Llwellyn Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 I tolerate the reality that some humans will choose to believe in the existence of "God." The environment in which we find ourselves is ultimately uncertain, and there are enigmas all around. For this reason, I agree with William James that "We have the right to believe at our own risk any hypothesis that is live enough to tempt our will." A Christian can say that they are a sinner, but they have no right to say that a non-Christian is a sinner. Their will may be tempted to believe in a God and to believe that they themselves are sinners, but they should keep all of their opinions to be directed toward themselves and their God -- it has nothing to do with us. What do you think? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duderonomy Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 To them we are sinners. We are sick. We are the lost. So to them, it has to do with us. What of our unbelief? Doesn't it also have something to do with them? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yunea Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 They think it's their business because the Bible talks about nonbelievers, as do their priests. So many lies are being spread, such as that everyone knows in their heart that there is a god, nonbelievers just love to sin, blah blah...and that everyone is going to either heaven or hell for sure. Yes, they should keep it to themselves, but they're taught that they can't, for the sake of our souls (or theirs - ignoring someone else's sin is a sin!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mymistake Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 My imaginary friend is deeply offended that you don't give 10% of your income to my ministry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llwellyn Posted May 27, 2015 Author Share Posted May 27, 2015 What of our unbelief? Doesn't it also have something to do with them? I don't think my atheism has anything to do with them. I think that the question for a human about whether that human would believe that there is a God and they are a Sinner is an open question. The greater part of existential problems are of such a nature that they are not susceptible of decisive evidence one way or the other. (E.g. free-will/determinism, God/Atheism, Supernatural Good/social good.) Every person is motivated by some bogey in the background that he wants to destroy. Atheists and Theists should not issue vetoes to the other. But neither should be bandy words of abuse. I think it is much more common for Theists to impose words of abuse on Atheists, and "SINNER" is the first word of abuse that we should not tolerate. I can certainly understand why a Christian might think that they are a sinner. But that act of belief should narrowly apply to them, just as their belief in God should narrowly apply to them. None of these speculative things have anything to do with atheists. This is what the vote in Ireland this past week has proven. When Christians keep repeating "We are all sinners" -- I think we should respond "Speak for yourself." What do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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