I know and 'have known' both atheists and agnostics along with a large group of people who said they believed that there was a supernatural being that guides our lives, but could not grasp the idea of a creator, a Father in Heaven, an omnipotent and omnipresent divine being that has love for everyone and everything. Atheists just don't believe. Agnostics just 'can't believe that someone with so much authority and power exists; but yet, they know there is something.
How sad that these folks have either never had the great pleasure to know the power of God, the power of prayer, or experienced the presence of the Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost). Granted; experiencing the presence of the Holy Spirit is not something that I, or many other people experience on a daily basis. Yet I know people who say they have felt the presence of the Holy Spirit, and some even say that they have smelled the 'fragrance' of the Holy Spirit. I have experienced both.
Then, there are also some who suffer from what I have termed the "Angry Atheist Syndrome". That would be the syndrome for those who have become unhappy Christians who felt the need to abandon God. They have given up on God and Christianity for some unknown reason. So they quit Christianity and threw God under the bus both verbally and psychologically. They no longer have any use for God. Perhaps because things didn't go their way, or maybe because of unanswered prayer; or maybe because they think they know better about their lives than God does; or perhaps they became unhappy with God when their dreams failed them.
What an unhappy bunch they must be. Perhaps showing extreme happiness on the outside, but I question how much inner happiness and peace they really have knowing that they have turned their backs on God.
If you are still a believer then you know that all of those reasons of unhappiness are 'their' reasons and shortcomings and really have nothing to do with God. How do we know that? Because Christians believe that once we turn our lives over to God, then everything that we pray for or about is answered in His timing. And; because we turned our lives over to God, we then are cognizant of the fact that He watches over us. He knows our every need. But that's where people get confused. Need is different than want. Those unanswered prayers? Are they about wants 'or needs'?
Greedy prayers always go unanswered. If a greedy prayer is answered, then we must ask the tough question; "did the answered prayer come from God or Satan"? More than likely, Satan had something to do with it.
Turning our lives over to God does not mean we don't make decisions for ourselves and our families, but it is an understanding that we have that when God wants to answer prayer, it is answered, and only then. Christians also understand that once we turn our lives over to God, that the burden of everyday live is lifted from our shoulders. By that I mean that we must give our worries and fears to God. He’s so much more capable than we are to deal with those things.
But no matter if we’ve turned our back on God, perhaps have tossed Him out of our minds, used His name in vain, or committed a million other sins, He still loves you and me. The God of Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham is a forgiving God. He holds no grudges like a neighbor may hold against you. He hears you when you say 'I'm sorry' and he will once again accept all those who once threw Him under the bus, all those who were just too busy, and all those who never wanted to know Him in the first place. He hears you when you cry out and he hears your every prayer.
He waits for you with open arms.
Comments
RE: JASON;
You sound like you may be suffering from the"Angry Atheist Syndrome". God loves you!
Haha, the process is a lot more simplistic than that analysis...and a lot more universal.
Anytime someone switches an identity, there is some revolt or even aspersion against the old one. If the new group sits in opposition to another, it increases the polarity (lots more cognitive dissonance to work through).
An example: people who recently come out of the closet are, on average, a lot more vocal and passionate about their views compared to someone who's identified as openly gay for a lot longer. It's just readjustment (and you'll find many atheists/agnostics who fit pattern this as well).
I've seen the same in Christians...new ones eager to proselytize and witness, and if people actively opposed them, I bet there would be anger and recrimination for those who are to blind to the message.
Human nature is pretty consistent, regardless of creed, race, or religion.
Satan is answering prayers to God? I didn't know Satan had wiretap clearance.
RE: DEVON;
Haha, you've got to stop mixing logic, science and psychology with Evangelical people. It just does not mix; it's like oil and water.
If you apply logic, science and psychology to the Bible, it wouldn't be worth a dime.
Trust in the Lord! He knows more than any College Professor, historian, lawyer, politician or scientist all rolled into one.
Trust me, I know. The search for the soul and demons proved that long ago.
Sounds like someone's suffering from the "Condescending Christian Syndrome".
Jesus addiction is really not much different from drug addiction.
I'm not surprised that IMHO you got pi**ed off and used the angry atheist syndrome header. I bet we as readers don't get to see half the verbal attacks that show up here because you feel differently than the aetheist viewpoint. Condescending Christian Syndrome? How about "Not going to sit back and be a silent Christian Syndrome?" I'm surprised Christians are as patient as they are.
what? you've met atheists that believe in a higher power?, that's not atheist, that's agnostic
RE: MIKE;
Jesus addiction? Are you an atheist, agnostic, Christian, or ?other?.
Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life! Amen, and please give me another dose!
RE: Ben B;
Nope! I never said that; re-read the article again. I simply said that "along with a large group of people who said they believed that there was a supernatural being that guides our lives, but could not grasp the idea of a creator, a Father in Heaven, an omnipotent and omnipresent divine being that has love for everyone and everything."
I was referring to Buddhists, New Agers, Witches, and those who practice Wicca and anyone who believes differently than Christians; not Atheists or Agnostics.
Jake, you said that you need God/Jesus to lift "the burden of everyday live" "from our shoulders". And feeling loved by God is apparently important to you.
You may think that's normal, but it isn't. You're escaping into religion the way other people escape into drugs.
RE: MIKE;
Your comment does not deserve any further input because it's ridiculous! Tell me; are you an atheist?
This article is bigotry plain and simple. It pushes the the stereotype that atheists are abnormal, angry, unhappy people, which is patently false! How about this portrayal of Christians: "Christians are not very smart, you know what I am talking about... all that evolution denial... Dumb christians!" Its in quotes because you really shouldn't say stuff like that. Christians are... Atheists are... Its all bigotry.
REF: ELDON TYRELL;
Eldon.....calm down, get off your high horse. I said nothing about being abnormal, and by the way stop reading into my article things that are not there.
Hey, have you taken you Med's today?
RE: ELDON TYRELL;
Do you mean to say that your remarks ARE NOT bigotry. Ah Ha! Caught you didn't I?
There's only one sin that this god of yours seems not to forgive. And it's believing that the preacherman, his pockets bulging with gold, his cathedrals richly appointed... is full of it.
That one sin, the sin of doubting the preacherman, is unforgivable.
Meanwhile, murderers, rapists, pedophiles just say some words of repentance and ask some empty air for forgiveness. According to the preacherman, they get in the gates.
But the person who says "I don't believe the preacherman..." it is he whom the preacherman condemns to hell.
Quite telling really. The atheist is the only threat to the preacherman's meal ticket: a fearful congregation.
Hi Jake, Your article is right on. Nothing you said is wrong. You should have been a psychologist! Boy, you have sure ruffled the feathers of the atheists. But every word that you wrote hits home. You made your point, but you also let all the atheists and others who question God's existence that the door is always open. Nice Job.
Phil
Not quite, Phil.
To be a psychologist would require some recognition of the self-fulfilling prophecy. In this case...making fun or belitting your opponents, causing them to act defensively, and thereby proving your initial claim. One can then mop up with insults (take your meds?) and attacks such as, "you must be an atheist", and the cycle continues to spiral out of control.
It's a pity some people fell into the trap, but even more so is the fact it was laid, even if unintentionally.
If Jake ever aspired to psychology, he would not make it far as he holds it immiscible with the Bible, nor would he have made such a blog post in the first place.
I think Devon is right. But, EE, after awhile we atheists get used to the tongue-lashings of people who claim that we really aren't actually atheists, just angry, or bitter or willfully disobedient of their image of a god. I guess anything to deny the plain truth of the matter: we just don't believe what you believe. Shocking and unpossible, I know! ;-)
I think it's just funny, and so I came here. The link was from someone who said there was a Christian here who claimed to know that some prayers get answered by God, and some by Satan!
It's pretty amazing to me what people claim they know. And it's always funny to hear strange things like Satan's wiretapping God's prayers.
Funny stuff. Keep up the great blog, Jake Jones. I'm going to have to bookmark this one!
an atheist can believe/disbelieve whatever he wants to but does that mean they cannot have a sense of humour.
Joy is one of the fruits of the HOLY SPIRIT so maybe they can never attain that and probably the others as well. Belivers in Jesus Christ let me draw your attention back to Galatians 5:22. Are we spirit filled enough to say we fit the criteria. JESUS said He will know you by your fruits.
Jake: Some of us atheists are prone to appear angry to you nice Christians because we dislike being treated like we don't exist by all you ostensibly sweet, loving people.
“What an unhappy bunch they must be.”
Could you possibly be more condescending? I don’t see how.
Drop you back in history a couple of decades and I imagine you'd be writing about "Angry Negro Syndrome," or "Angry Jew Syndrome." The tone-deaf quality of your writing would be the same as you blithely dismissed the legitimacy of the feelings and complaints each group expressed.
