Zone1 You didn’t choose your faith. It chose you.

[Votto]

I think you have something on your mind that you really want to discuss. But it has absolutely nothing to do with the topic, and doesn’t even connect to the “religion” sub-forum.

I suggest starting a new topic in the appropriate section.

No, it does apply

For example, if you don't wish to be accountable for anything, which would you choose atheism where you can lie to yourself as you tell yourself that your choices are just a result of society rubbing off on you or influencing you or that of faith where you believe you will one day stand before a Great Throne of Judgement when you die?

Which will you be more likely to pick?

 

[XponentialChaos]

No, it does apply

For example, if you don't wish to be accountable for anything, which would you choose atheism where you can lie to yourself as you tell yourself that your choices are just a result of society rubbing off on you or influencing you or that of faith where you believe you will one day stand before a Great Throne of Judgement when you die?

Which will you be more likely to pick?

I don't think people choose atheism because of the perceived perks that you imagine. They choose it because that's what they honestly believe.

When you die, would you choose to just stop being alive or live on in eternity with all your friends and family that passed? The latter sounds pretty sweet to me, but no, I can't force myself to believe that just because I'd rather have that outcome.

Did you choose your religious faith because of the benefits associated with it?

 

[ding]

I’m not sure how you managed to miss the presence of choice in what I wrote.

I’m not sure how you missed the presence of “everything “ in what I wrote.

 

[XponentialChaos]

I’m not sure how you missed the presence of “everything “ in what I wrote.

I didn't. What did you read that indicated that?

 

[ding]

Did you choose your religious faith because of the benefits associated with it?

More like a confirmation. Peace and joy through the storm.

 

[ding]

I didn't. What did you read that indicated that?

I was mirroring back your behavior.

 

[XponentialChaos]

I was mirroring back your behavior.

Ok. So you're just fabricating things again.

 

[ding]

Ok. So you're just fabricating things again.

How is that a fabrication and how is that again?

 

[XponentialChaos]

How is that a fabrication and how is that again?

Doesn't matter.

 

[ding]

Doesn't matter.

Finally we agree on something.

 

[XponentialChaos]

Finally we agree on something.

K.

 

[Meriweather]

I don’t think it’s uncommon for people to stay near where they grew up for the reason you described.

I bet you all stayed in the same country you were raised in, right? Must be a total coincidence, right?

I believe you said that some of your siblings moved out of state. How many of you were there and how many of you moved out of state?

Four and Four. Three of us were in several states; One moved back and one now lives in a different country.

 

[XponentialChaos]

Four and Four. Three of us were in several states; One moved back and one now lives in a different country.

And what state is that, if you don’t mind me asking?

 

[Votto]

I don't think people choose atheism because of the perceived perks that you imagine. They choose it because that's what they honestly believe.

When you die, would you choose to just stop being alive or live on in eternity with all your friends and family that passed? The latter sounds pretty sweet to me, but no, I can't force myself to believe that just because I'd rather have that outcome.

Did you choose your religious faith because of the benefits associated with it?

I'm not saying that this is the only factor, I'm just saying that if you wish to lead a life of wickedness, believing that a God would someday hold you accountable would not be conducive to being happy about it.

That is why I think most of the despicable Marxist despots of all time were atheists. They genuinely believed that they were the highest power and would never have to answer to anyone for their crimes.

 

[XponentialChaos]

I'm not saying that this is the only factor, I'm just saying that if you wish to lead a life of wickedness, believing that a God would someday hold you accountable would not be conducive to being happy about it.

That is why I think most of the despicable Marxist despots of all time were atheists. They genuinely believed that they were the highest power and would never have to answer to anyone for their crimes.

Is that how you arrived at your religious faith?

You liked the idea of Heaven so you just jumped on board and started believing in God and Jesus?

 

[Votto]

Is that how you arrived at your religious faith?

You liked the idea of Heaven so you just jumped on board and started believing in God and Jesus?

No, but I think it certainly plays a factor because I believe people should be accountable, even myself.

Then again, belief is somewhat of a mystery, is it not? We are all trying to figure out what makes us all tick.

 

[GLASNOST]

You didn’t choose your faith. It chose you.​

Wrong.

You were born into a story.

No, I was not born into any story but I get your point.

Before you could read, think critically, or even consent, you were told who God is, what sin is, what eternity means, and how to earn love.

I was told what my parents said about those things, not what they really were.

That’s not faith. That’s programming.

That's for sure.

If you had been born in a different house, in a different country, under a different flag, you would believe something else.

I understand what you mean but it doesn't apply to me. I believe what I believe, not what someone else said I should believe.

Maybe you’d worship a different god. Maybe you’d call that god by a different name. Maybe you wouldn’t believe in any god at all.

Probably, yes.

If what you believe had been given to you in reverse order, would you still call it truth, or just loyalty?

I would probably have done exactly like I have done.

 

[XponentialChaos]

No, but I think it certainly plays a factor because I believe people should be accountable, even myself.

You didn't choose your religious faith based on the benefits that it provides you. Yet you think atheists chose to be atheists because of what you perceive as their benefits that they are provided with by becoming atheists.

You don't see the inconsistency there?

 

[Votto]

You didn't choose your religious faith based on the benefits that it provides you. Yet you think atheists chose to be atheists because of what you perceive as their benefits that they are provided with by becoming atheists.

You don't see the inconsistency there?

I think there is an element of, you believe what you believe because you really feel the need to believe.

But it is not across the board. One such example is Lee Strobel who wrote "The Case for Christ". He was married to a woman who converted to Christianity and it drove him insane. He was an investigative reporter for the Chicago Tribune, so to disprove the possibility of the resurrections he took it upon himself to prove it was all made up. But the more evidence he turned up, the more he realized it was probably legit.

My conversion was not like. As I have said, belief is kind of a mystery wrapped in a riddle, we are all the same but different.

 

[XponentialChaos]

I think there is an element of, you believe what you believe because you really feel the need to believe.

But it is not across the board. One such example is Lee Strobel who wrote "The Case for Christ". He was married to a woman who converted to Christianity and it drove him insane. He was an investigative reporter for the Chicago Tribune, so to disprove the possibility of the resurrections he took it upon himself to prove it was all made up. But the more evidence he turned up, the more he realized it was probably legit.

My conversion was not like. As I have said, belief is kind of a mystery wrapped in a riddle, we are all the same but different.

I think people just believe what they believe. I think it's disingenuous to claim that they chose what they believe because it grants them some kind of special privileges.

That's not how you arrived at your beliefs. So you shouldn't assume that that's how others arrived at their beliefs.