Do you truly believe or were you just raised that way?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I rejected my familial religious beliefs when I developed a mind of my own around age 12.

I believe in karma, the golden rule, etc., but buying into any organized religion's b.s. is simply foolish IMO.

THis is the one area in which I think Karl Marx was right: Religion is the opiate of the masses.

Which Golden Rule? Whoever has the gold makes the rules?

Why not live by whatever you can get away with? Whatever makes you happy, no matter how miserable it makes anyone else?

Why not base life on greed, subjugation, degradation, cowardice, avarice?

If there is no Absolute Authority ("God"), there are no standards or rules. We're all atoms colliding and falling apart. Sand being sifted in the solar wind. So no difference between Stalin and Ghandi: they both led personally fulfilling lives, and now they are gone.

No justice. No peace. No hope. Just chaos and annihilation.

If there's anyone curious as to why there are non-christians who occasionally post snarky responses here, look no further.

Not the PP, but I do think that in the same way that atheists can question Christians about the basis for their belief, it's not necessarily inappropriate for people of faith to ask atheists where they get the basis for their moral code. It's not that I don't believe atheists can be moral (or that people of faith can be hypocrites and immoral!), but it does seem like an atheist would have less qualms acting solely in the way that makes them feel good or supports their desires, regardless of whether it is "good" in a broader societal sense.

I don't see that this is the case at all. Atheists realize that we have to live with the consequences of our actions here and now. Christians can do whatever they like, then pray for forgiveness, and all is forgiven. That's why fundamentalist politicians are almost universally shitty. They cheat on their wives, steal, etc, etc... and the second they're caught, they make a tearful plea for forgiveness, and all is just fine. We agnostic/atheists are not so mindlessly forgiving.

[Anonymous]

I saw an Oprah show where she visited Coppenhagen.

For multiple years, Coppenhagen has been reported to e the happiest/easiest place in the world to live by the UN and world health organization.

Coppenhagen is a democracy with some socialistic values (free healthcare, free education they college, new moms get at least 12 months of paid time off after birth)

The jails are empty, crime is lowest in the world, there is no poverty because of free education and healthcare. Also, Coppenhagen is has the lowest rate of cancer and heart disease in the world.

When Oprah asked some locals why they thought people in Coppenhagen were so happy, several women said that they believed it was the absence of any religion in their culture.

Interesting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I saw an Oprah show where she visited Coppenhagen.

For multiple years, Coppenhagen has been reported to e the happiest/easiest place in the world to live by the UN and world health organization.

Coppenhagen is a democracy with some socialistic values (free healthcare, free education they college, new moms get at least 12 months of paid time off after birth)

The jails are empty, crime is lowest in the world, there is no poverty because of free education and healthcare. Also, Coppenhagen is has the lowest rate of cancer and heart disease in the world.

When Oprah asked some locals why they thought people in Coppenhagen were so happy, several women said that they believed it was the absence of any religion in their culture.

Interesting.

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those who believe - do you feel other religions are "wrong" or those individuals won't go to heaven? That is one of my problems with believing whole heartedly in Christianity.

I believe there is one God. People with a faith in God who live meaningful lives in accordance with the peaceful and honorable traits of their religion go to heaven.
Evil people of whatever religious or non-religious persuasion go to hell.
Atheists I honestly don't know. I believe that God forgives and perhaps there's a last chance for redemption if you've led a good, although god-less, life. Many parts of the bible though say that non-believers and those who reject God go to hell. I hope that's not the case in every case, even though I do believe atheists are wrong.

Simplistic, but I kind of think along these lines.

I was raised catholic (baptized, first communion, made my parents let me stop going to Sunday school before confirmation) and am an atheist now in my 20s. Neither of my parents are very religious; I think my mom likes the culture of church, and she was raised with it.

Here is my question- why would "god" want to punish atheists for not believing? What is the point? Why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are right, it is not logical to assume that there is life after death. I guess my approach to different specific beliefs is kind of like using building blocks.

Logically I believe in Jesus partly because of reasons I stated in 11:36. Because of this belief I believe things he said and taught. He said to a thief on the cross next to him "Surely you will be with me in paradise". So, I buy into heaven because of that.

But if you don't believe in Jesus (at least for Christian beliefs) then heaven and hell probably do seem kinda made up. I totally get that.

I put a lot of time and much thought and prayer into my process of coming to believe the things I do. If you will permit me to get way out there...I beleive that Jesus founded a Church and that the Catholic church (with its many many well documented flaws) is the best representation of that Church. I believe this deep down. I pray for unity of Christian denominations because of this belief. Because I believe that Christ founded this Church, I believe that this Church has authority to teach on matters of faith and morals. Becuase I believe in that authority, I do my best to submit to that authority, even when sometimes I would not come to the same conclusion.

So that is my building block approach. It works for me in a way that picking and choosing certain doctrines to support and not support just doesn't. I'm far from the perfect Christian, but for me, this approach is the most logical.

That said, sometimes my Church drives me nuts!

I don't follow this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. To all those posters who were once religious but are no longer believing, on your death bed, do you think you will make peace with god ? or will you stand firm in your current beliefs?

Atheist here. I will not make peace with god because I do not believe in god. But I am a happy and positive person and I am at peace with myself and my life. If my beliefs change, then that will be that, but I was raised Catholic (PP here who stopped before confirmation) and do not believe in any of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I rejected my familial religious beliefs when I developed a mind of my own around age 12.

I believe in karma, the golden rule, etc., but buying into any organized religion's b.s. is simply foolish IMO.

THis is the one area in which I think Karl Marx was right: Religion is the opiate of the masses.

+1. ITA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are right, it is not logical to assume that there is life after death. I guess my approach to different specific beliefs is kind of like using building blocks.

Logically I believe in Jesus partly because of reasons I stated in 11:36. Because of this belief I believe things he said and taught. He said to a thief on the cross next to him "Surely you will be with me in paradise". So, I buy into heaven because of that.

But if you don't believe in Jesus (at least for Christian beliefs) then heaven and hell probably do seem kinda made up. I totally get that.

I put a lot of time and much thought and prayer into my process of coming to believe the things I do. If you will permit me to get way out there...I beleive that Jesus founded a Church and that the Catholic church (with its many many well documented flaws) is the best representation of that Church. I believe this deep down. I pray for unity of Christian denominations because of this belief. Because I believe that Christ founded this Church, I believe that this Church has authority to teach on matters of faith and morals. Becuase I believe in that authority, I do my best to submit to that authority, even when sometimes I would not come to the same conclusion.

So that is my building block approach. It works for me in a way that picking and choosing certain doctrines to support and not support just doesn't. I'm far from the perfect Christian, but for me, this approach is the most logical.

That said, sometimes my Church drives me nuts!

I don't follow this.

I'm unsure about what you don't follow. This is overyly simplistic, but here it is re-stated.

For reasons that are logical I believe (or put another way have faith that) these things and there is a progression in my believe from one to the next.

1) Jesus is the divine son of God

2) I believe that a the bible is the inspired word of God (though some is literal and some is not)

3) I believe that Jesus founded a Church on earth and put specific men in charge of it and gave them authority.

4) I belive he promised that the Holy Spirit would guide this Church (though it has at times had some very crappy leaders)

5) I believe the Church has authority to teach on matters of faith and morals and that I am obligated by those teachings.

Again this is very simplistic for the sake of brevity. Each point could be expanded on for many paragraphs.