---Some people pretend to know about the things of God, but they are just guessing, or repeating what they have been told or read in some book.\n\n---Some people have authentic knowledge about God, and bear witness of that which they DO know.  These people would have to fain ignorance to pretend otherwise.  \n\nI would prefer that those without genuine understanding continue to bear witness that they don't know about God, and those with authentic understanding to continue to bear witness of that which they do know.\n\nBut, lets get rid of the pretense that you know something when you don't, or that you don't know something when you do.\n\nDon't you think that fakers should shut their collective cake holes?\n\n(Scoffers never think that anybody has knowledge that they do not, but scoffing is easier then the pain of ignorance, so lets not take that from scoffers ... scoffing is all they have.)
126485
Well, in the end the fakers have an impact on who their message reaches. They are often found out and their fakeness reflects poorly on whomever they claim to represent.  Let's be frank. Those who are able, should. But they must realize they ARE their brother's keeper. So they also have to make ammends for those who can't.  Whether or not we wish the fakers would keep quiet is irrevelant. They do what they will. Just be ready with your knowledge to defeat the ignorance they introduce. Its all that can be done.
652717
Intellectual surrender. Good phrase! I (as you may gather) am a member of the second group. I feel that some people cling to the Word or God and the word of God only idea because they are lazy. If everything I need to know is already written down and needs no interpretations then I don't have to think for myself. It gives them an out and makes the spiritual life a no brainer with no work required.\nIt's just "here are the rules, go live by the rules" They have no need to pray or listen to God speak to them. They never have to wonder about anything. They never have to do any of the work of being human. Like cattle. Just follow the rules and then die. Easy instructions.\nThis is why I belong to a church that values education and thought.
486584
Dear Francis B:  It is not for me or anyone to press God and His Realm upon others who do not wish to know of it.  If you will bear with me, I would like to say a few things about this:\n\n1.   As one who pursued the Intellect of my human mind most of my life and looked at all things, and felt pride in my Intellect's comprehensive ability to learn and understand , I now present to you what I learned :  The Intellect is but an exercise of mind.   Scientific theories come and go each decade.  The Sciences get up close to God and then, sadly, have no ability to mathematically formulate His Reality and Truth. To prove Him.  I would offer:  Don't rely on just the Intellect to live by.\n\n2.    Later in life, I opened up to Spirit Mind.  Nothing denominational, nothing very traditional, no dogma , and  began receiving "experiences" of Spirit. \n\n "Temporal Lobes of the Brain" is a discussion of the illusionary-type reality we experience here in the physical world.  But, you know, we are much more than just physical.  Made of something much more powerful. . .and, sooner, or later, we all come to Know.  Our Creator is not dependent upon our "belief" in Him.  He exists  - whether we choose to deny Him or recognize Him.  He looks upon what He created and listens while it turns to other creations He created and yells, "There is no God." And, He MUST think to Himself. . .how strange that is; my creation is acting as if it doesn't know me !  Yet, I AM  - and certain of myself !  Even a human father might find it a bit disconcerting -  when a child of his denies him. Same thing, really.\n\nAnyhow, spiritual or religious experiences come not from the human Intellect - but, from the soul/spirit part of Mind.  That "thing" that certainly exists, but is not reflected by the physical matter of "brain."  In thinking upon ourselves, perhaps we need to consider ourselves more in terms of a totality - rather than just one part of us as "real" and that there is nothing MORE to us.  That may be something to contemplate. . .\n\nI would like to submit to you further these truths of spiritual experience (or religious experience), as I have learned of it:\n\n1.   Spiritual or religious experience "reverses physical laws."\n2.   These experiences are often experienced during prayer or study.\n3.   These experiences undo the past in the present and release the future.  They are outside the laws of the physical world.\n4.    Spiritual or religious experiences REFLECT, therefore, the laws of Eternity, not of time.\n5.    Through spiritual or religious experience you feel God's constant Forgiveness upon you and are impelled to extend it to others.\n6.    Spiritual experiences (or religious . . .let's now use the words interchangeably) are part of an interlocking chain of forgiveness and is at work in all the dimensions of Time.\n7.    Spiritual experiences are healing because they deny absolute body-identification and affirm spirit-identification.  This places spirit at the Center of Mind where it can communicate directly.\n8.    Spiritual experiences honor you.  They dispel illusions about yourself.  They help restore your sanity.  They restore the Mind to its fullness. . .. \n9.    Spirit's strength leaves no room for intrusions.  Nothing can take the experience and its effects away from you.\n10.  By perceiving the light IN the experience, darkness automatically disappears.\n11.    Whole-ness is the perceptual content of spiritual experience.  It corrects the faulty perceptions of lack, or being separated.\n\nBest regards, Lana
15015
Yes, I agree. Most Christians are ignorant but most people in general are also. Maybe God has been laying this on your heart not in order to criticize them but for you to look deep inside yourself and see what you can do to help these Christians become less ignorant. (if they are truly Christians). Use your knowledge to help teach others. Sadly you will realize how heartbreaking this chore will be for you, but it sounds like you may already know this. Remember that God knows your heart and the teaching of His truths,wether accepted or not, always bring glory to God.
