Why Attack Christianity?

[RevJP]

I was just wondering about reasons for what people do. I understand why Christians evangelize. Our faith tells us that we have an eternal soul and that the eternal dispensation of that soul is determined by what happens here on earth. Eternal life, living with the almighty God is based on our faith and acceptance of Him and failure to accept Him as Lord results in our eternal seperation from Him. The choice is clear, eternal glory, or eternal suffering.

So we are commanded to spread the Good news, to allow everyone to accept Christ, and we do so for the sake of their eternal soul, altruistic? Perhaps, but we do it out of love, His love working through us.

So what I am really wondering about is why non-believers need to attack our faith, or feel the need? narrowing it down a bit, why would a non-believer come to a Christianity discussion forum to denounce that faith, or try to persuade those there that their faith is wrong?

I'm really wondering at motivation. We understand the motivation of the Christian for spreading the Word of his/her faith, but what is the motivation for the non-beleiver to attack it? What do they gain or lose? What reward hinges upon them being successful or not at convincing someone to abandon their faith, or to turn away from considering adopting that faith?

If my faith is wrong, and there is no God, no heaven, no hell, what do I lose? In this life nothing, in eternity nothing? As a Christian I lose nothing. For the rabid non-beleiver however, the answer is quite different is it not? If their view is wrong and there is a God in heaven and a devil in hell, what do they lose?

So I'm wondering at why....

[unprofitable servant]

1 Cor 1:27But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
28And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
29That no flesh should glory in his presence.

Christians are wise according to the 'the teachings for doctrines the commandments of men' not according to the teachings of Christ.

Jesus seeks to show you that you are disobeying His testimony and are deceived through these 'commandments of men'.

Consider your question: Why attack christianity?

Didn't Jesus say 'If they have hated me they shall hate you also' but you are not talking about Jesus but about the name you have been given to seperate you from others.

These 'attacks' should make anyone who calls himself a 'christian' to review what it is that is being said to them.

Could it be that your Lord is making you consider your beliefs by using the 'foolish things' to confound your wisdom?

Could He be showing you your errors by questioning you and debating with you through ones whom you call 'unbelievers'?

Christians seem to forget how Jesus said of the centurion 'I have not found so great a faith no not in all Israel' He then tells us that 'the children of the kingdom shall be cast out' This is not only being spoken by Him of those of yesterday but those of today as well.

Proverbs 3: 5Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
7Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

Ask in the name of Jesus Christ if the doctrines and beliefs of christians are the reasons for 'Why attack Christianity'

[heald]

Hiya, First post - great forum.

Being totally honest, the reason I have problems with and "attack" (more question peoples reasons for believing) christianity is that large parts of the bible (the basis of christianity) are taken as the absolute truth, when in fact there are large parts of the bible that most people will freely admit have been heavily tampered with.

How can people have faith in a the teaching of a book that purports to be witnesses true accounts of the actions of the son of god, when they know it has been so heavily revised?

[trencacloscas]

I don't think 'attack' is the word. Religionists have poisoned the debate about religion by passing off this concept that, from the outset, religious claims must be treated with a kinder and gentler type of criticism than that leveled at other types of belief systems. That's pretty unjust, but you can predict this kind of hypocrite behaviour. Most non-believers just want to express their opinion on the subject plainly, and some of them, who once believed in Christ, just intend to expose forward the nonsense of this religion from their personal experience, but 'attack' is not the proper word in the huge majority of the cases.

[China Cat Sunflower]

Why "attack" Christianity? Why does Christianity "attack" other belief systems or the lack thereof? You don't call it "attacking", maybe "outreach", or "evangelism", but it's the same thing. Maybe others are trying to reach out to, or evangelize you, did you ever think of that? Hey, fair is fair, right? But see, Christians seem to think they're the defacto thing, and everyone else is the "other". Well, that's the way it is in America anyway, and the reason is that Christianity isn't just a faith, it's an ethnic identity. If that doesn't make sense, ask a secular Jew what it means.

Chris

[Logetic]

From julioid: "Yes, religion does some good to some people at some times, but nowdays the good of religion is massively ourweighted by the harm. To me, religon is synonymous with hatred, bigotry, violence, racism, sexism, xenophobia, oppression, sexual perversion, and the root cause of an untold universe of human suffering."

Wow, either convoluted or ulterior in motive.

Atheism, wieghed against every religion, has done greater harm in numbers of human beings suffering and dying by a massively larger number than any religious means.

Just Russia alone shows how murderous and evil atheism truly is. Add to that the untold numbers of people victimized by godless secular humanist perpetrators and comparing religious to non-religious actions is futile at best and dishonest at worst.

How many Universities and Hospitals were founded by Christians? How many were founded by Atheists?

How many benevolent organizations ARE run by religions and churches today and how many by Atheists?

Science has brought mankind some cures for some illnesses. Science has also brought mankind every single horror killing our world today. Every weapon of mass destruction was brought upon the world by scientific means.

Do the math.

[Nyril]

Atheism, wieghed against every religion, has done greater harm in numbers of human beings suffering and dying by a massively larger number than any religious means.

In what sense? I'm certain you've got research to back this assertion up.

Just Russia alone shows how murderous and evil atheism truly is. Add to that the untold numbers of people victimized by godless secular humanist perpetrators and comparing religious to non-religious actions is futile at best and dishonest at worst.

