Such as "Do onto others as you would wish them do onto you." I think this is an overall good notion.
I still don't believe in God.
Does this make me a good Athiest or am I still a selfish person?
2007-10-31 05:58:46 · 34 answers · asked by {:3) 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I said selfish because I hear a lot of Atheists called that for their lack of belief.
2007-10-31 06:04:35 · update #1
Being an athiest doesn't mean you automatically live some sort of sordid immoral life...just as being a Christian doesn't mean that someone leads moral life.
2007-10-31 06:03:56 · answer #1 · answered by Cheryl S 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The only thing that defines an atheist is lack of a belief in Gods. A lot of the things that have been attributed to Jesus, such as "Do unto others...", are really common sense ideas inspired by empathy for our fellow man. They were around before Jesus was around.
How would you be considered a selfish person for applying to good things that are talked of in the Bible? Good is good.
2007-10-31 06:05:11 · answer #2 · answered by Jess H 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would have to more about you to think you were selfish...certainly believeing in God is a wonderful thing,,but to find comfort in words of Jesus is a good thing too. Athiests are good people for the most part,,,just unsaved, unforgiven.....
BTW..that is the golden rule,,you have, and not the words of Jesus..he did say similiar things,,just not this particular one...here is the way it is put in the bible...
"Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets." Matthew 7:12, King James Version
"And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise." Luke 6:31, King James Version.
2007-10-31 06:10:52 · answer #3 · answered by dreamdress2 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How are you being selfish if you are doing unto others as you would want them to do to you? I've heard it said that "faith is a gift from God". If that is true, and you have not received this "gift" as of this time, how can you be held accountable for not having it? You are trying to lead a good and decent life. You are not harming others. You don't follow any particular religion (unfortunately, there is a wide chasm between religion and spirituality). The way I see it - your a good person and I don't care if you're an antiest or not. You are like the Good Samaritan (a story worth reading).
2007-10-31 06:05:54 · answer #4 · answered by Bob 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't think it makes you a good or bad athiest or a selfish or unselfish person. So, you use a few of the ideas that Bible used or borrowed from somewhere else. Jesus was an interesting person, whether or not you believe he was divine. Besides, I'm not sure what a good or bad Athiest is, or for that matter what a good or bad Christian or Jew or Muslim is anyway, but I don't think your quotes qualify you as either.
2007-10-31 06:07:36 · answer #5 · answered by Elsie 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Look, if you are a good person and do onto others as you would have them do onto you, I would not call that selfish, I would call that a good code to live by and that is unselfish in my opinion. You are not defined by how religious or non-religious you are, but by the deeds you carry out in your life. We know there are bad religious people and good atheist. It depends on how you treat others by your actions.
2007-10-31 06:12:29 · answer #6 · answered by DAR76 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Acting on that would make you a good person.
But unfortunately, that does not mean the Bill Gates is going to make you one of his heirs. You can do all kinds of good things, you can even help his cause by only using legal Microsoft products, and might even read his book and have an autographed picture of him. But odds are, he is not going to includ you in his will. Because he has no relationship with you.
The same is true of God. A person can be "good", can do obey things like the "golden rule", and even read the Bible and go to church. But if they have no relationship with God, he is not going to include them in his blessing.
The Golden Rule is about relationships between people. Salvation is about a relationship with God. They are not interchangable. While obeying the Golden Rule makes you less selfish, it does not make you saved.
2007-10-31 06:07:48 · answer #7 · answered by dewcoons 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You can live a good life and be rewarded because the good that you do will come back to you even if you don't believe in God. However,
As a Christian I would like to hear that you have accepted Jesus into your life because their is so much good, in having the Lord in your life. The reward is life everlasting in heaven, can't beat that.
2007-10-31 06:27:33 · answer #8 · answered by Pamela V 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
How does altruism make you "selfish"? Okay okay... His Holiness always jokes that bodhisattvas (people who choose to be altruistic, etc. for the benefit of all sentient beings as long/often as they're needed) are selfish because when you're altruistic, compassionate etc. towards others it makes others happy (common sense still applies) and you ultimately reap the reward of happiness by other's being happier.
_()_
2007-10-31 06:04:32 · answer #9 · answered by vinslave 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
For those who may not know, the Golden Rule comes directly from the Bible.
It is found in Matt 7:12.
It is a commendable principle to base your life on, regardless of other beliefs.
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2007-10-31 06:08:58 · answer #10 · answered by Char 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