Religionists. What Have You Got To Offer Me?

[nailit]

Seriously, what you got to offer me?
Or is it a case of what I can avoid!

I'm deadly (excuse the pun) serious. But what can your belief system/religion/spiritual tradition/ offer me except a free pass out of hell?

An eternity of Hallelujah's?
For Eternity????

[Atheist]

Nailit, you don't have to worry about a cruel punishing god, if you really think that's wrong and ridiculous. I think you've been infected with god-fearance at an early age, and that must be difficult to overcome. You're not alone, but you should perhaps avoid interacting with christians for a while. They seem never to give up. They are not all like Theland, locusts etc. Good people will always shine through, whatever religion or non-religion they pursue. AB has many christians who are decent, so don't waste time on the others.
Always look on the bright side of life.

[Theland]

Atheist, what's the difference, decent and non decent?

[Atheist]

Theland; we all have opinions on what is decent and what is not. By decent, I mean behaviour that does not seek to cause mental or physical harm to others. BTW, that does not preclude expressing disagreement with others' opinions, so long as such disagreement is not irrational, dogmatic or threatening (e.g. threats of eternal physical and mental punishment.)

[Theland]

That is hardly an answer.
What is the difference?

[fcc]

Looks like someone is playing devil's advocate here .

[nailit]

//That is hardly an answer.//
Why Isnt it?

[nailit]

//I think you've been infected with god-fearance at an early age//
Yes I was. 15 years of age until my mid 20s when I began to reason myself out of it.
Evangelicalism really messed my head up.
God only knows (pun intended) how messed up others must be that are bought up from birth with all this mess in their head...muslims, catholics, J.Ws etc!

[Theland]

What did they actually teach you when you were a fundie?
Anything?

[naomi24]

Religion screws with the mind.

This thread is ‘disturbing’ to say the least.

[Theland]

You screw with peoples minds.
You know little, have little to offer, and certainly destroy hope.

[naomi24]

^Exhibit A.

[Theland]

The truth is not an insult, it is the truth.

[mibn2cweus]

//The truth is not an insult, it is the truth.//

Finding something is insulting is no way to establish the truth value of a statement. I'll take an insult over a lie any day . . . and R&S has proven to be an agglomeration of both.

[Mozz71]

Theland, how is "do exactly as I say or face eternal damnation" not messing with people's minds? Especially those of a more delicate mental constitution?

[naomi24]

Theland, you wouldn't recognise truth if it jumped up and hit you on the head. You're a dangerous man.

[nailit]

''Theland, how is "do exactly as I say or face eternal damnation" not messing with people's minds?''
Mozz, This is one thing that absolutely destroyed my teenage years as a bible believing, evangelical, christian.
I just couldn't get it despite been a believer.
I tried to! I really did. But it wasn't happening....I still held on to some humanity. Thank God (pun absolutely intended).
But the idea that God would punish...forever... my friends and family for the 'sin' of disbelief was something that I wasnt able to forgive *GOD* for.

HE needs OUR forgiveness,
Not the other way around...

Its all horse manure of course anyway ;-)

[nailit]

//What did they actually teach you when you were a fundie?
Anything?//

What did who teach me?
I had my own mind thanks.

ACTUALLY what they tried to teach me (my congregation/Church) was pretty much the same rubbish that you spout.
And for a while I swallowed it.
Then I discovered books and learning and stuff.
(Pre-internet days...God! I miss those days of spending time in the library, searching and researching for hours on end. Used to take a packed lunch with me and spend all day in the library, reading the bible, and commentaries and stuff. And just DISCOVERING other points of view. Other points of view that I'd have never given the time of day to otherwise)

Anyway, Im just another ignorent atheist. What do I know?

[fcc]

All that time and effort put into reading the wrong books,you should have read books that would improve your jobs prospects,you might have got a better paid job and not be worrying about god and the afterlife.

[mibn2cweus]

^ Neither a victim or surviver of religious indoctrination then? ^

[Theland]

I thinks deep down you believe in God.
I can understand your concern regarding unbelieving relatives and friends whom you love.
I get it.
I really do.