Comments (18)

  2. Davy

    Reply

    An Awakening from what? Realizing that the earth is ever changing? That earthquakes cause damage and that thousands of people are dead or dying?
    Or are you saying your God did this for a reason?

    Are you going to use this terrible moment in history to try and convince people to join your group while they are in a weakened state of mind and in shock from this event?
    I wouldn’t be surprised to see your members of your church go to Japan and start preaching on top of one of the homes that got washed six miles inland to the people while they are trying to find the bodies of their loved ones.
    Why don’t you pray for the people instead of a Awakening? I just got a sour taste in my mouth.

  3. Thomas Moore

    Reply

    Lord Jesus I lift up to you the country of Japan. It’s people and leaders at this tragic time on a scale that is beyond belief. I pray that the United States and other countries can be of help and service to Japan and that the help would come swiftly and without any hindrance. But I especially pray that the hearts of the people of Japan, those who have survived this tragedy would repent by the power of the Holy Spirit and accept your Son Jesus Christ for salvation. That from the ashes of this disaster that the Japanese nation would be transformed and become a beacon of light in that part of the world for the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, AMEN!!!

  4. Dennis

    Reply

    Davy

    I can tell you that millions of Christians around the world ARE praying for the victims of that terrible earthquake and tsunami. Not only that – they are backing that prayer with financial support, etc.

    And what is so wrong with offering hope in a time of crisis? What hope does Atheism offer? Christianity says there is a God who IS in charge and offers eternal life for those that believe in Him.
    Atheism basically says well earthquakes are a part of life and so is dying so yes it is terrible but I have no comfort to give or hope to give.

    Also historically it is Christians organizations that have built hospitals and taken care of the poor and needy. Try looking up Atheist organizations that are providing for the poor.

    My point is that you are quick to make accusations and getting a sour taste in your mouth when you don’t even know the people you are accusing. Jesus brought a message of hope, he brought a message of peace, a message of love. All you see is an unloving God – but you couldn’t be further from the truth.

    The awakening we pray for is not a bad thing as you make it out to be.
    I know you don’t think you need saving but I used to think the same as you and yet God revealed Himself to me. I wasn’t looking for salvation – it found me. It starts with a conviction of sin which should lead to repentance and finally trust and faith in Jesus Christ. That He died on the cross for our sins (while we were yet sinners) and then rose again!
    Everytime you squish that God given conscience when you know you have done wrong and make excuses for it – you are just hardening your heart to God. Trust me – I was there. Used the same excuses as every other unbeliever on this blog. Show me the evidence. The Bible is a fairy tale. What proof do you have? Christians are a bunch of hypocrites. So I already know that human argument or even human reasoning will NOT lead to salvation. God does the saving – He does it in His time and His way.

    And also after I helped people look for loved ones and did whatever I could to help them – I would afterwards gladly jump up on that roof 6 miles inland and share the good news with them!

  5. Davy

    Reply

    My point is that you don’t care about them..only to convert them. This statement obviously says that God was behind the massive quake as a punishment to the people for not following your ways….so please don’t give me a bunch of religious words to try and make it sound better. You are the hypocrites. I have no problem with religion what so ever…or people who go to church….i just have a problem with yours.
    You make statements from several different bibles..you make statements without even thinking about what others think or what they have been through in life. You make your own rules regarding religion and when somebody has a different opinion you automatically think they are wrong and need saving. Apparently you didn’t see the light….you are blinded by it and refuse to accept any reasoning from anybody else.

  6. vintango2k

    Reply

    Eh its not worth arguing over this, as long as people are sending money and not just praying for something to happen to a country that is predominantly (over 85%) shinto or non-believer. Send money or support in some fashion to help those people. This isn’t a religious issue, as people from a variety of faiths are coming together to help people. I doubt a lot of those Japanese citizens risking their lives and safety to evacuate others are Christian, some might be, but ultimately it doesn’t matter. Actions go further than words, so if you haven’t donated anything to the relief effort I greatly encourage you too.

