how can you live your life when you dont know what will happen to you after you die. when you die what will you say when you see that there is a heaven? hell is not a place you want to go. its not to late to change. God does love you no matter what you have done.
2007-12-06 11:05:51 · 45 answers · asked by Dennis 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
They have to try real hard and ignore the fact God is real.
2007-12-06 11:08:56 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 5⤋
It's quite easy, I look for evidence that the Bible is a trustworthy source of information about God, Creation: no evidence; the Flood: no evidence; The Exodus: no evidence; etc. Try the same with Jesus, and about the best thing that can be said is that it would not be surprising if he had existed.
Take a look at modern miracles, still no amputees have ever regained a limb, and prayer is shown to have an adverse effect on terminally ill patients.
Edit:
The statement you made is a variation of Pascal's wager and has been around for several hundred years, and is daily posted here in several different forms. Think about what you asked about regretting not believing in God after you die, but realize that there are literally 1000's of gods that might be right and you could be just as sorry for not believing in one of them.
By the way atheism originated in Greece, and not the Abrahamic areas. Buddhism is essentially a godless religion.
2007-12-06 11:12:16 · answer #2 · answered by Pirate AM™ 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This is Pascal's Wager.
You can read about it here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal's_Wager
My response is to look at Hell. Forget a loving god, what kind of JUST god would send someone to an eternity of pain and suffering, no matter what your crime? Even if you live to be 103 and spend the entire time raping, murdering, and proclaiming disbelief in god, that's still only 103 years compared to an eternity. It calls the whole model of Hell into question. I don't buy it, no way no how. The likelihood of that being true are about as high as a camel passing through the needle of an eye. Even if it is true, then I would not worship a god which sends people to such a place.
2007-12-06 11:17:39 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Well, when I look at all the religions of the world and find there is little or no consensus among them, it occurs to me that "god" is something that varies according to a person's environment. A close look at the so-called "word of God" from the world's religions shows that you pretty much have to choose one, because they are all mutually exclusive. You can't believe both Jesus and Muhammad. You can't be a Hindu and a Jehovah's Witness. And you sure can't find common ground among them. So I figure God is a figment of people's imaginations, because if he was really there, in any way that any of these religions say he is, there would be some consensus among believers. But they're at each others' throats. Each one calling the other one at best deceived, or in most cases, the devil. I can believe that there is a higher reality than we can perceive here and now, but I don't think any of the world's religions have it right. So, in light of all that, it's easy for me to believe that there is no god. Not in any way that any religion portrays him. But I bet if there is a god, he doesn't want us waterboarding each other.
2007-12-06 11:18:38 · answer #4 · answered by J Maime 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Free will. Your spirit is yours. What you do with it is up to you. If you like the concept of GOD and it makes your life more full...that is great thing for you. Concentration on being a good human being should be the universal goal for all of us...why not? Worrying about what will happen when you die is a pointless as watching rust develop on a nail that is exposed to the elements outside...you know they are both goign to happen. You can always pull a rusty nail in time when it goes bad, however you are only given one mind and body...use it wisely...Be careful what you feed it...
2007-12-06 11:20:29 · answer #5 · answered by DWInSTL 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How do you not believe in unicorns?
I'm OK with not knowing what will happen to me after I die. I suspect it will be a lot like what it was before I was born.
Besides, if you follow a particular religion, given all the religions that exist and have ever existed, it seems that you have a much less than 1% chance of being right.
2007-12-06 11:13:40 · answer #6 · answered by skeptic 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Shut up! I am so freaking tired of such ridiculous wastes of space.
It is so annoying to have such stupid statements thrown at you.
I swear every time I read these kind of statements a part of me wishes that when you die, you find out you had been worshiping the wrong god after all. I wouldnt care if there turned out to be a hell/heaven. I think it would be more about the satisfaction I would derieve in all those people thinking thier faith was right, finding out it was wrong.
Oh how joyous it would be just to have you in hell with me.
2007-12-06 11:11:03 · answer #7 · answered by Vampie 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
it's easy.
jeez, god sure does have some lousy advertising these days. preaching about hell to the 'unconverted' is not a great call sign. you know, you tempt flies with honey, not vinegar.
i don't believe. and knowing that i've only got ONE life to make my mark means that i likely strive harder and live / love larger as well.
being female, i'm also highly offended that we allegedly did some original wrong. jeez, what a way to keep half the population in check.
i don't believe in god, or life after death. i'm happy and comfortable making the most and best of my life and not reaching out for some larger truth and having my life revolve around an outdated fictional book which doesn't mention atoms, dinosaurs or bacteria.
this doesn't make me evil. it makes me responsible for MYSELF.
if there is a god, i'm sure she'll forgive me for not believing in her when the time comes.
2007-12-06 14:35:49 · answer #8 · answered by loving30 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Anthropologists have found virtually no cultures lacking gods, except some that fall under the control of the Abrahamic systems (Jewish, Muslim, and Christian). Atheism is a product of the Abrahamic faiths, for it never existed in any significant way until the god of Abraham was exalted. This is something that Jews, Christians, and Muslims ought to address.
2007-12-06 11:12:57 · answer #9 · answered by Mandy 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Because God gave us free will. We can choose whether or not to believe in Him. He had to know not everyone would believe and there has to be a reason He chose to make us with minds to think with for ourselves and hearts to feel for others. He could have just created mindless drones but instead he made us this way. Was it a gift or was it a curse?
2007-12-06 11:55:32 · answer #10 · answered by BJMallory 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have trouble believing in something that has no documented proof
kinda dumb to live your life by a set of rules that may get you into some mystical place with again, no documented proof
that's why you should live your life how you want, because when you die, your done
2007-12-06 11:10:30 · answer #11 · answered by Go Blue 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