ForumsWEPRDoes it really matter....

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Devoidless
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Devoidless
3,678 posts
Jester

Does it really matter...if there really is a god?

Would you all decide to do horrible things and change your life drastically if there was solid proof that there was no god?

Would you all decide to become perfect people and change your life drastically if there was solid proof that there was a god?


My point is this: Should the existence of a god matter when it comes to how you live day-to-day? Would that much really change?
If there was a god, do you think that it would want you to change who you are just to please it?
And if there is no god would you really feel the need to throw caution to the wind and do as you please, knowing that there were no repercussions after you die?

Shouldn't we all, as intelligent beings, know what is right and wrong regardless of a higher power potentially watching over us?
Shouldn't we all, as intelligent beings, do what we know is right just because we can tell the difference?
Shouldn't we all, as intelligent beings, be beyond the point of caring about being watched and judged by an unseen being...and live out shorts lives as best as we can?


Does it really matter...if there was not really a god?

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Moegreche
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Moegreche
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Duke

So the question is would morality go out the window with the notion of god. On a personal note, since I don't believe in god it wouldn't affect me, but the overall morality of the world would be an interesting phenomenon.
To say that eternal damnation is a deterrent to most people is just silly - most people don't do bad things because they think they might get caught by the police, a much more "real" punishment (I know many of you will disagree with this, it's just my opinion, though).
There are plenty of crimes, though, that have no biblical precedence. In fact, really on stealing and murder are reflected in civilized society's penal code, so what's stopping people from committing the countless other crimes that don't need to be banned by god? I think it's twofold: 1) people want to be accepted by society and those that break the rules are ostracized, and 2) there is some fear of getting caught (although this can be overcome by desperate situations).

Sting
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Sting
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Peasant

Well, everyone has said what they think would happen if there was rock hard proof that there WAS NOT a God, so, to be fair, I suggest posting what you think the world would be like if there was rock hard proof that there WAS a God.

Strategy_guy
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Strategy_guy
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Nomad

It would be the same as what happened with Jesus, many people would convert but there would be people that deny it but there probably never will be becuase it will take the idea out of faith.

Moegreche
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Moegreche
3,829 posts
Duke

If there was a god... hm....
I have been asked what I would do if I somehow experienced god, but never if there was definite proof.
I'm still not sure I would worship god, because I would only be doing it to get into heaven. I would also be quite peeved that god would put us here without even asking us and then make us worship him.
Depending on the type of proof that is presented of god's existence, you might see some shifts in churches - I just don't know. I suppose if churches did change anything it would be kind of silly, since they're operating off the premise of god's existence anyway...

garifu
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garifu
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Shepherd

Remember "I Love Lucy"? Of course you do. well, if God was real, I'd probably say, to quote Desi Arnaz after any zany mishap from Lucy, "Joov got some 'splainin' to dooo!!!!"

But seriously, I would have a lot of questions, which I assume would now be answerable, if we were able to prove God's existence. Then, assuming everyone was right about the whole "live by these rules, you get to join me" deal, I'd have to tweak my daily life juuuuuust a li'l bit :P Would be kinda nice not to have to question what will happen, quite honestly.

Sting
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Sting
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Peasant

As for myself, well I would not be doing anything differently so... yeah.

Anyways Moegreche you probably just answered one of the many prominent questions right there: you see, if there was definete proof of God people would only worship him to get into heaven, but since you cannot definetly prove his existance, only true believers follow him. I just thought it was neat that you typed that in your post.

Brigadier
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Brigadier
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Nomad

I have no religion so I wouldn't act to differently.

Without a god for other religious people though it may become different. You would probably think a little less about what your savior thinks of you, causing you to do more drastic actions.

But remember, God has nothing to do with Laws of a Country. Without god, A holy deity may not be angry at you for Raping someone but the Government will, I assure you of that.

Strop
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Strop
10,817 posts
Bard

To personally answer Devoidless' original question without any regard to the discussion at hand: no.

Devoidless
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Devoidless
3,678 posts
Jester

I am seeing...well, some decent discussion but also a good deal of random stuff.

Here! Let me make it really easy for everyone.

Notice how the first post is only made of questions? That was done for a reason. Find the ones that go opposite of what you believe and answer them. On a personal level for the personal ones, and a general level on the others.

And everything is a hypothetical situation. I realize that said events will never happen, yet just imagine that they did.

Devoidless
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Devoidless
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Jester

Thanks! I just really, really want people to post what they think give the criteria and questions.

I will put how I feel after a little bit.

Asherlee
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Asherlee
5,014 posts
Shepherd

So, I read all the way up to page 3 because I got tired of reading the horrible posts. Seriously, 75% of the members who posted in this topic did not read the original post by Devoid. It's frustrating, so I'm not going to attempt to hop into that discussion, I'm going to address this head on with my opinion.

Many philosophers have put forth arguments that show that morality is not contingent on religion. Most humans (those that aren't sociopaths or antisocial) are born with a good set of moral beliefs that can be separated from religion. We are rational beings, thus we can distinguish right from wrong. Hell, I think that humans in a Godless world would be a better one. Religion makes for huge problems in my opinion. It is also possible that in a Godless world that humans would appreciate life as they know it more, because there would not be an afterlife in regards to religion. Thus your time on earth would become very precious. So, is it possible that Atheists appreciate life more than a religious person?

RsC
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RsC
424 posts
Shepherd

funny speach you could get into a movie if you could speak in a good way :P anyway i think it doesnt make any diffrence ... if there was a god he would have too start a new world again since most of the pple rape each other and keep killing so.. i rather keep myself busy when iam old with what would happend after iam death...cuz you dont even know if there is a heaven or hell it could also be you can step into a new body... would be cool if it could happend >=J

RsC
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RsC
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Shepherd

btw i readed the comments more than the question so forget the last comment, actually it doesnt really matter cuz no one thinks about god.. i never see pple with books of the church...

Asherlee
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Asherlee
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Shepherd

RsC, nothing personal, but I didn't understand anything you wrote.

garifu
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garifu
145 posts
Shepherd

I would like to think, Asherlee, that you are right, that morals are innate to humanity, and that we don't need to be taught right from wrong using religion's teachings. That said, I was raised in a Catholic home, so the seed of morality that was planted was biased towards that thinking. Of course, now that I have matured, I have chosen a different path, but I still take much of my moral cues from my childhood.

So, does that mean that without religious introduction to morality, I wouldn't have found morals? If my parents had given me the same morals without a Catholic framework, would I have grown up abiding by them? I don't rightly know.

I think as instructive allegories, the biblical stories have value, and maybe that is why they serve youth so well. Once that is established, then of course you can see them for what they really are... So would I change? Like I said before, maybe somewhat, but fundamentally, my secularly motivated actions would be the same.

So the argument of whether or not religion is necessary (does it matter, to word it precisely) would have to contend with history, and of course the irrational thinking of pre-pubescent humans :P

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