From: noye@midway.uchicago.edu (vera shanti noyes)
Subject: Re: Why do people become atheists?
Reply-To: noye@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago
Lines: 53

In article <May.9.05.41.56.1993.27583@athos.rutgers.edu> gt7122b@prism.gatech.edu (Randal Lee Nicholas Mandock) writes:

[much stuff deleted]
>Now I have a question for Bob.  Why in the world would any self-respecting
>atheist want to subscribe to a Christian news group?  I have a 
>difficult enough time keeping up with it, and I think I know something
>about the subject.     

excuse me, but what makes you think that just because he's atheist he
doesn't know anything about christianity????  in my (albeit limited)
experience atheists are often the ones who know _more_ about the
bible, having searched it from end to end for answers.  i myself am a
christian, but that doesn't mean i consider myself more of an
authority on my religion -- i just have a different perspective on it
(more biased in favor, naturally :) ).

it seems quite obvious why he is subscribed, if i may infer from what
he says: he is looking for an explanation.  who are we to question his
motives anyway -- at the very least (although i dislike this kind of
logic), one could hope that he will "see the light".  critcism will, i
fear, not give him a very positive picture of christians....

>Bob reminds me of my roommate.  In order to disbelieve atheism, he says 
>he will need to be proven wrong about it.  Well, I don't even waste 
>my time trying.  I tell him that he'll just have to take my word for it. 
>In response, he tells me he will say an "atheist's prayer" for me. 

with regard to this, i guess i don't really feel sentiments of this
order can be proven -- faith has a lot to do with it.  this is why
those who search the bible from cover to cover for answers won't
necessarily get what they're looking for.  of course that doesn't help
anyone who doesn't already have faith -- what a big catch 22.  i
discovered this quite recently when i ran into an agnostic looking for an
explanation of my faith and i quickly discovered that i could give him
nothing more than my life story and a description of my nature.  faith
is a very personal thing -- any attempt to "prove" the "facts" behind
it must be questioned.

>Good luck, Bob.  And, best regards.

likewise -- no matter what you believe.

>-- 
>Randal Lee Nicholas Mandock 
>Catechist
>gt7122b@prism.gatech.edu 

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