Rexella Van Impe is pretty great btw. But Jan Crouch takes the seat at my alter.

You don’t want to hear or read what I am saying?

Here’s what I tell most people; I’m listening to what you’re saying, I really am. I’m listening because, deep down, I have this shred of faith that you might, just maybe, have something really and truly original that I have never heard before that might cause me to change my mind (or at least think about something differently). Not to be rude, but I am disappointed so far. I mean, what would you say if I told you that logic “proves” there is no God? Wouldn’t that annoy you, if I acted like the issue was already resolved and that I’m just hanging around here to antagonize you? This is how I view your actions; you want to preach, but you don’t want to listen. Take a tip from Jesus, if you must — if the Bible is any indication, that man knew how to listen.

My advice (not that I expect you to take it, of course) is to stop thinking in sound-bytes; stop trying to sound witty when you talk about God. I can tell you that I am much more receptive to a person who isn’t trying to make every word out of his mouth sound like a Christian Newspaper Headline. You don’t have to be witty, smarmy, or condescending to get your point across. If you’re frustrated, that’s fine (because I understand frustration), but if you’re seriously trying to make a point to me, then you’re failing miserably.

This is why I don’t believe most Evangelists really want to convert. This is just my own rumination, but….I believe people like you only think you’re supposed to “evangelize” other folks, so you come in with a pre-rendered speech (that you have, no doubt, given to countless others before me), knowing full well from your own experience with others like me that I am almost guaranteed not to convert based on your testimony alone, and then when exactly that happens, you abandon the discussion with a remark like, “well, I’m saved, so I don’t care what you think,” as if you’ve really tried to convert me, or even thought about it at all.

Look, I may talk like a pretentious asshat, but I really am quite humble with respect to religion. I know that I can’t say with 100% irrefutable certainty that there is no god (or God, if you prefer), but I also don’t believe there is a god/God. If God/gods is/are real, then I will gladly acknowledge this, but alas, I am also a student of rationality. “Faith,” or a desire to believe….neither of these things are evidence to me of a god/God’s existence. May I approximate Douglas Adams?

[GOD: "I refuse to prove that I exist, for proof denies faith, and without faith, I am nothing."
MAN: "Well, the [insert whatever you consider to be proof of God's existence here] proves that you exist! As faith is no longer necessary, and faith sustains your existence, you cannot exist, Q.E.D.”
GOD: “Oh, really? I hadn’t thought of that.” *promptly disappears in a puff of logic*]

We are born again and became a complete other person, who don’t want to sin anymore!

The completely new person you have become is from a cookie cutter of a “person” whom you think you are supposed to resemble. I’m sorry, but you talk word-for-word, exactly like hundreds of other Christians (real or fake) I have listened to before. I have had this mechanical conversation many, many times with other Edwards. They just had different names.

Are all of your thoughts now coming from God? Are you allowed any Edward thoughts that are not from God? Or do you now consider all thoughts that don’t come from God to be sin?

You are copy-catting the people you hang around, trying to be a stereotype. You are mimicking the words, even the constant excitement, the giddy joy. Put down the script and go ad lib. Try just one thought, one idea that only Edward could think. One statement that doesn’t sound like what you think born again Christians are supposed to say.

This grows tedious. If I read another Chatty Cathy response, I’ll not return.

But my thoughts ARE the original,they are from God!
And I am not parroting,man…

Are your thoughts original or are the from God? How can they be both? If God is giving you some thoughts he has never given anyone else (making them original) then aren’t you parroting God since they aren’t your thoughts? No offense intended but you confuse me.

They think we are just living some kind of rules, that is written is a book!
Man, taht’s a farytale… We know Jesus, by having Him in our hearts and our rules are written in our hearts!

So the rules written in your heart are different than than the rules in the Bible?

Haha, at least you guys have sence of humor!

Yes, Edward we do have a sense of humor, and I hope that you have one too. It would be tough to get through life without one. I don’t really want to spend much of my humor making fun of someone because that begins to resemble unkindness. I generally use humor to lighten up a conversation and move it beyond tension and anger.

I don’t mind spending time in preaching..that’s what Jesus wants me to do…

I however do mind being preached to. I will converse with someone who actually offers original thoughts of his own rather than parroting scripture or sound bites that he heard while sitting in a pew. That is like talking to a Chatty Cathy doll.

And I am saved from the burdens of sin…HALLELUJAH!!!

I’m glad you feel better. However if you have also been saved from the burden of thinking for yourself, then we really don’t have much more to talk about.

You do have at least one thing to lose: the time and effort you spend preaching to us

and 10% of his income.