The meaning of life. (To me.)

Not all atheists believe that Jesus existed, but many do and I personally find the historical evidence good enough to believe that he existed. You can't deny that his basic teachings about loving your fellow man are brilliant when contrasted with the vitriol displayed in the Old Testament. If he spent three or four years stalking the highways and biways of Gallilee telling everyone this, then it is no wonder he got people's backs up!

The major difference between Chrstians and Atheists is that Atheists don't believe in any sort of spirituality or divine being, literally they don't believe in anything beyond the physical world.

ok they had his back, then turned right around and nailed him to a cross....
one of this own betrayed him.... one of his own denied him, the people who followed him mocked him and spat on him. yeah they had his back and then next thing you know he is nailed to a cross. explain that.

so athiests dont believe that he rose fom the dead either? he never sinned which would make him perfect. so why nail him to a cross?

reply to post by Methuselah

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There are a few problems I have with that story.
1) Why would God feel the need to kill his only begotten son to redeem us to himself?

2) Why did JC have to tell God "Forgive them for they know not what they do." if he planned it that way?

3) Why in the heck is God a he anyway?

Erm sorry. Please don't take my questions as an attack on your faith but they are questions I have had and no one has been able to sufficiently answer them for me.

reply to post by WraothAscendant

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I think to be is correct. But not to hate, but love. Of course, many being on the level they are now, hatred seems somewhat depressingly unevitable. So many people are so attached to their petty lives, that they begin to fear, but what is there to fear when you are one with the universe? Isn't it just a matter of perception, whether you look it as dead or alive? So, when one fears, from fear rises hatred, and you can guess rest of the punch that follows: Wars, destruction, genocide, rapes, all kind of violence, just because of fear. So, do not hate, but let the fear out from you and you will be free.

Anyway, I respect your world view Be in peace.

[edit on 21-2-2008 by v01i0]

God didnt kill anyone, Jesus Christ sacrificed himself to pay for our sins.
meaning that because we have sinned, we were on our way to hell unless we found a substitute. Jesus Christ sacrificed himself so that we could live and go to heaven instead. thats why Jesus died. God didnt kill him, that would be murder. there is a difference there.

Jesus was praying to God, probably telling him that he himself forgives them. yes they both knew what was going to happen. but you have to remember, Jesus was in the form of a human being, capable of feeling ever bit of human pain possible while on the cross. think about it, you are making a choice and at the same time knowing the outcome and still have to chose what to do. he still had the choice to call down his angels and have them save him. but instead he stayed on the cross, took our punishment and forgave us.
also God turned his back on his son due to the sin of the world being the weight on shoulders.

Why is God a he? are you more so asking why is he not a she?
a man presents an image of power whereas a woman does not.

now I dont know everything, and im not always the best at explaining things. but this is what makes sense to me. Now I havent heard a better explanation, im sure there is one but this is to the best of my knowledge.

does this answer any of your questions?

reply to post by v01i0

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Eh. I view hate and love as different sides of the self same coin.
And though experiencing hate is something that helps you treasure love all the more. But I don't think they are forces in and of themselves more than just parts of a whole (meaning us).
It's all part of the experience.
Just my views.
And thank you very much for the respect.

reply to post by Methuselah

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Not really. Still doesn't make any sense to me. But, all well, we should most likely chock it up to differences in perception.

But I do have a tongue in cheek comment on the God being he or she.
You haven't met many strong women have you?
And I don't mean the brune hilda muscle women either. But a strong willed woman.


[edit on 22-2-2008 by WraothAscendant]

strong willed woman? of course those exist. what im saying is this. its natural for the man to be the dominant in the family, its natural for a man to be physical structure to be larger than a womans body structure. its natural for a man to be stronger.
now there are those cases where you have a strong woman or a weak man, but either way, we live in a world that is not perfect. God is perfect, so even if he was a woman (a she) they would still have the same power, wisdom, grace..etc, and who knows he might have created humans different with a different chemistry. idk, all I know is that God created this world along with this universe in perfect order. i dont know if there was any other way to make things work, im sure there is, but my brain cannot handle such thinking at times.
there is so much order in this galaxy its not even funny. all the way from the galaxy down to the insides of a living cell. there is signs of order and design everywhere we look.

reply to post by Methuselah

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Hey.
I am not attacking your beliefs. As I said that was tongue in cheek.
I respect that you have a right to your own beliefs.

Moving right along.
I don't know if I see a "design" but an underlying order yes as I stated in this post.

Man without woman could not exist, simple as that.
Yin and yang. Equal and opposite parts of the same thing.
But that's just my view.
My concept as to "God's" sex would have to be as I hinted at as neither or possibly both. But even what you mean and what I mean when one or the other says god is not the same thing. So we won't be coming to an agreement on that and I can live with that.