(January 18, 2009 at 10:47 am)Ephrium Wrote: As was mentioned already, my thread is about the good Christians in your neighbourhood which this forum had some plans to advertise Atheism to, not those in terrorist areas, so keep them out."Terrorist areas"? I'm talking about Texas and the like.
(January 18, 2009 at 10:47 am)Ephrium Wrote: "But to believe in a God that will forgive you no matter what your sins, what's that gonna do to the crime rate?Yet even you must know that it is a rare Christian indeed who follows Jesus' summation of the law ("Love the Lord thy God, and love thy neighbour as thyself"). No matter what theory you postulate, the statistical data is undeniable.
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I can rebut Demonura and 8630's posts with this. Not only does the Christian god imply punishment for misdeeds, it tells us what a person who obeys god should do. Hence, just one example, love thy neighbour as thyself.
(January 18, 2009 at 10:47 am)Ephrium Wrote: Hence they will at least believe that God wants them to do certain good stuff. There is first this basic aspect. The punishment or threat is only if this aspect, what god wants, is not obeyed.Nope: one is saved by one's faith, not by ones works. That's the message the entire NT was trying to get across: no matter who you are, no matter what you've done, you will be saved if you believe.
With God, there are good reasons for themselves to do good, first, God wants them to, then punishment if they dont.
(January 18, 2009 at 10:47 am)Ephrium Wrote: What I had mentioned Natural selection for is that, it is so logical and natural to us. It should be Natural and logical to us that a belief in God can only lower crime rates. Any one atheists truely believe otherwise?I'm not an atheist, but I believe otherwise. While some religions do indeed curb criminal tendencies in their followers, the Christian religion is not one of them.
"I am a scientist... when I find evidence that my theories are wrong, it is as exciting as if the evidence proved them right." - Stargate: SG1
A scientific man ought to have no wishes, no affections, -- a mere heart of stone. - Charles Darwin
A scientific man ought to have no wishes, no affections, -- a mere heart of stone. - Charles Darwin