Ask a Christian a question...

[chongjasmine]

What are you atheists most curious to ask a christian about?
Here is your chance. Ask your question. I will try my best to answer your question.

[PickelledEggs]

Rosie O'Donnell, Phyllis Diller, Oprah.

Marry one, fuck one, kill one.

Go.

[Mr.Obvious]

Not really anything. For most of us it's not hard to come into contact with Christians, for most of us they are in the majority of the people we come into contact with anyways. Most of us know what christianity is about. A fair lot of us, me included, even used to be Christians. Besides, there are so many denominations of Christianity that 'asking a Christian' becomes a fairly empty gesture as your convictions won't agree with a great deal of other Christians.

I don't mean to come across as rude or dismissive, though I realize I might. But I'm just trying to make clear that our 'failure to comply to Christianity' isn't from a lack of knowledge or understanding of the Christian faith. Christianity isn't something we are particularly 'curious' about. We may talk about it, but not out of curiosity.

P.S.
Fuck - marry - kill
(Though all three reluctantly.)

[La Dolce Vita]

Are you aware that the Jews used to be polytheistic/henotheistic rather than monotheistic, and that this practice seem to have continued up until approximately 500 B.C.? That your god Yahweh used to be the son of Eloheim and Asherah and had 69 brothers - also gods? That this ended simply because a certain king didn't like the rest of the gods? That the old testament still shows some hints of this? That your god Yahweh, and his father was written together as one character, ignoring the other gods, and rendering it a fact that he cannot exist (or is just a fraud)?

[SGOS]

We are surrounded by Christians.  I used to be one.  You can't swing a dead cat without hitting a Christian.  Actually, you should put this time to better use and straighten out your misconceptions about atheists.

[GSOgymrat]

I was in a training this week on grief and loss and one of the other therapists said he believed in Jesus and that people who are grieving should take comfort in Jesus dying on the cross for their sins because nothing is worse pain then what he went through. This is a sentiment I have heard from other Christians that I don't understand. Using comparative suffering typically doesn't help people because often they perceive you are discounting their feelings, e.g. telling someone they shouldn't feel so bad about the death of their mother because this other person's child died and their pain is worse. I really don't completely understand the significance of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and how his death is supposed to make people feel better. Is he setting an example that no matter you are going through, whether it is losing your job or getting tortured and killed, in the end your going to a better place? Or is the point that people shouldn't count on happiness, that life is suffering and despair even for the most good and holy, and real happiness only happens after you die?

I feel like this is one of the reason I have never connected with Christianity: rationally Bible stories often don't make sense and emotionally, which is really where Christians connect, the stories don't resonate for me. It seems similar to when someone tells a joke and a friend finds it hysterical but I don't get it and even when they explain it to me-- it's funny because penguins can't fly and they look like nuns and nuns would never say that-- it still doesn't make me laugh. Anyway, I suspect that even if you explain the significance of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ I'm still not going to fully appreciate it because I don't seems to emotionally connect to the awe of the situation. There are other stories that elicit awe for me, other jokes that I find funny, but somehow the Christian ones generally elude me. This is honestly why I've always been atheist, not because religion doesn't make rational sense (lot of awesome things don't make rational sense) or that I have had a bad experience with religion (most religious people I know are very nice) but because emotionally I have never connected to any religion. None of their jokes make me laugh.

[chongjasmine]

Are you aware that the Jews used to be polytheistic/henotheistic rather than monotheistic, and that this practice seem to have continued up until approximately 500 B.C.? That your god Yahweh used to be the son of Eloheim and Asherah and had 69 brothers - also gods? That this ended simply because a certain king didn't like the rest of the gods? That the old testament still shows some hints of this? That your god Yahweh, and his father was written together as one character, ignoring the other gods, and rendering it a fact that he cannot exist (or is just a fraud)?

No, I am not aware. And now that I heard of it, I do not believe it to be true. I believe the bible is the source for me to believe in, and therefore does not believe other sources for truth.

