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Author | Topic: How beautiful is life? | |||||||||||||||||||||||
nator Member (Idle past 2170 days) Posts: 12961 From: Ann Arbor Joined: |
quote: Speak for yourself. I certainly have "real significance" to many people. My husband, my siblings, my nieces and nephews, to my coworkers, to the customers that I help every day, to the people at the shelter I help, to my friends. I don't know if I have any kind of "cosmic significance", but as I can never really know the answer to that question, I just don't even try to answer it. It frankly seems like the need of a fragile ego to have to "be significant" in a cosmic or eternal sense. What's so meaningless about being significant to the people around you?
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Phat Member Posts: 18262 From: Denver,Colorado USA Joined: Member Rating: 1.1 |
Because our significance is not any sort of blue ribbon for the life that we live. Our righteousness...our works...no matter if you were Mother Theresa...would not mean that you could pat yourself on the back when you died and sang Sinatras "My Way" on the way out.
Why is it so hard for you to see the One who is the standard above humanity? Alas...lets drop that appeal!
Schraff writes: Because according to atheism, everything is just dust soon anyway. You equate dancing the good dance in the here and now as infinitely more important than preparing for an eternal future. I would say that both are equally important. Just know that your dance is not only a temkporary thing. What did Crowe say in Gladiator? "What we do in life echoes in eternity?" What's so meaningless about being significant to the people around you? This message has been edited by Phatboy, 05-15-2005 01:54 PM
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nator Member (Idle past 2170 days) Posts: 12961 From: Ann Arbor Joined: |
quote: ...which is why it's so important to have as positive an impact on the people you encounter as you can. It's the love you show to people that lets you live beyond your natural years.
quote: What's the difference, really?
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jar Member (Idle past 394 days) Posts: 34026 From: Texas!! Joined: |
I still don't see how you separate dancing the good dance in the here and now and preparing for an eternal future. What is the difference?
If you do the former you will have done the later. Under either perspective, Theistic or Atheistic, that holds true. Under the former, you are following the Great Commandment while under the later, the aid you have given to others will help them and they in turn will help others. As St. Paul said, "Fight the Good fight." As jesus said, "In as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Aslan is not a Tame Lion
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Brian Member (Idle past 4959 days) Posts: 4659 From: Scotland Joined: |
As for comfort in the midst of tragedy, some of us need more than the belief that we are the winners of a huge cosmic lottery and have no real significance in the same universe that we claim to be gaining understanding over. But, even in Christianity, what real significance do we have? We can only have a limited influence on alimited number of people. Some have influence over more than others, but what real significance does an idividual have? Brian.
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Phat Member Posts: 18262 From: Denver,Colorado USA Joined: Member Rating: 1.1 |
Schraff writes:
What's the difference, really? Jar writes: I dunno, Jar...maybe you are the patron saint for atheists! I still don't see how you separate dancing the good dance in the here and now and preparing for an eternal future. What is the difference?If you do the former you will have done the later. Under either perspective, Theistic or Atheistic, that holds true. Under the former, you are following the Great Commandment while under the later, the aid you have given to others will help them and they in turn will help others. I suppose that if one were to hear a message such as yours and having been so inspired to continue the good works for the simple sake of an inner good feeling and the knowledge of a life well lived and a job well done it all would be worthwhile. I'll let Faith or someone else argue with you about salvation as a free gift not obtainable by works. Jesus was addressing Jews when He used your Matthew 25 parable. Jews already knew better. Perhaps just as Paul was sent to the Gentiles, your message is mean't for the atheists and not for us Pharisee religious types!
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Phat Member Posts: 18262 From: Denver,Colorado USA Joined: Member Rating: 1.1 |
Brian writes: Apart from Christ living through us, nothing! But, even in Christianity, what real significance do we have? As for your Inquisitor Torquemada. Llorente, I would say that he had demons as vile as any that Himmler or Stalin ever had. Unlike Judaism, one does not become a Christian simply through a few rituals and a name badge. One becomes a Christian through1) Acceptance of Jesus as savior, coupled with acknowledgement of the futileness of ones own justification 2) Impartation of the Holy Spirit(which occurs if one is sincere, and in Gods timing) 3) a daily relationship with God and continual acknowledgement and realisation of His grace and influence within. We never have any significance, but He does, living in us.
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Brian Member (Idle past 4959 days) Posts: 4659 From: Scotland Joined: |
So you think that atheists have a worthless existence and you are happy to be nothing more than a puppet for this God?
At least we do good for the sake of doing good, and not for the hope of some eternal reward. The thought of helping someone just for the sake of helping them must be a strange suggestion to a Christian. Brian.
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nator Member (Idle past 2170 days) Posts: 12961 From: Ann Arbor Joined: |
quote: Hmm, I thought that converting to Judaism was a LOT more difficult, requiring months of study to ensure you really understand the religion and the commitment involved, whereas one can become a Christian in a few minutes of being "saved".
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Dan Carroll Inactive Member |
Theres billions of atrocities occuring every second. Didn't we go through this already?
quote: You kinda trailed off at that point. "Go live in your Godless, beautiful world." -Chris Simon Porteus Jr.
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Dan Carroll Inactive Member |
On the plus side, thanks for the new signature.
"Go live in your Godless, beautiful world." -Chris Simon Porteus Jr.
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Phat Member Posts: 18262 From: Denver,Colorado USA Joined: Member Rating: 1.1 |
Brian writes: I never mean't to suggest this! Christians are the same fallible humans as are atheists.
The thought of helping someone just for the sake of helping them must be a strange suggestion to a Christian.
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Brian Member (Idle past 4959 days) Posts: 4659 From: Scotland Joined: |
Why do Christians help people?
Brian.
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Alasdair Member (Idle past 5750 days) Posts: 143 Joined: |
For the same reason atheists do.
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Brian Member (Idle past 4959 days) Posts: 4659 From: Scotland Joined: |
Which would be?
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