What if there is no God

[tafan]

If there is no God, the worse thing we are missing out on by living moral lives are toxic pleasures.
It so happens that the moral law makes us happy. We are certainly happier helping others than being selfish. Find people who have lives dominated by rampant sin, eg drugs, uninhibited sex, meanness, etc. They will invariably be very unhappy people.
Go to daily mass, those old folks who go to mass everyday: by and large they are the happiest people around.

 

[Zoltan_Cobalt]

Well, I guess that’s what I’m asking-- how much of our lives should we devote to others and how much can we do as we like? The Bible says we’re supposed to deny ourselves, and put other people’s interests above our own. When I read the lives of the saints it seems like that’s what they do, and it seems like nuns do it as well. So holy people serve others, and not themselves

If we are supposed to put the interests of others above our own…what are the “others” supposed to do?

 

[JRKH]

If we are supposed to put the interests of others above our own…what are the “others” supposed to do?

Ideally the same thing. Then everything evens out…

Peace
James

 

[adamhovey1988]

Personally, I think it better to live as there is a God, even if there isn’t. If there’s not, what harm have I done myself? If there is, cool, a reward to be with God for eternity. I am more against Modern Atheism’s Evanglisation attempts than I am against Atheism itself. (Though, I still think the evidence for the existence of God favours that he does indeed exist). People have this habit of trying to answer God’s existence using science. This is illogical. God’s existence, being a moral question would be in the realm of philosophy, not biological or chemical science. People say “why does a loving God allow evil to happen”? Okay, “why does a non-existent God, allow good to happen”? We curse God when we’re angry, but thank him when we find out someone or something is safe from harm. Why? Because God must exist. There are no Atheists in foxholes. If you are (knowingly) staring death in the face, you pray. Whether you believe in a higher being or not. I have found Atheists do exactly what they accuse Christians of: Circular Reasoning

 

[Zoltan_Cobalt]

Ideally the same thing. Then everything evens out…

Peace
James

IDEALLY…yes.

We are told that “it is more blessed to give than to receive,”

But it does not work that way in practice. The givers are never blessed; the more they give, the more is demanded of them; complaints, reproaches and guilt trips are the only response for benevolence.

 

[JRKH]

IDEALLY…yes.

We are told that “it is more blessed to give than to receive,”

But it does not work that way in practice. The givers are never blessed; the more they give, the more is demanded of them; complaints, reproaches and guilt trips are the only response for benevolence.

I disagree with the assertion that the givers are never blessed.
I have given and been extremely blessed in my life. More than I think I deserve actually.

However - I do get your point - we do not live in a perfect world. And some people are just pure takers and there is nothing that can be done about it. That is why Jesus instructed us to do good to our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.

Love is the only hope for the world - and we must show it to the best of our ability at all times.

Peace
James

 

[constantconvert]

However - I do get your point - we do not live in a perfect world. And some people are just pure takers and there is nothing that can be done about it. That is why Jesus instructed us to do good to our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.

Unfortunately my husband is a taker, and I’m really not sure how to balance serving him and not being a doormat.

 

[JRKH]

Unfortunately my husband is a taker, and I’m really not sure how to balance serving him and not being a doormat.

A difficult issue to be sure.

Unfortunately we here are in no position to advise you on that.
Might be a good idea to get counsel from your priest.

Peace
James

 

[Charlemagne_III]

Yesterday my husband told me he no longer believes there is a God. Needless to say this was extremely upsetting to me, and I have been in tears since then.

Needless to say, things are not going to get better. I decided a long time ago that Hell is living with someone who doesn’t share your core values. It appears that your husband not only does not share your core values, but that he is challenging you to live with him, knowing that your philosophies of life are now so opposite.

Assuming your children are grown up and no longer need to live with you, you can always separate without getting a divorce, on the principle advocated by your husband that you should satisfy your own needs. This will give you a renewed sense of your future and your ability to live not just for yourself, but also for others, even if your husband doesn’t really care whether you live for him.

