What to say to the athiest?

[daniel87]

what are some topics that i could bring up in conversation to some young athiests, who usually talk of bad. could you please write a list of topics that would not be uselss or idle but helpful to them, even topics that arent necessarily religious (they might be more inclined to listen to these though)

 

[I_Believe]

Hmm, I’d ask them if they believe in an omnipotent source of all there is. If the majority says no, then ask them what they think the odds are that everything there is appeared by chance. If any say yes or maybe, then ask them if there may be a chance that this omnipotent source is indeed God.

Point is, make them think before answering. Explain to them that the Mysteries of the Church, God, Angels, Heaven, etc. are of supernatural nature. And as Scott Hahn the popular Catholic Author says, one can’t explain or disprove these things through reasoning based on scientific formula.

Another question may be something like, " Can you understand how people would/could believe in God in old testement times ?"
I’d bet they would say “Yes, but that was before …(this or that)”
Then ask them why they think so many people still believe today.

Again, the point is to make them think about it instead of just saying “I don’t believe in God”

Hope this helps, and hey, even if you don’t succeed in changing their minds, God will smile on you for trying

 

[jmm08]

Personally, I suggest spending your time and effort with people who do want to be closer to Jesus.

Of course, you can pray for the athiests. Put them on your church’s prayer list. And then don’t spend so much time with them that they will draw you towards error.

There are people who already believe and are willing to be helped. So find them.

Better than working on your own is this – find a small group of people who are involved in outreach and participate with them. Such as Legion of Mary.

jmm08

 

[wcknight]

I would ask them if they ever thought about what will happen to them after they die. Do they expect there just to be nothingness ??? and what if they are completely wrong, what will they say to God ?

IF they believe in the Big Bang as the beginning of the universe, then how did the the Big Bang come about ? What or who caused it ? IF it was a completely random event, why has another one not occurred in 13 billion years ? Surely if it were totally random, another one would have happened by now.

Ask them if they believe in the supernatural, and if they do not, how do they explain away the many miracles and miracle workers, the various saints who have performed many miraculous events, hosts turning to flesh and blood, the blood from these events hundreds of years apart matching identically, apparitions of Mary and Jesus to various saints and seers.

IF all these events and things are products of overactive imaginations, then how do they explain that the folks who have them usually have impecable creditials, and are saintly reliable folks. They are not mentally unbalanced or mentally ill, but only ferent in their love of God.

Even IF only a small percentage of these are true, there is still a whole lot of evidence that testifies to God being who we say He is, and there is far more evidence that says that He exists than points the other way.

It always puzzles me why atheists insist there is no evidence of God, when clearly there is already much more than anyone really needs. They simply choose to ignore or discount everything that is presented to them.

The simple truth is everyone who sincerely searches for God will invariably find Him. It is with an open mind and open heart that they need to approach Him. Tell them you will pray for them, and suggest they may try praying for themselves, even if it is only a half hearted attempt.

 

[mangy_dog]

The only thing that comes to mind to tell an atheist is:

“You are a walking, talking oxymoron”.

You deny the very being that sustains your life and sustains the entire universe in existence. All that is left for me to do is, pray for you and all atheists so you will all cease and desist from being oxymorons. Hopefully before the Warning, the Miracle and the Chastisement.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

 

[AspiringDeacon]

I would buy them a copy of “Mere Christianity” by CS Lewis. He starts from nothing and builds the case. This book was a compilation of radio shows he did in England during WW II I believe, and it was very successful. I read it and I remember thinking, “How could anyone not believe in God after this?”.

Note he says in the introduction, his goal is to get you to Christianity. Once there, it is up to you to decide denomination. So it’s a great start for an atheist IMHO!

 

[inthecloud]

BTW, for those atheist that say science cannot live without religion bring the subjet of Mons George Lemaitre.
BTW anyone had read the book about him, “A Day without Yesterday”

 

[doctorenemy]

I would ask them if they ever thought about what will happen to them after they die. Do they expect there just to be nothingness ??? and what if they are completely wrong, what will they say to God ?

