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Mother Theresa died an atheist

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 7:27 am
by MAGSolo
At best she was strongly agnostic, but I think this shows just how strong the problem of evil and suffering are when you are face to face with it on a daily basis for years. Evil and Suffering are irreconcilable with a Christian worldview.
http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-18563_162-3199062.html

Re: Mother Theresa died an atheist

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 7:29 am
by RickD
MAGSolo wrote:At best she was strongly agnostic, but I think this shows just how strong the problem of evil and suffering are when you are face to face with it on a daily basis for years. Evil and Suffering are irreconcilable with a Christian worldview.
http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-18563_162-3199062.html
Linkie no workie.

Re: Mother Theresa died an atheist

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 7:35 am
by Stygian
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/08/ ... 9062.shtml

This one work? All I can say is Mother Teresa doesn't speak for everyone, and doesn't necessarily speak for Christianity.

Re: Mother Theresa died an atheist

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 7:37 am
by MAGSolo
hmm...It works fine when I click it

Re: Mother Theresa died an atheist

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 7:38 am
by MAGSolo
Stygian wrote:http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/08/ ... 9062.shtml

This one work? All I can say is Mother Teresa doesn't speak for everyone, and doesn't necessarily speak for Christianity.
She probably speaks for a lot of people that have actually gone and witnessed abject poverty and suffering face to face for an extended period of time.

Re: Mother Theresa died an atheist

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 7:42 am
by RickD
I'm sorry. I missed the part in the article that says she died an atheist. Could you point that out for me?
Evil and Suffering are irreconcilable with a Christian worldview.
Says who? You, an atheist?

Re: Mother Theresa died an atheist

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 7:46 am
by PaulSacramento
She had a deep crisis of faith, like so many others.
Not sure HOW that makes her an atheist...

It is am amazing thing that the church, against her wishes, kept those letters and allowed them to be publish, you'd think that, as some like to criticize the church for, they would "hide the weakness" of one of their potential saints, and yet...

This is a prime example of helping all believers to understand that doubts are normal and that we should understand when we question our faith that we are NOT alone.

Re: Mother Theresa died an atheist

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 7:47 am
by PaulSacramento

Re: Mother Theresa died an atheist

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 7:48 am
by MAGSolo
the article said she died with her doubts, had stopped praying and all that. Her doubts seemed pretty severe so if not a complete atheist, she was agnostic.
Says who? You, an atheist?
Im not an atheist

Re: Mother Theresa died an atheist

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 7:50 am
by PaulSacramento
As amazing as She was and the horrific critiques of Hitchens aside, she was just that, amazing, she was also only human.
We tend to think that those that do great works are touched by God and that there should be no doubt or pain, but that just doesn't make much sense.
As the Lord said, Of those that much is given, much is asked.
Maybe she wanted a sign and no sign was given, or maybe she wanted validation from Christ and never felt it.
Who really knows?

Re: Mother Theresa died an atheist

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 7:52 am
by PaulSacramento
MAGSolo wrote:the article said she died with her doubts, had stopped praying and all that. Her doubts seemed pretty severe so if not a complete atheist, she was agnostic.
Says who? You, an atheist?
Im not an atheist
I think you are coming to that conclusion based on what you think.
None of those letters say she stopped believing, only that she has doubts and not in CHrist's existence, but in His involvement in HER life and work.

Re: Mother Theresa died an atheist

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 7:56 am
by MAGSolo
What do I labor for?" she asked in one letter. "If there be no God, there can be no soul. If there be no soul then, Jesus, You also are not true
That sounds like having doubts about Christ's existence.

Re: Mother Theresa died an atheist

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 8:03 am
by RickD
MAGsolo, since you made the statement, prove :
Evil and Suffering are irreconcilable with a Christian worldview.

Re: Mother Theresa died an atheist

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 8:06 am
by PaulSacramento
MAGSolo wrote:
What do I labor for?" she asked in one letter. "If there be no God, there can be no soul. If there be no soul then, Jesus, You also are not true
That sounds like having doubts about Christ's existence.
As do we ALL, that does not = Stop believing.
If she had said, " There is no god and no christ and no truth" then I can see her making a statement of non-belief.
I don't see her doubts and pain as any different than mine or any others.
There have been times I raised my voice in anger and pain at God, cursed Him even.
Far to many times I myself have said, " How can there be a God if this happens?" or, "No loving God would permit this!"

What there letters are is a fascinating look into the deepest thoughts of a person that gave ALL of her self to others and WHY she did it and HOW she felt about it.

Re: Mother Theresa died an atheist

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 10:10 am
by MAGSolo
RickD wrote:MAGsolo, since you made the statement, prove :
Evil and Suffering are irreconcilable with a Christian worldview.
Christian worldview involves believing in a God that is good/benevolent, omnipresent, and all powerful. If God is good/benevolent, he would despise evil and seek to prevent it. If God was all powerful, he would prevent evil. A good/benevolent and all powerful God is not reconcilable with a world where abject suffering and evil are prevalent and have always been prevalent. Therefore evil and suffering are not reconcilable with a Christian worldview. One cannot be capable of stopping/preventing evil, consciously choose not to do so, and still be considered good. So God is either not good, not all powerful, or he doesnt exist.