I love having conversations with different people about religion and faith. One of the most common arguments from religious people is that god created so many beautiful things in our world. “How can you not see god (they tell me) when you look at the majestic beauty of the Himalayas, or the silent creek in the back garden”. I always feel repulsive when people only see the beauty of nature. And I always answer in kind. “Can you not see lightning strikes, tornados, flooding’s, snow storms, animals so tiny that they sneak in your bedroom and can kill you with one bite”. But then they always respond with “its gods will”.
How can you argue with people like that? The same goes with praying I say. I always ask them why they pray. The answers are different but the clue is the same. They pray to let god know what they are thinking, feeling, experiencing, and if god can help.
If the thing they ask comes true “it was because god wanted to help, and he is benevolent”.
If the thing does not come true “it is gods will”.
With this logic why do you even pray? God knows everything, why should you even bother telling him in a prayer?
I have a friend of mine who is terribly sick. He has dark thoughts every day for months on end. He fights and struggles on a daily basis. If there was a god, then his sense of A PLAN is cruel. No one should suffer for days – weeks – moths on end. If the plan is to make someone go mental and think about suicide I wonder. Worshipping a higher being that allows such pain is not right. Would you allow your kids to hurt your dog every minute of the day for weeks on end? If so there are words for this kinds of people.
I believe there is only one person you should live for and pray to, and that is yourself. Only one person can make your life better. That is yourself. And if you treat people around you good they will treat you back with kindness. Stop praying towards a being that has never shown himself!
Hi @Zoef I had a question for you but in explaining it it seemed better to turn it into a blog
link below
https://steemit.com/atheisism/@andrewcarnegie/question-to-zoef-regarding-the-post-some-thought-about-theism-and-atheism
Tnx for the nice and intrigueing answer. I replyed in kind :)
Thanks - I have copied your reply to try and make it make sense with my answers along side
Ah I commented more with the feeling and thoughts you shared. Not in essence a answer to all your points. As you made sense in some of them. It does not mean I believe.
ah ok ;o) Have a good evening ;o)
Faith it is a choice. How will your day be tomorrow?
The way I shape it. Or however someone else shapes it. If Faith is a choice why do some religions kill the people who leave the religion. If religion is a choice why do other religions expell the people who leave out of there community.
I agree that faith should be a choice but all major faiths don't see it that way. Some have evolved past these barbaric practices. But most have not.
Because that’s religion has choices. If it’s not religion it’s tradition. That’s were it’s murky. Agree about the choice. Let’s lie about the easterbunny, Christmas, mode of dress, excusable and non excusable offenses
Yes but those dont hurt people. Beheading apostates - smacking woman - genital mutalation - child mariages and so on those are religious believes and choices people agree to live buy.
They don’t? Oh but they do. It’s a lie. :) lies hurt, main injure and kill everyday. And some religious lies create disbelief. Just like it’s ok to rape wife...behead people, torture and sell into marriage. kids seeing this are really going to have faith in God? Not without a lot of struggle. And repetition of those heinous acts. Humans are sooo wicked. And twist things to suit themselves. Not all lies are equal but they are.
You can not believe a easter bunny, santa claus, are hurting people. LMAO, kids love those days. They get presents - enjoy there choclat. And sooner or later they realize it is about beeing togheter with the family and have a nice day. I never heard a kid say "i have a trauma because those characters are not real". Those are argumants that hold no merrit. If you don't have a decent argumant dont reply.
Unlike the other things I mentioned. Alot of people have traumas because of beheadings - mutalations - oppresion - hitting - ... . So please stop comparing a holiday with these! It is comparing the smacking of a fly with a nuclear bomb.
In the long run it does. For what did Jesus teach? He taught about the Easter Bunny and Santa Clause? He didn’t narrorate his birth or of those before him, he didnt teach the people at Passover. So these kids ask later when they can have constructive self building thoughts about their religion as a guidance. They get confused, say their is no God don’t get the right answers to their questions but do not make good atheists, Gnostics, etc as kids....because they are kids. How many people were taught Pluto was a planet? Now decades later it’s a struggle NOT to name it as one? Traditions have an effect. Let’s not confuse Religion with Tradition. Just because some go on Religious Sabatical every week does not make one Religious. LDS in Utah, is the most popular. Snake dancing? Whipping in a church to get the devil out? Child marriages outside of LDS. One is not worse than the other, just better hidden. Children grow up and then they find out that their religion is a lie. They have do things to find out about their religion that they might not other wise if told the RIGHT thing in the first place. No they aren’t going to say they have a Trauma because it’s not real, but its like finding out your parent IS NOT your Parent. How well would you take that? Do you go around saying I just found out my father/ mother is not? No it’s probably shame feeling and lashing out. It’s all about beliefs and how deep one holds them. The arguement is valid. Let’s take all the Children having Children, STD diseases, lack of family life, social structure, honor, integrity, morals. Drugs, sex, guns in these societies. The school shooters come from Christian family’s. The bombers come from Islamic families. They are equal in my book. Both lack of right and wrong in any religion.
As another thought did you know that atheism is growing in the Middle East Islamic countries?https://newrepublic.com/article/121559/rise-arab-atheists