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I feel trapped between Christianity, Islam, and Atheism.

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber & Business Owner
Unfortunately I didn't get the opportunity to test whether the thoughts were mine or not..
You shouldn't have to test for anything to know if they were your thoughts or not, and you should be able to know and understand that you didn't broadcast your thoughts to another person without orally speaking them or writing them down on paper (or some other form of communication).
I believe anyone can give advice whether it is worth much or not.
While you technically can, the reality is if you have no background, training, or knowledge of a subject then you shouldn't. Someone who has never worked on a car can give me advice to me about working on my car, but it's a given that I shouldn't take it.
I believe I am not pretending to be an authority and my experience is that authorities are often wrong about things.
I don't believe I need to be a duck to know what a duck is. I also don't need to be an ornithologist to know what a duck is.
And if you don't experience clinical depression, you don't know anything about it or what it's like. You can read a bunch of text books, you can read the accounts of others, but you will never know what it's like to wake up and wish you didn't wake up. You can read about and study habits that are not good for depression, but you will never know the why getting ****ed up, laying in bed all day, or being catatonic feels like the limits of what depression brings. You may see the deeply rooted pain in a friend, but you will never know that pain. You don't have to be an ornithologist to know a duck, but you wont know a duck like an avid life-long duck hunter, and neither will know a duck like a duck will.
You can go on about what you "think" will help with the depression of homosexuals, but being a straight Christian you will never know that depression, you will never understand it, and without any study or taking some time to really get to know those we are, you really have no room to speak about what will or will not help depressed homosexuals. Even those who study psychology will never fully understand, but at least they have studies and statistics to help guide them. It's actually only arrogance and pretentiousness for a conservative Christian heterosexual with no background or training in psychology or psychiatry to say they know what will help a depressed homosexual, especially since they so very often do not realize that it is their conservative views that create social environments that create depression for homosexuals, or any targeted minority. I can speak on my own experience as a transsexual, which is really nothing horrifying, bad, or depressing on it's own, but what makes it so hard is that people want to insist I am not living correctly, that I am wrong, and that I need to live in accordance to what others think, even though they don't take a moment to consider how I think and feel.
 

Kelly of the Phoenix

Well-Known Member
I hope JeremK is ok. What with an internet friend dying recently, his partner implying suicidal ideation, and my own depression issues and struggle with wanting to continue, I could use some happy or at least "not as sad" news...
 

Muffled

Jesus in me
You shouldn't have to test for anything to know if they were your thoughts or not, and you should be able to know and understand that you didn't broadcast your thoughts to another person without orally speaking them or writing them down on paper (or some other form of communication).

While you technically can, the reality is if you have no background, training, or knowledge of a subject then you shouldn't. Someone who has never worked on a car can give me advice to me about working on my car, but
it's a given that I shouldn't take it.

And if you don't experience clinical depression, you don't know anything about it or what it's like. You can read a bunch of text books, you can read the accounts of others, but you will never know what it's like to wake up and wish you didn't wake up. You can read about and study habits that are not good for depression, but you will never know the why getting ****ed up, laying in bed all day, or being catatonic feels like the limits of what depression brings. You may see the deeply rooted pain in a friend, but you will never know that pain.
You don't have to be an ornithologist to know a duck, but you wont know a duck like an avid life-long duck hunter, and neither will know a duck like a duck will.
You can go on about what you "think" will help with the depression of homosexuals, but being a straight Christian you will never know that depression, you will never understand it, and without any study or taking some time to really get to know those we are, you really have no room to speak about what will or will not help depressed homosexuals. Even those who study psychology will never fully understand, but at least they have studies and statistics to help guide them. It's actually only arrogance and pretentiousness for a conservative Christian heterosexual with no background or training in psychology or psychiatry to say they know what will help a depressed homosexual, especially since they so very often do not realize that it is their conservative views that create social environments that create depression for homosexuals, or any targeted minority. I can speak on my own experience as a transsexual, which is really nothing horrifying, bad, or depressing on it's own, but what makes it so hard is that people want to insist I am not living correctly, that I am wrong, and that I need to live in accordance to what others think, even though they don't take a moment to consider how I think and feel.

I believe I know quite well I wasn't broadcasting my thoughts but there are those who have claimed to be able to read minds and I would not rule that out. Only testing could reveal whether that was so or the person was hearing voices that were not my thoughts.

