Are you able to comprehend that atheists are able to live lawful lives without belief in gods that don't exist

Question

I've asked some questions to believers and have noticed a common way of thinking. Some believers tend to think that because Atheists live life without belief in gods that don't exist, they can do whatever they want without consequence. I've been an atheist for 32 years and I've never murdered, raped, or stolen anything. I've never even been arrested. I have experimented with drugs, but left that behind 8 years ago. I have a drink maybe 5 or 6 times a year on special occasions. I'm in business for myself. Married (Justice of the peace - godless ceremony). Never broke a bone. I do curse alot. I could go on... The point is Atheists find it unnecessary to belief in gods whose only proof is the belief of others (the bible is not proof, it was written by humans based on their beliefs - it was written starting 40 years after the life of jesus and ammende over centuries with other peoples beliefs.) I attribute my "goodness" to good genes and good parenting not a grand design.

The funny thing is... Believers have more to die for. Christians get heaven. muslims get virgins. etc. Atheists have nothing to die for so we live for today and tomorrow, our friends and family. We appreciate and respect life.

Answer 1

Atheists do not have morals, they have something far more Superior, ETHICS. Morals say you must behave in a certain way or some god creature will burn you in hell for eternity. Ethics dictate behavior on how you treat your fellow humans based on the social contract.

Answer 2

A non beleiver ( atheists) can live lives with the moral code coverted into Government laws. This is of course due either to an inherited moral ethic belief based from childhood upbringing, ( school, parents, tv)

And of course merely because it is against the law and a civil punishment can happen. And of course since the atheist have no reason to live for anyone other than thierself or thier friends and family it would not be benificial for them to go against the government standards.

But a person without faith, has no real overall life long joy or goals, and nothing but fear in death, since it seperates them from life. To a Christain, death is merley another door to pass though.

A atheists will obey the law since why would they want to spend a part of a limited life on being punished by a government, But if there was no law by the government, they would have no reason not to do anything they wanted.

It is still the law based on morality that controls them.
So even if they don't believe, they are still forced to follow christian moral though legal laws.

Answer 3

And the irony. . .for Christians. . .is that. . .at the start of the common era (some 2,000 years ago). . .Christian ethics and morals intentionally departed from Judaism. . .based on the inspiration and example of "ethical paganism". . .which included certain Greek traditions that were decidedly agnostic or atheist.

Example: it is NOT a Torah commandment violation for a married man to have a sexual relationship with an unmarried woman. . .as the standard of "fornication" this way is introduced in the Christian ("New") Testament.

Ethics (or morals) and religion are not the same. We need the first to live together in peace. . .and for the growth and development of the individual (as he/she starts from infancy and matures from there). . .but the second--religion--is like art. It should be appreciated (tolerated) but never imposed. . .or advancing dangerous notions like Picasso is better, while Monet is worse, etc.

Answer 4

I found lot of things wrong with your question, but I figure that you don't want to read a page full of explanations. But will you read this analogy?

Let's say that God is the boss of a huge company. He wants to give you an application right now. And guess what? For God, all the application requires is saying "Yes!" and you're accepted!

But let's say that I don't want to work for God, so I work on my own. I don't do anything bad. (no stealing, drugs, etc.) I actually volunteer and do good deeds. I try to be nice to everyone.

But when I die, do you think I'm going to get the retirement benefits (heaven) if I didn't work for God?

Thankfully, I am a Christian, so I will get the retirement benefits.

Thanks for the question and may God bless you!

Answer 5

Not raping or killing isn't really that big of a deal. Even animals can manage to do that for the sake of self-preservation. And isn't getting arrested or getting the death penalty a consequence of breaking the law. "Goodness" isn't really the point, because it doesn't get you saved in the view of Christians and Muslims, and is just a subjective term that was invented just as religion was invented.

Answer 6

That doesn't make you a bad person, because you don't believe in God. They're great people in the standards of man all over the world. Just because you're not a christian doesn't mean you're scum. You have a good heart. I thank the Lord for giving you good parents and hope that someday you see the light.

