Parents who force their children into religion?

seven-day-weekend

Person_one wrote: »

How you feel about other people's gods is how I feel about your god.

Fine . That's your choice.

Person_one

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Fine . That's your choice.

Well, no its not.

I could no more choose to believe in your god than you could choose to believe in Vishnu or, I don't know, borrowers living in your house.

seven-day-weekend

Person_one wrote: »

Well, no its not.

I could no more choose to believe in your god than you could choose to believe in Vishnu or, I don't know, borrowers living in your house.

But I haven't always believed. I was an atheist until I was 30. You never know what might happen.

Person_one

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

But I haven't always believed. I was an atheist until I was 30. You never know what might happen.

Did you just make a simple choice at 30? I expect not.

Could you choose to believe in Vishnu or the borrowers?

seven-day-weekend

Person_one wrote: »

Did you just make a simple choice at 30? I expect not.

Could you choose to believe in Vishnu or the borrowers?

I asked God to reveal himself to me and he did so. It was not Vishnu or the borrowers who answered.

(It was not anywhere near as simple a that, but that's a long story short).

Cloudydaze

Mojisola wrote: »

I find it hard to understand the people who believe that unless someone accepts God into their life, they will not go to heaven, however good a life they lead.

This is what I struggle with as well. I also wonder at what point does God decide that we have been given enough chances to believe.

I take it God wouldn't condemn a baby who dies to hell even though they are incapable of believing. What about a 7 yr old? Or maybe its once you are legally an adult?

I'm 40 and I'm an atheist. I don't have 'faith' because nothing has convinced me of an existence of a God. If God exists and he made me, why has he made it so difficult for me to believe? Doesn't he like me? Does he want me to go to hell?

VestanPance

chewmylegoff wrote: »

You didn't notice Dawkins' book 'the god delusion' then? A diatribe from start to finish basically sneering at religion and how stupid it is, ...

That's because it is stupid. Worshipping anyone/anything is bad enough, but add to that worshipping something based on "belief" as there is no factual evidence to back it up is at its core intellectually stupid.

Mojisola

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

I asked God to reveal himself to me and he did so. It was not Vishnu or the borrowers who answered.

(It was not anywhere near as simple a that, but that's a long story short).

And that's the way you live your life - I have no problem with people believing in God (whatever they call him/her/them).

I know plenty of people who live good lives and get great comfort and support from their belief in a range of gods. That's the way of life they have chosen and it's nothing to do with me. I don't tell them they're wrong and they don't tell me I'm wrong.

The issue is not with individuals but the organisations which do have an influence on the lives of everyone in the country. Our beliefs should be a private matter that affects how we choose to live our lives. National issues like lawmaking and education should be secular.

Rowingirl

Mojisola wrote: »

I find it hard to understand the people who believe that unless someone accepts God into their life, they will not go to heaven, however good a life they lead.

It strikes me that someone who lives a good life because that's the morally right way to live, not because there is the promise of a reward in the afterlife, is a better person than the person whose behaviour is modified by the reward to come.

It's this sentiment that frustrates my OH more than anything as he feels that his eldest brother is a 'better' person in his parents' eyes because of shared religious beliefs rather than because of behaviour. They still hope OH will come back to the church and may even believe that it will happen one day. If going to heaven was based solely on behaviour than OH would have a greater claim for the access code to heaven's gate than his brother.
For me the most frustrating thing is the belief that people who don't believe in creationism or intelligent design have a very one-dimensional and grey view of the world. I can't imagine anything more incredible & amazing than the evolution of animals, plants, cells & genes into the current variety & abundance of life on Earth.

seven-day-weekend

Rowingirl wrote: »

It's this sentiment that frustrates my OH more than anything as he feels that his eldest brother is a 'better' person in his parents' eyes because of shared religious beliefs rather than because of behaviour. They still hope OH will come back to the church and may even believe that it will happen one day. If going to heaven was based solely on behaviour than OH would have a greater claim for the access code to heaven's gate than his brother.
For me the most frustrating thing is the belief that people who don't believe in creationism or intelligent design have a very one-dimensional and grey view of the world. I can't imagine anything more incredible & amazing than the evolution of animals, plants, cells & genes into the current variety & abundance of life on Earth.

I do believe in evolution and I too think the variety of the natural world is amazing and wonderful.

I also believe in a Creator God.

The two have never been incompatible to me, ever since I became a Christian. How I see it is God created the original raw material with all the physical laws, and bingo! off it goes.