Mailbag: Educated Christians
Tuesday November 14, 2006
From: "Terry"
Subject: None
Subject: None
How do you deal with a highly educated person like myself that knows for a truth that Jesus Christ is actually living today. I know this because my prayers to Him are answered routinely and regularly. How do you figure ?
How do I deal with highly educated Christians? Same way I deal with any Christian: I simply point out that I don't see any reason to believe that you are correct. Just because you are highly educated doesn't mean that you are incapable of error. I'm highly educated, too, and I don't see anyone agreeing with me because of that alone.
He will reveal Himself to you if you ask Him to make Himself known to you and to come into your heart. This is what He is after. Your Heart. Best of Success To You In Your Search. Try it. What do you have to lose?
Been there. Done that. Nothing happened. It's amazing that so many Christians are so certain that anyone who isn't a Christian simply hasn't tried and/or is unfamiliar with Christianity. I was a Christian for many, many years. I was quite active in my Youth Group at a Baptist Church.
More selections from the Agnosticism / Atheism Mailbag...
Comments
People that (who) claim to be educated online are difficult to verify. I think people might lie to make themselves appear more credible than they really are. This May Be More Common Amongst Religious People, Who Favor The Appeal To Authority Fallacy. I think one can go through college without ever thinking critically about religion, anyway, though (although I think grammar is usually required).
Amazing, isn’t it, Austin?
This person claims to be educated (which is questionable considering how many anonymous internet proselytizers are also blatant liars). Then the so-called “educated” person commits the logic fallacy of Argument From Elitism. The person is stating “I’m educated, therefore god exists!” This is a ridiculously stupid thing to say. Especially when you consider the fact that the more intelligent a person is, the more likely they are to be an atheist! The person also is desperately trying the Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc fallacy. “I prayed and it happened, therefore god exists!” So what does this “educated” person have to say about all those praying Christians who died in those Towers on 9/11? What about all those hard-working Christians who live in poverty and starve to death while praying to god for help? This is just an illustration of how self-centered and selfish many theists can be. Of course, when prayers aren’t answered, they’ll just use the age-old excuse “Uh… God works in mysterious ways.”
So to the person that emailed Austin, I say this: There isn’t even a SPECK of evidence that your god exists, and that’s known not just by people far more educated than you CLAIM to be. And it’s also known by anyone with common sense, reason, and rational thought.
Austin, I love your columns. I link to them often in my atheist blog. I wonder what your thoughts are on the “New Atheist” movement by Dawkins?
Jay,
I can only speak for myself, but in regards to Dawkins “New Atheist” movement, I like its spirit and intent, but not the name. I think the name should simply be the “atheist” movement.
Regarding this post by Austin, I have a better descriptor for this person and his conversations with Jesus: DELUSIONAL.
Let us be brave enough to say it. Back when I was a Christian, I had conversations with Jesus too. He replied back to me, just like countelss other imaginary friends that children have at various times.
I was delusional. An entity that I imagined in my head would talk back to me, and I believed that it was really existant outside of my own mind.
This Xtian suffers the same delusion, except it seems that he is older than a child. Oh well, some adults still believe in monsters in the closet, some adults still wet the bed, and some adults keep their imaginary friends.
Dont be afraid to use the word delusional. Dont be afraid to call a spade a spade.
Congradulations!!! You’re Right! Where does that get Ya? You play the right game instead of the Christ game. Shame on you. Please tell me that you know that everything about Christ is about the ego. NOT having one. “Dont event look at another when you have given, just to see the look on their face, if you do, then it becomes about ego. Care to comment??