This could be your challenge to him, to determine whether he really values you enough to resist the idea of separation. If he does not resist, and even seems in favor of separation, you would know soon enough. In the case that he does not resist, would separation seem logical or illogical if you have exhausted all other possible remedies?

 

[Charlemagne_III]

Whether you believe in a higher being or not. I have found Atheists do exactly what they accuse Christians of: Circular Reasoning

Yes, and there is hypocrisy in demanding proof there is a God while not offering proof there is no God.

Circular reasoning and Begging the Question combined.

 

[Lucy107]

Well, I guess that’s what I’m asking-- how much of our lives should we devote to others and how much can we do as we like? The Bible says we’re supposed to deny ourselves, and put other people’s interests above our own. When I read the lives of the saints it seems like that’s what they do, and it seems like nuns do it as well. So holy people serve others, and not themselves

Books like No More Christian Nice Girl: When Just Being Nice–Instead of Good–Hurts You, Your Family, and Your Friends could give you some ideas.

 

[Bahman]

Oh my goodness!
Of course you can and should assert yourself, travel more, ask for help in the house, speak out when things bother you, go back to school, get a job!
Whether there is a God or not!
(I don’t recall God saying you should not do those things?)
Go for it.
Your husband just gave you the green light: Ask him to wash the floors

And even if there is not a God, I surely wouldn’t say you’ve wasted your life–how is helping people wasting your life? You did that because you wanted to do it, I trust.
(Or did you *only *do it because you thought you *had *to?)

.

 

[Charlemagne_III]

Are you saying that if there was no God, you would run out of the house and start robbing banks and killing people? And so would everyone else?

That’s preposterous.

Yes, somewhat preposterous. But in the case of believing in God there is a mandate against rob bin g banks and killing people.

Whereas in the case of believing there is no God, there is neither a mandate nor a threat of ultimate justice in the next world if not in this one should one choose to rob banks and kill people.

 

[Charlemagne_III]

This is not true.
Our lives don’t have to be pointless just because there may not be the kind of Creator or God you think there is.
That is quite a limited view of our lives and the universe.

No, it is a logical view of the universe. Many atheists have had the courage to admit this, including Sartre and Camus who talked constantly about despair and suicide as a problem that naturally follows in the wake of atheism. Yes, not all atheists will go that route, but the route they cannot escape is that death leaves one only one prospect … ultimate annihilation and fodder for the worms. Who celebrates that?

 

[cena]

This is not true.
Our lives don’t have to be pointless just because there may not be the kind of Creator or God you think there is.
That is quite a limited view of our lives and the universe.

.

There were some hardcore atheist philosophers that said life is pointless.

 

[cena]

I have much more faith in the human race than you do, I suppose.
We have reason, love, and can use our minds.
There are other reasons to be a good person than just because a God may exist.
Atheists, just like Theists, are caring, loving, good people.
There is no logical reason to believe that if it was proven there was no God, what you describe would happen.

We survived and thrived for hundreds of thousands of years to get to were we are today.
It’s not as though before people got to Mt. Sinai and heard the Ten Commandments, we thought it was A-okay to steal and kill. If that were the case, we would not be here today.
(tho I will point out that God did a lot of killing himself–hundreds of thousands of innocent people)

Are you saying that if there was no God, you would run out of the house and start robbing banks and killing people? And so would everyone else?

That’s preposterous.

.

How did they know stealing and killing was wrong? How do people now have a natural sense of right or wrong?

 

[opusAquinas]

There are some people who do not murder or steal because they believe in God. So why on earth would you want to convince them there is no God?

We have a conscience -from the Natural Law which tells us right from wrong.

Some people, for whatever reasons, are naturally more empathic or kinder than others. We call them empaths. Some people are more indifferent and need more direction of what to care about. We call them apaths (apathetic). Some people enjoy preying and victimizing others. We call them sociopaths.

God will save some empaths, some apaths and even some sociopaths.
Those who accepts the mercy of Jesus Christ will be saved.

Your husband is on the path to destruction.

Many are called few are chosen.