This was originally a response to a post about the ten commandments, but I felt it was also suited as a blog post.
I've broken all of the ten commandments. And I am a good person - yes, a genuinely good person.
I do not worship God because I don't know if he exists, and I don't know if he is the Christian god, the Jewish god, the Muslim god, or any number of other gods, goddesses, etc. I also refuse to worship a god who would send people to hell for being born into the wrong religion or choosing the wrong religion.
To "set aside" one day? What does that mean? I try and make each day special and "holy" to me. Does it matter if I do schoolwork or not on Saturday? Does it matter if I work (and I love my work) on Saturday? Does something like that deny me admission to heaven?
I respect my parents. However, I'm sure there have been times when I disrespected them... because they, too, are human, and they make mistakes, and they can be wrong. I don't treat them with disrespect, however. But I don't think children should always be obliged to treat their parents with respect. An abusive parent, for example, deserves no respect from his children. A person must earn respect, and that includes parents. I respect my parents because they provided me with food, shelter, and most importantly, love. I would not respect them if they were abusive towards me.
I have been angry. Mostly with cause, but a few times without, just because I felt irritated randomly (due to PMS or stress or whatever). I try not to act on my anger, but I have felt anger - so have everyone, it's an emotion that is not under our control. .So is lust. Yes, I have looked upon others with lust. So what? I have never used another being soley for selfish sexual desires, my thoughts are natural and hurt no one.
Have I stolen? Yes. Did the people I stole from ever even notice the item was gone? No. Did it hurt them in any way? No. Do I deserve to go to hell for that? No.
Sure, I lied. Today I told my mother that I'm seeing the doctor tomorrow, even though I'm not seeing the doctor for another two weeks. I told her this lie so she wouldn't worry about me. Should I go to hell for that?
Coveting? Certainly I covet. I admire my roommate's printer. It is a handy little machine and I use it quite often and would love to have one of my own. Now explain, please, how this is harmful to me or her or anyone else, and why I should burn in hell for this?
What a cruel, cruel god you have. I pity you.
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Isn't one of the ten commandments about killing...? I don't know if that can really allow someone to be a good person, unless its in self defence or something. I also agree with your views about questioning a god that would create people knowing full well that a majority of them would go to hell.
The writer of the original post claimed that "murder" includes "being angry." Huh.
:dances:
let's see, for #1 I'm definitely hell bound.
#2 hoo boy. Personally, I'd be happy with every day being a day of rest. lol
#3 I think I've been generally respectful, but I guess I yelled at them a few times, so I'm hell bound unless I give my soul to something that may or may not exist.
#4 Personally, I didn't know there was a commandment about being angry...
#5- I also don't see a commandment about lust. Sure you shouldn't run after anything you lust, but the emotion itself. God, if that's wrong the aforementioned diety must want people to go to hell.
#6 I stole a bag of chips once...
#7 Who hasn't lied every now and then?
#8 Me covets the John Hay library right now...
I never worshiped an idol though. And I only murder occasionally.
"What a man does for pay is of little significance. What he is, as a sensitive instrument responsive to the world's beauty, is everything!"
H. P. Lovecraft
I think the anger and lust are being compared to murder and adultery. But there definitely are some commandments missing...
~C
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I say NO! NO! No! I agree with you, why should you have to go to hell for such little things like that? I also don't agree with religions that -- as long as you worship your god you can go to heaven. Is it okay, if you kill someone then repent your sins & get to go to heaven.....?
NO.
You have good points here. We are obviously two very different people with different views, so i won't waste my time or your time saying what i disagree with here. But i want to say this: Just because some dude with a cool hat says that this will happen when you die, doesn't mean it will. I'm a devote Catholic and disagree with things that the church says, like lying. I believe lying is nessicary a lot of times. And I'll be angry when I want to be, no matter if they say its right or wrong.
I don't know who's God is the right God and who's gonna go to heaven and hell. (Plus i personally don't believe that a certain religion will get you a ticket to Heaven and all others will send you to Hell) But what I do know is that believing in something is a lot more enjoyable and peaceful then believing I'm gonna just rot in a coffin when I die.
