TheTruthinFiction,
My biggest problem so far has been the feeling of being baited away from my original question.
This is why you need rabid persistence if you want your questions answered.
Unfortunately, the only thing some people see is the "rabid" part ...
I'm trying to keep an open mind and be open to advice even though I think many people here need advice as well.
I htink a large part of the communication problems come from
1. people talking too much about what they think,
and
2. people acting inconsistently and not in accordance with their beliefs.
(In other words, there are genuine-leather-wearing vegetarians out there who believe killing animals is wrong.)
I sometimes think that religionists are either to go with fire and sword against non-believers, or have no contact with them, and certainly not talk about religion with them. Something like Hassidic Jews.
I would in fact be much, much, much happier if a Christian had simply told me,
"If you're not going to believe everything I say, then go away and leave me alone, and mind your own business".
Instead, they negotiate all sorts of things -- which is the worst.
James 1:26
If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.
It has become pretty frustrating when I can post a thread and can almost reply for 1/4 of the people on this site to my own thread because I already know what that 1/4 will say. There seems to be a superioroity complex by some on here. The complex that says, "You don't believe like me, therefore you are stupid and I can talk down to you".
I think they don't have the guts to say "If you're not going to believe everything I say, then go away and leave me alone, and mind your own business".
It's like we need to put a definition up for the word, "help". You ask for help but instead you get what your fate will be if you don't accept what they are saying. That is not help.
Exactly. Whom is help to be defined by? The one who seeks it, or the helper?
Then we will finish that with the word, "Christ" and they will see how, "help" and "respect" were two things that Jesus was known for.
Jesus wasn't known for respect ... Why was he killed? Because he disrespected the local authorities ...
You are most welcome.
Here is where I get in trouble. Littlelion, I think that when we get answers like this one that twistedsketch gave you it is because we thought more than they can understand. It's not that they are not intelligent enough to think about it, just not willing to think that someone couldn't possibly not know God.
They take knowing God for granted.
I really have around 100 or so questions that I would like to ask on here,
Could you PM them to me, please? I'm curious!
We are stuck, we ask for help, we get told our fate. Some kind of scare tactic. Not realizing that if someone is having trouble believing in God or the Bible that they wouldn't have a reason to be afraid. Just keep trying, there are a lot of people on here that are helpful.
I know!

Thanks all, you know who you are.
But. There is something I have learned in internet forums, something that doesn't directly have something to do with the Bible or religion.
Stand up for yourself.
Just because the other person speaks with great zeal and conviction does not mean they know the ultimate truth, and that thus, they are somehow better than you.
* * *
heron,
Were either of you able to post in the other sections?
In my thread that was moved, yes. Elsewhere, I haven't tried yet.
It seems a dilemma, as some are closed if you don't belong to that group (e.g., I can't post in Catholic threads). If so, you have been pushed even further into the all-or-nothing agenda.
But I think the all-or-nothing agenda is actually good. Life itself is an all-or-nothing. You either love someone or you don't. You either do your homework, or you don't.
Either of you, feel free to PM me with 100 questions.
And if you answer them to our understanding, you'll get ... 60.000$?
* * *
Eagle_Wings,
I'm still working on my response to your last PM! (Careful what you ask for heron!!!) You have a very valid point with your OP and unfortunately alot of Christians don't realize that one of the biggest turnoffs to non-believers (for lack of a better word) is "Christianese." Another major turnoff is constantly having God shoved down their throat, in fact my sister-in-law and I were just talking about this the other day. I have always strongly believed that my actions will witness to a person stronger then anything I say. People realize that we are different just by the way we respond to our everyday situations.
As long as the discussion is conducted respectfully, I've always welcomed and enjoyed these types of questions.
I dare say you are relativizing when you shouldn't.
If you are talking about Christianity -- and you are talking about it with the authority of a believer -- then talk about it in full.
Say "Jesus" and "God" whenever you need to. Don't try to make Christianity sound more palatable to the ears of a non-Christian. If you do so, they will get a very watered-down version of Christianity -- and this is not what you want or aim for.
If you do try to make Christanity sound more palatable to the ears of a non-Christian, then you need to ask yourself why it is you are doing so. Whom are you trying to please? Certainly not God -- God wants you to be clear about your beliefs. The non-Christian? Why would you want to please the non-Christian by relativizing the very thing that you want him to believe?
Eventually yourself, because you feel threatened by the presence of a non-Christian?
Maybe, probably, my words sound critical, even offensive to you. But do think about them; and think about luke-warm believers. And about *loving* your *enemies*.
For there are enemies, you have enemies -- non-Christians: He that is not with me, is against me.
As far as trying to explain what I believe in a way that LittleLion and others could understand it...I'm not sure how successful I'd be at that.
Maybe the thing is that you can't explain it to us, that nobody can?
We are hard-hearted, according to you. And I just wish Christians had the guts to call us so.
Call us hard-hearted, and then love us. If you can.
I try to stick to "layman's" terms and explain the scriptures that I use
I disagree. No laymanning. Laymanning leads to layman faith, both in you and in the person whom you explain it to. Stick to Scripture.
But it's just as hard for me to comprehend the belief of no God or that possibly the Bible is fallible as it is for others to comprehend my belief in God and the Bible as infallible.
We can't understand you, you can't understand us. It's how it is to be. Babel in all its forms.
* * *
Asilentopinion,
When he gets to those top tier questions, I believe they would move them or ask him to leave the site altogether.
I would love to hear those top tier questions!!