Even if there is no God why try to convince others? I mean there is no Santa do you go around telling that to little kids? The point is that God offers life, and you offer hopelessness. So will you spread hopelessness throughtout the world? Or will you teach people moral values,respect, love, righteousness. Will you tell others we are nothing but evolved apes? I wonder if no one believed in God what would the world be like? Governments would think of population control, war, genocide of the elderly and disabled. Atheists would have you believe that all the terror in the world is because of religion. Well perhaps they forgot about Hitler and countless others before him. Sure religion is used as propaganda but that doesn't mean religion it self is evil. I just want to say im going to spread hope and good. What do you think
2006-11-20 09:35:52 · 13 answers · asked by mike 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I think that you are of the opinion that ethical behavior only comes from religion, when in fact that is not so.
2006-11-20 09:39:23 · answer #1 · answered by Praise Singer 6 · 6⤊ 0⤋
Hitler was a christian. He killed people because they were a different religion. That is pretty clear.
What is also clear is practicing a religion has nothing to do with being righteous. It only has to do with following rituals and codes laid down by other people. I believe that is so you don't have to think about it too much.
Atheists, on the other hand, are kind, giving, loving, thoughtful, and generous because that is how humans SHOULD behave to make a good society. This does not rely on some threat of punishment by judgmental "God" who "loves you uncodintionally" but will send you to "hell" if you displease him. He must be schizophrenic.
Discussing an honest belief in doing the right thing without having to follow some religious tenet is not "trying to convince others" to be atheist, but, trying to convince others that atheists are not devils and are not responsible for all the terrible things in the world.
I would love to see a survey of how many murderers and rapists in prison are "christians" vs "atheist". I'll bet you would be surprised.
At least atheists don't go door to door trying to convince people to join a particular branch of a particular brand of a particular point of view on god. Religion itself is not evil, but, people blindly following someone's interpretation of some religious dogma to a point where they feel justified in killing others, that IS evil. That is the Inquisition, the Salem whitch trials, the Crusades, the Holocaust, 9/11, and many other atrocities done in the name of a particular view of God and religion.
Not all atheists disavow an afterlife. I believe we continue after death, but, there isn't any judgement associated with changing forms and moving on.
I truly believe what Jesus, Gahndi, Budda, and Krishna all said: "We are all one. There is no difference or division between us and the creator, except what we imagine".
Namaste!
2006-11-20 09:50:33 · answer #2 · answered by Monica M 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
By the same token, even if there IS a God - why do you try to convince others?
By whose standards do you say non-believers offer hopelessness or lack of moral values?
I have no interest in what you believe, but I respect your right to believe whatever you choose. Perhaps you could offer the same courtesy, and the world would be a much better place.
The deity (or lack of) that you believe in, has no bearing on your level of empathy and compassion. Your heart is your heart.
Committing to a religion, simply indicates a "joiner" mentality.
Committing to kindness and compassion is universal, non denominational. Your theories are based on your own biased beliefs. You are entitled to believe, certainly, but your opinion is just that - one, single, equally valid but equally unsupported point of view.
2006-11-20 09:49:20 · answer #3 · answered by belmyst 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Why do you try to convince people TO believe? It goes both ways, you idiot, and from what I can tell with the whole "If you don't believe, then you're going to hell" sh*t, I'm going to go ahead and say you brain-washers are just a tad more prevalent in the world. It's not hope; it's a false sense of security. When you get over the age of eight and finally realize that fairy tales are just fiction, THEN we'll talk.
By the way, religion seems to be spreading a lot more hate, ignorance, violence, war, intolerance, and racism than "hope" and "good."
2006-11-20 09:41:01 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Let's say that god exists. And that the message of peace and hope is genuine. The problem is that what humans make of it could never please god. People offer hopelessness in his name, with tanks and missiles and collapsed twin towers and terrorism and intolerance and distrust.
So my world, in the light of my lack of belief, has nothing but positive thought and intention towards the others. So what is best?
In a way, that's why I try to convince not to believe: It's hard to become incensed for lack of belief but it's easy to get divinely angry.
2006-11-20 09:41:43 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Why do you think anyone is trying to convince you not to believe?
That's not at all what anyone is trying to do.
Isn't it obvious what people are trying to do? Trying to get you to question the logistics of what you're being told you need to believe rather than believe blindly. They're also trying to get you to realize that YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS TRYING TO FORCE YOUR RELIGION ON OTHERS.
Keep your religion out of secular life. It's not that hard but Christians act like it's the end of the world to keep the two separate. You can't seem to understand that religion and the law need to stay separate.
So... convince you not to believe? No. You can believe whatever you want.
JUST KEEP YOUR BLOODY RELIGION TO YOURSELF.
2006-11-20 09:45:13 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Didn't God teach you not to judge others. God is the only one who can judge another person. And you just did it anyway. "you will spread hopelessness throughout the world?" How do you know that and who are you to judge?!?!?
This crap makes me really angry. Religious fundamentalists. You wonder why we hate you so much.....you criticize and judge more than any single group...atheists, wiccans, voodooists.
I don't want to hear your message, as I don't believe that MY GOD would approve of your judging and bad mouthing and criticism. God help you.
2006-11-20 09:39:47 · answer #7 · answered by nottashygirl 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
You don't get it. Sure you want to spread hope and good, at least YOUR version of it and herein lies the problem. Not everyone agrees with YOUR version of it and that in turn can create discrimination, hatred, and violence. And by the way, Hitler was religious and beleived he was doing gods work for Germany.
2006-11-20 09:42:57 · answer #8 · answered by ndmagicman 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
"I just want to say im going to spread hope and good. What do you think"
I think you can spread hope and good without trying to force people to believe in Santa
2006-11-20 09:45:08 · answer #9 · answered by Miss. Bliss 5 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I think thats an interesting topic.
I don't push any beliefs onto anyone, and quite frankly I get pissed off when people try to push me one way or the other.
It is up to the individual to decide what religion (if any) they will follow.
2006-11-20 09:45:29 · answer #10 · answered by Radio Flyer 3 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I don't. Why assume we all do? I've never heard of non believers going door to door to preach their personal beliefs, unlike religious people. It's them on MY doorstep uninvited, not the other way around. Get off my step.
2006-11-20 09:44:37 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