Help with an athiest

[ptisme]

I’m sorry if I was unclear. I am not suggesting Catholics don’t care to debate or discuss, this forum is proof of that, I said that a devout Catholic is unlikely to be persuaded from their faith by such discussions. They see the logic and value of their faith. They’ve examined and tested it, and a discussion is unlikely to shake them from it.

As you say you welcome such discussion BUT are secure in your faith and it being able to stand up to scrutiny. Which is the point I was making. Debating a devout Catholic, IF the object was to sway them from their faith, is fairly pointless.

If the object of the debate was for lively and informative discourse, then it’s not pointless at all.

I agree with that. My point is that I have yet to run across a devout Protestant willing to debate beyond the first round.

 

[schaeffer]

I agree with that. My point is that I have yet to run across a devout Protestant willing to debate beyond the first round.

OK, gotcha!

 

[ptisme]

OK, Below is his response against confession. Any help would be appreciated:

“My first rebuttal would be Psalm 32 (now remember, as a non-believer I could simply say I don’t believe it and that is that but I want to use evidence that you accept). Much of Leviticus Chap 5 discusses sin by association or omission (if you will allow such simplification) in addition to the penance brought to a priest. But the explicit use of animal sacrifice is an old testament concept, replaced when Jesus was sacrificed, correct? Isaiah 1:18 says to come and reason with the Lord and your sins will be forgiven. But the new testament of the bible, the new covenant or new agreement between god and man, states in Hebrews 4:16 that we should draw near to the throne and receive grace. The new testament does not replace the teachings of the old testament but modifies a lot of things since god made a decision to replace old practices and ideas with new ones after the arrival of Jesus.”

 

[JapaneseKappa]

One other thing…

Since he has investigated other religions, ask him to focus on Christianity only for the rest of his life. It is a TON to ask of anyone but I would suggest to him that no other faith’s founder claimed to be God. You name the faith, its all based on prophets claiming knowledge of someone or something, or a better way to live etc. Only Christianity claims its foundation is God himself and that is worthy of additional diligence if you ask me.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_who_have_been_considered_deities

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_claimed_to_be_Jesus

 

[JapaneseKappa]

One other thing…

Since he has investigated other religions, ask him to focus on Christianity only for the rest of his life. It is a TON to ask of anyone but I would suggest to him that no other faith’s founder claimed to be God. You name the faith, its all based on prophets claiming knowledge of someone or something, or a better way to live etc. Only Christianity claims its foundation is God himself and that is worthy of additional diligence if you ask me.

There are many religious which claim divine founders:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_who_have_been_considered_deities

It is also important to note that we do not have any of Jesus’ own writings. Therefore, Christianity is based on prophets (i.e. the apostles) who claim that Jesus claimed he was God.

 

[Michael_Francis]

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

Off topic posts have been removed. Please stay on topic or if you wish to discuss something not directly related…open a new thread of your own as per the Forum Rules.

 

[JapaneseKappa]

When dealing with an atheist, I recommend that you restrict yourself to factual statements so that you do not appear to be ignorant or deceptive. In light of that principle, I recommend you not follow this advice:

One other thing…

Since he has investigated other religions, ask him to focus on Christianity only for the rest of his life. It is a TON to ask of anyone but I would suggest to him that no other faith’s founder claimed to be God. You name the faith, its all based on prophets claiming knowledge of someone or something, or a better way to live etc. Only Christianity claims its foundation is God himself and that is worthy of additional diligence if you ask me.

Because the claim “Christianity is the only religion that claims to be founded by God” is factually inaccurate.

Also, I recommend not using this particular link:

ismailignosis.com/2014/03/27/he-who-is-above-all-else-the-strongest-argument-for-the-existence-of-god/

If he’s a rational Atheist- this argument is undeniable.

because it contains factual inaccuracies. For example, it makes this factually incorrect claim:

In modern times, the conditioned nature of the Universe is obvious because contemporary cosmology has shown that the Universe has a beginning or is finite in in the past (see the work of Alexander Vilenkin, Alan Guth).

 

[ptisme]

OK, Below is his response against confession. Any help would be appreciated:

“My first rebuttal would be Psalm 32 (now remember, as a non-believer I could simply say I don’t believe it and that is that but I want to use evidence that you accept). Much of Leviticus Chap 5 discusses sin by association or omission (if you will allow such simplification) in addition to the penance brought to a priest. But the explicit use of animal sacrifice is an old testament concept, replaced when Jesus was sacrificed, correct? Isaiah 1:18 says to come and reason with the Lord and your sins will be forgiven. But the new testament of the bible, the new covenant or new agreement between god and man, states in Hebrews 4:16 that we should draw near to the throne and receive grace. The new testament does not replace the teachings of the old testament but modifies a lot of things since god made a decision to replace old practices and ideas with new ones after the arrival of Jesus.”

Bump