[chongjasmine]

I was in a training this week on grief and loss and one of the other therapists said he believed in Jesus and that people who are grieving should take comfort in Jesus dying on the cross for their sins because nothing is worse pain then what he went through. This is a sentiment I have heard from other Christians that I don't understand. Using comparative suffering typically doesn't help people because often they perceive you are discounting their feelings, e.g. telling someone they shouldn't feel so bad about the death of their mother because this other person's child died and their pain is worse. I really don't completely understand the significance of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and how his death is supposed to make people feel better. Is he setting an example that no matter you are going through, whether it is losing your job or getting tortured and killed, in the end your going to a better place? Or is the point that people shouldn't count on happiness, that life is suffering and despair even for the most good and holy, and real happiness only happens after you die?

I feel like this is one of the reason I have never connected with Christianity: rationally Bible stories often don't make sense and emotionally, which is really where Christians connect, the stories don't resonate for me. It seems similar to when someone tells a joke and a friend finds it hysterical but I don't get it and even when they explain it to me-- it's funny because penguins can't fly and they look like nuns and nuns would never say that-- it still doesn't make me laugh. Anyway, I suspect that even if you explain the significance of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ I'm still not going to fully appreciate it because I don't seems to emotionally connect to the awe of the situation. There are other stories that elicit awe for me, other jokes that I find funny, but somehow the Christian ones generally elude me. This is honestly why I've always been atheist, not because religion doesn't make rational sense (lot of awesome things don't make rational sense) or that I have had a bad experience with religion (most religious people I know are very nice) but because emotionally I have never connected to any religion. None of their jokes make me laugh.

It is not Jesus' suffering that gives Christians comfort. It is His love for us, that He is willing to be our scapegoat before God for our sins that gives christians comfort.

[the_antithesis]

What's a god?

[PopeyesPappy]

No, I am not aware.

Ignorance of the facts is not surprising. While Christians don't hold a monopoly on ignorance of the facts it seems to be the default position.

And now that I heard of it, I do not believe it to be true. I believe the bible is the source for me to believe in, and therefore does not believe other sources for truth.

Why don't you believe it is true? Did you do any research to check La Dolce Vita's claims? If so what were your sources? Ignorance is excusable. Intentional ignorance is not. La Dolce Vita's claims are verifiable. The Bible is not.   

[Jason78]

What are you atheists most curious to ask a christian about?
Here is your chance. Ask your question. I will try my best to answer your question.

Do you believe that the Bible is true?

Do you believe that Mark 16:18 is true?

Would you drink bleach to prove your faith?

[SGOS]

It is His love for us, that He is willing to be our scapegoat before God for our sins that gives christians comfort.

What a crock.  You can't be an asshole, and then pass your guilt off on someone else.  This scapegoat nonsense dates back to ancient times when uneducated humans thought they could heap their sins on a goat and then drive it out into the desert to suffer and die.  <poof> your sins are gone!  That's idiotic.  You would have to be stupid to believe such a thing.  Your sins are non-transferable.

People were so superstitious 3000 years ago, that con men would offer to eat their sins for a fee, so they wouldn't go to Hell.  Now if there were such a place, no one could or would eat your sins away.  Your past actions are gone.  They have no physical qualities that can be transferred.  But people back then believed all sorts of stupid things.

[Mermaid]

Do you believe that atheists have no moral compass?
Do you believe atheists are poor mislead souls that are going to hell unless they change?
What is the origin of life? Did all life, including humans, evolve from a common ancestor?

[Moralnihilist]

How often do you crap and fart?

[Green Bottle]

Ok Chongjasmine here's a question..
Why are u here in an Atheist forum ?  do u think there's any chance that any of us might say something or quote someone or something that may cause you to question ur beliefs , an if thats not the case well the only other reason u could be here is to try to wind us up , or mibbe ur just here out of curiosity....what u say...?