Common Tactics Used By Christians

[KT45]

As a new deconvert I know my weakness and I know what can and can't get to me that my lead me back into christianity. I feel that if a christian were to attak me with an emotional argument it might get to me. I also still have a slight fear of hell and an even stronger one for the "Left Behind" end times stuff (especially with this middle eastern war stuff and so called prophecies etc).

 

Basically I want to know the common things christians say to push those emotion buttons in people

 

Here are some. Please bring more specific so that everyone will recongize them and place appropriate ways to combat these. Or list any other tactics you use to keep your mind striaght or to throw other evangelistic christians in a loop.

 

1. Have you stolen anything? If you have, doesn't that make you a thief? Have you ever lied? Doesn't that make you a liar? Have you ever looked upon a member of the opposite sex with lust in your eyes? Doesn't that make you an adulterer? We have already gone over three of the ten commandments. Therefore, it is important to accept Jesus as your savior because he is our advocate to the Father to forgive us of our sins.

 

2. Let's say you committed several serious crimes and have a $1,000,000 fine or you will go to jail for the rest of your life. Now let's say you have confessed to the crimes as you did a moment ago to the lying, stealing, hating and blaspheme. You say to the judge "I am really sorry and I won’t do it again and I know you’re a good judge so I expect you to just let me go and not punish me for the crimes". What do you think a good and just judge would say to you? He would say "your right you did wrong, you should have known better, and you’re right I am a good judge so I will make sure that justice is done and find you guilty". It won’t matter in that courtroom how good you think you are or how many good things you have done. You will be found guilty as charged. Likewise you would be found by a Holy God to be guilty and spend eternity in Hell.

 

 

-edit-

what I mostly care about is having the best arguments and tactics christians use against nonbelievers. Having the answers for each is the least of my concerns. You just want to know the average question christians ask so I won't be surprised when they come up.

[KT45]

by the way I found all these on different sites and forums. I'll just keep adding them so others will recognize them

 

3. if you believe there is no God, why are you afraid of death?! Is it a natural human reaction to be afraid of death? Who made you have that reaction? Oh you’re not afraid of death? then why are you afraid to lose someone close? The fear to miss that person? How is this missing implanted in you? How are you full of those invisible feelings?

 

4. Why is a nonbeliever always feeling lost although he chose that way? Because he feels there is something missing,

 

5. If there is no god, where did life come from?

 

6. I would ask this of non - believers - when you , on your deathbed , for whatever reason , know you are dying , you are suddenly faced with a choice - who do you pray to - science , or something which 80% of people believe in - God ;

 

7. If you should die right now, would you definitely receive eternal life and live with the Father in heaven?

 

8. Ask non-Believers how anything can matter, since we’ll all be dead in 100 years

[KT45]

9. What's the point of having moral values if there is no afterlife and nothing matters?

 

10. If there's no definite proof that god doesn't exist, or does exist, why deny the existance of god instead of having an open-mind in between?

 

11. Have you ever felt something missing in your life that money, objects and people can't fulfil?

 

12. Do you want to go to hell? (puts you directly into the mindset that you already assume hell is real making it really effective)

 

13. Jesus loves you ....blah .....blah .....blah......why wouldn't you accept him into your life.

[Japedo]

Are you wanting ways to answer the 13 above in addition to other things that might be said as well and how to combat them? I guess I'm just asking for clarification.

[KT45]

Are you wanting ways to answer the 13 above in addition to other things that might be said as well and how to combat them? I guess I'm just asking for clarification.

Yes that is basically what I want. If you want you can totally ignore what I wrote and write one you think is more common. I just want myself and others to be familiar with the most common attempts to convert people.

 

here is a example I shamelessly stoled from other persons post

 

14. Didn't you know the bible says......(something about love, sinners or hell).....why wouldn't you want to accept Jesus as your lord?

I can never hope to debate Bible verses. I couldn't even get through the whole book and it leads nowhere anyway. My usual response whenever I get Bible verses pointed at me is "I'm not a Christian. That means nothing to me."

 

I usually get some bite back that it SHOULD mean something to me because it's the One True Word of God. They keep trying to get me in a circular argument, so it's wash, rinse, repeat. If you keep telling them, "I'm not a Christian. Christian scripture and law doesn't apply to me," they eventually give up with the parting shot of "I'll pray for you." Which is just the self-rightous euphimism in place of "You're going to Hell, heathen trash."

[godlessgrrl]

I am honestly not terribly good at debate; there are folks on this site who are far, far better at it than I likely will ever be. (You know who you are, and I'm not worthy! ) But I can offer some thoughts anyway. If you find any useful, that's cool. If not, no worries.

