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Pastimes : Let's Talk About Our Feelings!!! -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Frank who wrote (20510)	4/16/1998 2:18:00 PM
From: Grainne	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 108807

Hi, Frank. You haven't been here in quite a long time, so welcome back to the Feelings thread!! The reason I agreed so wholeheartedly with Del's comments is that while atheists and agnostics are constantly asked to explain why they do NOT believe in God, and looked at in kind of a prejudiced way by people who are sure that God exists, there is really no proof either way. All of these opinions are belief systems, not facts. Of course the Pope believes God exists. That does not mean that people who have his belief system are somehow superior. That was really my whole point. To answer your question, though, I think believers are more defensive, generally. I think nonbelievers are more open minded. But obviously that is just my opinion!! How would it make life better if we all behaved as if there were a God, incidentally?

To: Frank who wrote (20510)	4/16/1998 5:47:00 PM
From: epicure	Respond to of 108807

It is just you. I find agnostics pretty willing to discuss just about anything. Naysayers (if you mean atheists) are just as defensive as other types of believers. If you have a "belief" the impulse is to defend it. I run into that with smoking. I don't like it, I think people should quit, and to some extent that colors the whole way I look at and discuss facts related to smoking. But I don't have a vested interest in God or the lack thereof. People who do are not generally willing to discuss the subject in a way that is meaningful. And many believers get downright upset at the thought that anyone could even want to discuss the topic. As for behaving better if there was a God, depends what God you choose. I believe the fundamentalist Muslims believe their God gives them a ticket straight to heaven for killing infidel. The god of the old testament was in to slaughtering the enemies of the Jews, and lots of other people. Then there are the old Gods, some of whom are pretty fierce and demanded sacrifices of babies and virgins. So better to love your fellow man, with all his faults, and irregardless of his beliefs- something most religions do not seem to encourage.