I'm sure that some rational answers are coming soon....

*Waits*

I think Christians quote the bible because they love the bible and the bible makes them feel secure that they are right... somehow... I don't think they ever consider there target audience, instead they think "What teaches me about my religion... all that holy babble, I know I will quote the few nice passages from the babbling book and then they will see the light!"
I'm sure I can find just as many crackpot quotes (probably more) than they can find nice ones! I mean who tries to convert people with a book that says: If two men fight and the wife of one of the men grabs the balls of the other man... then they must cut off her hand (and not pity her).
Only the important issues make it into that book!

Some Christian actually think that hearing the "word of God" will effect a change in people. A common verse to support this is Isaiah 55:10-11.

We should start doing that! I'm tired of giving them the violent Bible verses, I'll just quote Dawkins next time.

Not all Christians think you'll be converted by hearing verses from the Bible.

And not all Xians are YECs. What's your point?

A Christian may try different methods to try to introduce you to God...not to coerce you, but to introduce you to something that has transformed their life for the better. What doesn't work on you may work on someone else. One of my former pastors decided to become a Christian one summer after reading the New Testament.

Have you ever tried studying the Bible, just to study it, not to disprove it? If you did, I think you would find it is an extremely fascinating book that continues to reveal complex layers. I would be interested in hearing from an atheist who actually respects the Bible, if nothing else, as a piece of literature. I would be interested to ask them how, after giving it a heartfelt study, they still came to the conclusion that there is no God. That person's point of view would mean more to me than the atheist who simply expresses hatred for the book. Because, that hatred merely confirms the truths in the Bible regarding our human tendency towards rebelliousness and arrogance.

I always figured that xians used the bible so much because it's the only thing they really know.  Perhaps they are unable to understand why it's not important to a non-religious person;  after all, it's the most important thing to them. 

 

I'm not sure I understand your comparison to documentation.  Could you please elaborate?

Isn't the bible considered the most important book in Christianity? 

I am well aware of the fact that there are other books that sustain your beliefs; however, it's my understanding that the Bible is the most important.  I also know that the Bible is a collection of works; that collection of works is commonly referred to as the Bible, so that's what I'm calling it. I understood that part.

My confusion is stemming from your comparision with scientific documentation. What does that have to do with scientific documentation?

Ok, I think we're on the same page now.  Sometimes I'm trying to make a point quickly and it doesn't come out quite right.  Sorry about that.

I meant to say that I think many (and not all) xians use the tactic of quoting Bible verses because that's what they know best.  They perhaps don't understand why, when it creates such a movement or emotion within themselves, these verses fail to do anything to someone who does not have religious beliefs. 

I just think as a tactic for potential conversion, it's just not a very good one.  For most non-religious people, the Bible simply doesn't hold any weight. 

What is your opinion of Christians who do use this tactic?  In my experiences, the groups that usually do this are the born-agains.  I've heard that the evanglelicals do this as well but I don't come into contact with very many evangelicals so I can't say.

 

My parents "converted" me -- by forcing me to pray, attend church, and follow everything else instructed by their faith.  Without that indoctrination, I would have never had the "gift" of faith.   

And thereofore we have no responsibility whatsoever to participate. If we are chosen, we're fine, and if we aren't we're fucked, and there's nothing we can do about it. We don't chose god, he chooses us, so why bother believing, or even giving god a second thought? Right?

Seems quite unjust though.

    Quite ironic considering the thread title and the OP's message.

I don't think you know what you said. You said that god chooses us, we don't choose him.

On the other hand, John 7:24 instructs us to "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment." Hard to know which part of the Bible to follow. And Leviticus 19:15 instructs us "in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour."

This is very simple. If it is true that god chooses us, rather than us choosing him, we don't have to do anything. We just have to sit back and wait for him to make his choice.

I don't think I'm taking you out of context or twisting what you are saying, so why don't you clarify. You claimed that ones parents can't convert them because god must choose you. Then, it would seem there's no point in anyone trying to convince anyone else to believe in god. Where is this wrong?

Then how to you deal with 1 Corinthians 2:15, which says that "But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man."?

My point is that, the way you have described faith working, there is no reason for you or any other believer to try to convince anyone to believe in god, because faith has to come from god.

Well, it isn't an obvious distinction that seems to me to be made in the Bible, particularly the verse from 1 Corinthians, which says that spiritual people judge all things, which seems to include nonbelievers. How would it make sense to say that this 'judge' be read as 'correct', when they are not spiritual?

Your comment seemed so inconsistent with Christian behavior that I decided to comment about the larger implications of what you said. If it is true that ones parents cannot convert them to Christianity, because god has to choose us, then it seems like all attempts to persuade nonbelievers are futile. That's what I'm really looking for an answer to. So, what motivates a Christian to talk to nonbelievers about their god? The whole judgment point is really tangential to this.

Ok. So, what can a Christian do? Why does a Christian try to convince atheists that there could be a god if they believe that only god can call people to faith?

Forgive me if I'm skipping the verses comment, the rest of your post got interesting...

Obviously I cannot speak for all Christians, especially those devoted to dogmatic practices (mind you that's not a cut on those folks since we are all believers in Jesus, that gives us the commonality, however it does not mean that I agree with their practices).

When you stated that all attempts to persuade nonbelievers are futile, there is one important thing that as a Christian I attribute to God and that's him speaking the words that I might say though me. It's how we attribute how the words were written in the bible. While this does not mean that I am actively attempting to convert anyone, God can very much make those words make sense to someone he is calling. For me, my faith led me here to talk with those who participate on the RRS forums not to judge but because I saw inaccurate statements being made. I stuck around because some very interesting questions and discussions are actually being made here...

No Christian should judge a person based on their beliefs. That's the important part. The actions of a person can be judged and this is where corrections are made based on the actions. For example, I don't agree with someone who is homosexual. That does not mean however I HATE that individual. If I were to say I hate homosexuals, that means I'm judging that person before I ever know them. By me saying I don't agree with the homosexual lifestyle, that means I don't agree that living that lifestyle is following the nature of God, i.e. righteous. That does not mean I wouldn't want that person as a friend or as someone I would trust. If I am asked however, I won't lie about what I think of the SIN, but I cannot speak about the person in the same way. I believe that how you reflect God though your actions is what attracts people to your light, not holding a bible in one hand, the cross in another, and screaming before 1000 people saying "You are damned if you don't follow Jesus!" I can't say if someone is damned or not period...

If you have been chosen, you know.  There is no doubt in your mind about it.  As to doubt, only you and God know what your heart believes and follows.  This I would call your "spirit" and how your spirit directs you in your actions each day of your life.  As I've said before there is no free will of the spirit, so you do not "choose" to follow or not; God has already given you what is necessary.