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An atheist converts to Christianity on the spot

Posted 13 months ago|23 comments|718 views
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The other day I read about an atheist who converted to Christianity on the spot! He was a life long unbeliever who was dedicated to a life in the pursuit of science and earthly pursuits. Religion especially the Christian variety was definitely not his forte. He could not envision anyone creating anything because then someone would have had to create the creator and who would have done that? Besides the idea of one person dying for the wrong doing of others, made no sense either. How could one life atone for the lives of billions of other humans? Just speculating seemed a whole waste of time.

If God was real and his son died for the sins of humanity and it all ended and was sealed at the cross then why the heck are we still suffering in this horrible place called earth? He didn't want to hear excuses like the Gospel had to be preached or God is waiting for the sinners to repent. A complete salvation means all is done and it's time to pack things up and go; but as far as he could see everything is as it always has been, a bunch of confused humans doing what they will. The only difference was that now there was more knowledge available about the world around us and now people are able to live longer so consequently humans now have the power to change their lives for the better!

This atheist was sure that his life would be better served finding a way to enjoy it and hopefully prolong it. To this end he studied all the latest health reports and put into practice all the latest findings. There wasn't a supplement he did not take or a regiment he did not follow and to gain happiness he ensured to surround himself with all the luxuries life could offer. All his friends were positive people who much like him pursued only the best of life. They always had money to spare and always made sure that their friends knew how affluent and generous they were.

So what in the world made this committed happy atheist turn from a life of happy self indulgence to believing in Christ instantly? I'm not sure because nobody asked him before the executioner pulled the switch on the electric chair to which he was firmly affixed!
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13 months ago: Yeah, it don't much matter if you are an unbeliever here...
...but there, it will be too late...

"...that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
(Philippians 2:10-11)
13 months ago: Did you miss the point of the story Mr. T?
13 months ago: DJ,

Maybe I did... could you clarify?
13 months ago: Better late than never. Hope it was real for his sake.
13 months ago: I'd rather let you read the complete rave first Mr T, else I would be repeating myself and that just ruins a good punchline, thanks!

Good to know you are an optimist Huey. I'd like to think God is too, but then again he already knows the end from the beginning so it makes sense that he is!
markbyrn
markbyrn
 Moderator
13 months ago: Good one Dwayne, and I imagine all the religious fanatics who have killed in the name of their deity went to paradise to see their barbaric god smiling in approval.
13 months ago: MB -

Dudage, you sound like the flip side of John Lennon with that one. "Shudder!"
13 months ago: No Huey, that is okay, I'll respond to Mr. Byrne's cynical look of last minute conversions. You see Mark ole boy, Mr. T above you seems to have commented on your type. Because you don't care. Do you? But that is the point of my little ole story and I'm glad that at least you caught the punch line. It would do you well then to remember the moral as well and that is that nobody really wants to face death without some form of hope even if they were oh so critical of it all through out their lives. Because in the end all the bitter resentment against God doesn't provide as much assurance as Jesus died for me and God still loves me after all I've done.
markbyrn
markbyrn
 Moderator
13 months ago: Well Mr Dwayne "Not the Rock" Johnson, I did get your punch line and I'm glad you picked up on my counter-punch line although you didn't really get the gist of it. To be semi-serious for a moment, are you familiar with the logical fallacy of false dilemma?

That would be an argument in which you falsely present two alternatives as though there aren't numerous other alternatives. In this case, you present Atheism and your particular version of Christianity as though there's not multitudes of other possibilities, whether they be other major religions, Agnosticism, Deism, and so forth.

In the example I cited, there are people who seriously believe that their god orders people to kill in it's name. For example, in the Bible that Christians claim to believe, there is a story of the biblical deity ordering it's minions to slaughter men, women, children, and animals, and being upset when the minions failed to kill the animals along with the men, women, and babies. That's just one of numerous barbarisms.

