I think Howard Dean was on the right track with the whole gay marriage argument.  

Marriage, every marriage for every person, would have two parts - 1) a Civil Union.   2) an optional, religious "marriage."

imo, Civil unions should only be allowed with some sort of pre-nup.   Every time the union is altered in a significant way: children, major illness, etc., the legal document should be altered.   People have wills.   It doesn't mean they want to die.   Having a pre-nup shouldn't mean you want a divorce.  Gays and straights could have civil unions, and civil unions would have the same legal rights as a marriage does today.

Marriage should be governed by religious institutions.  If you find a church that is willing to marry you, you have a religious ceremony.   This carries no legal weight. 

Just my opinion.    (Of course, no one wants a compromise.)  

There are horrible parents out there who kick their kids out of the house for all kinds of reasons.  I used to substitute teach and I heard all kinds of stories.  I am not going to say this again, I was generalizing.   I was aware I was generalizing.   I am not so much of an idiot to think that because certain characteristics are more likely to apply to one group than another, then that means they apply to everyone in that group, and no one outside that group.

^ ^ I know.  

Just to say that when Rogarn stomps off like that it's usually because he's feeling misunderstood.

Just to say that when Rogarn stomps off like that it's usually because he's feeling misunderstood.

Rogarn, I am sorry if I offended you.   I grew up in a small town with a sizable minority of fundamentalist Christians who hated Catholics and who were always trying to convert me or save my soul.   I almost have a physical reaction now when people sound too religious.  I am sorry to have offended you or your beleifs. 

I was putting down "loving God" above.    I didn't mean it as a response to you, but I thought about how it could have been taken that way.

Ideally, Christianity isn't based on fear or rules or blind belief. It seems like a lot of arguments against Christianity attack things that I also have a problem with (I'm Christian.) As has already been stated, the greatest commandement is - Love God; love neighbor....and this contains everything else. If you are acting out of love then you won't do anything that could be wrong. Unfortunately, no one is perfect. So we are dealing with an ideal. It is a goal that we will never reach in our own strength....which is why we need the unmerited favor of God and His supernatural presence in our lives (and by this I mean that I believe God teaches and helps us to become better people....at least, I think I believe this...I'm not sure exactly what I believe in regards to how much God 'interferes' in our lives. I think He is definitely watching interestedly, but it seems to me that He really wants to watch us make our own decisions without getting involved....that sometimes He does, but would prefer not to....I don't know.)

Anyways, in answer to the original question, I believe that believing in God can make you happier/more at peace, but this is not a given.

About the Creation myths...there are a lot of them! And, they are all we have. You have to pick one. You can't not pick one. I choose the one that makes the mystery ok and involves perfect love ruling the universe. Is there a better one, lol? I don't know how the Creator came to exist, but I also recognize that my perspective as a human being is extremely limited. Identifying that there is an intelligence that knows more than me and is much more powerful than me makes sense. I think God created the world with a big bang... It doesn't really even matter if Genesis is literal or not. All it says is that God spoke the universe into existence. It's not like it outlines the science behind it. We get to try to figure that part out ourself!

My philosophy on suffering is such that it exists and will find redemption, but that doesn't mean that it is 'supposed' to be here. That said, I absolutely think we should do everything we possibly can to alleviate suffering in the world. Jesus made it a point to constantly emphasize the importance of taking care of widows and orphans, strangers and prisoners. I believe there were also rules about that in the Old Testament as well.

"A religion that is pure and stainless according to God the Father is this: to take care of orphans and widows who are suffering, and to keep oneself unstained by the world." - James 1:27

Alleviating suffering is part of loving your neighbor...and God. "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' - Matthew 25:45

I guess,the way that I think about it, suffering is not the end of the world because there will be redemption at some point that will make anything we suffer dwarf in comparison. There is a verse that backs this up, but I can't find it presently. This doesn't mean that I enjoy or think that I shouldn't do anything to diminish the suffering of others, it is just a peace that the suffering that I am not able to eliminate will be answered and redeemed.


 

I am an atheist and I was raised as a Methodist. When I was younger, I never felt any comfort that God was watching over me. I felt that all my successes and failures were my own doing. I always thought of God as my judge, not my protector and I could not see his influence in my life no matter how hard I tried. My reason for following Christianity as long as I did was due to my fear of eternal punishment; no more, no less. I stopped believing in God due to my own extensive research into religion, which I won't go into, and I have never felt better. I no longer feel like I'm being judged in everything I do. I believe I control my destiny and it is up to me to choose the path that I feel is best for my life instead of worrying about appeasing God. For me, happiness is freedom from the chains of divine obligation.

I can't comment on what it is like to be atheist. I have had a relationship with God from my earliest memories ( but I was raised by an atheist).

I can comment on the anger nonbelievers have towards God.

The bible covers religious zealots- those who maintain a rigid fundamentalism and pass judgment and condemnation on others and it is portrayed in a negative light. Children who follow God are not to pass judgment as we are all sinners. "So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." John 8:7. Jesus speaks to those religious zealots who want to stone an adulterous woman is but one example.

It is hard to see people express anger towards God due to the actions of those who place a cross around their necks and claim to be God's children. Not to say those people do not believe, but I will say those who pass judgment do not understand God, nor do they understand Christian philosophy on how to live with others. They are ignorant. As stated many times throughout this thread we are to love God and love each other.

I have found in my interactions with those who disdain the idea of God, what they actually have is a disdain of religion. Join the club. Organized religion is not typically a true representation of God, but has become a business model and I would dare to say is not, in general, a gathering of believers. More like a social club with some who seek guidance as to how to develop a relationship with God and are often failed by false doctrines. These false doctrines are a collection of lies designed to maintain the flock (the money) feeding sin and calling it righteous.

"For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock." Acts 20:29

Wolves have taken control of organized religion.

Hate is viscous and infectious. Greed is mans and organized religion's downfall.

according to the bible..
God created man in his image so that he could have an intimate relationship with us (thats why i think christians are called "the bride of christ")
and thats all good and fine by me...
God then sets rules in place... and if you dont follow these rules and force yourself to love his "only begotten son" and all of that salvation stuff...
then you have to burn in hell for eternity...(and the details for how you get to heaven are different for every denomination... which is even more ridicules to me)

ANYWAYS, the way i see it... I didnt have a choice as to whether or not i was going to exist... and now I / we are in this really awkward position
to where we either do what this god wants us too.. or we burn in hell forever, and furthermore this god is supposed to be all knowing... so he
already knows who is going to hell?... So its predetermined?