Christian Discussion Thread III

[Neoconstantius]

Eastern Orthodox but I am actually an atheist anti theist

can you elaborate on that?

[Benuty]

Eastern Orthodox but I am actually an atheist anti theist

can you elaborate on that?

Possibly an Eastern Orthodox sympathizer due to cultural upbringing yet not officially religious or in favor of theism. That is my 2 Euro's on that whole statement.

[Benuty]

Eastern Orthodox but I am actually an atheist anti theist

Then how are you Eastern Orthodox?

Culture is such a wonderful thing .

[CTALNH]

can you elaborate on that?

Possibly an Eastern Orthodox sympathizer due to cultural upbringing yet not officially religious or in favor of theism. That is my 2 Euro's on that whole statement.

Raised eastern orthodox but I am as of 6 or 7 years ago an antitheist.

[Neoconstantius]

Possibly an Eastern Orthodox sympathizer due to cultural upbringing yet not officially religious or in favor of theism. That is my 2 Euro's on that whole statement.

Raised eastern orthodox but I am as of 6 or 7 years ago an antitheist.

So...not Eastern Orthodox then.

[Neo Rome Republic]

Then how are you Eastern Orthodox?

Culture is such a wonderful thing .

I come from a family that is mostly EO.
I'm no longer believe any of it, so I would no longer be considered an EO.
I see your point. But it seems silly to me why people bother calling themselves, something they are no longer.

[Neo Rome Republic]

Raised eastern orthodox but I am as of 6 or 7 years ago an antitheist.

So...not Eastern Orthodox then.

Pretty much.

[Tarsonis Survivors]

Eastern Orthodox but I am actually an atheist anti theist

I always found Anti-theism amusing. I mean, atheism I get, having a lack of a belief makes sense. But anti-theism, crosses the line into a positive belief of no God. Which, if philosophy and logic are correct, is an idea that must be taken on faith.

[Ryfylke]

Culture is such a wonderful thing .

I come from a family that is mostly EO.
I'm no longer believe any of it, so I would no longer be considered an EO.
I see your point. But it seems silly to me why people bother calling themselves, something they are no longer.

I like it when people find creative ways to specify that they're there for the culture of it. I have a friend who calls herself a "Habitual Episcopalian."

[Neoconstantius]

I come from a family that is mostly EO.
I'm no longer believe any of it, so I would no longer be considered an EO.
I see your point. But it seems silly to me why people bother calling themselves, something they are no longer.

I like it when people find creative ways to specify that they're there for the culture of it. I have a friend who calls herself a "Habitual Episcopalian."

"Cultural [insert religion]" or "Non-practicing [insert religion]" generally works.

[Tarsonis Survivors]

The problem with discounting Paul or him being Anti-Christ, is it creates even more concerns over the legitimacy of Christianity. Paul's conversion and appointment, is recorded in Acts. Most people don't realize that Acts is also a Gospel book. Luke wrote them as a one work containing two volumes. The Church split the books for organizational purposes. If Acts is indeed false, it challenges the legitimacy of Luke as well. If a Gospel book is questionable, it makes the whole thing questionable.

[Lalaki]

Right now, I'm unsure what my religion is. I was raised Catholic, and was throughout my life devout. However, recently I've been questioning my faith.

At the moment, I'm an agnostic leaning Christian. I live according to many of the principles laid out in Christianity, but I'm not sure about the belief itself. A bit like Thomas Jefferson, if you will.

[Monemvasia]

I got taken to a few Baptist/Presbyterian Churches as a kid, but only started becoming somewhat serious after I joined the military. I started going to an Eastern Orthodox Church about a year ago and became a catechumen after a few weeks. I probably can't say I've fully embraced Christianity yet, but I suppose I'm learning still. I do appreciate the history of it.

[Neoconstantius]

I got taken to a few Baptist/Presbyterian Churches as a kid, but only started becoming somewhat serious after I joined the military. I started going to an Eastern Orthodox Church about a year ago and became a catechumen after a few weeks. I probably can't say I've fully embraced Christianity yet, but I suppose I'm learning still. I do appreciate the history of it.

You're in the right place...Orthodoxy has a long, colorful history to be appreciated...

