I recently had this conversation with a friend of mine who’s about to be ordained (Catholic, doing his diaconate rn), so I’m curious if you’d say the same:

Do you think an atheist could fake their way into becoming a priest/pastor?

My friend says no, he thinks you just wouldn’t survive the seminar because your sermons wouldn’t be convincing if you don’t genuinely believe. He says they’d definitely notice.

(I say yea, it can be done. Of course there’s not really any reason to and the ethical implications are something else, but I’ve been successfully pretending to be a devout Christian for ten years now - for safety reasons, not in order to dupe Christianity or something. I’m relatively confident I could convince anyone of my belief.)

Oh also, please don’t take this the wrong way, this whole discussion was just born out of curiosity, and although I’m an atheist I think Christianity, like other religions, has a lot of fascinating facets that are worth learning about. :)

Why is believing in Santa considered childish, but believing in Jesus is not?

Wow

Bro, your AMA has been delightful to read. I'm a humanist/agnostic atheist who grew up in the Lutheran church. I have a lot of respect for religions from an academic standpoint, but came to believe that faith is not a construct that fits with my beliefs. That said, and I made this point to someone in a totally separate thread, the tenets of say, Christianity, aren't bad and are a decent model to follow, so far as to be a good person whether faith is part of the personal belief system, or not.

I'm not a believer in Pascal's Wager; however, I've known and encountered so many unsavory Christians (not to mention other faiths' adherents) who would wilfully smile and gladhand come Sunday but never lift a finger for anyone but themself and their own. Many repugnant people, whose faith in salvation is effectively moral hazard, in the same way as an insurance policy may correlate with increased risk-taking. All this said, I'd rather aspire to be a good, decent person - of no faith.

Merry Christmas & happy holidays to you and yours.

Can I answer that one for you? /s

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Have you read the book Conquered Fool? If so, what did you think of it?

Why is it that there is not one single piece of real tangible evidence that god exists (at least none that I have seen or been made aware of)?

What was it about this year that burned you out on church ministry? What would it take to get you back into the pulpit?

Merry Christmas!

Can god microwave a burrito so hot that he, himself could not eat it?

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I mean he sacrificed children (Egypt curses among others), and destroyed the whole world the with flood.

Then in the new Jesus starts his ministry of love, and forgiveness and compassion.

Change and growth are predicated on being imperfect and seeking improvement. Why would change needed if one was perfect? How could he even be capable of change if all knowledge is already known?

I am genuinely grateful and humbled that this AMA has had a happy impact for you, and believe me, I empathize with feeling as though you're missing the mark or a piece this year.

One Scriptural teaching that has made a huge difference to me this year is Jesus's teaching that sometimes the right hand must be cut off to save the entire body. Prior to my burnout, I saw that as, to use John's language, a hard teaching and one I continually struggled to accept. It took jettisoning congregational ministry in order to preserve the rest of my faith to understand the meaning and importance of that teaching. Which is not to say that the loss is any easier, but I can better understand why it had to happen that way. A loss so integral to who you are, such as of love or vocation, is like losing your right hand and it is deeply, profoundly painful. But Jesus is saying that amid the pain, life is saved--possibly for whatever God has in store next. I know that doesn't take away the pain, but I've learned that I am still capable of getting back on track despite the pain. Thank you for your honesty and vulnerability here--I see it and appreciate it.

I would submit that there is not so profound a change in God the Creator between Testaments (obviously, there is a big change in God the Son). God is plenty loving and justice-oriented in the Tanakh (Old Testament), and God is capable of wrath in the New Testament--witness the capital punishment meted out to Ananias and Sapphira. And I am by no means accusing you of this, but the framing of God the Creator as so very different between Testaments has led to antisemitic theology in Christian circles, so it is very important for me to take care with that topic.

As regards perfection, I would say that perfection is not a static state of being, because stasis is inherently imperfect as it precludes any additional positive dimensions. God's dynamic nature is a surer path to perfection, I would imagine.

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Why do we see such a big change in God between the old and new testament? Also, how can a God even change if they are perfect?

While I believe in an eventual Second Coming and Final Judgment, I do not personally adhere to any version of the Rapture.

My favorite verse varies from moment to moment and mood to mood, but one of my longtime favorites comes from Exodus 4 and was read at my ordination: Who gave speech to mortals? Who makes them speaking or not, deaf or hearing, seeing or blind? Did not I, the Lord? Go, and I will be with your tongue and teach you what you are to say.

The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). We are a spin-off from the Presbyterians dating back to around two hundred years ago during the Second Great Awakening. I have served both Disciples and Presbyterian (PCUSA) congregations and have been very happy having a foot in both camps, so to speak.

What denomination do you belong to?

Pastor, even tho I'm kind of good with almost everything, I lost almost all my source of happiness, and this Christmas ain't helping with anything else. Even if God helped me on all my journey, thru university (finishing rn), health and rational thinking, love, etc, I feel like I'm losing everything slowly.

Grades are still good, only thing I want to keep going to escape already, but regarding my willingness, health, loveness, almost everything going down since my last broke up, and I don't know what to do to really escape from this. I feel like I'm waiting, waiting but I don't know for what I'm waiting honestly, and I feel how my time is wasted for no reason, which as far as I remember is a sin.

By reading your AMA it made me feel a little bit happier, thank you for this, but you have any recommendations on how to get back on track again? Feeling like one missing piece, maybe love again, could fill in every other problem, but I cannot get back the missing love that I lost. Any pray or help, recommendation?

Hello Pastor, Merry Christmas to you and yours!

My question is: Do you believe in a pre-trib rapture?

Also, if you have one to share to keep up positive spirits in today's world...what is your favorite bible verse?

God bless~

It is a very interesting theological text, especially given the rich history of women mystics in Christianity. Until it can be dated more precisely, though, I'm not sure it's best utilized as a historical text.

I was routinely bullied as a teenager for not having a sufficiently narrow ideology for my more fundamentalist peers, so believe me when I say my ideology is anything but convenient.

Convenient ideology, but not in line with the Bible. As Christians get called out more often for being pricks, they adopt ideologies similar to this.