I believe that observing people work on my car is experience enough to give advice. For instance I can tell a person if their repairman is scamming him or has the real deal. If a psychologist is talking about sin which is a spiritual subject then that person is speaking out of his sphere of experience.

I believe this is true but I certainly have it explained to me first hand.

I believe telling a drunk he won't get a hangover or the DTs doesn't help the person face reality. Granted it is depressing to face reality if one is not willing to change. Can a drunk be anything other than a social pariah?
 

vaguelyhumanoid

Active Member
I believe telling a drunk he won't get a hangover or the DTs doesn't help the person face reality. Granted it is depressing to face reality if one is not willing to change. Can a drunk be anything other than a social pariah?

This is a wrong thing to tell a depressed person about their sexual orientation. I don't mean a misguided or not optimal thing, I mean a wrong thing in the full moral and factual sense, according to both clinical psychology and lived experience.
 

JeremK

Member
I believe I never said that it was but I wouldn't rule it out as punishment for things done in a previous life.

I still don't know exactly what to believe... But I do know that I'm not going to take this kind of bull**** for a legitimate answer. I am not only depressed. I have anxiety, OCD, and Asperger's with it. That isn't my damn fault. I don't care what you have to say in response to that. If there is a loving god, then punishing me for the life of a being from the past would be wrong. While that's exceptionally unlikely, this would be an absolutely cruel thing for a god to do. All of your responses thus far have oozed hatred, and, dare I say, ignorance. You don't understand the pain that I have to go through in my everyday life. Surely, a loving god would soothe me instead of allowing me to live in pain every day. And I swear, if you think I chose my sexuality, then you're assumed I wanted it. I don't I want to be normal. I hate all of my problems. I have a self-hatred complex. If you think that simply by existing I deserve this pain, and your god would agree with that, then I don't want to hear a single word from you on the rest of this forum, because, quite frankly, you've already said all that you can say.

I'd like to make your mind at ease on this matter lol

The Quran openly states that no innocent is to be killed and that killing one is like killing the whole of humanity and that Prophet Muhammad PBUH laid down the rules of engagement (rules during war) and they for bid even the burning of tree/crops/grass unless it is an absolute last resort, so even the modern standards of war by NATO or the US, of carpet bombing entire regions, towns and cities is haram, let alone what ISIS is doing.

Now, you obviously sound very confused and you have given brief descriptions of that confusion, however, as a Muslim, I think there is nothing wrong with your confusion. Islam tells us to question and to study and if you are truly serious about Islam, then study it, study the life of our beloved Prophet PBUH, ask questions of Islamic scholars, maybe you can go to a local mosque? Do not let the confusion keep you down, confusion is the key to understanding, if you use it right.

If you have any more questions, feel free to message me.

May Allah guide you.

I am very sorry if I come off as disrespectful, but I don't know how a religion that preaches love and peace could create such vile organizations as ISIS, al-Queda, and Boko Haram. I have studied the life of Muhammad to a very small extent. From what I've seen, however, some of his acts seem to be morally gray to say the least. I very much appreciate your efforts, though. I love and respect life, and the lives of every organism around me. You seem very kind and well-intended, but I just can't find much love in Islam. Please feel free to prove me wrong with citations from the Quran... If you have arguments for Islam's peaceful nature then I would sincerely and legitimately love to hear them.
 

outhouse

Atheistically
But I do know that I'm not going to take this kind of bull**** for a legitimate answer

Sir you do not have to.

You can chose not believe in any mythology, and study all religions and use the best parts that suites your personal lifestyle.
 

Intojoy

Member
I've posted a bit about this kind of thing before, so I'll make my introduction quick.

I'm an Atheist who has been deconverted from Catholicism for two years. As a bisexual, I was really turned off (no pun intended) by the way I was treated at my church. Additionally, I started to have massive doubts on the content of the Bible and I was going through a very hard time.

I suffer from depression and anxiety, as well as intrusive thoughts. I cannot shake the idea out of my head that God hates me. I miss the community of my church, and I miss being able to feel truly at peace. Furthermore, I have a massive fear of the Christian and Islamic Hell, and I'm scared that I will someday be persecuted and killed over what I end up believing.

I feel stuck between Christianity, Atheism, and Islam, and I'm not sure which is right. What can I do?

