Questions asked by Athiests that I can't really come up with a good answer for.

[Soulsearcher]

I do kinda take exception with the idea lose or don't have faith because they fear gods punishment and such. I don't have faith because although I've searched and tried i have just never found anything to have faith in. The idea of escaping punishment never crossed my mind because god is either there or not, if he's there and i don't believe i'm still in as much trouble as if i believed in him and lived my life like i do. I won't deny he might exist, but that being said i'm not sure i'd agree with how he's thought of by the masses.

[Blackmarch]

Well all know that we can't prove God, but we also can't prove a lot of scientific theories because they weren't witnessed by humans.

A main question I can't really answer is "Are you making your choices because you believe that they are the right ones or are you more or less trying to suck up to God for your own personal benefit?"

I'd be very tempted to tell them i'm a very selfish bleep, and try to suck up to god all i can.... and that they'd better be thankful that I believe the God that i do.

If you think about it, if there was no God, would you still have the same morales and lifestyle. I know a lot of people that don't believe in God because they are involved in sinful actions that they don't want to accept responsibility for, but other than telling them they should do things that the lord asks, why should we tell them that certain things are wrong, and why do they have to believe in God to know what is right and wrong?

If there was no God would I have the same styles and virtues.. I doubt it however there is one principle that the LDS have that is worth beans, even if there is no God: the Deification/Exaltation of man... dunno if that would be enough incentive to make me keep the same lifestyle tho.

Without God there is not much reason to hang on to the lifestyle beyond a few points.

[Traveler]

Well all know that we can't prove God, but we also can't prove a lot of scientific theories because they weren't witnessed by humans.

A main question I can't really answer is "Are you making your choices because you believe that they are the right ones or are you more or less trying to suck up to God for your own personal benefit?"

If you think about it, if there was no God, would you still have the same morales and lifestyle. I know a lot of people that don't believe in God because they are involved in sinful actions that they don't want to accept responsibility for, but other than telling them they should do things that the lord asks, why should we tell them that certain things are wrong, and why do they have to believe in God to know what is right and wrong?

According to LDS theology the fall is part of G-d's plan of slavation. Because of the fall we are seperated from the society of the Father (where evil and sin cannot abide). Thus we can experience the good from the evil while living in a state of uncertanity and faith. We believe that in this state we will exercise "agency" and that which we are and have been from the beginning is made manifest.

That is the test of this life. Not to prove to G-d, because he knows but to demonstrate and learn for ourselves what we desire most in our heart. And so in the end we will be what we desire most in our heart.

The Traveler

[Guest Godless]

We're talking about atheists, not Communists.

[Wingnut]

Well all know that we can't prove God, but we also can't prove a lot of scientific theories because they weren't witnessed by humans.

"Proof" is not defined as "someone saw it." I can walk outside, say the sky is blue, and it's true, but that doesn't mean that I've proven it. It's simply my perception. Science can and does prove it.

If you weren't religious would that change your lifestyles?

For me, yes. I'd probably be an alcoholic. I might also be a single mom, at least once.

If you answered yes are you saying that you are doing the things you do to please God or because you believe it is right personally?

No. I'm saying that I could be different because, while I might have a general sense of morality and ethics still, I wouldn't have specific guidelines to keep within. I know that God has given us certain commandments for our own good, and I choose to follow them because I love Him, not simply to please Him.

[HiJolly]

We're talking about atheists, not Communists.

Lol.

You've got to admit when you've got the former USSR & China as the world's largest communist nations who ALSO were athiestic regimes, well, what are people supposed to think?

HiJolly

[Guest Godless]

One of history's most notorious genocidal dictators was a Catholic (level of devotion is open for speculation). You can't judge an entire demographic of the world's population by its bad apples.

[HiJolly]

One of history's most notorious genocidal dictators was a Catholic (level of devotion is open for speculation). You can't judge an entire demographic of the world's population by its bad apples.

Sure you can. It may not be logically justifiable, but seriously, it can and does happen all the time.

HiJolly

[Guest Godless]

Lol, point taken.

[MormonMama]

I think everyone is kind of missing my point. If you weren't religious would that change your lifestyles? If you answered yes are you saying that you are doing the things you do to please God or because you believe it is right personally?

I can't answer the question as to how I would be if I wasn't religious at all. Religion has always been part of my life in one way or another, so I really don't know how I would act because I have no frame of reference. I'd like to think I would still be a basically good person.

However, if I was not Mormon and didn't have the understanding of God as my loving Heavenly Father, as a real being whose daughter I am (as opposed to just a creation, little different than any other creation, as I know some people believe), then I have no doubt I'd live a more immoral life than I do now, namely because I did live a more immoral life before I joined the Church.

I live as I do because I understand and know God as my Father. I am His daughter and he loves me. Knowing that, I live as I do because I love Him and want to make Him happy and proud of me. I want to return to Him and see Him smiling when I do.

