Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!ames!sun-barr!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: lindborg@cs.washington.edu (Jeff Lindborg) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: A first cut at Tolerance (long - sorry) Message-ID: Date: 19 Feb 91 03:19:47 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: University of Washington Computer Science Lines: 49 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article geoff@pmafire.inel.gov (Geoff Allen) writes: >lindborg@cs.washington.edu (Jeff Lindborg) writes: >>I have no desire to >>exist for all eternity in any form, period. >Whether that is what you *desire* doesn't really have much to do with >it, does it? Either you will or you won't, and the object is to >determine which of those two alternatives is the case. Well since this obviously can not be proved, you're in a bit of a pickle... You choose to beleive there is an afterlife capable of being either blissfull or horific and you center your beliefs around that assumption. I make no such assumption, hence my beliefs center around a different idea... >>you are supposed to convince them of the truth and validity >>of your set of beliefs. Unfortunately many Christians in their zeal to >>do just this go so far as to employ violence and repression to meet these >>ends... >A problem for sure. Just remember that not all of us are like that. >Some of us simply find the evidence for the Biblical record and for >Christianity compelling, and have therefore surrendered in faith to >Jesus. Unfortunately most of the human family would tend to disagree with you on that one, me included. Which is fine except you believe that all the people who do not see the truth the same way you do are going to spend eternity in torment and pain. I can't beleive this does not taint your view of those who do not prescribe to your religion...regardless of how much you insist you 'love' them. >Some of us also find the evidence and the experience worthy of >telling others about. Which is fine... I find the dogma and inconsistencies of your religion (and most other religions I've studied) worthy of telling others about. So we agree... >You're allowed to believe whatever you want. That's what free will is >all about. But if you're wrong, you're wrong. All the sincerity in the >world can't make up for being sincerely wrong. Yes, your god takes a very dim view of those "he blessed" with skeptical minds, doesn't he? >Geoff Allen Jeff Lindborg On the Highway to Hell