Quote:
Originally Posted by Vinyar1032";p="
I have gotten a few PMs and questions asking since I am so against the majority of religons, what is mine.
It is very simple.
Be the best person you can be. Help everyone you can. For what goes around, comes around. If you do good to someone, good will come to you.
I believe no loving god would send his/her children to a Hell. Maybe a punishment yes, but not burning in Hell. Ever notice about how when you lie or do something bad, sooner or later something bad happens to you, unless you fix it? And how if you do something good, you feel good, and good things can happen. This is gods way of punishing and gifting us. Our purpose is simply to exist.
When you help your fellow human, god will see that, and bless you with that. There is no long term punishment. You dont get sent to hell after you die. Everyone goes to Nirvana. The punishments are while you are alive, not after death. Any good parent would help their child in a time of need. And after you are dead, you need a home. A good parent will give you a home. And so he/she does.
I have no evidence like the Bible to support myself. All I can say is, I feel it in my heart. I know that even if I am wrong, and Christianity is the right religon. Before I am sent to Hell, I can look God dead on in the eye and say "I lived my life the best I could. I did good to my fellow human, and I lived how a human should live. I made mistakes, and I did my best to redeem myself for them. I lived my life the best I could, and I died with a good conscience. You are no better then the Devil himself."
Even if I am wrong, and am sent to Hell, I will know I did good. I will have a good feeling through the pain. I will have died doing all I could for others and myself. But if I am right, I can tell god that I did god, and I am glad to finally be home in Nirvana. Even if when you die it is just oblivion. Nothing. You will still have died knowing you lived your life well. No matter what, you life is positive.
Everyone makes mistakes. No one should be (*)(*)(*)(*)ed for a mistake. They should learn from it and become a better human being.
That is my belief. I am not saying I am right, I am simply saying, I feel this is what I am to believe. And everyone should find what they feel to be true to them. Not everyone believes the same thing. But all religons in some way make you a good person to an extent. Find something that you feel is right. I found mine. Do not adhere to a religon you are in if you do not really believe and feel it. Do not do it because you were raised to it, or because you fear the backlash of not believing it. Believe what you want, believe what you believe. I do. I proudly admit I am a pagan and a heathen because I do not believe in the abrahamic religons. When it comes down to issues like gay marriage and abortion and such, simply do what your heart says. If you say yes, and I say no, we will both still go to Nirvana, because we both followed our hearts.
Believe with your Heart
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Hi Christian,
As a "devout" Atheist, I could not agree with your personal ethics, and assesments that have lead you to form your conclusions more.
Whether or not you believe in simply the concept of "god(s)" or do not, what you have expressed is at the core of what I, as an independent thinker and "humanist", for lack of a better descriptive word, would advocate for all people religious or not to seriously consider and evaluate for themselves, as a personal philosophy.
It is really quite irrelevant if one is or is not religious or an Atheist, or whatever one might choose to classify themselves as.
Although we all have a variety of beliefs, NONE is more honest and independent than those beliefs one has consciously made a descision are those which are of the nature as you are describing.
One might bicker and banter about the words used to express your personal philosophy, and argue semantics, citing exceptions that would attempt to poke holes into the meaning of your words: for example, to argue religious extremists believe many of the things you mention.
Such semantic arguments are not even worth the bandwidth of discussion or consideration.
Above and beyond the questions of Existence (the often and somewhat circularly argued topic in religious and Atheist forums) is the question of
a personal philosophy, and none is more constructive and more sensible than the central theme of your post. Which I believe is to abide by one's own personal conclusions, dismissing dogma and a predefined set of beliefs.
As an Atheist, and and independent thinker, I would advocate that theme, as being the most important aspect for all persons to seriously consider as a
constructive and humanitarian personal philosophy which can be extended into a wide variety of issues we all face every day, and some of us (people)occasionally evaluate, and re-evaluate, to ensure that our core beliefs have been reached without the influence and determination of dogma, popular belief, and repetitive nonesense that come to be favorite ways in which all too many people adapt to portray as an intelligent view of anything under the sun.
Regards, - T2 (Returning for a very brief diversion, tonight.)