PlanManStan writes:
Wait, but doesn't that seem like a somewhat weak argument? For example, that Quaran quote that I made, doesn't it affirm Allah's existence? I guess, as I said above, it depends on the relationship of the Christian and Muslim gods. I could see it going either way and it is pointless to argue it.
Haha. Sure, I suppose it could be considered a weak argument. But that's the difficult part which we all need to wrestle with: Who affirms your faith? If, for instance, you were a Muslim, does your subjective experience affirm that Allah exists? What are the things which do so? If it does, then more power to you!
But at the same time, I would say that humanity is getting better. Not only is slavery widely abolished, but it is mostly the older generations that cling to racism and close-mindedness. I suspect that in 50 years time, the world will have quite a different outlook
I agree with that. The world is going awesome places, and changing in many positive ways. I don't think Christianity opposes this view, rather embraces these positive changes. What Christianity does do is state that the problem here is not someone else, but
me, and that I need to check my own heart, my own motives, and realize that we are all in this thing called humanity together. Once the problem becomes us, we can recognize that since much grace, love, hope, and kindness has been shown to us through Jesus, we can do the same here, now, spurring us onward
together to do the same to our world, all the while recognizing that nobody is better than anyone else. We're all in this together dude!
So I see your point, but the question now is what are the benefits and negatives of religion. In other words, what can you get from religion that you get no where else and what negatives go along with it?
Haha. I think you're on the right track, but that's actually not what I'm getting at at all.
Religion is mostly oppressive, traditional, and guilt-inducing. Religion creates a culture of pretending. Religion begins with good intentions but ends up becoming self-centered because the nature of humanity is self-centered. But Jesus is a little different.
Jesus taught us to love those who oppress us. Love those whom we would consider enemies. To do more than is required, to actually sacrifice so that others may benefit, always looking at the other person before ourselves. And Jesus said that as long as those things are a priority, we would all be a part of a place where the things we all hate don't exist. It's ours. Those are the things I cling to.
I see your point at the end, that there are reasons for belief. I totally think so. The only thing left is "are they valid reasons?".
That's for you to decide
Nobody can make that decision for you. Or me for that matter. But, considering the reasons, are they valid? Something I realized is we literally have nothing to lose by believing. If there is no God, hey, at least we loved some people right? And if there is, well, what he
promises us is more incredible than we can imagine. But there definitely is
Regards!
- Raph