Even if Atheism was incorrect, that doesn't prove or justify your religion - quite the opposite since your religion is no more or less irrational than Atheism. If you're going to speculate as you did, why not speculate that you'll end up meeting a rational deity that is appalled by your gullibility and arrogance. Gullibility in believing in a barbaric man imagined deity as I noted, and arrogance in believing you were infallible with respect to that belief.
13 months ago: Oh dear Mark, have you drank so liberally from the liberal cool-aid that you only see things in a kaleidoscope of every force of nature must ultimately be equal? No I did not hear of the logical fallacy of false dilemma and so I thank you for broadening my worldly knowledge, but then I must ask you, "Have you not heard of a salesman selling his product?" Why on earth would I try to sell you something that I find ridiculous?

I've never seen a single essay from you extolling the wonders of Jesus sacrifice for humanity. Quite the contrary you go out of your way to make sure the poor bastard stays nailed to the cross. You always keep around a fresh batch of long spiky nails for this (and yes Jesus was poor and had no earthly father.) So don't expect me to go out of my way to give equal air time to every cockamamie idea that homo-sapiens have ever concocted.

I push this one because I've found it to give me tremendous comfort! So why would I keep it to myself? If you have problems with it do what so many others have done before you, ignore it! But much like the atheist in my cautionary tale don't suppose there might not come a time when you too might find solace in its simple message. I'm jus' saying!
13 months ago: MB - you have a good heart.
Frederick
Frederick
Canada
13 months ago: Was this, perhaps, a friend of yours? No matter. With six billion people in the world, I am sure it happens. I am also sure that not all atheists are self indulgent. There is a flip side to "the no atheists in foxholes" story. It is the "every theist wants to go to heaven but no theist wants to die" story.
13 months ago: Did you hear about the Christian who converted to Islam on the spot?
13 months ago: I did.

I have a better one. Did you hear about the Muslim that converted to Christianity on the spot?

http://www.christianpost.com/news/new-ch...

He was shot to death.
markbyrn
markbyrn
 Moderator
13 months ago: ..I have a better one. Did you hear about the Muslim that converted to Christianity on the spot?..

That goes back to my point about religious fanatics who kill in the name of their barbaric deities, and why should we applaud somebody that converts from Atheism into imagining up a barbaric deity, whether that deity be of the Jewish, Christian, or Muslim brands?

Yes, we can go back through history argue which brand was or is presently more barbaric but only has to read their respective bibles to see how their imagined deity adjures and savors blood & violence.
Content Removed by Huey Newton
13 months ago: Had some typos.

"That goes back to my point about religious fanatics who kill in the name of their barbaric deities"

I agree.

This world is violent. Period. It does not matter whether one is secular or spiritual. It does not even matter the brand be it agnostic, atheist, secular humanist, rationalist, Christian, Jew, Muslim or whatever.

The sin comes out.

Often times it comes out in the form of violence against innocents. One does not even have to be out of the womb to suffer violence. Sick.

The main problem we have is the devaluation of human life. Just because someone is different, or believes differently, there is no reason to kill them.

Whether that devaluation of life comes from an evolutionary fairy tale or a religious one. It makes no difference. Both are evil particularly when it results in cold-blooded murder.

The responsibility of those actions cannot be shifted to an individual's god or non-god either. The responsibility belongs to them.

I applaud folks when they choose life and not death regardless of their brand.

Some choices however, will inevitably end up being more harmful than beneficial here and now as well as hereafter. That is an individuals choice. I have no problem with that.

However, they need to keep their hands and their violent inclinations to themselves so we can all have peace. Isn't that what we all want anyway?

The way some people act, I don't think so.
12 months ago: What makes you think anybody is asking anybody to applaud an atheist conversion to Christianity? I think the conversion story of an atheist to Christianity before his death is common sense and precautionary.
markbyrn
markbyrn
 Moderator
12 months ago: ...Whether that devaluation of life comes from an evolutionary fairy tale or a religious one. It makes no difference...

It's never ceases to amaze me how the religious blithely equate scientific "theory" with pure superstition and religious dogma - they are complete and utter opposites.

Scientific theory and the scientific method has proved itself repeatedly over the centuries, and we would not be having this virtual discussion without it since scientific theory and the scientific method are the building blocks that led to the technology which we're using right now to communicate. Unlike religious dogma, Scientific theory is subject to being changed or evolved when new data is collected that suggests it. Scientific theory is not bound by the dictums of blood soaked 'holy book'

On the other hand, religious dogma depends solely on blind faith and gullibly swallowing propositions such as an imaginary deity committing destructive acts or directing barbaric acts by it's adherents.