 

Appeals to emotion are utterly worthless. They do nothing whatsoever to demonstrate that there is, in fact, any deity that exists in this universe at all; or that, if said deity should exist, s/he is Biblegod and no other... or any of the various other outrageous claims that Xians make about their religion, their god, their savior, or what have you.

 

What I would want any Xian to do is demonstrate to me, using some kind of objective verification, that there is a god in the first place, and then that Biblegod is it. And nobody can do it. Why? Because religious belief isn't fact, it's faith. It might as well be fiction. Faith is powerful in its own way, and apparently a lot of people seem to have some deep-seated psychological need for it, but faith is not fact, and it isn't supposed to be.

 

1. Have you stolen anything? If you have, doesn't that make you a thief? ...etc. etc.

 

I've also gone into my garage a lot, but that doesn't make me a car.

 

This quote comes from, iirc, Ray "Not Much Comfort At All" Comfort's Way of the Master crap. It's a variation on guilt by association. It does nothing but demonstrate a dogmatic absolutism on the part of Biblegod and those of his followers who subscribe to the same absolutism.

 

A person is a liar when they are a chronic, habitual liar, not when they've lied once. A person is an adulterer when they cheat on their spouse, not when they've lusted after somebody. Give me a break.

 

Although I seem to recall a tactic that HanSolo mentioned in another thread when dealing with this argument. Which was, ask if they've ever lied. By their own argument, they're a liar too, and you don't have to believe a word they say. to HanSolo for that one.

 

2. Let's say you committed several serious crimes and have a $1,000,000 fine or you will go to jail for the rest of your life. ...etc. etc.

 

No judge on the face of the planet would sentence any human being to a finite punishment for an infinite crime. This argument only says to me that Biblegod is a vengeful tyrant, not a just and righteous deity.

 

More later...

[Japedo]

I'll start with some of the ones you posted.

 

 

1. Have you stolen anything? No, why have you? If you have, doesn't that make you a thief? Are you admitting to me you're a thief, what did you steal and who from? Besides god rewards Theifs, please read the Bible story about Jacobs stolen birthright and how god rewarded him for stealing. His poor brother Esu was robbed and God didn't care. Have you ever lied? Sure, hasn't everyone? Doesn't that make you a liar? No it makes me human, there isn't a man or godman alive that hasn't, even Christ lied, Please read John 18:19-20 Where Christ say's he's never tricked or lied and taught in secret. Compare and Contrast to Mark 4:10-12 Where He say's he teaches in parables in order to deceive some people from the 'truth'. and one can also read about his delightful deceit in Matt 13:13-15, So far you have not convinced me that you or your belief is more moral or righteous... While you're pondering that, I'd like to ask a question. If a person lies to save a life, limb or property is it still a sin? If so which would be the greater sin? Are sins measured in terms of severity, if so are their degrees of punishment if not why not?

 

Have you ever looked upon a member of the opposite sex with lust in your eyes? (If you wanted to be a smartass one could answer this, of course not I'm gay!!! lol) anyways on to seriousness.. Who ever say's they haven't is a liar, it goes against human nature not to desire. . Doesn't that make you an adulterer? No it doesn't. Are you aware that one would have to actually break a vow to a significant other in order to by definition commit adultery. Lust is not adultery, wanting something isn't the same as actually having it. It requires actually doing something. A zillion thoughts go thru peoples minds a day, the question is do we act on impulse or not. This argument is a non-argument completely weak at best . We have already gone over three of the ten commandments. You're embarrassing yourself, Some bible scholar you are, didja know there are actually 613 commandments? Is there an explanation by the Christian church as to why they only picked 10? Therefore, it is important to accept Jesus as your savior because he is our advocate to the Father to forgive us of our sins. Your argument has just been dismantled, and your ass handed to you. Please try again, thanks for playing.

 

[Fweethawt]

1. Have you stolen anything? If you have, doesn't that make you a thief?

Have you every given someone a gift? What does that make you?

Have you ever lied? Doesn't that make you a liar?

Have you ever told the truth? What does that make you?

Have you ever looked upon a member of the opposite sex with lust in your eyes? Doesn't that make you an adulterer?

Have you ever looked upon a member of the opposite sex and said to yourself, "Damn! That dude/dudette is frikkin' ugly! I wouldn't be caught dead gettin' a piece'o that!" What does that make you?

We have already gone over three of the ten commandments. Therefore, it is important to accept Jesus as your savior because he is our advocate to the Father to forgive us of our sins.

Yeah but Jesus is a liar too. He told his followers that he would return within their lifetimes and that was over 2,000 years ago. So tell me -- how does putting my faith in a liar really help me out?

