I believe that too. BUT at one time I was thinking as an atheist and I realized that a person could conceivably do a lot of really bad things in their life and get away with it because when you die, no karma lord can follow you into the after life and collect the debt.

So if you believe that when you die you are dead and gone, you can out run the law to a point and then die. Death then, becomes your big escape from Karma.

Sure you might say that death is your payback, but its not really. There is no pain or punishment after death. Death would be your salvation.

I still haven't read anything pertaining to advantages that unbelievers have.

As an example, JeannieBean writes:

"Living your life with the thought that this is the only one you will ever have, brings new perspective to how you will live.

You don't waste it. You enjoy it. You live to the absolute fullest. You may tend to respect and take care of your body better.

Even if you aren't sure, and even if you believe there is some other life after this one, I don't think it would be wise to waste this one, or refrain from living this one as it pleases you to do. After all, it is your life."

These areas are also true for believers.

Now, singmesweet writes:

"And yes, I live my life to make myself happy. If I'm not enjoying my life, something is wrong."

This is why I am glad to be a Christian. Sure, we want to be happy. Sure, we want to enjoy our lives. But there are times where we have to make sacrifices for others, even if it means not being happy for a while.

Christians get this. I'm not saying atheists do not, but when you have someone like singmesweet writing this, it provides you with a reason why Christians look at unbelievers as selfish.

The fact is that you have little or no idea when you are going to die.

A person making their life's work doing harm to others may not receive what we deem a justifiable payback, but you can certainly bet that not a day goes by where that person is not looking over their shoulder waiting for one of those they wronged to walk up behind them and chop off their head.

That in and of itself is Karma.

This may not apply directly to you, but living like this causes problems in the long run quite a bit. If one lives for themself and how THEY wish to live it, that creates selfish people in one way or other. That causes exremists, criminals, even down to especially terrorists and or people that go to those extremes. If one believes this is our life and it ends here and lives it to the highest, they would act upon any notion that struck them. Drugs, fighting, even down to killing someone. If one thought they could kill someone and not be caught by a law enforcer, that entices one to do it. Yes I know not EVERYONE has thoughts of killing someone. Living for yourself makes one happy, yes I'll agree to that. But is life truly all about YOUR happiness? If so, does that not lead back to living a selfish life?

Yes we do know when we are going to die to a certain extent. Somewhere between the ages of 0 and 100 probably. I personally have 30 or 40 years left to reek havoc on the earth if I wanted.

Looking over your shoulder, however annoying, is not actually punishment.

The laws of Karma state that every penny owed will be paid. Every penny. Every small crime. Every act of cruelty. It states that the law is exacting, and that no man can escape his due. As you sow, so shall you reap.

So Karma cannot exist if there is no afterlife or reincarnation. Only a temporary physical law of cause and effect and a person can stay ahead of that law during a short life time.

If there is no afterlife, you could kill thousands of people and only die once and no Lord of Karma or cause and effect can come back on you.

isn't YOUR happiness what it's all about? why should i live to make others happy if i'm not happy? even when you try to make others happy, they can turn around and crap in your food... i believe jenny is right, we are not here to make everyone around us happy, even tho that would be a good thing. we cannot enforce our beliefs on other people, then we are doing the exact opposite of what your saying, cowboy.

Taking care of your body-is part of maintaining your happiness through healthy living and allowing yourself to be able to participate in activities you otherwise would not be able to do with a dilapidated shell. Such as Painting, Hiking, Swimming. Poor care of your body would withhold you from such activities, therefore restricting your joy.

Sorta true yes. Sorta true cause what harm comes from putting other's happiness higher and more important then yours? Why not get YOUR happiness from seeing the happiness you brought to others? And who cares if they run all over you. I mean don't be a pansy and almost intentionally let others walk all over you. But when someone is in need, why not help them out? Even if it's someone you don't know, or if it may cause you to have to struggle/work harder. It is ok if and when someone "someone craps in your food". They'll have their judgment for their actions. Let it slide past and move on. But no, we can not force our beliefs on another. No one ever can. If someone is "forced" to believe, are they truly believing it on their own? Or just to please you and or settle the conflict? That right there is why one can not force a belief on someone else. A belief comes from the heart. If it's not there, it can not be "put" there if the person is not willing. But faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains. But yes again before I start rambling, someone can not be "forced" to believe. It's not true heartedly felt if such occurs.

i'm not saying it's wrong, just not for everyone. personally, i like what your saying, and helping people does make me happy sometimes. but all in all, it's our life, and we all have to do what is best for us. if that means finding a way for for everyone else to be happy, then thats what it is. but you can look at the effects of this thinking, what was hitler trying to do when he almost killed all the jews? thats why i don't think this way of thinking is the best way.

