Comments on: The God That Was Not There? http://silentnomore.wordpress.com/2007/05/01/the-god-that-was-not-there/ the death of whatever Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:46:22 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: fitnessfortheoccasion http://silentnomore.wordpress.com/2007/05/01/the-god-that-was-not-there/#comment-211 fitnessfortheoccasion Tue, 08 May 2007 18:54:18 +0000 http://silentnomore.wordpress.com/2007/05/01/the-god-that-was-not-there/#comment-211 El Queso, Very cool. That is an excellent point to make. Points, actually. I don't really have a religious affiliation per se, although I certainly have some tendencies. I am not an atheist, but I have a high appreciation for the atheist argument, if that makes any sense. (I might post on this at some point). I do not think there is a "whatever" generation. I've met far too many impressive people, especially when I've taught. It is a very vocal generation. A new perspective will be most welcome. (ps, since I am not an atheist, may I mistake this blog's purpose?) El Queso,
Very cool. That is an excellent point to make.
Points, actually.
I don’t really have a religious affiliation per se,
although I certainly have some tendencies.
I am not an atheist, but I have a high appreciation
for the atheist argument, if that makes any sense.
(I might post on this at some point).

I do not think there is a “whatever” generation.
I’ve met far too many impressive people, especially
when I’ve taught. It is a very vocal generation.

A new perspective will be most welcome.
(ps, since I am not an atheist, may I mistake this
blog’s purpose?)

]]> By: elqueso http://silentnomore.wordpress.com/2007/05/01/the-god-that-was-not-there/#comment-210 elqueso Tue, 08 May 2007 06:16:32 +0000 http://silentnomore.wordpress.com/2007/05/01/the-god-that-was-not-there/#comment-210 fitness: When I went through times of questioning and doubt it was not because I need something to believe in. I am a naturally skepticall person. However, when I went to look for those answers I did find them. I am not saying that all the questions of faith have answers. If they did then what is faith? All I wanted to say in this blog is that we as Christians should not have blind faith. Because if we do then we are failing Christ. You are right about the atheist wanting truth. I wish we arrived at the same ends but this is not a perfect world. I do not know what your religious affiliation is, but if you are an atheist then do not mistake this blog's purpose. Silent No More is a slogan against the "whatever" generation. My generation. We are a Christian Senior English class that put together this blog to take a stand for Christianity in an intelligent and respectable manner. We are not looking to offend anyone in the process but merely come out with Christ's message in a way that many Christians have been failing to do. fitness:
When I went through times of questioning and doubt it was not because I need something to believe in. I am a naturally skepticall person. However, when I went to look for those answers I did find them.
I am not saying that all the questions of faith have answers. If they did then what is faith? All I wanted to say in this blog is that we as Christians should not have blind faith. Because if we do then we are failing Christ.
You are right about the atheist wanting truth. I wish we arrived at the same ends but this is not a perfect world.
I do not know what your religious affiliation is, but if you are an atheist then do not mistake this blog’s purpose. Silent No More is a slogan against the “whatever” generation. My generation. We are a Christian Senior English class that put together this blog to take a stand for Christianity in an intelligent and respectable manner. We are not looking to offend anyone in the process but merely come out with Christ’s message in a way that many Christians have been failing to do.

]]> By: fitnessfortheoccasion http://silentnomore.wordpress.com/2007/05/01/the-god-that-was-not-there/#comment-209 fitnessfortheoccasion Tue, 08 May 2007 02:56:49 +0000 http://silentnomore.wordpress.com/2007/05/01/the-god-that-was-not-there/#comment-209 This is a very noble sentiment, but if you enter into questioning confident you will find the answers, is your mind truly open to all the possibilities? Is questioning to strengthen faith truly as strong as questioning to challenge faith? In other words, what foolishness must we fight? It is fine and, I'd even argue, natural to want to find God. But is it a help or a hindrance to want to believe so very badly? The worry is that you may think you have answered the question, when you are walking away with far less than an answer in your hands. This is a kind of blindness. The atheist loves the truth every bit as much as the theist. It would be wise to consider what this means for both the theist and the atheist, that both want to know truth, and yet both arrive at such divergent ends. This is a very noble sentiment, but if you enter into questioning confident you will find the answers, is your mind truly open to all the possibilities? Is questioning to strengthen faith truly as strong as questioning to challenge faith?

In other words, what foolishness must we fight? It is fine and, I’d even argue, natural to want to find God. But is it a help or a hindrance to want to believe so very badly?

The worry is that you may think you have answered the question, when you are walking away with far less than an answer in your hands. This is a kind of blindness.

The atheist loves the truth every bit as much as the theist. It would be wise to consider what this means for both the theist and the atheist, that both want to know truth, and yet both arrive at such divergent ends.

]]> By: Smith http://silentnomore.wordpress.com/2007/05/01/the-god-that-was-not-there/#comment-206 Smith Thu, 03 May 2007 02:09:12 +0000 http://silentnomore.wordpress.com/2007/05/01/the-god-that-was-not-there/#comment-206 "The most unforgivable sin is to doubt God exists"--not perhaps taken verbatim from the documentary, but I'm assuming he said something to that effect. I don't have a problem with his words if he means, "The most unforgivable sin is to choose not to acknowledge God." "Unforgivable" is a very strong word. I don't think he probably meant to place it in the same category with blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. He probably meant that Christians think doubting is a sin. It is. He's right. I'd even say it's at the heart of every other sin (Rom 1, 2 Thess 2). You're saying, "No wait! Doubting isn't a sin. It's o.k. not to have all the answers and to ask hard questions, and to struggle when it doesn't SEEM at the moment like your arguments are the best." I agree with that--it's the story of my life, frankly. But I don't think that's the doubting he's talking about. Your doubting has a trajectory toward faith. You WANT to believe. You want God, and you will fight every bit of foolishness that rises up to hinder that. He, on the other hand, grew up in a God's world, and didn't want it (see the "strong delusion" and the "love of evil" in 1 Thess 2). It's always a moral issue, isn't it? You and the atheist may ask questions that are similar in form to one another--but they're night and day to one another from God's perspective, because you love the truth. “The most unforgivable sin is to doubt God exists”–not perhaps taken verbatim from the documentary, but I’m assuming he said something to that effect. I don’t have a problem with his words if he means, “The most unforgivable sin is to choose not to acknowledge God.” “Unforgivable” is a very strong word. I don’t think he probably meant to place it in the same category with blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. He probably meant that Christians think doubting is a sin. It is. He’s right. I’d even say it’s at the heart of every other sin (Rom 1, 2 Thess 2).

You’re saying, “No wait! Doubting isn’t a sin. It’s o.k. not to have all the answers and to ask hard questions, and to struggle when it doesn’t SEEM at the moment like your arguments are the best.” I agree with that–it’s the story of my life, frankly. But I don’t think that’s the doubting he’s talking about. Your doubting has a trajectory toward faith. You WANT to believe. You want God, and you will fight every bit of foolishness that rises up to hinder that.

He, on the other hand, grew up in a God’s world, and didn’t want it (see the “strong delusion” and the “love of evil” in 1 Thess 2). It’s always a moral issue, isn’t it? You and the atheist may ask questions that are similar in form to one another–but they’re night and day to one another from God’s perspective, because you love the truth.

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