  7. Garrett

    Reply

    And what is so wrong with offering hope in a time of crisis?
    It’s fairly meaningless without action. And there’s not much hope here: thousands are dead. We can only strive to prevent further suffering.

    What hope does Atheism offer?
    None. It’s not really a philosophy. But I think the realization that there is no magic sky man around to fix things does spur people to take action and try to change things on their own.

    Christianity says there is a God who IS in charge and offers eternal life for those that believe in Him.
    As for protection from earthquakes, he just blames fallen creation and stoves people in eternal torture chambers. SO HOPEFUL.

    Atheism basically says well earthquakes are a part of life and so is dying so yes it is terrible but I have no comfort to give or hope to give.
    We do, however, have money to give for disaster relief, which has been shown to be 100% more effective than prayer.

    Also historically it is Christians organizations that have built hospitals and taken care of the poor and needy. Try looking up Atheist organizations that are providing for the poor.
    Christian charities also have ulterior motives and some will even withhold aid until the poor victim tolerates evangelical attempts.

    Atheism isn’t some church. You are rarely going to see a secular charity titled as such. It’ll be, you know, just a charity focused on helping people.

    All you see is an unloving God – but you couldn’t be further from the truth.
    Where are the unsaved victims of this earthquake going again? Let’s not forget this is a country that likely has a low number of people that fit your narrow description of “saved.”

    I wasn’t looking for salvation – it found me.
    Apparently I hide very well? Nice to know the burden of responsibility is on someone else.

    Used the same excuses as every other unbeliever on this blog. Show me the evidence. The Bible is a fairy tale. What proof do you have?
    You are making the claims, and therefore the burden of evidence is on you. A number of claims in the Bible are in direct conflict with known facts about the details of our universe. Not to mention the varying conflicts and contradictions littered throughout. Your only evidence seems to be in the Bible, and there is little evidence from similar periods that supports the Bible.

    There isn’t enough space here for specific examples, and I am forbidden from posting URLs. So we’re ultimately at a stalemate here.

    I would afterwards gladly jump up on that roof 6 miles inland and share the good news with them!
    I would try to, you know, save people. Real physical saving, not your Jesus nonsense.

  8. Nameless Cynic

    Reply

    Actually, any “great awakening” would most likely be toward Buddhism or Shinto, the traditional religions of Japan. Christianity is a minority religion there.

    Hey, who’s to say that the earthquake isn’t a reaction by the Buddha or the ancestors for straying from their religion? Can’t really say that the Japanese strayed from Christianity when Christianity never really caught on there, can you?

    And, golly, Dennis, you just jumped in with both feet, not bothering to look where you’re going, didn’t you?

    historically it is Christians organizations that have built hospitals and taken care of the poor and needy.
    Not in Japan. Most of their almost 1500 hospitals and health-care facilities throughout the country were established by the government, universities, corporations (like Mazda Hospital in Hiroshima), or by private consortiums of physicians.

    Only a small percentage of hospitals in Japan were founded by Christians (Yodogawa Christian Hospital, Japan Baptist, St Luke’s International and Tokyo Adventist leap to mind), and most of them were established (or expanded) around the end of WWII.

    Welcome to the real world. It’s a big place – you might want to pack a lunch.

    Try looking up Atheist organizations that are providing for the poor.
    Actually not as difficult as you seem to think. Google “atheist charities” and you’ll find several – the Foundation Beyond Belief and SHARE come leaping to mind; you’ll find more here. And if you count secular charities, those not run by or for any religious reason, the number grows exponentially.

    It’s a misconception propagated by religious extremists that atheism is intrinsically bad, and don’t support charities.

    What hope does Atheism offer?
    Well, since you believe that God set off this tsunami, how much hope do you offer? God seems unhappy with Japan, and might just decide to crush it entirely. Not a lot of hope there, is there?

