writing on the wall

[WWLD]

My drive to work is about 10 minutes long, and on the way I pass 5 churches. I don't know about the places you all live, but here every church has a wall next to the entrance with a saying or something on it.

One of these in particular caught my attention. It said:

"life offers many choices, death only two"

I just think it's amazing how christians can admit that they are living in fear of hell without fully realizing it.

Has anyone else seen these kinds of things posted outside of churches?

[athoughtfulman]

Yeah, they're all over the place.

Usually just a quick quote about heaven, hell or something related. Or some catchy line about how jesus is angry.

I think, at least for some christians, they fear hell only when they doubt god. Hence, they keep believing because it gives them comfort to think they are going to heaven. Some christians will even say that their fear of hell is what brought them to god.

Silly people.

[Edward]

I like the one near me (also on the way to work). "God loves you, whether you like it or not!"

It's like there's a kind of hateful spite in their message of love. Kind of telling if you ask me.

But screw the religious. I won't be defined as an atheist because I'm anti-religious. I couldn't care less about the religious. The world is full of unenlightened stupidity; religion is just one aspect of it.

But I talked to one guy at work (B.Sc., R.N., Capt.) who finally admitted that he doesn't really understand God or all the aspects of his faith, he just believes it. How can you believe what you don't understand? How can you say something is true, when you're not even sure what it is?

The whole atheist/theist argument seems flawed to me, because no one will have a debate that starts out with an agreed upon definition of exactly what God is.

i.e.

God is this and exists because of this. His presence is detectable like this, and for this reason I believe He exists.

Instead its always, "God is the primary mover." "God is the first cause." "God is the uncaused cause." Who the hell cares? Even if it's true, that isn't the God of Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Janism, Taoism, Mormonism, or of the Branch Dividians. If God is the "cause of the big bang" great! That isn't for one second the god Jesus Christ talked about. And it offers nothing to the claims that Jesus actually was God incarnate.

But the religious don't care. They just believe. They just have faith. They obey what they are taught at the very same time they claim to agree with what they are taught and they don't seem to know the difference. I wish there were more people with their own personal religions. The world would be more interesting.

Hey! I know! Burn all the churches to the ground, and tell everyone they are free to have their own religion, just not a collective one. Then you still have freedom of religion. In fact, you have freedom of religion on steroids.

[leo-rcc]

Hey! I know! Burn all the churches to the ground, and tell everyone they are free to have their own religion, just not a collective one. Then you still have freedom of religion. In fact, you have freedom of religion on steroids.

I disagree on the premise that if you burn down churches, you bring down some magnificent buildings and structures throughout Europe that are among the most aesthetically pleasing buildings in the world.

Besides, in the Netherlands we've had experience with iconoclasm, it doesn't work.

[Edwardo Piet]

Edward, you don't have to even be remotely anti-religious to be atheist in fact....

You could be an atheist because you don't believe in God...but actually like religion..or even admire it and love it.

For example, you could even be one of those condescending types "I have nothing against religion overall. Some things I'm against but people are entitled to be religious. I personally don't believe in God and think its a load of nonsense but people are entitled to what they believe and I find religion interesting. If people believe in God that's up to them...I don't believe in God - I don't need God. But some people do; - some people need God".

The atheists who don't believe in God but they "believe in belief" in God... the "I wish I could have that faith...I wish I could. But I just don't, wishing doesn't change anything", etc, etc.

That sort of type. You don't have to be anti-religious at all to be an atheist. You simply have to not believe in God.

And by God I mean a supernatural creator. A designer of the universe...be it an intervening theist God of whatever religion or whatever....or the non-intervening deist God. I just mean a supernatural creator.

EvF

[Eilonnwy]

Boston doesn't have those types of churches that have those signs with bible quotes or sayings. Since Boston is highly Catholic we have a lot of cathedral looking churches. There is only one Baptist church I'm aware of that I pass on my way to work on the bus and it has a billboard but it's something simple about faith. In general, the churches in Boston are beautiful. They have steeples and towers, very nice architecture. They have stained glass windows and beautiful works of art. When I was in High School and had to go to chruch every month I would just stair at the paintings on the walls and the stained glass. There is a certain beauty about these churches that despite all the grievances I have with the religion, I love the buildings themselves but only as nice buildings.

[Tim614]

Here in columbus there was a sign that "I kissed a girl and went to hell." lol but Iv found that religion can help people who are in need of confidence. Example:Vikings were one of the most feared warriors of altime and one of the reasons why was they never feared death. I think christianity would be fine if they werent so closed minded. Is this part of there religion?

[Demonaura]

I'm anti-religious and atheist, atheisim is not a religion it is a word describing what we are not. It shouldn't be nessesary but, because the majority of the world is religious we get labeled as the exeption.

Theres a church on the way to get a burger where I live, they change their sign a lot so I'll check it out next time I drive by and see if it has something funny.

[Edward]

I disagree on the premise that if you burn down churches, you bring down some magnificent buildings and structures throughout Europe that are among the most aesthetically pleasing buildings in the world.

Point taken.

---

Edward, you don't have to even be remotely anti-religious to be atheist in fact....

And by God I mean a supernatural creator. A designer of the universe...be it an intervening theist God of whatever religion or whatever....or the non-intervening deist God. I just mean a supernatural creator.

EvF

Great response. I agree. However, eventually, you're going to have to graple with the definition of supernatural. Of course nothing is supernatural. The term itself is oxymoronic.

[WWLD]

Here in columbus there was a sign that "I kissed a girl and went to hell."

haha i couldn't help but laugh when I read that one.