AJ Philips,

<<You’re welcome to [Go back to topic of article], and I can see why you’d be eager to. Personally, I think it’s been adequately addressed. So, unless you want to provide me with some evidence for your god, I’m done here.>>

Evidence for the Lord God Almighty who created the heavens and the earth? I've already done that in this thread. Read Romans 1:18ff and Psalm 19:1-6.

God does not believe in atheists or people who deny his existence. However, you've admitted you have committed apostasy. Unless the Holy Spirit opens your heart to evidence for God's existence, I will be wasting my time providing further evidence. You seem to be hardened against Christianity.

So are you a fortune teller that you "can see why you’d be eager to [go back to the title of the thread]". Let me tell you the only reason, get it - only reason. The topic has wandered so far from its original intent, based on the Bill O'Chee article.

We've moved to discussion of logical fallacies when we should be discussing a child's right to discuss Jesus, Muhammed, Gandhi, Hitler, Almighty God, and Islamic State on the school grounds.

Any god would do, OzSpen.

<<Evidence for the Lord God Almighty who created the heavens and the earth?>>

You don’t even have to get that specific.

<<I've already done that in this thread. Read Romans 1:18ff and Psalm 19:1-6.>>

Yes, I read them. I’ve read the Bible.

Once again, how do you know the Bible is right? Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, and there was nothing extraordinary about the evidence you provided before.

<<God does not believe in atheists or people who deny his existence.>>

How do you know the Bible is right about this? So what if the Bible might have gotten a few mundane details of geography and history correct? If I make ten claims and nine of them turn out to be true, does that mean the tenth claim is true?

<<However, you've admitted you have committed apostasy.>>

Yes. So what? All atheists, who used to be religious, have.

<<Unless the Holy Spirit opens your heart to evidence for God's existence, I will be wasting my time providing further evidence.>>

So, in other words, I need to want to believe before I will believe? Fake it til I make it? Sounds like self-fulfilling prophecy to me.

Here’s the thing, OzSpen: if your god exists, then it would know what it would take to convince me of its existence, yet apparently it refuses to do this. Furthermore, an omnipotent and omniscient god would have chosen a reality in which I became an atheist, when it could have chosen a different reality. Now, why would it do that?

<<You seem to be hardened against Christianity.>>

No, I’m just not gullible, and would prefer that my beliefs be rationally justifiable.

<<So are you a fortune teller that you "can see why you’d be eager to [go back to the title of the thread]".>>

One doesn’t need to be a fortune teller to envisage a possible motivation. What an absurd thing to say.

AJ, would any evidance for God do? Personal experiences included? There are plenty of personal experiences with regard to prayer, feeling God is near, answered prayers, and some strange observations that look like miracles, or experiences with angels.

If you don't mind me saying so, I'd say stastically speaking there's quite a bit of evidance for God that is outright ignored. On top of the stastically element finding someone with some kind of experience is usually less then a stone throw away. Friends, family, coworkers, people you probabley trust in other aspects of life and know as reasonable and rationel have had some experience that supports the existence of God or at least someone like God being there.

If personal experience will do then I'm sure you can easily find that kind of evidance. Many would probabley volunteer their experiences if it meant you could find what they have found.

Just some thoughts.

Welcome Not_Now.Soon,

Those who oppose religion do believe that religion is dangerous. At the bottom line, they fear that it would endanger their personal freedom, most commonly their sexual freedom. They tend to dress it up in big words, including atheism, but this is what it really comes down to.

Sadly, this has a rational basis because historically, religious people as well as those claiming to be religious, have made this mistake of restricting others' freedoms. Some still do (especially in Islam).

Religion is about bringing YOURSELF closer to God - even with the best of intentions you cannot drag others with you, certainly not kicking and screaming: that's wrong and sinful, it's not God's way. The only way one can rise above their animal nature is through free choice. Everyone will eventually reach God, but the timing is up to each one of us, we have absolutely no right to interfere in the timing of others.

' Religion is about bringing YOURSELF closer to God - even with the best of intentions you cannot drag others with you, certainly not kicking and screaming'

you are right on this Yuyutsu but one would be totally blind not to acknowledge that what ideologies kids are taught and modelled will more often than not bring blessing or cursing on their life. Look at the poor kids these days who are denied a father, fed filth by the 'safe' schools deviants and prevented from hearing the truth as to what is right and wrong. This is the world that the bullies from the SSM campaign want. They are to self absobed to see where it leads. Yes everyone should be given a free will but its hard to choose when you only get fed secular lies.

That you for the welcome Yuyutsu. Your right on point saying that people think religion is dangerous. I think there a lot of harm combining all religions together when critizing religion, because the specifics get muddied over and the danger (if any) is lost in the rhetoric. If we do this the actual dangers will not be resolved.