God Debate Is Worthless

[AnimatedDirt]

It baffles me when any Christian would label someone a devil worshipper for having a different view from theirs.   

I think that stems from the biblical viewpoint that if you're not with/for God, you're against God.  Anything against God, then, by default is of the devil.  It's not necessarily literally being a devil worshipper, however I'm sure some Christians make that exact connection.

[Gawen]

Worthless? Nah. Well, maybe. Depends on the venue. Depends on a lot of stuff, actually. Debating one on one in person is next to worthless. Even two Christians of differing flavours debating each other can be worthless. But debating on discussion boards, such as this one has one really redeeming factor...those that lurk here. Whether or not they have issues or doubts, they will be reading the debates and will come to some sort of a conclusion sooner or later.

[Twentythree]

Worthless? Nah. Well, maybe. Depends on the venue. Depends on a lot of stuff, actually. Debating one on one in person is next to worthless. Even two Christians of differing flavours debating each other can be worthless. But debating on discussion boards, such as this one has one really redeeming factor...those that lurk here. Whether or not they have issues or doubts, they will be reading the debates and will come to some sort of a conclusion sooner or later.

I think that a lot of factors play into the debate. The idea of the initial post here was that at the end of the day god can always disappear in a puff of magic and interpretation whereas religions themselves have text and claims to historical events, myths and origin stories that can all be disproved by evidence found in the natural world. It's my idea that if a debate arises between an atheist and a theist that trying to disprove god will always end at stalemate as god evaporates into the fringe of existence. That is why I think it may be more important to focus not on the god concept but on the religious interpretation of god. If you can counter the underpinnings of one's religion then their concept of god if forced to be tested. If their god concept end up being just the finger that flicked the first domino, who cares, as long as we are able to in our argument show that the world we exist in now, and the decisions we make are guided by cosmic law and not the law of god I think that is a real accomplishment.

[Too Few Lions]

It baffles me when any Christian would label someone a devil worshipper for having a different view from theirs.   

I think that stems from the biblical viewpoint that if you're not with/for God, you're against God.  Anything against God, then, by default is of the devil.  It's not necessarily literally being a devil worshipper, however I'm sure some Christians make that exact connection.

Yeah, it's in the Old Testament, Deuteronomy I think, then taken up in the letters of Paul, where he says that all the heathens make sacrifices to devils and not to God. Unfortunately Christianity was intolerant of other faiths from day one, which was the one thing that stood it apart from the other faiths and sects of the Roman world, that were generally very tolerant of each other and allowed you to worship as many or as few of the other deities as you liked.

[bicycle]

IMO wouldn't NOT DENYING the existence of God make you NOT AN ATHEIST? Is it God who creates these religions or are they created by man? The same way MAN CONTROLS THE MASSES...Great Post, I like this site a lot more now!

[xSilverPhinx]

IMO wouldn't NOT DENYING the existence of God make you NOT AN ATHEIST? Is it God who creates these religions or are they created by man? The same way MAN CONTROLS THE MASSES...Great Post, I like this site a lot more now!

Um...no. Atheism is just a lack of belief in god. Few go as far as to say that it's impossible that there is one, or two, or even an infinite amount of gods. The odds are just very low.

I just deny the religious conceptions of gods so far.

[The Magic Pudding]

IMO wouldn't NOT DENYING the existence of God make you NOT AN ATHEIST?

Are many of your opinions questions?

And what xSilverPhinx said.

[bicycle]

IMO wouldn't NOT DENYING the existence of God make you NOT AN ATHEIST?

Are many of your opinions questions?

And what xSilverPhinx said.

sorry your confused, wouldn't NOT DENYING the existence of God make you NOT AN ATHEIST? IMO it would, again I apologize I didn't clarify...

[bicycle]

IMO wouldn't NOT DENYING the existence of God make you NOT AN ATHEIST? Is it God who creates these religions or are they created by man? The same way MAN CONTROLS THE MASSES...Great Post, I like this site a lot more now!

Um...no. Atheism is just a lack of belief in god. Few go as far as to say that it's impossible that there is one, or two, or even an infinite amount of gods. The odds are just very low.

I just deny the religious conceptions of gods so far.

So atheism acknowledges that God exists, they just refuse to believe? I'm having a hard time grasping what the difference is between believing in god and believing that god exists, since believing in God is believing in God's existence IMO...

[Whitney]

atheists LACK belief in a god ie they don't believe in a god...that was made rather clear in  xsilver's post.

If you reading comprehension is going to continue to be this poor I'm just going to assume you are trolling and skip to banning you.

[bicycle]

great, but in a "lack of belief in god" one has to acknowledge it exists. ie My teacher says she is good at teaching, I lack belief in that... I guess your just gonna ignore my previous post, just try to comprehend it please.

[Tank]

great, but in a "lack of belief in god" one has to acknowledge it exists. ie My teacher says she is good at teaching, I lack belief in that... I guess your just gonna ignore my previous post, just try to comprehend it please.

One does not have to acknowledge something exists to lack belief in its existence. If you are having trouble with this situation consider Santa Clause. 

[bicycle]

great, but in a "lack of belief in god" one has to acknowledge it exists. ie My teacher says she is good at teaching, I lack belief in that... I guess your just gonna ignore my previous post, just try to comprehend it please.

So my question is, do atheists LACK belief in God, that exists or does not exist?

EDIT: So atheists believe god does not exist...okay got it

[Tank]

great, but in a "lack of belief in god" one has to acknowledge it exists. ie My teacher says she is good at teaching, I lack belief in that... I guess your just gonna ignore my previous post, just try to comprehend it please.

So my question is, do atheists LACK belief in God, that exists or does not exist?

EDIT: So atheists believe god does not exist...okay got it

Which sort of atheist are you talking about? Strong or weak?

[bicycle]

great, but in a "lack of belief in god" one has to acknowledge it exists. ie My teacher says she is good at teaching, I lack belief in that... I guess your just gonna ignore my previous post, just try to comprehend it please.

So my question is, do atheists LACK belief in God, that exists or does not exist?

EDIT: So atheists believe god does not exist...okay got it

Which sort of atheist are you talking about? Strong or weak?

lol there's different kinds now? Never knew that...go on