The simple fact is this, regardless of all arguments as to who is right, Christian faith or Atheists.
Suppose Atheists are right. Christians will have lived a life of peace, harmony, and love for one another, they will die, the end. If Christian faith is right, an Atheist will have lived a life of peace, harmony, yet somewhat angry life (and don’t deny the anger, I see it in most of your responses!), you will die, you will spend eternity separated from God & His Kingdom, with never a chance for redemption. The way I see it, for a Christian it is a win-win situation. For an Atheist, it is a win-HUGE LOSS situation. Yes?....No?
2006-10-24 16:14:19 · 42 answers · asked by Jack 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
That is an awesome question. And it is so true. I really don't know how people can manage to live what they call a happy life without the light and love our Our Lord.
2006-10-24 16:19:34 · answer #1 · answered by an_immortal_angel 2 · 2⤊ 6⤋
Peace and Harmony,You're kidding right? Exactly what peace and harmony has religion brought this world,we get a nice little prayer on sunday(The Other Sabbath) and then we get a bunch of borderline psychotic protesters at a womens clinic on monday, of course that's before one of them blows the place up on tuesday. Of course that's only one example but I think we both know all the many places that can be gone with this argument,and it's pointless to try. The brainwashing has apperantly been effective,congratulations you are clean. Christianity has brought much less good to this world than it has caused bad,Gandhi had a very good quote once that said basically Christianity would be a great religion if his followers were anything like Christ. But of course their not,this peace and harmony you speak of has rarely existed before Christian groups feel this compelling need to cause turmoil of some sort because they don't get to define all the rules,I guess we should just be glad they don't burn people at the stake that they don't agree with anymore. Although I'm sure if they ever get enough power we will get some version of that back again,or people being locked up in mental homes and given shock therapy for being homosexuals which occured quite frequently in this country in some jurisdictions until it was delisted as a mental disorder in 1973, but I suppose that had nothing to do with the religious leanings of the people in power,whatever. You're peace and harmony only exists in a vacuum when no other viewpoint exists,when opposing viewpoints arise it becomes madness,always has. And as for your re wording of pascals wager,again, please come up with an original thought.
2006-10-24 16:44:55 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am sorry but what relation does an Atheist have with anger, you say don't deny it and I am not. I am sure there are angry Atheists out there just as there are Angry Christians, Muslims and all other religions. I know that when I die I will have lived a fulfilled, happy and non restricted life... which I don't believe true Christians can agree with. I also don't believe in a God or his Kingdom therefore I do not have to worry about redeeming myself for any mistakes I have made, instead I use them in my life as learning experiences and move on.
If Atheists accept people who believe in God why can't it be the other way around?
2006-10-24 16:20:55 · answer #3 · answered by *Amanda* 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
So Christians live their life full of love and harmony, obviously not a regular reader of responses and questions in this section then, where the majority of poser seem to be christians with a hatred for anyone who does not share their view or leads a different way of life eg homosexuals, muslims, pagans or athiests if you please. Isn't there a quote from the bible that says do unto others as yuou would like others to do unto you, that means tolerating all ways of life, also love thy neighbour, wheather that isd literally next door or the next country, surely everyone is equal in God's eyes. Therefore these bigoted Christians will be in rather a lot of trouble with the big man for their selfish and narrow minded views. In theory and I'm sure for many in practice christianity, as with all faiths are great, the majority of which preach love and harmony. Personally I'm an Odinistor Aestir if you prefer and the only thing we don't appreciate is those who try to profit by malicious means and the selfish, everyone is welcome as long as they are honest and full of integrity. That's what it's all about. If an atheist wants to lead their life in whatever way then it should be respected after all who knows who is right and wrong with regards to a heaven!!
2006-10-24 16:34:23 · answer #4 · answered by Travellin Bry 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
um ... i've seen anger expressed by both sides of the Christian vs Atheist debate. i've read at least as many insults, general disrespect and ridiculous mean spirited assumptions coming from Christians as from Atheists and nonChristians. i fail to see how Christians react any better or differently to opposition than anyone else. and Christians are not somehow inherently more peaceful, loving and harmonious than nonChristians. in fact, Christianity has a long bloody history in which Christians decimated entire cultures in the name of Jesus. so perhaps you can try a little honesty by checking your bias and getting down off your moral high horse
as for being separated from "God". how is such an occurrence even possible if "God" is omnipresent? where can one go where "God" is not?
PS. this particular persuasion argument is getting really really old. you Christians need to come up with some new material.
