The life differences between a good christian and good athiest

by EndofMysteries 79 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  UBM101

  Doesn't saying that Jesus is your saviour mean that he is saving your life, offering you everlasting life? In what way does he always look after you? Do you never get sick, never stub you toe, don't have car accidents, and never have a broken heart. Will you avoid cancer, and die peacefully at an old age? From what I can tell, the good and bad aspects of life affect Christians the same way as they affect atheists.

  Saving my life and eternity - yes, a part of it. Another big part of it for me is I have someone to turn to when no one can help, a comforter when I am in distress and a source of strength etc etc etc etc. Being a Christian doesn't make me from anything bad things that happen to anyone else, doesn't make me a super human or sth like that. But when all those happen to me, I have an alternative to other human and myself and any other things else for help/consolation/encouragement/strength.

  You were saying that the promise of afterlife is the ONLY ..... , that was what I beg to differ.
• 

  cofty

  when all those happen to me, I have an alternative to other human and myself and any other things else for help/consolation/encouragement/strength. - UBM101

  I remember being exactly the same.

  Eventually you have to face up to the question, if there is a power that provides you with consolation why not with protection?

  Christians have such low expectations for an omnipotent deity.

  As Woody Allen said " If it turns out that there is a God, I don't think that he's evil. But the worst that you can say about him is that basically he's an underachiever."
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  UBM101

  Eventually you have to face up to the question, if there is a power that provides you with consolation why not with protection?

  /protection/etc/etc/etc . I do not have a certain expectation on how I want my God to do in my life according to MY ways though, for I most of the time I won't know what lies ahead in the future, thus, I put my trust in Him with all my decisions/actions, because I believe He knows best. And things aren't perfect as I may made some stupid decisions etc and yes, I will have to face the consequences as well. I don't have a pastor/elders to govern my life and every decision I make but I do pray about it for wisdom and direction and then use the brain that my God gave me.

  Anyway, Cofty, I am just sharing my personal experience and points, not trying to push my faith so you believe or whatsoever.
• 

  jwfacts

  You were saying that the promise of afterlife is the ONLY ..... , that was what I beg to differ.

  What I meant was that without the hope of everlasting life, there would be no religion. It would then just become a social club. I take your point that you feel Jesus is also providing day to day assistance, but I wonder if there was no promise of a resurrection, whether you would still think he is making your day to day life better.
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  cofty

  I put my trust in Him with all my decisions/actions, because I believe He knows best

  Is that any different from an atheist who also thinks carefully about decisions?
• 

  UBM101

  What I meant was that without the hope of everlasting life, there would be no religion. It would then just become a social club. I take your point that you feel Jesus is also providing day to day assistance, but I wonder if there was no promise of a resurrection, whether you would still think he is making your day to day life better.

  I think I still will. To me it is like having a relationship with God. Never really think about afterlife, yet at least. If human being just stop existing after they die, I'll have no problem with that (even better I think, I would LOVE that idea! ).

  I agree with you that almost all religions are about afterlife, though. Can't think of any that don't believe in afterlife.

  Is that any different from an atheist who also thinks carefully about decisions?

  Nope. The difference is I choose to include God and trust Him with that (no worries, less stress - me) and atheists choose not to. Of course they too have their ways to get rid of worries and stress. But that is again, an individual choice.
• 

  rawe

  Hi Jwfacts,

  "I guess I find such a belief in prayer ignorant. Does God answer prayers? Try praying for a new limb after an amputation"

  Personally I too do not believe prayer is actually effective. But I offered it as an example of the religious mind seeking a reward without having to wait until the end of life.

  I think an easy, but wrong, assumption we can make is the human brain is generally objective truth seeking. Rather, to me it appears the human brain has evolved in two important ways -- making up models of the world that appear to be rational -- and exercising imagination as a way to gain a reward some distance into the future that involves self-sacrifice in the present.

  Cheers,

  -Randy
• 

  AudeSapere

  Marking.
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  yadda yadda 2

  Listening to your conscience and obeying the 'moral law of your heart' (Romans 2) is a much better spiritual path than credulously believing the maniacal writings of ancient Jewish priestcraft claiming all sorts of ridiculous 'divine intervention'.

  
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  cofty

  The difference is I choose to include God and trust Him with that

  How do you do that specifically?