  9. Dennis

    Reply

    Hi Davy,

    Try reading the Bible for yourself one day.
    You’ll see it’s the same Bible and not a bunch of different ones as you claim. I don’t make up my own rules and certainly haven’t made up my own religion. By the way most religions do make up their own set of rules and things to follow so that “maybe” you can get to Heaven. Guess what? Biblical Christianity says that there is nothing you can do to earn Heaven. It is a free gift. You just have to accept it. You can give a billion dollars to the Japanese and it won’t earn you a spot in Heaven.
    It’s only by: repentance, trust, and faith in Jesus Christ – the famous Scripture: I am the way the truth and the life, no man comes to the father but by me.

    I would love for you to read the Gospel of John and tell me what you think. Instead of just bashing what you don’t know anything about.

    Once again I think you will find for yourself that it is good news – and a message of hope and that you are looking at Christianity in a completely wrong light. I am praying for you bro.

  10. Nohm

    Reply

    Dennis wrote: “Once again I think you will find for yourself that it is good news – and a message of hope”

    Neither of which has anything to do with its veracity.

  11. Dennis

    Reply

    That’s where faith comes in Nohm

    The veracity of the Gospel is found in its believers. They will tell you – yes it’s true. But you’ll probably think it’s just mass deception or say the Muslims say their message is true as well.

    I realize that it’s almost pointless trying to explain Christianity here on this blog. Most non-believers are here with an agenda.
    The agenda is NOT to engage in dialogue with Christians to find out more about Christianity – there is no searching for truth. Instead it is rebutting everything that Pastor Steve posts. He could say: BLACK and everyone will come back with: WHITE! And some will say how do you know it’s black? Could it just be an absense of color? And on and on…

    Personally as a non-believer the thought never even crossed my mind to go visit Christian blogs. Why? What’s the point? But for you guys there is a point. Like Ray Comforts blog attracting hundreds of followers – almost mind boggling.

    It makes me wonder if you spend so much time rebutting Christianity because down in your heart (spirit) you know that God is real. You know eternity is real. And it scares you to death thinking about having to give an account for all your thoughts, words, and deeds when you die and stand before God. So instead of just dismissing it (like I used to do) you actively try convince yourselfs and others that Christianity is just a myth and demand further evidence and proof. Just speculation on my part not trying to mind read.

    Sad thing is that even the Apostles walking with Jesus being taught directly by Him – didn’t quite get it at first. Even Thomas didn’t want to believe until he first got to touch the wounds in Jesus side. Jesus’s own family (his brothers) didn’t believe in Him until after He was crucified.

    Pretty neat huh? So nothing strange that it is so hard for all of you to see the truth. The Bible talks all about it and we know that it is God that does the saving. Till then expect us faithful followers to continue planting seeds and maybe water. God will cause the growth in His time.

    Still praying for you Nohm and others on this blog. Praying that God bring that much needed conviction of sin, that you see yourself in truth, that you see your separation from Him – and that you cry out to Him before it’s too late. One day will be THE day – the final day. Could be tomorrow – could be 50 years from now. That’s why we like to say: TODAY is the day of salvation. Just like there was no warning to the terrible earthquake in Japan – there will be no warning when Jesus comes back to judge the world.

  12. Garrett

    Reply

    I realize that it’s almost pointless trying to explain Christianity here on this blog. Most non-believers are here with an agenda.
    Even finding out more about Christianity would be “an agenda,” so your point is rather moot.

    The agenda is NOT to engage in dialogue with Christians to find out more about Christianity – there is no searching for truth. Instead it is rebutting everything that Pastor Steve posts. He could say: BLACK and everyone will come back with: WHITE! And some will say how do you know it’s black? Could it just be an absense of color? And on and on…
    I have agreed with Steve on a variety of issues, most notably the importance of the freedom of speech regarding his street preaching.

    Hypothesis: you have an agenda to discredit atheists and will engage in lying to reach said agenda.