The people who committed crimes in Russia happened to be atheists, but they did not do what they did for the cause of atheism. If you could draw links between the two, that would be like saying that because the Muslim terrorists, the Boston strangler, and every criminal presently in prison subscribes to the theory of Gravity, that it is responsible for their crimes. Do you understand the difference?

How many Universities and Hospitals were founded by Christians? How many were founded by Atheists?

I don't know, and I'll bet you don't.

How many benevolent organizations ARE run by religions and churches today and how many by Atheists?

I don't know, and I'll bet you don't.

Science has also brought mankind every single horror killing our world today. Every weapon of mass destruction was brought upon the world by scientific means.

I don't quite get your point. Science as a whole was not practiced as we do it now until maybe the 1900's. Guns were invented before science was there to back it, so were knives, spears, poisons, etc...

Now, just as an interesting tangent, what do you think gave you that big glowly box you posted your last post from? Magic? Religion?

What do you think gives you clean water, cars, gasoline, television, air conditioning, electricity? Are those also the product of magic?

Do the math.

I'd advise you to recheck your figures.

[bernee51]

Atheism, wieghed against every religion, has done greater harm in numbers of human beings suffering and dying by a massively larger number than any religious means

Atheism is a lack of belief in gods...it (atheism), in and of itself, is not a belief system. People who may have claimed to be atheists are certainly responsible for their fare share of atrocities. As to a 'larger number'...i have to dispute that. The man responsible for the largest mass murders in recent history was an avowed christian.

Just Russia alone shows how murderous and evil atheism truly is.

No - it shows how murderous totalitarian despots can be. It shows nothing about atheism.

Add to that the untold numbers of people victimized by godless secular humanist perpetrators and comparing religious to non-religious actions is futile at best and dishonest at worst.

Examples please...and then we can compare them to the crusades, the Inquisition, Islam by sword and the mass murders committed by the god you all so admire.

How many Universities and Hospitals were founded by Christians? How many were founded by Atheists?

How many benevolent organizations ARE run by religions and churches today and how many by Atheists?

So it is OK to murder and subdue if you found hospitals, universities and other benevolent insitituions?

Science has brought mankind some cures for some illnesses. Science has also brought mankind every single horror killing our world today. Every weapon of mass destruction was brought upon the world by scientific means.

The largest use of WMD's in the history of our species has been by a self described, so-called 'christian' nation.

Do the math.

I have - more have been killed by god believers, or god himself. So many more that any comparison is futile.

[ST88]

Atheism, wieghed against every religion, has done greater harm in numbers of human beings suffering and dying by a massively larger number than any religious means.

Just Russia alone shows how murderous and evil atheism truly is. Add to that the untold numbers of people victimized by godless secular humanist perpetrators and comparing religious to non-religious actions is futile at best and dishonest at worst.

Nyril pointed out the flaw in your argument. I'll just add that the evil of "godless secular humanist perpetrators" is in the eye of the beholder.

How many Universities and Hospitals were founded by Christians? How many were founded by Atheists?

I'd guess that the atheist number is pretty low. There are several reasons for this.
1) The religious feel it is necessary to found institutes for higher learning because they wish to perpetuate their version of religious thought. If I had to guess, I'd say that this is because there are so many brands and types of religious thought that it becomes necessary to perpetuate one's own vision through such institutions. Atheists, on the other hand, can use the institutions that are already available in order to study whatever it is they wish to study.
2) It is not necessary to found an exclusively "atheist" institution because all that term means is that there is a lack of a belief in a particular god. You can't "study" something like this except in a very narrow field, which might exclusively be within the realm of the philosophy department. There is no such thing as "atheist architecture" for example.
3) Atheism is still a four-letter word in public life, which means that the necessary grant funding probably won't be there.
4) How is it possible to differentiate universities and hospitals run by government from atheist institutions? Government has made a distinction between "religious" institutions and "secular" institutions as a matter of law -- religious institutions get many benefits, such as tax advantages and unregulated teaching practices. Into which category would atheist universities fall?
5) Most atheists do not want to eliminate religion from the planet, they simply want it to be left out of government activity and government promotion. And to found an exclusively atheist institution is necessarily exclusionary.

Science has brought mankind some cures for some illnesses. Science has also brought mankind every single horror killing our world today. Every weapon of mass destruction was brought upon the world by scientific means.

Throughout history, the science of torture was at the beck and call of religion. The science of warfare was pushed and pulled by religious conflict. Moreover, the same things can be said of religion. Religion has brought some peace of mind and a modest amount of good will to the world. It has also brought bigotry, hatred, anti-cultural divisiveness, anti-intellectual allegiance, and needless behavioral restrictions.

[JamesBrown]

How many Universities and Hospitals were ... founded by Atheists?

Actually, all of them.

That question has been asked over and over. American Atheists magazine answered it, only with facts, not assertions.

[harvey1]

How many Universities and Hospitals were ... founded by Atheists?

Actually, all of them.

Public money doesn't mean atheistic money. Most public servants have a belief in God. But, the issue doesn't have much merit as far as I'm concerned. Atheists are people too, so if there were a need I'm sure they would accept an increase in taxes, etc., in order to justify more schools or hospitals.

However, the issue about atheism's track record as parties in control of state governments is much more disconcerting. I can't think of an atheist government that came to power in the last 60 years that was based on democratic values. For some reason, atheists tend to gravitate toward positions where state control is highly valued. Of course, atheists accuse Christians of intolerance, but Christianity has been heavily involved in most of the liberty we've seen in history!