Supreme Being

[Uncle Mxy]

So, who's more powerful -- Goku or Superman?

[Zip Goshboots]

Swami:

The conflict is irreducible (Or not, depending on whichever is worse. I'm not good at double-negative chaos math like Jeff Goldblum). The people that believe in god are always more dangerous because they always find some divine blessing for killing. And they are fucking dumb.

And why is it that people, mankind, supposedly the highest life form, need some invisible pie in the sky to tell them to be good or they'll have to sit in the corner for eternity?

And I'm with George Carlin--I STILL want to know what happened to all the poor saps who ate meat on Friday when it was still a sin. Are they still out of luck? George now knows--but he ain't talkin'

[WTFchris]

I guess I should have explained myself better. My point was that I do good things because I feel like god blessed me with the gifts to do good things. Some people are much worse off than me, and I feel like god put me in a position to help those people.

Someone was talking about how we were basically accidents and not planned by a higher being or anything. If you feel that way, you do not feel like you were blessed with the ability to reason, etc...then what is the purpose of those abilities?

I didn't mean that non-religeous people are not good. I simply meant that I'd hate to feel that the gifts I receive were simply random and that there wasn't a purpose to them.

[WTFchris]

Also, I got a little defensive when people were saying those who believed in God are ignorant and are some of the worst people they have ever met.

I don't have a problem with people believing or not believing. I don't think either "side" is really wrong. They just feel differently is all.

[Hermy]

Purpose isn't a consideration Chris. It's like when someone asks me "If you are an athiest, what do you believe in?" I don't sit around contemplating what to believe or why or reason, I simply am what it is I am. I happen to be a very fortunate person, and it's rewarding to share what you would call blessings with others. No reason, just because.

[WTFchris]

well, I doubt there are many religious people who believe they should be nice because it gets them into heaven. If you actually believe that, you aren't really living gods message at all. giving with the expectation of receiving is not really giving at all.

People who do something with strings attached are probably not true Christians (I'm sure it's the same in most religions). Good people do good things just because like you said. People who do something nice to get into heaven believe in heaven just in case.

[Fool]

Protestants believe in salvation through faith alone but Catholics believe works are also necessary for entrance into heaven.

[WTFchris]

I'm Catholic but don't really believe what they preach sometimes. I am pro-choice, for gay rights, democratic and I feel a priest should be allowed to marry. I think sometimes people just listen to what their church says and just believe it. You have to follow your own heart. I think everyone takes something different out of what is preached to them.

[Uncle Mxy]

Why are you Catholic, then? Why not be, say, a Unitarian? What do you believe that's different than what a Protestant would believe? Is the Catholic God different than the Protestant God?

[WTFchris]

I guess because I was raised Catholic. To me I don't see a reason to switch because I don't take the preaching as the end all be all. If I did, I would switch because I would be in conflict.

The other part is that it's pretty hard to find a good church. We go to a Catholic Church now that is pretty easy going and doesn't preach those types of things. I already find what I need in their messages.