[CTALNH]

Eastern Orthodox but I am actually an atheist anti theist

I always found Anti-theism amusing. I mean, atheism I get, having a lack of a belief makes sense. But anti-theism, crosses the line into a positive belief of no God. Which, if philosophy and logic are correct, is an idea that must be taken on faith.

I Don't need faith to prove god doesn't exist.

[Chelta]

^ That sentence doesn't even make sense.

[Tarsonis Survivors]

I always found Anti-theism amusing. I mean, atheism I get, having a lack of a belief makes sense. But anti-theism, crosses the line into a positive belief of no God. Which, if philosophy and logic are correct, is an idea that must be taken on faith.

I Don't need faith to prove god doesn't exist.

Actually, you do, philosophically and scientifically the existence of God can neither be definitively proven or disproven. Atheism is defined as a negative belief or lack of belief. A true Atheist doesn't believe in God, but makes no definitive assertion about it. An Anti-theist, doesn't just lack belief, but actively asserts there is no God. This crosses into positive belief, and since such a thing cannot be definitively proven, it an assertion you must make on faith.

[Distruzio]

Right now, I'm unsure what my religion is. I was raised Catholic, and was throughout my life devout. However, recently I've been questioning my faith.

At the moment, I'm an agnostic leaning Christian. I live according to many of the principles laid out in Christianity, but I'm not sure about the belief itself. A bit like Thomas Jefferson, if you will.

There is nothing wrong with questioning your faith. Even Jesus had moments of doubt, if you recall. In the end, He chose to err on the side of faithful submission to the Will of the Father but, doubt is doubt. Beware any person of faith who proclaims themself above and without doubt. They're a liar.

Jeffersons deism was progressive (for the time) and, I think, positive enough to be tolerable to the Christian mindset. There are worse things to consider yourself. Would you mind elaborating on, "I live according to many of the principles laid out in Christianity, but I'm not sure about the belief itself"?

[Distruzio]

I got taken to a few Baptist/Presbyterian Churches as a kid, but only started becoming somewhat serious after I joined the military. I started going to an Eastern Orthodox Church about a year ago and became a catechumen after a few weeks. I probably can't say I've fully embraced Christianity yet, but I suppose I'm learning still. I do appreciate the history of it.

You're in the right place...Orthodoxy has a long, colorful history to be appreciated...

Indeed. Wonderful faith.

*is completely biased in favor.

[Distruzio]

I Don't need faith to prove god doesn't exist.

Actually, you do, philosophically and scientifically the existence of God can neither be definitively proven or disproven. Atheism is defined as a negative belief or lack of belief. A true Atheist doesn't believe in God, but makes no definitive assertion about it. An Anti-theist, doesn't just lack belief, but actively asserts there is no God. This crosses into positive belief, and since such a thing cannot be definitively proven, it an assertion you must make on faith.

You know.... you're really good at this Tarsonis. I mean, don't let this go to your head or anything but I've very pleased to have made your e-acquaintance through our disagreements. You've given me much to think about over the years and I have to say that you, of all the other people I've confessed my bigotrous frailties regarding Protestantism to, are the one who has given my precious ego the swiftest and most accurate paddle. I like that. I think that you (along with not a few others active in this thread) have done so much to keep me from succumbing to my dickery.

I'm not gonna say thank you because, you know, I'm always correct and everyone else is always wrong ( ) but.... phank moo* (?).

*totally not a thanks.

[Tarsonis Survivors]

Actually, you do, philosophically and scientifically the existence of God can neither be definitively proven or disproven. Atheism is defined as a negative belief or lack of belief. A true Atheist doesn't believe in God, but makes no definitive assertion about it. An Anti-theist, doesn't just lack belief, but actively asserts there is no God. This crosses into positive belief, and since such a thing cannot be definitively proven, it an assertion you must make on faith.

You know.... you're really good at this Tarsonis. I mean, don't let this go to your head or anything but I've very pleased to have made your e-acquaintance through our disagreements. You've given me much to think about over the years and I have to say that you, of all the other people I've confessed my bigotrous frailties regarding Protestantism to, are the one who has given my precious ego the swiftest and most accurate paddle. I like that. I think that you (along with not a few others active in this thread) have done so much to keep me from succumbing to my dickery.

