This is fascinating. The answer to questions about Catholicism results in these strange acussations. I am no atheist and have no axe to grind, I am sincere in my questions. I appreciate that they are awkward for some.
Hello aprilfloyd
this is a word for word quote of yours from post 19 in this topic.
"I believe that he ‘exists’ in the sense that gods are very ‘real’ for believers. People take their religions very seriously and act on their beliefs. I see that is a fact. But not that any one of the gods actually exists "
You went so far as to place the words ‘Exists’ and ‘Real’ in quotation marks. You appear to imply that God only exists as a head job. You don’t believe God exists in the absolute reality. That makes you an atheist. That is the reality about you.
That can’t hold any substance with God because, like all atheists, you play an ignorance card. You ignore the tons of evidence that clearly shows God and the other fellow exists.
You ask questions about why we should love God. God is our creator and it is only right and proper that we should. Do we want Heaven without God in it? It would not be heaven if that were the case.
Jesus came in the flesh because mankind had rejected God. If we look at the history we find a mankind that had no idea how to please God. A good example is in the Israelites who God had chosen. They thought God might like to be worshipped as a golden calf.
Jesus came to make God fully known to us. His rejection was inevitable. He made the most damnable claims had he have been lying. He was put on trial and was put to death. He put his blood on his words. He rose again, which can only mean the Father totally agreed with him. His blood sets a seal on his words. He had said that his words are everlasting life. He had claimed exclusiveness to reaching the Father. He had said that his way is the only way. The apostles went so far as to give their own lives testifying the truth that none of them could deny. They had seen the risen Jesus.
There are still many people who haven’t even heard of Jesus. That means they can’t know God, yet they can still love each other. The mother who nurses her starving child as it slowly dies. She is in agony for her child. So what we really find in Jesus is the HOW to love one another. That HOW presents the true love. We find in Jesus the one true God who deserves to be loved and worshipped.
You place God in the head. You wont find God there. Love is of the heart, so that is where you should look.