"Do atheists hate the God they don't believe in?" (by Matt Slick)
"People behave according to what they believe not what they don't believe. When an atheist says that God doesn't exist or denies Him or works hard to disprove His existence, he is behaving in a manner that is consistent with what he believes. Likewise, when an atheist speaks against God by accusing Him of immorality, then he is displaying his disdain for God. Christians often encounter such displays of contempt for God when atheists cite God-ordered Old Testament events that atheists believe are morally wrong. When they do this, they are demonstrating their scorn for God by accusing Him of doing what is wrong and, therefore, being wrong. Disdain, contempt, and scorn are all synonymous with hate.
Of course, atheists will say that they can't hate what they don't believe in. But if that is the case and they actually deny that God exists (either by positive denial or passive lack-of-belief), then they are expressing denial of the Christian concept of God by not properly affirming Him. Now, if the Christian concept of God is true and God actually exists, then it would be necessarily true that the atheists are expressing their disdain/hatred for the true and living God, especially when they accuse Him of wrong doing. Either way, those atheists who work against God's existence and also accuse Him of evil are doing so based on what they believe, namely, that God does not exist and the God of Scripture is morally wrong. Again, people behave according to what they believe, not what they don't believe.
What I think is interesting is that atheists have two problems--among many. First, they cannot establish that God does not exist. Yes, I know about the problem of disproving a universal negative and demonstrating that God doesn't exist anywhere, anytime. They can't. This is why they retreat into the "lack of belief in God" position. It's safer intellectual footing for them to stand on because it is less assailable. Of course, the "I lack belief in God" position has its weaknesses, too. But I digress. Atheists cannot demonstrate that God does not exist, so they often say there is no evidence for God's existence or that the evidence presented is not sufficient. However, evidence is a subjective concept since what may be evidence for you may not be evidence for me (see What is evidence?). Plus, evidence has validity based on a person's assumptions. Therefore, it is the assumptions that need to be examined.
Second, when atheists accuse God of being immoral and express their disdain for Him, they are making moral judgments. But, they have no objective moral standard by which they can make such judgments. They can assert that it is their opinion that God is wrong, but their opinion doesn't make Him wrong. They can say that society judges God to be wrong, but what makes the society correct? There are many kinds of problems that arise when atheists assert that the God of Scripture is somehow morally wrong for doing something. Then when confronted with their inconsistencies, they continue to deny Him and accuse Him of wrongdoing. Why, if He doesn't exist to them? It seems more plausible to say they hate God, at least in a mild sense, and their disdain is manifested in their actions.
Nevertheless, to reiterate, people behave according to what they believe, not what they don't believe. Second, whenever an atheist accuses God of immorality, he is passing a condemning judgment upon God and displaying his moral contempt for Him. Therefore, in his contempt, he is revealing his hatred for the God he does not believe in." https://carm.org/do-atheists-hate-the-god-they-dont-believe-in
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Question: What do you believe?
Originally posted by Grampy BobbyI believe that almost every single atheist I have ever met found the ideologies of religionists either incoherent or repellent - or a mixture of both.
Question:What do you believe?
If an atheist "hates" female genital mutilation carried out by Christians in Niger, for example, then that "hate" is directed at the belief and practice of female genital mutilation, and not at some imagined supernatural being that the mutilators think they are subject to and that the atheists have no reason to believe exists.
Originally posted by Grampy BobbyI believe Matt Slick has got just about everything wrong and knows it: hence his obvious reliance on bad logic and flawed argument.
Question: What do you believe?
I also believe that you have no interest in actually discussing the content of your OP, but for some weird reason think that posting it will somehow get people to come around to your way of thinking when in reality you are merely making people think worse of you (and the message you are pushing).
Originally posted by twhiteheadtwhitehead, do you personally believe there's a remote possibility that an omniscient and omnipotent being [God] may have always existed and still does exist today? If "Yes" would you like to know more about Him? If "No" why would you possibly care that other human beings have exercised their prerogatives to believe in God and His Plan to reconcile depraved human beings unto Himself [by faith alone in Christ alone]? Thanks for your reply.
I believe Matt Slick has got just about everything wrong and knows it: hence his obvious reliance on bad logic and flawed argument.