In the modern era, with evidence of Science's credibility enveloping people on a daily basis. the religious fantasists can't dismiss Science out of hand so they resort to picking and choosing which Science they'll accept based on whether or not a particular Scientific endeavor conflicts with their religious dogma.

If it conflicts, they reject it and invent pseudo-scientific alternatives such as religious based creationism. Superstition is diametrically opposed to Science because Science has undercut superstition and the demagogic charlatans that have purveyed it.

Modern religious "science" includes religious leaders fabricating evidence to support their religious fantasies. For example, Franklin Graham and his evangelical brigade believes in a violent and imminent 'god' induced end of world Armageddon and so he recently claimed that earthquakes, wars and famines are occurring "with more frequency and more intensity."

Is that true? No - see http://www.factcheck.org/2011/04/rev-gra...

but the faithful lap it up because they have to believe it or risk the eternal wrath of their imaginary deity. Come on, swallow the red pill for a change.
12 months ago: Hogwash.

So many exhibit blind faith is the speculations, postulations, and prognostications of the Dawkin's and Darwin's of the world that it's almost stomach turning. Lap, lap, lap.

I don't know why some folks spend so much time worrying about blood and wrath when that stuff has nothing to do with their reality.

Speculation is speculation. If the evidence doesn't support the conclusion, fabricate. Te secular and the religious are guilty of those sins.

Fairy tales are on both sides of coin.

12 months ago: Also, the point I was making is that BOTH the evolutionary fundamentalist and the religious fundamentalist or anyone else for that matter are all WRONG when they devalue human life. Period.
12 months ago: Mark,

You are absolutely correct that Scientific theory and Religious faith are not the same. In Scientific theory there exists a set of laws that arise from a study of a particular discipline. These laws tend to remain fixed unless further study reveals some greater insight that warrants the change of that law. Scientific theory purports to explain the function of the subject being studied, the purpose being it's ultimate manipulation and control.

In day's gone by the magicians, the shaman, soothsayers and priests served the dual roles of dissecting and trying to understand the mysteries of the unknown and that of disseminating and reassuring the belief of a power or powers that supersedes over all these mysteries. The general public in those days required faith to believe in both because the general public back then was mostly illiterate and such information wasn't generally accessible. This made it difficult to question suspicious or faulty sounding belief. Today however that second role is fulfilled not by the scientist who fulfils the first role but by the religious leader.

Today the general public has access to the studies and research of the scientist. A college degree can't stop the laymen from attempting to poke holes in well established scientific principles. The flip side, that being of the religious leaders whose job takes over that of the shaman's former second job of disseminating and reassuring the belief of a power or powers that supersedes over all these mysteries, is not so simple because that aspect was never based upon research. It was based upon faith.

Faith does not require logic. It requires trust. The reason being is that the faith is being applied not to a manageable medium but to an unknown. Trust is not needed if one knows all the variables. But with an unknown trust is essential to move forward with the next step. Faith and trust promote innovation and discovery. They always have. That is why so many great scientific innovators were also religiously inclined men.

What you and other publicly skeptic people are doing is attempting to investigate the religious side of this equation just as thoroughly as the scientific aspect gets investigated. I wish you good luck in that endeavor. But don't forget in the process why it is that people have faith in the unknown and that is to go forward with what is.
12 months ago: Well said.

It is unfortunate that scientific theory these days too often tends to put more stock in philosophy and conjecture.

This is done quite frequently when these certain scientists (some not all) don't have answers. Theses folk choose to debunk other theories outright not because they are implausible or impossible, but purely because they don't like implications those theories potentially present.

That's when science ceases to be pure science and becomes as religious as anything I've ever encountered.
12 months ago: I tend to read any work objectively. I understand that a work is written with the bias of the author, otherwise why should he write it. I'm not opposed to anybody believing whatever they want to believe because I'm sure ultimately they have to ask themselves the question, "Why?" and with that question comes answers even if those answers don't agree with that persons view. That my friend is knowledge. Wisdom comes from on high when that person is willing to put down his prejudice's and move forward otherwise they get lost to their own confusion.

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