# My response to an Atheist - do you agree/disagree?



## panta dokimazete (Feb 4, 2005)

> Quote:
> The awfulness of Calvinism is that it says God created most of the people on Earth just to toss them in hell after a few minutes or years.




A. We don't know how many are going to Hell.
B. God created Man for communion with Him.
C. Man rejected/rejects God's offer of communion/mercy, then and now.
D. God reserves the right to disposition His creation.

full thread:
http://www.iidb.org/vbb/showthread.php?t=110476&highlight=calvinism

[Edited on 2-4-2005 by jdlongmire]

[Edited on 2-4-2005 by jdlongmire]


----------



## Contra_Mundum (Feb 4, 2005)

What you said is fine.

Hell's population may well be vast, but heaven's may dwarf it. Most post-millenial and many amillennial Calvinists believe that the greater % of humanity added up through all the ages will be in heaven, because the harvest from the latter days will be so great.

Calvinism simply tries to explain the way the Bible tells us things *are,* not the way we'd like them to be if the world were up to us. Then we submit to the Word and what he tells us. So, we believe man was created "for his (God's) own glory." He was made for full communion, and will be restored to full communion, to the glory of God. But meanwhile God allowed great wickedness and many wicked men (who will be punished) in order to more fully show forth that glory. "Who are you, oh man, to talk back to God?"

You could also point out that in his anti-Calvinist theology, God did exactly what he accuses Calvinists of teaching. God created a world with all these billions who he knew would hate and reject him, but he made them anyway, "just to toss them in hell after a few minutes or years." Or he may object saying God doesn't know everything (openness heresy). Or he may protest saying these people throw themselves in hell (Hell isn't punishment. God can't save them? Or he just won't?).


----------



## Average Joey (Feb 7, 2005)

You could also say that those in hell will surely agree with God why they are there.

Phl 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth;
Rom 14:11 For it is written, [As] I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.


----------



## Scott Bushey (Feb 7, 2005)

An excellent book is by Jonathan Gerstner called "Dialog in Theology". In it, Gerster dialogs with a man whom is atheistic; they walk through the idea step by step............


----------