[Alexandrian]

"1. Have you stolen anything? If you have, doesn't that make you a thief? Have you ever lied? Doesn't that make you a liar? Have you ever looked upon a member of the opposite sex with lust in your eyes? Doesn't that make you an adulterer?"

No. One time comission of an act doesn't make it justified to describe someone as one who continues to do something. For instance, I have helped a couple friends fix their computers, but I am not a computer repairman. I have played football, but you couldn't call me a football player.

 

You certainly can't justify infinite punishment(Hell) based on finite sins.

 

But say you could. That still doesn't prove that Christianity is true or that there is some guy called Jesus who you need to forgive you, or that the universe holds any mechanism for the punishment of sins.

 

"You say to the judge "I am really sorry and I won’t do it again and I know you’re a good judge so I expect you to just let me go and not punish me for the crimes"."

You haven't proven the existence of said judge. But with any just judge we know- we would not face a final punishment of Life in Prison without Parole or the Death Penalty unless convicted of Murder in the first degree. I've never done that.

 

"

3. if you believe there is no God, why are you afraid of death?! Is it a natural human reaction to be afraid of death? Who made you have that reaction? Oh you’re not afraid of death? then why are you afraid to lose someone close? The fear to miss that person? How is this missing implanted in you? How are you full of those invisible feelings? "

 

Death is something negative. Occuring to us, it removes our ability to enjoy the world- or in another person, it removes that person's ability to enjoy life, as well as removes our ability to enjoy that person. It is natural to fear negative consequences.

 

Challenge the Christian that he has yet to provide proof of the Christian God.

 

"

4. Why is a nonbeliever always feeling lost although he chose that way? Because he feels there is something missing"

 

Well, the removal of God to simplify all of life's philosophical questions does make things a bit more complicated. It's natural believers wouldn't feel lost given their artifical simplification of the universe.

 

"5. If there is no god, where did life come from?"

 

Proto-organic manner formed in deep sea vents, where the start of terrestial life began.

 

"

6. I would ask this of non - believers - when you , on your deathbed , for whatever reason , know you are dying , you are suddenly faced with a choice - who do you pray to - science , or something which 80% of people believe in - God"

 

This doesn't begin to provide any argument for the truth of Christianity.

 

"

7. If you should die right now, would you definitely receive eternal life and live with the Father in heaven?"

 

No.

 

"

8. Ask non-Believers how anything can matter, since we’ll all be dead in 100 years"

Because the world today and the people in it matter to us, since we are moral people. Why shouldn't the present manner?

 

"9. What's the point of having moral values if there is no afterlife and nothing matters?"

 

That's an incredibly complex philosophical question that philosophers have chased after for ages, that Christianity simplifies. But the point above does not prove Christianity.

 

"

10. If there's no definite proof that god doesn't exist, or does exist, why deny the existance of god instead of having an open-mind in between?"

Why deny the existence of Santa Claus? Or the invisible Pink Unicorn? Or the Buddha, or Allah?

 

"

11. Have you ever felt something missing in your life that money, objects and people can't fulfil?"

 

Sure, I have sometimes wanted knowledge, including knowledge of the universe and it's nature. Unfortunately Christianity gives pretty lame answers.

 

"12. Do you want to go to hell? (puts you directly into the mindset that you already assume hell is real making it really effective)"

 

You answer this yourself- don't assume the Christian Hell is real.

 

"

13. Jesus loves you ....blah .....blah .....blah......why wouldn't you accept him into your life."

Because I am committed to seeking the truth as opposed to lame answers that make me feel better.

 

 

 

In general, don't let them play any of these mind games on you. By just being an Ex-Christian- that does not mean you have a position on the nature of the universe and the meaning of life(You may from somewhere else, in which case you can defend that). They are the one with the firm position- that Christianity(and not just Theism either!) is true. Make them defend that specific argument instead of getting into the above emotional gobbledygook.

[godlessgrrl]

More thoughts.

 

3. if you believe there is no God, why are you afraid of death?! Is it a natural human reaction to be afraid of death? Who made you have that reaction? Oh you’re not afraid of death? then why are you afraid to lose someone close? The fear to miss that person? How is this missing implanted in you? How are you full of those invisible feelings?

 

I fear death because death marks the end of my consciousness. I value my consciousness. Uh, and yeah, as far as I know, that is a common human reaction. Nobody "makes" us have that reaction, we just do. Why does a god have to be involved?

 

Uh, and I don't like losing loved ones because it sucks. It's painful, and I dislike pain. Plus I care about people I love and would indeed miss them if I lost them, to death or otherwise. How on earth does that mean there's a deity?

 

I'm full of feelings because of biochemistry. Which doesn't actually diminish them in any way. (I hate the implication that somehow feelings and whatnot are only "worth" something if they're put there by a god instead of a product of some science or other. What hoo-hah.) Why do feelings demonstrate that there is a god? Why does a deity have to have something to do with it?

