Pemalite said:
“Religion is responsible for the deaths of millions/billions and even attempts at genocide. (Case in point with today with the entire Iran vs Israel debacle which is Islam vs Judaism.)
You only need to read the middle-eastern abrahamic texts that form the basis of Judaism (Torah), Christianity (Bible), Islam (Quran) to see it's not a peaceful and morally right religious basis, it's full of slavery ownership, stoning of children, abuse, damnation, bigotry, judgement, war and more.
Atheism has none of this influence.
If an Atheist is engaging in murder, it's not because their religion told them so, it's because they were mentally troubled... And THAT is the difference here. (Although anyone using a religious book to justify their morally corrupt actions I would argue are also mentally troubled.)”
Pemalite also said:
“Actually there are over 10,000 distinct religions in the world.
Even with your particular cult, there is over 5,000 denominations... That's right, 5,000+ distinct christian groups who don't even agree about their own religion.
And you expect Atheists to believe you?
If your God is going to punish anyone, then your God is not worthy of worship.
I have dedicated my life to saving and helping others, if that means I go to your religions unproven and hypothetical "Hell" - Then your God is an immoral monster.”
Here is my response:
The word “morality” has no basis in meaning to the atheist. Neither do the words “good” or “evil” or “right” or “wrong.” If an atheist has an opinion regarding a moral issue, then it is merely his opinion. And he has no basis for saying his opinion is “morally right” and someone else’s opinion is “morally wrong.”
After all, the atheist is a naturalist. Life is just “molecules in motion” and “atoms in action.” What element told you that murder is wrong? Was it oxygen? Was it carbon? Was it hydrogen? That’s 95% of the elements in your body right there.
Who are you, as an atheist, to say that Hitler & the holocaust were wrong? Who are you to say that stoning or bigotry or slavery are evil? You can have an opinion, but suppose someone else has a different opinion? Who are you to say that you are right, and they are wrong?
Only the Christian who believes in the God of the Bible can appeal to absolute morality. This is because God is not only a brilliant, powerful Creator…He is also holy and just and righteous and loving. And He communicates to us His moral precepts in the Bible and in our conscience. That’s why most people across cultures, even if they’ve never picked up a Bible, instinctively know that murder & rape & slavery & lying & cheating & stealing & racism are wrong.
Now mankind is utterly sinful, as taught in the Bible, so he still commits these atrocities and sins on a regular basis…some worse than others. But we all fall short of the glory of God, and we all are sinners in need of a savior. And at the judgment, we are either going to rely on ourselves to save us, or we are going to rely on Jesus Christ to save us.
If we choose to rely on ourselves, then we are dead to rights. We will spend eternity in the lake of fire. And we will have no one to blame but ourself. God does not send us to hell. We send ourselves there. If you hate/deny God on earth, you would be miserable in heaven.
But if you are humble enough to admit your sin & are truly seeking after forgiveness, then God, in His loving forbearance, sent His son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins. And Jesus is the only way to salvation. There is no other religion or cult or worldview by which mankind can be saved. But if someone decides to make Jesus Christ his Lord & Savior, then he is a new creation in Christ, and he can look forward to eternity in heaven with God!
