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[quote]I pity them for reading a book that they don't believe in before they read it, and worse they don't believe in it after they read it...lol, it like dumb and dumber[/quote]
That sounds rather ignorant of you.
Why would you pity someone for reading the Bible when they don't believe it so that they can investigate for themselves what all the fuss is about?
And you say it's [i]worse[/i] to investigate for yourself and come away unconvinced? That's dumb and dumber? Why ? How?
How is making an honest attempt to expose oneself to the material and finding it lacking dumber than already swallowing the story hook, line and sinker because you've been taught to or because you're motivated to want it to be true?
I don't think you were being very thoughtful or fair with that description.
That sounds rather ignorant of you.
Why would you pity someone for reading the Bible when they don't believe it so that they can investigate for themselves what all the fuss is about?
And you say it's [i]worse[/i] to investigate for yourself and come away unconvinced? That's dumb and dumber? Why ? How?
How is making an honest attempt to expose oneself to the material and finding it lacking dumber than already swallowing the story hook, line and sinker because you've been taught to or because you're motivated to want it to be true?
I don't think you were being very thoughtful or fair with that description.
espoir · 36-40, F
@Pikachu Didn't realise you can't handle my criticism. Are atheists sensitive to remarks about their reading material. its my opinion that they read the bible in order to criticise Christians and believers and find what they find doesn't fit with their own lack of belief. If you find that I'm ignorant of what I said then ok. you might need a little cry and a nap ..you'll be okay
@espoir
...um i didn't realize you would have such a thin skin for criticism yourself.
I was just sharing why i thought your criticism was shallow and ill-considered. I was inviting you to either reconsider the validity of your position or to thoughtfully defend it.
You've apparently decided on a third option of "internet fight".
I'm not interested in that. Sorry if i hurt your feelings, i was just being honest in my assessment of your commentary which is distinct from you as a person since i don't know you.
So let's move past this pettiness and continue with more productive discussion.
[quote]its my opinion that they read the bible in order to criticise Christians and believers and find what they find doesn't fit with their own lack of belief. If you find that I'm ignorant of what I said then ok[/quote]
OK so you've now actually articulated an opinion here which is an improvement over simply calling an entire group of people dumb and dumber.
I do indeed consider that opinion ignorant. Not because it is insulting but because it fails to incorporate the diversity of human experience.
So allow me to broaden your perspective:
There are indeed atheists or non-christian theists who read the Bible looking for ammunition against believers
But there are also people (like myself) who didn't believe the Christian religion but read the Bible in an earnest attempt to expose themselves to the source material. Some of those people even come out the other side as believers so it is absurd to criticize a non-believer for reading your holy book lol.
Your thoughts?
...um i didn't realize you would have such a thin skin for criticism yourself.
I was just sharing why i thought your criticism was shallow and ill-considered. I was inviting you to either reconsider the validity of your position or to thoughtfully defend it.
You've apparently decided on a third option of "internet fight".
I'm not interested in that. Sorry if i hurt your feelings, i was just being honest in my assessment of your commentary which is distinct from you as a person since i don't know you.
So let's move past this pettiness and continue with more productive discussion.
[quote]its my opinion that they read the bible in order to criticise Christians and believers and find what they find doesn't fit with their own lack of belief. If you find that I'm ignorant of what I said then ok[/quote]
OK so you've now actually articulated an opinion here which is an improvement over simply calling an entire group of people dumb and dumber.
I do indeed consider that opinion ignorant. Not because it is insulting but because it fails to incorporate the diversity of human experience.
So allow me to broaden your perspective:
There are indeed atheists or non-christian theists who read the Bible looking for ammunition against believers
But there are also people (like myself) who didn't believe the Christian religion but read the Bible in an earnest attempt to expose themselves to the source material. Some of those people even come out the other side as believers so it is absurd to criticize a non-believer for reading your holy book lol.
Your thoughts?
espoir · 36-40, F
@Pikachu you didn't hurt my feelings. It is my opinion that Atheists read the bible in order to find flaws to criticise true believers in it(which includes you as you have shown in your Posts) . I make no apology for what I said in my origonal response. You can believe what you like but If you don't believe in Christians beliefs then I would appreciate that all Atheists keep their opinion to themselves. You called me ignorant and assumed that you hurt my feelings. May I re iterate that I think Atheists Atheists don't understand the bible at all and are probably the dumbest people on the planet. Hence the dumb and dumber
@espoir
[quote]It is my opinion that Atheists read the bible in order to find flaws to criticise true believers in it(which includes you as you have shown in your Posts) [/quote]
Don't be silly. You don't know why i read the Bible. You know only that i am critical of the characters and unconvinced by the claims of divinity attributed to the work.
