a store, and a woman was going through the parking lot with the Watch Tower magazine. Of course most everyone knows they're about the Jehovah's Witnesses. She came up to me and asked if I'd like some information. I played dumb like I didn't know what it was and asked her if it was religious. She said yes. I said no thank you. She said, sorry to bother you, have a nice day and then walked away. That was the FIRST and ONLY time in my life that someone actually respected my wishes. I was so shocked that I almost called her back to tell her I would take one of the magazines.

I have a serious personal problem with people who say "god bless you" and "merry christmas." I will say that I DO understand that not one of those people is saying that with ANY malice. They only mean it in a friendly and nice way. I REALLY do understand that. But the problem is, what THEY don't realize is, that they have NO idea who they're saying that to. They have NO idea what that person has been through in their lives (like myself.) I find it extremely frustrating. Depending on the situation. I say nothing and just keep moving. I find that MANY people who celebrate christmas don't realize that there's actually other holidays during that same month. THAT is what drives me nuts. Except for maybe the Muslims and the Orthodox or Hassidic Jewish people, it's not easy to tell what people do or do not believe it. What is wrong with "Happy Holidays"? Even though I hate all of it with a passion, I'd much rather hear THAT then the other thing. My problem with holidays is the commercialization of them. The fact that some store put the stuff out MONTHS in advance. That bothers me. It's a personal thing, I know, but still... I know for a fact I am not the only one.

I just don't understand why we all can't just get along. This world would be a MUCH better place.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. Hope nothing was offensive in there!

Mike

I’m not answering from an explicitly Christian perspective here, but either way, whether it’s young earth creationism, or what the scientific consensus says; we are all related!

 

[Aaron112]

God did not waste anytime showing me the truth of his word.

This is the same way Jesus told Simon Barjona (Peter) and the other apostles
how the Heavenly Father Revealed "Jesus IS the Messiah, the Son of the Living God"
to all those He Revealed this to. ...... "not by flesh and blood, but My Father in heaven revealed this to you" ....