2006-10-24 16:28:10 · answer #5 · answered by nebtet 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I can't believe people are still using Pascal's Wager as a serious argument in this day and age. Tedious. Do yourself a favor and see the world. There are more than just Christians and atheists in it. Besides, many brands of Christians think the other brands will be separated from god, weeping, gnashing of teeth, you know the drill, and that "close enough" doesn't cut it. If any one of them are right, and trust me, they all *know* they are right every bit as much as you do, you're screwed. Since I believe in the Flying Spaghetti Monster, I get a stripper factory and a beer volcano in heaven. *And* I get to dress as a pirate in this lifetime. Now *that* is what I call a win-win situation. Ramen.
2006-10-24 16:33:19 · answer #6 · answered by Dose of Reality 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
No......I absolutely do not believe whatsoever, so I'd be living a lie just please all the harmonious Christians that hate Atheists, gays, and other religions.
We live just as harmonious as Christians. That anger you hear is frustration towards stupidity. Laws are being forced upon us that we don't believe in. Atheist lifestyles must revolve around this theocracy America is turning into. But you don't seem to see a problem with that. We're just angry for no good reason. I see twice as angry responses from Christians towards gay people and Atheists.
What you are suggesting is for us to live our lives in fear of what most like not happen. Is that what your faith is based on, fear? Get some balls please.
2006-10-24 16:22:18 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Why are you trying to pass Pascal's Wager off as your own?
Secondly, Christians are just as angry, no doubt about it, at least as far as you can make broad generalizations about any group of people. For every angry atheist you find, I can find a Christian that's just as ugly.
But the problem with your argument is that A) what if Christians are wrong, too? What if the Muslims are right? Or the Wiccans? Or any other religion? What if it's just another version of Christianity that thinks your version is for punks? Or some sect that was stomped out thousands of years ago by a bigger religion? Following your argument, Christianity's at least as risky.
B) how would an atheist get in to heaven by going around in Christian drag just to avoid hell?
C) If Christianity's right, and the Christian god's all he's cracked up to be, he'd know my reasons for not believing in him, and feel compelled to apologize for going out of his way to create a universe designed to disguise his existence, and then creating a hell for people who get suckered into his little trap.
To be a Christian, or any religion, requires a leap of faith. For my beliefs I require facts and logic. I might not be able to weild them perfectly, but it's better than going along with someone else's superstitions just to avoid punishment. I'd rather be wrong but keep trying to learn than settle for an easy answer.
2006-10-24 16:24:35 · answer #8 · answered by answersBeta2.1 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
There is an underlying problem with your question thought: atheists, and agnostics do not believe that there is a reason to believe in the Christian concept of a God. I am agnostic so I believe that it can not be proved either way. I do not see a benefit in believing in God because I do not think that kind of entity can be proven or disproven. I rely on emerical evidence to support my views of the world: i think that faith is dangerous for our society.
2006-10-24 16:25:31 · answer #9 · answered by Candice E 1 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Another Pascal's wager question.....
What difference does it make? We all have to live with ourselves at the end of the day. It's an interesting question but it forgets that atheists don't think God is real.
It's kind of rude to assume atheists don't live lives of love for one another (meaning love for humanity); maybe it's all of these rude assumptions (and the beatings by Christians) that make us angry? When Christians do "good works" it is from their love of God, right? Since atheists do just as many "good works" per capita their motivation is obviously love of people, not love of God. When I take a homeless teen into my home it's because I love her as my Sister human, you do it because God would want it. Same result. We aren't inferior because we help others out of love for them rather than out of love for God. I think it's the automatic assumption of our inferiority and immorality that makes us angry with those who make such statements. I live in a Christian saturated society, I have no issue with Christians, unfortunately there are many who don't follow their own rules and behave rudely and even viciously to non-Christians. Maybe think about that before insulting us by careful phrasing next time?
Again, Pascal's wager........why always the forgetting atheists don't think God is real part? Are we supposed to walk around pretending to believe in God? That's lying - wouldn't it do us better if your God is real if we live with honesty and integrity instead of pretending to be something we aren't? I doubt if God were real, He'd appreciate us faking belief for your comfort or ours.
2006-10-24 16:36:09 · answer #10 · answered by catalamity 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
No.
Suppose three possibilities: No God, Bob (Who hates Christians but supports everyone else) and Christ.
A = Believe in No God
B = Believe in Bob
C = Believe in Christ
X = There is No God
Y = There is Bob
Z = There is Christ
Heaven = +1
Nothing = 0
Hell = -1
A+X=0
A+Y=1
A+Z=-1
B+X=0
B+Y=1
B+Z=-1
C+X=0
C+Y=-1
C+Z=1
You'll see immediately that the effect of belief is a zero sum game. But when you consider the true god scenario, you'll see that No God = 0, Bob = 1, and Christ = -1.
So I'm better off believing in anything BUT Christ.
Would you like to join me in worshipping Bob?
2006-10-24 16:20:24 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