Truly, so long as I'm minding my own business and not trying to convert someone away from their religious beliefs, should it really matter to anyone else what I choose to believe? Does my disbelief truly impact anyone except those directly involved with my everyday life? Does a *insert valid religion here* fail to get into heaven if *I* don't believe?
Didn't you know that members of *insert valid religion here* get points for every soul they save? It really should not matter to any person other than yourself what you believe or do not believe, but watch them come out of the woodwork to answer this question. Be brave.
Your question sounds kind of like "What Does God Require?" The Bible tells us that God does have requirements. How can you know what they are? You have to read the Bible to find out.
Follow this link to a self- paced on line source. 16 short lessons that help you find the answer in your Bible.
Or maybe your question is more like "Can I Worship God in My Own Way?"
Researchers of the sociology of religion refer to this trend as "private religion" or "invisible religion." Sociologist Bibby, quoted previously, coined the phrase "religion ? la Carter." Others refer to such faiths as "tailor-made" or "according to taste." In some traditionally Christian countries, the largest religious group is now made up of people who, in effect, have their own personal religion.
What is God's View? This is the only viewpoint that actually matters; "Worship God on His terms"!
It really shouldn't make a difference but the fact of the matter is that people get so gunge-ho about their religion that the feel that you are a lost soul and need to be saved. It's unfortunate how logic is so readily abandoned when it comes to religion.
Well hey since you ask. What you think really don't affect my faith one way or the other. Since we try to live a christian life we are told in the bible to "go to all the world and preach the gospel." This is a good forum to work in since it is a spiritual room.
Whether you get into heaven is up to God. He will be the judge, no christian is going to judge you. It's just our job to warn you of the wrath to come. And the judgment that comes with it.
It is your right to believe however you wish. Likewise it is a Christians right and even duty to try to how you the error of your ways. My problem isn't so much with your lack of belief. My problem is the activist Atheist who want to banish God from the public sphere.
Judaism does not believe only Jews go to heaven, rather, your future is determined by your behavior, and Atheists can also be moral and ethical people. So, no, in the larger scheme of things it does not matter.
However, if i were to play the percentages, the odds, i would say that someone who is a person of faith is MORE LIKELY to be moral and ethical than one who is an atheist. I see no hospitals named The Atheist Cancer Research Center, for example.
Truly, religion, even those whose beliefs validate the old saying, 'one man's theology is another man's belly laugh,' are more likely to produce more moral, ethical people than atheism would.
Furthermore, people of faith have a standard that they can be held to, namely the ethics and morality demanded by the faith they profess. However, an Atheist has only his or her own whim, which can change with the wind.
Your beliefs are up to you. I voice my Christian beliefs to hopefully glorify my God. People around you will tell you of their beliefs out of care and concern for you just as many atheists spread their beliefs for the same reason. (Pagan Earthgirl: we do not try to win souls for extra points but unfortunately many churches do act that way.) I do not believe anyone can convert or win souls other than God. Any Christian thinking that they can do it, is either a false Christian or knows little of how God works. By my beliefs, I feel that it is not up to you or me if we are to become Christians but up to God, and He chooses whom He will at His pleasure.
http://www.waywardsonministries.com
Nah, but I'm with pagan earth girl, I think the different followers must feel they get points by converting heathens. I mean it can't hurt them, right?
The more and more I study religions, the more I realize that some people just DON'T get it. It's not that they're morons, or horrible people, but they just don't grasp that others cannot see the Jesus is the ONE AND ONLY way (And I really think that George W. is this way since he just can't keep Christianity out of the government no matter the out cry). And by doing that they are living a life of ignorance, probably, as the Bible also warns against people who speak against their one 'true' god and thus enforces their feelings/opinions.
It's hard to do, but by showing them real people, such as you and I, who have drastically different viewpoints, and also showing them that we can be intelligent, reasonable and generally considerate people just like themselves, some of the very 'fire and brimstone' type people can be swayed to at the very least accepting that there can be other ways of thinking. So, I suppose in a way, it does matter that your an Atheist, but only so far as to set a good example for the other, perhaps narrow-minded people who will condemn you to hell and preach that your way of life and all your ideas are wrong and sinful.
