Honestly, my real purpose/goal in life is pretty simple: do what I can to leave the world a better place than it was when I found it.
I didn't actually talk to any missionaries yesterday, though they did leave an ad on my door that made me roll my eyes.
Some evangelists use that tactic--the questioning about whether one can have morals/purpose without religion--and it has always irritated me. Though I do think that some elements of religion aren't a bad thing, and are understandable for some (built-in community, benevolent Dad in the Sky, etc.,) my opinion has always been that if you need the promise of an afterlife, and the rewards or punishments thereof, to get you to behave well, you're not exactly leading a moral or purposeful life in the first place. Good behavior that's coerced doesn't count, IMHO.
Me, I do what I can to behave in a manner that is compassionate and benevolent to people and planet, not because I'm afraid of frying in hell if I don't, but because it's the logical thing to do.
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momijizukamori
no subject
Date: 2007-04-01 07:34 pm (UTC)I didn't actually talk to any missionaries yesterday, though they did leave an ad on my door that made me roll my eyes.
Some evangelists use that tactic--the questioning about whether one can have morals/purpose without religion--and it has always irritated me. Though I do think that some elements of religion aren't a bad thing, and are understandable for some (built-in community, benevolent Dad in the Sky, etc.,) my opinion has always been that if you need the promise of an afterlife, and the rewards or punishments thereof, to get you to behave well, you're not exactly leading a moral or purposeful life in the first place. Good behavior that's coerced doesn't count, IMHO.
Me, I do what I can to behave in a manner that is compassionate and benevolent to people and planet, not because I'm afraid of frying in hell if I don't, but because it's the logical thing to do.