I would answer, “I have seen no evidence of an afterlife.” I would of course have many questions for god. Why did you stay hidden? Why did you reveal yourself only to primitive people? And I expect that god would be proud of me for not believing claims about it. If the god was insecure, then it might be upset that I did not believe in it.

IF they believe in the Big Bang as the beginning of the universe, then how did the the Big Bang come about ? What or who caused it ? IF it was a completely random event, why has another one not occurred in 13 billion years ? Surely if it were totally random, another one would have happened by now.

The big bang is simply a scientific theory describing the birth of this universe. The question of who or what caused it is one of those great mysteries. People made up stories to try to explain these mysteries. I don’t put limits upon the universe by assuming such things as Big Bangs don’t happen more often, or that there is only one universe. These are big questions that I don’t pretend to have the answers to.

Ask them if they believe in the supernatural, and if they do not, how do they explain away the many miracles and miracle workers, the various saints who have performed many miraculous events, hosts turning to flesh and blood, the blood from these events hundreds of years apart matching identically, apparitions of Mary and Jesus to various saints and seers.

What about all the miracles and supernatural events attested to by all the OTHER religions of the world throughout time? No supposed “miracle” has ever been substantiated.

IF all these events and things are products of overactive imaginations, then how do they explain that the folks who have them usually have impecable creditials, and are saintly reliable folks. They are not mentally unbalanced or mentally ill, but only ferent in their love of God.

What people? Who? What miracle?

Even IF only a small percentage of these are true, there is still a whole lot of evidence that testifies to God being who we say He is, and there is far more evidence that says that He exists than points the other way.

The opposite is true. There is absolutely no evidence of god. Name one miracle, and I will demonstrate that it is unproven.

 

[mangy_dog]

I would answer, “I have seen no evidence of an afterlife.” I would of course have many questions for god. Why did you stay hidden? Why did you reveal yourself only to primitive people? And I expect that god would be proud of me for not believing claims about it. If the god was insecure, then it might be upset that I did not believe in it.

The big bang is simply a scientific theory describing the birth of this universe. The question of who or what caused it is one of those great mysteries. People made up stories to try to explain these mysteries. I don’t put limits upon the universe by assuming such things as Big Bangs don’t happen more often, or that there is only one universe. These are big questions that I don’t pretend to have the answers to.

What about all the miracles and supernatural events attested to by all the OTHER religions of the world throughout time?  No supposed "miracle" has ever been substantiated.

What people? Who? What miracle?
The opposite is true. There is absolutely no evidence of god. Name one miracle, and I will demonstrate that it is unproven.

There are four events - miraculous, supernatural events that are forthcoming, soon…(dates are not important) - for certain people it will only be three events and still for others it will only be two events. This last group has to do with your last comment about miracles and their unproveablity.

Jesus, the Lord and God of all - is not particularly harsh of doubters or non-believers. Yet He deals with doubters in a more tender, loving way as in the example of Thomas. But then again, Thomas was a friend of His, an apostle who remained faithful and recognized his mistake and confirmed (after having proof) “my Lord and my God”.

Non- believers He treats with love also by reaching into their hearts and forgiving their sins - transforming them from the inside out.
But He can also be harsh with the arrogant non-believer (atheists) when He calls them a “race of vipers” and telling them that they will have no more sign than that of Jonah.

My recommendation to you is to put your fingers in the nail-holes in Jesus’ hands and put your hand in His side where the lance pierced Him.

Better for you to be a doubting (and then believing) Thomas than to be another in the race of vipers.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

 

[doctorenemy]

There are four events - miraculous, supernatural events that are forthcoming, soon…(dates are not important) - for certain people it will only be three events and still for others it will only be two events. This last group has to do with your last comment about miracles and their unproveablity.