 

4. Why is a nonbeliever always feeling lost although he chose that way? Because he feels there is something missing,

 

Ah yes. Broad brushing. Nonbelievers "always" feel lost.

 

Well, for one thing, that's bullshit. I certainly have my moments, but they don't represent a permanent, underlying "lost" or "empty" state, regardless of how much any fundy fucknut might claim they do. If anyone feels lost, there might be a thousand reasons why. Bad day, bad year, illness, whatever. It doesn't have anything to do with having a "god-shaped hole" that needs filling. (Anybody who uses this phrase on you is already a god-shaped hole.)

 

5. If there is no god, where did life come from?

 

I dunno. I'm not much of a scientist. Why does a god have to have anything to do with it?

 

6. I would ask this of non - believers - when you , on your deathbed , for whatever reason , know you are dying , you are suddenly faced with a choice - who do you pray to - science , or something which 80% of people believe in - God ;

 

I will have no reason to pray for anything on my deathbed. Next!

 

7. If you should die right now, would you definitely receive eternal life and live with the Father in heaven?

 

Nope. Next!

 

8. Ask non-Believers how anything can matter, since we’ll all be dead in 100 years

 

Is their life really so pathetic and meaningless that they have to believe in an imaginary sky daddy to make it worth anything?

 

More later...

[Kurari]

Repeat after me:

 

I do not need to justify myself to anyone.

 

And you don't. I know how scary it is to get faced with religious arguments, but it's important that you remember that your faith in god is a personal thing and they don't have the right to belittle you, harrass you, or debate it with you unless you want to. It's not anybody else's business anymore than what your favorite sexual positions are.

 

Honestly, the best thing you can do is tell them that it's none of their business or you're just going to get stuck in a constant circular argument. What you've listed here is their tactics just for that. Don't play their game.

 

You're not a Christian anymore. What the Bible says and what Christians say do NOT apply to you. The responses to your above questions are:

 

"I feel it's inappropriate to discuss it with you."

 

and/or

 

"I am not a Christian. What you say means nothing to me."

[Asimov]

1. Have you stolen anything? If you have, doesn't that make you a thief? Have you ever lied? Doesn't that make you a liar? Have you ever looked upon a member of the opposite sex with lust in your eyes? Doesn't that make you an adulterer? We have already gone over three of the ten commandments. Therefore, it is important to accept Jesus as your savior because he is our advocate to the Father to forgive us of our sins.

 

By Jesus' absolutist standards, I'm probably one of those things. I don't accept Jesus' standards and if you're trying to convince me of something, assuming that God exists and then telling me I don't live up to his standards isn't a good way to do so.

 

3. if you believe there is no God, why are you afraid of death?! Is it a natural human reaction to be afraid of death? Who made you have that reaction? Oh you’re not afraid of death? then why are you afraid to lose someone close? The fear to miss that person? How is this missing implanted in you? How are you full of those invisible feelings?

 

This has got to be the most retarded question ever. I'm afraid of death because I want to live. Nobody made me have that reaction, it's a developed evolutionary reaction so that I want to survive and propagate my species.

 

4. Why is a nonbeliever always feeling lost although he chose that way? Because he feels there is something missing,

 

No, I don't.

 

5. If there is no god, where did life come from?

 

Not from God.

 

6. I would ask this of non - believers - when you , on your deathbed , for whatever reason , know you are dying , you are suddenly faced with a choice - who do you pray to - science , or something which 80% of people believe in - God ;

 

I don't pray to anyone or anything.

 

7. If you should die right now, would you definitely receive eternal life and live with the Father in heaven?

 

No.

 

8. Ask non-Believers how anything can matter, since we’ll all be dead in 100 years

 

How is that a relevant question?

 

9. What's the point of having moral values if there is no afterlife and nothing matters?

 

How are those two things related?

 

10. If there's no definite proof that god doesn't exist, or does exist, why deny the existance of god instead of having an open-mind in between?

 

Because you're a fuckwad.

 

11. Have you ever felt something missing in your life that money, objects and people can't fulfil?

 

Nope.

 

12. Do you want to go to hell? (puts you directly into the mindset that you already assume hell is real making it really effective)

 

Nope.

 

13. Jesus loves you ....blah .....blah .....blah......why wouldn't you accept him into your life.

 

Because I don't love jesus.

[Ouroboros]

Okay, I'll take a crack at it. One point at a time. See if you like the answers or not. Here it goes...

 

Have to stolen? Makes you a thief. Have you lied? Makes you a liar.

 

It's exaggeration. A petty action made into a huge action.

 

It would be the same as saying:

Have you ever blinked? That makes you a blinker.