    Personally as a non-believer the thought never even crossed my mind to go visit Christian blogs. Why? What’s the point? But for you guys there is a point. Like Ray Comforts blog attracting hundreds of followers – almost mind boggling.
    These blogs spread misinformation and engage in trickery such as bait-and-switch tactics. Ray Comfort (and Steve) have absolutely no idea about the mechanics of things such as evolution and abiogenesis (typically considering the two the same thing). We’re here to challenge Steve’s assertions and shed light on some of the half-truths and outright lies about atheism and science.

    It has nothing to do with secretly believing in God. I was a Christian for nearly two decades. I prayed nearly every night and had a Bible with little sticky nights from High School. As I grew older, I realized I was not treating all my beliefs with the same standard. When I applied an evidence-based foundation to my Christianity, it could not hold.

    I admit that I kinda hoped these sites would have offered something, but Steve and Living Waters have utterly failed in that regard. But at this point I’m quite happy with my atheism.

  13. vintango2k

    Reply

    I honestly think people just like to debate, especially when it comes to philosophy. I enjoy hearing other people’s points of view and this blog has given me something to think about in regards to my own belief. It seems though if you end up questioning your faith you tend to get lumped in with people who either never believed in the first place or ‘not true Christians’. Coming here I learned that the only unforgivable sin and quite frankly the easiest sin is doubt. That anyone who doubts Christianity can never be a Christian it seems because God has hidden the truth from them, thus creating a seemingly unending cycle of skepticism and disbelief, like despite ‘revelation’ happening in the Bible to those who did not believe in Jesus. It seems like God likes to pick and choose or those that are saved are simply predetermined to be so. The subject of Japan came up at work today, one of my Christian co-workers’ father is a missionary and he informed me that in the ten years that their mission in Japan has been active they’ve only converted less then a dozen people. Indeed, most of Japan follows Shinto or is atheistic and doesn’t seem to want to change that path, yet they aren’t tearing each other apart in this time of Crisis, rioting has been non-existent, can we America as a ‘Christian Nation’ say the same in the face of disaster such as during Hurricane Katrina. I would ask Steve, post a link to a charity where people can donate money to the relief effort in Japan.

    Saw this on youtube and maybe you could lend your opinions, I know you don’t like links in here but I thought you could offer some insight into this video.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYVhRnwrVLI

  14. Nameless Cynic

    Reply

    Aw, Dennis. You just keep flailing away, don’t you?

    The veracity of the Gospel is found in its believers. They will tell you – yes it’s true.
    Really? We get to vote on the nature of reality? Cool.

    (Of course, shouldn’t we then all be reading Mao?)

    Most non-believers are here with an agenda
    Actually, Garrett already kicked this one down. Which is a shame – you don’t get enough chances to use the term “moot.’

    He could say: BLACK and everyone will come back with: WHITE!
    Well, we have to. He started singing Mr Roboto, and it would be rude to leave him hanging, wouldn’t it?

    It makes me wonder if you spend so much time rebutting Christianity because down in your heart (spirit) you know that God is real.
    No, not really. We just get tired of having it thrown in our faces every once in a while, and it’s fun to catch it and fling it back…

    And it scares you to death thinking about having to give an account for all your thoughts, words, and deeds when you die and stand before God.
    “Ummm…. ooops? Hey, nice throne.”

    Even Thomas didn’t want to believe until he first got to touch the wounds in Jesus side.
    * poke *

    Eeeeewwww!!

    (“Poke it again, Tommy! Poke it again!”)

    Jesus’s own family (his brothers) didn’t believe in Him until after He was crucified.
    Well, why should they? He didn’t believe in them, did he? (Mark 3:31-35)

    And how come nobody ever mentions His sisters? We know they were there – Matthew mentioned them. But they were never named or even numbered.

    Sexism, that’s what it is…

    there will be no warning when Jesus comes back to judge the world.
    Didn’t that already happen? I thought he started the Washington Times…

    Till then expect us faithful followers to continue planting seeds and maybe water.
    You plant water? Why? Are you trying to grow a fountain?