I also believe that you have no interest in actually discussing the content of your OP, but for some weird reason think that posting it will somehow get people to come around to your way of thinking when in reality you are merely making people think worse of you (and the message you are pushing).
Originally posted by Grampy BobbyNo.
twhitehead, do you personally believe there's a remote possibility that an omniscient and omnipotent being [God] may have always existed and still does exist today?
If "No" why would you possibly care that other human beings have exercised their prerogatives to believe in God and His Plan to reconcile depraved human beings unto Himself [by faith alone in Christ alone]? Thanks for your reply.
This has been told to you many times before by myself and others. Will you actually read the response this time or just ignore it as you usually do?
If you agree to actually read and try to understand my response, then I will give my answer.
If you have no interest in genuine communication and discussion (as you have demonstrated to be the case in the past), then either say so, or simply ignore this post and move on.
Originally posted by Grampy BobbyDo christians hate Odin?
[b]"Do atheists hate the God they don't believe in?" (by Matt Slick)
"People behave according to what they believe not what they don't believe. When an atheist says that God doesn't exist or denies Him or works hard to disprove His existence, he is behaving in a manner that is consistent with what he believes. Likewise, when an atheist spe ...[text shortened]... the-god-they-dont-believe-in
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Question: What do you believe?[/b]
Originally posted by Grampy BobbyWell there's this really basic flaw in his point, he's made a mistake which is really common amongst American fundamentalists. They can't get their heads around what atheist means. Atheists don't believe in God and it is difficult to hate something that doesn't exist. It's difficult to love non-existent things either, or feel very much about them at all.
[b]"Do atheists hate the God they don't believe in?" (by Matt Slick)
"People behave according to what they believe not what they don't believe. When an atheist says that God doesn't exist or denies Him or works hard to disprove His existence, he is behaving in a manner that is consistent with what he believes. Likewise, when an atheist spe ...[text shortened]... the-god-they-dont-believe-in
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Question: What do you believe?[/b]
Originally posted by Grampy BobbyHow can one hate something that has never existed.
[b]"Do atheists hate the God they don't believe in?" (by Matt Slick)
"People behave according to what they believe not what they don't believe. When an atheist says that God doesn't exist or denies Him or works hard to disprove His existence, he is behaving in a manner that is consistent with what he believes. Likewise, when an atheist spe ...[text shortened]... the-god-they-dont-believe-in
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Question: What do you believe?[/b]
Originally posted by twhiteheadOriginally posted by twhitehead
No.
If "No" why would you possibly care that other human beings have exercised their prerogatives to believe in God and His Plan to reconcile depraved human beings unto Himself [by faith alone in Christ alone]? Thanks for your reply.
This has been told to you many times before by myself and others. Will you actually read the response this t ...[text shortened]... emonstrated to be the case in the past), then either say so, or simply ignore this post and move on.
"If you agree to actually read and try to understand my response, then I will give my answer."
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Yes, twhitehead, I "agree to actually read and try to understand my [your] response, then I will give my answer." Please reply.
Note: avalanchethecat, DeepThought and knightmangler thanks for your thoughtful on topic posts; I'll reply within the next two days,
Originally posted by Grampy BobbyThe first time I came to this forum was when there was a push going on in the US to get creationism taught in schools and I wanted to discuss the issue in debates. I was told to bring it here. I since found many of the topics being discussed interesting. The quality of discussion has decayed considerably since then. Nevertheless the main reason I am here is not so much a case of caring what you believe, but in the hope of interesting discussion.
Yes, twhitehead, I "agree to actually read and try to understand my [your] response, then I will give my answer." Please reply.
If "No" why would you possibly care that other human beings have exercised their prerogatives to believe in God and His Plan to reconcile depraved human beings unto Himself [by faith alone in Christ alone]?
I do however care that other human beings are religious. I care because it affects me very significantly and I believe that it affects me negatively. I also care because I care about other people and wish them to know the truth. I also care because I see so many wasted resources going into religion (and often misused by conmen) which could be put to far better use.
Is there anything do you don't understand about the above or want further clarification on?
Originally posted by Grampy BobbyReplace "god" in that ridiculous rant with "Allah", "Odin" or
[b]"Do atheists hate the God they don't believe in?" (by Matt Slick)
[/b]
the Tooth Fairy and you might understand why it is nonsense.
Unless you hate Allah and hate Odin and hate the Tooth Fairy.
