Any atheists here?

I don't believe that you are going to hell if you don't attend a church with a billboard out front, but that's just me.

As for religious faith, it is...faith. One has to accept that for which there is no proof save for their belief in it.

Man knows very little about the condition that he finds himself in. That is all the more reason to keep an open mind. Dismissing faith out of hand is just as dogmatic as dismissing that which does not fit a particular faith.

-MB

PS...if there wasn't a better reason to not be an atheist than the fact that Duff claims to be one, I don't know what it might be.

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Religion has become for many the ultimate answer to everything. Mom didn't die of natural causes or a heart attack, stroke, possibly cancer. It was her time to go be with God. It’s a coping mechanism an excuse to use in dealing with reality. Bob got hit by a car and it was so random how would most be able to deal with "a out of the norm occurrence" they turn to religion to explain this.

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So?

I completely agree with your last post MB. I wouldn't classify myself as an atheist, I simply do not subscribe to Christian principles. I don't know what is out there and it is pretty much that simple.

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I'm basically stating that religion gives people something to fall back on when they need answers.

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I know. And I'm trying to figure out why that's such a bad thing.

Everybody copes with things in their own way. Some turn to therapists, others to God, others to drugs, meditation, exercise, eating, violence, suicide, etc.

I fail to see what's so horrible about Daddy telling Johnny that his Mommy is in a Better Place now. Would Daddy have been able to prevent Mommy's death if he was an athiest? Would it make either of them better able to cope with her death?

I agree that it often gets taken to far where people force their rules on others, but war and theocratic politics should not be equated to praying and worship.

A couple of other points...

Christian faith is not about having more wealth, love, fortune, peace, harmony, etc...in this life. The payoff, if you like, is eternal salvation after death. It seems like far too often Christians and non-Christians miss that point. Selling Christianity as a means to getting what you want out of this life is disingenuous.

But, I will say this (and this is the 2nd point), if you are going to pin the blame for wars and pestilence and what not on those who have faith, then it would only seem fair to give credit for the good that comes from that faith, if you need to weigh the good versus the bad to determine what you believe.

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Originally Posted by Marcus Bryant

The payoff, if you like, is eternal salvation after death.

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Personally, I find that to be quite a downer. There's people in the world that need eternal salvation now, in this life, not after it.

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But, I will say this (and this is the 2nd point), if you are going to pin the blame for wars and pestilence and what not on those who have faith, then it would only seem fair to give credit for the good that comes from that faith, if you need to weigh the good versus the bad to determine what you believe.

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Human nature is such that if there were no religions, we would come up with another reason to create conflict. So blaming war and strife on religion is like blaming a trip to the grocery store as the cause of an auto accident.

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Originally Posted by Duff McCartney

Personally, I find that to be quite a downer. There's people in the world that need eternal salvation now, in this life, not after it.

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Who is to say that they can receive that from religion? Mother Teresa was among the blessed poor and helped the blessed poor, and was happy.

Again, Christianity is deceptively simple. It's the humans who complicate it.


Also - I find that religion is rarely a pure motive for anything. The Crusades, for example, while religious in theory, were more often about glory and riches for the Crusaders, and the romantic appeal, rather than true Christianity (which, if they'd reflected truly upon it, would probably have been dissuaded - blessed are the peacemakers -- but that's the disadvantage to a society that cannot read their scriptures themselves).

Motivations nearly always go back to self interest on some level, and that should be noted. One of the greatest things about religion (ought to be true of Christiantiy, and I believe of most religions) is that is intended to get one to think beyond one's self. That is most beneficial for everyone when applied properly.

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Originally Posted by MannyIsGod

Then maybe heaven isn't such a great place after all. I think if I die and find out there is a Christian god, I will be sad. Not because I missed out on heaven, but because a Christian god is a shallow god.

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How can any version of Heaven be bad? Don't know why you would call him a Christian God, instead of just GOD, how is he shallow? Because he wants you to worship him? I believe worshiping him is just believing he is the reason were here and to follow is simple rules. Which I believe makes Heaven a wonderful place. Love thy neighbor, don't kill, steal, lie, etc. How is believing in this wrong in any shape or form wrong??? Of course we will fail from time to time, but that's why Jesus died for our sins. We will be forgiving if we have faith and believe.


This is my point of view.
I'm just a believer, I do go to a Catholic church, born and raised. But I don't necassarily pratice Catholic. I don't believe I need to go to church every Sunday, I believe I can go to just about any church and pray, as well as my home. I do not need a church to pray to God or for him to know I believe.

BishopRyan, I agree that religion was created to give people hope and peace.

Good to know Heaven is not gonna be overcrowded.

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Originally Posted by Duff McCartney

Personally, I find that to be quite a downer. There's people in the world that need eternal salvation now, in this life, not after it.

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I have heard that you can buy salvation for 800 bucks.

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Originally Posted by cheguevara

Good to know Heaven is not gonna be overcrowded.

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...because everyone knows only Mormons go to heaven. :lol

This thread reminds me of an old advertizing campaign:

http://www.zorra.be/images/Drank/Chi...gal0102_ni.jpg

In case you can't read it, it says "Yes, God is a man". :lol

^
:lol

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Originally Posted by Duff McCartney

Personally, I find that to be quite a downer. There's people in the world that need eternal salvation now, in this life, not after it.

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This life is a blink of an eye compared to eternal life after death. How is this a downer????

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Originally Posted by Duff McCartney

Personally, I find that to be quite a downer. There's people in the world that need eternal salvation now, in this life, not after it.

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Again, if you're looking for a payoff in this life you're not going to find it. It's akin to expecting you to pay your debts.

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Originally Posted by midgetonadonkey

I believe that children are the future.

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To this day I still believe this.

I'm atheist.

i don't believe in atheists.

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Originally Posted by Tyler Durden

Listen to me! You have to consider the possibility that God does not like you. He never wanted you. In all probability, he hates you. This is not the worst thing that can happen.

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I'm an atheist. I stopped bealiving in God when I found out that Santa doesn't exist.

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Originally Posted by DAF86

I'm an atheist. I stopped bealiving in God when I found out that Santa doesn't exist.

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Simple as that huh??
:rolleyes

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Originally Posted by xtremesteven33

Simple as that huh??
:rolleyes

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Yep, pretty much. I hope I'm wrong though.