I miss having the presence of God and a Church-like community. But I also fear the possibility of me having incorrect beliefs; for example, I'm worried that I will become a Christian, but Islam will be right and I'll go to Hell. I'm also afraid of being delusional, and I don't want to waste my life believing a false religion. Additionally, I'm concerned that becoming religious will cause me even more stress in the end, especially if I'm once again deconverted and can't build another worldview. I'm even worried that ISIS might have the truest interpretation of Islam, that I'll be killed by Muslims or Christians, or that I'll be discriminated upon if I go to any place of worship.

Furthermore, I'm still worried that, if there's a God, he hates me and is making me suffer intentionally, and wants me to go to an eternal Hell. I'm still just so damn confused and scared.
"Why did Messiah have to die?" Peter's objection to the revelation that Messiah had to die (Mathew 16:22-23 and John 6:61-64)

And

"The unity of Believers"
Paul's teaching on unity of believers (Romans 15:1- 7)


Paul in chapter 15 of the book of Romans quotes Psalm 69. Paul tells us we aught to follow the example of Messiah's suffering by enduring one another's wrong doings. And the gospels record the reaction of the disciples concerning the coming death and suffering of Messiah.

Peter was rebuked by Yeshua sharply when Peter thought that by defending Messiah he would be honoring Messiah. Yeshua calls Peter the devil. When Yeshua explained to the disciples that He was going to suffer and die Peter stood up and protested it. Only after God opened Peter's eyes could he come to the understanding of the truth about Messiah's death. The Father had to first draw Peter.

In order for us to embrace Messiah the Father must draw us. Otherwise we would be like Peter and say the same thing, "far be it from me, I would die for you etc."

Yeshua asked Peter; What would be the case if Messiah did not come? If the Messiah did not come down what would have happened?

The answer is that redemption would not have been possible for any of us.

So why did Messiah have to die? There are two reasons.

Number one is because we are beings that have been created that need love. We are individuals that need to experience unconditional, all accepting love.

Paul quotes Psalm 69 in his book of Romans 15:1-7. Paul is teaching us to follow in Yeshua's footsteps of bearing the insults of His enemies by coming to our world as pictured in Psalm 69. Why did He come and bear these insults?

Because we need love. We need not only to give it but to experience it.

The problem is none of us can give the kind of love we all need because all of our love is ultimately conditional in some regard and it also is self serving - we need to receive a love that we can just receive all of it from.

Only one can give that kind of love, and that is God. Why? Because He embodies all of love - God is love and therefore God does not need love. Thus He can fully give love.

So why does Messiah come? Because we crave love. And we need love in order to go on in our lives. And we also need to be ones who can give love but we can't give it and therefore we can't receive that kind of love from each other. So where can we get that kind of love? We have to get it from the one who is love and that is God. But we can't get it from Him unless we are united to Him. That's how we receive it. We have to be in Messiah as it were. And how do we get in Messiah? He must die for us.

If He does not do that (what Peter objected to), then we can not get what we need in order to be the kind of human beings God created us to be. And thus we are without love in the world. And we are of all people's most miserable.

But because Messiah came as a servant, because He gave His life a ransom for many, because He can provide the atonement that can unite us to the One who is love we can for the first time receive the kind of love we all crave. And because of His Spirit that dwells within us we can be empowered to give the kind of love we all need to receive from each other at least in small kind of way.

But it is not just this personal need for love that we have. The second reason Messiah had to die is that we have a judicial need, legal need. We stand guilty before God. And something has to remedy it.

All debt has a price. Here's an illustration; If you walk into someone's home and you knock over their lamp, you are in debt to whoever owns the lamp. Only one of two things can happen. You are going to go out and buy a new lamp in which case you have born the debt for that lamp. Or the owner can say I forgive you, you don't have to pay for a new lamp. In which case the owner bears the debt for the lamp. They're either going to go without light in that part of the home and suffer without light or pay for a new lamp from their own pockets. In either case wrong doing incurs a debt and the debt is always paid.

That's what forgiveness is about. When you forgive another person you are telling the other person "I will pay the debt, you do not have to pay the debt."

When we do not forgive others and we become vengeful or retaliatory or even rejoice in their suffering we are making them pay the debt. And they are experiencing the suffering for their wrong doing.

