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FAHOLA
Thanks for sharing your excellent comments with me! You followed precisely the correct course, I think, with that student. Please visit this site again.
Gerald
posted by
GEPRUITT
on September 26, 2006 at 7:48 PM
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Enlightening post GEPRUITT!
I simply accept an atheist as I accept others, with the respect they deserve as a fellow human on the path of life. I once had a teenager tell me, "I am an atheist and I am not going to change." I said, "that's O.K." (He was one of the students who were at the beginning of a six month preparation for reception of the sacrament of Confirmation, it was a required class!) Then I said, "I am only asking you to attend class faithfully with an open mind and participate whenever you have something you want to share in class, and you will have to do the assignments to get a passing grade. You do not have to be confimed at the end of the class, that is between you and God." Although his mother was ready to throttle me that night, he was confirmed and I see Him frequently at Church and always get a hug and kiss from him. Once in a lifetime teacher dream fulfilled! God bless, keep writing and respecting all whatever their beliefs! 
faholo
posted by
faholo
on September 26, 2006 at 5:59 PM
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SANNHET
Thanks for your comment! And, by the way, allow me to add to this post the suggestion of ARIEL70:
C-extended - The Christian should treat the Atheist exactly like he would any other fellow human being!
Gerald
posted by
GEPRUITT
on September 26, 2006 at 4:23 PM
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ARIEL70
Sorry you seem to be offended by my post! Treat an Atheist "like a fellow human being" is certainly the intended "spirit" of my post. I will add that exact statement to my next concluding post, even you still consider it "patronising!"
Gerald
posted by
GEPRUITT
on September 26, 2006 at 4:06 PM
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GEPRUITT
The answer to the question at the head of your somewhat contrived and patronising post is ; " As a human being ".
posted by
ariel70
on September 26, 2006 at 1:49 PM
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GE -
"C" really resonated with me. If we could all get past the fear of challenging our comfort zones, we could learn so much from others. Good post!
posted by
sannhet
on September 26, 2006 at 1:20 PM
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XENO-X
XENO-X, you suggest in your comment that "the best way to interact with an Atheist" (is to) "understand where he comes from." And that very suggestion is a main point I am trying to make in this post! You further state that "as you know, my son, Kooka, is an Atheist; and yet I see that he has a firmer grasp of living than many Christians or believers." Well, you are certainly in a far better position than I to make that call, and I do not at all question your judgement on that score! However, as an Atheist, your son is a member of a special group which has "bubbled" its way to a different layer than the "masses" of Christians. As such, I would expect him to have "a firmer grasp of living than many Christians" (to him to whom much has been given, much also will be expected). So what, then? I would also, out of the many, many millions of Christians, expect that there would be many Christians with an even firmer grasp of living than your son (my own three children, to mention only three)!
You go on to say "A lot of the concepts of believers in any religion escape being rooted to reality," a statement with which I would also strongly agree! But that is strictly THEIR fault and cannot be blamed on others. Therefore, I must strongly disagree with your conclusion that "This causes Atheists." Each thinking person's beliefs should be "strictly his own," unaffected by any erroneous beliefs or practices of others. We, alone, are ultimately responsible for our own beliefs and can not blame our beliefs on others! I, for instance, was schooled in Science, English, Engineering and Mathematics. If I had difficulty in understanding any, or any portion, of these subjects, I, personally, would consider it my own "COP OUT" to blame my inability to understand on the mis-concepts of others who had not studied these subjects sufficiently! I would be, simply put, "deceiving myself!"
Thanks for your valued comments!
posted by
GEPRUITT
on September 25, 2006 at 6:24 PM
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okay the best way to interact with an atheist
understand where he comes from.
as you know, my son, Kooka, is an atheist; and yet I see that he has a firmer grasp of living than many Christians or other believers. A lot of the concepts of believers in any religion escape being rooted in reality. This causes atheists.
and yet, not all atheists are nihilistic regarding religion.
the god presented to them simply is unreal.
posted by
Xeno-x
on September 25, 2006 at 2:26 PM
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