how would you live if God doesn't exist?

Ok well.. please tell me how I should have interpreted that post then

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The way you intended, with a pinch of salt.

jan.

 

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I should interpret your post the way I intended ?

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What I was asking you is how you meant it..

 

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Did I bring up the subject of unicorns?

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jan.

 

No, but you answered me on it. And apparently I misinterpreted your answer.. so please enlighten me..

 

I'm an atheist and I believe, just because you won't get punished for it, it doesn't mean you should be mean. I don't need a reason to be nice to people, and treat people the way I want to be treated. I don't need to believe I'll got to hell as a motivation, I just think it's common sense to respect everyone.

 

Enmos,

So now we enter full circle.
Yes I answered you on it, in the same mood you asked.
If it is a serioius question, then my response is; wtf are you talking about?

jan.

 

The OP, assumes everyone who believes in God goes round in some do-good haze that comes to an abrupt end upon them choosing to believe God does not exist.

jan.

 

What about people that don't even know.
Where do they fit in?

 

Is the OP me? If so, that's not what I think. I don't understand how you came to that conclusion. I used to believe God exists, and the main reason I tried to be nice was because it made sense to me, not because I thought I'd go to hell if I didn't. I just think people aren't doing themselves justice by having a reason to be nice which is just to do with fear. Anyway, I was just explaining my personal beliefs to the person who made this thread. Forgive me if this wasn't aimed at me, but agreeing with what I was saying. I am relaitively new to this.

 

The "OP" is the opening post(er), I believe.
I was agreeing with you.

jan.

 

Oh right. Sorry. And thank you.

 

I'll play your game...

Does it matter what happens next, or when we die? Is it not better to live in this moment and make this moment great? Why not? What need is an afterlife? How does that change who we are? Shouldn't we be more concerned about how we treat our fellow man than we should be about salvation of ourselves?

Does a belief in a God or Gods make us a better person, or can we be good citizens and great people without knowing God?

Does there need to be something more to life? Why? Is love not enough?

If we were made in God's image, we should be able to fathom what he would fathom, and yet we understand so very little of our existance. Why does a belief in God require an absense of logical thought and common sense?

Why is it that we must explain that which we can't understand with a divine belief. Can we not fathom and be patient with not knowing, instead of replacing it with belief?

Must we do good for a reason and not for goodness sake and to allievate man's suffering?

For me, whether or not God exists is inconsequntial to the way I treat my fellow man. I will continue to love, and have compassion for others regardless of how far it does or does not get me in life or afterlife. It wouldn't matter at all in the end because of how I lived. If belief was the sole prerequisite, than it wouldn't be worth surviving in the afterlife.

 

Oh wait, I forgot one. What kind of God or Gods would require praise and worship to accept and love his/her people?

As a parent, I understand that my kids won't praise me or respect me. I love them unconditionally regardless and wouldn't harm them or not allow them to come home just because they didn't worship me.

 

Would you agree that your children benefit more and stand to live a more fulfilled life if they develop a spontaneous loving relationship with you?

Or do you think that their developing a spontaneous loving relationship with you is of no consequence for their future?

 

Oh, I think it's vital to them that they love all people, but I wouldn't love them less or shut them out of my life if they didn't. And I would never want them to blindly believe or worship me. I would not expect them to love me if they did not know me, either. I would like to think that I could set a good example for them, but it is only a loving guiding hand, it requires no strict adherance or worship.

 

Liebling,

I'm not playing games.

It matters to those whom it may concern.
"Great" is relative.
An afterlife is not a need.
An afterlife doesn't change who we are.

There is no need to put treatment of our fellow man on the back-burner because we believe in God.

I think you have the wrong idea of why people believe in God.

Need or want doesn't come into it.
Though I must say, respect is due. You are being very honest, and I understand where you are coming from.

We have the ability to understand that we are more than meat. If God exists, wouldn't that be the most important of all understanding?

It doesn't.
A solid belief in God requires common-sense, understanding requires faith.
To believe that God does not exist is illogical.

Explaining the world through belief in God is not necessary.
People who lack belief are more inclined to seek explanation of the world.

It would be great, but if we do it for a reason and resist the temptation to
do bad, that's cool also.

I hear ya bro.
Respect.

Ah! Accept Jesus as your personal saviour, or crash, burn, and live, man.

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Or words to that effect.

I defy you to find a scripture which advocates that ideal.

jan.

 

interesting

BG 12.13 One who is not envious but is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a proprietor and is free from false ego, who is equal in both happiness and distress, who is tolerant, always satisfied, self-controlled, and engaged in devotional service with determination, his mind and intelligence fixed on Me—such a devotee of Mine is very dear to Me.

hmmm

BG 5.29 A person in full consciousness of Me, knowing Me to be the ultimate beneficiary of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods, and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attains peace from the pangs of material miseries.

Would you expect them to respect you?

and that is what religion is in essence - "the process of coming to know god" - love is simply a symptom of that knowledge - IOW one can only be expected to love someone to the degree that they actually know them. God is no different. Loving god is the final perfection of religion. Not the initial step.

What do you think of the statement "obedience is the first step of love"?
(I"m sure you disagree with it, so let's hear an example of a loving relationship that doesn't have at its core immutable issues of obedience)

 

You seem to argue here that god is known because he is known. Which is, of course, complete nonsense.

That is why I asked the above, as unicorns are also known throughout 'time , and place'.
I could just as well have mentioned dwarfs, ghosts, or whatever wellknown mythical creature.

Here you seem to argue that if there was a book like the bible about unicorns, then they would be real.

Hence my reply above..

So, please, tell me what I missed here.. :shrug:

 

Enmos.

I don't know of any culture where some sort of religion plays an essential role, either for, or against, the belief in some higher, intelligent power, that is responsible for the creation of this world.

I regard that kind of enquirey as not serious.

Maybe they would be.
But the real point is, I regard your unicorns, FSM's, purple monkeys under the bed, and a whole host of other things, as not serious.
If you want a serious response from me, then ask a relivant question, one that matches the seriousness of the subject matter.

Your taking the piss, and I'm not buying it.

jan.