Jesus, the Lord and God of all - is not particularly harsh of doubters or non-believers. Yet He deals with doubters in a more tender, loving way as in the example of Thomas. But then again, Thomas was a friend of His, an apostle who remained faithful and recognized his mistake and confirmed (after having proof) “my Lord and my God”.

Non- believers He treats with love also by reaching into their hearts and forgiving their sins - transforming them from the inside out.
But He can also be harsh with the arrogant non-believer (atheists) when He calls them a “race of vipers” and telling them that they will have no more sign than that of Jonah.

My recommendation to you is to put your fingers in the nail-holes in Jesus’ hands and put your hand in His side where the lance pierced Him.

Better for you to be a doubting (and then believing) Thomas than to be another in the race of vipers.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

You give the example of Thomas. The story is that he believed after actually physically putting his fingers into Jesus’ holes. Then you tell me to do the same. Why do you mock the bible? Do you really expect me to literally touch Jesus?​

A “race of vipers”? Who are you referring to? What race? Explain. The bible talks about vipers in many places. Are you talking about jews? Are you anti-semetic?

 

[mangy_dog]

You give the example of Thomas. The story is that he believed after actually physically putting his fingers into Jesus’ holes. Then you tell me to do the same. Why do you mock the bible? Do you really expect me to literally touch Jesus?​

A “race of vipers”? Who are you referring to? What race? Explain. The bible talks about vipers in many places. Are you talking about jews? Are you anti-semetic?

Spoken in true atheist form.

My thread was clear yet you only recieve confusion.

May Jesus Christ, the Lord and God of all, have mercy on you…
this is my sincere prayer for you.

Regina coeli, sine macula originali concepta, ora pro nobis.

 

[ncgolf]

The big bang is simply a scientific theory describing the birth of this universe. The question of who or what caused it is one of those great mysteries. People made up stories to try to explain these mysteries. I don’t put limits upon the universe by assuming such things as Big Bangs don’t happen more often, or that there is only one universe. These are big questions that I don’t pretend to have the answers to.

Please give a reasonable explanation to this dilemma. The big bang is simple cause and effect. Take any theory about the beginning of the universe … it is cause and effect. The effect being the beginning but for any effect there is a cause … what caused that cause.

So 1 universe or a zillion universes … they all had a beginning … reason tells us that. What could be the prime mover … the beginning cause. You don’t need to be a scientist … just a thinker.

When was the last time anything was created out of nothing?

 

[doctorenemy]

Spoken in true atheist form.

My thread was clear yet you only recieve confusion.

May Jesus Christ, the Lord and God of all, have mercy on you…
this is my sincere prayer for you.

Regina coeli, sine macula originali concepta, ora pro nobis.

Still don’t know what you meant by “race of vipers”.

You seem to be saying that I should touch Jesus like Thomas did. So then you must mean that Thomas did it in a metaphorical way. How would I go about this?

 

[mangy_dog]

Still don’t know what you meant by “race of vipers”.

You seem to be saying that I should touch Jesus like Thomas did. So then you must mean that Thomas did it in a metaphorical way. How would I go about this?

Bite size pieces…just for you.

Thomas was in Jesus’s presence at the time. Ergo - not metaphorical.

You (living in June of 2008) not metaphoircal either - spiritual yes.

But then again you would have to aquiesce to faith in Jesus Christ to accomplish this. Which you are unwilling to do.

Easier for a camel to go thru the eye of a needle…metaphorical? yes. Unless the needle is the size of the Empire State Bldg or the camel is the size of a microbe.

comprende doctor enema?

 

[mangy_dog]

enemy…I meant enemy.

 

[doctorenemy]

Please give a reasonable explanation to this dilemma. The big bang is simple cause and effect. Take any theory about the beginning of the universe … it is cause and effect. The effect being the beginning but for any effect there is a cause … what caused that cause.

So 1 universe or a zillion universes … they all had a beginning … reason tells us that. What could be the prime mover … the beginning cause. You don’t need to be a scientist … just a thinker.

