Atheist and the nativity

Torry_Quine

starrystarry wrote: »

So what did divine revelation mean in your case? How did god show you that he created the world? I'm not baiting you here by the way, I'm genuinely interested to know.

I don't doubt that some people are martyred for their faith but you must admit that religion is responsible for countless thousands of deaths.

The first revelation was when He 'spoke' to tell me that I had to make my own decision to follow Christ. There have been many occasions since.

It is a great sense of sorrow to me that some people of faith use it as an excuse to fight wars and murder individuals.

starrystarry

Torry_Quine wrote: »

The first revelation was when He 'spoke' to tell me that I had to make my own decision to follow Christ. There have been many occasions since.

It is a great sense of sorrow to me that some people of faith use it as an excuse to fight wars and murder individuals.

How did he "speak" to you? I presume you don't mean he literally spoke to you, since you used quotation marks.

Torry_Quine

starrystarry wrote: »

How did he "speak" to you? I presume you don't mean he literally spoke to you, since you used quotation marks.

I used quotations as you hear Him as you hear anyone else but obviously He is speaking into your very being rather than the way anyone else would.

Person_one

Torry_Quine wrote: »

I used quotations as you hear Him as you hear anyone else but obviously He is speaking into your very being rather than the way anyone else would.

Obviously.

starrystarry

Torry_Quine wrote: »

I used quotations as you hear Him as you hear anyone else but obviously He is speaking into your very being rather than the way anyone else would.

Well I'm sorry to say that I do think you're delusional. The good news is that you'll never know that it was a delusion. When you die you'll just cease to be, so you won't be disappointed.

Torry_Quine

starrystarry wrote: »

Well I'm sorry to say that I do think you're delusional. The good news is that you'll never know that it was a delusion. When you die you'll just cease to be, so you won't be disappointed.

Equally when you die you may find that you'll be disappointed!;)

It really doesn't bother me that you think I'm delusional, though it could be said to be less than charitable to say so.

starrystarry

Torry_Quine wrote: »

Equally when you die you may find that you'll be disappointed!;)

It really doesn't bother me that you think I'm delusional, though it could be said to be less than charitable to say so.

Would you rather I humoured you?

Torry_Quine

starrystarry wrote: »

Would you rather I humoured you?

It's not a case of humouring me, rather not deriding someone else's firmly held belief.

starrystarry

Torry_Quine wrote: »

It's not a case of humouring me, rather not deriding someone else's firmly held belief.

As I've said before, show me some evidence for your beliefs and I'll afford them the respect you think they deserve.

toontron

I am an atheist and have been through the whole nativity play business with both of the Toonies (now aged 11 and 9). When they have questioned me about the story, I have told them that it is something that some people believe, when they have asked me if I believe, then I have been honest and said that I don't. I have left it up to them to make their own minds up about religion, that said, neither are believers. They have had trips to different places of worship with the school and I fully support them learning and respecting the views of others in the main.