Conversation with An Atheist

[Mancunian]

Yeah do the atheists go out try to convert people to become atheists?
I know they spend a lot of time trying to convince people there is no God.

I wonder if they spend that much time trying to convince people there's no santa clause or easter bunny.

When I was a kid I didn't care much about the easter bunny who quit coming around to leave money under my pillow after I finished pulling all my baby teeth but I did like the satan clause thing. Until I found out my parents LIED to me and there was no satan clause. I had to actually forgive my parent for lying to me! I mean who lies to their own kids? It's crazy.

Do you think that islamic parents are lying to their kids? Or do you think that they believe wholeheartedly in their version of God?
It's all about knowledge. If every religious parent KNOWS that their God exists then in their eyes they're not lying.... If they just have faith then that's not knowledge and therefore could be a lie... If those parents are making excuses for their religion and going against evidence then that's manipulation.

 

[Mancunian]

“Mistakes” is what the crazy kids call sin and evil these days.

Mistakes are mistakes... What else can I tell you?
Sin only exists in the eyes of believers.

 

[RLT63]

Yeah do the atheists go out try to convert people to become atheists?
I know they spend a lot of time trying to convince people there is no God.

I wonder if they spend that much time trying to convince people there's no santa clause or easter bunny.

When I was a kid I didn't care much about the easter bunny who quit coming around to leave money under my pillow after I finished pulling all my baby teeth but I did like the satan clause thing. Until I found out my parents LIED to me and there was no satan clause. I had to actually forgive my parent for lying to me! I mean who lies to their own kids? It's crazy.

You’ve confused the Easter Bunny with the Tooth Fairy

 

[Mancunian]

You’ve confused the Easter Bunny with the Tooth Fairy

The tooth fairy exists, I've seen the movie.

 

[Wrangler]

Mistakes are mistakes... What else can I tell you?
Sin only exists in the eyes of believers.

No. The basic problem has already been explained to you. As an Atheist, you covet the role of god; you want to create the standard of good. Not surprisingly, you judge yourself as passing your standard.

You fail the standard YHWH established for good, which is to have faith in him and act accordingly. Calling sin by another name doesn’t make it less sinful.

Having said that, I’m glad you’re a generally good person and suspect the reason you’re here is in reaction to a yearning for the God-sized hole in your life, heart and mind. I don’t know why you have never felt God. My devout Catholic friend never felt him yet he believes.

 

[Mancunian]

I believe that those standards were set by men of the time and not God, so it follows that I don't really care what their standards were, they're not relevant to me... Those people stoned people to death for slight misdemeanours, they burned people alive and so on.

The ritualistic stuff in the Bible is all man made... I'm pretty sure that the creator of the universe wouldn't be telling people which animals blood is acceptable to splash around.
This being created black holes, nebula, gas giant planets, it created the conditions for life itself to exist on this planet... The laws of physics it's a wonderful universe.
The God that is or was capable of all that certainty wouldn't be interested in such trivia.

I often think if the creator is still around and can see mankind, there would definitely be a lot of face palms.

 

[Wrangler]

I believe that those standards were set by men of the time and not God

Going to show the importance of faith right from the start.

This being created black holes, nebula, gas giant planets, it created the conditions for life itself to exist on this planet... The laws of physics it's a wonderful universe.

So, you are not an Atheist. You do believe in a Creator - just not the God who revealed himself to the prophets and the people through signs and wonders, miracles.

The God that is or was capable of all that certainty wouldn't be interested in such trivia.

Again, trying to impose your judgment on your Creator who said he’s counted the hairs on your head.

 

[RandyDawson]

You’ve confused the Easter Bunny with the Tooth Fairy

At any rate they are both non existent so nobody is going around spending time trying to convince people there is no easter bunny, tooth fairy, or santa clause.

The point being is atheists really and truly believe there is no God, they would not be spending so much time and effort trying to convince people there is no God.

The reason they are spending so much time and effort trying to convince people there is no God is because deep down in their heart of hearts they know God is real and they have the need to keep claiming His is not real to help keep themselves convinced.

 

[Mancunian]

I'm an agnostic atheist. Until the creator truly reveals it's/ his or herself to me I will hold that position.
If the creator does reveal itself to me there's no saying that it will be a God in the traditional sense, it may well be a force that isn't interested in worship and has no grand plan for the inhabitants of it's creation.

