If we had to know what every single other person on the planet thought before we could be sure of our own faith, we would never come to faith. Faith is personal. It does not rely on others for us to decide for ourselves what we will believe in relation to God.
I agree with you, faith is personnal. But I believe that no one have faith in something without reason (The reasons can be strange I agree), so, even if I don't share yours, I can try to understand it, because it's really interesting.
My faith is based on a personal relationship with God, brought about through multiple encounters with Him.
I think a lot of christians began this way, with what you call "encounters". I hope i'll have some similar experiences to the ones you lived, because your explanations to it is an "encounter with him", and maybe I'll have a different explanation than yours!
Others have suggested you read the gospels, starting with John. I agree with this suggestion
I think when i'll have the time i'll do it (I'm studying a lot now!) but... In FRENCH Because all of the extracts from the bible i read here are way to hard to understand for me, there is on on two words that I need to translate
I have looked in to many different paradigms. Scripture provides the most comprehensive answers there are.
Because you're searching for answers for all, whil we can't find it all, at least yet. Of course Scripture are answering all of your questions, which is why it's honorable to belive they are true.
The strange fact about religions (And sorry for that, but as an atheist I put other religions as Islam when I'm saying something like that) don't have a lot of paradoxs. Which is really impressive when you know that they had been written long long ago.
Obviously the hugest paradox between science and religion is darwin's natural selection. I once spoked really deeply with a Muslim during a carpooling (Not sure of this word, it's when you share your car with a stranger to make a path), and he said that Muslmim needs to think that this is pure bullshit, in order to be in the way of their religion.
I think by logic and reason that only a supernatural and supreme intelligent agent best explains the highly sophisticated and complex structures found in the natural world.
And I think that ramdom and time can do it. To go back to my conversations with the Muslim, he asked me nearly the same thing: "Look your arm, your leg. How ramdom can create something this perfect? And look around you, there are cars. Humans had been able to create cars, but human aren't able to create an arm, a leg. So, cars are easier to create than arms and legs. So, why the random didn't create only one car?"
Hi Clément, Welcome to CC!
(I really enjoy talking with atheists... I suppose I could go to atheist forums, but sometimes people there aren't very polite...)
I think that's an excellent question, What about people who have never heard?
But, we might have more success with some preliminary questions first... Like, do you believe that life (or the universe) has any meaning or purpose (beyond whatever meaning or purpose each individual attaches to it)?
So do I with religious people, that's why I'm there. And this is too an excellent question. Because we may won't ever be able to answer it. I don't think that life has a purpose. Of course, mine is to be happy while making happy anyone I can, and to try to understand what is around me, but it's in the ategory "whatever meaning or puipose each individual attaches to it"
But I may be in the blur, and don't see the true meaning of my life. However, I don't think any human being found it yet, and so I don't think any Scripture can answer this question.
This is the only answer of all this thread that really made me sad. Sad for you, especially for what you think about others poit of view.
By the way, why are you sure they are on a dog? And not on a carpet? Nor a human head? I made this for you
Also, another thing you can do, is read this article, it is called
The Meaning of Life. It is the reason we are all here on Earth. This may also help you in your search for meaning.
^i^
I read it (It was looong) but the english of the author was quite simple. But.. Whos was the author? And why does he have the true? I didn't read the bible, but I'm pretty sure it's not the story written on the article you linked. So, whi this man has the true and not me?
I'll discuss the rest of your message with the quote of Magenta, which already argued for me!
Of course they do. Some atheists spend an inordinate amount of time trying to debunk Christianity and Christian beliefs, debating Christians, belittling Christians, trying to get Christians to give up their beliefs, digging up this artifact and that article to bolster their position... some have written books to try to sway others to their way of thinking, to give them talking points and ammunition in this war of words in which we engage. Do you really think Hitchens and Dawkins do not care what other people believe? They have invested much time and energy trying to shape the minds of people who will follow them in their intellectual rejection of all Christians hold dear. They care an awful lot, blaming religion in general and Christianity in particular for all the ills of this world. Because of that, in part, some want to wipe Christianity from the face of the earth. They live to that end.
First at al Magenta I have a question for you! Is your pseudo Magenta cause you like to write in Magenta, or do you write in Magenta cause your pseudo is Magenta?
Seriously, don't you think you exactly described a preacher? An evangelist? DOn't you think if you put the exact same text for religious people try to convert other people, each thing you wrote perfectly match? Look at the answer of Disciple Dave, he "tries to get me to give up my beliefs", he linked me a book "to tray to sway me to their way of thinking", and try to bring my mind 'to follow them in their intellectual rejection of all atheism", and a lote of "want to wipe atheism from the face of the earth, they live to that end"
his is far from being a critizisim. And all of your answers were really good and interesting Magenta, but be aware that this is not a fact of atheism, this is a fact of being a human.
This assumes that people who don't know about Jesus before they die wont be given the chance to know Him after they die...which I don't think the Bible ever states. I could be wrong though. Hope this tidbit helps
Really interesting! This can be the way of thinking of a really interesting state of mind. Thank you for your answer!
