Originally posted by: chatbuster
QT, from my perspective you had some very interesting points there. the stuff about karmic consequences was very well put.
might also want to think of the question a bit differently- if we knew there was no God (whatever one's concept of the Same), would we act/ feel differently? and should we change how do we do act/ feel on that basis. it really gets down to a prescription for how one should lead one's life.
I did some reading on this and learnt that there are very many kinds of
people who do not believe in God – they may be agnostics, atheists,
brights, freethinkers, humanists, naturalists, rationalists, skeptics,
and universistic. I do know that jokingly you mentioned Sodom. That
is also the first thing that came to my mind when you asked – what if we
knew there was no GOD. Promptly, I thought of a Godless individual
living in sin and excessive narcissism. However, reading about the
philosophy of those who question presence of God/ deny God's existence,
makes me wonder if I would really be different if born to one of
those.
R, I may flip & slip at some point, 😳 but for now, I think that if I did not
believe in God, I would have been probably one of the above and been
very similar to who I am today. I read several atheist's blogs in the
past 40 hours and many of them seem to speak against violence, against
human torture and against apathy, just as I do. 👍🏼 On the contrary to
being sinful, many of the atheists question crusades that have
apparently taught us nothing since we continue to fight wars in the
21st century over matters of God / religion -misconstrued. When I
thought a bit more, I also realized that all of us (God-believing
majority) umpteen number of times take advantage of the fact that God
is not around us as one single entity (like a parent or teacher) to
make us face the consequences of our actions right then and there.
Global warming speaks for that. On one hand, we clap and marvel at
God's creation of this beautiful planet and many such, but we cannot
follow easy steps that will keep it clean and green. So do we really
act as if we believe in God and care for His creation? 😳
I was also pleasantly surprised to know that several atheists believe
in strong family values and friends 😃who mainly form their SUPPORT
system. I think that just like me, many of them want to thrive to
become successful, famous and make the world a peaceful place. As long
as they believe in peace and co-existance and betterment of this world,
I think their beliefs are also respect-worthy, whether they accept God
in their lives or not. However, while not believeing in God, I would
have been CURIOUS to know how all following was made and where it came
from and why it is so orderly. Ironically, that itself is quest for
God! isn't it? Would that QT have given it another name then? 😛
If writing the above makes someone question my faith and belief in God
and importance of God's existence, I do not blame them. However, I am
happy to believe in God / Mother Nature / Supreme / Satyam.
I definitely would like to say, that it is good to have ONE FORCE to be
thankful to for all this beautiful gifts LIFE brings. I could
thank my parents for me and their parents for them - but who would I
thank for the oceans I can spend my life in, the moon, the starlit night, the snow-capped mountains, the first
monsoon shower soaking Marine drive and my soul in it, the first snow
that decks the grey and naked branches of trees after leaves have left them to shiver in in Ohio-November, the
spring sunshine that then follows the harsh winter, a pet dog that
licks my hands as if there was nothing sweeter than me, & these friends and on-line friends that don't fail to support, care for & accompany me?
Who do I thank for all this? Who do I want to be a part of? Who and what would be my destination after here?
As a believer, I also do not undermine the power of prayer, though I need no temple for that. I will continue to believe in praying for and thanking for well-being of every one. No, I have no clue what I would done regarding that as a non-believer. I wonder whether the support system would have worked in a different way.
a related question might also be whether the karmic belief of reincarnation/ after-life plays/ should play any part in how we lead our lives. does the western emphasis on enjoying this life with all it's materialistic aspects stem from the lack of belief in that after-life. there's also the question of analog versus digital heaven-hell consequences that i could throw in but that would take the discussion way off-topic i think... 😊
I don't think it essentially should play a part, as long as one focuses on THIS LIFE BEING MEANINGFUL, HAPPY & HELPFUL, ATLEAST NOT HURTFUL!
Many of us do not believe in after-life. If we have a great control on their doings in this life without the fear of either burning in hell or coming back as a lab rat, it is great! As long as we don't create hell on earth for others, I am fine with it. 😆 However, many of us need to have a check-point, a warning, because as curious, smart and active animals, we are bound to make mistakes and try to cover them up 😉 till we can. Since we are excruciatingly limited in terms of our control over Shadripu, it is good to be afraid of / in awe of something! Of course, those who believe in after-life, in karma and in heaven and hell also commit to sinful life 🤢. No denying that!!
On the other hand, so what if good-karma -accumulation to moksha is probably a piece of cheese outside my hamsterwheeel cage life? I am fine running for it 😆😆😆
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