To be considered for best answer you must venture a guess on how many fundamentalist christians well quote the bible and tell me I am a blasphemer and that I am going to hell, 2. You must guess how many fundamentalist atheists can't read the word IF and will tell me how dare I empose my religion on them and how its ok for them to not believe in God and how dare I tell them they are going to hell, 3. You must guess how many people will reference watchtower, 4. You must guess how many people will send me hate email or hate instant messages for this question, 5. You must guess how many people will tell me since I believe in evolution how stupid am I because the big bang is stupid.\n\nIn short, to be considered for best answer, read the blasted question.
217810
peter pan just stole my shoes...bad little monkey...,\n\nby the way, there are no "fundamentalist" Christians on this site...it would be against their religion...so your criteria is flawed...\n\ngive me back my shoes...stupid little monkey....\n\nassuming you WERE obedient to God, you wouldn't be disobeying Him or His laws (you would have to give an example of disobediance vs disobeying...another flaw I think)....\n\nthat's it, I'm going to shoot this damn little monkey...
598640
YOU'RE GOING TO HELL!!! YOU EVIL GOD HATER*!!!\n\nOK... sorry, not Christian, but I thought I would try to help you out anyway. \n\n*my personal favorite fundie nickname for an atheist (or any other non-Christian).
592092
if you were an atheist and you went to hell you would deny that you are in hell because you don't believe in it.  I am an atheist, not the most hardcore of atheists, but anyways, I would feel dumb if I were in hell because I would be wrong.
151410
Let me begin by saying that I always enjoy reading your answers and very often you beat me to the punch with an explanation that is more coherent than I could likely come up with. Excellent work.\n\nI think that much of the issue here comes back to the basic divisiveness of faith. It makes sense for each religion to clearly define lines between "us" and "them." Jesus might have believed in peace and love, much like a modern day hippie, but the only real way to gather people around a common idea is to give them a common enemy. These days it's considered relatively poor taste to engage in crusades against Muslims, or chase Jews out of town for drinking the blood of the Christian born, so modern-day Christians have needed to unite against a new common enemy, evolutionists. Strangely, the only group of Christians now required to agree with us are the Catholics, based on JPII's statments that evolution is the most likely explanation for the current state of the world. Then again, many Protestants have issues with Catholics (and Jehovah's Witnesses, and Mormons), but I think their favorite target du jour is the atheistic evolutionists.\n\nOne of the nice things about scapegoating is that you don't really have to define what is so terrible about the goats. Most of the time you can just point a finger and shriek. Pretty soon the rest of the mob will join in. As far as I know there has been no theory put forth by the creationist camp as to the "true" motives of evolutionists. Clearly most middle-of-the-road Christians (well, the ones who don't agree with us) feel that we've just studied the world and come to the wrong conclusions. However, many others likely feel that there is a nefarious agenda behind evolutionist ideas. Fortunately, they have a catch-all go-to-guy when it comes to nefarious agendas. Anything that isn't "godlike" is always attributed to this character. What's his name? Could it be...Satan?\n\nI'm sure that there are creationists out there who think that most evolutionists are on Satan's payroll and will be driving big gold Cadillacs around shortly after the Rapture. Sadly, no amount of reasoning on our part will get them to think any differently. In the meantime they will continue to see all of us as part of some cabal in Satan's service. It's strange to think that there was a time when only heavy-metal bands and role-playing-gamers were part of The Devil's army, now it seems that a degree in biochemistry is a standard recruitment tactic. \n\nWell, keep up the good work, and I'll see you at the meetings.
447607
I known what you are saying but I think your argument is way to logical for these people to ever understand.\n\nAll you are likely to get from this bunch are a pile of emails telling you that you are going to hell.  Seems to be their standard answer to anything logical.\n\nlove and blessings Don
122787
There are currently from 1,000 to 20,000 different religions depending on the survey.  Many of them consist of worship to jealous god or gods.   If you choose the wrong religion, then you may wind up in Hell.\n\nIf you are playing the odds, the only sane choice is to be agnostic.  At least that way, no god will get pissed at you for worshipping a false god or gods.