Someone pays the debt for wrong doing. Either the wrong doer pays the debt because we do not let them off the hook, or we pay the debt because we do. In either case debt paying incurs suffering and a great deal of agony. Inside we churn for what we just experienced. We forgive the individual but it does not necessarily take away the pain that we experience.

Just as Messiah went to the cross, for He provided forgiveness for us why? Because He bore our debt and He suffered our debt He paid it so that we don't have to pay for it ourselves.

Why Messiah had to die.

Again firstly why Christ had to die: He became a servant suffering as He did because we need love and without Him suffering we can not be united to the God of the universe who is love.

And secondly we've incurred a debt by our wrong doing. And someone is going to pay for our debt. And if Messiah's debt paying is not applicable to your sin, you will pay for that debt. And it is a debt that cannot be paid off in time. And that is why Yeshua tells us it is a place of eternal separation from the one to whom we are indebted but if Messiah has paid the debt for us and we've received that debt payment then we no longer need to bear the debt for ourselves and for all of eternity we will be forgiven and therefore united to Him.

Why unity, how is unity amongst us.

Paul is telling us in Romans 15 that we are to be one. And being one with Messiah means to follow His example of enduring all of those insults from those that opposed Him in Psalm 69.

And Paul uses that to say to we, who are ones who love one another, we who are ones who are brothers and sisters in Messiah, we who are ones who are children of God together, are to learn from that example of debt paying, of owning all of that stuff from one another that we would glorify God.

Because if people see individuals that truly love one another and bear one another's burdens they will glorify God.
 

rusra02

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Jesus said "Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need." (Matthew 5:3) The Bible assures us that God loves us, even though we may be doing things that displease him. However, I believe we do need to come to know the true God to fully please him, and satisfy our spiritual hunger. Jesus also said; "This means everlasting life, their coming to know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ." (John 17:3) I believe what makes this difficult is that many false religions mascerade as "Christian". Their works belie their claim, as Jesus noted. (Matthew 7:15-20)
 

LuisDantas

Aura of atheification
Premium Member
@JeremK : Sorry if you explained that already, but I find it surprising that you present those three specific choices.

Atheism is ok, but not particularly useful except perhaps as a deterrent to further trouble.

And I can't in good faith recommend a theistic faith, particularly to someone who has given me indication of lacking the natural tendency for theism.

It seems to me that your best choices are not those mentioned in the OP.

Specifically, you gave indication that there is some priority in embracing a sense of community and exercising self-acceptance.

Since those goals can oppose each other to a degree, particularly in the early, more troubled stages, I would recommend seeking both at the same time or at least with short periods of alternance. Pursuing some sort of hobby might help with the community sense, while from a religious perspective I would advise trying some basic Buddhist medidation - either Shamata, Zazen or Vipassana (you may mix them all if you want to). In that respect it is best to trust your instincts. "Shop around" if you can and do not force yourself into groups or practice centers that you do not feel an affinity to.

Hope you feel better.
 

kalyan

Aspiring Sri VaishNava
There is nothing called as eternal hell...god is not cruel as abrahamic religions say....my advice? Place your trust at the lotus feet of Sri Krushna and do your work for Sri Krushna is always with you as your inner controller
 

Tomorrows_Child

Active Member
[QUOTE="JeremK, post: 4558539, member: 57722"



I am very sorry if I come off as disrespectful, but I don't know how a religion that preaches love and peace could create such vile organizations as ISIS, al-Queda, and Boko Haram. I have studied the life of Muhammad to a very small extent. From what I've seen, however, some of his acts seem to be morally gray to say the least. I very much appreciate your efforts, though. I love and respect life, and the lives of every organism around me. You seem very kind and well-intended, but I just can't find much love in Islam. Please feel free to prove me wrong with citations from the Quran... If you have arguments for Islam's peaceful nature then I would sincerely and legitimately love to hear them.[/QUOTE]

Well first of all, what you must understand is that ISIS has as much to do with Islam as an orange as to do with a beef steak, which is to say, nothing. If you are politically minded and have the time, look up information on ISIS, it's formation, it's funding, why it was created in the first place, the type of people joining it, the recent attacks in Paris, the fact that numerous ISIS twitter accounts have been found to originate within British government departments and so on. Talking in depth about ISIS would mean a post which is too long for me to write or for you to read lol The same goes for all these other, so-called "Islamic" terrorist groups. Also, if we're talking about terrorism, look up statistics for so called Islamic terror groups and the number of attacks they carry out across the western world and how it's quite minuscule in number.

