Hi Chuck: You remind me of a JW I once knew named Chuck. It would be most fascinating if you were he.
As far as Atheists and Agnostics being ethical and charitable, I think that any human is going to act human regardless of their personal beliefs about God. There are Christians, Jews, Muslims, and a host of others, including atheists who have raped, murdered, robbed banks, etc.
Likewise there are Christians, Jews, Mulsims, atheists, Agnostics and a host of others who have done great works of kindness, goodness, charity, leading people to greater political freedom, etc.
As a Christian I have never assumed that a non-Christian or Atheist would do bad things because of not sharing my beliefs. No, not at all. Rather, as Christians, we are not supposed to judge what others do or don't do, but instead focus on what we should be doing in following Jesus Christ.
Christianity is not an exclusive club that does good. Christian organizations are not from God, but are a human convenience that can serve good or bad. Being a Christian does not set one up as any better than those not Christian. Rather, being a Christian is about believeing in and following Jesus Christ.
Atheists and Agnostics are not excluded from good. I find most Atheists and Agnostics to be honest and modest in their views. I find them to be good people who do good things, and unless they tell your their religious or non-religious views, you would never know what they are.
Most Atheists and Agnostics I have met do see an important responsibility to make this earth and our nation a better place, and will do what they can to contribute to its positive development. Afterall, if there is no God, then it is solely up to humanity to take care of itself.
The reason I suggest 'honesty' as a characteristic of Atheists and Agnostics, is that they are open and honest enough to admit that they either don't believe in God, or are just not sure. Their lack of belief in God does not mean that they are necessarily against the idea of God, but rather the evidence suggest to them that either God does not exist, or God does not want to be proved if he exist. They often feel that if God does exist as the character identified in the Old Testament of the Hebrew Bible, then he is not a nice God, and if he is the God identified in the Christian Bible, then he is a contradiction in logic, feelings, and treatment of humanity that he calls his children. - Amazing
- Amazing
