why does the Idea of creation stick around?

I agree with Dan, Mam and Peter; why is that we have to find "purpose" and/or meaning in the eyes of another (god in this case)? Why do we need to be validated by a being that, so far, the evidence is rather unsupportive of his/her/it's very existance? As far as feeling unspecial, again, should we not seek happiness, fullfillment and meaning within ourselves?
If I discovered today that ToE was a complete fabrication, it would NOT detract from the beauty I see in life everyday, nor would it change my attitude toward my fellow man...
PE, would you remain the same and still conduct yourself with the same morality that you have now if you were to discover that the biblical god is/was a myth? I know, radically off topic, forgive me :-)

'PE, would you remain the same and still conduct yourself with the same morality that you have now if you were to discover that the biblical god is/was a myth? I know, radically off topic, forgive me :-'I would feel 'free' thinking there are no consequences for my actions - and so , in my ignorance I would probably be less moral.'I agree with Dan, Mam and Peter; why is that we have to find "purpose" and/or meaning in the eyes of another (god in this case)?'Well you don't have to, as Jesus said something similar to this effect . I am not saying you have to feel important with God, I am saying you are important to God. Whether you like it or not.
So if someone hits you in the face,in the street and no-one cares, God cares, for if I hit you I have hit God. You see God cares for you even if you dont believe in him. I guess you could call it unconditional love, God being just that.[This message has been edited by mike the wiz, 08-29-2003]

Hi Mike, That's really sad Mike. Are you saying that the only thing that keeps you acting in a moral way is a fear of supernatural consequences, or a hope for a supernatural reward?------------------
Asgara "An unexamined life is not worth living" Socrates via Plato

'That's really sad Mike. Are you saying that the only thing that keeps you acting in a moral way is a fear of supernatural consequences, or a hope for a supernatural reward?'Hi Asgara,
I guess I am tongue tied, don't think its a sad thing, its not a fear of hell that keeps me moral, (if I am moral!) it's that I want to please God, some people are men pleasers and few people are God pleasers. I aim to please God, I want to be 'moral' if you like,or rather do as God says, because of what it means. Societys laws constantly change, if it were not for God's word I would not know any Good from evil. I prefer good, there is one who is good and thats who I want to please. Please don't think I am one of these people who is scared if they miss church - I never go.

Oh my.....
I would feel 'free' thinking there are no consequences for my actions - and so , in my ignorance I would probably be less moral.
This appears to (yet even more off topic) common among believers; the idea that since I as an unbeliever do not hold to the same morals as the believer. Thus, in your eyes (generally speaking) what is stopping me from raping a child? Murdering a nun? Robbing the elderly? I stop myself from committing any of these attrocities because they are immoral; and not because a book tells me, but because my common sense, the way that I was raised and other non-god related factors.
Actually, are you saying that without a belief in the biblical god that you would rape, murder and pillage? If so, please stay a christian.:-)
You see God cares for you even if you dont believe in him. I guess you could call it unconditional love, God being just that.
This is the god that I believed in, yet my conversion was an appeal to my emotions at the time. The more I studied the bible, attended various churches and led a multitude of prayer meets and youth groups, my findings were divorce from my original beliefs.
If there is a god/gods/goddessess, then I *on faith* believe that I will NOT be judged simply because I asked for evidence, that I asked 'why' and that I followed the path where the truth led me...away from the inerrancy of the bible.

Hi,Maybe you can help me out here, or maybe some other person can. But I am correct in assuming that in American jails there are more Christian prisoners than non-christian? I am sort of sure that I read somewhere that the majority of criminals in prison are 'Christian'.Brian.

'This is the god that I believed in, yet my conversion was an appeal to my emotions at the time. The more I studied the bible, attended various churches and led a multitude of prayer meets and youth groups, my findings were divorce from my original beliefs.'I, on the other hand have never had an 'emotional' purpose, also I have never been to any of these places you mention, youth groups, churches - I never found God in those places.'stop myself from committing any of these attrocities because they are immoral; and not because a book tells me,'I do also, but I do not do these 'attrocities' because.
1. It is wrong. (to God , and me)
2. There are consequences, and I am not talking about jail.'If there is a god/gods/goddessess, then I *on faith* believe that I will NOT be judged simply because I asked for evidence, that I asked 'why' and that I followed the path where the truth led me...away from the inerrancy of the bible. 'Thats fair enough, nor am I judging you, but what if your wrong about the bible?

Hi Brian!
Not sure how accurate this is, (It's on the'Net)but I found this:
Page Not Found - HolySmoke!
It is from a site (HolySmoke.org) that is not complimentary toward christians, but if these stats are correct, then yes. Most people (over 50%) incarcerated claim christiany as their belief.
Not that it proves anything...but, if we unbelievers were are immoral as some suspect, then atheists should be overcrowding the prisons.

Cheers, thanks for the link!

Hi Mike,I'm not trying "tie your tongue"... If the bible didn't tell you...you wouldn't know what was good or evil? It takes a book to tell you that murder is wrong?Don't worry, I don't care whether or not you attend church...when I considered myself a Christian I didn't think church attendance was necessary. But you did imply that the only thing keeping you moral was what was written in the bible.------------------
Asgara "An unexamined life is not worth living" Socrates via Plato

Thats fair enough, nor am I judging you, but what if your wrong about the bible?
Sorry, I wasn't referring to you judging me, but if god exists, him.
As far as if I am wrong (and I could very well be) about the bible, then I will have alot of company :-/
Don't get me wrong, there is a great deal of good thing things in the bible, but they are overshadowed by the horrific stories and the impossible-to-believe tales that seem to challenge everything we know about natural science.
The original posting was "why does the idea of creation stick around", and I believe that it is largely out of fear of the believers.
If I still believed in hell, then I suspect that I too, would still believe.

'But you did imply that the only thing keeping you moral was what was written in the bible.'That's true, it is mainly, for it teaches us. Take the law of where ever you live for example, my point is laws made by people change - all of the time. But God's law does not change. Sure I have the gist of right and wrong, just like you. But my motivation for keeping God's laws is his words about it.'I'm not trying "tie your tongue"... 'I know, I manage that all by myself.lol--------------------------------------------------------'tongue tied and twisted just an earth bound misfit' -pink floyd

LOLyou know Mike...I like youanyone who quotes Floyd can't be all bad right?We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl,
Year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found?
The same old fears.------------------
Asgara "An unexamined life is not worth living" Socrates via Plato

lol, wish you were here.you cant be that bad yourself!You raise the blade, you make the change
You re-arrange me till I'm saneoops, off topic.

So Mike you want to please something that may not even be there? and What if you are trying to please the wrong God? What if the Christen God isn't what created you and everything else?