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From: aeq@pucc-h (Jeff Sargent)
Newsgroups: net.flame,net.religion
Subject: Re: evidence for the non-existence of God
Message-ID: <610@pucc-h>
Date: Thu, 22-Mar-84 14:49:18 EST
Article-I.D.: pucc-h.610
Posted: Thu Mar 22 14:49:18 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 23-Mar-84 21:28:09 EST
References: <2617@azure.UUCP>, <181@ihopa.UUCP>
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center
Lines: 32

Reply to Darrell Plank (ihnp4!ihopa!dap):

> I think we should also point out that to accept any faith that is believed
> by a majority of people, we should all become Moslem.  It is NOT the case
> that people are not gullible enough to believe a religion if that religion
> promises them things which they desire.  A belief in a super-being who
> loves me and watches out for me and then promises life after death is very
> tempting, especially if one can use the flimsiest of excuses to prop up
> that belief.

I don't remember anyone arguing that one should go with the majority.  That's
not the argument to use for any belief, Christianity, Islam, or anything else.
In fact, true Christians (those who actually have come into relationship with
God) may be quite a minority, Falwell's pontifications notwithstanding.

Fortunately, I for one don't feel that the reasons I believe are flimsy
excuses.  I have been helped and loved so much that I cannot do anything
but believe.

It's a very tempting belief, you say, and yet you don't embrace it?  Why,
pray tell, is the opposite belief (that there is no God, no life after death--
or before it for that matter, no hope, no love) more tempting??  The only
reason I can think of is that you don't want to commit yourself, make yourself
vulnerable, to Someone who asks you to give yourself totally to Him, and not
keep yourself for yourself.  This is unfortunate for you.  "He that saves his
life will lose it; but he who loses his life for My sake will find it."  I
have begun (only begun) to know the truth of this in my own life.

-- 
-- Jeff Sargent
{allegra|ihnp4|decvax|harpo|seismo|ucbvax}!pur-ee!pucc-h:aeq
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