Many agnostics and atheists claim that I, as a Christian, don't think for myself?
If I listened to the Atheists and Agnostics, would I really be thinking for myself then? I think I'd be letting them think for me.
However, don't let me try to think for you.Between being right and being happy, I'll just choose being happy
I'd rather be on the right and happy. Atheist and Agnostics are in the dark and don't know it. When they do start thinking for themselves, they'll realize they've been acting like a fool.
you don't think for yourself because you align yourself with a group of many and you categorize non-members of your group as atheists and agnostics while in actuality we have no organized relations with one another. we are independent while you are interdependent because you need a crutch to support the void of your miserable life that is miserable because Christianity teaches you that you are miserable and that you need salvation.
frankly, i think earth is a pretty damn nice place and i don't need "rescuing" from it.
you would be right at the deadline because they(in a way) are thinking for you but they aren't giving you the play by play to do whatever it is that needs attention in your life.
You can be a Christian and think for yourself. Just read the bible yourself. DON'T let others tell you what the bible really means. It is up to you to judge
Actually you are one of a very few Christians whose opinion I can respect. Obviously you DO think for yourself and you DO make choices. More power to you.
What is the definition of a Christan any way? I mean the religions are all divided up and if you are Catholic are you a christian. I have asked people about going to spend time with others in the presence of their higher power and the response has been yes I am a Christian. Does that mean you go to church or not? How many haters of anything not the same as them call THEMSELVES Christians? We all believe in something.
By subscribing to anther's credo or ethics doesn't necessarily mean you are not thinking for yourself. However if doing so goes against your beliefs then, yes, I'd say you are blindly following others and not thinking for yourself.
Agnostics and atheists have opinions and follow lines of logic like anyone else. They are human and have thoughts and feelings like we all do. As a Christian, I realize that they do not understand the glory of the Lord and what it means to have faith.
One must be open and courteous to others, and when necessary plant the seeds of Christ. Without error and without fault and without persecution to their thoughts or beliefs. Once the seed is planted, it is then up to the Lord to make it grow.....or not. One must be faithful to the Lord, but to also love they neighbor. As long as that does not conflict to that of the teachings of the Lord Jesus.
Following Jesus' ways does not necessarily mean a happy, graceful life. It means that He will provide and protect, but that your soul will live evermore. Your body is expendable, but not your soul. Man can take your body, but no one can take your soul, unless you give it away.
Isn't that so frustrating!
Being a Christian isn't always the easy decision people think it is. To place yourself and all your trust in the hands of anybody/anything is difficult.
Some of the greatest philosophers were Christians. Look at St. Augustine and St. Auguinas. They thought our purpose in life was to use our reason. By using our reason, they believed we could come to know god better.
Everyone believes what they want to believe. Don't let that bother you. Agnostics and Atheists will try to get Christians and other religions to see things their way and vice verse. Stick with what you believe and nothing else will matter.
Don't listen to any one. Take what you see, what you can logically, truly understand and make your own decision based on common sense. It's what YOU believe. No one is trying to think FOR you. There are questions that you might be asking yourself. If you want to see why atheists think the way they do, just go to these websites. It's just informative about atheism and no one is trying to convert you, that's not the way we are. We just wish people would be a little less narrow minded and find out what it's all about. And, yes I am atheist (freethinker)
What Atheists, Agnostics, and everyone else "understand" is always a matter for debate, and it's all fair game in an open discussion forum. As such, it is all open for criticism, sarcasm, wit, humor, scrutiny, jokes, puns, hair splitting, and on and on and on.
Everyone chooses what opinions he/she will use to drive his/her own decisions, beliefs, and behaviors. I'd be willing to bet that, when boiled down to the nutty gritty, everyone decisions are based upon his/her own happiness/satisfaction -- whether or not he/she admits it -- no matter how much he/she denies it.
I am agnostic, sweetie....but I never claimed that _all_ Christians don't think for themselves. :-) Please....Do Not Lump Us All Together.....that is rather disrespectful.
"Between being right and being happy, I'll just choose being happy"
YOU GO GIRL !!!!! That is the right attitude to have, actually. :-) I don't mind if everyone thinks I am wrong. Occasionally I have been told by some Christians and some atheists that I am a "fool". *shrug* I am following my own bliss, my own Personal Path, just as many people are. :-) I never force my opinions on anyone. I don't even WANT to. :-) Just give me the same respect. :-)
If you believe every single thing your religion states as truth, take it all on faith, and question nothing, then you don't think. Otherwise, be happy. I don't really care whether you think for yourself or not and you'll find that most people don't care either.
The reason many followers of the non-Abrahamic religions (Abrahamic religions being Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) claim that most Christians do not think for themselves is due to the fact that most Christians believe what they are taught by a priest or minister, and have taken little or no time to actually read the bible.
I am a Pagan and I have noticed that most, if not all, of the individuals I come into contact with who are christian either don't read the bible, only read the passages that their priest or pastor lectured on, or they read the bible but skip the parts that don't fall in line with their views of what should be in the bible. It is this manner of "picking and choosing" that has caused many people to see Christians as not thinking for themselves.
I have read the bible, several times through, and I find too many contradictions and scientific inaccuracies in the bible to support my personal belief in it.
However, if you have read the bible, and I mean actually sat down, read all of the bible (and not just the "pretty parts"), and have drawn your belief based on the bible in it's entirety, than you are not non-thinking.
As for the people who tell you that you do not think for yourself, if you have actually done the research into your religion that you should do as a follower of the religion, than you should not be worrying about them.
I don't believe in god, but I do believe that most religions participate in a large amount of brainwashing. I would never go so far as to say you do no thinking on your own. Christian or not god can't pump your gas or find an apartment. It really stinks that people can't just be nice towards one another no matter what religion they believe in. (or don't in my case)
I'm happy and it sounds like you are too, so NUTZ to them, that's what I say!!
Many agnostics and atheists claim that I, as a Christian, don't think for myself?