I respect your views 100% :)
Well, I have to say I like your views. What I do have to say is that, as an atheist, I am just as happy (if not more so) than I was when I was not an atheist.
"What a man does for pay is of little significance. What he is, as a sensitive instrument responsive to the world's beauty, is everything!"
H. P. Lovecraft
I agree that believing in something is far more peaceful, that is the main reason I have sought religion for many years. But why such a nasty god? There are so many nicer religions (and variations of Christianity) that don't have the whole "Well, you MIGHT GO TO HELL WHEN YOU DIE" which... isn't really that peaceful. I'd rather rot in a coffin than burn in hell forever. O.o
Anyway... I no longer see death as rotting in a coffin. After all, all the atoms that make you up still exist. They simply go off to do different things. Parts of you will be spread all over the universe. You live eternally. :D
You should read Blasphemy, by Douglas Preston.
~C
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Well of course you must have broken the 10 commandments, hopefully not all of them considering that one is thou shall not kill. According to Christian religion, humans were made to commit original sin, meaning the 10 commandments. As far as the different gods comment goes, there really is only one god, but he/she is embraced and portrayed different ways in different religions. The same god for jews, and Christians, Alah for Muslims, Buda for budist (though Buda isn't a God in that religion). That's my view on it all anyway. Religion is all a matter of opinion because no matter what you worship, religion is a source of life in some way. It guilds people to how they should live and provides them with rewards of heaven, punishments of hell, beauty of simplicity, and stories and heroes to follow.
A wise man once said "I don't know ask a girl."
*Emily*
I'm not here to convert or prove wrong, just to express my opinion as you all have done, but your reasonings aren't a very persuasive argument for me. I know you might think, "What does she know, she's already a Christian of course it won't persuade her." but the thing is I try and look at all views to understand human kind more so I like to put myself in a non-believers views as much as a believers. I will full out admit that I have broken some of the commandments and I'm so not perfect, but this article intrigued me mainly because I'm writing an ethics paper on honoring parents, and when googled this is what I found.
I'd like to state my belief is that the commandments aren't set up to be done exactly or you go to hell but that they are a guide line of rules to achieve to stay out of trouble. Going to hell is not judged on how many rules you kept so the thought of disobeying the commandments is not the right answer to going to hell; if you are going to disagree about God and the bible at least know the right things you are disagreeing about. If you think it unfair that you go to hell because you don't believe in something you cant prove then fine, but to say you will go to hell for breaking a rule... that's just silly.
So this whole topic on abused children honoring their abusive parents moral or immoral, should it be done or deny the bible's commandments? My thought is there has to be a difference between obeying and honoring. For my personal opinion if sexual or physical abuse is forced upon you, you don't have to obey their choice. To me honoring them would be to report the situation, get out and get help for them. You would be being a better person then them by trying to get them help and to yourself by by getting out of the situation. Now my opinion is wide open and I don't profess to know everything because I can not say I'd act as I suggest if it ever happened to me but this is just what I think.
I think that's all I can think of to say... and again to don't think I'm attacking because I'm not! I'm just stating an opinion you don't have to believe :)
"know you might think, "What does she know, she's already a Christian of course it won't persuade her."
What? Of course not. Some individuals refuse to listen to other opinions, and some of those individuals happen to be Christian. I see no reason to assume that a Christian person would not question her beliefs (I hope she would, I think the strongest beliefs and the most moral ones are those that have been questioned over and over) or change her opinion. I have changed my opinions on things quite a few times, including things I was quite passionate about.
The post was a response to one of the rather close-minded Christian individuals who has a rather odd idea of what the ten commandments (according to her, the determination of whether you're a good person who goes to heaven) are.
1- I don't discriminate against people based on beliefs. I'm just an all around annoying person.
