But yet she is the MOST honest to herself and others and worth the MOST to her family and friends? Explain that?

So the "fear of God" which can be taken or seen in many ways in her case it's just a more refined moral compass and holds her more accountable to her thoughts/actions.

So while you belittle and denounce others for their faith in Christ. You seem to have little to no faith in yourself and I already quoted Vivekananda but since your a proud Atheist you should know Vivekananda himself was an Atheist prior to him meeting/studying under Sri Ramakrishna who help him realize the "existence of God".

The Vedanta teaches men to have faith in themselves first. As certain religions of the world say that a man who does not believe in a Personal God outside of himself is an atheist, so the Vedanta says, a man who does not believe in himself is an atheist. Not believing in the glory of our own soul is what the Vedanta calls atheism.

As body, mind, or soul, you are a dream; you really are Being, Consciousness, Bliss (satchidananda). You are the God of this universe.
As different streams having different sources all mingle their waters in the sea, so different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to God.

There are many ways(religions/philosophies) up the mountain towards realization of God/Self(One and the same). The only fool is the person walking around saying "my way is the only way". That's Atheism if you speak the way you speak now. There are many atheist who realize God but they don't get there belittling other faiths?

This post was edited by SwamiVivekananda on Nov 11 2023 09:04am

edit: I should state that the OP and the Poll are not equivocal. Years ago I commented in this very thread and said, "I do place my faith in Jesus Christ for salvation and believe he died and rose again for our sins" "Because that's what he said and I'll take HIS word for it seeing all the good/glory done in his name". It however is not wise or practical in any way to say that "only through him" can you get there(Heaven) when all religions no matter the name of their God speak of a "Place beyond of great joy". In Hinduism there are "heavenly bodies" called "lokas" / "brahmaloka" is the "highest of those peaceful/joyful worlds. In Christianity it's just heaven and hell but they believe in a state caled purgatory where "one can truly attone and renounciate past deeds" and still reach Heaven. This is where reincarnation comes in with Eastern Faiths and they say you live MANY lives but in only ONE life do you truly realize God. In Hinduism your either a "monk/seeker of God" or a "householder/family or bachelor". All will say if you are not a monk you will not realize God in this life(I personally don't subscribe to that for various reasons) They say it's simply how could you raise a "family" and realize "God" at the same time(impossible) when your mind/ego has to provide for that family and you have to go out in the world and make a name for yourself. You have 10% of the time in a day/lifetime that a person who becomes a Monk early on and is 100% on God and god alone day one til lifes end.

Sorry for the tldr religious/philosphical discussion is much more frutiful in face to face interaction where context can be explained. It becomes fruitless when one is not willing to comprise even an inch like yourself to see the greater truth.

Its important to think for yourself instead of shifting it all over to a probably fictional character. You dont need to make god responsable for your moral compass. You and ONLY you are responsable for your actions and your moral views. You dont need a book or the alleged word of someone you cant see or speak to to do the right thing. The right thing in your opinion that is.

It is nkthing more than an excuse for your own weak character to give responsability into the hands of some omnipotent superdude. Its all you. The good things and the bad things.

I totally agree with everything you just said and I very much feel the same way but I'm not going to judge anyone but myself. Jesus Christ would be a compliment/supplement to your own spiritual growth even if you just studied his teaching at face value. Can the same be said about "science/math/etc" not as much(in my experience). Gives you "understanding" and "intelligence" but lacks "compassion" and "devotion". Yet an Atheist like yourself is still compassionate and devoted to things it's just interpreted differently. You are right it's not some "omnipotent superdude" it's all you(god) and it's every part of "God" the good and the bad things. Can't have one without the other.

There's two different types of people in Eastern faith. The ones who see God everywhere in all things everywhere at all times and the ones who don't see God at all and see no evidence to the contrary.

Both are "of" God none the less. Hindus see God as the "strata" on which all things exist. The "fabric" of space/time/causation. The vibration and frequency that holds and sustains all existence together perpetually.

So no I don't believe a singular patriarchal God flying on a cloud controls the world/existence. Yet some get great comfort in that. Not going to belittle them for that if they are a good person of deed/merit. The average atheist as you claim to be is more religious then most "religious" people are. Just walking a different path to end up at the same point.

I don't, but God does, and subsequently the quality of your own life suffers as you commit greater sin

you dont know what fear means in scripture. most likely you have no scripture comprehension but i think we have already determined that?



ah? admitting to sin.........




nobody believes in pink flying elephants. only a dumb azz 'atheist would consider that a clever argument

agree

that comment means its you thats stupid.

he has faith that he will gibber his way through

Just trying to make him be more careful about what he says. You always want the best for your fellow man. Despite the bias of your own perception. That's the whole point of peeling back your Ego is to finally see your true self which is one with the divine.

In sanskrit the word "guru" actually translates as "darkness cutter". It's a method to purify your consciousness but you have to be willing to go all the way. No one believes in Jesus Christ 50% they are ALL IN just as an Atheist can't be 50% have to be ALL IN.

his participation has degraded to nothing more than gibberish

Matthew 6:14-15
King James Version

14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

why would you call his opinion gibberish?

is it a christian thing to belittle someone?