Open letter to all Atheists.

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Well yeah, that's because we don't violate your first amendment rights.

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You seem to think that saying this sort of thing gives you the high road, but actually it's a sign that we've already taken it; in America today a Christian boasting that he's not offended by atheism is like a serial killer saying to an origami enthusiast: "Hey, I don't criticize your hobby."

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Yea that makes no sense.

Faith writes:

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Not according to the Bible, which gives time indicators that show the age of the Earth is not long enough, as well as the information that the original couple lost their immortality when they sinned against God. Evolution can't exist where there is no death, and since death entered there hasn't been time.
  —"faith"

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Time indicators?Firstly, you need to ask yourself what is the bible. It is a book written by men inspired by the Holy Spirit. They did the best they could with what they knew.Secondly, I'd say they did an excellent job because the bible says the earth was created in 6 days, but a day to God is like a thousand years and vise versa. So once again, tell me how old is the earth based on the bible?

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I don't know what you mean here. If you mean that we are blind to God apart from what scripture reveals about Him, that is true, but that's the result of the Fall or our first parents' disobedience of God. The death that resulted was first a spiritual death. The intimacy they had experienced with God before their sin was lost and they could no longer experience His presence as they had before. God became remote to them at that point and we've all been born into their spiritual deadness. You have to appreciate the whole context of scripture to get an appreciation of all this, you can't just know a few verses.

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Before Jesus there was lots of objective evidence to show people God's existence. After Jesus that all seemed to go away, and our body's became the temple, and we were to believe by faith, and faith alone. Everything happens by faith. Faith is subjective therefor you can never prove "God". To do so is going against the bible IMO. As Christians our only "proof" of God's existence is to love people the way God love's us. It's still a subjective proof.

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I suppose so, but scripture was given to us to build our faith, that's its purpose as there is nothing outside scripture that can overcome our fallen blindness.

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Yes and NO. People who have never read a single word of the bible know God. God will pick and choose when and how He goes to people. We are NOT to judge that. Our only job is to save.I lost my faith at age 8 when a nun hit me for asking where in the bible were all the saints prayers. That was after she taught us the "Our Father" prayer. At 8 I read before and after that prayer, and it says Jesus says this is the way to pray. Jesus is the Son of God, so where did all this other BS come from? At 8 I knew that particular religion was not from God. If God is a just God, this is not how it would be. But it works for some people I guess, I don't want to judge it.So I lost my faith to religion, and school increase that lack of faith.

Well, there is no other logical conclusion. No evidence → no true premises → no possible logical conclusion.Any belief in gods is non-logical. Why do theists have such a high opinion of logic anyway? It's just another tool. You don't complain that the instruction manual for your hammer doesn't mention God, do you?

Maybe you should read it again.

Yeah. First Amendment, remember. "Have you seen a doctor?""No, just close minded people angry at religion."

that's a feature not a bug.

Actually in the UK it is a legal requirements for schools to undertake a daily act of worship. But apparently about 2/3rds of schools ignore this. Well critical thought in the broad sense of the scientific method has led to undeniable progress in terms of knowledge while theistic thought seems rather lacking on that front. But I'm not "angry at religion". I just think religious thinking is flawed and rather outdated. If my son's school did undertake the daily act of worship it is supposed to I wouldn't exercise my right to withdraw him from it I would just explain to him why I think it is a bit silly.It strikes me that you are quite angry at those who advocate critical thinking.

To expand on my point.You can proudly say that you're not offended by atheists. But this is because we have in fact given you no offense. We have not changed the Oath of Allegiance so that your children have to stand up and recite "... one nation, not under god, because god is a childish fiction that only imbeciles believe in, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." We have not printed: "IN GOD WE DO NOT TRUST BECAUSE HE'S AN IMAGINARY ASSHOLE" all over dollar bills. No state has legislation saying that a Christian cannot hold office, as though you were felons or traitors. The President never declares a National Day Of Not Praying Because That Would Be Stupid Because There Is No God. There is no Office of Atheist Initiatives.So yeah, you can truthfully say that you're not offended. In the same way, Bob can stab Alice and truthfully say "Hey, I'm not bleeding all over the place and screaming. What's the matter with you?" You can declare that no offense has been committed against you because no offense has been committed against you. Instead, offenses have been committed against atheists by your co-religionists, and you stand there saying: "Hey, I'm not bleeding". True. You're not.Edited by Dr Adequate, : No reason given.

Let me get this straight. You think teaching our young people to draw rational logical conclusions from the reality around them is a bad thing? What alternatives to this critical thinking curriculum would you propose?

I am offended because freedom of religion is considered a basic human right. This right includes having a government that doesn't use your hard earned money to push a religion you don't belong to.Would you be offended if teachers in public schools required their students to worship idols, or participate in animal sacrifices? Worship Satan?

Hi, riVeRrat. If your thinking isn't critical thinking, then I'm not sure it's appropriate to call it "thinking" at all. What other kind of "thinking" is there?

Jesus was offended by such prayers. He called people that did this hypocrites. He said that their reward for their prayers was the esteem they get from other hypocrites, and that God would not reward such hypocrisy. He said you should pray in secret, and that God who can see secret things, will consequentially reward the prayer-giver.If Christians actually prayed in the ONLY way Jesus ever instructed Christians how to pray. This wouldn't be an issue.(Matt 6:5 and beyond)So if you want to pray in the open, please do. I'll laugh at how you are a fake Christian who doesn't really believe and just wants to persuade other people how righteous and holy you are, while being unrighteous and proud.If you want me to pay you to pray openly in front of captive audiences? No. No thanks. Edited by Modulous, : No reason given.

Thinking in Love.

Absolutely untrue. He taught use how to pray and to do it in private, but also gave thanks in public to God. There is absolutely nothing wrong with public prayer. He instructed us to build churches and pray together. He spoke all the time in public to believers and non-believers and prayed for them.He was upset at the people, not the act of praying. For the people were hypocrites.The rules atheists want us Christians to live by would not allow for spreading of the gospel at all. Their attitude of religious beliefs/praying in public mirror the thinking homophobes have watching two men kiss. I call hypocrisy again.

Nobody's pushing religion, just like to men kissing in public are not pushing homosexuality. Nobody is required to pray, in church, or at a town meeting. You are free to do what you want in your heart.