  16. Nohm

    Reply

    Ooosh, that video.

    I’ve never been able to get through the whole series, as I get so frustrated with how he interacts with her.

    For those who don’t know, nearly every thing she says is wrong, distorted, ignorant, or mangled misinformation. I just wish he called her on each and every falsehood.

    For the record, I’m not claiming that she’s lying, just that what she claims is not correct.

  17. Nohm

    Reply

    Hi Dennis, I apologize for taking so long to get back to you.

    “The veracity of the Gospel is found in its believers. They will tell you – yes it’s true. But you’ll probably … say the Muslims say their message is true as well.”

    Well, yes. If the veracity of the Gospel is found in its believers because they will tell me it’s true, then the veracity of the Quran is found in its believers because they will tell me it’s true.

    So, if I’m going on faith, which group do I believe? Both are convinced that they are right, and that the other group is wrong.

    That’s one of the reasons why evidence matters; it allows me to determine which group (if either) is correct.

    “I realize that it’s almost pointless trying to explain Christianity here on this blog. Most non-believers are here with an agenda.”

    From my experiences, I disagree on both points.

    For the record, my “agenda” is that I enjoy interacting with people who think very differently than I do. That’s also why I used to spend so much time in Muslim chatrooms/blogs; they really think differently than I do.

    “The agenda is NOT to engage in dialogue with Christians to find out more about Christianity – there is no searching for truth. Instead it is rebutting everything that Pastor Steve posts. He could say: BLACK and everyone will come back with: WHITE! And some will say how do you know it’s black? Could it just be an absense of color? And on and on…”

    I have agreed with Steve before on issues. You’re counting the hits and ignoring the misses.

    “Personally as a non-believer the thought never even crossed my mind to go visit Christian blogs.”

    Okay, that’s you. I am different.

    “Why? What’s the point?”

    I like interacting with people who think differently than I do, and Steve is very cool in what he allows on his blog, as opposed to the vast majority of religious blogs on the web.

    The Muslim blogs, for example, are heavily censored.

    “But for you guys there is a point. Like Ray Comforts blog attracting hundreds of followers – almost mind boggling.”

    That’s more because some people dislike the misinformation he spreads.

    “It makes me wonder if you spend so much time rebutting Christianity because down in your heart (spirit) you know that God is real. You know eternity is real. And it scares you to death thinking about having to give an account for all your thoughts, words, and deeds when you die and stand before God. So instead of just dismissing it (like I used to do) you actively try convince yourselfs and others that Christianity is just a myth and demand further evidence and proof. Just speculation on my part not trying to mind read.”

    I want you to consider this speculation of yours again, as it seems insane to me. You’re suggesting that I actually believe in God, and that somehow I think that convincing myself that it’s a myth will accomplish… something. I have no idea. Dennis, I understand the math; eternity is far far longer than the short time I left on this Earth. If I believed in your God, then I would also believe in your Hell, and I would understand that, if I did what you speculated above, that I would spend eternity there.

    Why would I do any of that? It doesn’t make any sense whatsoever. It would simply be the dumbest thing I could do.

    How would I be able to convince myself of something I knew wasn’t true? What good would that do?

    I don’t get it, Dennis.

    “Even Thomas didn’t want to believe until he first got to touch the wounds in Jesus side.”

    In other words, someone didn’t believe until they were given evidence. Yes. That’s correct. If I was touching the wounds in His side, I’d probably have a very different opinion than I do now.

    “So nothing strange that it is so hard for all of you to see the truth.”

    You haven’t presented any way for me to see your claims as “the truth”. You’ve only made unsupported assertions that it is “the truth”.

    “Still praying for you Nohm and others on this blog.”

    Thank you Dennis; I appreciate that.

  18. vintango2k

    Reply

    That video was very facepalm worthy. An endless dance of Dawkins giving examples of evidence and asking her to open her mind for one second to explore the evidence and her repeating her talking points over and over again.

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