Tore, as we've discussed before, what people truly fear the end of their concious human experiences and the loss of awareness of themselves, not the idea of death itself. Whether or not there is an afterlife is ultimately aimless philosophic meandering since it doesn't stop most folks from fearing death.

Secondly, the reason that the majority of people truly wish to believe that a more perfect life exists after the life they are living in now is because the average person is usually overwhelmed by stress and uncertainty to some degree with every passing day, though whether or not this is due to the person's own weakness in coping with their surroundings or something else entirelly is another matter entirelly.

Personally, I find it interesting that a universe seemingly guided entirelly by material forces seems to operate by such precise logic in regards to our measurements of things. Hence, although I do not perscribe to the idea of "intelligent design" in the Christian sense, the idea that there is a higher order of organisms or existences that may have given rise to the physical foundations of the material universe is certainly nothing bad to speculate or even believe in if one feels compelled to. It's all just a matter of how relevant concepts such as faith and divine speculation are to individuals in their own lives, and that is where the decision ultimately lies in deciding whether or not you believe in a possibility...or don't.

All this aside, I feel Christianity's main problem is a great majority of its practicioner's thinking of the Bible as infallible and the "word of God" even though it was written in a flawed way by actual human beings, along with the variety of inconsistences within particular books that undermine a lot of arguments that Christians try to make to people who are not such.

be as happy as you possibly can while you are existent now and in the future. People lose their memories everyday due to disease, accident, etc... they still have to go on living without knowing who they are, just be thankful while you are here now.

yeah, I sometimes get wrapped up in a morbid way of thinking. Since I am a songwriter and most of my favorite musicians are dead I tend to glorify the whole "my art still survives after I don't" thing and it's not healthy. Sure the idea of me being gone and some kid listening to me is wonderful but the idea of me not existing and never knowing that kid is listening to me is super frightening and sad. I want to be around to enjoy any successes I achieve. I know this isn't exactly the point being made but it made me think of it.

I understand that a majority of religious adherents, especially those adherents of the big 3 western religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), are motivated to follow their faith by a deep seated fear of death. I don't think it's fair to ascribe that motivation to every follower. I for one would prefer to not base my spiritual path on the idea of salvation/damnation. Anything that has its impetus in fear will only lead to a low level consciousness, which is one of the reasons why I think you see a lot of hatred, intolerance, and other lower level states of consciousness in the fundamentalist sects of most religions.
For me there is a motivation to have a communion with a higher power, to understand "his" will, and to be mindful of how this relationship plays out in the day to day occurences of life. There is also an ineffable peace that comes with spiritual surrender that is greater than any sense of well-being I've experienced outside of my own spiritual pursuit.

How real is SUPERBOOK!



Edit...
Oh crap. I keep forgetting about the anchor to last post viewed thing.

...first of all I'm sure most people on this forum aren't devout christians so you aren't anything special.

...second, not all christians take a literal interpretation of the old testament. Fundamentalists are called fundamentalists for a reason. Even my uncle who's a devout catholic doesn't take the creation story as literal.

....most teenage atheists have to create strawman arguments so they can have something to rebel against and feel special.I still think god is baloney, but you're rant against christianity is a bit juvenille

Who are you talking to, sir?

the guy who created this thread, the very first post.

Then all those Christians and your Uncle are going to hell according the the book their club is based on and the people who run their club (His Popeness)

...no he's quite devout, he believes in transubstantiation and all that. From what I remember from going to catholic church, the old testament was never really brought up. The old testament was never really called into question because it was never preached.

For some churches the only part you have to take literally is the new testament. Some denominations take the old testament more literally than others.

the great response to religion: institutionalization! you will only believe what is productive (and if that is nothing, so be it)