"I appreciate your honesty regarding your partner and that you don't expect god to intervene."

Why would I, that's retarded. Isn't it only like the 7th Day and Mormons that do that?. One could lay a better argument that God gave the doctors the ability to help. Do you think they use band aids or dentists?.

And no, thank YOU.

No indeed, StG

I have been thinking that your idea of god differs greatly from, say, Runner's who believes in the more literal vengeful variety. I would also put to you that no-one, if a superior deity exists, can know the mind of god. What you believe is what you believe, what Runner believes is what he thinks is correct, what Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, other Christian sects (for example Unitarians) are all very different and may or may not include a singular deity at all - let alone a belief in heaven...

"Heaven" being the beginning of your topic here - that how do people behave decently to each other without the 'reward' of everlasting life in heaven?

Many people can and do behave very compassionately to one another without the idea of reward or punishment.

People like runner give me the shtz more than militant Atheists do. Gross generalisations of Christianity is annoying because someone assumes they know what you believe, how you think, and how you feel which is obviously impossible but here comes someone like runner living up to that idea people have. Unfortunately because of the nature of his beliefs he is obliged to be the most vocal.

I was trying to question if faith was taken away. Not that people without faith are bad. OBVIOUSLY most people without faith live compassionately. I never suggested they weren't, or don't. I was talking about what would be the consequence to those with faith having it taken away.

StG

If you didn't have faith in religion, you would be just like the rest of us atheists and agnostics. You would still feel spiritual if that is what you are concerned about. Particularly when out in bushland or under the stars I get the feeling of being part of something great - I just don't label it "god" nor do I require reading formal religion for guidance - I can ask myself whether I am doing right or wrong. Sometimes I make mistakes and feel remorse, sometimes I make a real difference and feel alive.

The world wouldn't fall into chaos and anarchy if religion was no more.

That's subtly different, StG.

>>I was talking about what would be the consequence to those with faith having it taken away<<

I thought you were considering a world that voluntarily determined to live without religion, not one that has it "taken away".

In fact, I'm not at all sure that you can actually "take away" someone's faith.

I'd go to the opposite extreme, and say that all the evidence that we have to date, points to the absolute impossibility of "taking it away".

Even if the entire world (except for you) came to accept that there is no God, why should that make a difference to you? Choosing to maintain your faith remains absolutely your right, nobody could actually "take it away", without your absolute consent.

Mind you, I don't think you would be looking around at a world that had changed a great deal, in terms of the way people treat each other.

Except, of course, there would be no longer be any reason to fight over which religion is "right".

Severin,

You and me aren't really that different. We just call the same things something else.

Pericles,

My religion is right ... for me. Good luck to yourself and everyone else in what gives you comfort.