'Atheists' are pitifully in the dark

Larry, your opinion is just that, "your opinion." To that, I must say B.S. (All in capital letters!) While I may not be able to prove that there is no god, you are not able to prove that there is. Your book of mythological stories offers no reasonable proof nor does your blind faith convince me that I am wrong. I do not begrudge you the right to worship as you see fit; but I sure as hell do not accept the idea that you can presume to tell me that the acceptance of christian philosophy will tell me where I will go when I die. However, I will presume tell you're where you are going when you die, and science will agree; you will go under the ground where you will rot and your bones will age for eternity. You will have NO KNOWLEDGE of your past life and NO KNOWLEDGE of your bones as they rot in the soil you have been planted in. There is no hereafter; therefore, enjoy what you have today, there is nothing for you to enjoy once you've departed this life. GGpap

Just because something is reassuring doesn't make it one bit more true. And as for the inability to prove a negative, I believe there is a Flying Spaghetti Monster who created and governs the universe with his noodly appendage. You can't prove me wrong, so should I be absolutely certain that he exists or would a more moderated and skeptical stance be more appropriate?

GCpap, if you are "sure as hell" about something, does that mean there IS a hell? If so, isn't there also a Hevean? If that's the case, maybe you had better re-think your beliefs. Otherwise, don't worry about any type of undertaker when you die (and you will), but just have them throw you out in the woods. After all, you would be all dressed up with no place to go. Even the devil believes in God!!!!

"That is where I'm gonna go when I die. When I die and I'm able to rest, I'm going to go to the place that's the best....." - out in the woods. I'm donating my body to a body farm for research. It's also good because if they make a mistake and I'm not really dead, I can get up and walk away. Can't do that with the other alternatives like burial and cremation...LOL.

GGap the bible agrees that when a person dies you will become dust. GGap you made your choice no one is forcing you to accept Christianity. If you don't believe in the teachings of Christ then you shouldn't be offended that Christians believe that you are spiritually dead.

OT I think that is admirable that you are going to donate your body to science. I would rather a Dr in training have a chance to cut some one up who is dead before trying it on someone that is alive.

milton - at a body farm they don't cut you up, they throw you out in a field and let you decompose so forensics students can study rate of deterioration in different soil samples and other things. I just hope they put me in the shade, I hate direct sunlight is the summer, makes me sweat profusly.

It helps put people in Jail, good for you. I am going to donate my brain for research, and help scientist find a cure for the Liberal mental disorder.

You can't prove or disprove the existence of Spaghetti Monster, but if someone wants to worship pasta, I guess that's their right. On the other hand, Christianity is not a blind faith. There are hundreds of testable facts to be considered: historical and archeological details listed in the Bible; scientific aspects that can be tested. Maybe even more impressive is the indisputable testimony of millions of lives that have been improved because of belief in Jesus Christ. You may try to dispute the fact that Jesus existed, but you cannot dispute the positive impact his teachings have had on people and society over the past 2000 years. Sure, sometimes those teachings have been abused, but on the whole I've never heard anyone really put down or disagree with what Jesus said. So, given the choice of believing in noodles from Neptune or objective evidence and teachings from Christ, I'll take him every time.

If you don't believe in God then I dare you to ask God to prove himself to you. What have you got to lose? I dare you to say those words!

I don't think God will "prove" himself to anyone. He wants people to come in faith, not be compelled by proof (hence, we have discussion boards like this). The Bible teaches that He's already provided enough proof in the world around us. Heck, Jesus even said that some people are so determined NOT to believe, that they would still not recognize God's existence even if someone came back from the dead and testified to it. Wonder Whom He had in mind when He said that......

Howcanweknow.... Well said.

Even great atheistic minds like Francis Crick (of DNA fame) and Richard Dawkins (posterchild for modern atheism) recognize we're not here by accident. Both have proposed that life on earth was seeded here by aliens. Seriously. They actually stated that. So, even the most die-hard atheists freely admit there has to be an extraterrestrial intelligence that created life. Some believe this to be little green men. Others prefer Italian food. I believe it much more rational to concede the existence of a supernatural, loving God that put us here for a reason. The alternatives to God seem too outrageous to even consider.

