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To live and die, like all other life forms. Humans are communal and have created laws and punishments to live by. Thankfully, we don't adhere to biblical laws.
To live and die, like all other life forms. Humans are communal and have created laws and punishments to live by. Thankfully, we don't adhere to biblical laws.
Sounds like a wasted opportunity to me. I guess whatever makes you happy, lol.
The problem is, some other atheist who is a real atheist is going to take advantage of it and that's the person you need to look out for.
I'm not going to knock your lifestyle. I would love to be an atheist. There are a lot of projects I would take on that would be complete scams, but I would get rich in the process.
You mean like Christians that call themselves TV evangelists.
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Because at the end of the day, why do I care about you? I can do whatever I want if I'm an atheist as long as I get away with it. My life would be about gratification at any cost because what else is there in life?
So your fear of 'judgement' by your god is the only thing stopping you being a scammer is it? It's the only thing that stops you being an utter tosser.
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But more power to you. I feel like I'm going to responsible for what I did in my life. I feel like I have hell to pay, literally. But I wish I could feel like you and believe I have a free pass. Shoot, if things got to hard, I could just simply kill myself and cease to exist.
Personally I'd be rather ashamed to admit to the world that the only reason that I'm a nice guy is because I'm afraid of going to an imaginary place called 'Hell'. Thank goodness we atheists are decent chaps because we believe that it's the best thing to be...not because we are afraid NOT to be.
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Originally Posted by ClaraC
I don't pray to get missing limbs back. I pray God please guide me what to do here. "Jesus Christ of Nazareth,
There was no Nazareth at the alleged time of your man-god.
If you remove God in society, what incentive is there to be kind? What incentive is there to be selfless? There isn't. The new protocol is get money at any cost. If you're an atheist and you don't live by this rule, you are weak and those that are stronger in their convictions will run you over. The world is now about material goods and self gratification. What a wonderful place.
It isn't perfect, but then it isn't if one is a god -believer either, and no incentive to make it any better because this is only a vale of tears before going o a better place - if one believes something that really isn't worthy of belief.
In fact it isn't hard to find the refutations of the argument from morality. But let's give a few of the ones you never bothered to check.
Not believing in a god does not make us devoid of morals. Rather it dumps the entire responsibility for our actions on our own shoulders.
Sure, there is no intrinsic moral reason why we should act decently (apart from law -penalties - to which too many of the religious seem to think their faith makes them exempt) but there are instinctive reasons why we want to see our fellows happy. Because of natural empathy, it hurts us when they hurt. Which is why I won't argue that the believers only act morally to ensure they get into heaven. I believe they act right for reasons of empathy, which is the same reason unbelievers do it.
The idea of a god -given morality has several drawbacks or objections, one of which is that, if the believer gets an idea in their head that something that is counter to the usual standards of human morality that you and I both use (though I don't pretend it comes from a god, let alone the idea it comes from a Holy Book) is something that God wants, their religious faith can - as the saying goes, cause a good person to do bad things. This is the problem - that Real morality can be sidelined by the false morality of religious Dogma, and the believer can in some cases, disregard what their instinct (bolstered with social consensus) tells them is wrong, because they have got the idea that God says so.
Which gets us to a simpler point. The one that asks: Is a thing good because God says so? In which case Morality has no meaning. Or is it good whether God says so or not? In which case, God has nothing to do with it.
And - I can't resist it because I suspect I may have invented it - or if not, I haven't seen it anywhere else and, if it's wrong, nobody has told me why.
If we find something in the Bible that is an evil ordered by God, slaughter of Egyptian first born, or Midianites - other than the virgin girls, or Babylonian babies - why is it not considered Good, simply because God says so? Another time, he can say it's bad, but this time it's good. With God given morality, nothing is good or bad unless ordered by God.
But I rarely hear a believer argue like that. Instead they try to excuse God's action by saying it was a bad thing, but God had to do it, or it was actually someone else's fault
So what you are doing is judging God's actions by human standards - just as we atheists do. Just we don't try to excuse them.
Ps. Folks - I haven't even touched on the incentive to make things as bad as possible because nothing gets bums on church seats like ignorance and despair. Nor on the rebuttal of Bible -justified cotton -pickin' slavery, on the grounds that a lot of the abolitionists were Christians. I mention it because it only just hit me - and don't let me forget it. They opposed slavery for humane reasons - even if they gave the credit to their religion. "Am I not a fellow man and brother?" said the abolitionist propaganda. While the Southern Slavers in search of moral support simply opened their Bibles.
Last edited by TRANSPONDER; 05-15-2017 at 10:40 AM..
Reason: No boils, but I'm afficted with typos.
You mean like Christians that call themselves TV evangelists.
So your fear of 'judgement' by your god is the only thing stopping you being a scammer is it? It's the only thing that stops you being an utter tosser.
