Dont understand atheists

[Soldier_Of_God]

Fatima used to hold me to my former faith at one point, but upon critical study and researching, I find it to be dubious as can be.

Please reveal your critical insights or are vague asservations all are you capable of?

 

[Contra_Mundum_1]

Don’t understand atheists, huh? Well, have you ever BEEN an atheist? If I were you and have NOT been an atheist, it would be best to not mock.

No need to be so touchy. Nobody is mocking. People are just discussing their experiences and exchanging opinions. This is a Catholic forum after all, and I guess you have a reason why you are here.

 

[jenniferpet88]

When I have been reading this thread I have been skipping the atheist arguments as they still install so much doubt in my mind

Fellow catholics and christians, what in your mind makes all these great atheist scientists wrong?

Are you serious? what in your mind makes all the great christian scientists wrong? And who can claim to be greater than Jesus? We don’t follow a set of dogmas and doctrines we follow Jesus Christ…if you want proof that he exists then do exactly what the bible says…you can only have the Holy Spirit if you obey the Law of God, then you will come to know Jesus who will show you the Father…the devil was more intelligent than any human being but he chose to rebel against God…that is the real thing you should be asking…it has nothing to do with the intellect because there are idiots and genuises of every belief

 

[jenniferpet88]

I didn’t talk about Fatima earlier when it was brought up to defend faith, but I will briefly talk about it.

. The second supposedly predicted World War II if people didn’t straighten up (strange God would allow such an atrocity), but what’s fascinating and telling is that this secret was not revealed until a few years after World War II started!

It’s cute how you slipped in there “strange how God would allow such an atrocity” even though the problem of evil has been answered countless times on this board…Sometimes i think catholics shouldn’t cater to atheists so much…now i understand why the topic got banned, you completely refute something only to have it brought up again the next day…amazing

 

[Lui]

I think what gives me the most doubts aren’t actually atheists but mostly certain Catholics/Christians themselves, as bad as it might sound. For example Creationists and Catholics who take the Bible literally and try to convince you that the theory of evolution is a lie from Satan and/or the world is 5000 years old. To me they make Catholics sound ignorant(I’m only speaking for myself). I find their opinions make me doubt more than those of atheists.

Also constantly hearing this and that is a sin, this will send you to Hell, this is wrong, if you don’t confess you will go to Hell, you have to live like this etc. is often overwhelming. Often Catholics have totally different opinions on the “truth” which is totally confusing.

I find this often really depressing. For these and others reasons I CAN understand atheists. Living without constant fear of going to Hell, end of the world prophecies, repenting, confessing and watching every step you do without feeling guilty, seems a lot easier.

I think these might be some reasons why many people turn their back on the Church or start to lose faith.

 

[Soldier_Of_God]

I find this often really depressing. For these and others reasons I CAN understand atheists. Living without constant fear of going to Hell, end of the world prophecies, repenting, confessing and watching every step you do without feeling guilty, seems a lot easier.

I think these might be some reasons why many people turn their back on the Church or start to lose faith.

I can appreciate the concept of Hell is disturbing to many and Catholic faith can be challenging at times. However, to merely object to something because it is difficult doesn’t seem to be entirely valid. Do we skip going to school because it’s hard? Do we eschew working then? Is taking the easy road innately good?

We are called upon as Catholics to lead lives of benefice and morality. When we falter, we should acknowlege them and make amends. Let’s try to see our faith as an impetus to be better people rather than a dourful chore.

 

[Lui]

I can appreciate the concept of Hell is disturbing to many and Catholic faith can be challenging at times. However, to merely object to something because it is difficult doesn’t seem to be entirely valid. Do we skip going to school because it’s hard?

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No but skipping school doesn’t have the consequence that you will suffer the worst suffering and torture until eternity.

We are called upon as Catholics to lead lives of benefice and morality.

You made my point. Maybe some people don’t find it that easy to lead lives of benefice and morality as some holier than holy Catholics do. I have a good friend who who is like this and likes preaching about what Catholics or basically ALL people should or shouldn’t do, like “you should be careful watching certain movies”, “not going to Church on Sundays is a sin”, “I would stay clear from astrology” etc. He likes talking about what is sin and who will go to Hell, what comes from Satan and loves dishing out advice to other Catholics. Oddly he separated from his wife a while ago, met a new woman, has a baby with her now, got his marriage annulled and remarried the other woman…oh well:shrug:

 

[Cyclophile]

.
No but skipping school doesn’t have the consequence that you will suffer the worst suffering and torture until eternity.