In terms of learning about the life of our Prophet Muhammad PBUH, you must study it in depth, there is very little that is morally gray and is one is to study his work, without prejudice or pre-conceived notions, then they will come to the same conclusion as many important historical figures, ranging from Annie Besant to Lamartine by way of Bernard Shaw and countless others. To study the life of Muhammad PBUH, you will come across far more stories of this great man carrying luggage for old people, giving food and shelter to the poor and the orphaned, of jesting with his friends, of doing the housework with his wives, of looking after animals and crops and you simply being polite, as he himself said (PBUH): "I have been sent down to you to perfect your manners". Not to mention the Islamic rules and regulations of war, which would make all modern warfare illegal, which I mentioned previously but maybe you did not read it.

If we are to look at the Quran, it is filled with constant verses of being kind to one another, of justice, of peace over war, of caring, of giving to charity and so on. here are just some:

"It is not righteousness that you turn your faces to the East or the West, but truly righteous is he who believes in Allah and the Last Day and the angels and the Book and the Prophets, and spends his money for love of Him, on the kindred and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and those who ask for charity, and for ransoming the captives; and who observes Prayer and pays the Zakat; and those who fulfill their promise when they have made one, and the patient in poverty and afflictions and the steadfast in time of war; it is these who have proved truthful and it is these who are the God-fearing. (Al Quran 2:178)"

"Indeed, Allah enjoins justice, and the doing of good to others; and giving like kindred; and forbids indecency, and manifest evil, and wrongful transgression. He admonished you that you may take heed. (Al Quran 16:91)" - This is heard by Muslims on every Friday.

"Those who spend in prosperity and adversity, and those who suppress anger and pardon men; and Allah loves those who do good. (Al Quran 3:135)"

There are hundreds more but I guess I will stop here.

I hope you read this, if there are any further questions, keep asking.
 

LuisDantas

Aura of atheification
Premium Member
@Tomorrows_Child - If you want to set up a separate thread on why you expect people to perceive Islam as fully unconnected to ISIS' ideology, that might very well be a good idea.
 

Tomorrows_Child

Active Member
@Tomorrows_Child - If you want to set up a separate thread on why you expect people to perceive Islam as fully unconnected to ISIS' ideology, that might very well be a good idea.

I don't expect people to do that lol I expect people to look deeper in to the situation, especially since it's so easy in the modern world. Any way I was replying to a question asked by someone, quite on topic with this thread.

I wouldn't mind making a separate thread but I might not be able to keep up with it :/ So it might just peter out.
 

Muffled

Jesus in me
Sir you do not have to.

You can chose not believe in any mythology, and study all religions and use the best parts that suites your personal lifestyle.

I believe people can believe anything they want but that does not make their beliefs rational. I once had a person who had been abused curse me out because I had a loving family. Is it not possible that I am being rewarded for being good while others are being punished for doing evil?

PS: Would you rather believe that a person suffers randomly?
 

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber & Business Owner
I believe that observing people work on my car is experience enough to give advice.
Keep in mind when I saw working on a car, I mean doing things including up to opening the engine up, and working on things that have bolts that must be torqued to a certain level, and my example revolved around someone with no experience telling someone with experience what to do.
I believe telling a drunk he won't get a hangover or the DTs doesn't help the person face reality. Granted it is depressing to face reality if one is not willing to change. Can a drunk be anything other than a social pariah?
Being transsexual is absolutely nothing like a drunk, and you are helping to prove my point by bringing up "anything but a social pariah.". Even though a make a statement based on how I am, which is not destructive to myself or others, you make a comparison to it based on something that is highly destructive to self and sometimes others.
However, I believe we do need to come to know the true God to fully please him, and satisfy our spiritual hunger.
Who or what is the "true God?" Every religion claims theirs is real and true, every religion has their followers with experiences, and all are standing on equal grounds.
 

Kelly of the Phoenix

Well-Known Member
I believe people can believe anything they want but that does not make their beliefs rational. I once had a person who had been abused curse me out because I had a loving family. Is it not possible that I am being rewarded for being good while others are being punished for doing evil?

