What if there is no God?

That's why I offered it as an alternative... I've been there too...in the winter....

Since this conversation is turning into a lighter mode, here's an oldie but a goodie:

Did you hear about the dyslexic, agnostic, insomniac who stayed up all night wondering if there was really a dog?

"Dyslexics of the world, UNTIE!"

Why would non believers have to have a base in faith or religion to be compassionate and feel empathy for others? Why would non believers have to have a base in faith or religion to do what's right or moral? Why would the birth of a child, etc. convince one there is a God?

A non believer could say, a child molester, child killer, rapist, serial killer, etc., etc. ,etc. should make a believer know without question there is no supreme being.

There is true evil in this world just as there is true goodness. Each individual makes a choice as to what they will do with their life and how they will live it. The human mind is still a mystery. Some have a brain that works perfectly, some have a brain that less than perfect..........I believe the brain and how it functions dictates a life, with outside influences having a small contribution.

I concur with that, Whats Up. I have never bought into the argument that one must have religious faith or beliefs in order to be a moral and good person. Besides, I would postulate that more immoral, violent, mean behavior has been perpetrated in the name of faith and religions over the centuries than not.

Whats Up wrote: A non believer could say, a child molester, child killer, rapist, serial killer, etc., etc. ,etc. should make a believer know without question there is no supreme being.

They could indeed say that, but the believer would counter with a response that addresses the freedom that is the foundation of the natural rights recognized by this nation. The believer would say that simply because God created you in His image is not the same as saying that He exercises complete control over your actions anymore than a non-believer's belief that they are the creator of their child gives them complete control over every action that the child undertakes. Does He talk to us and guide us? Certainly, but that is a far cry from you being a robot subject to His every whim and desire and under His complete control.

The individual liberty that we enjoy as a citizen of this nation is a direct result of the recognition by the founders that such individual liberty was the gift of God and not of government. Direct control of your every action by God contradicts the very idea of individual liberty and freedom as a gift of that same God, does it not?

PrintSmith, You misunderstood what I posted. I posted an answer to a previous post. I do understand what you posted. I am not posting to invite an argument. Thank you.

If you do not wish to have others discuss your responses with you Whats Up, then don't share them publicly. Publicly stating a belief, as you did, is indeed an open invitation to having that belief discussed further within the thread, even if you don't wish to participate further in that discussion.

FWIW, I didn't misunderstand what you posted at all. You believe, or put another way, have faith in, the idea that how well a brain functions is the primary determinate of individual behavior. That moral, compassionate and empathetic behavior is an indication of how well their brain functions and almost completely divorced from all other factors. If their brain functions well, they behave well. If it doesn't, they don't. I happen to think that is totally at odds with what you said just prior to stating that belief; that individuals make choices on how they will live their lives and what they will do with it. If how well the brain functions is primarily responsible for determining moral, compassionate and empathetic behavior, how much choice does one then have? Would not their choices be limited by how well their brain functions, almost to the point of predetermination of their behavior if your belief were to be correct?

Won't do any good Printsmith - they's a bunch of heathens.

I skimmed through this topic.

There are those who think babies prove God exists. On the other hand, what about the holocausts that occur several times every century? If God will step in to save one person from cancer, why did he sit on his proverbial ass during WWII when 6 million Jews and 6 million other people were murdered in concentration camps? Let alone the hundreds of millions who were killed during bombings and battles?

You can believe what you want. And I'll believe what I want. One thing about atheists - they take full responsibility for their actions and don't try to fob it off on their religion.