What does Hitler have to do with taking care of others before you? He obviously wasn't doing as such, for he was killing many many many people. What I say doesn't just apply to one person, or a few select people. I mean take care of EVERYONE the same. Even down to killers, rapists, and much more extreme "evils". You gonna condemn them for past actions? Perhaps they have learned from their experience and moved on to make a better life for them. Have we not all made our own mistakes? Why do you hold their mistakes higher and more "evil" then yours? What is so hard about treating others with respect and if they choose not to treat you in the same manner, just walk away and don't let them in anymore of your life?

i'll ask agian... WHY did he do it? was it because he felt the world would be better without them? everyone has an opinion on everything, right or wrong... my point is, there are a lot of people that think they know how to make the world better, whether it be through religion or someone elses death... in the old days, the Spanish inquisitions, the roman wars, the English running around killing people that didn't believe in the same god... think about it, were any of these people right or wrong?

It was wrong, for it is not your choice when a person leaves this world. It is not your position to make that judgment. I don't know why he did it, no reason would justify taking another person's life.

Cowboy wrote:

It was wrong, for it is not your choice when a person leaves this world. It is not your position to make that judgment. I don't know why he did it, no reason would justify taking another person's life.

How can you claim to be in agreement with the biblical God of Abraham if you feel that no reason would justify taking another person's life?

The God of Abraham instructed people to take the lives of other people for many reasons. From stoning sinners to death and killing heathens, to even stoning unruly children to death.

So apparently you feel that the biblical stories of the God of Abraham depict an unjustifiable God if you feel that no reason would justify taking the life of another person.

Seems to me like you've got a religion that conflicts with your own personal moral values.

they thought they were right...everyone has a different idea on whats is right or wrong...thats why i say maybe to some people, religion may not be the best answer... and people should not try to force their beliefs on others

No again, you're mistaking killing and "judgment". Again a judge will not go to prison nor the executioner for judging someone to death and carrying out this sentence. God told no to KILL nor MURDER anyone.

Cowboy wrote:

It was wrong, for it is not your choice when a person leaves this world. It is not your position to make that judgment. I don't know why he did it, no reason would justify taking another person's life.

I guess you were mistaken when you said:



"no reason would justify taking another person's life."

Now, you seem to be suggesting that there are indeed justifiable reasons for a person to taken another person's life. Like the example you gave: Mortal Judges and Executioners are totally justified in killing people because a "judgment" had been made.

But the only problem there is that Mortal Judges and Executioners, are only "justified" because a government gave them the right to "judge".

Well, in the case of Hitler, he was the government!

Therefore, by your very own analogy Hitler was as "justified" as any Judge or Executioner.

You're analogies of the behavior of God and mortal men can never work Cowboy, because all you've done here was "justify" Hitler!

He was the leader of a nation and therefore by your very own analogy he had the mortal "authority" to judge and execute people.

So you've shot yourself in your own foot with that one.

You're analogies of the behavior of God and mortal men can never work Cowboy, because all you've done here was "justify" Hitler!

Cowboy says,
It was wrong, for it is not your choice when a person leaves this world. It is not your position to make that judgment. I don't know why he did it, no reason would justify taking another person's life.

What is morally right and what is morally wrong is mostly the same for everyone. It is 99% the same. Regardless if one acts upon this or not is another story. But MOST everyone will agree it is immoral to steal, immoral to murder, immoral to lie, ect.Weather they do these or not, they MOST usually will agree that it is immoral. Just some people don't rightly care if it is or not.

SOME people know the difference between immoral and illegal. it is illegal to steal, it is illegal to murder, it is immoral to lie. doing something that is prohibited or not authorized by law is much different than breaking generally or traditionally held moral principles