The purpose of life is not pleasure, but its also not suffering.

Everyone is capable of following the law, but no one is capable without God.
God is eternally merciful in that he even allows the wicked to live, but in allowing the wicked to live and do evil, others must suffer. but their endurance in suffering is rewarded. Evil suffering, is due to the absence of God from peoples lives.

I can disprove the theories I put in bold.

I am perfectly content, and there is no god in my life in any way. I know many others just like me. I also know many very religious people who are depressed as hell. Unhappiness cannot be measured by how religious a person is.

I don't break any vastly important laws such as murder, thievery, assault, etc. I don't have any god in my life. Isn't that proof it can be done without religion? Isn't the fact that many very religious people commit murder proof that they are capable of breaking the law with a god in their life?

We do not suffer merely because "evil" people make us. We suffer because it is our natural inclination. If I do not feed myself I will suffer from painful hunger. If I do not actively make social bonds with those around me I will suffer from loneliness. If I do not work to house myself I will suffer from the elements. Our suffering is our nature, only we can overturn it.

You're spewing religious doctrine founded on no reason. Feel free to believe it all you want, but all that you have said is false. It is founded on more "what if" thinking.

__________________

This earth is not paradise. all ills in the world are caused by sin. anyone can avoid commiting murder and theft, can you avoid lust, and hate?
Can you resist temptation without God?

Many people can say they believe in God... but more then idle words is required.. Matthew 7- 21 Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter

Reasons for our suffering is not only due to others, but our selves as well..
People suffer because do not keep the law..

these are also corrections, chastisements.. Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty (Job:5:17)
like a father who disciplines a son.

All cause of suffering is due to the sins of others, our own sins. and chastisments due to our sins. you tell children not to put hand on lit stove, and they do.. it is natural from thier disobedience to feel pain. if children don't clean thier room, bad mouth their parents, dont do thier homework.. they will be punished so that they learn from this.

Ok, first off I have no problem with religion and I don't mean to insult anyone who is religious. I personally am a Hindu.

One thing that annoys me is how the Christian religion is so self-righteous. It's just the whole monotheistic do this, do that, mentality. People love to be told what to do because it offers them a loophole through responsibility for ones actions. However, a moral Christian is a beautiful thing in my mind and I am very happy for one that finds happiness that way.

So I want to ask you a few questions about the Christian God. Who does he or she prefer in your mind? OJ Simpson a person who has lived his whole life in squander, but believes in god, or a person who is not sure about religion. A person who instead bases his life on what his human spirit dictates as right versus wrong. A person who puts morality on a pedestal above all else. A person who always does the right thing and wants to help other people? A person who is an intellectual who reads philosophy and is always curious and questioning what he has learned.

I personally prefer the objective human being. I think that the monotheism can in many ways can deter objectivity and make right and wrong obscure. Believing is one thing, but I don't think that it is a cure all. Look at all of the deaths and pains monotheistic Islam has created. I believe that comes from the monotheistic lack of objectivity.

Again this is just my opinion. I think that religion can bring a lot of happiness and completeness to one's life. I just think that one has to cherish their objectivity.

It is not religion that motivates the human spirit it is FAITH.
Wether it's faith in God, faith in Hinduism, faith in theories, faith in nothingness.
The problem with this is some people like to push their faith on other people.

I believe God is infinitely wise and just. and through him all things are possible... OJ Simpson is not saved and is in danger of eternal punishment unless he repents of his sins..

Christians believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins. in order to be forgiven you need to accept Jesus Christ. If you refuse him you are basically saying to God "I don't need Jesus Christ to pay for my sins, Ill pay for them myself."

So this is the idea why christians believe that only they can be saved. because only they have accepted Jesus' s payment for our debts..even our filthy thoughts our sins. So its unusual to be able to not sin excessively in this world without guidance from God.

But I do believe God may choose devout heathens over evil christians to reside with him.

Mark 11th chapter 22nd verse I'll let you look it up.

You totally ignored what I said. We do not suffer because of "sins". We suffer because it is our nature to suffer. I'll get hungry no matter how good a person I am. I will need protection from the cold or heat, no matter how good a person I am. I don't get cold because I have sinned or been wronged by a sinner. I get cold because my body needs to be kept warm.

You're basically saying someone cannot be a good and righteous person without god, which is bullshit. There are many good people who do not rely on some god in the sky.

It is hard for anyone to avoid feelings of lust or hate. The people who do it must rely on control of their own mind, which is possible, albeit pointless as if kept in check they don't hurt anyone. Hell a little lust spices up your life. Resisting temptation is much easier, most of us do it on a daily basis. I do it just fine without god.

You're quoting scripture which spouts out random things. What is the reasoning to believe its text is true. Where is the logical thought pattern on why it is. There isn't any. Religious texts just spout out doctrines and statements with no logical reasoning, no reason to believe them. That is why philosophy is better than religion in every way for pondering our own existence and its meaning.

__________________

This is one reason I will never be a Christian. Why should god forgive him for murdering, lying, and through his celebrity making the entire world more dumb. I personally believe that each human has an inner sense of what is right and wrong. If god is going to forgive him he should do a whole lot of fixing. He should tell the whole world what a complete idiot he is, he should give all his money to charity, he should put himself in jail, and he should request the dealth penalty. Then if I was him I still wouldn't expect god to forgive me, but I would feel as if my soul would reach a higher level of peace.

Thank you I thought that I mentioned the difference before but I guess no one believed me. lol But actually people seem to force their religion moreso than their faith, atleast in my experience.... and heres why I believe that to be true.

Ones religion has the black and white, yes and no, right and wrong boundaries. This in turn is much easier to preach because it has a simplistic explanation as to why they do things or believe in things.

Ones faith is too gray, and is usually much more personal. It tends to reflect the experiences that that single person has had, and ones faith may also argue with the religion that they follow. The faith that one person has allows them to interprit the religion that they follow.

I think that people tend to go with preaching their religion, because there are so many close minded people in this world....

Okay I dont know if youve gone through anything majorly significant that changed you entire outlook on something, that changed your 'faith' whatever it may be in, but say you did.... and you are telling someone about something that you believe in, they ask you how you could believe in that..... you give them your reasoning (the significant event that changed you) and in return that person tells you that there is no reason that the event that you experienced should have changed anything..... while arguing they are basically telling you that you were wrong for feeling and reacting the way you did in that situation.

I have not met a person yet, who can get through an attack like that with a dry eye or an intact 'heart'.

Faith is too personal to try to preach with others, especially because when you preach.... its usually to someone that doesnt agree with you so you are more likely to get the personal attacks.

__________________
Brandi