Before I had this knowledge, God was an abstract and uncaring being to me. I didn't see Him as a person, and certainly not as a father. He was only the being who would punish me for doing things that were wrong, but what, exactly, does "wrong" mean? The world's definition of wrong can vary widely, and I grew up very confused about what was and wasn't okay in God's eyes. Truthfully, I spent most of my early life afraid of God and that fear made me feel rebellious. I would go back and forth between doing things I thought were right because I was afraid of punishment, and doing things I believed were wrong because that fear made me angry and I wanted to lash out at this uncaring, vengeful being.

(Disclaimer: I know many non-Mormons who believe that God is their father and they love Him as such, so I don't mean to imply that the LDS Church corners the market on that belief. I'm strictly speaking from my personal experience.)

Now I know differently, so now I try to live righteously not because I'm afraid of any punishment, but because I want my Heavenly Father to never have a reason to look on me with disappointment. I don't want to break His heart and doing so would break my own.

[Traveler]

One of history's most notorious genocidal dictators was a Catholic (level of devotion is open for speculation). You can't judge an entire demographic of the world's population by its bad apples.

I think we can understand a lot about the thinking and enlightenment during a era based on how others responded during the time frame in question. I find it interesting that Jesus pointed out that a desire to murder or to allow murder is the indication of someone serving the "father of lies".

Those that tout traditional Christianity must shair in some of the responsibility of those traditions - as with other traditions throughout history that were allowed and even encouraged.

The Traveler

[Seminarysnoozer]

Well all know that we can't prove God, but we also can't prove a lot of scientific theories because they weren't witnessed by humans.

A main question I can't really answer is "Are you making your choices because you believe that they are the right ones or are you more or less trying to suck up to God for your own personal benefit?"

If you think about it, if there was no God, would you still have the same morales and lifestyle. I know a lot of people that don't believe in God because they are involved in sinful actions that they don't want to accept responsibility for, but other than telling them they should do things that the lord asks, why should we tell them that certain things are wrong, and why do they have to believe in God to know what is right and wrong?

The response should be something along the lines of, We believe in God because we know that to learn Faith in the Lord is one of the reasons we are here.

All of us have had to have faith in someone along the course of our life to grow and learn. If we did not we would all have to prove every concept to ourselves at the start and never be able to build on our learning. In other words, man would still be caveman if nobody had faith in anything.

If the elementary school teacher says, "These are the primary colors, red, yellow and blue" and a child says "prove it", she might respond with "well the primary colors can be used to make other colors", then the response is again "prove it". After a while the elementary school teacher would likely get frustrated with that kind of attitude and say, "prove it for yourself". But if that child really doubted everything then he would have to first learn how to gather pigments, to make paint or colors or light, because how does he know that the paint was made properly if he didn't do it himself and figure out how to make it himself. And to gather the pigment he would first have to learn about the source of all the colors we have available such as extracting pigment from red ochre. And then how to make the binder and the solvent, etc. And this can go on and on until nothing is learned, because we can't learn it all by ourselves in one lifetime. So, faith in the teacher, or parents or others is practiced in everybody.

So, if someone does not believe in God, they are automatically saying that they can only have faith in man but not in God. This is our test, to prove who we have faith in, it is mostly one or the other, because everybody expresses some amount of faith in the course of their lives. We believe in God because we believe we are supposed to live in faith, one of the reasons is that is the fastest way to learn.

Edited January 31, 2011 by Seminarysnoozer
typo

[Dravin]

Science can and does prove it.

Argueably science doesn't prove things true it says, "After all of our attempts to falsify our hypothesis we have failed to do so and shall accept said hypothesis as representing reality until such time that it is falisfied."

[Backroads]

Argueably science doesn't prove things true it says, "After all of our attempts to falsify our hypothesis we have failed to do so and shall accept said hypothesis as representing reality until such time that it is falisfied."

What you said is what I think can be most effective against the argument of some atheists that claim science has proven God does not exist.

I think any logical thinker would agree. They might not like it, but most scientific research methods leave little space for proving/disproving anything spiritual.

[bert10]

The answer is not who or what we say we are but what we are and do. Do not be deceived our fruits reveal all things about us and GOD can read us like a book.

1. There are Atheists who deny GOD with their mouths but they love their neighbors like themselves.

2. There are many Christians who confess GOD with their mouths and are far away from GOD in their hearts.

3. And there are those who confess GOD with their Mouths and have invited Him in their hearts. And live according to His will.

bert10

Well all know that we can't prove God, but we also can't prove a lot of scientific theories because they weren't witnessed by humans.

A main question I can't really answer is "Are you making your choices because you believe that they are the right ones or are you more or less trying to suck up to God for your own personal benefit?"

If you think about it, if there was no God, would you still have the same morales and lifestyle. I know a lot of people that don't believe in God because they are involved in sinful actions that they don't want to accept responsibility for, but other than telling them they should do things that the lord asks, why should we tell them that certain things are wrong, and why do they have to believe in God to know what is right and wrong?

Edited February 1, 2011 by bert10