Religious debate with Rox

[bubosquared]

This was worthy of archiving:

IDontLeadTheHams: As I'm sure you know, I'm an atheist. I staunchly believe that there are only two reasons why people believe in God. 1) He is used as a crutch for those who need help and guidance in their life. I do not scorn alcoholics who turn to Jesus at there time of need because that is exactly why I believe the myth of God was created: to give people hope where there is no hope to be found. Closely tied to that, I believe that people used God and religion to explain the unexplained and that, in this age of science, that reason is now obsolete. Therefore I can respect the religious beliefs of people who are striving to live their pained, hopeless lives but cannot respect comfortable suburban church goers. 2) The only other reason someone would believe in God is out of sheer stupidity, having not realized that just as Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny don't exist, neither does God.
IDontLeadTheHams: To ameliorate the harsh words I have just used, let me explain something else.
IDontLeadTheHams: I envy religious people for having the ability to believe.
badevilgrrl: Hm.
badevilgrrl: It's not really an ability thing with me. It's just ... when I think of the very beginning, of how the universe was 'started', I just cannot believe things appeared out of nowhere. It's not even a case of having to believe, it's just that I can't believe god doesn't exist, and thus I believe he does.
IDontLeadTheHams: I've never heard that explanation before... that is one I can respect.
IDontLeadTheHams: That sounds to me...
IDontLeadTheHams: As though we were both given the exact same set of facts yet reached to exact opposite conclusions. Like one of those optical illusion puzzles where you can either see a glass or an old woman's face... I saw the glass and you saw the woman's face.
badevilgrrl: Also, my faith is not about crutches either. I'm a deist; I don't believe god can or wants to interfere with the life of my little self? I believe in a god that created humankind, and endowed us with free will for a reason. I believe in a god that is love, and I believe in Jesus and I try to live according to his teachings, which is about loving and accepting one another without condemning. (But that's another rant for another time.)

And also:

Well, ["Lesbian Punk Christian] is an almost-oxymoron. Typical punks tend to be anarchists and 90% of the churches out there shun gays. Thus, you are Melle, the Stereotype Destroying Almost-Oxymoron.

I shall wear the title with pride. ^_^

Comments

[absolutelyvile.livejournal.com]

I'm still amazed that that managed to come across exactly as I meant it. *And* that you didn't get all offended. I love non-zealous Christians! ::hug::

[bubosquared.livejournal.com]

Thank you, thank you. I'll be here all week. Laregely because the muses won't let me get a good night's sleep without coming to cuddle me in my dreams, but that's another matter entirely.

[okoge.livejournal.com]

poking my nose in for some commentary [not aimed at anyone in particular.. just yakking]:

comfortable suburbanites need gods just as much as junkies and alcoholics. people need to feel that their lives are worth something, that someone approves, and that all their hard work and/or unpleasant experiences are going to pay off in an afterlife. they also like to feel they are a part of something good, and that they have a family-like community to fall back on. living in the suburbs is not an automatic ticket to peace of mind or happiness.

i'm not terribly fond of the judeo-christian religion, myself. i favor a philosophy of conscious good for the sake of goodness, over a habitual goodness enforced by an imagined future reward and fear of punishment.

[bubosquared.livejournal.com]

Hm. Good point, but I personally don't do anything (good or bad) for payoff in some distant future. I'm 'good' because that's my goal in life -- to be a good person, to live a good life and to enjoy that life to the fullest.

[orangekoi.livejournal.com]

I wish I had something interesting to say here...

...but it's always nice to see things like this. Encouraging, I guess.

*shrug* Too much caffeine in my system to be profound or interesting, I suppose.