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1
16
No - Never Yes - With Understanding
Debate Score:17
Arguments:10
Total Votes:18
Ended:12/01/08
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 No - Never (1)
 
 Yes - With Understanding (9)

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Is There A Way Atheists & Believers Can Come Together?

*Can We Accept One Another As We Are?*

The Atheist does not believe in the existence of the Christian God nor any other "Creator." Believers, no matter what religion, do believe in His existence and the Divine Word. Does this make the Atheist less than you who believe? It would go against the Atheist to believe as we do. Why does it matter and why is what you believe any more valid as opposed to what they believe? Can we not, as God's people, accept and love those who think differently than we do?

No - Never

Side Score: 1
VS.

Yes - With Understanding

Side Score: 16
Winning Side!

Never should be eradicated from the language for the purpose of this debate but I know some will feel this way. "Never" is without hope and without understanding for your fellow man.

Side: No - Never

So long as we don't try to force our beliefs on each other...yes.

Side: Yes - With Understanding
2 points

Atheists who are fanatics abhor those who believe differently. Like Christian Fundamentalists, they refuse to accept the very possibility that some other view might be acceptable.

Atheists and Agnostics who understand that spirituality is an innate need in the human psyche can meet Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and other believers halfway.

Likewise, those with faith must accept that there is a spectrum of belief and some lack the ability to merely take things on faith. They need to acknowledge that miracles are not enough for some, and smile openly upon those who embrace science as they embrace the Holy Texts.

Side: Yes - With Understanding

Soc....you beat me to my own debate....lol. This one is for you so let me say straight away that I believe in God, which you know and that I accept your atheism without prejudice! As children of God, those of us who believe must accept any and all of God's children whether they believe or not and we must leave them to their own way of thinking and not try to preach change to them. I can only hope that it is fulfilling for you to be an Atheist than it is for me to be a practicing Christian. It's not my responsibility to judge another human being and it's not anyone else's either.

Out of sheer curiosity...at what age did you come to this realization or what event brought this about?

Side: Yes - With Understanding

Actually, it was about a year ago. I started to have doubts about my religion starting about two years ago.

The year that I actually decided to be an atheist, I read a lot of things that influenced my decision. The one that comes to mind would be Gods Debris, I definitely suggest you read it if you get a chance (it's fairly short). Here is the free online version:

http://nowscape.com/godsdebris.pdf

I completely agree with what you are saying about acceptance of all peoples. I don't hold anyones religion against them, if I did I would have some serious issues (my entire family and most of my friends are Christian). As I said in one of my earlier arguments, most people who have religion are reasonable people who allow it to have a positive affect on their lives, clearly you are one of these people.

(As I am writing this an anti-Obama add talking about Rev. Wright just came on, wow, that's eerie)

I am perfectly content knowing that the life I am living now is the only one I get. For me, this makes this life all the more important. It also means that I have a responsibility. If there is no God to make everything right, then that means it's up to us. People who are living in Africa without shoes, clean water or sufficient food aren't going to get their rewards in heaven. We have to help them. Clearly many religious people also dedicate themselves to helping those in need as well, and I commend them for that.

Side: Yes - With Understanding

...And as I'm writing this I've just heard that Obama's beloved grandmother has passed away! Wow. I'm glad he got there in time to see her. I shall read "Gods Debris" either on-line or I'll get it. I'm always interested in everything...LOL!

Soc...you are a gem....and one of a kind. I'm glad we met and proud to call you friend. We must help each other...for that's all we have...each other. It is said that No Man is an Island and I agree. No person can live in a vacuum and not try to mend some of the misery around them. May you always be blessed in what you do.

Side: Yes - With Understanding
1 point

we can. i'm constantly trying to explain to Atheists why they should stop harassing Christians about their beliefs, and vice versa (i get attacked from both sides due to my Agnostic and Philosophical views on the subject).

If we learn to just stop caring about what someone believes in, we can start to get along. the problem is that religious people are constantly trying to "save" someone, and the Atheists just hate the fact that someone could believe in something like that, they find it a plague. The fact is, if we just stopped caring, we wouldn't have this problem.

Side: Yes - With Understanding

I support you 99.9%. The only wording I would change is "stop caring." I suppose it depends on which angle you look at it from but I should think that starting to care would be the best case scenario! What I mean by that is that i, as a Christian, need to START CARING about whet YOU believe and not consider it wrong or immoral or any other word you care to put in there. Start caring about others belief systems and stop preaching about yours and telling everyone they're going to HELL. LOL...that's the best when they tell someone who does not believe in God they're going there! It does come to harassment and it's wrong....from all sides.

Side: Yes - With Understanding

Yes, with understanding in a perfect world, but I think that RESPECT is also important. We might never really understand each other, but we can respect others thoughts and opinions!

Side: Yes - With Understanding
1 point

Yes, as long as the the religious accept that not everyone believes in non-human, non-corporeal intelligences with no evidence and atheists accept people who do.

Side: Yes - With Understanding