Surfing CF - Harmful for new Christians?

[Kelly]

OK, I have returned to the faith after a haitus of most of my teens and all of my 20's. I have learned a lot here at CF from a lot of great Christians. I have also had a lot of open, interesting discussion with some of the non christian posters found here.

The volume of aggressively athiestic posters here, constantly opposing/critisizing/challenging and generally trolling Christian posters has made me weary and more troubled than before.

I know the simple answer is to not go into the open forum areas, but darn it, sometimes I want to. I still have no idea why an athiest would waste any effort in a place like this.

Anyone else feel this way?

 

[SlowRoasted]

i think the open forums are a necessity, our job is to make disciples of the world. I think you need to read your bible and engage in christian fellowship so that your faith becomes strong enough to where stuff like that doesnt bother you. Realize that they are blind to what you and I know and that is why they have the views they do.

 

[oneiric]

This place is harmful sometimes, yes i agree.

 

[wblastyn]

Just because atheists disagree with you doesn't mean they are trolling.

I agree that it can be dangerous here, especially in the apologetics forums. However, I am all for finding the truth and in order to do that I have to look at both sides, it's also better to understand the person who opposes you.

 

[desi]

I think the atheists come here from a degree of two angles. They are curious and hungry for knowlege and (or) they are looking to stir up trouble.

 

[Lost]

One of my best friends on CF is an atheist. His name is Brimshack. Not only has he a great sense of humor, contributes immensely/favorably but he has always been there to cheer me when in need. I've also seen him defend christians who were being wronged. He is an excellent debater. I find him to be highly intelligent, fun and choose not to judge a person by their views. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I've also noticed that (cannot remember the names) a few atheists have changed their minds and openly attributed it to CF!

What's that saying?: "Judge not lest you be judged."

 

[cyberwing]

Kelly, don't let them intimidate you. Love them and answer their hate with God's love! We know Jesus loves them too and doesn't want to see them lost. I have no time though for argument and refuse to fall into it. My grandmother had a great saying, "Discussion is the exchange of INTELLIGENCE- But Argument is the exchange of IGNORANCE" You see I know in whom I trust! Jesus told us if they will not hear and refuse the Good News we are to wipe the dust off of our feet and go ON! There are too many starving spiritually for us to waste time. However we should share our love with them, if they reject Jesus told us it is not US they reject but HIM! So find pity in your heart for their blindness and deafness of spirit. Pray for them and release them to God's care. We were told to love even the 'unlovable'. Try to be encouraging and loving toward our lost brethern. If they are hateful to you, just smile for it is Jesus within you that they object to.
~DJ

 

[Kelly]

Thank you Cyberwing!

 

[Mr.Cheese]

We have nothing to fear by discovering truth because I believe that all truth is God's truth.
You just have to be careful with what some say truth is.
I've had to confront a lot of issues while going through school and I'm still here. So young christians should probably grow before venturing into the open forums, but when they get hit with things they don't have answers for, take heart. I'm here to tell you that faith is still alive and real in spite of "challenges" to it.

 

[Galadriel]

Thank you Mr. Cheese!

 

[Iron Maiden]

OK, I have returned to the faith after a haitus of most of my teens and all of my 20's. I have learned a lot here at CF from a lot of great Christians. I have also had a lot of open, interesting discussion with some of the non christian posters found here.

The volume of aggressively athiestic posters here, constantly opposing/critisizing/challenging and generally trolling Christian posters has made me weary and more troubled than before.

I know the simple answer is to not go into the open forum areas, but darn it, sometimes I want to. I still have no idea why an athiest would waste any effort in a place like this.

Anyone else feel this way?

I feel this way, my parents are members here and I have seen some outrageous things going on, I am new to Christianity, I have been raised Christian, but am learning a lot from my parents, but I can see good Christian people being trolled and flamed to the point of either leaving like my Aunt and Uncle, and Good Christian people being banned because of atheist and other trolls that claim to be Christians.

Tonight this place made my mother cry, and none of the staff team seem to stand up for Christians or their beliefs, my Dad was banned for standing firm for Christianity, and I am thinking of participating and defending Christians and God, but I'm afraid of being banned if I stick up for God or Christians.

I am not sure but it looks like there is a standard that Christians must hold their tongues more than the non believers here, like the non believers get away with a lot more and are protected, this is something I don't understand considering the forum mission.

 

[Techbot]

OK, I have returned to the faith after a haitus of most of my teens and all of my 20's. I have learned a lot here at CF from a lot of great Christians. I have also had a lot of open, interesting discussion with some of the non christian posters found here.

The volume of aggressively athiestic posters here, constantly opposing/critisizing/challenging and generally trolling Christian posters has made me weary and more troubled than before.