390236
I believe there are people who have had a spiritual experience who brought them to the God of their understanding, and there are those who haven't. Some who haven't just go to church and say they believe because it's the polite thing to do. Others who practice their religion (any religion) do it because they've had a personal experience that they can't prove to no one but themselves. They can't prove it to a non-believer any more than a non-believer can prove to them that the believer's experience was B.S. \n\nSo it's a draw.
135544
I've been on the other side where I thought that people who didn't believe in god must feel lost.  (I was raised to think they are evil.)  So, I can kinda understand why some religious individuals think that non-believers feel some sort of void or are immoral.  However, I also view that stance as an immature belief.  It doesn't take a lot of looking around to realize that agnostics and atheists are very content with their worldviews and live ethical lives.
70597
haha I asked the same question but about fundalmental christians.  For someone trying to figure out my own sprituality I find both sides rather annoying and superfical.  I think the reason both Atheists and Fundalmentals are on here so much is because their point of view is very simple to give a easy answer.  Beleive and don't question for the fundalmentals and don't beleive at all for the Atheists.  To answer many of the deep questions posted on here a lot of thought has to go into those answers.  Even with lots of thought, a good answer is hard to communicate.  Whole books have been written to answer some of these questions.  So it only appears to be narrow minded people in the population but in fact its just easier for them to give their narrow minded answers because to them everything is black and white
326707
The fact that you would even make a statement speaks volumes about your intelligence. They are giving you their version, what they know to be true as taught to them. Have some respect. If not for their religion then at least for them as humans.
463228
Theoretically, if they are saying the phrases you describe then they are not actually atheists. how can someone you don't believe in damn anything? Seriously I don't get especially annoyed by this one thing that atheists do but there are other things such as being illogical and pigheaded which usually bother me more!!
538799
These people dont know sh!t! No body knows, so they cant solicit advice about something they have no clue about. Its all based on speculation and assumption. No body knows for certain, but its what you want to believe. No body knows if god really exists, but almost all the world believes in him. Find out for yourself rather than asking these ignorant folks on yahoo. And while your at it... maybe take a spelling lesson or two. G-H-O-S-T ... you typically learn that in 2nd grade.
96762
Awesome Amandy, I couldn't agree with you more.  There is a lot of ignorance in the air, and a lot of unwarranted assumptions.  Just because something/someone isn't understood doesn't mean people should assume based on there limited experience what is going on so that they can comfortably fit it into their understanding and further encourage their already misguided ego.  People should be able to look at a person and see that person as a secular human being.  Every culture has different aspects that make it unique and special, as long as you don't hurt or infringe on other human beings, you shouldn't be judged.  \n\nYou are not alone, I think I needed to say that as well, that does feel good to get off the chest.