I’m guessing someone like you would find a find a minority outgroup to take shots at — those weak ones who are safe to make fun of, or to hate — in every period of history.
Hi Greg, How old is your child?
Has your kid got any choice in the matter ? or will you be ramming your belief or unbelief on him/her ?
RE: Siamang;
You have to understand that Satan hears every word you say or pray to God. Satan can make things happen to make you think that God has answered your prayer.
EXAMPLE: Pray to win the lottery. OK, you won! 2 or 3 years later when you are so broke that you have to file for Bankruptcy, wouldn't you ask yourself if Satan had something to do with you winning the Lottery. I would!
Satan has a great deal of power, and he can make things happen that make him look really good. Why do you think the world is in such a mess?
RE: Hank Fox;
My article was expressing my concerns over those who deny God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit. They 'still' have an opportunity to change their ways.
RE: Devon;
Cmon' Devon, you must realize that "Have you taken your Med's today" was a joke. Ease up man!
Many of the people who posted comments here completely misread my article. The article was directed at showing Atheists, Agnostics and others that there is still a God that loves them and accepts them. All they have to do is ask.
If you read their comments, many of them fit the "Angry Atheist" category.
I believe most people commented after reading only half of the article.
"If you apply logic, science and psychology to the Bible, it wouldn't be worth a dime."
Oh, I'm definitely going to have to use this quote somewhere down the line.
That aside, it seems a little redundant for EE to use the phrase "Angry Atheist," since he clearly sees the two words as synonymous. Apparently calling him out when he is wrong is all it takes to be diagnosed with AAS!
Sorry Jake, but what else can we say when you make statements about how atheists "must" think & feel that are unfounded and demonstrably false?
Look at "meds" from varying age perspectives. Older, "meds" is more likely to refer to hypertension, blood pressure management (your allusion to anger, hot blood, if you will). Younger, with healthier circulatory systems--more likely to be mood management. Being off those meds implies not being in the right mind...not completely sane. Perhaps you've seen "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest".
Colloquially..."meds" alone is not a neutral term at all, and it's more an attack on the character of someone rather than a joke. Had you said, "blood pressure meds" to be more specific...yeah, I would have seen it as a joke, but the retracing of your steps changes little now.
My point was that by making this blog post, you're setting a chain of events to eventually prove the message, ignoring how your own behavior works to create it. People have been defensive, yes, but as Shirley Phelps says, we are quick to dismiss zeal as anger. If I were to write something deemed offensive to Christians and attacking their sense of moral values at the same time, I shouldn't be surprised if they respond in an un-Christian manner...whoa...proving my point in the first place!
Whatever your diggs on your psychology, given the profound influence of it [Satan in your view], it's very useful in understanding people, believers and non-believers alike.
I'm with Jason on this one. Jake has some kind of fairytale image in his head of who and what atheists are, and he takes shots at them on that basis ... never thinking that there might be REAL atheists, with real feelings, out here reading it.
It's pretty clear Jake/EE has "CCS" — Condescending Christian Syndrome.
.....
An interesting side issue here is that Jake apparently doesn't delete comments with contrary views, which — given my own experience with Christian sites — is probably only because he's not allowed to. Silencing non-Christian commenters seems to be the rule rather than the exception among Christian blogs and websites. It's happened to me at least a dozen times, and I believe it contributes to the echo-chamber effect that results in nice Christians like Jake being so tone-deaf to the feelings of people who don’t share his beliefs.
Siamang,the LORD JESUS was a radical happy guy bro so much so that the atheists of that era refered to him
Matthew 11:19 (Amplified Bible)
19The Son of Man came eating and drinking [with others], and they say, Behold, a glutton and a wine drinker, a friend of tax collectors and [[a]especially wicked] sinners! Yet wisdom is justified and vindicated by what she does (her deeds) and by [b]her children.
Every funeral he went to HE raised the dead any doctors surgery he walked past HE healed the sick even to the extent that Dr Luke closed his practice. Imagine the JOY when he fed the five thousand turned water into wine healed the Roman soldiers servant. There was NEVER a dull moment when HE was around.So I dont know on what you base your assumptions maybe a different jesus but my JESUS still is and always will be the joy and happiness of my life and the billions who know him(excluding the religious ones. So why dont you get to know him. Taste and see that the LORD is GOOD>
Siamang,Jeff !
An American monkey, after getting drunk on brandy, would never touch it again, and thus is much wiser than most men.
