Zone1 No Wonder Why I Had Doubts In God's Existence Before

[Blues Man]

I'm naturally predisposed to be happy I guess.

Your mythology has nothing to do with it.

Organized religion has killed more people than cancer, which it strongly resembles with it's tendency to spread and corrupt.

Personally just opening my eyes every morning makes me happy

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Without listing things that make you happy, why are you happy? Picture a time of no kids or girlfriend, no coffee, no Porsche, daylilies, or cat. Would you still be happy, or is your happiness only skin deep and your happiness depends on things.

So you consider love for family to be only "skin deep".

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Personally just opening my eyes every morning makes me happy

While I agree with this, if I were to lose all of my family I am not sure I would be happy for quite a while.

 

[Blues Man]

While I agree with this, if I were to lose all of my family I am not sure I would be happy for quite a while.

True.

If I ever lost my wife I don't know what I would do.

 

[Crepitus]

Personally just opening my eyes every morning makes me happy

It's as good a reason as any. "another day on the right side of the dirt" my father says.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

True.

If I ever lost my wife I don't know what I would do.

It is a tad shocking this poster thinks love for a family is only skin deep.

 

[Meriweather]

One has to wonder/worry about people that are only good people due to the belief they will be punished for eternity if they are not

Most people of faith have a very different perspective. From almost the beginning we became a broken people and therefore bring that brokenness into everyone's lives. Our faith in God is that He can still work with all this brokenness and bring healing and goodness from it. The belief is that God is at work with the here and now.

This is the belief of Jews, it is the belief of Catholics and Orthodox. But along the way, denominations broke away from Catholicism and came up with the idea that faith and God are all about the afterlife. They say if one simply believes that Jesus is savior, then one spends an eternity in heaven. If one does not believe Jesus is savior...then suffer for eternity.

Working with God to heal the brokenness in oneself and in one's present life is so different from putting it off until after death. So, if you don't think you are good enough or that your life is not good enough, come join the rest of us. It can be better, and here on earth without having to wait for heaven.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Most people of faith have a very different perspective. From almost the beginning we became a broken people and therefore bring that brokenness into everyone's lives. Our faith in God is that He can still work with all this brokenness and bring healing and goodness from it. The belief is that God is at work with the here and now.

This is the belief of Jews, it is the belief of Catholics and Orthodox. But along the way, denominations broke away from Catholicism and came up with the idea that faith and God are all about the afterlife. They say if one simply believes that Jesus is savior, then one spends an eternity in heaven. If one does not believe Jesus is savior...then suffer for eternity.

Working with God to heal the brokenness in oneself and in one's present life is so different from putting it off until after death. So, if you don't think you are good enough or that your life is not good enough, come join the rest of us. It can be better, and here on earth without having to wait for heaven.

In the end you are still doing good because of your God and not because it is the right thing to do.

I have been a part of you, in the end I found it wanting as your group does not live up to its words

 

[Meriweather]

I'm naturally predisposed to be happy I guess.

Your mythology has nothing to do with it.

Yes, I believe that I am also naturally predisposed to be happy, optimistic natures generally are. But here is where we differ. I feel no need to scoff and put down the beliefs of others. Throughout this thread you have been taking shots. Is that a sign or a trait of a truly happy person? Or, is something bothering you.

Second, mythologies are stories about gods who care primarily about their own existence, not about human existence. The difference between three major religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) is that God cares about our lives and loves us. He guides and teaches us wisdom to live in chaotic lives and a chaotic world. Now, you may not believe in God, but I am fairly certain your way of living was shaped by people who did find, if not God, then the wisdom of people who somewhere in your ancestry believed in God, or perhaps merely found that this wisdom works.

I've always loved mythologies--and I also study faith. There are differences.

Organized religion has killed more people than cancer, which it strongly resembles with it's tendency to spread and corrupt.

The same can be said of atheism, but here is the bottom line: It is power and greed that is the true corrupter, and that is everywhere. It is in government, primarily, it is with those who are wealthy and powerful, but yet want still more wealth and power. It is within atheism, and yes, it is also within religion. Wherever one finds people, one finds this greed for more power, more wealth.

Don't follow those people. In all of the above, there are also people who find more peace and contentment in wisdom. Pay attention to them, no matter where they are found. Even if they are found in a Mosque, Temple, Synagogue, or (gasp) Church.

