| DuncanMcNeil said: "Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians, whoever believes in The God and the Last day and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve." Q-002.062 Certainly that means anyone else is a bad person right? Counting only the followers of christianity, judaism, and islam leaves a fair amount of the population of earth. How evil a person must be to tell everyone else, "sorry, you're going to hell," actually, you can't even be sorry. Despite the fact that in US prisons 70+% of them are religious just like the 70+% of the US, atheists make less than a percent in these prisons and make up many times that in the US. "I began reading a lot of materail including my original major at the University of Theology since I am very interested in Theology. I have read and studied: But have you ever read anything that matters? Something that is real and useful? Something about math, science or history? Something you can use? Obviously a religious person would save lives - but they don't, doctors do - doctors who actually know things. You say the "best one in my opinion" but aren't they all written by god? Shouldn't they all be the same? Unless a different god wrote them all. As you read this, you will begin making rationalizations. Why is there suffering in the world? If it is wrong to torture, why would god let it happen? Why do the marriages of atheists have high success rates, higher than religious people? Certainly they'd be doomed. Why doesn't god heal amputees? You're quoting from your own book to prove the vailidity of it? Religious people have faith in MAN not in GOD. What makes your belief more real than the belief in any extinct god? You can have all the faith in gods and fairies and magic water and heaven and the afterlife.. but I bet you look both ways when you cross the street. The bottom line is this: Either the bible was written by god, or it wasn't. People claim that they get their morality the bible, but the bible is immoral - it is your brain that tells you which parts are immoral. You know, Muhammad did not practice islam, and Jesus was not a christian.
"We shall tell ourselves that it would be very nice if there were a God who created the world and was a benevolent providence and if there were a moral order in the universe and an afterlife, but it is a very striking fact that all this is exactly as we are bound to wish it to be." "Properly read, the Bible is the most potent force for atheism ever conceived." "Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom too?"
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Certainly that means anyone else is a bad person right? Counting only the followers of christianity, judaism, and islam leaves a fair amount of the population of earth. How evil a person must be to tell everyone else, "sorry, you're going to hell," actually, you can't even be sorry. Despite the fact that in US prisons 70+% of them are religious just like the 70+% of the US, atheists make less than a percent in these prisons and make up many times that in the US.
Actually, it says ALL who beleive in God. To me that means a lot more people that those who identify themselves as Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Not knowing the exact number, but there are probably 98% or more of the world's population beleives in a god. To me, from the script I quoted would related to the same God regardless of what the individual believes is the difference between thier belief system and mine. I am not that narrow minded.
I for one never told you you were going to hell. The fact that 70+% of people in prison are religious means nothing. Based on your example it just fits the overall % of the population the US. Same number of people are bad regardless of their beliefs. BTW, athiest are no where near 30% of the US population. If that were true then how the hell did GWBush get re-elected.
But have you ever read anything that matters? Something that is real and useful? Something about math, science or history? Something you can use? Obviously a religious person would save lives - but they don't, doctors do - doctors who actually know things. You say the "best one in my opinion" but aren't they all written by god? Shouldn't they all be the same? Unless a different god wrote them all. As you read this, you will begin making rationalizations.
Have you? I have a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Arizona. I have read novels on non-religious scientific material. I firmly know evolution is how homo sapiens became. I also beleive that God created the rules of the natural order of things and thus created all. Science, logic, and God coexist perfectly, it is the narrowminded people on both sides of the coin, religious and atheist, that cause the problems.
Plenty of religious people save lives. Ghandi for one. It is really pointless to go into detail on that. Also NO all of the religious books were not written by God. That is why they have imperfections and inconsitencies. Such as the two creation stories in Genesis.
Why is there suffering in the world? If it is wrong to torture, why would god let it happen?
God gave all humans free will. What we do with is our choice not God's. Torture is wrong and again free will. How could an all loving God not allow you to make our own choices in life? Then it would be like a dictator and not a loving parent who advises you on what to do and not to, but still lets you fall when you are learning to ride a bike. What you do is on you, not God.
Why do the marriages of atheists have high success rates, higher than religious people? Certainly they'd be doomed.
That is your opinion. I bet studies show that rates are equal for all beleif systems. Just like your poor example of prisoners above.
Why doesn't god heal amputees?
Why does God allow children to be born dead? Why does God allow deafness, blindness, and every other increadibly saddening illness exist? I don't know I am not God. I would bet though it is related to be above answer on free will and not dictating every micro-transaction of DNA and other natural selection that happens in the universe. Maybe its an overall test of humanity to see how we care for fellow man. Maybe God has a sense of humor, after all God leaves you with your logic.
You're quoting from your own book to prove the vailidity of it?
Actaully, I don't think I did that. I specifically stated that I consider myself Muslim by definition, not practice. I in fact don't think any book is 100% valid. Man has corrupted everything from what I can tell. I mearly quoted on passage of the Quran as the center of my belief, that all people who beleive in God, regardless of what they call themselves, and do good things will get rewarded. Don't see how that tries to prove the validity of any book. But, thanks for jumping to conclusions, play again.
Religious people have faith in MAN not in GOD.
If you say so. I believe in a God that created all. I know that Man is weak and that is why God created religion and sacred paths/books. I know that there are plenty of people, like me, who do not need these strict guidlines to be an overall good person and complete God's intent of good will toward all life.
What makes your belief more real than the belief in any extinct god?
This implys that God once existed. Doesn't that go against your ideologies. I believe all faith in God's have the same origin in the one true God.
You can have all the faith in gods and fairies and magic water and heaven and the afterlife.. but I bet you look both ways when you cross the street.
The bottom line is this: Either the bible was written by god, or it wasn't.
It wasn't. It was written by men.
People claim that they get their morality the bible, but the bible is immoral - it is your brain that tells you which parts are immoral.
Morality is in the logic and reasoning that God gaves each of us. Not in some book, however, as I mentioned above too many people are weak and need it in writing and scared into them in order to behave. Just like some children can be told not to do something and just listen, while others need to be spanked.
You know, Muhammad did not practice islam, and Jesus was not a christian.
Jesus, true, Muhammad, not true. Islam is Arabic for 'submission'. In religious sense 'submission to God'. Muhammad did just that. I do beleive that many of the practices by modern mainstream Islam were not followed by Muhammad. Hence the fact that I don't beleive the Quran is pristine.
"We shall tell ourselves that it would be very nice if there were a God who created the world and was a benevolent providence and if there were a moral order in the universe and an afterlife, but it is a very striking fact that all this is exactly as we are bound to wish it to be."
Nice quote. Guess we will eventually find out. Either way, what you believe doesn't affect me and so on.
"Properly read, the Bible is the most potent force for atheism ever conceived."
Unfortunately the Bible is horrendous and increadibly inconsistent as well as self destructive. But, the simple ideas it protrays still make sense. Believe in God and be good to eachother.
"Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom too?"
What's wrong with fairies. What did they piss in your cereal.