481671
I am an atheist and yes, quite a few people have started thinking differently because of my conversation.  You need to know though that to bring someone out of being brainwashed takes in the very least, months, if not a few years.  What I talk about are how we are told something since birth, of course we're going to believe it.....then compare that to them being born somewhere else on the planet...IE: If you were born in Turkey you'd be muslim (example).  Then I talk about how it is impossibly for anyone to know (because it is) however that is usually an agnostic stand.....atheists are just pissed off agnostics.  lol.  I will give them books to read and help them understand that they dont' necessarily have to believe what they've been told and to seek out other beliefs and religions even.  The intelligent ones come around, the ones that live in denial never do......Simple mathematics, it will take a few hundred years to overcome what those in power use to keep themselves in power...... plain and simple.  be well, jack
36471
For some people, it's sheer ignorance.  That ignorance, for the most part; is willful.  They choose not to learn from others, rather they wish to stick to their "I know what you believe and you don't" attitude.  If I want to know about a Christian concept, I'll ask a Christian. If they show me that I'm wrong in what I originally thought, I'll glady accept that.  I won't continue to argue the point once a follower of any particular faith has offered me knowlege on the sujbect.  I see a great deal of that here. It's like logical reasoning jumps right out the window as soon as a concept which is different is brought up.  They simply don't want to learn, plain and simple.\n\nOther people are just so hateful that they get great joy out of being smug and holier than thou.  It's almost like they think they are God on Earth or the only chosen person of God.  If they aren't playing a constant game of "My god can beat up your God", they aren't happy.  \n\nFinally, some people like to set themselves up as martyrs. They love to enter discussions which have nothing to do with their faith, spout a bunch of scripture, throw around some brimstone and then complain about how unfair other people are when they're told to mind their own business. They also really enjoy complaining when people enter their conversations doing the same thing.  \n\nI generally don't become angry or beligerant unless I'm having someone else's beliefs shoved on me 8 ways to Sunday.  Trying to discuss anything here without being told to find Jesus is impossible.  I mean it, try to get advice on mundane things like diet or health issues and you're told the same thing.  Honestly, It's very annoying.  I know, I know if I don't like it I can leave.  Just airing my view on the subject.
321784
as an atheist (former catholic) i think. and my thoughts lead me to the conclusion that they are all misled children who choose to believe in some sky-king instead of empirical evidence. their ignorance facilitates all of the social injustices you have listed and many others. their religions are just tools of social control. they are blinded by their righteous vanity and ignorance. people of sense and intelligence need to appeal to the children of these misled people in hopes of breaking this cycle of ignorance.
108583
Come on lymber1,I know it can get frustrating sometimes as a Christian trying to tell the truth of GOD.........But you know that calling people who don't believe,ignorant,is not the way to spread the truth of GOD,doing that will only drive them further away from GOD\n\nI know how you feel,but we must approach them from another angle the way JESUS did\n\nCraig,before you judge other peoples grammar,look at your own...."realize"not"realise\n\nhttp://www.gotquestions.org
360146
I've learned lots of things from Jim_Darwin, although sometimes he says he's Atheist and sometimes he says he's Agnostic. \n\nI guess it's that Atheists can be spiritual. The concept never occurred to me until someone (not Jim_Darwin) explained an experience he had. I would reference it, but the question was deleted for chatting. Had this person not been adamant that he was Atheist, I would have pegged him as a Pagan because of some Norse mythology he talked about. \n\nI've also learned a lot from the different questions I've answered from Atheists. Not all Atheists are belligerent, and a lot of the questions I've answered have caused me to really think, which has caused me to firm up my beliefs. Prior to coming here, I knew what I believed, but had never really put a lot of it into words. Thanks to a lot of the early questions I answered, who I later found out were Atheist/Agnostic or at least not Christian, I was able to put words to my feelings.
556430
I know what you mean. In the bible though it says our knowledge is just a fraction of God's knowledge...there are some things the human mind is not ever going to comprehend, which is why science was invented (the big bang theory..Please). I know someone who is extremely atheist/agnostic and its really sad that he's so closedminded. I mean, people say christians are closed minded but then atheists are too, because they won't even open up to the possibility that there is a god. I don't know...they greatest of the commandments is love so I guess thats all we can do.