Have you ever told the truth? That makes you a truth teller.

Have you ever been speeding? That makes a formula-1 driver.

Have you ever had a drink? That makes you an alcoholic.

Have you ever had a dream? That makes you a dreamer.

Have you ever been realistic? That makes you a realist.

Have you ever been social? That makes you a socialist.

etc...

 

Basically, by doing one actions once or twice doesn't necessarily make you a professional in the same.

You don't become a professional hitman by shoting a gun once for instance.

 

By the way, what was the reason someone stole? If a mom with a bunch of hungry kids are starving to death, and she steals some food in the store to feed her dying kids, the court will be more lenient to her. While a person that steals professionally to sell to get money for drugs is a different issue.

 

About lying, when is a lie a lie? Is it when you withhold information? Are white lies included? Are repeating misinformation a lie? There are different levels of it, so what they get at is if you have been dishonest about anything, then you're a complete dishonest person. But is that true? The question back to the Christian is, "have you ever told a lie?" If their answer is "yes", then he/she is a liar, and why should I listen to or believe a liar telling me about some "absolute truth"?

[godlessgrrl]

More thoughts from this goober in the Peanut Gallery!

 

9. What's the point of having moral values if there is no afterlife and nothing matters?

 

It sure helps people get along in life without destroying each other.

 

Humans are social creatures. We survive by learning to live together. Anthropology demonstrates that there are countless ways of doing so. No god necessary - or a thousand gods, if you wish.

 

Is the only thing keeping you* in check your belief in an imaginary friend? Are you so baldly amoral that you would go on a murderous, rapacious rampage if you didn't believe in a deity? If so, stay the hell away from me and mine.

 

10. If there's no definite proof that god doesn't exist, or does exist, why deny the existance of god instead of having an open-mind in between?

 

Ooooh, this sounds suspiciously like a watered-down version of Pascal's Wager... even if it isn't, the term "agnostic" fits this definition nicely. Not every nonbeliever is a hard atheist, fwiw.

 

11. Have you ever felt something missing in your life that money, objects and people can't fulfil?

 

Yeah. That's why I got a dog. Next!

 

12. Do you want to go to hell? (puts you directly into the mindset that you already assume hell is real making it really effective)

 

First off, prove to me that there is a hell to go to.

 

Secondly, prove to me that it's the one described in the Bible, rather than the one in the Quran, or the Aeneid, or any of the negative afterlives or states of being of any religion around the world.

 

13. Jesus loves you ....blah .....blah .....blah......why wouldn't you accept him into your life.

 

Well, for one thing, there really isn't solid evidence that the fellow existed. For another, even if he did exist, there's nothing to show that he wasn't just a really wise guy who got massively misquoted.

 

For another, how on earth does anybody dare speak for Jesus? Are you Jesus?

 

(*NOTE: The various "you"'s in this and the rest of my posts are NOT directed at you personally, Taylork - they're part of the response to the generic, imaginary Xians who've come up with the quotes you posted.)

[Ouroboros]

2. Judged, convicted by your actions, condemned

 

The problem with the illustration is that most people are informed what they can and can not do in society. And usually the punishment fits the crime. Running a red light will not give you a death penalty. Or let's say that you break a law you never heard of and is completely ridiculous (eating carrots on a Sunday for instance), and it gives you life sentence.

 

That's how God is described to give justice. He demands that we believe, against evidence and conviction. I don't have faith, but yet the faith is given by God, and if he doesn't give it to me, he still will give me an eternal punishment. It doesn't level up to my "crime".

 

You can be fairly judged when you are aware and understand that you've done something wrong. A criminal that can't separate between right and wrong, and can't act in his own defense, they are usually handed over to mental institution and not jail. So in God's eyes, we (the unbeliever) is defect, non-functional, and can't be judged by knowingly act against his law. We by definition, don't know the difference between right and wrong, or left and right , so he's condemning a faulty product, by his own design, to be eternally punished. There's no fairness or justice in those actions.

[godlessgrrl]

And some more.

 

14. Didn't you know the bible says......(something about love, sinners or hell).....why wouldn't you want to accept Jesus as your lord?

 

Who gives a rat's ass what the Buybull says? Not me.

 

Why would I want to "accept Jesus as my lord"? What the hell does that mean, anyway?

[Ouroboros]

3. if you believe there is no God, why are you afraid of death?! Is it a natural human reaction to be afraid of death? Who made you have that reaction? Oh you’re not afraid of death? then why are you afraid to lose someone close? The fear to miss that person? How is this missing implanted in you? How are you full of those invisible feelings?