PS: Would you rather believe that a person suffers randomly?
What did you take away from the Book of Job?
 

TashaN

Veteran Member
Premium Member
I've posted a bit about this kind of thing before, so I'll make my introduction quick.

I'm an Atheist who has been deconverted from Catholicism for two years. As a bisexual, I was really turned off (no pun intended) by the way I was treated at my church. Additionally, I started to have massive doubts on the content of the Bible and I was going through a very hard time.

I suffer from depression and anxiety, as well as intrusive thoughts. I cannot shake the idea out of my head that God hates me. I miss the community of my church, and I miss being able to feel truly at peace. Furthermore, I have a massive fear of the Christian and Islamic Hell, and I'm scared that I will someday be persecuted and killed over what I end up believing.

I feel stuck between Christianity, Atheism, and Islam, and I'm not sure which is right. What can I do?

I miss having the presence of God and a Church-like community. But I also fear the possibility of me having incorrect beliefs; for example, I'm worried that I will become a Christian, but Islam will be right and I'll go to Hell. I'm also afraid of being delusional, and I don't want to waste my life believing a false religion. Additionally, I'm concerned that becoming religious will cause me even more stress in the end, especially if I'm once again deconverted and can't build another worldview. I'm even worried that ISIS might have the truest interpretation of Islam, that I'll be killed by Muslims or Christians, or that I'll be discriminated upon if I go to any place of worship.

Furthermore, I'm still worried that, if there's a God, he hates me and is making me suffer intentionally, and wants me to go to an eternal Hell. I'm still just so damn confused and scared.

Pray to God sincerely and ask Him for guidance, and if he was a just God and you were sincere enough, you will be guided to the truth, if not, you already can say that you have asked him for guidance if you met him in the other life. That's of course if you were sincere enough.

I say ask God because humans will confuse you even more with their various answers. It's good to make your research and read books, but also ask God to guide you to the truth.

All the best.
 

Smart_Guy

...
Premium Member
I've posted a bit about this kind of thing before, so I'll make my introduction quick.

I'm an Atheist who has been deconverted from Catholicism for two years. As a bisexual, I was really turned off (no pun intended) by the way I was treated at my church. Additionally, I started to have massive doubts on the content of the Bible and I was going through a very hard time.

I suffer from depression and anxiety, as well as intrusive thoughts. I cannot shake the idea out of my head that God hates me. I miss the community of my church, and I miss being able to feel truly at peace. Furthermore, I have a massive fear of the Christian and Islamic Hell, and I'm scared that I will someday be persecuted and killed over what I end up believing.

I feel stuck between Christianity, Atheism, and Islam, and I'm not sure which is right. What can I do?

I miss having the presence of God and a Church-like community. But I also fear the possibility of me having incorrect beliefs; for example, I'm worried that I will become a Christian, but Islam will be right and I'll go to Hell. I'm also afraid of being delusional, and I don't want to waste my life believing a false religion. Additionally, I'm concerned that becoming religious will cause me even more stress in the end, especially if I'm once again deconverted and can't build another worldview. I'm even worried that ISIS might have the truest interpretation of Islam, that I'll be killed by Muslims or Christians, or that I'll be discriminated upon if I go to any place of worship.

Furthermore, I'm still worried that, if there's a God, he hates me and is making me suffer intentionally, and wants me to go to an eternal Hell. I'm still just so damn confused and scared.

This is a delicate matter, my friend. I suggest you ask real life religious people. But in an attempt to make you feel better, many believe that Christianity and Islam are from the same God. Trying your best to find the truth would certainly make God understand your situation and consider it positively. God helps those who help themselves and God does not do people injustice. Two teachings from each religion at hand.

God bless :)
 

LuisDantas

Aura of atheification
Premium Member
I believe people can believe anything they want but that does not make their beliefs rational. I once had a person who had been abused curse me out because I had a loving family. Is it not possible that I am being rewarded for being good while others are being punished for doing evil?

Possible? I suppose that it is indeed technically possible.

But the way I see it, the implications are quite disturbing, and not in a way that encourages theism.


PS: Would you rather believe that a person suffers randomly?

You did not ask the question to me, but if by "randomly" you mean "unfairly", then yes, I personally do in fact believe and hope that human suffering is not assigned on purpose.

The theological alternative is quite self-defeating.
 
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