You made my point. Maybe some people don’t find it that easy to lead lives of benefice and morality as some holier than holy Catholics do. I have a good friend who who is like this and likes preaching about what Catholics or basically ALL people should or shouldn’t do, like “you should be careful watching certain movies”, “not going to Church on Sundays is a sin”, “I would stay clear from astrology” etc. He likes talking about what is sin and who will go to Hell, what comes from Satan and loves dishing out advice to other Catholics. Oddly he separated from his wife a while ago, met a new woman, has a baby with her now, got his marriage annulled and remarried the other woman…oh well:shrug:

Now that is definitely a “glass houses” situation… I’ve run into more fundamentalist people than Catholic that are like this.

 

[Lui]

Now that is definitely a “glass houses” situation… I’ve run into more fundamentalist people than Catholic that are like this.

I’m not saying most Catholics are like this. I’m saying that THESE type of Catholics give me more doubts than any atheist does. I would guess that my friend is kind of a fundamentalist though.

 

[Soldier_Of_God]

No but skipping school doesn’t have the consequence that you will suffer the worst suffering and torture until eternity.

Regardless, the concept is the same. The rewards are conmensurate to the consequences. Futhermore, we are presuming that Hell is torture rather than a state of regret and sorrow, as the source lauguages of Scripture seem to indicate.

You made my point. Maybe some people don’t find it that easy to lead lives of benefice and morality as some holier than holy Catholics do.

I’m not sure I’ve made your point. We are not expected to be perfect but to strive to be ethical as best we can. If we fail significantly, we can ask to be pardoned. My (name removed by moderator)ut would be to focus on what your relationship with God and other people should be rather than what others do. The yoke of Christian faith is to love God and to love others as well as to practice moral sexual and civil behaviour.

 

[Soldier_Of_God]

I’m not saying most Catholics are like this. I’m saying that THESE type of Catholics give me more doubts than any atheist does. I would guess that my friend is kind of a fundamentalist though.

I can sympathize with this situation. I have a Christian fundamentalist friend and everything is “fire and brimstone” with him. However, I simply disregard him as I would disregard anyone else that misbehaves, which can be easier said than done at times.

 

[jenniferpet88]

I think what gives me the most doubts aren’t actually atheists but mostly certain Catholics/Christians themselves, as bad as it might sound. For example Creationists and Catholics who take the Bible literally and try to convince you that the theory of evolution is a lie from Satan and/or the world is 5000 years old. To me they make Catholics sound ignorant(I’m only speaking for myself). I find their opinions make me doubt more than those of atheists.

Also constantly hearing this and that is a sin, this will send you to Hell, this is wrong, if you don’t confess you will go to Hell, you have to live like this etc. is often overwhelming. Often Catholics have totally different opinions on the “truth” which is totally confusing.

I find this often really depressing. For these and others reasons I CAN understand atheists. Living without constant fear of going to Hell, end of the world prophecies, repenting, confessing and watching every step you do without feeling guilty, seems a lot easier.

I think these might be some reasons why many people turn their back on the Church or start to lose faith.

i am a devout catholic and do not constantly fear going to Hell, i believe the only people who do so are ones with guilty consciences and yes in this respect both you and the atheists may be the same…here’s the bottom line…i am not going to tell you what is and isn’t a sin but if someone says to you “eating meat is a sin” you would know that it isn’t because it doesn’t go against your conscience…the only reason the idea of sins are overwhelming is because you must agree that these things you hear about are really sins otherwise it wouldn’t matter…as for people who turn their back on the Church or God for that matter…what is that to us? if everyone started saying the sky is green would we also begin valuing their opinion even if it was a loved one? The truth is the truth, if religion was man made it would be alot more comforting, and it’s funny because you have atheists saying that people are catholic because the idea of heaven comforts them…but now there is the position that the idea of worrying about going to hell repels them…well make up your mind…does religion comfort or not? Depends on the person…can’t make up your mind? then let’s never use that argument again…the truth does not depend on whether we like it or not, that is the most selfish way of thinking possible, and turning from the Church will not heal a guilty conscience, if you put that of your conscience above God then remember the bible tells us THAT IF YOUR CONSCIENCE BOTHERS YOU DO NOT FEAR B/C GOD IS GREATER THAN YOUR CONSCIENE!