Answer 7

Sure I can comprehend what you are saying. As someone who was an agnostic going into the 40th year of my life and who had held top secret government clearances with background investigations done by the FBI that's nothing new to me.

Unfortunately for people who are wealthy who don't see a need for God's provision or for people who like your self who don't see themselves as being "bad" or in need of a Savior, God doesn't see things the way you see them.

Have you ever told a lie? That would make you guilty of lying. You've broken one of God's commands.

Have you ever taken anything that didn't belong to you like a pen from work or something like that? That would make you guilty of theft. You've broken another of God's commands.

Have you ever looked at a woman who wasn't your wife with lustful thoughts? Jesus said that anyone who did that was committing adultery in their heart.

Have you ever used God of Jesus' name like a curse word? That's the sin of blasphemy.

Now if you broke a law, like you ran a red light or something and you went to court and told the judge all about what a good person you are and how you always obey the law but this one time you made a mistake, what would the judge say?

He would tell you that it was commendable that you lived such a good life but he was sworn to uphold the laws of this land and he couldn't excuse your transgression based upon the good things you did, he could only find you guilty for breaking the law and impose whatever sentence the law had ordained for your offense.

God says that anyone who breaks his laws deserves to die. That may sound harsh, but He is the law maker and He doesn't need us to give him money to pay a fine or to serve time in a jail or anything like that.

But out of his love for us He has paid our sin debt by sending his dear son Jesus to die in our place. Obviously you don't believe this as an atheist and so when it comes time for judgment you won't have access to the payment available for your personal sin debt. It's like if I told you that I had deposited a million dollars in a bank account for you. If you don't believe me then the money doesn't do you any good. It's the same with God's gracious provision for our debt of sin.

I pray that you will consider my words and keep an open mind to how it's possible for intelligent people to exist on this planet along with all of the other complex life forms because when you admit that there is a Creator then you have to consider what His purpose was and whether or not the things written in the Bible are his revelation of Himself to us or not.

If you have a little time, why don't you click on the Answers button @ http://web.express56.com/~bromar/ and read a couple of the articles that provide scientific/historical/logical reasons to believe that I'm not just regurgitating some myths that someone else convinced me of.

Like I said, I was an agnostic for almost all of my life and I have a pretty high IQ too. I never went to church as a child and my beliefs are not the product of indoctrination but a result of God supernaturally working in my life and calling me into his family and revealing Himself to me.

Even when I was an intellectual agnostic I used to think atheists were somewhat low in the intelligence arena because I knew that just as you couldn't prove there was a God you also couldn't prove that there wasn't a God and that science had huge gaps in it's ability to explain the existence of matter in what should logically be a total void with nothing in it.

I would recommend typing "DNA double helix" in the search box and check out what the first article has to say.

Answer 8

god is real.and to answer your assumption ppl did write the bible, but god gave the words to them by breathing the word into them duh.and not everyone is as bad as the stuff you named out that you didn't do, i bet if you went out and asked ppl if they did that stuff more than likely they didn't, but everyone on earth is a sinner by birth.for example,i'm pretty sure you haven't told the truth everyday of your life.and you haven't accepted the lord, but i pray you do b/c you have no idea how much pain you have caused the lord.he weeps over his children not even thinking he exists.i'll pray for your soul.and atheists will weep the day the lord comes.(so plz find the lord)anyway, you may have a sowhat decent life, but you will never have a peace that christians know.

Answer 9

Scripture given by inspiration of God
2Tm:3:16: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Tm:3:17: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
Joh:3:16: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh:3:17: For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Joh:3:18: He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Joh:3:19: And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Joh:3:20: For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
Joh:3:21: But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Answer 10

You can still have a moral compass and sense of empathy w/o religion. If anything, not believing in an afterlife makes right-living here on earth all the more important. It's your only chance, and there's no quicky repentence.