Can atheists be happy?

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morefaithrequired

Guest
#61
Christians are a unhappy bunch. We think most of the world will go to hell (how can anyone be happy knowing this? Please tell me your secret.) We range from Episcopals, Catholics, Calvanists, Southern Baptists, Pentacostal. We range from progressive to evangelical, and argue about everything. For example, on salvation, we have 1) once saved always saved, 2) can lose salvation, 3) predestination, 4) faith only vs works and faith, 5) individual salvation vs universal salvation, at least.
and we have to be careful we dont feel superior to atheists.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
56,064
26,166
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#62
its when we stop seeking. stop learning. and think we know the whole truth. thats a problem.
That describes many people. Atheists included. LOL. Hey, you just reminded me... you know, some of the atheists I have met online were quite the characters, many of preposterous proportions, like one guy who tried to tell me we (as humans) already knew everything there was to know :oops: And the guy who told me that scientists could explain how order arose out of chaos, and organic matter out of inorganic material, and what caused the rise of consciousness. The real kicker for me was the one I thought actually was reasonable, and logical, telling me that as Christians we had not examined enough evidence to come to the conclusion that God exists while totally overlooking the fact that nobody could ever examine enough material according to him AND that HE had come to the opposite conclusion, namely, God does not exist, while having not examined all the evidence. There is no such thing as a reasonable atheist on the discussion of things that pertain to that which really matters such as the meaning of life, because GOD is at the core of that by design.

 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
56,064
26,166
113
#63
Christians are a unhappy bunch. We think most of the world will go to hell (how can anyone be happy knowing this? Please tell me your secret.)
The secret is understanding that hell is NOT what most people imagine in their dogged ignorance.
 
T

TheIndianGirl

Guest
#64
The secret is understanding that hell is NOT what most people imagine in their dogged ignorance.
But hell is still eternal torment?
 
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morefaithrequired

Guest
#66
Eternal conscious torment? No. The wicked PERISH. It is all through Scripture, repeated again and again in a number of ways.



John 3:16

Who on this forum is wicked besides me?
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
56,064
26,166
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#67
That describes many people. Atheists included. LOL. Hey, you just reminded me... you know, some of the atheists I have met online were quite the characters, many of preposterous proportions, like one guy who tried to tell me we (as humans) already knew everything there was to know :oops: And the guy who told me that scientists could explain how order arose out of chaos, and organic matter out of inorganic material, and what caused the rise of consciousness. The real kicker for me was the one I thought actually was reasonable, and logical, telling me that as Christians we had not examined enough evidence to come to the conclusion that God exists while totally overlooking the fact that nobody could ever examine enough material according to him AND that HE had come to the opposite conclusion, namely, God does not exist, while having not examined all the evidence. There is no such thing as a reasonable atheist on the discussion of things that pertain to that which really matters such as the meaning of life, because GOD is at the core of that by design.

I should have said, until he told me that as Christians etc etc. That undid my thinking he was reasonable or logical at all, for his mask completely slid off with those utterly irrational proclamations, and he was totally blind to the folly of his own position. He was “Hoist with his own petard” as they say.
 
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morefaithrequired

Guest
#70
not giving people enough respect....thats wicked
laziness is wicked
spending too much time on here...thats wicked
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
56,064
26,166
113
#71
not giving people enough respect....thats wicked
laziness is wicked
spending too much time on here...thats wicked
Oh. Well, Biblically the wicked are more apt to be defined as those who reject God. In the final analysis, at least.

2 Timothy 3:2-4
For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,


Deuteronomy 32:5
"They have acted corruptly toward Him, They are not His children,
because of their defect; But are a perverse and crooked generation.


(Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in
his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- John 1:12)


Romans 1:29
being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil;
full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips,


Psalm 14:1
The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God " They are corrupt, they
have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good.


Acts 7:51
"You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are
always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did.


2 Timothy 3:8
Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose
the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith
 

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
Aug 13, 2014
24,949
8,186
113
#72
the atheists I meet online tend to be the more aggressive perhaps. im trying not to put them all in the same basket though. im hoping they dont think all Christians are the same either.
look how much we vary on here.
You really need to meet some better atheists. Maybe in person, not online. The ones I've known in person have been pretty chill.

Christians are a unhappy bunch. We think most of the world will go to hell (how can anyone be happy knowing this? Please tell me your secret.) We range from Episcopals, Catholics, Calvanists, Southern Baptists, Pentacostal. We range from progressive to evangelical, and argue about everything. For example, on salvation, we have 1) once saved always saved, 2) can lose salvation, 3) predestination, 4) faith only vs works and faith, 5) individual salvation vs universal salvation, at least.
You need to meet some better Christians. Come visit my church. There's a lot of Christians there who are not part of an unhappy bunch. :cool:
 

WingsOfLight

Well-known member
Dec 10, 2019
198
267
63
#73
i probably come across as a backsliding liberal promoting relativism. its the lesser of two evils is my current thinking. Inflexible absolutism .. the other extreme....is worse.
Ideally you grow up in a strict environment. Then break the rules later in life.
Sometimes that's why it's hard to open yourself up to people.
They kind of put that judgment on you and make assumptions.
No matter how you come across, People should know that none of us are perfect.
We all have something in our lives that makes us human. Christian or not.
God intended us to have flaws and not be perfect. As long as we follow Him, that's what makes the flaws acceptable.
 

WingsOfLight

Well-known member
Dec 10, 2019
198
267
63
#74
Christians are a unhappy bunch.
Yes, some Christians probably are. Those are the ones who need to find a way to grow in their faith. If something in your life is making you unhappy, the best thing to do look more into your faith and beliefs. Either you can control something or you can't. What you can control, find the best way to do so.
What you can't control, let Jesus take the wheel.
 

WingsOfLight

Well-known member
Dec 10, 2019
198
267
63
#75
im still unconvinced about "joy" though. Just how exactly is a Christian's joy different to a non Christian's joy? im willing to change on this.
I think both can experience the same kind and same amount of joy.
The only difference I see, is when hardship hits, the Christian has God to turn to because they believe. For a non-believer, when hardship hits, it could be more difficult for them to overcome it, because they won't turn to God, who really does help us, even if we don't see it. I think He helps us all, regardless of if we accept Him.

I do think both can have great joy in their lives.
It's how you handle the bad times.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
56,064
26,166
113
#76
God intended us to have flaws and not be perfect. As long as we follow Him, that's what makes the flaws acceptable.
I would be more inclined to say that God made us to be perfected in the likeness of His Son :)
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
56,064
26,166
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#78
I like that way of thinking.
God did allow for man to choose not to follow Him, to be disobedient, to choose to go their own way, and reject Him, but we also know that Scripture teaches that state of being, of being born in Adam, is one of hostility toward God, being His enemy. Only those who repent and believe are saved, regenerated, born again of the Spirit, and raised to new life, a life more abundant, life ever after, through Jesus.

 
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morefaithrequired

Guest
#79
I think Christians need to choose their words very carefully if trying to promote the Gospel. Especially to a cynical unbelieving audience.
If we start communicating like we are a specially appointed secretary/overseas diplomat for Jesus, that can come across as hollow.
 
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Susanna

Guest
#80
I think Christians need to choose their words very carefully if trying to promote the Gospel. Especially to a cynical unbelieving audience.
If we start communicating like we are a specially appointed secretary/overseas diplomat for Jesus, that can come across as hollow.
Like in “Hollowed be Thy Name?”