I hate myself, and hate being an atheist.

[Cerraco]

When you go back to the Book of Exodus and read this it makes more sense . . .

Exo 3:6-10 Moreover He said, "I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God. (7) And the LORD said: "I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. (8) So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites. (9) Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. (10) Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt."

Sorry man, still not getting it. You're gonna have to explain this to me.

You’ve made it clear that you don’t want what I have to offer. Nothing has changed.

Yeah, you got that right. I'll accept my part in this, but that doesn't change the fact that you do an insane amount of question dodging and context cherry-picking whether you choose to believe that or not.

 

[Matthias]

Yeah, you got that right.

Your confirmation wasn’t necessary but it is appreciated.

I'll accept my part in this, but that doesn't change the fact that you do an insane amount of question dodging and context cherry-picking whether you choose to believe that or not.

 

[Stumpmaster]

Sorry man, still not getting it. You're gonna have to explain this to me.

In the passage I cited did it seem like Pharoah was a kind, reasonable, merciful ruler of Egypt, or a cruel, hardened taskmaster?

From the start of the interaction between Moses and Pharoah, God's intention is made clear, see these verses:

Exo 3:19-20 But I know that the king of Egypt will not allow you to go unless a mighty hand compels him. (20) So I will stretch out My hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders I will perform among them. And after that, he will release you.

Exo 4:21-23 The LORD instructed Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put within your power. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go. (22) Then tell Pharaoh that this is what the LORD says: ‘Israel is My firstborn son, (23) and I told you to let My son go so that he may worship Me. But since you have refused to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son!’”

Pharoah was already a hard man with a hard heart, and since he had been treating God's People so cruelly God made sure the full compliment of plagues on Egypt would be suffered by him, including the death of his firstborn son.

 

[soberxp]

I was at the other Christian Forums, but they banned me because I mentioned a few things that I did not know were against the rules (I won't mention them here as to not risk anything). I am absolutely BOILING angry at them, as they picked a terrible time to do that. There's nothing like seeing someone online, and then just not responding and ghosting you.

My mind is in a panicked, lost and horrified state. I hate myself, and I'm so anxious that I'm constantly woozy. I am 35 and have not been with a woman, because I've been busy with life. I then joined the Sosuave forum, which is - for those who don't know - a super macho redpilled alpha male testosterone cold emotionless forum, but they have constant success with women. That place introduced to me how shallow and one-sided the love world is, which has proven that it may be too late for me.

Just when I get help at the other forum, they decide to ban me, and then not tell me if it's permanent or not because half the planet likes to play the "not reply" game. Seriously, who doesn't do that? Every mod at every forum loves doing that, and you can see when they were last online. I am screaming in my head right now, where is this god? Where is this "heals the broken-hearted" that he does? If he doesn't answer, I might have to escape somewhere, because I can hardly even think.

You can like others, like the people you want to like, others do not know whether you like them, this is your own secret. No one knows but God, but God knows who your favorite person will be. Believe me, because I've been there, God really knows who I like the best, even when I don't even realize it.God show me the way,but a different way than others in the world.But not necessarily for your problem.

I get banned a lot, too..then find a new place to hangout. Never mind it because they never mind it too when they banned you.

But I can't give you any more advice, your life is yours, You can choose your life. I can't make decisions for you.Maybe you can try to commit this choice to God, and God will remind you at the right time, but I'm not sure when you try, Whether can correctly receive his reminder.

When you receive it from your heart.

 

[Matthias]

“If you are going to enter into the suffering of those who have been traumatized, you have to learn how to sit with and listen to fear, anger and great grief with compassion and understanding. You will also have to learn to do it for far longer than you prefer.”

(Diane Langberg)

When I read this tonight I thought about @Cerraco, and then about others who have come here traumatized.

Have we learned? Did we help? Where, I wonder, is Cerraco now? Others who have come and gone?

And those like them who are still here? And those like them who will come to us in the future? Are we up to the task?

Closer to home, have I?

 

[Big Boy Johnson]

I hate myself, and hate being an atheist.

That's what happens to the atheists.

If you don't accept the Lord and get born again and live for Him, it's going to get way way WAY worse.

 

[Big Boy Johnson]

Well gee, looks like I don't really have a choice. I have to pick this one religion, or I suffer for eternity. There goes that "unconditional love" that God supposedly has.

Did you expect Him to let sinners that reject Him and hate Him in to Heaven?

 

[Riven]

That's what happens to the atheists.

What happens to them?

 

[Big Boy Johnson]

What happens to them?