TO the Christians out there...why do you continue to waste your time on people who choose not to believe. You aren't practicing the very instructions of the Christ, who said "brush the dirt off your sandals and leave the city" and "Cast not your pearls before swine". His instructions are very plain, offer salvation and if it's refused, turn away and forget them. There were towns in which Jesus could work no miracles, because "they refused to believe". We Christians believe because the proof is written in our hearts. We are supposed to offer Jesus to those we encounter by our lives and actions, not by words or putting on TV ministries. Proselytizers turn more people away from God than anything else. Don't come put pamphlets on my door, don't ask me "Do you know Jesus? or Are you saved?" Ministries out on TV are only after one thing, MONEY! Does your pastor drive a Mercedes or a Cadillac? Is more money spent on the ministry than on helping the poor? Then you're not in a Christian ministry, you're in a business. Find in the New Testament anywhere that says you are supposed to get rich. "Lay not up for yourself treasures on earth."

justus, there you go spouting heresies that Jesus is African...he was a JEW, more closely related to Arabs, than Africans. You sir, are a racist idiot.

Jesus was born a Jew. What difference does that make? He could have been an Eskimo or an Aboriginese, but his teachings would have been the same. This has absolutely nothing to do with race. People are people, and truth is truth. Why bring race into this discussion at all? Non-sequitir.

GGpap, if you think things just happen without explanation, think again. Go to the beach and at sunrise take in the beauty and imagine the hundreds of thousands of life forms in that water. Or try a view across the mountains. Ask yourself how? and why? Better yet, consider the logic of life systems -- breathing and processing oxygen, learning, nutrition, creativity, aging, choice, love, death. Do you really think all that just happens? If so, your fear of death must be overwhelming.

Copper, Christians are also commanded to provide a reason for why they believe (see I Peter 3:15). When people dispute the truth of Christian beliefs, is it not important to try and address the issues they have raised? Errors need to be pointed out; Jesus said to speak the truth in love. I don't think clarifying truth is casting any pearls before swine. People are not pigs, and deserve the right to have their opinions heard and evaluated. I think that's all we're doing here.

GAC Arabs are Africans, and Jesus was probably very dark complected. He was not a European Jew. GAC If Christians are to be poor then why did Jesus teach us to help the poor? You don't understand Christianity. The Bible also states that if someone uses the Name of Jesus for profit then we still to give God praise that the name of Jesus is being spoken, and people will still be saved. I agree if someone does not except Christ then move on, and I dont like people coming to my door either.

Flash! There IS no spaghetti monster! At least not anymore. It was eaten night before last by mistake at a restaurant with meat sauce!!!!!!!

howcan, here is the basis....Titus 3:9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings
about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain., also as I quoted earlier, "Cast not thy pearls before swine...."

We're not talking about the law here. We're talking about foundational truths of Christianity vs. alien food. I fully agree that nitpicking over religious laws and details is silly, but discussing the existence of God is a fundamental issue that everyone needs to think through for themselves. These are not foolish questions. They're very important core issues with eternal implications for folks. Not really disagreeing with you, just trying to clarify the difference.

you take it out of context, howcan, the verse is NOT just about the law. If you read the whole verse, it's saying to avoid MULTIPLE things, including strivings about the law. Nowhere in the New Testament do you see Jesus arguing with those who don't believe, and HE is GOD.

Arabs are not Africans, neither are Jews. Arabs actually are of the same lineage, Biblically, as Jews, they are sons of Abraham. Though they have darker skin, they do not have other physical traits of Africans. Genetically they are different.

Cop, Jesus argued with nonbelievers all the time. Look at his interactions with the Pharisees. They were total nonbelievers, and Jesus spent a great deal of time confronting their lack of faith. He used scripture time and again to point out the errors in their thinking and reasoning. Basically, that's why they murdered him. They could not dispute the truth of his words, so they put him out of their misery. That's what happens when people can't dispute truth -- they get mad and start casting insults (for example, see Eugene Robinson's diatribe in the paper today). Again, I agree that you should not waste all your time arguing with people who refuse to believe. But, I believe it is the duty of every Christian to state the truth and they reasons why they believe. That's what Jesus did. How can we do less?

Arabs that are from Africa are Africans as those who live in the Americas are Americans

Have you noticed the bible does not reference race? It only references what region people are from.

Is the Spaghetti Monster made from bleached pasta or darker, whole-wheat pasta? That would make a tremendous difference in whether I believe in his/her teachings.

The Bible references race all the time, Jews, Egyptians, etcetera. Milton, obviously, your are black and subscribe to the fallacy that Jesus was African. Ask any Jew if he is of African decent. Then, I'll help pick you up off the ground. Jews are no more African than the Chinese.