Harry Potter and God

[potioncat]

> 
> md: 
> > I was arguing from the pov of the Christian who refuses to believe that
> > anyone could truly not believe in god but instead insist that we all believe
> > and just need to accept that belief, or moreover, the idea that the arguing
> > Christian is really saying there's no such thing as atheist, but that we are
> > either believers, heretics or agnostics.

Potioncat:
I'm with Geoff and Carol. An atheist has made up his mind and is not seeking. Now, a waivering atheist..just like a waivering any-belief-person may be seeking.

But, if your comment was in response to an earlier poster who said their lack of belief was treated as a "stage" by a parent...that's different. It's difficult sometimes for a parent to accept that a child (adult, teen whatever) has rejected something the parent holds as crucial. My mom had the same reaction when I announced I no longer believed and had become an atheist. "Oh, it's just a stage." I was in my mid twenties and quite certain I had outgrown "stages".  I'm still sure I had, and it wasn't a stage, but I have since returned to our side.

Do you know any Cristians who believe no can be an atheist? I've never met one.