That's a hard question for me to answer, because I'm not so afraid of death anymore. I was more afraid of having done some unforgivable sins when I were Christian, and more afraid of dying before getting absolution back then. Now I know, this is what I have, and we all go the same way. Get with the program and just relax. Live in life, don't live in death.

 

4. Why is a nonbeliever always feeling lost although he chose that way? Because he feels there is something missing,

"Feeling lost"? In what sense? I don't feel lost at all... Did I miss that class?

 

5. If there is no god, where did life come from?

If there is a God, where did he come from?

 

6. I would ask this of non - believers - when you , on your deathbed , for whatever reason , know you are dying , you are suddenly faced with a choice - who do you pray to - science , or something which 80% of people believe in - God ;

Don't get it. I don't know what I'm going to do when I die. Maybe I won't pray, so why should I pray to science?

 

7. If you should die right now, would you definitely receive eternal life and live with the Father in heaven?

The chances are just a good that I'll have an eternal life with the Mother in Xanadu, or with Santa in the Eternal Toy Shop.

 

But to answer the question a bit different, if there is a God for real, he is either a facist and evil if Christianity is right, or he is a loving God that embraces all humans when they die.

 

8. Ask non-Believers how anything can matter, since we’ll all be dead in 100 years

Everything matters to me right now. Because that's what I have, what I get. This is the hand at the big poker table that I got dealt, now I just have to play the hand to make the best benefit for me and my family.

[KT45]

Thanks so much for your responses. If there have ever been any questions that have even slightly thrown you for a loop, post them. This is so we can aviod falling in the same traps.

 

I love the simplified responses, asking them questions back at them (like prove it) or simply saying that doesn't apply to me.

 

Thanks again I'll be back with more if they are good after searching the web.

[Ouroboros]

9. What's the point of having moral values if there is no afterlife and nothing matters?

Actually I have morals that benefits my family and society, which is completely based on egotism. It's more solid than being moral based on someones commands. I'm being "moral" because I'm selfish. (I'll explain some other time)

 

Afterlife doesn't add any reason to why there are moral values. That you have a car in the parking lot to bring your food home from the store isn't the reason to why you have food on the shelfs.

 

10. If there's no definite proof that god doesn't exist, or does exist, why deny the existance of god instead of having an open-mind in between?

I do have an open mind in between. Only that currently I don't believe there is a God. But still I'm open to the possibility. No one have so far given me any undeniable argument or evidence to convince me. So the challenge is still there for any takers.

 

11. Have you ever felt something missing in your life that money, objects and people can't fulfil?

Like what? Need to believe? Yes, for 30 years, then suddenly the need was gone, so I lost my faith. Can I change my feelings? Are feelings decided by actions and decisions? What comes first the feeling or the action?

 

12. Do you want to go to hell? (puts you directly into the mindset that you already assume hell is real making it really effective)

If there is a Hell, no one knows how it is. The Bible could be completely wrong, and Hell is the place everyone really wanted to go from the start. The infinite BBQ, but Christians are not invited. (They're such party poopers.)

 

13. Jesus loves you ....blah .....blah .....blah......why wouldn't you accept him into your life.

I don't believe Jesus exists today, as a God or as a person, so he doesn't love or feel any emotions at all. So I can't accept him. He's just a figment of your imagination.

 

Bye bye!

[KT45]

1. Are you 100% sure you will go to heaven at death

2. Upon death when arriving at the gate of heaven, and Jesus ask's; Why should I allow you to enter? What would you answer?

3. I can tell you so much about Jesus has touch my life, my families life….love….Jesus blah blah (testimonies- especially the really heart touching crap)

4. A good friend ask do you want (to go to church/ or watch a tv evangelist) with me?

5. "What do you think happens after death?"

6. "How do you think a person becomes a Christian?"

7. Have you ever received Christ as your personal Lord and Savior? (how do you answer as an ex-christian?)

8. "Look, if you will give me a minute of your time, I can show you how to be sure that you will spend eternity in heaven, not in hell. All you need do is ask Jesus into your heart, and you can do that just by saying a brief prayer with me. Will you pray the prayer that will save you from eternity in hell? It takes only about ten seconds."

9. begin with a positive statement - "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life."

[Fweethawt]

1. Are you 100% sure you will go to heaven at death

There is no 'Heaven'

2. Upon death when arriving at the gate of heaven, and Jesus ask's; Why should I allow you to enter? What would you answer?

See answer to 1.

3. I can tell you so much about Jesus has touch my life, my families life….love….Jesus blah blah (testimonies- especially the really heart touching crap)

I can tell you so much about Santa Claus and his positive impact on my life and family.

4. A good friend ask do you want (to go to church/ or watch a tv evangelist) with me?

Only if you'll watch Cosmos or read Demon Haunted World after we're finished.