They burn in the fires of hell for all of eternity

You planning on joining them?

 

[Riven]

They burn in the fires of hell for all of eternity

For not believing in something. That sounds like a punishment ISIS would dream up.

You planning on joining them?

No. I'll be dead, just like everyone else. We are primates that evolved over millions of years. Our fate will be the same as the dinosaurs in all likelihood.

Think about it. If you receive a head trauma, it has the potential to change your personality. What makes you you, is your physical brain. Without it, how do will we even perceive pain? Where is the soul in the human body? Why haven't we discovered it yet?

 

[Matthias]

For not believing in something. That sounds like a punishment ISIS would dream up.


No. I'll be dead, just like everyone else. We are primates that evolved over millions of years. Our fate will be the same as the dinosaurs in all likelihood.

Think about it. If you receive a head trauma, it has the potential to change your personality. What makes you you, is your physical brain. Without it, how do will we even perceive pain? Where is the soul in the human body? Why haven't we discovered it yet?

Is there anything that you would like for me to say to your little brother for you if / when I see him?

 

[Riven]

Is there anything that you would like for me to say to your little brother for you if / when I see him?

Your attempts at emotional manipulation do not sway me, Matthias.

 

[Matthias]

Your attempts at emotional manipulation do not sway me, Matthias.

That’s not how I work. No one will be emotionally manipulated into the age to come.

If / when I see him - and I absolutely believe that I will - I’ll tell him that there was no message that you wanted me to convey to him on your behalf.

 

[Riven]

That’s not how I work. No one will be emotionally manipulated into the age to come.

If / when I see him - and I absolutely believe that I will - I’ll tell him that there was no message that you wanted me to convey to him on your behalf.

If the opportunity arises, I will convey the message myself. Christians almost always attempt to manipulate me emotionally. Whether that was your intention or not, that is how I interpreted it.

 

[Matthias]

If the opportunity arises, I will convey the message myself.

If you remain on the path that you’re currently on, it won’t. That’s not emotional manipulation. That’s just plain truth and straight to the point talk.

Christians almost always attempt to manipulate me emotionally. Whether that was your intention or not, that is how I interpreted it.

I understand. That’s not how disciples are made. It never has been and it never will be. I have a thread for newbies explaining how they are.

 

[Nameaboveallnames]

For not believing in something. That sounds like a punishment ISIS would dream up.

Hi, Riven.

Not ISIS, but Jesus.

The following verses are an excerpt from a conversation between Jesus Christ and Nicodemus (John 3:1-21) that transpired a little more than two thousand years ago.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:16-18)

According to Jesus (who was speaking in the above verses), in order to be saved and have everlasting life, we must not only believe in God's only begotten Son, but, more specifically, we must believe in the name of the only begotten Son of God. A failure to do so will not only ultimately cause one to perish, but those who are currently in states of unbelief in relation to the same stand condemned already.

If you want me to, then I will be happy to explain to you how the term "begotten" is used in relation to Jesus in scripture and why he is called "the only begotten Son of God." I will also happily explain to you how his name correlates with the same and what we must do to truly believe in his name.

 

[Matthias]

From my X / Twitter feed this afternoon-

“If Christianity is true, people don’t die, they just change location. They just go from this life to the next life.”

(Frank Turek)

https://x.com/drfrankturek/status/1945574191433982315?s=61

That’s what you’re being fed @Risen, but not by me.

Primitive Christianity is true, and people do die.

 

[Riven]

From my X / Twitter feed this afternoon-

“If Christianity is true, people don’t die, they just change location. They just go from this life to the next life.”

(Frank Turek)

https://x.com/drfrankturek/status/1945574191433982315?s=61

That’s what you’re being fed @Risen, but not by me.

Primitive Christianity is true, and people do die.

Frank never could prove it though. He debated Hitchens a few times over the years. Just hearing Christopher's voice again makes me feel nostalgic.

 

[Matthias]

Frank never could prove it though.

Of course he couldn’t.

He debated Hitchens a few times over the years. Just hearing Christopher's voice again makes me feel nostalgic.

They both lost.

 

[Riven]

They both lost.

Well, it wasnt so much about winning or losing. It was about building consensus and... entertainment. Hitch was a very good entertainer. But New Atheism died with him.

The conversation was one that needed to happen in the 2010's. Non-believers were still being persecuted in America. Or maybe stigmatized is a better word. Therr movement helped bring that to an end. These days, people really don't care what you believe. You might get a weird look or two if you call yourself atheist. But most folks don't care anymore.