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To: A_perfect_lady; mdmathis6
If anything can always exist, let it be the universe and you leave off these useless questions.

Except that it can't. Hubble's observations of red shift and Einstein's equations both show that the universe had a beginning.

Christians can posit a universe where there is meaning and purpose because there is something outside themselves but for the atheist, honoring God with our lives means nothing to them. Their response would be *So what? Big deal. *That does not give purpose to someone who isn't interested in God so that's not a draw for the atheist or agnostic.

I do really think people would be much better off examining their lives for admittedly prosaic (but adult) issues like: how can I do my job better? Let's go over the budget again. Maybe I should clean my closet before I go shopping for something new.

Things like this are actually generally enough to fill a life if you're determined to live it as best you can. There are occasional moments of boredom, but we all have that. But escaping into fantasy lands is ultimately counter-productive, and a waste of time and energy.

The best evidence for God isn't physical or material or even in the form of miracles.

It's in the philosophical realm. Morals, ethics, good and evil, value judgments, stuff like that. There has to be some standard by which all those things are measured. The question then becomes, where did that standard come from? Where does conscience come from? Certainly not a survival of the fittest mentality.

284 posted on 12/31/2011 8:47:17 AM PST by metmom (For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore & do not submit again to a yoke of slavery)
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To: metmom
Meaning and purpose? Your fellow man, your family, the development of your own skills and powers, your course in life, your community, your career, your friends... none of these things give you meaning and purpose? WOW. I don't know what to say.

As for the stars, or the beginning of the universe, whatever the current scientific thought about it is, that's fine with me. There are stars out there that have already died, and their light won't touch our skies till I have lived and died myself. Am I really going to spend a lot of time worrying about it? My laundry is more pressing than this. Live real life, that's all I'm saying. Or if you can't, because taking care of you and yours and being a positive force in the community isn't enough to give you meaning and purpose, at least don't demand that everyone carefully live their lives in such a manner as not to ever contradict this delicate spider web of ancient stories that you live in.

290 posted on 12/31/2011 8:59:51 AM PST by A_perfect_lady
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