I wouldn't like to speculate or give whatever it is/was a personality, I wouldn't guess at it's likes and dislikes. I certainly wouldn't take the word of the anonymous scribes of yesteryear....

Atheism is a disbelief pure and simple. Everyone on the planet was born an atheist.... Geography upbringing and societal norms made them into theists.

As I've said before, I can see why people buy into religion, it's comforting, there's a sense of belonging and so on. Atheism offers nothing, zilch, zip, nothing.
There's no catch with atheism... I know what I will become after my death.... Ashes, and I'm comfortable with that weighing it against the alternative.

 

[Mancunian]

At any rate they are both non existent so nobody is going around spending time trying to convince people there is no easter bunny, tooth fairy, or santa clause.

The point being is atheists really and truly believe there is no God, they would not be spending so much time and effort trying to convince people there is no God.

The reason they are spending so much time and effort trying to convince people there is no God is because deep down in their heart of hearts they know God is real and they have the need to keep claiming His is not real to help keep themselves convinced.

This is incorrect. Atheism is a position that makes no claims about the existence of God... Theists make the claims.
Atheism is the default position, it's up to the person making the positive claim to prove it.
And as we know, the more extraordinary the claim, the evidence needs to be extraordinary.
Show me some extraordinary evidence, show me evidence from outside of the Bible.

 

[Mancunian]

Is your God perfectly good?
If so, why does he allow evil?

 

[Mancunian]

Is the Bible the word of God or the contradictory word of man...

Family Relationships
“Honor thy father and thy mother…”– Exodus 20:12

“If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. ” — Luke 14:26

Resurrection of the Dead

“…he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more. ” — Job 7:9

“…the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth….” — John 5:28-29

The End of the World

“Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. ” — Matthew 16:28

“Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. ” — Luke 21:32-33

“And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.” — Romans 13:11-12

“Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” — James 5:8

“Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.” — 1 John 2:18

“But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.” — 1 Peter 4:7

These words were written between 1800 and 1900 years ago and were meant to warn and prepare the first Christians for the immediate end of the world. Some words are those supposedly straight out of the mouth of the “Son of God.” The world did not end 1800 or 1900 years ago. All that generation passed away without any of the things foretold coming to pass. No amount of prayer brought it about; nor ever so much patience and belief and sober living. The world went on, as usual, indifferent to the spoutings of yet another batch of doomsday prophets with visions of messiahs dancing in their brains. The world, by surviving, makes the above passages contradictions.

 

[Mancunian]

Circumcism

“This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.” — Genesis 17:10

“…if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.” — Galatians 5:2

Incest

“Cursed be he that lieth with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of this mother…” — Deuteronomy 27:22

“And if a man shall take his sister, his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter…it is a wicked thing….” — Leviticus 20:17

[But what was god’s reaction to Abraham, who married his sister — his father’s daughter?] See Genesis 20:11-12

“And God said unto Abraham, As for Sara thy wife…I bless her, and give thee a son also of her…” — Genesis 17:15-16

Trusting God

“A good man obtaineth favour of the LORD…” — Proverbs 12:2

Now consider the case of Job. After commissioning Satan to ruin Job financially and to slaughter his shepherds and children to win a petty bet with Satan. God asked Satan: “Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.” — Job 2:3

The Holy Lifestyle

“Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart…” — Ecclesiastes 9:7

“…they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not…” — 1 Corinthians 7:30

Punishing Crime

“The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father…” — Ezekiel 18:20

“I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation…” — Exodus 20:5

Temptation

“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.” — James 1:13

“And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham…” — Genesis 22:1

 

[Mancunian]

There's more.

 

[Mancunian]

The Earth Does Not Last Forever
In Ecclesiastes 1:4, we read that “the earth remains forever,” a sentiment echoed in Psalm 104:5, which praises God for laying the foundations of the earth so firmly that “it should never be moved.”

However, this view contrasts sharply with certain passages in the New Testament that foresee the destruction of the current earth and the creation of a new one. For example, 2 Peter 3:13 describes the hope for “new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness dwells,” and Revelation 21:1 envisions “a new heaven and a new earth” after the first has passed away.

