Enrico wrote: They are so attached to this material-physical world that they do not want even to consider that there is a better way to live and prosper.
That is not it at all. I'm not attached to this "material-physical world" so much as I live in it. It is not as if I were given an option. This is quite simply that which we have. Whatever "better way to live and prosper" I ever find I will have to find within the confines of said world seeing it is that which exists. If you want to go playing mind games with yourself, be my guest.
You also said that "an atheist will sooner or later will come to the conclusion that God exists" Not likely. I know that he doesn't. That is why I'm an atheist. There is no "pie-in-the-sky-by-and-by-when-you-die". Look around, dude. What you see is what you get. And it's pretty damned wonderful.
I'm alive, on this really cool planet that does a pretty good job of giving us what we need. (If we don't screw it all up by being greedy and stupid, that is). I'm surrounded by fellow creatures that I rather enjoy and life is good. A better way to live and prosper would be to develop capabilities within oneself, but there's nothing "spiritual" in that. It's part of oneself.
We are all that we have, and that is quite good enough. We can do it. Those who keep insisting that we somehow need some non-existent super-being strike me as being the ultimate misanthropes. I just don't get it.
That is not it at all. I'm not attached to this "material-physical world" so much as I live in it. It is not as if I were given an option. This is quite simply that which we have. Whatever "better way to live and prosper" I ever find I will have to find within the confines of said world seeing it is that which exists. If you want to go playing mind games with yourself, be my guest.
You also said that "an atheist will sooner or later will come to the conclusion that God exists" Not likely. I know that he doesn't. That is why I'm an atheist. There is no "pie-in-the-sky-by-and-by-when-you-die". Look around, dude. What you see is what you get. And it's pretty damned wonderful.
I'm alive, on this really cool planet that does a pretty good job of giving us what we need. (If we don't screw it all up by being greedy and stupid, that is). I'm surrounded by fellow creatures that I rather enjoy and life is good. A better way to live and prosper would be to develop capabilities within oneself, but there's nothing "spiritual" in that. It's part of oneself.
We are all that we have, and that is quite good enough. We can do it. Those who keep insisting that we somehow need some non-existent super-being strike me as being the ultimate misanthropes. I just don't get it.
“To terrify children with the image of hell, to consider women an inferior creation—is that good for the world?”
― Christopher Hitchens
"That fear first created the gods is perhaps as true as anything so brief could be on so great a subject". - George Santayana
"If this is the best God can do, I'm not impressed". - George Carlin
― Christopher Hitchens
"That fear first created the gods is perhaps as true as anything so brief could be on so great a subject". - George Santayana
"If this is the best God can do, I'm not impressed". - George Carlin
