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How do you debate athiests?
Topic Started: 13 Mar 2012, 06:20 PM (856 Views)
Jewels
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How do you guys debate with atheists?
I'm so excited that I share the gospel with everyone friends, family, heck even at work (I know I know)
But it's like they always ask me these questions and don't always know how to answer. Some of the questions are below

1. If God is a forgiven God why does he send people to hell?

2. Why does God let bad things happen?

3. You say you have free will but your not saved unless you worship God

4. If chirsitany is legit why do you copy and paste from other "pagan" religion?

5. If Chirsitanity is so loving? then why such bloody histroy (then usually they mention Constantine and the Heretic wars in France)

etc etc

6. You know that the bible has been tampered with and is a "fairy tale"

7. The earth is older then 2,000 this has been proven so Genesis is wrong

How do you guys answer these, typically what happens is I try but then it ends up being a back and forth type argument :ermm:
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Luemas
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The first thing you have to remember when "debating" atheists is that nothing you do can change their hearts; it is god alone who does that.

None of those questions are easy, but if you want some longer answers... C.S. Lewis and his books are very good. You can find them in most any library, or online.

Also, 6 isn't a question. And for 7, there is much debate even in Christianity. There is no "Right" answer. Often times it comes down to faith, and I hope you find an answer that fits your faith. In the end, it's left hand theology and doesn't matter in terms of Jesus.

Number 4 is the one I'm most interested in. Zoroastrianism, Greco Romanism, et al. Jesus seems to be strangely similar to them. I think it's almost God's way of mocking them. Like, oh you can do a virgin birth? So can I. Well, maybe not that sarcastic, but you kind of get the point.
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Concolor
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@Lue: I would add Horus, the Egyptian God, to the list.

Also I think there is less "mocking" and more "this seems to work so let's keep using it" when religions copy each other.
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Calmador
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Jewels
13 Mar 2012, 06:20 PM
How do you guys debate with atheists?
I'm so excited that I share the gospel with everyone friends, family, heck even at work (I know I know)
But it's like they always ask me these questions and don't always know how to answer. Some of the questions are below

1. If God is a forgiven God why does he send people to hell?

2. Why does God let bad things happen?

3. You say you have free will but your not saved unless you worship God

4. If chirsitany is legit why do you copy and paste from other "pagan" religion?

5. If Chirsitanity is so loving? then why such bloody histroy (then usually they mention Constantine and the Heretic wars in France)

etc etc

6. You know that the bible has been tampered with and is a "fairy tale"

7. The earth is older then 2,000 this has been proven so Genesis is wrong

How do you guys answer these, typically what happens is I try but then it ends up being a back and forth type argument :ermm:
Like someone said earlier, God is the one who changes hearts. I'm glad you share, keep it and God bless but remember it's not by your efforts... but by God's. Scripture says, it's not by power nor by the sword but by his spirit.

I'll help you answer some of these questions.

1. God sends people to hell because his a good God. A bad God would accept murderers into heaven, thiefs and rapists... a good God would send these people to hell.

2. God is an all powerful God. If God controlled everything... and you always did good because God forced you. Then you'd a robot.... all humans would be robots and we wouldnt be able to love God by our own free will. A Pastor once said... if a little boy was given the choice of choosing between a robot Dog and a real life Puppy... the boy would choose the Puppy... if he chose the Robot Dog he would never have to worry about the dog pooping, biting him or running away... but with the real life Puppy, he would have to worry about it pooping, biting him and running away. The reason why he chose the Puppy is becase it's alive and it can give the boy love and affection... because the Puppy wants to. Likewise I think God wants us to be alive, not robots, but us willingly wanting to love God. Free will, thats why.

3. Free will is just decision making, not that anything you decide to do can happen your way. Like in life, in order for me to see clouds up close (lets say in sky and 10 feet away from me) ... I'm gonna have to get in a machine that can float or fly in order to see the clouds..... BUT if I dont.... then that wont happen. Likewise... with my free will, if I dont worship God... then I wont go to heaven.

Free will is just decision making.... not that anything you decide will happen your way.

4. God created the universe, the earth and mankind.... pagan religions are the ones that copy and paste... not the other way around.

5. God's word says shouldn't murder. People in France or crusaders in history did murder. God said don't murder, love your enemies. People in France didn't and so did the crusaders. Jesus died on the cross for everyone, even the roman who spat on his face. People in France burned peoples who didnt believe and crusaders killed too. Do you see who's to blame?

The people in France did what they did by thier own choice and reasoning. God said clearly don't murder and love your enemy. People can't blame God for those things, but they can blame the people of France. They blame God for things that clearly God didnt do... and even encourage, or told them to do in the Bible... its pretty insane how they blame things on a God says don't murder and love your enemy.

6. The Bible is the most reliable Book in the world... it has the most historical evidence of all. There's 25,000 manuscipts.... which are copies from the ancient world while the second most preserved written work, called "Iliad" has about 650.... in comparison... the Bible is in it's own league. Yes it's true there's some tiny variations... after all... God used men to write the Bible... and men are still capable of messing up... but get this... out of 25,000 copies... they are about 99% alike to each other. While the second most presevered written work has a 95%, thats worse since they had less chances to mess up... a lot less... thousands less. It's not fairy tales... that's just silly. Here's a practical example.... does Egypt exist? Yes.... The Bible talks about Egypt. There, it's clealry not a book about fairy tales. In the end tho... God's spirit is who really teaches... a rapist can read the Bible and still not understand and keep on raping... like someone said earlier... it's a Faith thing that we trust God on truly teaching. I'm just saying it's silly to say the Bible is unreliable. http://www.allaboutthejourney.org/bible-manuscripts.htm

7. Wrong again they havent proven anything, carbon dating doesn't work for less the 40,000 years, it's a flawed system. Also please watch this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dt18VHEE9og It's long but watch it when you have time. Personally I think it's thousands of years.

