God doesn't exist, but the religion has benefit.

The issue is not "the story", but rather the determined, deliberate, denial of ones humanity in order to willingly embrace a lie. This is self evident; but also observable on a daily basis.

An atheist views the quotations, like the one you lifted from the Bible, as fairy tales. Atheists regard the belief that this story was transmitted from a transcendental source as a determined, deliberate denial of how the text came into existence, and how and why it was handed down, and how this denial is propagated from generation to generation.

Atheists tend to treat people's sense of humanity as something that arises out of human nature, not from any God. The atheist sees compassion as part of human nature, and the deliberate transgressions people make against each other is seen as unnatural, unhealthy and destructive.

An atheist and a theist could sit down and jointly author a code of moral conduct, and arrive at a mutually satisfying result, just as long as it did not require paying homage to any God.

As for lying, the atheist would find that some forms of lying, including denial, are unnatural, unhealthy and potentially harmful, and to be shunned. For this reason, atheists often are disturbed by particular forms of lying that accompany religious belief. For example, if you knew a fact to be false (people can't really levitate themselves above water) and yet you convinced a young and impressionable person that this was true, you would be spreading a form of a lie that is particular to that religious belief.

If we agree that in general lying is bad, then we will have more in common than the differences that separate us. But you would first have to recognize how atheists tend to view the sanctity of humanity, often expressed as secular humanism. You simply may not be willing to acknowledge this. Herein lies the rub: your opinion that atheists are inhumane is not formed out of any form of observation or discovery, but out of a lack of observation and discovery. Without that knowledge, all that remains is a lie, the one that states atheists are inhumane.
 
Display of real courage can only happen when predicated upon commitment to truth. Therefore, with respect to the atheist, what he displays--by definition--is a manufactured, false bravado.

Fear of God is born of humility leading to exultation, no fear of death is a form of denial (dishonesty) masked by pride, leading to the deepest depths of regret, despair and disgrace.

Since the children have flesh and blood, He (Jesus) too shared in their humanity so that by His death he might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil--and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
I am the atheist and I prefer not to argue with people who use religious sermons about humility and exultation before God, prayers and exile of a devil from opponent as scientific arguments. In scientific discussion use of such arguments unacceptably
 
Is that why the Pope rides around in a bullet proof Pope-mobile? 'Cuz he's no longer afraid of death??? :bugeye:
Your question is provocative. You should ask this question to the Pope. Probably he doesn't believe in God? There is a Russian saying: «It is necessary to hope for God, but also the person shouldn't be the loser».
 
Your question is provocative. You should ask this question to the Pope. Probably he doesn't believe in God? There is a Russian saying: «It is necessary to hope for God, but also the person shouldn't be the loser».
As far as I can tell, death is not to be feared. Everyone dies. It's inevitable.

Hopefully the dying process won't be agonizing... As the joke says, "I want to die in my sleep, like my grandfather did. Not screaming with terror like the passengers in his car."
 
Back
Top