Charles Darwin
Man is descended from a hairy, tailed quadruped, probably arboreal in its habits.
Charles Darwin
Anybody who believes this NEEDS JESUS. Like the man who live between the tombs
You can read about him in Mark's Gospel chapter 5
Jeff,
like I care what you say. OUCHY, you hurt my widdle feewings. :-P
Gman, preach all you want. It's funny, you seem to not like "the religious ones", whatever that means. And then you just go and preach with the weird run-on sentences, bizarre ALL CAPS words , dropping Bible verses all the way. Sounds awfully religious to me! But be however you want. I'm not here to tell you how to live your life or what to believe.
Are these the same verses that told you that I have no sense of humor? I think if you knew me, you'd think different! (At least I hope so!)
Gman, where's the joy in your life? Do you have a child? Are you married? Do you do work at your local school, or help the sick and needy?
Do you do things outside of quoting the Bible to people?
hey siamang
can't believe i'm talking to a monkey) but anyway, all you mentioned below even grandchildren and o yes you left out my favourite joy the prisons.
as for Religion, it has and always will be the greatest enemy of JESUS CHRIST. So its all about relationship with a LIVING GOD, but you wouldn't understand now would you.
ps Quoted from your bible too bro DARWIN but not to worry WE(JESUS and i still love you)
Gman,
A siamang is an ape, not a monkey.
And yes, you're talking to an ape. Hardly strange, since we're all apes.
"Religion is the greatest enemy of Jesus Christ"?
Strange religion you have there, buddy. I can't say I understand it in the least.
Next we'll hear "Christianity isn't a religion, but atheism is!"
You got to laugh at the human condition. "I'm NOT an ape!" "Christianity ISN'T a religion!" "I'm NOT a mortal being who's going to die someday! There's a magical fairy inside of me that will be released someday and will live forever in the clouds."
Religion seems to be all about saying what it's not.
Jeff... something tells me you think everyone but you is an ignorant fool. You must be fun at children's parties.
Jeff,
read for comprehension next time. I'm not a Christian.
Because you're dressed as someone with more charm, poise, intellect and better grooming habits than yourself?
See ya round, troll.
now see their kids, We can all get along.
ps jeff, siamang is not a moron but a delusioned moron.
ps siamang, you believe what darwin says you are(an ape/monkey) but I am who GOD says i am(man created in HIS image).Amen
Gman... I don't believe it because Darwin said it. I believe it because just like DNA can tell you who your mommy and daddy are, it can tell you who your grandmommy and granddaddy are.... and back and back and back.
Now, if you say you aren't an ape, it's not me, nor Darwin nor the preacherman you're arguing with. It's the DNA in your own body. Every cell in your body is proclaiming that you're an ape.
So first off, you've got to find a way to get all that DNA evidence overruled. Because CSI just fingered the culprit, and sorry to say, the paternity test sez you and I are apes!
The "Angry Atheist Syndrome" just isn't an accurate enough term at all. I would call it the "Angry Ex-Christian Syndrome" or the "Coming to Your Senses Syndrome." And it is not for "unknown reasons." These people have came to their senses, realized how they have been fooled into believing this imaginary friend actually exist. It makes sense that their prayers weren't answered if a god doesn't exist. And the times that they thought they were answered can easily be attributed to self-fullfilling prophecies and confirmation bias.
I see how it can sell though. The idea that you can commit a "milliion sins" and still be forgiven and loved by some super-powed fatherly figure. Such a happy drunken dream. It is when they sober up that they catch the ""Angry Ex-Christian Syndrome"
RE: Travis Morgan;
Travis; I think you may want to memorize your post word for word so you can recite it to your maker on your day of reckoning! OH! Wait, never mind. I forgot, you'll be reminded of it on that day. Forget the memorization Travis.
Jake writes: "They 'still' have an opportunity to change their ways. "
Well, so do you, but it doesn't seem to be happening.
about Evangelical Examiner's (Jake's) reply to Travis.... Why do so many alleged christians take such glee in believing or implying that other humans (who differ in their opinions) will suffer eternal hell? That's a sick way to look at your fellow man. Meanwhile, it is also a foolish threat.... since smugly wishing Hell on an atheist to scare him would be like me telling you that the Tooth Fairy or Easter Bunny will punish you in the afterworld. I would hope we'd all see it as a silly threat. Meanwhile, we should focus on all humans living together in peace and working together to rationally solve the problems of the one, secular world that we can all agree exists.
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