70036
Well something about these quotes really disturbs me...\n\n"Over one million people worship the devil as a religion."  Really?  Prove it.  I want to see where you got your IMPARTIAL information.\n\n"Anyone who does not believe in God is a sinner and rebuked God when they heard the good news."  So this is what you are saying.  Before you tell these people about your god they are safe because your god is not known to them.  If, however; you tell them about your god and they refuse to believe your "good news of the lord" they are condemned to hell.  Why tell them in the first d@amned place then if you know they are going to go to hell for refusing your god!?\n\n"Lives we can never change"....yeah? tell that the people you just condemned to hell for refusing to believe in your god.\n\n..."and we have an understanding of what is good and bad in our conscience."  Well let me see, you just told a bunch of people who were enjoying their lives without your god and who were safe from the wrath of your god until you told them about your god by condemning them to hell for refusing to believe in your god. How is telling people who don't know your god a good thing again please?\n\n"we all have a sense of survivl instinct."  It's spelled S-U-R-V-I-V-A-L, you idiot. \n\n"Yes things in our culture have been disintergrated because of simple minded people not knowing the facts before they say or do things before the think"...welcome to the Disintegration Club, genius.\n\n==============\n\n...and then there's this one...\n\n==============\n\n“HELLO! "thou shalt not suffer a witch to live...."\n\n"I'M NOT SAYING KILL ALL THE WITCHES.....what I AM saying is God does not approve of witchcraft...”  { Rather than me going off here I think I will just dust off something that Fiona Broome wrote and place it here regarding that little statement}: \n\nThou shalt not suffer a witch to live...? \nedited by Fiona Broome\n\nPeople often ask about the famous line in the Bible, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live." (Exodus 22:18) \n\nIt's important to do your own research. However, here's what I've found so far: \n\nJames I was notorious for being paranoid about witches, spells, and so on. This was, in part, due to volatile politics of the time. He had good reason to be nervous. \n\n"His" Bible (the King James Bible) was translated to keep Jamie-boy happy, so they translated the word chasaph--which is Hebrew for poisoner (or, in other contexts, herbalist)-- to mean "witch" instead. \n\nThe real Biblical passage was about the disturbing crime of poisoning in the Jewish community. When that line was originally written, there may have been recent poisonings. Some historians point to this. \n\nHere's an early document, written around 1580 at the time of King James I, protesting the translation of chasaph as "witch." \n\n(And when goode King James discovered what Reginald Scot had said in this book, James first wrote his own book, Daemonologie, a rebuttal to Scot's. Then James ordered his men to find every copy of Scot's book and burn them. It \nwas too late. The Scot book was already in its third printing, widely distributed, and nine more chapters had been added.)\n\n  \nFrom The Discoverie of Witchcraft by Reginald Scot. \n  \nBOOKE VI \n  \nChapter I - The exposition of this Hebrue word Chasaph, wherein is answered the objection conteined in Exodus 22. to wit: Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live, and of Simon Magus. Acts. 8. \n  \n(page 64) Chaspah, being a Hebrue word, is Latined Veneficium, and  is in English, poisoning, or witchcraft; if you will so have it. The Hebrue sentence written in Exodus, 22. is by the 70. interpretors translated thus \n  into Greeke, [note: I'll fill this in when I have a Greek font and more time], which in Latine is, \n  \n\n  Veneficos (sive) veneficas non
513852
"It was obvious that he had no reason."\n\nPerhaps he just didn't want to explain it for the 5 billionth time.  It gets old, you know?  I mean, hey, if someone answers "yes" to whether or not they believe in God, NOBODY tries to make them stay put and explain themselves for half an hour.  Someone answers "no" and suddenly it's 20 questions.\n\n"he was not a good person ,he cheated on his wife ... So do you agree all the atheists are bad people"\n\nThat's quite a leap, kiddo.  Concluding ALL atheists are "bad people" because you know ONE atheist who cheated on his wife.  And no, I wouldn't agree that all atheists are bad people just because your ONE friend did a naughty thing.
551996
My question to you is this: Why did you not pose this question to everyone and only American Christians because you didn't give details on Whose households were used to answer. This is bias. Do you actually know who answered this survey and what group or individuals answered? I hope that you don't think believers only answered that. As a former atheist, I never told anyone what I belived and it wasn't out of fear and rejection. I believe that those who see atheists as the most distrusted group of people is because they seem to be the opposite of any thing that reliigous people belive in for instance some atheist are for abortion. Reliigous are against it. Some atheists are against homosexuality and gay marriages. Some Religious people are against. Some atheists are deadset on pushing evolution on anyone that's against it especially on this site. Stem cell research is another issue and some religious people are for it. Let's not forget how some atheists consistently oppose against religious rights. Not every christian want to destroy religious freedom and seek only one religon nor want others to believe as they do. IMO,Hell was created for a reason not every one wants to believe. There are unbelievers in the christian world that label themselves believers and straddle the fence. No one can be trusted if they want to impose their beliefs or non beliefs on any individual that have made theirs up. As for as I am concern atheists are in every group that you have listed such as Muslims,recent immigrants, homosexuals and minorities and let's not forget christians. Think about it!
