Since atheism is a belief

Originally posted by KellyJay
You have a Law giver that created the universe and laid out how it should be given?
You have Laws that were not man made and therefore not up for debate?
You have someone who tells you if you do this, that will happen, and if not something
else will occur?

Your world view isn't affected by this because you reject it, so it is void of them. The ones
y ...[text shortened]... r choices color your
world without or without God to suit you. That is your belief, your faith.

The fact that I don't believe in the existence of god(s) prevents me from taking seriously any action whose sole purpose lies in pleasing the god(s). However, any action that has real world consequences I'd have to take as seriously as any religious person, but for reasons of social stability and harmony, rather than fear of an inevitable eternal punishment. I can't exactly pick and choose arbitrarily. If laws help in creating a stable and harmonious society, I will have to respect them, even if they're a pain in my own personal butt.

Originally posted by C Hess
The fact that I don't believe in the existence of god(s) prevents me from taking seriously any action whose sole purpose lies in pleasing the god(s). However, any action that has real world consequences I'd have to take as seriously as any religious person, but for reasons of social stability and harmony, rather than fear of an inevitable eternal punishment. ...[text shortened]... harmonious society, I will have to respect them, even if they're a pain in my own personal butt.

I give you that all in all I think you are a very respectable person. I don't think to much about
the eternal punishment as much as I do the great grace given to us with respect to Christ.
I don't see this debating moving anyone in any direction, thanks for the discussion.