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This is difficult to create in a 2 sided debate (and to make this post neutral), but first I'll try and explain the question.
Let's look at this from the point of view that you are about to start a religion. You do not believe in it, nor do you believe in God but you see the world around you in despair and want to make some rules. However you feel people will not take these rules seriously and need a way to enforce them. This enforcer is God.
Forgetting whether or not you believe in God, what is God's role to humans? After creating us the universe (or not) is the concept or belief in God what is needed to keep people in order? Let's say there was no God. When going against the rules of the religion how would you be punished? Jail? Community work? Parole? Fines? Or a limitless amount of pain for an infinite amount of time? (to burn in hell). Is that a much larger deterrent than something imagineable and altogether not so terrible? For a follower, is God's existance much more influential than the country's police and courts?
So to get to the original point, should the idea of God be promoted whether or not you believe in Him? Even if He IS a lie, would it be better to to have this lie promote morals or if not God, some kind of 'myth'? Whether real or not, is belief in God for the GREATER GOOD?
Two sides are - Yes, belief in the existance of God whether God exists or not has MORE benefits than lack of belief in God.
- No, belief in the existance of God whether God exists or not has LESS benefits than lack of belief in God.
P.S. - Don't make this an argument about religions. This is purely about the belief in God and not different religions beliefs and opinions in God. No talk on Christianity, Islam, Hinduism - as that is NOT the question.
Everything that is happening over there is just crazy. It is never-ending. Nobody can reach any kind of meaningful agreement because each side (and supporters of each side) believe they are right. Let's see who can present the best arguments and the best evidence. I am genuinely curious to hear arguments from BOTH sides.
Would a benevolent God, knowing that the majority of people in the world would never be exposed to the correct 'Religion' or 'Denomination' send people to hell based on that fact, or is it incompatible with benevolence?
Whether or not you answer in the affirmative or the negative, does this in your opinion create a lottery situation in which some people are given greatly increased chances of acheiving salvation and heaven based on random factors? While others are given a greatly decreased, if any, chance to receieve salvation and heaven?
If you answer in the negative [He would send them to hell] how do you reconcile the situation in which someone may, for instance, live all their lives in a radical, 'heathen' country where information of the 'true' [whatever it may be] religion is not allowed?
Some schools have traditionally displayed the Commandments on walls – not as part of religious studies lessons, but rather as tools for moral instruction for their student
Many equate the meaning of "violence" with "use of dangerous force" or "agression." If that is how you think, you are (I predict) likely to disagree with the assertion this debate is based on. I would consider this debate a success if the opposing sides could agree on a succinct definition of violence.
Debate formerly titled: "Violence is never justified." then "The doing of justice never requires violence."
Is a coercive monopoly created through laws that ban potential competitors such as UPS or FedEx from offering competing services fair?
Is the government monopoly of the postal service a failure of the American People?
USPS is in billions of dollars in debt. Talks are in the works of eliminating Saturday mail.
Could UPS or FedEx do just as good as USPS in delivering First Class Mail?
In our world nothing is unique. Therefore, Who created God? and what was he doing before he created the world?
Did he appear from nothing? Does he have parents, colleagues, friends?
Did he create other planets or other races?
Or as in my belief or lack of, God was created by man as an explanation for things we cannot yet understand or to console us in our fear of death.
Should the world learn a simple international language that is spoken in all political or business endeavors. Esperanto is a language created to be simple, and to be used as a tool between nations, and yet I had never heard of it until about three days ago. Would language-globalization be beneficial towards a unified, more peaceful world?
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