Does God care about atheists

Discussion in 'Religion' started by Xelasnave.1947, Dec 1, 2017.

  1. Xelasnave.1947 Valued Senior Member

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    I often wonder, if there is a God, does he really care about non believers?
    Would he just move them to the too hard basket...are they doomed to go to hell.
    Alex
     
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  3. Seattle Valued Senior Member

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    Feel free to make up any answer and it will be just as correct (or incorrect) as any other.

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

     
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  5. geordief Valued Senior Member

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    Does God believe in himself?

    Should he stop beating himself (up) ?
     
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  7. ForrestDean Registered Senior Member

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    Just depends on the person's point of view you look at it from. From the protestant Christian point of view, God cares about them but they'll burn in hell forever. Tough love?

    Well, in any case, there are many different points of views and countless different belief systems. For myself personally, even though I am still bound to many (not including religious beliefs), I have no interest in attaching myself to any of them, including atheistic beliefs. Too boring.
     
  8. gmilam Valued Senior Member

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    Many differing viewpoints on this (biblically speaking). Some Xian sects do not believe in a literal hell, so do. Some believe in some form of predestination. There are many references to the "chosen" people.

    I gave up trying to rationalize the various contradictions about 30 years ago, when I was in my late 20s. At that time I took on about a year of fairly serious Bible study. I came out the other end and realized I didn't believe any of it. I have been an atheist ever since.

    Seattle is right - make up any answer you like.
     
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  9. sideshowbob Sorry, wrong number. Valued Senior Member

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    Why would a God care if anybody believed?
     
  10. ForrestDean Registered Senior Member

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    Only a "god" that demanded servitude. In that case is no god at all except for those people who choose see that imaginary entity for themselves as such, and enslave themselves to something that exists only in their mind.
     
  11. Bowser Namaste Valued Senior Member

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    I think he loves everyone; otherwise, he would just put you down and be done with you.
     
  12. Kittamaru Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Adieu, Sciforums. Valued Senior Member

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    Well, according to scripture, God loves all peoples, including sinners, disbelievers, murderers, thieves, etc. The only thing truly asked of humanity to enter heaven is to accept and receive the gift of Grace.

    Some people find it offensive, that it's that "easy". I, personally, view it as the idea that a much higher being has acknowledged that our own shortcomings are many and great, and has decided to love us anyway - much like a parent that loves a severely mentally and physically handicapped child. Is it "hard" - no doubt... there are probably times where those parents question if they are in over their heads. Do they give up and just kill the child and move on with their lives? Well... I'd certainly hope not.
     
  13. sideshowbob Sorry, wrong number. Valued Senior Member

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    So who's more severely handicapped? The atheist or the believer?
     
  14. Kittamaru Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Adieu, Sciforums. Valued Senior Member

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    I would say neither is more severe than the other - rather, all are handicapped in different ways. Some have issues with pride or vanity; others gluttony and greed. Still more are lazy and unwilling to make the change in the world they so desperately crave. Some simply lack the resources to enact said changes. Others still are left physically or mentally unwell, suffering from various ailments.

    In the end, all are human, all are mortal, all make mistakes; ultimately, all fall short of the purported "rules" laid out in the old testament and the old Covenant. That is why Christians need Christ - like a wise older brother, looking out for his kin who are unable to fully take care of themselves.

    It is an interesting concept, one that I struggle with at times, in part due to how often stories and proverbs clash with what modern science recognizes. It's why I try to read Scripture with the understanding that it was written quite some time ago, by frail, mortal, fallible humans that had even less understanding of the universe than we do today.

    *shrug* I choose to believe that there is something more than just random chance that gives our lives a bit of oft sought for meaning... in large part because of events (some big, some small) that I have experienced that just seem too perfect to label as pure chance. However, I also don't believe I have any right to tell others they must follow my way of thinking, or be condemned to an eternity of suffering. It was one of the things that we discussed in a fellowship class at church - the idea of "Hell", as we think of it, is largely a man made construct; most references to it as a place of fire, brimstone, and eternal suffering are, if memory serves, from the New Testament. Originally, it was described simply as being "apart from the Lord". I can't claim to be a biblical scholar... but given mankind's penchant for exaggeration and hyperbole, it seems reasonable that the idea of "eternal punishment" was steadily embellished over the years, especially during the times when the Church alone could read and write, and controlled the Bible, in order to instill fear and maintain control over the populace.

    Again, that's just my thoughts on it.
     
  15. ForrestDean Registered Senior Member

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    What amuses me is that when bad things happen to a non-believer or sinner it’s God’s punishment, but when bad things happen to a believer it’s God’s plan. Sorry, but that sometimes gives me the giggles.
     
  16. spidergoat pubic diorama Valued Senior Member

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    No. Otherwise he would make the smallest effort to appear real.
     
  17. gmilam Valued Senior Member

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    Why do you suppose god allowed imperfect humans to embellish his message to us? It seems that if he really loved us and the fate of our eternal souls hinged on our understanding of his message, he could have prevented any alterations.
     
  18. cluelusshusbund + Public Dilemma + Valued Senior Member

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    God gave us free will to choose bad or good.!!!

    In Concluson:::

    If we choose bad its our fault an ther will be hell to pay.!!!
     
  19. exchemist Valued Senior Member

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    I recall my parents telling me that Catholicism received a boost in England as a result of the 1st World War. It seemed absurd that people who barely knew the term God as anything other than an expletive would go straight to heaven when they were killed on the front, but equally preposterous that they would burn forever in hell, seeing as they seemed decent chaps. Hence the halfway house of Purgatory had a certain appeal.

    I only mention this to illustrate that different views have been expressed at different times about this. The notion that unbelievers burn in hell has always truck me as ludicrous, for a supposedly loving God.
     
  20. Seattle Valued Senior Member

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    The whole thing is ludicrous. Even a moderate Christian who thinks that the Bible should be interpreted and that realizes that the Church controls what's in the and the related concepts still follows it because "it's from God".

    No, the logic just stated shows that it's from Man. You are just quoting Man and implying that it came from a God.

    It would be much more transparent just to read the good parts, try to live that kind of life, and forgot about the God nonsense. Live and good life without all the delusions (and all the room for divisiveness and abuse).
     
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  21. DaveC426913 Valued Senior Member

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    Has purgatory been expunged from the Christian policy?

    Traditionally, that's where those who don't believe in God (whether or not through their own doing) reside.
     
  22. sculptor Valued Senior Member

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    Purgatory seems to have been the creation of those who would use fear to sell indulgences.
     
  23. Seattle Valued Senior Member

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    Hell and Purgatory are so yesterday. They came and went way before the new, hip young pastors (which due to legal proceeding will be a thing of the past soon enough).

    No, the new God 2.0 is all about Love, Donations, and increasing the membership base. You're an atheist, no worries.
     

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