Theists do right only because they fear god's wrath if they do not comply.

this is not a religious thread; it's a thread about religion.

 

I stand corrected. Still, a blasphemous video makes it clear how I feel about religion.

"Fuck a church, I'll burn that shit to the ground/ then I'll kill the congregation with no witnesses around/ turnin crosses upside-down/ I don't respect the holy trinity/ I know I'll go to hell, but it really don't mean shit to me/ I'll take over satan's throne/ and build an army of my own/ then we're gonna storm the heavens, won't give up 'til god is gone/ that includes all of his worshippers and everyone who follows him/ I'll slaughter every angel, chop 'em up and then I'll swallow them"-My lyrics

 

Maybe introduce them to "Zeitgeist Refutted" or "Zeitgeist Exposed"? That will clear their worries right up.

Otherwise, remind him that there are plenty of people in a Hellish state of mind or being. You don't need God for heaven or hell.

 

Exactly

Life, and people's actions and thoughts are never so simple as how you put it.

I believe in some sort of higher power, but that has nothing to do with my trying to be a good person. I am not afraid, I just don't want to be an evil douchebag.

 

Why does it seem that the majority of the people posting here are atheists who take a very dim view of anyone who believes in the existence of something greater than human beings?

 

Yep

Yep

and Yep.

 

I agree with Monkey Boy's compilation.

But, to be more on point with the heart of the thread and not the wording of it:
I think that theists' sense of morality is more questionable, because
a) it is not their own
b) they rarely follow those rules - so when will they betray their own sense of good?
c) by declaring a religion, they are sort've declaring themselves, if not moral, on the path of morality - and it seems the ones that think they are good are the worst of us

 

Exactly, it's insanely over-simplified. I'm an atheist who does good because I feel it's right and I want to, but some atheists are tossers.

 

I don't know. It's infuriating. Particularily because conservative Christianity seems to be the only religion discussedcin threads like this. I realize it's the largest religion, but it's still annoying. Some of us believe there is a God and have indepedantly decided on our moral stances using experience and critical thought.

Also,
a) I'm a theist but my morals are my own.
b) Sometimes I don't follow those rules because I don't think humans have access to perfect moral absolutes. I'm also only human and sometimes fall short.
c) I have declared a religion because I have identified my own beliefs and a term exists to describe them and to facilitate meeting likeminded people.

Just my two cents.