5. "What do you think happens after death?"

I'll tell you when I get there.

6. "How do you think a person becomes a Christian?"

By giving themselves a self-inflicted lobotamy.

7. Have you ever received Christ as your personal Lord and Savior? (how do you answer as an ex-christian?)

When I believed - yes.

8. "Look, if you will give me a minute of your time, I can show you how to be sure that you will spend eternity in heaven, not in hell. All you need do is ask Jesus into your heart, and you can do that just by saying a brief prayer with me. Will you pray the prayer that will save you from eternity in hell? It takes only about ten seconds."

See answers to 1 and 2

9. begin with a positive statement - "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life."

Sounds nice.

[Dhampir]

A question I asked a christian: how does lusting after someone make a person an adulterer if he isn't married? I understand perhaps fornicator, but adultery has a very specific definition. Anyways, this guy tried to compare being arrested for shoplifting and being charged with larceny, as the same as fornicating, and being charged with adultery.

 

Now of course, it's actually the exact opposite of the point he was trying to make, whereas shoplifting is a type of larceny, but larceny isn't always shoplifting, and I woulda' nailed him on it, 'cept, I accidently logged out of the chat I was in, and couldn't get back in that night.

[Japedo]

1. Are you 100% sure you will go to heaven at death

 

 

NO, No one is 100% sure about what happens after death until we get there. Not even the willfully blind regardless what the death cult teaches them.

 

2. Upon death when arriving at the gate of heaven, and Jesus ask's; Why should I allow you to enter? What would you answer?

 

 

lol... This is a stupid catch 22. If you don't answer it will be considered a win to the Fundy, if you do answer it looks as though you realistically believe it might happen.. I would state, First and foremost There is ZERO evidence to support this ludicrous fantasy. In entertaining the Idea, I would says... Jesus? WTF I thought Anubis and maat were the gods that weighed our hearts and justice. They were after all around 1000s of years before yourself and measured souls based upon how good people were not what they believed, I thought it made more sense so I guess I'm totally hosed because you failed as a god to give evidence of your existence Good thing you killed your self to absolve the entire human race of all sin, including the sin of non-belief.

 

3. I can tell you so much about Jesus has touch my life, my families life….love….Jesus blah blah (testimonies- especially the really heart touching crap)

 

and I can tell them I touch myself, So what's that got to do with the price of eggs? I'd tell them to spare me the emotional bullshit and deal with the facts.

 

4. A good friend ask do you want (to go to church/ or watch a tv evangelist) with me?

Sure I could use a good laugh, I hope I don't embarrass you much when I point out their illogical arguments, I'm sure you won't mind making it known you hang out with a full blown agnostic/ doubter who's not afraid to challenge god in public. What time do we leave?

 

5. "What do you think happens after death?"

 

What I think has nothing to do with what "is". It's irrelevant what I think, and talking about it is pointless.

 

6. "How do you think a person becomes a Christian?"

 

Another Catch 22. I do not believe such a deity exists, and I put this question on the same level as being asked how do Santa's reindeer Fly. With a halfassed straight face I'd say.. Asking a magic sky godman who goes by the name of Jesus Christ into your heart by saying the sinners prayer.

 

7. Have you ever received Christ as your personal Lord and Savior? (how do you answer as an ex-christian?)

 

Has Santa really ever squeezed his fat ass down a chimney? This is stupid. Yes I once believed Christ existed and said the sinners prayer if that's what you're asking.

 

8. "Look, if you will give me a minute of your time, I can show you how to be sure that you will spend eternity in heaven, not in hell. All you need do is ask Jesus into your heart, and you can do that just by saying a brief prayer with me. Will you pray the prayer that will save you from eternity in hell? It takes only about ten seconds."

 

Wow, just about the same amount of time for me to show you something ---->

 

9. begin with a positive statement - "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life."

 

Really? I saw how you people define "love" with the Egyptian children and other atrocities.. No thanks.

 

[KT45]

I'll compile these later. The edit is for adding the last one.

 

 

10. Do you face problems and trials in your life? I guarentee a life with Christ Jesus will help you through whatever you face.

 

11. We don't have all the answers in life and I know it's hard to understand our purpose. Only through Christ can we truly find meaning.

 

12. You know that the world won't love you and the world will reject you. Jesus on the other hand won't. You just have to believe.

 

13. If you don't believe in God, then it won't hurt to (pray, speak to him, go to church etc).

 

14. It may be hard to understand but I know in my heart that Jesus is real and he loves me. I'm sure if you search your heart you will too.

 

15. This world we live in is just so complex and wonderfully made. There are so many things science just can't comprehend. How can you deny after seeing all of this.