459552
Someone asked this yesterday.  I'll tell you what I told them.\n\nIf I am wrong about being an atheist, and I stand before god, I will hold my head up. I'll say "I looked for you harder than anybody I know. I read the bible in its original languages. I prayed for hours and hours. If you know all, you know how sincerely I looked. If you can chuck me into hell, knowing that, then I go with a clear conscience. Because I wouldn't want to share eternity with a being who could torment ANYone for eternity. Let alone someone who looked for him so hard."\n\nI would rather go to hell with a clear conscience and a pure heart than go to heaven because I chose out of fear.
106425
Not posted to me, but thank you for the clarifying response.  It's one finger in the levee, but who knows how many it will help in the end.  Please keep up these posts.  However, try it as a question.  For instance: \n\n"Can anyone name any religious quotes being taken out of context to argue something they don't, in truth, support? (Barts Mama take note)"\n\nThen in the description, write the response as an example of what you are talking about.\n\nThis prompts thought and gets your message out
294449
FOLKS, LISTEN UP!!!!\n\nThere are 10,000 religions practiced on Earth today!!!  TEN THOUSAND!!!  You would "die" for your beliefs in just ONE of them?  Have you even studied any of the others?  What if you got it WRONG?  What if you're dying for the WRONG belief system.  Can you really say, TRULY, that you've studied all of the belief systems and that yours is THE ONE?\n\nMy goodness, there are almost 34,000 DENOMINATIONS OF CHRISTIANITY!!!  Have you studied ALL OF THEM?  It would be a shame to lose your life over one belief system out of TENS OF THOUSANDS...when you've only studied one.  It's like saying, "Carrots are the one true vegetable!", when there are thousands of vegetables, and you've only eaten one.  I would invite you to go back to the "religious salad bar" and eat from more than one tray.  Then, you get to pick from experience, not from blind acceptance.\n\nI wish you Peace.
200937
I think it is horrible that people of any faith would post such nasty comments. I am a believer in God, but do not call myself a Christian. I have had bad experiences with them like yours. These people are not being very good Christians as they are going against a lot of what the bible teaches, ie tolerance and not judging others. You should ignore these people and keep asking questions. It is how we learn and understand.
364102
I would be more worried about a Fundamentalist president than an Atheist one.  Most Atheists operate on logic and reason.  Fundamentalists are f*cking crazy.
334257
Hmm...  Apparently slacking on your agnostic studies are we?  Well, ok, here is what my scouting has taught me:\n\nYou will not get one answer on this question because the many religions have conflicting messages and then the sects have conflicting messages within the religions.  Some christians think you will be damned if you don't accept Jesus in your lifetime, some will say you're damned if you don't recognize God after you die, some say you have to have secret passwords (like God's true name is ""Jehovah" or "Erasu" or "Dave"), while others say that your level of salvation will depend upon the level of your faith.  Some will even say you can be a completely vile, evil person and still get into heaven as long as you praise God!  The sheer volume of confusion on this matter seems to me what I call "the agnostic's dilemma" within "Pascal's Wager."\n\nPascal's Wager states simply that if betting on whether God exists, it is better to bet on God and be wrong than bet against a God and be wrong: There is no risk in betting on the idea that a God exists from the perspective of life after death, but being wrong and rejecting God might lead to damnation.\n\nThe bloody difficult agnostic, however, throws a wrench into the works by asking what your question begs: "How the heck do I know which God is the real God?!"  You don't, hence Pascal's wager is ALMOST meaningless.  Hedging the bet as much as possible, the agnostic keeps studying to find an answer, while avoiding signing on with one religion or another lest they later learn that they stepped on the wrong set of divine toes.\n\nSO, now the real meat of the question!  What is the sense in being good?  Now that has been something of a concern.  It seems to me from my studies that a number of things are universal among religions, with the number one thing being true nature of Good and Evil.  While there may be some disagreement in what exactly constitutes bad behavior, it apparently exists, hence there must be some basis for morality, regardless of religion.\n\nMy answer has generally been this:  If God created me, God made me this way - agnostic.  If that is unacceptable to God, then God has a self-conflict, not a conflict with me.  I exist because God made me so and to be untrue to my own form would be more of an insult to God than to try to be something I didn't believe (to live a lie - which appears to be universally wrong among religions if you think through all the consequences).\n\nI also think about what kind of God would I WANT to worship.  If God is a vile, selfish, hateful creature that tortures the good for petty reasons, I often think that I would rather be tortured right along with them than cowtow to such a hideous thing.  This has actually been very helpful in sorting out several religions right away as simply unacceptable- even if... maybe especially if that is the correct God!  It is not perfect, however, as there are still plenty of sects, branches, religions, and whatnot that are not so filled with hate, so I am still left with agnostic uncertainty.\n\nAt the very least, be reassured that, where ever you end up, I will probably be right there along with you.  Whatever that fate may be, I hope it is at least a mildly pleasant one.
