the more I look at life, the more I see everything depends on the free will alone and not your connection with God. if I look at the people I know who are truly happy, these are all athesists, not deeply religious people. the religious people I know, are always struggling.
how do you explain, for instance, that everything works out for a truly selfish person.
I don't have a specific question, I just wanted to talk to you about this a little bit.
people succeed if they rely on themselves (the concept of free will). they don't need to be moral/"good".
thanx
2006-11-24 02:05:23 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
i've often enquried of such a thing from my parents when i was younger. they simply told me that God has to test us, those who are strong in faith and whatnot. also, we must realise that that which we feel another is gaining is not necessarily the best option. God could keep us from receiving something or winning something because he has something better planned, or has some other reason that we cannot fathom. just keep looking for the silver lining.
2006-11-24 02:11:55 · answer #1 · answered by Fiamanillah 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Are you so naive that you believe atheists have no problems and struggles? Last time I checked, bad things happen to everyone. And exactly how many churchgoing Bible believing Christians do you really know?
I used to be an atheist before I became a believer and I can personally say my life was an empty pursuit of my shallow self-interest before I met God and now life actually HAS meaning and purpose.
Youre quite correct, according to atheism morality is subjective. So to an atheist, he has no obligation to be moral if he doesnt want to be. Freewill is an interesting thing but the only way it can save you is to choose Jesus as LORD and follow him! Otherwise, what good is freewill if it sends you to eternal punihsment?
2006-11-24 02:26:31 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Everything need discipline, without that u may not succeed even in small things.
The concept of God and religion is to give discipline, it is true God or the supreme force exist beyond the common man understanding.
But the religions mock a person who misses a discipline due to any reasons, instead of being compassionate.
A mocker never succeeds. Take the example of a priest, he succeeds only when he mock u against someone, that is his occupation, it depends how u take it!!!
My mother died in the year 1991 May 16. We had priests do the rituals for 13 days. It is said that the soul remains in the house for 12 days and on the 13th day it get liberated.
One smart priest came to me, taking advantage of my ebb situation, said My mother had come in his dream and told him to ask from me a gold chain weighing 25-30 grams so she will be liberated. I was wonder stuck, she being my mother how can she go to his fream to ask that. I thought for a while and said Tomorrow if she comes in ur fream ask her to come to my dream only then will u get it.
The priest never showed his face again.
2006-11-24 02:30:00 · answer #3 · answered by Venkatesh V S 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You're trying to make it a one sided conversation.I know some Christian's that have no problems.They don't struggle,they don't fight among themselves.Myself and my family are fine,and we're right in the middle of the will of God.My best friend across the street is an Atheist,and he's never happy.He didn't get any relief from it until I invited him to church.He enjoyed it so well,he came for Sunday evening service.He was truly happy,because I could see the relief in his face and in his actions.
Succeeding in life whether it be in your career,finances,or education isn't everything.Yes morals and good values are important.
Free will spoken of in the bible is free will for man to do things in their lives to glorify the lord,not to do whatever you want.
King Solomon fought with the same quandary:
Good things happen to bad people.
Bad things happen to bad people.
Good things happen to good people.
Bad things happen to bad people.
Then he said,consider the works of God.
2006-11-24 02:23:56 · answer #4 · answered by Derek B 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Interesting. So everything works out for the truly selfish? How'd that work out for those Enron execs? Not so well, did it. Perhaps to avoid incredibly erroneous oversimplifications in your set-up.
But to your point:
How does your reliance on free will defeat death and prepare you for the afterlife? It doesn't. And that is the difference between atheists and Christians. Atheists, by definition, have to focus on the here and now because that is all there is (in their world view). Christians, however, realize that the here and now is merely a precursor to the afterlife.
How are you preparing for that eventuality?
2006-11-24 02:10:35 · answer #5 · answered by TheSlayor 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It is not always working out, but as the saying goes, "god helps those who help themselves." If you think about the morality that is presented by most religions outside of the 'worship god or go to hell' stuff it is all about getting along with other people. You can have heaven or hell right here, right now, on planet earth.
2006-11-24 02:11:12 · answer #6 · answered by Barabas 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I'd rather be a good, moral person who is struggling, than a bad, immoral one who is happy.
2006-11-24 02:09:21 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
free will is like god, it's not been proved at all.
2006-11-24 02:22:17 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