 

16. Just look around you. Wars are breaking out. Earthquakes and floods are devastating america. Europe is beginning to become one nation just like the bible predicts (any other Jack Van Impe prediction crap). Prophecies are coming true. The world is ending and Jesus will be coming soon. Will you be ready?

 

17. Why take a chance with your soul? If I'm wrong then I just die, if your wrong you spend eternity in hell!!! Why even risk it?

[godlessgrrl]

Heh heh heh... this is fun.

 

(As with earlier posts, the generic "you" here isn't anyone personally - it's the invisible Xian who might be posing these statements/questions.)

 

10. Do you face problems and trials in your life? I guarentee a life with Christ Jesus will help you through whatever you face.

 

Hey. A life lived following Jeezus brought me worse problems than I have now, thankyouverymuch. I was glad to give it up. Oh yeah, and how about you just drop the annoying Xianese™ and talk like a real fucking human being??

 

Who the hell cares what coping methods anybody uses to get through their life? Okay, so some people need to rely on a mythical god-man. Others rely on therapy, or their friends, or books, or exercise, or time alone, or wacking off. I've never in my life known someone whose life was so amazingly changed by Jeezus that I'd feel moved to change religions. EVER.

 

11. We don't have all the answers in life and I know it's hard to understand our purpose. Only through Christ can we truly find meaning.

 

It boggles my mind that people can be so presumptuous and arrogant as to assume that human lives have some big cosmic purpose. There isn't any purpose, just existence; your purpose is what you make it. The rest is all just mindless Christianese™ again.

 

12. You know that the world won't love you and the world will reject you. Jesus on the other hand won't. You just have to believe.

 

Oh yeah, of course. Nobody loves me like Jeebus loves me! How many times have I heard that from a possessive, controlling, abusive SO?

 

What a cruel thing to tell somebody that no one will love them. That's fucked up. It's manipulative and mean.

 

13. If you don't believe in God, then it won't hurt to (pray, speak to him, go to church etc).

 

Aha. Pascal's Wager again... hey, if they don't believe in Allah, it won't hurt a Xian to pray to him, now, will it? See how far you get with that argument...

 

No, I suppose praying to a probably nonexistent deity wouldn't really hurt me, other than compromising my spiritual and intellectual honesty by praying to a god that I don't believe in. But then, a little white lie won't matter on issues of the soul, now, will it.

 

Oh yeah, wait - if I lie once, that means I'm a liar, right? Well thanks, Xian Asshole, you just damned me to hell by making me pray a lie!

 

14. It may be hard to understand but I know in my heart that Jesus is real and he loves me. I'm sure if you search your heart you will too.

 

That's nice for you. Leave my spiritual life out of it. And don't presume to know what's in my heart, you arrogant prick.

 

15. This world we live in is just so complex and wonderfully made. There are so many things science just can't comprehend. How can you deny after seeing all of this.

 

The existence of the world/universe proves nothing but that the world/universe exists. It does not prove that it was "made", "designed", or otherwise created by some being, intelligent or otherwise. And science is not intended to answer every question humanity might have about the universe we live in. It is a tool for "how", not an answer to "why". That's the realm of philosophy. (And religion. All right, I'll admit it, yeah - and religion. Fine. Doesn't mean yours is right.)

 

16. Just look around you. Wars are breaking out. Earthquakes and floods are devastating america. Europe is beginning to become one nation just like the bible predicts (any other Jack Van Impe prediction crap). Prophecies are coming true. The world is ending and Jesus will be coming soon. Will you be ready?

 

Uh... wars have been breaking out for the last 5000 years. Natural disasters have been happening for the duration of Earth's existence - we only call them "disasters" now because there are humans around to be fucked up by them.

 

Don't bother showing me your endtimes Buybull verses. I'm not a believer, so your Buybull has no authority with me.

 

Oh yeah, and your supposed prophecies - how specific are they? Do they mention date, time, details, specifics? How many? The greater detail, the better - this Nostradamus shit isn't good enough. If it's vague, it ain't gonna fly.

 

And the world isn't ending. People have been complaining about that for 2000 years. It ain't ending. The world will be here long after we're gone. It might be a little the worse for wear, but Earth'll cope. It does just fine without the dinosaurs; it'll do just fine without us.

 

17. Why take a chance with your soul? If I'm wrong then I just die, if your wrong you spend eternity in hell!!! Why even risk it?

 

Pascal's Wager was just as stupid the first time it showed up, and it's still stupid. Hey, Xian Asshole, why take a chance with your soul? Believe in Zeus; I do! If I'm wrong, we just die, if you're wrong you spend eternity in Tartarus rolling a giant rock up and down a hill, or having your liver pecked out daily by eagles. No biggie!

 

Hmph. I guess I'm a bit cranky tonight.