Philosophical question of the month--March

[Jim]

I believe we all would act differently, and those who say they wouldn't are either lying or don't no themselves that well.

No, were there no laws then we would all act differently.

As for no God...Well, the majority of the western world are athiests anyway, so what's it matter?

I feel that there would be far more difference in society as a whole, rather than the individual.

As far as my faith goes, I'm very undecided. I'd like to believe, I really would.

I don't think though that, were I to find out that there was no afterlife, none of that stuff, that I would become an arsehole over night.

I find that I'm a better person than most "church-goers" anyway. They say Dont steal, Dont drink, Dont fornicate, Dont lie... Funny how they steal your money with an offering plate and get to be tax free, they go boozing right after service while fucking a prostitute and then lie to the other churchies that they don't do that...WHATEVER!! 

That was one of the dumbest things that I've read on this forum all week,

and given the current trend that's pretty impressive.

[*Izzy*]

I find that I'm a better person than most "church-goers" anyway. They say Dont steal, Dont drink, Dont fornicate, Dont lie... Funny how they steal your money with an offering plate and get to be tax free, they go boozing right after service while fucking a prostitute and then lie to the other churchies that they don't do that...WHATEVER!!?

That was one of the dumbest things that I've read on this forum all week,

and given the current trend that's pretty impressive.

Good god, I actually agree with Jim 

Anyway I'd act the same....

[anythinggoes]

Well as i do not believe in the Afterlife or God or Religion the answer is No id be just the same as i am now

[Danny Top Hat]

That was one of the dumbest things that I've read on this forum all week

That's true, but I do love the Bill Hicks quote she left after that.

[Jim]

Good god, I actually agree with Jim 

Fuck, I must have been wrong then.

That's true, but I do love the Bill Hicks quote she left after that.

Aye, for is why I didn't include it in the quote.

Extra points for including that.

[D]

Thats kinda hard to answer because if there were no GOD and our parents and our parents parents etc acted like viligantes, then it would definitely had an affect on how we act today.

I think the world would be an unlivable place if not for beliefs in GOD

say what u want to about God and religion but I think it helps humans for the most part behave and function as a society.

If u had no GOD u probably wouldnt have any laws and I cant imagine this world without any laws.

[Communist China]

I believe we all would act differently, and those who say they wouldn't are either lying or don't no themselves that well.

No, were there no laws then we would all act differently.

As for no God...Well, the majority of the western world are athiests anyway, so what's it matter?

I feel that there would be far more difference in society as a whole, rather than the individual.

As far as my faith goes, I'm very undecided. I'd like to believe, I really would.

I don't think though that, were I to find out that there was no afterlife, none of that stuff, that I would become an arsehole over night.

I find that I'm a better person than most "church-goers" anyway. They say Dont steal, Dont drink, Dont fornicate, Dont lie... Funny how they steal your money with an offering plate and get to be tax free, they go boozing right after service while fucking a prostitute and then lie to the other churchies that they don't do that...WHATEVER!!?

That was one of the dumbest things that I've read on this forum all week,

and given the current trend that's pretty impressive.

I'm not saying you would be an asshole or a lawbreaker. I'm just implying we wouldn't put up with as much shit we get from others than we do right now. If I heard there was no god, I'd go up this kid Matt and I'd tell him, "You're an immature little fuck-off who annoys everyone because your brother is talented and you're not. Go fuck yourself and stay the hell away from me!"

Obviously I wouldn't say that to him today. But if there was no afterlife, I probably would.

[Jim]

So the only reason that you haven't gone and said that to this kid called Matt (why you would want to is beyond me) is because you want to get into heaven?

You're weak dude, real weak.

[Communist China]

No, it just seems like carma would act negatively to me. If I knew there was no god, I wouldn't worry about carma either.

[journey]

Good god, I actually agree with Jim?

Fuck, I must have been wrong then.

 

I think *Izzy* and Jim will be brothers in their next lives.

[Jim]

What, Carma Electron? What's she going to do to you?

(See what I did there? Acting 'negatively' towards you...? Never mind.)

Anyway, I've made up my find that this debate is pointless.

Not only would the certainty that there is no god, and consequently no afterlife, completly change common ethics, but it would entirely change human nature.

At least if you want to believe, like Descartes', that we are born with a priori knowledge (innate ideas), being the notion that there is a god (as well as maths, and...something else) is inbended from birth; every functioning society since the monkey's have held some concept of a god or higher power, and because it would seem that we can never view the infinite, our notion of it must come from somewhere. We, as finite beings, must have inherrited this idea of the infinite from somewhere, seeing as the human mind is only capable of replicating in various ways, it cannot create anything new; painting a picture is done by taking all sorts of things that you have seen with your eye and rearranging them. Scientific formula is built upon what is already known. And so on...

My point is, this is a baseless question of the month, being that were you to be certain that there was not a god nor an afterlife, not only would you definatly cease to act in the same way, but you would cease to be the same person.

[Izzy]

Say you knew for certain that God didn?t exist and that there was no afterlife, would you act any differently? In what ways would you change your life or treat others?

I already know that...

How?

I think rationally thats how - stories told to ensure control over peasants and make money told thousands of years ago have as little relevance today as they did then

[Mr. Dick Purple]

God sucks anyway. Goddam prudes!

Hey have some respect to AXL 

 

[Elrothiel]

Oh I have respect for Axl! IMO Axl should replace God. He'd do a better job!

[Mr. Dick Purple]

But AXL = God so that means you are saying Axl music isn't good?   

 

[Elrothiel]

If I thought that, I wouldn't be here would I!

[Mr. Dick Purple]

I know

[Elrothiel]

Good!

[journey]

Say you knew for certain that God didn?t exist and that there was no afterlife, would you act any differently? In what ways would you change your life or treat others?

I think the Dalai Lama said it best.

Consider the following. We humans are social beings. We come into the world as the result of others' actions. We survive here in dependence on others. Whether we like it or not, there is hardly a moment of our lives when we do not benefit from others' activities. For this reason it is hardly surprising that most of our happiness arises in the context of our relationships with others.

Nor is it so remarkable that our greatest joy should come when we are motivated by concern for others. But that is not all. We find that not only do altruistic actions bring about happiness but they also lessen our experience of suffering. Here I am not suggesting that the individual whose actions are motivated by the wish to bring others' happiness necessarily meets with less misfortune than the one who does not. Sickness, old age, mishaps of one sort or another are the same for us all. But the sufferings which undermine our internal peace -- anxiety, doubt, disappointment -- these things are definitely less. In our concern for others, we worry less about ourselves. When we worry less about ourselves an experience of our own suffering is less intense.

What does this tell us? Firstly, because our every action has a universal dimension, a potential impact on others' happiness, ethics are necessary as a means to ensure that we do not harm others. Secondly, it tells us that genuine happiness consists in those spiritual qualities of love, compassion, patience, tolerance and forgiveness and so on. For it is these which provide both for our happiness and others' happiness.

[CAFC Nick]

I would be a lot more spontaneous.