What if...
- Thread starter Reid
- Start date
CounslerCoffee
Registered Senior Member
Priest aren't paid, they perform a service. They get free room, board, etc.
How? Everything would change. Food shelters would't be funded by the church anymore, poor people wouldnt get food, donations to schools (at least here) would go down, this would effect plenty of people financially, economically, and socially.
I thought that atheist had all the answers.
That would be mean.
Which goes to show you how fickle religious generosity is... "There's no God? Then there's no reason to help people cause I won't make it in to heaven anyway..." Athiests work at soup kitchens too, you know. And they TRULY don't expect anything in return.
Priest aren't paid
Who are you kidding? I know plenty of priests who are paid, plus the free benefits.
Food shelters would't be funded by the church anymore, poor people wouldnt get food, donations to schools (at least here) would go down, this would effect plenty of people financially, economically, and socially.
Not true, there are lots of charities which do not have religious preferences.
CounslerCoffee
Registered Senior Member
I know. I dont expect to get anything in return.
I know. You still would of lost a bunch of nice people though.
I disagree, the same people would carry on charitable work without god. Why on earth would anyone stop helping others just because of a belief. I stopped believing, but I carry on helping others and do charity work, plus more. The humane feeling to help others remains long after faith has gone, I am proof of that. Ask yourself this question, would you let someone starve just because there is no god?
Why would that be?
You do realize that you're indicating that the only reason religious people
are charitable is because their religious says they should be; don't you?
This has always been an extremely confusing position for me, even when I was religious.
Do you believe that things that are good are inherently good or are they only good because
God "says" they're good?
~Raithere
Some theists look upon the hypothetical finding out there definitely is no God (those who can allow themselves this vision) as a bad thing. That life and humanity being of itself, not requiring a helping hand to be terrible, or depressing.
I see it as the opposite. Look at the marvel of mankind, and of life in general. Don't you think that such a thing occurring without guidance should be more celebrated than if we were made as some legos for a God's whim?
I agree there would be some that cannot guide themselves, that use religion as a crutch to carry them throughout life. But those who could break through this, and realize the grandeur of man, life, and the universe without a God would I think strive even harder to help their fellow man. Because suddenly they'd realize we are all we have, so each one matters.
A bit optimistic, but I see no reason to downplay man's part in this universe. We are not a plaything for some god, we are better than that.
I see it as the opposite. Look at the marvel of mankind, and of life in general. Don't you think that such a thing occurring without guidance should be more celebrated than if we were made as some legos for a God's whim?
I agree there would be some that cannot guide themselves, that use religion as a crutch to carry them throughout life. But those who could break through this, and realize the grandeur of man, life, and the universe without a God would I think strive even harder to help their fellow man. Because suddenly they'd realize we are all we have, so each one matters.
A bit optimistic, but I see no reason to downplay man's part in this universe. We are not a plaything for some god, we are better than that.
Exactly, these are my thoughts too. Mankind is not a toy for some looming face in the sky, the sooner we all realise this, civilisation can take the next step towards peace.
I've got hopes too, when all religions in the world have vanished, when all countries and other boundaries have gone, and when all mankind can work and think together as a unit.... maybe then, peace may reign.
CounslerCoffee
Registered Senior Member
Look, what would happen is people would loose hope, they would stop caring (some of them would). They would be like "Freck the world!" And all that. Some of them wouldn't. But if God were proven to not exist, many people would go insane and kill themselves, very bad things would happen. Can we be in agreement with that?
I partly agree to the fact that there may be a possibilty of this happening to a minority. People use religion as a crutch but thats all, a very sad state. Don't forget the religious people who kill and commit suicide in the name of god, it's all too common. It's high time it stopped.