Something I've wondered about Athiests...

good afterlife**

How’d THAT happen? I know I had “Religion” for a topic…darn it!

It sounds more like a marketing scheme… to get more customers…

Isn’t God awesome… that he would allow someone to mock him his whole life, and then, in an instant, believe that he was wrong, repent, and God is willing to forgive him??? Is that love, or what?? I don’t see anything or anybody else that can match it. I don’t see any other god in history… even coming close… any diety… anywhere…

well it all depends on what his mind and heart really were. some people think that “oh I will just live a crazy life and if God is real then right before I die I’m going to become a christian just in case.” unfortunetly for them its not going to work. but other people really will come to Christ and realize what they did wrong. sort of like a wake up call.

and as for the young thing. yeah I am young. but I have the intelligence of a professor. and quite frankly I know that I can beat usually anyone at an argument.

oh and his arrogance. that can just be who he is.

Well my religion (Buddhism) would believe that whether he is religious or not. Atheist or a believer, as long as he was a GOOD person in general, he’d go to heaven or reincarnate into another human form.

You shouldn’t have to PRAISE a certain God in order to go to Heaven or have a goof afterlife…That, to me, is ARROGANT.

I don’t know how often it happens.

Your question made me think of the parable of the master who looks for workers for his vineyard. He sends people out to look for workers every hour or so all day long, and each time they bring more people. At the end of the day, he lines them all up to receive the wages starting with the last, and pays them for a full day, then proceeds to pay everyone the same wage.

Here is the part that I thought was most interesting:

When they out to look for workers just before sunset, they found some and asked them “Why do stand there idle all day?” The workers responded “No one hired us yet.” Then they recruited the workers to go to the vineyard.

The point is that “faith” is a gift. All Chirstians are called to serve as witnesses for those who don’t believe. That is what Christ ment when he said, “that is how they will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” The people who have gifts of the Holy Spirit have the responsibility to use them to build up the Body of Christ.

Even those who do convert on their deathbed still get paid the same wage, but all are responsible for using the gifts they have been given.

I’ve found that it just does no good to judge a person by whether they call themselves “believer” or “unbeliever.” I had two great- great uncles that I never knew. One was an atheist of upstanding character and reputation in the community. The other was a Christian who molested children and served time in the pen for impregnating his daughter. Likewise, I’ve seen Christians who are gentle, beautiful people and I’ve seen atheists who are hostile and vindictive.

It all comes down to morality, I guess, and that’s something that should improve with age. It doesn’t work that way with everyone but I’d like to think that many of us come to places like this in order to learn new things and grow.

There may come a time in my future when I find new evidence that will make me rethink my atheism. There may be a time on my deathbed when I reach out in fear. I honestly don’t know. But as a woman rapidly approaching middle age, I can tell you that my lack of belief has nothing to do with rebellion and everything to do with my search for truth. Right or wrong, at least I’m looking.

The ages of the atheists on this board are ‘so young’ because the PEOPLE on this board are ‘so young’, no mystery. Arrogance is not pretty in anyone - atheist, priest, or kumquat vendor. Hopefully it showed up just in this one area as a defense against the immediate branding of your uncle as a ‘ bad, devil worshipping pervert’. ( I myself have actually been asked why I worshipped Satan. ??? I don’t believe in either.) As far as the death bed conversion, who knows. Was he covering all the bases, or was it real? The only thing that you can do phrannie (assuming that you are christian) is accept it at face value with the faith that your God will know if it is real. After all, Jesus accepted the deathbed conversion of the criminal who is crucified alongside Jesus.

How often it happens, who knows. Remember that people aren’t ever perfect. We hopefully all try to be good and moral (religious or philosophical).

Interesting thoughts. Bye for now.