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There are some people that believe that the world is what it is,
regardless of how much different we might like it to be.<br>
<br>
Anyway, you could argue that a belief in an afterlife cheapens life
here on Earth - you spend less than an eye-blink here, and then spend
the rest of the time either floating on clouds or being burned alive.<br>
<br>
If you have this one existence, and then nothing, then you might be
motivated to make the best of what you have now instead of pining for a
glorious future somewhere else.<br>
<br>
Not that I don't believe in the supernatural, mind you. It just
doesn't follow that a belief that this world is all there is
necessarily leads to bad behavior any more than a belief in an
afterlife does. Witness the suicide bombers and their promised
virgins, as one extreme example.<br>
<br>
Paul<br>
<br>
Donovan Arnold wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid576559.10512.qm@web38115.mail.mud.yahoo.com"
type="cite">
<div>Paul,</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Without a belief in a supernatural being life is not meaningful.
Everything is only as it appears to be, nothing more. All actions,
fortunes, misfortunes, and events are nothing more than happenstances.
What a boring and pointless existence someone must have to believe that
there is no higher intended purpose in life or what you do with it. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Best,</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Donovan<br>
<br>
<b><i>Paul Rumelhart <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:godshatter@yahoo.com"><godshatter@yahoo.com></a></i></b> wrote:</div>
<blockquote class="replbq"
style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255); padding-left: 5px; margin-left: 5px;">I
really despise these cutesy propaganda-ish jibes at the <br>
non-believers. But putting that aside for the moment, I'm trying to <br>
understand their point. At best, they seem to be saying that without a <br>
caring/feeling religion like Christianity, people treat life like it <br>
means nothing and can develop into despots and nazis. Yet when you look
<br>
over the last couple of thousand of years of Christianity, you notice <br>
things like the Crusades, the Inquisitions, and the witch burnings. <br>
<br>
We've argued on this list before about who has racked up the highest <br>
body count. The answer varies depending upon who you trust for a <br>
historical record and who you do or don't count in modern times. <br>
<br>
However, if you can't easily find the answer then it follows that <br>
religion has no affect whatsoever on a human beings seeming need to
kill <br>
it's own kind. <br>
<br>
I don't know which is better. A God that so often inspires people to <br>
kill in the name of Good, or the lack of a belief in a God that fails
to <br>
keep our basest instincts in line. It's my opinion that the people that
<br>
do these kinds of things are just looking for an excuse no matter what <br>
rationalizations they finally decide upon.<br>
<br>
Paul<br>
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:heirdoug@netscape.net">heirdoug@netscape.net</a> wrote:<br>
> I thought some of you who think for a living would like this one.<br>
> enjoy, Doug!<br>
><br>
> <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm1JYYIk-pI">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm1JYYIk-pI</a><br>
>
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><br>
> <br>
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</blockquote>
<br>
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</blockquote>
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