ajax18 wrote: Easy Marg. Perhaps I haven't made myself clear. I remain very impressed with the level of morality of people who have no belief in the afterlife. I just wondered what made them tick. No criticism hear. As far as I can remember I have had desire for an afterlife and I don't think it was just religion. OF course my parents gave me religious answers but as a toddler I came up with the basic existential questions on my own. I would guess a lot of people do.
Well actually you implied that atheists tend to be criminals in your response here:
In a way I can see where atheists do make the world a better place. If I had gotten revenge on the people who mistreated me, they would probably have at least had second thoughts before screwing over the next person in their path. Or they may not have been around to even do that. Perhaps I wouldn't either, but the world still has one or possibly two fewer abusers to deal with. When Christians turn the other cheek, it seems to give these people the green light. But I don't think that your comments against atheists are unusual. On this board I often see comments from those who are religious indicating they think they have a moral highground and those not religious and in particular those not Mormon are morally depraved, alcoholics, drug addicts, adulterers, prone to divorce. It is a major part of the training in Mormonism to teach that followers are morally superior to those outside their group. So you are not unusual in your comments which reflect this type of thinking.
I'm just saying that science cannot prove that there is no afterlife, so we have to go on things like faith and hope. No criticism of science from me. I'm a biochemist. If I opened my mouth in Church more I'd probably get thrown out for being too scientific
It is irrelevant that science can't prove. And instead of using the word science, think of it as critical thought or examination. Logically there are many things which can not be critically examined. Things which in fact do not exist and never existed can not be critically examined...ever, that has nothing to do with science. Nothing can be said about something which doesn't exist. The only thing which can be said is if the things claimed are described as existing within certain parameters such as a confined area. Then that area can be examined and the emptiness enables one to say nothing exists in the area, therefore the thing claimed doesn't exist in that area.
You are right that an afterlife must be believed based on faith and hope. Those who make claims for an afterlife offer nothing which can be critically examined which could disprove an afterlife. So the problem is not that science can't disprove an afterlife but rather that those who make claims can't prove an afterlife and offer nothing for examination.
By saying science can't prove there is no afterlife (which is what you said), it is a fallacious attempt to shift the burden of proof onto others when the burden of proof should be and is on those who make the claim. The process used in science has no burden to disprove an afterlife, the problem remains with the claimants, it is their burden to prove an afterlife. My beef in this ajax is that you brought up science in this discussion, when science was irrelevant.
Perhaps it's a good thing that I don't become obsessed with the present life. After the unfairness I've seen in this world against myself and others and my abosolute inability to stop it by legal means, I doubt I'd still be alive because I wouldn't have been able to live with such things. My last few bosses would be dead now as well as me. Maybe the world would be a better place for the next worker, but I think God would like them to have a second chance
I have no idea what you are talking about. It actually sounds like you might need some professional counselling to deal with your anger. And it's possible that some of the problems you have are a function of your choices and your perceptions. You indicate you have major issues when you say you are so angry at people that you'd like to kill them, but only hold back because of your christian beliefs. If I were you, I'd seek some professional counseling.