Posted by Todd (216.199.5.222) on March 17, 2000 at 16:32:44:
In Reply to: Please explain ... posted by Skymaster on March 17, 2000 at 16:02:52:
Once again...I enjoy making a difference NOW. Why do you just re-hash your old arguments to which I've already replied?
Okay, I'll try to be more clear.
I believe it is the right thing to do FOR ME to try to help people today. Once I'm gone, I won't be able to do that. Hopefully, someone who outlives me will observe my actions, find merit in them, and continue after me. Pretty simple, if you'll stop viewing everything from YOUR perspective and open your mind to other's.
Why MUST there be a 'later' for things done 'now' to matter? Alexander Graham Bell now does not exist, yet you use his invention to access the internet and post to this board.
Now, again you've put words in my mouth (keyboard). What makes you think I'm bitter about religion? Quite the contrary, I believe. I've given many years of thought on the subject and calmly, rationally concluded that the existence of a supreme being can ONLY be based upon blind faith. In other words, "I believe in God's existance because I believe he exists". If that works for you, fine. That is your right. It doesn't work for me...which is my right.
Here's a postscript to think about....every time the religion issue flares up on ch.com, it has been raised by a 'believer'. I've never seen anyone attempt to persuade believers to stop believing, yet you and many others frequently attempt to persuade non-believers to begin.
Much as I enjoy the intellectual discourse, let me be very clear to you...NOTHING you or anyone else could possibly say will alter my opinion. Sorry if that counts as a demerit on your celestial scoreboard, but that's the way it is.
So, in conclusion, allow me to return your shots. It sounds to me, from your constant harping on 'why does it matter if there is no 'later'' that you are compassionate only to score brownie points for your imagined afterlife. If that's the case, your compassion isn't sincere and you are a shining example to support the position that compassionate atheists are of higher integrity and much less self-serving. We, for example, don't use blasphemous nicknames like "Skymaster". In your supposed faith system, shouldn't that nick belong to who or what ever it is you believe in?
KTSSU,
T