2- "Going to hell is not judged on how many rules you kept so the thought of disobeying the commandments is not the right answer to going to hell; if you are going to disagree about God and the bible at least know the right things you are disagreeing about. If you think it unfair that you go to hell because you don't believe in something you cant prove then fine, but to say you will go to hell for breaking a rule... that's just silly."
This was a response to another blog and that was the general idea of the person. Not that people would go to hell for breaking any of the rules, but that they deserved to.
3- Just out of curiosity, did you see this on google and then join the sight?
"But are not the dreams of poets and the tales of travellers notoriously false?"
H. P. Lovecraft
This is very clever and true. I like you're idea of the afterlife and how all the atoms spread all over the universe.
In today's society especially, the idea that we shouldn't have lust, disrespect our parents, or even lie is generally ridiculous.
In this generation we put such an emphasis on lust (I live in Las Vegas) that that commandment went pretty much out door.
The family structure is breaking down, the respect most children have for their parents now is minimum.
Lying is simply human nature, we lie to protect, and to hurt. We're very cruel.
My favorite part in all was the part about coveting. The printer example was too perfect.
"3- Just out of curiosity, did you see this on google and then join the sight?"
Ha ha, actually ya.. I couldn't resist I'm sorry. I'm one of those people that if I see something I can reply to I can't just move on to another site, I have to get an opinion off my chest.
I personally love discussing things like this. It's really fun for me :P
Don't be sorry. It's nice to get someone not coming from fastweb.
~C
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Hey, well stick around. It'd be nice to have you. :dances:
"But are not the dreams of poets and the tales of travellers notoriously false?"
H. P. Lovecraft
Gladly... Might work on my own blog post in a few days, as I'm off Washington DC and will have lots of things to write about ^_^
I'm actually very excited my class is split in half of 10-12 people per group... half to TJ, Mexico and half to Washington DC! I'll probably do a blog diary on my trip throughout the week ^_^
Sounds fun, but if you stick around, I'll have to give you the standard welcome plea. Please use the reply button at the bottom of text box's.
"But are not the dreams of poets and the tales of travellers notoriously false?"
H. P. Lovecraft
How's this? :P Not that I'd know if you can tell the deference... so does any one mind if I add ya to my buddy's list?
That is correct. And I'm for all the buddies I can get. :dances:
"But are not the dreams of poets and the tales of travellers notoriously false?"
H. P. Lovecraft
Some religions teach that humans are imperfect and sins can be forgiven. This would possibly serve as a ticket out of hell. In reality, though, we need to look at the source of the ten commandments. It comes from the bible, and like many, many things in the bible, I don't think they are meant to be taken literally as rules you HAVE to live by to get into heaven. They are more of a guideline than a set of strict laws that cannot be broken or suffer the sentence of hell's fires.
the christian, jewish and Muslim gods are all the same.
God, Yahweh, Allah....different names for the same God
We must realize that times are different. Things have changed greatly since back then and we have to acknowledge that. I believe that everything is faith, faith is believing. You have to believe something to have faith in it. I'm a christian and I have faith that my God will accept me into his kingdom. I also have broken many many of the commandments. Not all of them, but most of them. :) I've done things that my religion frowns upon, like outiside of marriage sex and other such things, but I have faith that my god will realize that I'm a human creation of his. I have flaws, I acknowledge them. That's more than what most people do.
Everyone will go to "heaven" when you think about it. When children die, the christian religion teaches us that they go to heaven because their souls are innocent.
Well in that case, all who don't believe are innocent too because they didn't know better. Those people in the remote jungles will end up there because the knew of nothing other than what they created...they're innocent.
People who don't believe in my God lack faith, that to me makes them innocent because no one took the time to try to show them the...let's say light of God.
I don't go to church. Church in my opinion is dumb. I tithe, but not to a church. I give to the homeless or give my time to children who need a tutor. God knows why I'm doing it. He knows that churches today disgust me because they aren't teaching his word anymore.
We're human. We have opinions and beliefs.
Like you said, we can't be punished for that.
ps.... hell pretty much is the US today. 5$/gallon of gas... christ. XD