 

[Meriweather]

So you consider love for family to be only "skin deep".

Not sure how you jumped to that conclusion, but why are you asking a rhetorical question?

 

[Meriweather]

In the end you are still doing good because of your God and not because it is the right thing to do.

True, I don't do it because it is the right thing to do--I do it because it is the best thing to do, the best way of living this life. While God has pointed me in this direction and this wisdom, I don't do it because of God, I do it because of me and the people I love--and the people I meet in every day life and every day situations.

I have been a part of you, in the end I found it wanting as your group does not live up to its words

Again, true. We are not a perfect people, we are a broken people. That includes me. It has never occurred to me that because others sometimes fail, and I sometimes fail, I should drop out. Never been much of a quitter. I am guessing you never played sports? Walking off the field because other teammates are stumbling that game just never seemed right. Giving them a little extra support and encouragement seemed the better option.

 

[Blues Man]

True, I don't do it because it is the right thing to do--I do it because it is the best thing to do, the best way of living this life. While God has pointed me in this direction and this wisdom, I don't do it because of God, I do it because of me and the people I love--and the people I meet in every day life and every day situations.



Again, true. We are not a perfect people, we are a broken people. That includes me. It has never occurred to me that because others sometimes fail, and I sometimes fail, I should drop out. Never been much of a quitter. I am guessing you never played sports? Walking off the field because other teammates are stumbling that game just never seemed right. Giving them a little extra support and encouragement seemed the better option.

except that religion is not a team sport.

Religion is the quest for individual salvation so you can exist forever. You are not responsible for the salvation of other people because you can't be lifted to that authority.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Not sure how you jumped to that conclusion, but why are you asking a rhetorical question?

Because you said this in response to someone who said their family brings them happiness ....or is your happiness only skin deep and your happiness depends on things.

I am not asking a rhetorical question, I am asking you about the words you posted on this forum.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

True, I don't do it because it is the right thing to do--I do it because it is the best thing to do, the best way of living this life. While God has pointed me in this direction and this wisdom, I don't do it because of God, I do it because of me and the people I love--and the people I meet in every day life and every day situations.

In the end you are saying you would not know what the right or best thing to do was if not for God. Do you need a God to tell you to treat people how you want to be treated?

Again, true. We are not a perfect people, we are a broken people. That includes me. It has never occurred to me that because others sometimes fail, and I sometimes fail, I should drop out. Never been much of a quitter. I am guessing you never played sports? Walking off the field because other teammates are stumbling that game just never seemed right. Giving them a little extra support and encouragement seemed the better option.

You call it dropping out or quitting. I view it about the same as when I quit smoking, yes I am a quitter. I left behind that which was bad for me.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

One has to wonder/worry about people that are only good people due to the belief they will be punished for eternity if they are not

Which isn't really happening. They dont get their morality from their book of myths. They get it generally from when and where they were born.

They then retrofit their morality to their book of myths, because it's a necessary step. But it's just a dog and pony show.

 

[Meriweather]

Because you said this in response to someone who said their family brings them happiness

The post was about kids or being with his kids make him happy. What about before having kids? What about after kids leave home? What about when one is not with his/her kids? The point being, does happiness depend on kids or being with one's kids? Or, are people still happy?

 

[Meriweather]

In the end you are saying...

No, that is not what I am saying.

 

[Meriweather]

I left behind that which was bad for me.

What made it bad for you?

 

[Harpy Eagle]

The post was about kids or being with his kids make him happy. What about before having kids? What about after kids leave home? What about when one is not with his/her kids? The point being, does happiness depend on kids or being with one's kids? Or, are people still happy?

You asked him what made him happy. He gave you an answer.

For most people what makes us happy changes during our lifetime.

I was happy before having kids, but now that I have them they make me happy. Even now that my kids are grown and out of the house, just knowing they exist makes me me happy.

The implication that one needs a god to be happy is even weirder than the idea one needs god to be a good person.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

What made it bad for you?

The people. They were fake and did not care about anyone but themselves. When we left the church 95% of our social circle was tied to the church, it was not easy to walk away from. What made it even worse is out of the 30 or so people that we considered good friends and spent much time with, only 1 stayed that way after we left that church. The rest treated us as if we had just shot their dog while burning down their house. That is what cemented for us it was the right decision.