Atheists dealing with difficulties

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Need2Know

Banned
#1
Jun 7, 2013
147
0
0
#1
Ive heard a lot of people say that god helped them through difficult times. I hear them say that if it wasnt for god they wouldn't have been able to cope with something and I've heard people say god gave them strength to deal with their trauma.

Atheists suffer exactly the same tragedies, traumas and hardship as Christians but they too manage to get through it all and come out the other side the same as everyone else.

How is that the case?
 
crossnote

crossnote

Senior Member
#2
Nov 24, 2012
30,709
3,650
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#2
Need2Know said:
Ive heard a lot of people say that god helped them through difficult times. I hear them say that if it wasnt for god they wouldn't have been able to cope with something and I've heard people say god gave them strength to deal with their trauma.

Atheists suffer exactly the same tragedies, traumas and hardship as Christians but they too manage to get through it all and come out the other side the same as everyone else.

How is that the case?
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Christians suffer as much and even more physical hardship and pain as atheists. We have though greater peace and joy through the hardships and on into life eternal.
 
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MrMalby

Guest
#4
#4
Need2Know said:
Ive heard a lot of people say that god helped them through difficult times. I hear them say that if it wasnt for god they wouldn't have been able to cope with something and I've heard people say god gave them strength to deal with their trauma.

Atheists suffer exactly the same tragedies, traumas and hardship as Christians but they too manage to get through it all and come out the other side the same as everyone else.

How is that the case?
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How would in not be the case? have Christians claimed that non Christians and or atheists don't come through trauma and hardship ?

For instance if I were to claim that a 'Good friend' helped me through difficult time, stood by me and encouraged me.. is that the same as saying ''people without good friends cannot come out of trauma'' ? No of course not, I am simply being thankful for the extra help I had, I think you are using an expression and turning into an absolute statement of faith.. do you think that is a reasonable question ?

MrM
 
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Need2Know

Banned
#5
Jun 7, 2013
147
0
0
#5
MrMalby said:
How would in not be the case? have Christians claimed that non Christians and or atheists don't come through trauma and hardship ?

For instance if I were to claim that a 'Good friend' helped me through difficult time, stood by me and encouraged me.. is that the same as saying ''people without good friends cannot come out of trauma'' ? No of course not, I am simply being thankful for the extra help I had, I think you are using an expression and turning into an absolute statement of faith.. do you think that is a reasonable question ?

MrM
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I think your 'good friends' example put the final nail in the coffin of my argument. Defeat admitted :)
 
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1still_waters

Guest
#6
#6
The difference is how Christians approach things. Christians approach hardships as if it's discipline from The Lord, meant for the purpose of growing us up in righteousness. Yes Atheists go through the same stuff, but they don't have the God focus which is aiming to grow in righteousness.

Heb 12

7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
 
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Need2Know

Banned
#7
Jun 7, 2013
147
0
0
#7
1still_waters said:
The difference is how Christians approach things. Christians approach hardships as if it's discipline from The Lord, meant for the purpose of growing us up in righteousness. Yes Atheists go through the same stuff, but they don't have the God focus which is aiming to grow in righteousness.

Heb 12

7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
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Yeah I understand what you mean now.
 
RedTent

RedTent

Banned
#8
Oct 31, 2011
8,200
182
0
#8
Atheists are dead, spiritually. They are not in the family of God, They live their life apart from the life of the spirit and do not communicate with God either through prayer or scripture. God neither helps them or disciplines them, they do not have eternal life. They are on their own.

God sometimes helps Christians, sometimes disciplines them, but it is like being in a special family. They are spiritually alive and aware of the spiritual world that atheists have no knowledge of.

Some atheists have it better than the Christians, some worse. Their spiritual life is the point. Someone alive spiritually not only has eternal life, but a sort of cushion to sustain them in this life.
 
Angela53510

Angela53510

Senior Member
#9
Jan 24, 2011
11,782
2,947
113
#9
I deal with atheists all the time in my work as a chaplain. I have one man, dying of cancer that I visit weekly, and he is starting to get very down right now about the pain and complications in his life. He told me he is ready to die, as the cancer has spread, and there is no hope.

But he is also a very kind and placid person. Most people in his state would at least want to hear the reasons for the hope we have as Christians, but he has hardened his heart to the gospel. I just said to someone the other day, "How do people who do not believe in God weather these storms and death?"

I also have some wonderful Christian centenarions that I visit. One lady was failing fast and hanging onto God, as she lay bed ridden a few months ago. Yesterday I found her in the hall, in her wheelchair, exercising. She is blind, but has an incredible hope and faith in God, and it is a joy to be with her, and many of the very old Christians. That is my blessing!

We all suffer in this life, but I think the real difference is hope, when difficulty arises. I know God has used my suffering and pain to bring me closer to him, to change me radically, and to do ministry. I do pray for all those who do not know Christ. I still cannot understand how atheists do get through pain, suffering or trials and tribulations.

As for me, this verse is the life verse God gave me when my foot reconstruction failed, and I hold onto it each day when the pain is severe.

"Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, [SUP]4 [/SUP]and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, [SUP]5 [/SUP]and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." Romans 5:3-5
 
crossnote

crossnote

Senior Member
#10
Nov 24, 2012
30,709
3,650
113
#10
You can add persecutions to the list. Far more christians have been tortured/killed for their belief than atheists have been for their atheism.
Atheism with it's self survival mode will tend to 'bow down' if confronted with ''convert or die'' even if in their heart they remain an atheist whereas the true christian will not even 'pinch' incense to Caesar.
 
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ed2

Guest
#11
#11
Matthew 5:45 describes it best, IMO.
 
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CNikki

Guest
#12
#12
I don't think it has to do with who goes through more pain since we all as human beings go through to live everyday life and while not all situations are the same, we agree that we have good events as well as bad that are bound to happen no matter what. People who believe in God see it as a way that they can be able to go through with it whether if God intends it or not but know they can leave the emotional pain focused with God which brings it a bit less of a burden on them while physically going through with the events.
 
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