Would Christians tell Atheists that it is totally useless to try to be good or virtuous just for goodness sake

Question

What if someone just won't convert to Christianity, do you think their trying to be a good person is completely useless and they should just give it up?
So would you tell an atheist they might as well be as bad as they wanna' be seeing as they need not fear any detrimental repercussions?

Answer 1

Everyone should do their best to be loving and kind regardless of their beliefs or lack of beliefs.
To only behave as a proper person because of a promise of an afterlife is shallow and prevents true joy from flowing into your life.

Blessings )O(

Answer 2

Absolutely not.

Being "good" (Christians and Atheists will have a definitional difference of this, but oh well that's how life is) for the sake of being good results in a smooth-running and pleasant society. It might even promote Christian beliefs to a degree because it might help people to see more good things in their lives, and some will thank God for this.

So for those that can see the need to be good and compasionate towards others, and basically live the Christian ideal without themsleves being Christian (FWIW, though I have met many who supposedly were "saved" but didn't act like it, I've never met one atheist who was truly good -- always "goodness" and morality were relative concepts when push came to shove), yes there is certainly a point to doing so. It builds up a peaceful society and helps turn back the dark tides of anarchy.

However, a truly devout Atheist believes that there is NO GOD, NO AFTERLIFE, and NO SYSTEM OF JUDGEMENT BEYOND THIS LIFE -- truly one who is without a "god" of any type to answer to. Even those who believe only in reincarnation (for the purpose of improvement or Karma etc.) beleive in a "god" and a judgement, namely the god of improvement and the judgement of not reaching fulfillment -- otherwise it is just a pointless cycle of going round and round and round again for eternity with no goal and no end but non-existence. The real question for such a one is not whether or not there is a point to being good, because there is no point to anything -- just enjoy yourself as much as you can. The question becomes whether or not it is the most personally advantageous way to live. This is because if evolution and Darwinism are correct, then human life is a process of selecting the most succesfull people for breeding so that they may pass on whatever randomly-generated genetic code it is that makes them so succesful, while not becoming SO succesful that they overrun the planet's ability to sustain them. The test of how succesfull you are then, is how many children you can generate before you die while ensuring your competition does not do the same. This leads to the determination that Nietzsche was right, the Ubermensch (over-man, or super-man) has the "moral right" and authority to subjugate all those "lesser" than him and bend them to his will without regard to societal norms or limits, because there IS no morality beyond what he can accomplish -- such limits are contrary to the grand sweep of humanity as perfected in the ubermensch. So go ahead, gas 6 million people, work 50 million to death in labor camps, exterminate whole races that you feel are holding you back (history will be the judge who was right), invade conquer and kill all of your neighbors so that you and you alone may breed -- this is the Darwinist way, the Tao of Evolution.

Answer 3

Whether you are an atheist or christian you cannot be good for goodness sake and expect to enter heaven. One can only get to heaven by their deeds that they have done for God in Jesus name. I would tell the atheist that to believe in the only one that will be able to save them in the end. If they choose not, then God of this universe will have the last say so, because I am a person that do not judge anyone or anything. I am a no'body trying to tell everybody that God saves and heals, choose this day in whom you will serve. It's their choice.

Answer 4

exciting aspect, besides the undeniable fact that, it would want to be stated that the failure of Christians/Muslims is right down to the failure of the guy, no longer the religion. As being a sturdy human being in society truly would not mirror on one's beliefs, truly the confusing behaviour of that particular, so we'd want to assume that each human being people behave an analogous (as a rule) regardless of faith. God commanded us to have self belief and trust in him, and atheists (no be counted how sturdy they're in society) have chosen to ignore God. some people pray to God for rewards, yet a minimum of they well known his existence. people actively insult God with the help of no longer beleiving in Him. The believer is the more desirable virtuous.

Answer 5

I think your question is ridiculous. Just because they don't want to become a christian or believe in God doesn't mean they are necessarily bad people. They could be good people for the sake of being GOOD. It's not completely useless.

By the way, I'm a Cristian!

Answer 6

You can tell a believer or non believer anything that you please, but the truth is that God has put a modicum(tiny bit) of faith and law into every person ever created.

This is where you get your sense of right and wrong. You have this before you believe and after you believe.

So, telling anyone that their behavior, good or bad should change just because they are a believer or non believer will not make any difference. They will always have that bit of moral law inside them. (sometimes referred to as conscience)

Answer 7

Atheists are good because it is the right thing to do. The only reward they expect is the good feeling that they get when they do someone a good turn. I applaud Christians who are good for the same reason, but I have a poor opinion of Christians that are good because they think they can BUY their way into a mythical Heaven.

Answer 8

No. I would ask the were they get their definition of "goodness" or morality. I don't think people ever think about where it comes from. I would point out the dependence of their virtues on religion.
That "good feeling" you get when you do something kind for someone comes from your God-given conscience. Theoretically, if we had no conscience, evil would be more personally gratifying because it is ALWAYS easier.

Answer 9

Of course not. There is tremendous value in being a loving, compassionate part of society. And I agree with someone who mentioned that there are many atheists who behave better than Christians.

Answer 10

"...do you think their trying to be a good person is completely useless..."
Of course not!

Fear is one of the base roots of religion. It is used to convert the gullible, horny, and stupid.

I am not a middle eastern practioner. I believe that god knows everything. That is all. There is no more. If I were to believe in good and evil...I would be insulting god's intelligence.

So chill. It isn't going to matter if you brown nose your way into heaven...cause god knows you are going there since he doesn't f*k up and make anything that is going to p*ss him off....do you really want to think him that stupid?