Aren't you jealous that atheists get to do whatever they want without worrying about what God'll think?

Question

I'm feeling a little silly.... yay for Fridays!

Answer 1

No, because the Bible says that such people "have their reward" - that is, instant gratification and admiration of men.

Christians, on the other hand, look forward to their reward - eternal life in paradise.

70 odd years of doing whatever you want versus an eternity in paradise? I know which one I'd be more jealous of!

Answer 2

The most spiritual thing you do on a daily basis is make choices. You can make choices that are creative and positive, or destructive and negative.
The more good choices you make, the more good choices will be made available to you. The more bad choices you make, the less freedom you have. This is to say that sin is it's own reward, so to speak.
If you choose, for example, to have premarital sex as a 14 girl, you risk getting pregnant, or getting a disease. At that point, you are faced with more choices, each bad, or at least non-optimal.
As a Christian, I bet I have more fun, more positive impact in the world, and more love in my world, than any non-Christian I know. I hang with a lot of people, Christian and non-Christian alike, and even my athiest friends wonder why I'm such a great guy. They invite me to lunch and bring up the topic of where I am spiritually, almost as if they are living vicariously through me. (One in particular, a 50 year old neighbor that has his PhD in Math from MIT) He describes himself to me as "Extremely skeptical"
It isn't me. On my own, I'm kindof a jerk. I did that for 37 years without Jesus in my life. I did a lot of things I don't want to tell my Grandmother about. I lived a pretty wild college life. I was empty and found no meaning in my life, and then one day something changed.
Now, it is Christ in me, and He is a lot more fun. I was like you until late in life. In the end, I had few friends, little integrity, and nothing to be passionate about. Over the last six years, I've had a complete 180 in my life. I am free. I choose to live for Christ. I've lived like you do now. I have been there. And between the so-called fun that you have, and the meaning that I have found. I prefer Christ. Now you tell me, who is freer?

Answer 3

I think atheists are more obligated to a greater number of opinions.

Please excuse the blanket statements, as there are exceptions to every rule.

Generally speaking, Christians can oppose gays, oppose medical practices, etc. because god says to. They don't care about anyone's opinion, just what they think god wants. Atheists, on the other hand, are trying to make the world a better place for all people. Therefore all concepts of right and wrong are part of the process. Not just 1 god's opinion.

And being a minority makes is even harder.

EDIT - and no drinking for joe today. Open bar last night kicked my tail. :(

Answer 4

Why would I be jealous?

Life on this earth is but a mist that is here one moment and gone the next. Eternity is forever.

Those who choose to live in sin while on earth have fun for a short time, but when they die, and they will, they will spend all eternity is torment.

Those who choose to follow God knows that the many pleasures of sin are just more of satan's lies to steal the souls of men.

It is today, just as it was in the garden of Eden. God told Adam that in the day he ate the forbidden fruit, he would die. The devil told Adam he would not die. Adam believed the devil instead of God and in the day he had eaten the forbidden fruit, he died, he sold his soul to the devil and death.

Those who love God will realize that he is the way of true happiness. And they know that on the day of resurrection, they will be given a new body that will live for ever and they will live in paradise forever.

Answer 5

This assumes that obeying a God figure is automatically less happy of a life. However, recent studies show that religious people are less stressed and live longer. I feel that it is a trade-off; the apparent subservience of a religion versus the existential responsibilities of an atheist. Neither one really "gets off the hook".

Answer 6

Why should we!

God's laws are not restrictive -- they are protective. Thus Christians can have all the fun they want - if they obey the commandments they just have fun, chess, soccer, a movie, a little beer, a little wine, a barbecue, or a vacation to some nice place.

What do these unbelievers have that we don't?
Sexually transmitted diseases, oh so much fun.
Getting drunk and having or causing car accidents -- much more fun.
Robbing a seven-eleven and get put in prison -- a belly full of laughs.

Thank you for reminding me how much I am missing out on.

Answer 7

I don’t want to live my life that way, guided by my own selfish desires.

What we commonly call sin can most often be described as selfishness. I'll do what I want -who cares about the consequences for others.

Or do you not have any responsibilities for anybody? Must be a nice little bubble.

Answer 8

Not at all. What they are doing is destroying their lives, their loved ones lives, their friends lives, the lives of the people around them and the lives of future generations. I can have as much fun as an atheist knowing that I am not perfect and God says thats okay because Jesus is perfect. And I have Jesus.

Answer 9

Sorry, but atheists don't get to do "whatever they want." There are still morals and ethics to consider. Often we are faced with decisions that bring two or more values into conflict, and we have to choose. Every time I see something made of chocolate, I have to make a choice whether my health is more important or my taste for that luscious flavor and texture, my yearning for that slowly melting trifle in my mouth . . .

Now see what you've done, you vile temptress!

Answer 10

Not really. I don't really have a desire to do anything horrible like kill someone, so I guess this doesn't apply to me. Also, the way I look at Christianity is pretty non-legalistic so I'm probably in the same boat as you.