Atheists, you're doomed - Meet Mr. Nice Guy

[Contemporary Protestant]

Thanks for clarifying

[ApostateLois]

I looked up "How many siblings did Jesus have?" and found this website: http://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-siblings.html

Answer: Jesus’ brothers are mentioned in several Bible verses. Matthew 12:46, Luke 8:19, and Mark 3:31 say that Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see Him. The Bible tells us that Jesus had four brothers: James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas (Matthew 13:55). The Bible also tells us that Jesus had sisters, but they are not named or numbered (Matthew 13:56). In John 7:1-10, His brothers go on to the festival while Jesus stays behind. In Acts 1:14, His brothers and mother are described as praying with the disciples. Galatians 1:19 mentions that James was Jesus’ brother. The most natural conclusion of these passages is to interpret that Jesus had actual blood half-siblings.

Naturally, any sisters he had were not named, because women don't matter in the Bible.

[Mandingo]

women don't matter in the Bible.

Except one. The supposed virgin Mary. But her role in the christian bible is minimized to a mute one. She's only an image. She is mentioned by name only 4 times in the 4 gospels, but is never quoted as stating any moral, religious, or even practical tenets. Or anything else of substance, for that matter.
The christian church however, today the roman catholic church, partly made up for that neglect and started worshipping Mary, still completely mute, to the extent that she's arguably worshipped even more, publicly, than god the father and the son! Consider the thousands of annual Madonna processions, etc. etc.

In the Qur'An, OTOH, Mary (Maryam) is a high-ranking teacher and prophetess in her own right. She's mentioned at least 44 times debiting moral, religious, and practical tenets and life lessons. I.o.w.: she's taken seriously!
So, oddly, mysogenistic muslims hold Mary, mother of Jesus, in higher regard than their christian counterparts do in their respective holy books...

[Contemporary Protestant]

women don't matter in the Bible.

In addition to mary, Naomi, Ruth, Esther, Isaiah(I'm pretty sure, one of them is female), Elizabeth

[Mandingo]

In addition to mary, Naomi, Ruth, Esther, Isaiah(I'm pretty sure, one of them is female), Elizabeth

Yeah, but Isaiah wasn't.

And Elizabeth is the queen of the UK (but does not appear in the bible, afaik).

[Contemporary Protestant]

elizabeth is the sister of mary

[ApostateLois]

In addition to mary, Naomi, Ruth, Esther, Isaiah(I'm pretty sure, one of them is female), Elizabeth

Now make a list of all the men in the Bible and see which one is longer. Look at the lists of generations in the Old Testament and count the number of women who are mentioned. Not many, huh? Girls were required to remain virgins until marriage, and could be stoned to death by their own family if they could not prove their virginity on their wedding night, which they did by bleeding when the hymen broke. Of course, not all girls have a hymen, or sometimes it breaks on its own, but this did not matter. She was assumed to be a whore and was killed. There are no such injunctions for boys--presumably, they could screw anyone they pleased. Girls could be captured in battle and forced into sexual slavery to their Hebrew captors.

Remember, all of these laws were given by God, himself. We are told this in the Bible. If these are just man-made laws, then the Bible lies every single time it says, "And the Lord said unto Moses...." If it was truly God giving the laws, then he is unjust, unfair, cruel, and misogynistic. Either way does not look very good for the Bible...or for God.

[Mandingo]

Remember, all of these laws were given by God, himself.

Wow, what a guy!

[ApostateLois]

What the Dear Leader has commanded, we must obey.

[ClareTherese]

2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 / 14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

Paul is telling us not to fellowship those who have walked away from the faith.  This means that you don't fellowship with their ideas.  Yet, he goes on to say to admonish them as a brother.  If they reject the gospel, that is between them and God.  They obviously cannot lead a group of believers, since they have rejected the faith.  However, if they are a "brother", then in a sense they are part of the family - albeit they have fallen away. 
You should still have compassion on them, even if they have rejected the faith.  The Word says that unbelievers cannot go to heaven - does this mean that you have to snub them?  What if they one day decide to have a change of heart and come back to the faith?  They will remember the nails you put in their hands and feet. 

Instead, have compassion on those who have fallen by the wayside.  "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do..."
Hebrews 5:1-2 / For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:
2 Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.

If Jesus has compassion on those that don't see eye to eye with Him, shouldn't we also?  Didn't we use to be non-believers?  Doesn't unbelief still have a place in our hearts that God must quench from time to time?  The Bible speaks of us prophesying according to our measure of faith - this means that some have less faith (more unbelief) than others.  Jesus bridges the gap of our unbelief, and He begins to lead us to new levels of belief.
I am not telling you to fellowship the ideas of non-believers.  There are too many churches becoming seeker-friendly, not preaching on hell, sin and judgment.  We still must preach on the purity of Christ and about growing up to the head.  However, the head of Christ is compassed with MERCY.  Take a look at the Moly Holy Place in the Old Testament Tabernacle.  There were two pieces of furniture - the Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy Seat.  If this makes sense, the Ark of the Covenant (JUDGMENTS) is crowned by the Mercy Seat (MERCY). 

Let MERCY crown your understanding.  Matthew 23:23 - Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Therefore, I ask that you receive a non-believer, not as a believer, but as a person.  Love them even though they don't see eye to eye with you, and have compassion on them.  Preach the gospel out of a spirit of love, and let God have His way. 

[stromboli]

Thank you, ClareTherese, for preaching to us from a book that no one here thinks is legitimate. Now please prove the legitimacy of your sources by providing other objective sources to back it up.

[Solitary]

This isn't what's taught.  If you genuinely accept Christ into your life, then you won't want to sin.  If you continue living sinfully and don't really care about what god wants, then it would be obvious to an all knowing god that your conversion wasn't genuine, and you wouldn't be saved from hell.

That's a very summed up version of it.  I left some holes in my explanation that you could raise objections to, but I don't feel like typing out a small essay on theology. 

I assume you are not an ex-Christian, you've been an atheist your whole life?

This isn't what's taught.  If you genuinely accept Christ into your life, then you won't want to sin.  If you continue living sinfully and don't really care about what god wants, then it would be obvious to an all knowing god that your conversion wasn't genuine, and you wouldn't be saved from hell.

That's a very summed up version of it.  I left some holes in my explanation that you could raise objections to, but I don't feel like typing out a small essay on theology. 

I assume you are not an ex-Christian, you've been an atheist your whole life?

You are correct, I have been an atheist since I was six years old because of how silly it is. Still waiting for 72 years to see one piece of evidence in any way shape or form that may show that a magical man in the heavens actually exist accept in the heads of the mentally ill. Solitary

[Hijiri Byakuren]

[bullshit]

[Jason78]

Thank you, ClareTherese, for preaching to us from a book that no one here thinks is legitimate. Now please prove the legitimacy of your sources by providing other objective sources to back it up.

While we're wishing for stuff, I'd like a new house.

[ClareTherese]

Thank you, ClareTherese, for preaching to us from a book that no one here thinks is legitimate. Now please prove the legitimacy of your sources by providing other objective sources to back it up.

Ultimately, anyone who is trying to convince another person of his position must shoulder the burden of proof. If someone who believes in God wants to convince someone who doesn’t, then he must offer evidence for his case. If a person who does not believe in God wishes to convince a believer, then the burden of proof is on him.

Therefore, if you are an atheist, you do indeed have to shoulder the burden of proof if you want to convince others of the claim “There is no God.” That is as much a claim to knowledge as “There is a God.”