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July 03, 2008

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There is, of course, the other side to Christianity-- not the promises of good things but the threats of withdrawal and punishment. Most religions have the rose and the thorn which is how sometimes human love is with promises of so much but only if certain conditions are met.

I see the usual problem with atheists is they mix up discussion of god with religion. There can be a god who is nothing like any religion believes. Religion being wrong doesn't make there not be a creator of some sort. The god I personally would least 'want' to believe existed was that of the fundamentalist Christian. Now to me that is a scary thought.

Besides no god or one god, there is another possibility for spiritually what is: multiple gods. All of the supposing is why I don't try to figure it out anymore. I am more interested in what should I do and finding peace with my own existence and someday non-existence. There was a time I read such books but realized my being was limited in grasping any of it. Not to say there may not be some humans who can.

Excellent post Brian.

Brian,

I can relate to this post. My dad died when I was seven. Growing up, I think, I missed out on much, not having my dad. On the other hand, I have been told by relatives that my dad was very distant and withdrawn. What I missed and didn't miss is in my distant past. Time has a way of healing. Again, this post was a pleasant read.

The conflation of God with religion is glaring.

In this case, we could presume that the subject, rather than religion, might be government. Now Comte-Sponville can say he does not believe in the republic, (or "the state", etc...) although he wishes it may be there. Rather than atheistic, he would be acratic: "there is no governance."

After all, governments of every stripe ask for faith, but universally fail to deliver anything but an organizing principle. The state that everyone feels so patriotic about exists only in the minds of the zealots.

Ah, preponderance of evidence! A thin gruel of truth!

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