The Number of Animals Noah Took on the Ark
Another example that reminds us of the discrepancies in the Bible can be found in the story of Noah and the Ark. In Genesis 6:19-20, God commands Noah to take two of every kind of animal — one male and one female — onto the Ark to preserve their species. However, in Genesis 7:2-3, the instructions are more specific, stating that Noah should take seven pairs of clean animals (suitable for sacrifice) and one pair of unclean animals.

So, which is it? This discrepancy reflects differing traditions within the text, likely stemming from the merging of multiple sources behind the composition of Genesis.

 

[Mancunian]

Two Creation Stories
In exploring other biblical contradictions, we are (for now) staying with the Book of Genesis, which begins with two distinct accounts of creation. In Genesis 1:1-2:3, it unfolds in a structured, ordered sequence over six days, culminating in the creation of humanity (male and female) together on the sixth day.

In Genesis 2:4-25, however, the narrative is more focused on human formation. Here, man (Adam) is created first from the dust of the ground, followed by vegetation, animals, and finally, a woman (Eve) as a helper. This portrayal is more intimate and anthropocentric, with God personally shaping Adam and breathing life into him.

Does God Forgive People?
In 2 Kings 24:4, we encounter a stark declaration: “The LORD was not willing to forgive,” specifically regarding the sins of King Manasseh, who led Judah into idolatry and shed innocent blood.

This statement stands in tension with the broader biblical theme of God’s mercy and willingness to forgive, as seen in passages like Psalms 103:3,10, which praise God for forgiving iniquities and not treating humanity as their sins deserve.

The contradiction deepens when we compare 2 Kings with 2 Chronicles. In the latter (2 Chronicles 33:19), we learn that Manasseh eventually repented, humbling himself before God, who then restored him.

However, repentance and restoration are entirely absent from the account in Kings, which portrays Manasseh’s sins as the ultimate reason for Judah’s destruction — a punishment that fell upon generations long after his reign.

How Many Items?
In the book of Ezra, we encounter a numerical inconsistency regarding the temple vessels that King Cyrus of Persia returned to the Jews for their use in rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem. Ezra 1:9-10 provides a detailed inventory:

1,000 silver cymbals
29 knives (the exact meaning of the term is debated)
30 golden cups
410 silver cups
1,000 other devices
This totals 2,469 items. Yet in Ezra 1:11, the text states that the total number of vessels returned was 5,400. This represents another example of the contradictions in the Bible, deriving from the difference between the listed items and the sum provided.

Attempts to harmonize this contradiction by suggesting that not all items were included in the detailed list seem unlikely. Verse 10 explicitly states, “and 1,000 other devices,” implying that all categories of vessels were accounted for.

 

[Mancunian]

God is not the author of confusion, man is.

 

[Mancunian]

Levite Cities: 11 or 13?

Another contradiction arises in the accounts of the Levite cities allocated to the descendants of Aaron. In 1 Chronicles 6:42-45, 11 cities are listed, but the text states there should be 13 in total. These cities include Hebron, Libna, Jattir, Eschtemoa, Holon, Debir, Aschan, Beth Shemesh, Geba, Alemet, and Anatot. The discrepancy between the stated total and the actual list creates an inconsistency within the text.

The parallel account in Joshua 21:13-19 provides a different list of 13 cities, with variations and additions. Notably, this list includes Ajin, Jutta, Gibeon, and Almon, which are absent in Chronicles, while Aschan and Alemet do not appear in Joshua’s account.

 

[Mancunian]

Was the Curtain in the Temple Torn Before or After Jesus’ Death?​

There is another contradiction in the Bible related to Jesus’ death. It centers on the timing of the tearing of the temple curtain. In Matthew 27:50-51, the moment is described as happening immediately after Jesus' death: “And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.”
However, in Luke’s account, a slight difference in the sequence arises. Luke 23:45 mentions the tearing of the curtain just before Jesus cries out: “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” This subtle shift in timing creates a discrepancy between Luke and the other Synoptic Gospels.

 

[Wrangler]

The point being is atheists really and truly believe there is no God, they would not be spending so much time and effort trying to convince people there is no God.

Atheism is a disbelief pure and simple.

It is NOT merely nihilistic disbelief. Atheism, by definition, remains theocentric.