I know the simple answer is to not go into the open forum areas, but darn it, sometimes I want to. I still have no idea why an athiest would waste any effort in a place like this.

Anyone else feel this way?

I'm returning after being away for about 3yrs. I had a small christian forum of my own prior to this...

All of the debating against non-believers has done two things to me so far.

1. It's made me study my bible in 7 different translations and 1 greek translation
2. It's made me doubt some of my beliefs in the bible because someone posted "scientific proof" of something. Every link I seem to find to back up my belief, every piece of article I find, someone wants to shut it down. Hard to take when you walked away for 3yrs!

 

[Kelly]

There are just places I don't go anymore because of the negativity. Perhaps I am just not ready yet, as other have suggested.

 

[Iron Maiden]

There are just places I don't go anymore because of the negativity. Perhaps I am just not ready yet, as other have suggested.

I am not sure anyone is ready for that. I will find sanctuary in Church, this is just a messageboard and obviously some of the topics and members are scary.

 

[WithHisBloodWentOurSin]

i believe i am very strong in my faith, and nothing could wavier me, i plan to have a response to everything but of course if i dont, i will ignore and continue on my happy way

 

[Techbot]

I wish I could say it was that easy for me. Even before I came to this board, I had questions in my mind. Upon coming here, I find that some of them were answered, some not. I'm finding it hard to just sit and blindly believe a man speaking in the pulpit. I did that the better part of my christian walk. Now things that I learned 10yrs ago are proven wrong today! What am I supposed to believe? I still believe in Jesus Christ. I still hold the basic christian beliefs, but I'm finding, almost daily, new questions that pop into my head. It's an interesting position to be in to say the least.

 

[swish8]

i totally agree that some of the forums here can be harmful to the young christian, and have posted about that several times...... especially in the apologetics forum. i have directly questioned the reasons that athiests like to hang out here. they say it is to stand their ground or to argue for their beliefs. i don't buy it. and yes, there are some real nice, and seemingly good, people that come here that are non-believers and former believers....but why are they hanging out at a christian message board??? only 2 reasons come to my mind and they are #1, to bring down or shoot down, or cause harm to impressionable young believers OR, #2, because they are searching for that which is missing from their lives....something to fill that VOID that exists in their hearts and their lives. i had that void, that emptiness......until i asked CHRIST into my heart and my life to fill it.

be strong, don't dwell on the negativity, look to CHRIST for strength, pray for these folks.

GOD bless u all!! <><

 

[swish8]

bump

 

[Philip4Jesus]

To Kelly, but everyone else as well,

I would say that, anything (information)on the internet should taken with a " grain of salt" ... so to speak, and this forum/message board is no different. Let me also say that there are alot of people out in the world( and most likely in this forum) who identify as Christians but really are not , they have no real understanding of Christianity or what it means to be a Christian,..but, they refer to themselves as Christians, for emotional reasons (because it makes then feel good) or just to be part of a group or both..... I have meet people like this. Such people tend to mix their own personal preferences with some Christian teaching and the end result is some off- the-wall far fenched teachings which do Christianity alot of harm and cause alot of people to be confused.

So , with that being said, I would caution , not just young Christians but all Christians to test everything with Gods word, read your bible and pray about it before you accept a mere humans word as Fact and Truth. Also if you truely do want to grow as an Christian , spend time , by yourself reading your bible and really focusing in what GOD is trying to teach you through the events in the Bible.

In another "Christian" forum on the internet , I saw a young lady come to the forum as a Christian an left it as an athiest( which is truely unfortunate) apparently she left more confused than when she came to the forum. That is why I am very sceptical of a forum/ meassage board that calls itself "Christian" when the let athiests participate in discussions.

I myself avoid alot of time in forum/messageboards such as this and when I in in them I am very cautious about where I go , what I read and I careful about the advice I give . I know that there are Christians in here with good intentions....but let me say this.., good intentions don't always end with good results. Becareful of how you word things and don't try to have all the answers...focus more on leading someone to Jesus Christ/God or helping someone to grow as an Christian(in your answers) rather than being RIGHT all of the time!!

 

[Plan 9]

One of my best friends on CF is an atheist. His name is Brimshack. Not only has he a great sense of humor, contributes immensely/favorably but he has always been there to cheer me when in need. I've also seen him defend christians who were being wronged. He is an excellent debater. I find him to be highly intelligent, fun and choose not to judge a person by their views. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I've also noticed that (cannot remember the names) a few atheists have changed their minds and openly attributed it to CF!

What's that saying?: "Judge not lest you be judged."

If my fellow Christians here were as good to me as the atheist members are, then I would rarely feel discouraged after spending time here. I feel anxious when posting in the Christian-only fora now.