533971
I love your question....\nNow I finally get a chance to show a side that a non-believer can see..\nI did not grow up in a family that had a belief system..\nBut yet something was there that pushed me \nI had no formal education on GOD \nBut yet something pushed me...\nI should have been dead atleast 4 times over \nBut yet I am still here and each time something pushed me...\n\n\n*I used to be a fence person . In the sense that I believed in a GOD but I wasn't really gonna give up anything just to believe..\nWhich of course I found out later that really the opposite is true.. You really don't give up that much..\nBecause this world doesn't have much to offer anyway..\n*I tried Budda, New Age. Sooo many self-help books that my mind started to get confused as to what was true..\n*I  have read the Quran...And read on Hindu beliefs...\n*I have gone it alone and investigated every possible scientific fact that life was not created ...I have read the BIBLE and correlated those facts with science...\n* I have done everything possible to make sure what I was doing was indeed the right thing...\n* I have lived on both sides of the railroad tracks.. I have been homeless,and did alot of other things that I am not proud of BUT thankful that I did do these things because without them , I wouldn't be where I am ...\n\nMy Belief system was not born on just reading the BIBLE and taking its words as gold.. \nI questioned everything ..I researched everything ( and I still am researching and studying :))of course now because I want to learn and not because I am trying to find a hole in the BIBLE.\n\nMy conclusions....\n\nNo way that our existence just is...\nNo big bang theory... ( that has been disproven by more than just one scientist )\nThe probability that the predictions of the BIBLE are wrong is impossible . Why because some of the predictions dated before the events ever happened...\nEvery prediction in the BIBLE that has thus far came true is impossible on a factual scale of precentages to happen.. In other words.. A phychic cannot make predictions 100% of the time and be correct.. They will be lucky if they get one right and thats probably chance...\nBut yet , if you read the prediction in the BIBLE ( especially the ones that have already happened) what are the odds that ALL of them have came true?? Like a zillion to 1...\n\nDO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ELSE WITH THAT KIND OF ODDS??\n\nI believe because there is indesputabel proof that GOD does exist.. \nJESUS DID WALK THIS EARTH..FACTS CANNOT LIE..\nWITNESSES DO NOT TELL LIES\nBesides , who in there right mind would die for another human being all soley based on 1 fact ...\nThat they believed in JESUS...\nWOULD ANY OF US DO THE SAME???\nThey seen JESUS . they walked with him, ate with him, communed and were taught by JESUS.... They knew him INTIMATELY...\nSOOO...\nWHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD DIE FOR A MAN IF HE WASN'T WHO HE SAID HE WAS AND STILL IS..\n\nIt just begs to be answered....\n\nSo why do I believe :\n\n1st because of proof...\n2nd because of my heart\nOne day I just had enough.. Enough of running and searching when all I had to do was stop and look.. Listen and hear,, GOD WAS RIGHT THERE AND I JUST KEPT MISSING HIM...\nafter I was saved , my life changed and I didn't even try to change it . It just did..\nThings in my life are not what they once were..\nMy prayers are answered \nMy family life is better \nMy life has meaning\nIts not a meaningless belief .. Its based on more than Faith alone.. Its based on Faith and Truth...\nI can say without a shadow of a doubt that if you do not believe or you sit on the fence like I did, Life is not as AWESOME as it is with JESUS.... \nI have been to both sides and been as close to hell as I care to get...\nand to me \nJESUS IS THE ONLY WAY....THE DOOR IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU .. JUST KNOCK AND HE WILL BE THERE FOR YOU..\nLISTEN AND YOU WILL HEAR ...\n\n I am not a fanatic to non-believers .. I understand who and where t
487511
Be thankful we don't judge all non-believers but your ignorance.  You are a bigot who spews hostility and hatred. If you ever want to quiet that beast, just ask a Christian how :-)