God is Great.
God creates Man.
God is Great.
Therefore, Man has no meaningful purpose.
wikipedia: Nihilism (from the Latin nihil, nothing) is a philosophical position which argues that existence is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value.
What is the use of morality if, ultimately, it has no effect? If we believe some Christians, the Universe is some kind of game whereby His creations try to make it through His morality filter system into His 'nice' room. It's a bit like the TV show The Apprentice, with God playing the Sir Alan role. Hired people get to spend eternity on the holy yacht, fired people get to spend eternity drinking foul tasting mugs of tea in the greasy-spoon cafe called Hell.
If we believe other Christians, there's no filter system at all. God has already chosen those lucky creations who will make it into His 'nice' room. I can't think of a more nihilistic vision of life - there's nothing you can do, folks, it's just a matter of waiting for God to open the golden envelope at the end of time and announce the winners:
"And the award for the seventy four thousand, nine hundred and sixty third most deserving of a place in Heaven goes to... Mr F H Merflplonk."
When Christians claim atheists are nihilists, they're confusing the word 'meaningful' with 'longer'.
When you point this out to a Christian, they are beside themselves with mirth at your stupidity. It's as if you've claimed up is down and down is inside-out. "HAHAHAHAHA!" they guffaw, clutching their sides, "It's the atheists who are the spoilsports. It's common knowledge. Ask anyone."
The fact is, much of what a Christian understands of the world comes from "common knowledge". Things like: 'Homosexuality is wrong. Ask Ted at the Bull & Monarch. He'll set you straight.'
Religion shamelessly appeals to the popularity of 'common knowledge': "Pigs are dirty animals and therefore God would not have wanted us to eat them", "Witches are agents of the Devil himself and God would most certainly have wanted us to set fire to them", "Woman are confusing and should be locked out of harms way as often as possible".
Sorry, Christians, but your 'common knowledge' logic doesn't have a great track record. You are nihilists and your book of 1st century peasant catch-phrases provides no meaning for our existence. It's nothing more than a longwinded manifesto on wish fulfillment - "You will have life after death. But while you're here, have fun throwing heavy objects at gays and whores and stuff".
To have peace and love preached to us by the same folk who went on the Crusades isn't even funny. I can get the concepts of 'peace' and 'love' without standing in some depressing, draughty old building listening to some grey-haired choirboy-fondler mumbling about some ancient Palestinian or other.
You claim I am the nihilist. Then show me the evidence that you are not.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Those Christian Nihilists
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1 comments:
“Religion shamelessly appeals to the popularity of 'common knowledge': "Pigs are dirty animals and therefore God would not have wanted us to eat them"”
If this is a contemporary belief and practice of orthodox Christianity, then it is news to me. Most Christians I know have the understanding that all food is beneficial if it is received with thanksgiving as per the book of Acts Chapter 10.
"Witches are agents of the Devil himself and God would most certainly have wanted us to set fire to them",
Again, Jesus says in Matthew 21 “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you.” And Jesus also tells us to love our enemies. Folks who desire to set fire to other people are not obeying the Gospel of Christ – no matter what they may say to the contrary.
"Woman are confusing and should be locked out of harms way as often as possible".
Then why were the first primary witnesses of the resurrection of Christ women? If the point of true Christianity is to keep women down, then why would Christ, the Savior of the world appear to women and rely on their testimony first? Again, the macho men who use church language to 'put women down' are not honoring Christ. The New Testament tells men who would be faithful Christians that they MUST love their wives as Christ loved the church. I don't see any room in there for chauvinism.
"You will have life after death. But while you're here, have fun throwing heavy objects at gays and whores and stuff"...To have peace and love preached to us by the same folk who went on the Crusades isn't even funny.”
Fortunately, the folks who brought us the Crusades are long dead, so I doubt they are preaching anything today except by their deplorable historical example.
If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck and has feathers like a duck, then it is probably a duck. Conversely, If it walks like a power-hungry creep, talks like a power-hungry creep and acts like the same...then it is not acting like a faithful Christian. I could not agree with you more that the actions you've mentioned are abominable...but I contest that these are the actions of exemplary Christians who have thought through and put into practice the Gospel. If someone tells you they are an astronomer, yet cannot even name the 8 planets, then you'd have a right to doubt their sincerity. The same made be said of people perpetrating evil in the name of God. If they do not even follow the most basic teachings of Christ then we have a right to question the legitimacy of their actions.
By the way, I like your writing style and I'm also a fan of Douglas Adams. So this means you already know the simple answer to life the universe and everything is 42. The Ultimate Question is, of course, another matter entirely.
Tom
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