I'm not gonna say thank you because, you know, I'm always correct and everyone else is always wrong ( ) but.... phank moo* (?).

*totally not a thanks.

Um... Poor Belgium, I suppose. (Nothing rhymes with Welcome.)

Honestly I've just devoted myself to semantics. Once you understand semantics, you can pretty much argue anything.

[CTALNH]

I Don't need faith to prove god doesn't exist.

Actually, you do, philosophically and scientifically the existence of God can neither be definitively proven or disproven. Atheism is defined as a negative belief or lack of belief. A true Atheist doesn't believe in God, but makes no definitive assertion about it. An Anti-theist, doesn't just lack belief, but actively asserts there is no God. This crosses into positive belief, and since such a thing cannot be definitively proven, it an assertion you must make on faith.

Oh so I suppose evolution and the big bang never happened then...

Yeah...I do not need faith to not believe in fairytales.

[Distruzio]

Actually, you do, philosophically and scientifically the existence of God can neither be definitively proven or disproven. Atheism is defined as a negative belief or lack of belief. A true Atheist doesn't believe in God, but makes no definitive assertion about it. An Anti-theist, doesn't just lack belief, but actively asserts there is no God. This crosses into positive belief, and since such a thing cannot be definitively proven, it an assertion you must make on faith.

Oh so I suppose evolution and the big bang never happened then...

Yeah...I do not need faith to not believe in fairytales.

CTALNH... that's not what he is saying. Read the actual text (nevermind that the big bang was originally dismissed as "creationist nonsense" by the scientific community) he typed. He is saying that in order to deny the existence of God to the point that you actively advocate against any expression of faith in that existence one exhibits a certain faithful expression of opposition.

He is saying that by denying the existence of God you pronounce faith that God doesn't exist.

Atheists take the more appropriate approach to a lack of belief... their view is, essentially, that until the existence of God is proven I will conduct myself as though God does not exist.

Anti-theists take the approach to a lack of belief that states, essentially, "God does not exist. Cannot exist. Will not exist. Thus I believe."

[Donut section]

Oh so I suppose evolution and the big bang never happened then...

Yeah...I do not need faith to not believe in fairytales.

CTALNH... that's not what he is saying. Read the actual text (nevermind that the big bang was originally dismissed as "creationist nonsense" by the scientific community) he typed. He is saying that in order to deny the existence of God to the point that you actively advocate against any expression of faith in that existence one exhibits a certain faithful expression of opposition.

He is saying that by denying the existence of God you pronounce faith that God doesn't exist.

Atheists take the more appropriate approach to a lack of belief... their view is, essentially, that until the existence of God is proven I will conduct myself as though God does not exist.

Anti-theists take the approach to a lack of belief that states, essentially, "God does not exist. Cannot exist. Will not exist. Thus I believe."

Yes and no.
Anti-theism can mean a range of things, usually from an opposition to theism, to a complete statement that there is no god, to a belief that a god proposed by theist as good is actually evil (which sort of makes the person a theist-anti-theist)

Personally, I'm an Athiest in that I see no evidence for a god, especially none that are currently worshipped.
And an anti-theist in that I believe religios doctrines are harmful to humanity.
Note that this is a belief not a statement of fact and that I in no way treat anyone worse for believing something I can't.

[Tarsonis Survivors]

Actually, you do, philosophically and scientifically the existence of God can neither be definitively proven or disproven. Atheism is defined as a negative belief or lack of belief. A true Atheist doesn't believe in God, but makes no definitive assertion about it. An Anti-theist, doesn't just lack belief, but actively asserts there is no God. This crosses into positive belief, and since such a thing cannot be definitively proven, it an assertion you must make on faith.

Oh so I suppose evolution and the big bang never happened then...

Yeah...I do not need faith to not believe in fairytales.

You are consistently missing the point. To simply not believe in 'fairy tales", you do not need faith, as you would by defintion of the term Atheist, however this lack of belief would not make an assertion on the actual existence of God. As self described Anti-theist Atheist, you are making the assertion that it is a metaphysical certitude that God does not exist. Evidence for such a thing does not, and really cannot exist, and is an assertion that can only be made with a certain amount of faith.