not what controls morality. Both Atheists and Christians feel good when they do something for someone else and unhappy when they wrong someone else. The fictional Bible deals largely with stories of immorality, and is unnecessary if not dangerous.
FOOTNOTE: I suppose there are a few Christians who hate people and only do good because they think it will get them to a mythical Heaven. They are exceptions.
Most Atheists and Christians are good for the same reason. It makes us happy to help someone and makes us unhappy to harm someone. (Atheists do it without that confusing fictional Bible, so I prefer their natural approach.)
SECOND FOOTNOTE: I presume that the believers and non-believers in other religions are similarly motivated.
2007-10-06 13:59:49 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
if i can make someone happy or just smile I did good!
(((((((((((((ATHEIST)))))))))))))
2007-10-06 14:02:03 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
it can be said that your suppositions about christians is wrong.
all christians will go to heaven not because of anything that they do but because of what Jesus did for them.
doing good to others is a (natural) part of maturity as a christian and a desire to please God who is an unconditional giver.
the Bible has a different set of morals than atheists .. and is more stringent than some other religions, and more merciful than others.
nowhere in that does it indicate that its unnecessary or dangerous. but that is rather your opinion.
atheists feel good when they do something for someone or guilty when they do wrong because they are human beings and all are made in the image of God, having a good/bad meter = conscience.
if doing bad is on a natural level, then doing good is on a natural level. which is helpful in the arena of earth. but it doesnt score for going to heaven.
what anyone may do to try and work their entrance into heaven doesnt count because it would be on their scale of what's good enough. which is still way below the mark of God's entry level.
only God's Son, who is Jesus Christ, provided the entry level price. and gives it freely to whomsoever will.
2007-10-06 21:30:02 · answer #2 · answered by opalist 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Answer 1) No. I do good for others because my sins have been forgiven by the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross two thousand years ago. It's out of gratitude, not for a superficial feeling.
Comment 1) True Christianity is no burden. It is a freedom from burdens. It is a freedom from both burdens of sin, and the burdens of keeping the law.
Comment 2) Christians do not hate people. They tell people that they will end up going to Hell if they die in their sins because they want to warn people who are slaves to sin.
Comment 3) Your measure of good is corrupt and perverse. There is none good but God. When you say that you are good by comparing yourself to the next person you see, it's like a stink bug saying that he smells good because he's comparing his smell to a skunk. The fact is, both stink compared to a rose, and your sins stink to the goodness and perfection of God.
Comment 4) Your humanism is quite apparent. It is obvious that you think the end-all purpose for man is man's happiness, which is delusional at best. The end-all for man is not man's happiness, but rather God's glory. If you repent and trust in Christ, you will glorify God for all eternity in heaven praising Him for saving such a wretch as yourself, just as the song "Amazing Grace" goes. But if you continue in your hardness of heart your end will also glorify God as well. In heaven God will be praised for casting such a rebellious evil creature as yourself into an eternal lake of fire. Any goodness in you is God's mere sovereign blessing, and the fact that you don't show the wickedness within your heart more-so is simply because God has restrained you by His common grace. And the only reason that your heart is beating this moment, and your lungs are breathing, and your mind is coherent is by God's mere pleasure, and at any moment He can release you from your life here on earth and cast you completely and justly into the pit. However, because God is long-suffering and kind, he puts up with much more rebellion than I personally can tolerate, showing kindness even to you (his enemy), giving you ample chances and opportunities to repent of your sins and throw yourself upon His mercies and believing that only the shed blood of Jesus Christ, who is the very God you hate, can forgive your sins, wash your heart clean, and make you into a new creation.
2007-10-06 21:24:17 · answer #3 · answered by dooltaz 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well what does Christianity got to do with it? Sure. You can do good for others and feel good about it. If they are Christians then they shouldn't hate you but love you more. Because Jesus spent time with the lost!!! Have you ever read the bible,like the book of job?
Heres something to ponder. So were do we go when we die?
2007-10-06 21:12:21 · answer #4 · answered by alleeduster 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You are somewhat correct. Atheists and Christians do feel bad when they do something wrong, but only because we both have a God-given conscience. But Christians are different because we don't ignore our conscience, as Atheists do, and we seek forgiveness from God and the person we wronged. Heaven is a given for me as long as I continue in obedience to God. i don't have to do good deeds to attain heaven, it's already mine. I do good deeds because I love the Lord and "goodness" is part of the fruits of the Spirit in every true child of God ( Galatians 5:22-23 ).
2007-10-06 21:13:50 · answer #5 · answered by HeVn Bd 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You can't get to Heaven by being nice to people in fact you can't get to heaven by works lest any man should boast. Being nice to people is operating in love which Jesus says is the most important of the commandments. I hope you can open your eyes and stop letting the deceiver fool you into believing the Bible is dangerous when its very Word can relieve burdens in so many ways. It would be a shame to be the nicest person in Hell. Ask God to show you who he is, you already have a loving heart, He will show you who he is, than it is up to you to ask him into your heart, thus receiving salvation.
2007-10-06 21:16:54 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Are you being good with this question? Does asking this question make you happy? Hmmmm.
2007-10-06 21:03:45 · answer #7 · answered by ignoramus_the_great 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Helping people does make me happy, and it makes the person I'm helping happy as well. And it makes God happy...
2007-10-06 21:03:51 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
its just a way to herd sheep....no reason to get angry
I used to believe in the Easter Bunny...it was no crime
GL
2007-10-06 21:03:39 · answer #9 · answered by Man of Ideas 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, I am good to others when i find it burdensome also
2007-10-06 21:02:50 · answer #10 · answered by James O 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