I was raised as a Christian so I'm very familiar. I came to the conclusion that all organized religions are likely fabrications by man a long time ago.

I have friends and family who are religious (some Christian, some who aren't) and its interesting to hear people with different faiths make statements like some you have made. They all believe their faith is correct and everyone who disagrees is wrong. It's interesting how people allow faith to be seen as a gateway to truth when clearly faith doesn't work seeing that faith leads billions of people to radically different conclusions.... Yet each thinks their faith Andy how it makes them feel is proof they are right... Despite the fact that millions have similar faith and feelings yet believe differently.

Interesting perspective man, thanks for sharing it

How did you come to the conclusion that the story of Jesus was fabricated?

You have only experienced your experiences through the filter of your beliefs and interpretations. On top of that, you are very young.

The fact that you found something lacking in the love you experienced (whether as a believer or otherwise) says nothing about the love experienced by a couple in Nairobi that have spent more time loving each other then you've been alive who may or may not believe in Jesus.

Ten years from now you'll look back at how naive you were... As all people do throughout their life. I find it funny (I'm about 2 decades older the you) that you're judging the capacity for love of people throughout the world when, more then likely, your experience in deep and mature love by your age alone is likely limited.

As for now... I would offer that anything you found lacking in the love you've experienced had nothing to do with your religion (or lack thereof) at the time. A lot of it is likely just regular human experiences. Not to sound cheesy but your ability to love grows with maturity regardless of your religion.

Years of schooling, analyzing and comparing what my religion taught me vs what I saw in the world. I believe I've posted in length before (as have many others). I'll just leave it that I don't see evidence to believe and the whole thing is rather irrational and, frankly, barbaric....mwhich makes more sense if you understand the story as being one created by a primitive culture (that believes blood sacrifice is sensible).

I agree with this.

Belief in Jesus isn't a religion, the people who thought it was were the ones who arranged his crucifixion.

Pathetic

Just to clarify here, are you saying a Christian mother will feel more love for her child than a non Christian mother?

You are probably one of the worst atheist posters on here. A one word insult is your rebuttal? At least most atheists on here however hateful they are at least they make better arguments than this. It's not shock you don't like this forum because you don't know how to discuss religion without reverting back to petty childish insults.

A christian mother if she follows the word of god correctly would not only feel love and show love but put the love of god in their child and have that child be filled with love greater than that of a non christian mother if we are talking about generalities.

Yeah its far worse insulting one individual as opposed to most humans on earth.

I didn't insult anyone. Christianity is about love. Atheism clearly isn't. Judaism and Islamism not as much. I say not as much because one doesn't have the new testament and the other perverts it.

Any parent would find that statement pretty damn offensive. Are you a parent?

No. Its an insult to most of the world.

If the following statement is true then it is indeed true. The statement as follows:

Christians feel and show more love than non Christians.

Just comparing the way guys like william lane craig talk to guys like hitchens I don't think any atheist could disagree.

Atheism in particular is about hate. Hate for theists hate for people who don't agree with what they believe. Christians on the other hand love even those who disagree. They may not agree with atheists but they do respect them and treat them with love. Atheists however don't. It's not in the atheist code of conduct.

Who said anything about evil atheists (of course we have no love and our hearts are closed). Try some of the higher hanging fruit. Like the OP who perverts the NT with the Gospel of Thomas. Is he less loving?

You asked for generalities. I can't speak for specific people because I don't know them and know whats in their heart.

You've not really thought this one through. You do realise that the majority of atheists don't even give a passing thought as to whether they are atheist or not. There are many atheists out there who probably haven't even heard of the term 'atheism'. It's like claiming that people who don't believe in fairies are full of hate for people who do, when in fact they don't even give it a passing thought. Most people in a secular society don't care about religion at all and those who do tend to be most vocal when certain religions are trying to impose their view etc on them.

If you dont know whats in someones heart you should probably not make post like you have that generalize whats in non Christians hearts.

Sample size?

Do you understand the problem with this statement?

For you to think this, I can't imagine the darkness you are in. Why do I say this? Because I thought like you at one point in my life, and I was in the darkest of places. I didn't have the ability to search for truth because I was trapped. And therefore, I just made my own conclusions about reality and lied to myself and was content by it.

Regarding faith, genuine faith in the genuine God does not come from ourselves, but is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8).

You are making an inference about all atheists from looking at the arguing style of Hitchens. I respect theists and I am an atheist. There is no such thing as an atheist code of conduct. Atheism is not about hate, it is about lack of belief in God.

Respect and love is possible outside of religion. It seems to me that you don't run into too many atheists in your life.

Your argument is invalid because it works the other way around. I was a former theist and know I realise I was lying to myself .

Here you unwittingly illustrate the problem that so many people (me included) have with what you are saying.

You have experienced someone else's love, from their perspective? Really?

You have experienced love from your non Christian perspective, and you have experienced love from your Christian perspective. You haven't experienced love from my non Christian perspective, or anybody else's for that matter. You also haven't experienced the kind of perfect love that only faith in the flying spaghetti monster brings.

I don't have a problem with it working for you (though I put that down to you really, really believing that it's true rather than it actually being true). I do have a big problem with your certainty that your way is better for me, and that without doing it your way I am lacking. It's arrogant and it's unfounded. That you were once a non Christian doesn't even come close to giving you the perspective to make a judgement on what is best for me.

airtight logic itt