...Continued

<<Your little bit of candy that you insist on sucking here on earth is not worth the price.>>

I find it extremely offensive that you assume I’m indulging in something immoral. My lack of belief comes not from what I want to do, but from the fact that there is absolutely no evidence for any of the religions of the world.

<<Your blame shifting of responsibility from yourself onto God might make you feel a little better but is really quite pathetic.>>

It’s like Epicurus said:

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?

But like I said before, an all-knowing God who creates humans knowing full-well that they’ll fail is ultimately responsible for those failures.

My point still stands.

<<Your puny little fist shaking at the Creator of the Universe would be funny if it was not so sad.>>

How can someone shake their fists at something they don’t believe exists?

Anyway, thanks for the response, Runner. At least you had the courage to respond to what I believe was a poignant point. It seems other some of the other religious here would prefer to either pretend the point was never made, or that it was intellectually or morally bellow them.

Runner- <"...you along with anyone else who rejects Christ as Lord and Saviour will end up there and it won't be the party many mockingly make it out to be."

Settle down there Runner or you might be nasty enough to earn your own path to hell! I'd rather party with the sinners myself....

All the best, wherever we end up!

T’ain’t No Sin

When you hear sweet syncopation
And the music softly moans
T’ain’t no sin to take off your skin
And dance around in your bones

When it gets too hot for comfort
And you can’t get an ice cream cone
T’ain’t no sin to take off your skin
And dance around your bones

Just like those bamboo babies
Down in the south sea tropic zone
T’ain’t no sin to take off your skin
And dance around your bones

DreamOn,

Bark little doggie. Good BOY. That's a GOOD boy.

Dear david f,
>> one should recognise where one has been wrong and try not to repeat the offence <<
This is exactly how I felt when after thinking I finished the proof of a (mathematical) theorem I found a fatal mistake. However, I think life - the question of responsibility towards others, towards the society you are part of (and God if you believe in Him) - is more complicated than that.

>> I object to your sentence, "I think something similar could be said about my feelings towards those who stopped at a certain level with trying to understand their faith."<<
I am sorry if you misunderstood me. Those who are absolutely sure they understand why and what they believe or do not believe, and do not need further clarifications, are aplenty on this OLO. I find it futile to engage in longer debates with them.

I thought you were not one of them, that, like myself, you took part in these OLO discussions in order to better understand your own world-view, what you believe (or do not believe), which is not the same as expecting to be converted or wanting to convert others.

Having a complete understanding of concepts and assumptions pertaining to one’s world-view sounds to me like “knowing the truth” which for me makes sense only as part of a religious faith. In my opinion understanding of one’s world-view (and even more of others’) is a process (that can be voluntarily stopped at a certain level) not a final goal that should/could be achieved. Anselm’s dictum also refers to a process: it means “faith (or what might take its place as a system of presuppositions in one’s world-view) seeking understanding”, not “faith that has found understanding”.

One does not necessarily have to stop looking for a deeper understanding of things relevant - in a positive or negative way - to one’s world-view even after one suddenly feels like having been freed from what was perceived as mental shackles, the usual sentiments expressed by people after conversion one way or the other .

A.J Phillips

'I find it extremely offensive that you assume I’m indulging in something immoral'

The fact that we are born into sin makes it inevitable. Also I am surprised that you are offended as your definition of immoral is sure to be different to what the bible declares immoral.