MAYBE

I am happy too

Belief in God sets one free and gives a person something other than self gratification to strive for

romansh

you continue to presume much about me and I suspect others

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There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened. ........... Douglas Adams

Astreja

I see nothing whatsoever wrong with self-gratification, on the sole condition that one does not exploit or otherwise injure other sentient beings in the achievement of that gratification.

In My opinion, self-negation and acquiescence to the will of other beings leaves you with no life at all.

MAYBE

you suspect others of what?

romansh

you continue to presume much about me and, I suspect, others

__________________
There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened. ........... Douglas Adams

MAYBE

oh

Skepticologist

The only thing "higher than themselves" I believe people need to believe in is an inherent interest in perpetuating the human species. If you consider it carefully, that's at the root of all religious and other moral codes that have been developed.

All the accountability I need is a consideration of whether my actions tend to perpetuate or threaten the species of which I'm a member. That doesn't always square with the iterations of the basic principle that people have developed through the centuries, but it gets to the essence of the matter.

Once you take it further and adopt some conception of a supreme being with its promises of pie in the sky bye and bye, whether it entails pearly gates and streets of gold or 70 sumptuous brown-eyed virgins, you've partaken in what Freud described as "the opiate of the masses".

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"I am an agnostic; I do not pretend to know what many ignorant men are sure of."

Clarence Darrow

greywolf90

everyone who believes god exists has a unique concept of what that god is (such as christianity and islam). the way i see it is that the stronger belief a person has that their version of god is right, the more likely that person is to fight others who say that they are wrong. this is something you think the world needs more of? i say that what the world needs more of is compassion, tolerance, and understanding of people with different beleifs.

duck

What gives anybody the right to tell me that I am not a good person?

I'm glad you are happy with your little social and spiritual belief system, but one must understand that there is nothing that has been truly discovered more powerful than the human spirit. I am more and more convinced that the concept of omniscience has been fostered to contain and limit that spirit instead of setting it free for the glory of humanity.

In the meantime....








(Darn it! We don't have a popcorn/drama smiley?)

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Religion: The ultimate definition of verisimilitude

MAYBE

only God knows what is truly good and bad

we can only guesstimate on this issue when we attempt to elimate him from the equation