Begging for response.

[Columcille]

Originally Posted by GiGi

Now you're being silly. The contributions of any man to society is eternally meaningless for the christian.

Your explanation of Pascal's wager encourages god-shopping. You argue that I should pick your god because the myth includes the threat of hell-fire.

Sure, go god shopping by all means.

No, I am not being silly. There is no soul for the athiest, nor is there divine retribution or justice. A man who is abusive to slaves and lives to be 110 years and dies in peace is no different than a child who dies by accident at age 10. All contributions to human society are lost when the person dies, and we know eventually that the sun will burn out and the human race will eventually die off, maybe not in a billion years, maybe in only a few decades if you believe in global warming. It matters not how much time you place on it, the living reality of an athiest is only in the present. Any contributions he makes is temporal and not of eternal consequence.

[GiGi]

Originally Posted by Columcille

Sure, go god shopping by all means.

No, I am not being silly. There is no soul for the athiest, nor is there divine retribution or justice. A man who is abusive to slaves and lives to be 110 years and dies in peace is no different than a child who dies by accident at age 10. All contributions to human society are lost when the person dies, and we know eventually that the sun will burn out and the human race will eventually die off, maybe not in a billion years, maybe in only a few decades if you believe in global warming. It matters not how much time you place on it, the living reality of an athiest is only in the present. Any contributions he makes is temporal and not of eternal consequence.

No thanks. God-shopping is for people that are able to choose a religious belief. That is something I can't do, anymore than I can choose to believe that a black cat is bad luck, or that the 'evil-eye' can hurt me.
There is no soul for the atheist, or the theist. There is no divine retribution. What happens here stays here.
Every action has long reaching consequences. That defiant child that you are kind to today, may become tomorrows peacemaker as a result of your kindness. The drunk driver that takes the life of the 10 year old you mentioned may have delayed the discovery of a cure for AIDS by robbing us of the life of a man who would make that contribution. Perhaps the planet will explode, or drift away from the sun. In the meantime, we would do well to remember that our actions, our words, every breath we take will have a lasting effect.

[Columcille]

Originally Posted by GiGi

No thanks. God-shopping is for people that are able to choose a religious belief. That is something I can't do, anymore than I can choose to believe that a black cat is bad luck, or that the 'evil-eye' can hurt me.
There is no soul for the atheist, or the theist. There is no divine retribution. What happens here stays here.
Every action has long reaching consequences. That defiant child that you are kind to today, may become tomorrows peacemaker as a result of your kindness. The drunk driver that takes the life of the 10 year old you mentioned may have delayed the discovery of a cure for AIDS by robbing us of the life of a man who would make that contribution. Perhaps the planet will explode, or drift away from the sun. In the meantime, we would do well to remember that our actions, our words, every breath we take will have a lasting effect.

LOL. Bet you don't see within your comments the contradictions.

[Austin Canes]

Originally Posted by Columcille

LOL. Bet you don't see within your comments the contradictions.

We SHOULD see something less than 'perfect' consistency in ANY human being (surely including ourselves). Why? Because we ARE HUMAN.

If I went back ANYWHERE and decided that I was here to find some inconsistency/conflict in what you've said or said you believed... I most likely could do it.

And not that you would not "defend" what you believe (as well as others), but that the value (in my belief/opinion) is found in how we handle others, where we see what is human.

You see, we only touch-upon or glance off of 'perfection' (outside of Christ's grace and mercy); we are SURELY NOT the source of any particular perfect thing(s), we are merely a conduit for such perfection. Love is the most perfect component of Christ's love... which we are capable of transmitting or conveying; but it is the most powerful eternal gift we've been afforded (despite religion itself). It's not always easy and it is not merely a feeling; living with it as a 'purpose' proves that to you, as well as motivates you in the same.

The problem with many and how they promote their beliefs, is that they believe and or think religious rules/law are "love". No, love is a VERB not sets of beliefs or words which we place beside 'religion', like some people place items on a shelf (often to collect dust and ultimately become meaningless.

Love is ALIVE and does not exist on a page in a book; and that is why actions speak consistently louder than mere words. You see, a lot of Christians (throughout time) have measure themselves and others using 'religion' (rules, regulations, words)... when all the while (in reality), God and other people have measure their actions and the "effects" of the words they use. That is how the world is affected and actualized overall.

The Bible and other religious books/writings are awesome; but in the hands/mind of various "humans"... they can either be very good or incredibly terrible. For many who are about 'religion'... "LOVE" (1Corintinans 13) certainly is lacking or missing altogether; and I for one, am not drawn to anything like that (it is so often fear, abuse and hatred just waiting to be unleashed).

[GiGi]

Originally Posted by Columcille

LOL. Bet you don't see within your comments the contradictions.

If you've seen contradictions, I'm sure you would have pointed them out.
I spoke of personal responsibility, human kindness, long term consequences in the real world, without personal, post-mortem reward or punishment.