Many moons ago, I decided to focus on research and writing rather than on comments. Now, there was a time when I would debate multiple people on multiple subject simultaneously. Yet, for every five comments I posted as replies I got five in return along with five new ones to which I authored 10 replies and to which I got 10 replies in turn along with 10 new ones and so it is exponential and none of them ever end until someone simply stops replying.
As my family grew I made the aforementioned decision. This is not to say that I never get into comment sections but that I pick my engagements carefully and, as per below, every now and then still reply to worthless comments.
For example, an Atheist whose pseudonym is Itsatzactually took time out of their temporary and accidental life (on their view) so as to post this to my YouTube channel, “I see I stumbled on the stupid channel.” Besides typical anger along with childish taunting this sort of comment may denote an emotive reply which is meant to his a lack of intellectual ability to engage in reasoned discourse.
It does something to the likes of this: I heard something with which I disagree, yet I find myself incapable of refuting it, but it must be wrong because I feel as it is it, I will therefore mock it and move on. In this way they can place the label of “Refuted” on me, my channel, Christianity, the Bible or who knows what and they can move on to the next pseudo-refutation.
Well, I decided to reply thusly, “Hello friend, it appears that you have replaced reasoned discourse with childish taunting: please reconsider.
Itsatz replied with, “I thought Christians relied on faith, certainly not reason.” This is great news since it is a simple mistake based on that which he thought and thus, could be easily remedied.
Thus, I replied:
I am afraid that you thought wrong—although faith (as defined by the Bible and not by pop-Atheists) is the result of reason. You may want to read the following:
http://www.truefreethinker.com/articles/what-%E2%80%9Cfaith%E2%80%9D
http://www.truefreethinker.com/articles/dan-barker-and-bertrand-russell-dynamic-duo-demonstrably-deleterious-delusion-8-part-series
Itsatz replied:
Holy [expletive removed] Ken. Talk about calling the kettle black. According to this lying [expletive removed], I’m sorry but that is the only word I can think of, to fragrantly lie and pretend there is evidence for the claims in the bible and the gospels is a flat out lie. In 1948 Ben Gurion sent teams of the worlds best archeologists to find traces of the covenant god made with Moses. Since the Greeks found Troy, there probably was some historicity to the exodus. They found nothing. They have concluded that Moses is a fiction. Apparently you are new to this reality. As far as morality goes, Christianity is immoral. Yahweh is a genocidal maniac of the first order. He puts Hitler and Stalin to shame.
I don’t believe in a creator god, but I think the universe is conscious. Death is the end of this life. It is one of the 2 most important events that define us in this life, birth being the other. I have limited time. I spend my spiritual existence overcoming my inadequacies so I don’t take them with me. What does Christianity offer, “Oh, you don’t have to pay atonement for your sins, I tortured my son to free you of that obligation. You believe in me, that’s what matters.” That’s moral?
Well, Itsatz seems to have been unaware that I was directing him to my own writing and so it appears the “lying” so and so is me. Well, of course, 1) he did not prove that I lied, 2) he did not justify his condemnation of lying, 3) he served up undercooked red herring as the historicity of the Bible was nowhere near our topic and 4) the Bible has confirmed archaeology time and again.
As for the rest of it, Itsatz is employing a typical diversionary tactic which will allow him to sit back and keep making assertions and leave me to rabbit hole all over the place. For example, I could get all emotionally bothered with “Christianity is immoral. Yahweh is a genocidal maniac of the first order,” etc. which would put him in the driver’s seat of our discussion (and by the way no, he did not provide a premise for morality nor one for condemning immorality, etc.).
Just as Itsatz had merely “thought” (meaning, on h Itsatz’s is view, expressions of bio-chemical reactions within an accidentally evolved brain) that “Christians relied on faith, certainly not reason” now Itsatz merely lists thing he and/or she believes or does not (meaning, on h Itsatz’s is view, expressions of bio-chemical reactions within an accidentally evolved brain).
So as to attempt to refocus, I replied, “Friend, please mind your manners. Did you read the articles to which I referred you?”
Itsatz replied, “Yeah I did, it tries to make a case that faith is a virtue.”
Well, this is rather problematic as he is yet again employing the term “faith” without dealing with how the Bible defines and employs it but that does not stop Itsatz from claiming that as per the Bible “faith is a virtue.” Well, it is but, pray tell, what does it mean?
Well, I asked just that by replying with, “What do you mean by ‘faith’?” and I have heard nothing since in terms of a reply.
Now, why the lack of further replies? I know not.
I could, however, if I was writing a narrative I may imagine that such a person was either unwilling or unable to deal with the issue at hand—that being that their assertion was handily refuted—and sought to get me to sidetrack into various and sundry miscellaneous topics.
What the articles to which I linked him prove is that biblical “faith” is something to the likes of a conclusion or drawing an inference based on prior knowledge. So, for example, because God liberated Jews from slavery in Egypt we can have “faith” that He will deliver us again. They also prove that the Bible is constantly telling us to seek and gain knowledge, wisdom, etc.
Atheists such as Itsatz are very successful online by jumping directly into emotive condemnations without first providing any premises and by having the Christian dance to their tune de jour—having you jump from this topic to that and defending this subjective condemnation that one.
Stay focused friends.
“‘Come now, and let us reason together,’ saith the LORD”
—Isa 1:18
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