When was the last time anything was created out of nothing?

Be a “thinker”, he says. OK…um…I think I don’t have the answer to the biggest questions of them all, i.e. “why is there something instead of nothing?”, “do gods exist?”, “where did god come from?”​

You claim to have these answers. Good for you.​

UH oh!! here comes some “thinking” again: I don’t put limits upon god, or the universe. The possibilities are endless. If there could be a prime mover or creator with limitless powers and intelligence, then it is equally likely that there was a “god” with limited power and intelligence, and even that this “god” expired. Or how about a “spark of life” that has always existed and when conditions were right, events unfolded that created man. And of course it is arrogant to suggest that Man is the ultimate “purpose” of existence. Maybe “arrogant” isn’t the word. It is understandable that we should feel special, but if we truly “think” these things through we discover that maybe all of existence and everything else is not only queerer than we suppose, but queerer than we CAN suppose.

 

[doctorenemy]

Bite size pieces…just for you.

Thomas was in Jesus’s presence at the time. Ergo - not metaphorical.

You (living in June of 2008) not metaphoircal either - spiritual yes.

But then again you would have to aquiesce to faith in Jesus Christ to accomplish this. Which you are unwilling to do.

Easier for a camel to go thru the eye of a needle…metaphorical? yes. Unless the needle is the size of the Empire State Bldg or the camel is the size of a microbe.

comprende doctor enema?

Love the enema joke.
So you cleared up that you actually know what a metaphor is. So I take your “touch jesus” recommendation to just be a harmless, “join my religion” plea.

Could you give me a bite size explanation of what you meant by your “vipers” comment.

 

[mangy_dog]

Love the enema joke.
So you cleared up that you actually know what a metaphor is. So I take your “touch jesus” recommendation to just be a harmless, “join my religion” plea.

Could you give me a bite size explanation of what you meant by your “vipers” comment.

You put that so nicely

The “viper” comment goes to levels of belief / dis-belief or more to willingness to open up to the “join my religion” plea.

Thomas was not necessarily an unbeliever - he already believed but needed proof of the more amazing claim by his fellow apostles that Jesus had in fact resurrected and presented Himself to them.

The “race of vipers” alludes to the un-believers that heard of the miraculous signs that accompanied Jesus wherever He went and were there for the signs and not necessarily for the message.
Jesus - being truly God - knew their hearts well and knew that a sign would not persuade them to the Good News of the Kingdom of God…they just wanted the excitement of the “sign”. Like watching a magician pull a rabbit out of his hat.

That’s a pretty big bite. But, I’m sure you understand more than you let on. I’m glad you have a sense of humor.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

 

[milde]

Please give a reasonable explanation to this dilemma. The big bang is simple cause and effect. Take any theory about the beginning of the universe … it is cause and effect. The effect being the beginning but for any effect there is a cause … what caused that cause.

So 1 universe or a zillion universes … they all had a beginning … reason tells us that. What could be the prime mover … the beginning cause. You don’t need to be a scientist … just a thinker.

When was the last time anything was created out of nothing?

I think the answer you will get from an atheist is that none of what you just said has anything to do with Jesus being the son of God. And atheist is quite likely to agree with all that you said. But when you “just think” and somehow come to the conclusion that you drink another man’s blood every Sunday, that’s where you’re going to lose the atheist.

 

[ncgolf]

I think the answer you will get from an atheist is that none of what you just said has anything to do with Jesus being the son of God. And atheist is quite likely to agree with all that you said. But when you “just think” and somehow come to the conclusion that you drink another man’s blood every Sunday, that’s where you’re going to lose the atheist.

Well I kind of agree with you … Eucharist, Jesus cannot be believed without a belief in the Creator himself. I don’t try to convince any atheist that God exists only that belief is reasonable. In general it seems atheists view a belief in God unreasonable … mostly because it lacks pure scientific proof.