Just keep it to God's word, basically just the gospel. Only God can change hearts.... even with all the evidence the Christian faith clearly has.... people wont change unless they want to... and only God can help them in that area.
Edited by Calmador, 6 Apr 2012, 09:38 AM.
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Luemas
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Which is why we don't use Carbon dating for more than 10,000 years or so.

Which is why we use other forms of radioactive isotope dating. Because I'm former young earth believer myself, I've seen most evidence that attempts to prove a young earth. And little of it works under close examination.

And Concolor, the bible is full of potshots at other religions. Pigs, the talking snake, the golden calf, the whole "son of God" thing. So I guess it depends on how you look at it. Copy cats or people being all, your religion is all herp derp. I don't know.
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Concolor
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Calmador has a point, you should definetly make them laugh - that takes the edge off the situation :D
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Concolor
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@Lue: yeah, from what I've heard it's an age old tradition that people of different creeds make fun of each others beliefs. I've been told that the ancient God Baal-shebab was jokingly referred to as Beelsebub ("he who eats flies"-or something) by early jews.

I find that hilarious, but I guess most Baal supporters weren't laughing.
Life is beautiful, love heals, people come through.

Reason, compassion and love comes first. Everything else is secondary. Except for Skittles. - And emperor Cheezy! Posted Image
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Calmador
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Hey Jewels, also wanted to add this verse, that helped me the most when it comes to evangelizing

2 Corinthians 4:5

5 For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

So we don't tell people things based off our own works, based off what we think.... but we say Jesus Christ is Lord, we tell them the gospel and we show them that were servants of Jesus... that our behavior is of a follower of Jesus.

Basically, with all the evidence that we have in our faith, it's there, there's evidence.... athiest can still shrug it off and ignore it. And say "nah I still want a Godly world so I can sin" (because thats what they want)... the person your reaching out to has to be open for it. And when it comes to athiests... they are already decided in the lie they believe in so keep that in mind and be ready to just stop, let them go and then pray for them if they reject the gospel when you present it.

What I told you above might not be the best way to go about it. What really hits the heart is God's word. That Jesus Christ died and resurrected for your sins, your evil life that is going to hell. You don't have to answer all their questions, if you can give them answer ok, if you can't thats ok too just say "I don't know, ask God" and just give them God's word (the gospel) and show them with your behavior that your a servant of Jesus.. by being nice, polite and showing love ok.

As you can see above, concolor's behavior, thats what you might have to deal with just someone that doesn't take you seriously and just makes jokes. So when comes to that you don't have to stick around or keep preaching, obviously they made their choice before you came to them and don't want to accept truth, goodness or love.. and want to stay in their evil ways.

Lastly I wanna point out, it's not a debate, the truth of God is not arguable, it's just true so you arguing with em is kind of silly, just give them the truth (God's word) explain it and move on.


@Lue

It doesn't matter anyways, younger or older then we estimate, doesn't matter... God made it. The universe keeps getting bigger and smaller as they discover more and more... and it's a testament to how little we know yet scientist think they know it all... and at the same time... get proven wrong when they find new things and can't figure it out how this or how that. It's arrogance I think. Anyways, younger or older then we think, "Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth". Do you believe in God?
Edited by Calmador, 13 Apr 2012, 02:09 PM.
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Luemas
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Musn't institute troll measures. Too late.
To take a page from Conc's book...

I believe in the Flying Spaghetti Monster. His soft slimy noodles have caressed my soul and I have found true inner peace that surpasses all understanding. I now understand that it is through sacrifice to his holy noodly appendages that brings about salvation.

Bro, for both our sakes. Look at some of the older debates. Go back about 40 pages or whatever.
Then report to me what you think I believe in.
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Calmador
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Luemas
13 Apr 2012, 07:05 PM
Musn't institute troll measures. Too late.
To take a page from Conc's book...

I believe in the Flying Spaghetti Monster. His soft slimy noodles have caressed my soul and I have found true inner peace that surpasses all understanding. I now understand that it is through sacrifice to his holy noodly appendages that brings about salvation.

Bro, for both our sakes. Look at some of the older debates. Go back about 40 pages or whatever.
Then report to me what you think I believe in.
You know could just tell me. I looked at some of the past posts before and if I wanted to guess I'd say your Christian based on those posts... but reading this post, now I wonder.

If you consider yourself Christian, how did you become Christian?
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Concolor
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Too funny Lue! :D

Easy on the new guy, I feel that my very existence is unwelcoming enough in itself :)
Life is beautiful, love heals, people come through.

Reason, compassion and love comes first. Everything else is secondary. Except for Skittles. - And emperor Cheezy! Posted Image
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Luemas
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I'm sorry. I really should be nicer to the new guy. My sarcasm bubbleth over.

My name's Lue. Real name Sam. Your typical sarcastic teenager who doesn't know when to shut up. And that get's me into a lot of awkward instances.

I consider myself a Christian. Apostles creed and whatnot. Or Apostlisch glaubensbekenntniss. (That's German)
Jesus died for my screwed up self, so my job is to live a new life and spread the gospel to others.

Like Concolor. But we'll keep praying for him. Because we love him and want him to rock out in heaven with us.
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I think I'm Crazzzy. I think your crazy. I think your crazzzy... probably.
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:D badly :D :D :D :D :D :D yesss Concolors in for sure !

and yeah id go back to late 2009 for some of the good stuff on christianity on the forum...
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Luemas
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It was a good year. That year. *sniff* Ah the memories, like scent of lemon from my youth.
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I think I'm Crazzzy. I think your crazy. I think your crazzzy... probably.
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too right
but no lemons
pie
yea
was pie
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