Personally I'd be rather ashamed to admit to the world that the only reason that I'm a nice guy is because I'm afraid of going to an imaginary place called 'Hell'. Thank goodness we atheists are decent chaps because we believe that it's the best thing to be...not because we are afraid NOT to be.
There was no Nazareth at the alleged time of your man-god.
Yep!
C'mon folks. This guy is trolling right!!
I'm not trolling. I read only the Gospel and James in the Bible. I read James because there is great wisdom in those few pages and I read the Gospel because those are the words of Christ. Christianity is founded upon Christ, so I don't waste my time with other aspects.
I focus on what Jesus said, and unfortunately for those who believe in Jesus' words, there is hell to pay. We are held accountable. It's easy to believe that I am not accountable for anything in this life, but I just can't bring myself to believe that.
If I did; however, I would have much stronger belief in my convictions than these so-called atheists that frequent this forum. At the same time, maybe these atheists do not have the ability or knowledge to perpetuate scams that can get them much wealthier in this life...the only life they have.
And yes, since I feel accountable, that is what stops me from being a person of low character. Do you think I'm the only person that feels like this?
It isn't perfect, but then it isn't if one is a god -believer either, and no incentive to make it any better because this is only a vale of tears before going o a better place - if one believes something that really isn't worthy of belief.
In fact it isn't hard to find the refutations of the argument from morality. But let's give a few of the ones you never bothered o check.
Not believing in a god does not make us devoid of morals. Rather it dumps the entire responsibility for our actions on our own shoulders.
Sure, there is no intrinsic moral reason why we should act decently (apart from law -penalties - to which too many of the religious seem to think their faith makes them exempt) but there are instinctive reasons whe we want to see our fellows happy. Because of natural empathy, it hurts us when they hurt. Which is why I won't argue that the believers only act morally to ensure they get into heaven. I beleive they act right for reasons of empathy, which is he same rason unbelievers do it.
The idea of a god -given morality has several drawbacks or objections, one of which is that, if the believer gets an idea in their head that something that is counter to the usual standards of human morality that you and I both use (though I don't pretend it comes from a god, let alone the idea it comes from a Holy Book) is something that God wants, they religious faith can - as the saying goes, cause a good person to do bad things. This is the problem - that Real morality can be sidelined by the false morality of religious Dogma, and the believer can in some cases, disregard what their instinct (bolstered with social concensus) tells them is wrong, because they have got the idea that God says so.
Which gets us to a simpler point. The one that asks "Is a thing good because God says so? In which case Morality has no meaning. Or is it good whether God says so or not? In which case, God has nothing to do with it.
And - I can't resist it becaise I suspect I may have invented it - or if not, I haven't seen it anywhere else and, if it's wrong, nobody has told me why.
If we find something in the Bible that is an evil ordered by God, slaughter of Egyptian first born, or Midianites, other than the virgin girls or Babylonian babies - why is it not considered God, simply because God says so Another time he can say it's bad, bit this time it's good. With God given morality, nothing is good or bad unless ordered by God.
But I rarely hear a believer argue like that. Instead they try to excuse God's action by sdaying it was a bad thing, but God had to do it, or it was someone else's fault
So what you are doing is judging God's actions by human standards - just as we atheists do. Just we don't try to excuse them.n
But why do I care about you? There is only so much pie. With no God, life is a zero-sum game.
It's either me or you. Why should I care about you? I don't understand. What do you do for me?
But why do I care about you? There is only so much pie. With no God, life is a zero-sum game.
It's either me or you. Why should I care about you? I don't understand. What do you do for me?
Can you explain why one the most Christian countries has the most laws and prisons/inmates? You are clearly infantile in your biblical knowledge and of your fellow humans. Fortunately, you are not the typical example of a Christian(with exception to biblical knowledge).
Can you explain why one the most Christian countries has the most laws and prisons/inmates? You are clearly infantile in your biblical knowledge and of your fellow humans. Fortunately, you are not the typical example of a Christian(with exception to biblical knowledge).
Is this how you talk in real life?
Lol.
I read the Gospel. I'm sure you haven't read it. I'm only concerned with what Jesus said. That is the basis of Christianity, is it not? Anything that contradicts Jesus is by definition not Christian.
It's a pretty simple concept. I don't care about "Christian" countries. The problem with Christianity, if you live your life through the words of Christ, is that it is only as strong as its weakest link. If just one person doesn't "love their enemies," the entire system fails.
What is your point? Think about it. It's very simple. I'll give you an example.
Let's say that I'm a very powerful man with vast resources and I do not believe in God. I see that the world is overpopulated. I see that automation will eventually replace 99% of human labor capital. What exactly is the reason behind providing you with the ability to sustain life?
What exactly do you offer? I mean, you are wasteful. You probably destroy more than you create. So what is the point? What do I need you for? Don't you get it? You are not useful. You are not special. You are a nobody. It's simple.
Now if you were a fine female, there might be use for you, yet.
Lol.
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