Again, you're making an ignorant assessment and in this case you are simply refusing to accept that there are scenarios other than the one you have already decided upon.
Do you know what that is called, dear? It's being close-minded and it signals a surrender to ignorance.
Do you want to know why i read the Bible for the first time?
It was because my older brother was a born again Christian and he wanted me to be saved and he bought me a Bible and asked me to read it.
So i did.
I did as he instructed and prayed to god to open the eyes of my heart, to invite him in and to feel the truth of his word as recorded in the Bible.
That didn't happen for me but i certainly didn't begin reading the Bible with the intent of using what i learned to have fights with Christians.
So there you have it: You now have at least one example that proves your blanket assessment of atheists and their motivations wrong.
You now get to decide whether you'll be intellectually honest about this novel information, incorporating it into your opinion or whether you will close your mind to disconfirming evidence and cling to the opinion you decided on before hand.
Up to you🙂
[quote]It is my opinion that Atheists read the bible in order to find flaws to criticise true believers in it(which includes you as you have shown in your Posts) [/quote]
Don't be silly. You don't know why i read the Bible. You know only that i am critical of the characters and unconvinced by the claims of divinity attributed to the work.
Again, you're making an ignorant assessment and in this case you are simply refusing to accept that there are scenarios other than the one you have already decided upon.
Do you know what that is called, dear? It's being close-minded and it signals a surrender to ignorance.
Do you want to know why i read the Bible for the first time?
It was because my older brother was a born again Christian and he wanted me to be saved and he bought me a Bible and asked me to read it.
So i did.
I did as he instructed and prayed to god to open the eyes of my heart, to invite him in and to feel the truth of his word as recorded in the Bible.
That didn't happen for me but i certainly didn't begin reading the Bible with the intent of using what i learned to have fights with Christians.
So there you have it: You now have at least one example that proves your blanket assessment of atheists and their motivations wrong.
You now get to decide whether you'll be intellectually honest about this novel information, incorporating it into your opinion or whether you will close your mind to disconfirming evidence and cling to the opinion you decided on before hand.
Up to you🙂
espoir · 36-40, F
@Pikachu Thank you for allowing me to improve or amend my opinion. I have decided to leave my opinion as it is. I know you don't like to fight my opinion but rather to discuss why my opinion in ignorant. ok , when you show me that my opinion is ignorant then I'll consider changing my opinion. But you can't do that if you are sincere about your Atheism . So I remain ignorant in your opinion and you will always remain dumb and dumber in my opinion . So accept my opinion for what it is and I will remain ignorant in your opinion. It is my right to have an opinion about Atheists(which will never change) . So stop trying to change my opinion. Don't start getting me into the jokes and insults (of which you are guilty of) made by Atheists by reading and misunderstanding the Bible
@espoir
[quote], when you show me that my opinion is ignorant then I'll consider changing my opinion.[/quote]
I've already done that.
You said [i]"It is my opinion that Atheists read the bible in order to find flaws to criticise true believers".[/i]
I shared with you my own story which does not fall into that category so you already have at least one example of an atheist experience which contradicts your preconceived opinion.
So you can either realize that your position requires a more nuanced approach or you can pretend you never received this new information and continue to repeat what you now know to be at best a flawed and incomplete characterization.
Everyone has an opinion, dear. But thoughtful people are willing to change it in the face of new information.
[quote]It is my right to have an opinion about Atheists(which will never change) [/quote]
Then you've chosen to close your mind and there's nothing anyone can do for you.
[b][i]Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you[/i][/b]
[b]-Matthew 7:1-2[/b]
I understand that your ego is engaged right now and that you have skin in the game, as it were but i'm hoping you'll still take the time to reflect on what i've shared with you.
Good luck and have a pleasant evening 🙂👋
[quote], when you show me that my opinion is ignorant then I'll consider changing my opinion.[/quote]
I've already done that.
You said [i]"It is my opinion that Atheists read the bible in order to find flaws to criticise true believers".[/i]
I shared with you my own story which does not fall into that category so you already have at least one example of an atheist experience which contradicts your preconceived opinion.
So you can either realize that your position requires a more nuanced approach or you can pretend you never received this new information and continue to repeat what you now know to be at best a flawed and incomplete characterization.
Everyone has an opinion, dear. But thoughtful people are willing to change it in the face of new information.
[quote]It is my right to have an opinion about Atheists(which will never change) [/quote]
Then you've chosen to close your mind and there's nothing anyone can do for you.
[b][i]Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you[/i][/b]
[b]-Matthew 7:1-2[/b]
I understand that your ego is engaged right now and that you have skin in the game, as it were but i'm hoping you'll still take the time to reflect on what i've shared with you.
Good luck and have a pleasant evening 🙂👋