Yes, it does. Why? Because I care for your eternal life. I want you to come and know God and share in the glory of His love.
That is why it matters to me, as a Christian. As a person, I don't care how you express yourself, you seem to be a very smart person and as you said, you don't try to sway people away from what they believe.
I will not presume to know God's plans for you, or the rest of us for that matter, so I am great fully unqualified to answer about whether or not you will get into heaven.
It isn't hurting anyone else that you believe as you do. I could point out that religious believers tend to be happier people who live longer, but that's not a great reason to get religion.
Some people try to convert you out of their own ignorance. Others genuinely feel it can help. From my own perspective, as someone who was once a non-believer, I just know that there is a comfort to religion that there just is no analog for in a system of disbelief - I cannot imagine the grief someone feels at a funeral of someone they loved if they are truly convinced that 'that's it, that's all.' Hope is not a virtue just because a Holy book says so: it is a virtue because of what it can bring into a person's life.
But it is your life, your happiness, all your choices. You are right to think your choice will not impact others.
Atheism is a fool's bet, if you are right you gain nothing, if you are wrong you lose everything and suffer for eternity for your error.
If Christians right we gain everything and if wrong we lose nothing because our beliefs bring about satisfaction and fulfillment in life. And yes it matters because no man is an island and you affect all you contact for good or evil and if you have or ever have children they may choose your beliefs and suffer in Hell along with you for eternity.
If you want to live your life in stupidity and believe in a bunch of scientific BS,if you feel the need to eat a banana all the time,climb trees and swing from them,and dig in your butt and throw poop around and scream off and on all day like an idiot then go knock yourself out and have fun just don't go knocking something that you refuse to believe in and attack those who do believe because when you do you will sooner or later get some back lashing.
You don't like us because you think that we judge you all then don't give us a reason to.
UPDATE:
Also,when one says to a believer that they don't believe in God then truly you have insulted the one who does believe in God and sometimes your attitude reflects that you mean to be insulting and therefore at times you may get a defensive backlash.
If you ask for an attitude then you will get an attitude.
I am atheist as well, and this has been a long standing issue. Can I be saved. Well. whether you be live in Jesus/Mohomend/Purple Dinosaurs makes little difference. If you are an ethical and moral person and live your life treating others the way you wish to be treated, then you are doing better than 99.9% of the world.
For all those thumping their bible from *insert religion here*, most of them cheat on their spouses, abuse drink or drugs, have premarital sex, cheat on their taxes, etc. Just because they be live or claim to be live does not make them better than us non-be livers.
I definitely sense there is some sort of tally of conversions. You cannot think that when the Mormon folks head out on bicycles and knock on my door every day for 2 weeks that they don't get a prize for the most converts?
A church takes money. Simple as that. While many use this wisely and offer child care, educational services, and food for the needy, many churches have administrators driving Porsches and BMWs. The more members, the more money the Mir epower. The TV evangelists tend to be a good cause. They are flashy, have a on us or die a sinner type message and make millions. Its a great racket for them. Put your faith into the unprovable and when you die you will know the truth. Or just me dead and a lot poorer.
I choose to live my life in an ethical way. I figure if I am wrong all of these years, I will surely be ahead in points compared to a number of religious belivers I know.
Religion os for the weak of mind. They feel that life is tough and difficult and need to place the burden of decision on God. By doing so, they can do bad things and seek absolution (why not just not do bad things) and can blame God for tradgedy (life is difficult, but the good far outweighs the bad for everyone), but hey, if they leave me alone, I will not try to convert them to my point of view.
The next time someone knowcks on your door asking to chat about God, invite them in, and see if you can convert them to your side of the fence. it is kinda fun, and they never knock on your door again.
I don't know what others have told you, but you can believe anything you darn well please. I don't even mind you telling me why you believe that way as long as we are both civil in our debate discourse.
Does it really matter that I'm an Atheist?
