I do not believe in God

[monkeyeyes]

I do not believe in God. You believe in God. Eventually one of us will be proven correct. As it is not possible to confirm the existence of God, before death, I see no reason why my life should be constrained by your belief that He exists. Prior to this eventuality I am forced to live in a world that, in the main, assumes that there is a single higher authority to which/whom we must all ultimately answer.

How would, do you consider, you live your life differently should there not be a God ?

Come with me to a parallel reality where the non-existence of God/s has been irrefutably established.
Here, however, we live with a moral code and standards, albeit that they have had their religious imperatives removed.
These codes, morals and mores have been decided upon on the basis that following these rules would lead to a harmonious existence for all.

Now that you are established in this world, would your kindly acts, your consideration and your day to day interaction with your fellow man be substantially altered ?

Having removed the hope of eternal salvation together with the threat of eternal damnation, how would you behave ?

Would you ;
� Stop giving to charitable causes ?
� Cease helping the homeless and the vulnerable ?
� Stop protecting the friendless ?
� Accept your fellow man purely for how he conducts himself ?

Please tell me how you believe you would conduct yourself and fit in in my Parallel world.

[ruby27]

I do not believe in any god, spiritual being, existence of any higher authority so maybe I shouldn't be answering this question, but I will because I am looking for excuses not to do my assignment.

I like to think that I wouldn't behave any differently as my ethical/moral framework would be the same, but then would it?
Has there been any human society where there hasn't been an influence of some sort of god/spiritual being that has the potential to cause problems for humans and therefore needs to be placated/feared. Even if it is a tree spirit that might wreak some terrible revenge for not being sufficiently revered or because you cut a branch, somehow humans have explained the world through the influence of a god like figure. Therefore we have modified our behaviours in order to keep in with a god, salvation and damnation. Now whilst this is becoming less influential on how we behave (materialism of the 80's), it still does have an impact and shape the culture we are immersed in.
So, in your parallel world, that has never been influenced by any type of religion, would our morality and ethical framework be the same, better or worse?

[jackthehat]

Well, for me...........
I would hope that this world would support the best of ideals.
That the kindnesses we are all capable of would be the underpinning of our behaviour; and that unkindnesses would be suitably punished.
Of course, there would need to be a framework of 'big' ideas and rules, which then would have to be refined to incorporate 'smaller' rules and regulations, but on the whole I think that this could work without recourse to religious principles.
I don't think we need to pay attention to any sort of God to appreciate that none of us have the right to deprive another person of their life, etc.
I hope that I would conduct my life exactly, on this parallel world, as I do here; without the religious interference I currently experience.

[RATTER15]

Well said Monkeyeyes I'm an atheist and been living my life this way for years. It is actually very freeing and satisfying that we live this way as our own choice, rather than from fear of some God, Hell. etc!!

The thing I find with so called Christians is that they are by large very hypocritical!!

I once posted a letter in a local paper that admittedly had a bit of a poke at Christians, but you would never believe the mail that came flooding through my door, the most nasty and vile things!! from supposed Christians, a local cannon put and end to it by publishing a letter of his own!! I am proud not to be in any way shape or form connected to any religious establishment or belief!!!

[Octavius]

I believe in God and I am a Christian. But I am not God-fearing as you put it, nor do I consider myself to be a hypocrite or someone who will berate someone else for not agreeing with or accepting my beliefs. Of course, many will argue that I am therefore a hypocrite and that to be a 'true' Christian I should, but this is just not so in my view, but there are those who are entitled to view differently of course, that is life.

I am also an educated person with a thirst for further knowledge and the capacity to accept that the universe and all its environs may well be the result of a catastrophic explosion billions of years ago, and that we descended from the ape/homo gene from the primordial slime.

I have a moral code, I have never considered harming any living being (except I eat meat if you want to be really picky). I also try not to lie and I am and will always be faithful to my wife and honourable to friends. I also believe in big and small kindness and compassion to people from any and every background and respect their colour, creed and differences. I have also lived a little in my youth and had many life experiences which are unique, but I have done all this without fear of eternal damnation and I not because if �God� but because I maintain (as someone put it above) a moral and ethical framework which was instilled within me as a child and remains with me as an adult.

Is it because I do not confirm to the stereotypical right wing Christian hypocrite that I would not fit, nor would want to, within your �new world order�? Or am I too much of a liberal-Christian?

[monkeyeyes]

You would certainly be welcome, Octavius, as would everyone else.
It's just that all rules and laws in my world would be made according to humanitarian and humanist principles rather than religious doctorine and/or dogma.