Christian, what's your response to this atheist's rant?

Here's the quote:





';a God who could make good children as easily a bad, yet preferred to make bad ones; who could have made every one of them happy, yet never made a single happy one; who made them prize their bitter life, yet stingily cut it short; who gave his angels eternal happiness unearned, yet required his other children to earn it; who gave is angels painless lives, yet cursed his other children with biting miseries and maladies of mind and body; who mouths justice, and invented hell--mouths mercy, and invented hell--mouths Golden Rules and foregiveness multiplied by seventy times seven, and invented hell; who mouths morals to other people, and has none himself; who frowns upon crimes, yet commits them all; who created man without invitation, then tries to shuffle the responsibility for man's acts upon man, instead of honorably placing it where it belongs, upon himself; and finally, with altogether divine obtuseness, invites his poor abused slave to worship him!';Christian, what's your response to this atheist's rant?
I don't see any hatred in what I just read. I see a point of view. Get over it.Christian, what's your response to this atheist's rant?
God gives us choices..it is up to us to follow him.we can do anything we put our minds to.there are trial and errors...anyway,i don't have all the answers...
It's an Atheist possessed by psychobabble, pretty typical.
crybaby
Some references please. How do we know you just didn't make it up if you didn't cite your sources?





Edit: It seems more poetic than a rant or ';hateful';, but that's just me.
Yes, it is Twain...from his short story ';The Mysterious Stranger';.





To give it a little more context, the quote was presented as the words of Satan himself...this was Satan's response to a question posed by the main character in the story. From that perspective, I found it fascinating because it incorporates so many of the arguments I hear non-believers use to justify their lack of belief...it contains virtually all of the common objections to God I've seen on this board (and heard or read elsewhere in my lifetime).





I say hat's off to Mark Twain for so perfectly representing exactly what Satan wants people to believe...of course, God says that Satan is the author of all lies and this was, by far, the most perfect set of lies I've ever heard...if I didn't know it was Twain, I'd believe that the author was Satan himself.





I could point out the essential flaw in every one of his arguments but it would take more time than I have tonight and I can't see any real benefit. If someone agrees with even one of interpretations of God's actions or intentions in that passage, then anything I could say isn't likely to change their perception.
Looks to me as if some one was pouring out their doubt, pain and misery they were feeling.... Nothing I or anyone says will change what people think, that is Gods work and job.... I feel for any one who has such pain in their lives they write such things as this...... but, we all have pain and doubt.... Rather this person still feels this way is probably not known.... Some people write to get a grip on feelings..... go in peace...... God bless
It seems to be right on the mark.
Ha, that is so not a rant. Xians out-rant that all the damn time.
... I dont feel like reading it...





Just feel like noting, that because Atheism is not a religion and does not bind us to any belief besides that god dosen't exist, this atheist does not speak for the whole of atheism.
poor guy...


If I knew the guy's name, I'd pray for him.


Goodness.








If he had God in his life, he would not feel that way.


He would have peace.
http://twainquotes.com/God.html





Twain wasn't atheist - he just wasn't christian. A deist, if I had to guess, though I know little about him.
From Greek philosopher Epicurius, courtesy of Jonathan Miller's ';A History of Disbelief'; on PBS:





';Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?


Then he is not omnipotent.


Is he able, but not willing?


Then he is malevolent.


Is he both able and willing?


Then whence cometh evil?


Is he neither able nor willing?


Then why call him God?';





Why indeed......





Is it really hatred to point out inconsistancies in christian beliefs? Do I deserve that label for trying to apply the same reason I apply to the rest of my life to your religion?
I didn't read it all and i'm not christian, but those arguments I'd answer like this.





If God is all good, and God created man in his image, then God created man with the intent of making man all good.





In order for any being to be all good they must be capable of evil.





therefore human beings must be capable of evil in order to achieve being all good.





so then the fact that evil exists, that human beings act evilishly, is not proof or an indication that god doesn't exist, but instead proof or an indication that God isn't finished creating us yet because we aren't all good yet, his image is not yet accomplished.





hopefully i'm not too out of context because i didn't read it all but at any rate this argument is often useful against alot of pro-atheist arguments.





did you ever think an atheist would give you an anti-atheist argument?





I've scrutinized both positions pretty hard. i would share anything with anyone.





for christians only? you would outcast me? not welcome me? whereas i would welcome you and treat you as my brother as i would anyone else, unless i need to fear them? you would show me hostility because i do not share your beliefs?
I think that as Christians we should listen to everyone. I love Atheists because they think and they think for themselves. In fact, in the Bible Paul had discussions with philosophers and other thinkers all the time. Whoever wrote that ';rant,'; as you put it, put a lot of time and thought into what he/she thinks/believes. I respect that. Maybe it was not said in the nicest way ever but at least it was the truth behind his/her thought. Truth is relative to what we have been taught and what we have experienced. Keep on seeking truth. I am constantly having to revise what I believe because I find ways I have misinterpreted or misunderstood something. Keep on looking for truth. Never settle for what you already know. There is so much more to learn out there. Also, please don't give the devil so much credit. We dig our own holes too.
The apparent Atheist that you are telling us about is merely writing like a human. It's natural. I see nothing new in it.





That's actually what one of my Vlogs are about:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTHfiyguu鈥?/a>
I do hope that the person responsible for this writing is still alive, because then they still have time to learn the truth, before it is too late.


Of course the bible says that ';it is foolishness to those who are being lost';. They do not have eyes to see or ears to hear.


It is sad indeed but what can we do ? Jesus died a horrible death on the cross, to give them the opportunity to chose otherwise but they reject even that !
It's full of lies, untruths, for one--Angels are immortal meaning live forever, however they fall and fell and will fall again when God shakes the earth for the final time! Read the Bible, then you won't be deceived! Lucifer was a beautiful Angel of light! He fell, God didn't give Angels a free pass from pain! They will receive eternal damnation for rebellion not as this ranter claims ';eternal happiness unearned';. That's only one of the lies-- Realize this--THE FACT THAT GOD KNOWS SOMETHING WILL TAKE PLACE, DOES NOT MEAN, AND DOES NOT INDICATE, THAT GOD MADE IT TAKE PLACE. There are many things which God PERMITS to happen now; but, that does NOT mean God makes them happen. There is a difference between the perfect will of God, and the permissive will of God.


God created Lucifer, who became Satan the devil. Lucifer was created as a perfect angel. God gave Lucifer a free will. A free will is necessary in order to make choices, otherwise what you have, is a robot.
That person needs our prayers, big time.





I've met more than a few people who were skeptical of God's existence, or even rejected His existence outright -- but never with this degree of hate and hostility.





Something is wrong with this person, and like I said, he/she needs our prayers.


.
What hate? You worship a deity that has flooded the planet, ordered the murder of babies, and who doesn't mind torturing people for eternity for not believing in him.
Pure hatred? You mean pure REASON.





Satan is a real thing? Go see a shrink.





Sounds like YOU are the ranter here.





Religion is just plain NUTS
The atheist has the convenience of making up whatever he wants. It doesn't matter if it makes any sense or not.





All we can do is trust God. We know who He is. We understand His love for us. We know His plan to redeem us. We don't have the luxury of making crap up.