BellaOnline Forums Religion and Spirituality Bible Basics Can Christians and Atheists ever agree?

To me, it is possible that God worked out our creation (and that of the universe) through evolution, Big Bang, Intelligent Design--anything he wanted to. He has a lot more imagination than we do, and he certainly could make anything happen any way he wanted to! As a Christian, I wish people would not let God's methods divide them. It is not a threat to our faith that scientists pursue their ideas. If you ask me, Jesus spent virtually no time discussing the issue of how we got here while he was with us.

This issue, among others, only serves to distract us from our main mission: to love one another as we love ourselves and to put God first in our lives. Sometimes I think the "main mission" is so difficult that we get tempted into argueing the side-issues just to keep from doing our hardest job!

I worry about the whole if Santa isn't real then how do you know God is question. My son is beginning to stop believing in Santa or at least questioning his exhistance. My husband isn't a Christian so Santa is a big deal around here and I have to really put the extra effort into creating a Christ centered Christmas. Christmas eve is spent at Church and Christmas day we read children's books based on the Christmas Story.

In all fairness I think the big bang theory is the ultimate argument for God...and im not all that religious. Scientists say that sometime ago, something happened, that caused an explosion of power that spread out and created the universe. If you simply take the sentence and make it "that God caused an explosion of power that spread out..." then it works perfectly for Christians. I know the creation story from my childhood and how he created everything, but it really does not say specifically exactly how he created it. It very well could have been that he snapped his fingers and big bang happened.

So what are we really arguing? Big-bang works for both sides. I believe the argument exists simply because both sides like to argue.

Skeeter

This issue, among others, only serves to distract us from our main mission: to love one another as we love ourselves and to put God first in our lives. Sometimes I think the "main mission" is so difficult that we get tempted into argueing the side-issues just to keep from doing our hardest job!

I will agre with that!

I also think Care has a point it is like Santa and Christ compete for the Holiday Giftmas Vs. Christmas Which do we chose?

When I was little snata would put presents under the tree like one year I got a picture bible, christian based children books, crayons, and a doll house, I loved the books! and the crayons! my mom spent hours working on the doll house and I played with the crayons and the paper that came off the presents! I had mom read me the books at night over and over and over...
the next year I got from santa talking jane anyone remember her? she was a talking doll that came with a chip that made her say different thinks and you could play games with her and she may have walked or something but at the time she was just a little smaller then me and she scared the pee out of me! I hated her she was creepy! my mom got her because I wanted a sister or brother. I had called one of those adopt a kid for $0.50 a day on the tv and I ordered a big brother and a little sister! I was 6 I thought the stork would bring them or maybe they were in my aunts cabbage patch! I always looked for them!!! LMAO mom thought i would be happy with the life size doll for a sister...
I didnt think a doll should be that big and talk!

the point is I think my mom was trying at lest when I was supper little to try to have santa being christian things for me instead of just gifts that had no value other then makeing some company rich because they are popular and everyone has to have one...

I never thought about Santa like a lie my mom told me or thought well if santa is a lie then jesus is too. I think my the time i started to not believe in santa my mom had told me well dont spoil it for the other kids they are not as mature as you are so I thought it was normal for little kids to believe in santa but when you mature you just grow out of the believe like 1st grade....

Regarding Santa, I think that when Santa was outed to us, (a) it was only after we thought we had figured it out and (b) we were told that the idea of Santa was based on a real person, a saint, who tried to do what God wanted when he went all over his town leaving goodies for children on Christmas Eve. We were told that parents try to continue that person's work at Christmas all over the world. (Also, we were warned not to spoil it for younger children.)

This is something my parents did right, I think.

I watched a documentary on PBS about a famous writer who considered himself an Aetheist. He said, "God? Of course I don't believe there is a God, but then He doesn't mind, a lot of people say that."

Yes, If God exists, one would hope S/He at least has a sense of humour.....

I think God would have to have a sence of humor...Look around. I think creativeity and a huge sence of humor would be needed to make the world we live in!

You know the argument "Everyone is inherently good" I heard something the other day that looked at it differently.

If everyone was inherently good then it would be easy for everyone to be good and not selfish. Kids would just behave without being taught how to behave because they'd already be good. Everyone would be so giving and caring without a thought that there would be no suffering. If everyone was inherently good, it would be easy to be good and not a learned behavior.

I can agree with that but I don't think we are necessarily born evil or bad. I think we are neutral when we are born and then we learn good and bad as we are taught. I think we are inherently lazy and greedy. we want what we want and we don't want to work for it so we take the easy way out. and I think we learn that from life experiences and it is part of the culture... not however something we are born with because God made us that way it is more of the sins of the father are picked up my the children.