[cont]

The reason I think life is worth living is that people do have something like a “soul”. It’s not immortal – it dies with your brain. But it can be moved and shaken in delightful or disturbing ways by external stimuli, or through the machinations of its own thoughts, and it can be perceived by others. The Western canon since about the 15th century is pretty much wholly taken up with identifying a secular framework for life’s meaning and ethics. I’m not enough of an expert on it to explain how this is the case. But basically all I’ve ever really learnt is that life is a journey, and all you have to do is to spend it doing something you think is worthwhile, and stop doing the things you don’t, stay curious and keep learning and pushing yourself, surround yourself and interact with people you like, shut out people you dislike only after giving them a fair go, be judicious about what (or whether) you contribute to the next generation, cultivate your methods of escapism because you can’t be good all the time, and if existential angst takes you over, go visit a graveyard, read the gravestones of people you didn’t know when they were alive, and whose souls have died, and realise that’s all you’ll be if you top yourself. Might as well stick around until it’s over, because it will be, sooner than you think.

Do all of the above, and you’ll quickly find that religion provides insufficient sustenance for your soul. And if it does, try harder, because it's the easy way out. Still, I'm happy for people to make up their own minds.

Sam Jandwich,

Thanks for that....most uplifting : )

The foolishness that comes from those who deny their Creator shows itself every time they open their mouths and deny the obvious. No wonder our loony bins are full of confused messed up people. The faith in mankind can only lead to delusion. Look at the messed up lives of the High Priests who preach their outward self righteousness in order to mask the greed, unfaithfulness and envy in their hearts. Thankfully it is the messed up, the broken and humble who find peace through the forgiveness of sin and the mercy shown by God. The self righteous will continue on their road of destruction trying to convince others that they have answers. Their faith defies belief.

That's unfair, runner.

>>Look at the messed up lives of the High Priests who preach their outward self righteousness in order to mask the greed, unfaithfulness and envy in their hearts.<<

Not all priests are like that. Some of them work in poor parishes, with very little by way of the overt finery that some churches flaunt in front of their congregation. Very few, as a percentage of the population, actually molest choirboys. And many do actually continue as priests despite their obvious envy of those who are able to conduct normal lives.

It may seem a "messed-up life" to you. But they chose to do it. And a few do actually feel that they are doing good, I am told.

Altogether very uncharitable and judgemental of you.

"perhaps we should concentrate on the concept of God. Things can exist as a concept - yes?"

Yes, without a doubt, Poirot, not only do they exist, but in fact there are many different concepts of God, not just one.

Yet why should we bother about them? - concepts are ephemeral, and as such, dull, monotonous and pointless.

My love and devotion is towards God, not towards a concept.

Yuyutsu,

Your love and devotion is toward "your concept" of God.

If you didn't first hold the concept, you would be unable to project love and devotion (or anything) toward God.