God Speaking...anyone listening?

[tailor STATELY]

A latter-day scripture from http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/moro/7?lang=eng I came across today:

Moroni 7:16,17

16 For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.

17 But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him.

Ta ! (short for tarradiddle),
tailor STATELY

[Delta40]

There is no evidence to suggest that atheists are more likely to suffer from depression than believers. What baffles me is why my rejection of a belief in god means the quality or meaning of my life is somehow incomplete or unsettling to you. I'm not impinging on your right to believe yet you need to diminish who I am simply because I happen to disagree with you.

If I tell you I don't like chocolate and you do why would you insist that I really do but I just can't accept it? I'm not disputing your belief.

[Melanie]

...What baffles me is why my rejection of a belief in god means the quality or meaning of my life is somehow incomplete...

It's not just you, every person has a void deep within. It's the innate longing of the human heart for something outside itself, something transcendent. No one can disagree with that. Without that fulfillment from God, man attempts to fill it with things other than God. Romans 1:18-22 describes man ignoring what can be known about God and instead worshipping anything and everything other than God...TV, electronic gadgets, sports, hedonism, etc. That part of them will never be fully satisfied. They'll find a measure of happiness for a time but, like Soloman, who had all the riches, success, and power in the world, claimed that it was all in vain.

[Delta40]

That's your belief speaking. If you were born elsewhere you would reject Christianity and adopt the predominant religion you were born into and hold different beliefs. I might as well argue aussie rules is the real football making all other sports redundant.

Not everyone is like you. Accept diversity and take responsibility.

[SentimentalSlop]

That's not always true. People convert to different religions everyday.

[Delta40]

All part of diversity and more reason for tolerance of others.

[SentimentalSlop]

It's one thing to tolerate others, but not all beliefs should be tolerated.

[Delta40]

Lol oh I agree. Especially protesting religious zealots who spread hatred and show no compassion for those outside their circle. Love thy neighbor? What a joke.

[SentimentalSlop]

There are hypocrites everywhere.

[cacian]

That's not always true. People convert to different religions everyday.

I guess many people leave it too fed up there is nothing to it then just a lot of hot air.

[mal4mac]

It's not just you, every person has a void deep within.

How do you know this? Do you have omnipotent telepathic powers to see into the souls of everyone?

It's the innate longing of the human heart for something outside itself, something transcendent. No one can disagree with that.

Why not?! Many men seem to have an inate longing to hear the result of the next football match, and seem to have no longing for anything transcendent.

They'll find a measure of happiness for a time but, like Soloman, who had all the riches, success, and power in the world, claimed that it was all in vain.

I've known lifelong supporters of football clubs, who died never saying that their support was in vain. I've had lifelong interest in reading and have never found this to be in vain (certain reading yes, the Bible springs to mind! Fortunately there's lots of other stuff to read and re-read.)

[mal4mac]

I think you have to be careful about not showing toleration to protesting religious zealots. Do they really spread hatred? In me they engender a feeling of curiosity. How can people believe such things? I also argue against them if I get the chance. If they show "show no compassion for those outside their circle" then this fact should be pointed out, but it doesn't mean we shouldn't tolerate them. Everyone has a right to free speech and to demonstrate. I've been on anti-fascist demonstrations, and the like, and wouldn't like my right to do this curtailed. It's a useful feature of a free society, a very good way to stress the importance of your feelings to yourself and others, and a good way to blow of stream. In a similar manner I think people should be allowed to go on anti-abortion demonstrations, even though I am very pro "the right to choose", and am likely to go on a counter demonstration. But anti-abortionists shouldn't be allowed to kill abortion doctors or browbeat young women outside clinics - that kind of direct 'violence against the person' should not be tolerated.

[Melanie]

(in response to "everyone has a deep void within") How do you know this? Do you have omnipotent telepathic powers to see into the souls of everyone?

No, just common sense. Admit it, you've felt an emptiness you wanted filled from time to time. Some fill it with material things, some with self pleasures...but the only thing that will satisfy that void is love and there's no greater love than God's love.

...Many men seem to have an inate longing to hear the result of the next football match, and seem to have no longing for anything transcendent.

That's a man for you

I've known lifelong supporters of football clubs, who died never saying that their support was in vain. I've had lifelong interest in reading and have never found this to be in vain (certain reading yes, the Bible springs to mind! Fortunately there's lots of other stuff to read and re-read.)

When Solomon said he found riches and power to be in vain, he was comparing it to eternal life. You've never seen a hearse carrying a u-haul. You were born with nothing and you'll leave with nothing. And all that power?...same thing. We'll all be equal when we step over that line (in terms of riches and power).

[mal4mac]

No, just common sense. Admit it, you've felt an emptiness you wanted filled from time to time. Some fill it with material things, some with self pleasures...but the only thing that will satisfy that void is love and there's no greater love than God's love.

Maybe a slight hunger to do something different, but not a feeling of a "deep void" inside. I think you can satisfy that hunger with all kinds of projects, like reading novels, doing science, watching "breaking bad", golf, etc., etc. Trying to force myself to belive in a sky god, and attending church with a boring preacher, doesn't appeal to me as a project.

You were born with nothing and you'll leave with nothing. And all that power?...same thing. We'll all be equal when we step over that line.

True, so building up wealth is just silly, but reading novels isn't.

[Melanie]

All those things are good....but go deeper