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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=takoma]I am an atheist.  When I die, I think I am no more.  That does not mean that I am not concerned about what happens to others (wife and kids, friends, etc) who survive.

[b]If there were a God that is anything like the publicity, I will be up there in heaven for having tried to be a good person, and succeeded at least moderately well, I believe. [/b] A God that punishes us for using the brains we were provided would be a real disappointment.[/quote]

I'm not saying anything like you're not going to Heaven or you're going to Hell or anything, but I'm curious if you understand that this is not how it works? You don't get into Heaven for having tried to be a good person -- or even for being a good person. Entry to Heaven is for those who kept the faith and lived by God's law, not "good" people.[/quote]

No actually this is a subject of quite a bit of debate. That may be true of your particular sub-genre of Christianity (or Judaism, or whatever), but that is *not* a universal attribute of religions, or even Christianity.

In fact Pope Francis recently made that very point:

[quote]The Holy Father is full of surprises, born of true and faithful humility. On Wednesday he declared that all people, not just Catholics, are redeemed through Jesus, even atheists.

However, he did emphasize there was a catch. Those people must still do good. In fact, it is in doing good that they are led to the One who is the Source of all that is good. In essence he simply restated the hope of the Church that all come to know God, through His Son Jesus Christ. [/quote]

(http://www.catholic.org/hf/faith/story.php?id=51077) (Warning, video auto-plays at link) [/quote]

Then what is the point of believing? Why not just go through life and do good without having to pray or go to church?[/quote]

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