h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I am an atheist, and quite happy with the way I am, although I would NEVER try to force my belief on someone else (so don't worry, anyone who believes in God and is reading this). But I have to wonder: what exactly is this "infinite reward"? If I go to heaven and spend all my time floating on a cloud, plunking my harp and singing songs of praise, I wouldn't enjoy it. And if heaven is a state of pure bliss, I think I would get bored after a while. In my observation we humans are happiest when things are IMPROVING, not when they're perfect and unchanging.
On the other hand, if I go to hell for my beliefs, I would be surrounded by other people who think the same way as I do, surrounded by similar minds. And the single thing that is most precious to me is my mind, my intellect, and my ability to hold conversation with others. No matter what tortures await in hell, God couldn't possibly destroy my mind (for without a mind, how could I properly suffer for my sins?) so I would retain my ability to think. While certainly not ideal, I think I would rather have a hell where I could think than a heaven where I would get bored. As John Milton's Satan does in Paradise Lost, I would "make a Heaven out of Hell".
Overall, my ideal infinite reward would be to continue to live on Earth, where the constant change would bring both highs and lows of emotion (and as I said, I would be happiest when it is getting higher, not when it is at its peak). There would always be the opportunity to learn new things and, ultimately, it would be the best of both worlds.

If God is the creator of all things- especially man who was made in his image. Then don't you think that you would be able to have a decent conversation in heaven?
Also, if hell is supposed to be punishment, do you actually think that you would just have free reign? Are you imagining a place where you chat with friends but the espresso is just a little too hot? Maybe the remote for the TV in your room doesn't work? That's ludicrous! If you don't believe in God, fine. But don't argue that if there is a god then he would be an immasculated deity; much like a parent who can't control his children.

I'm sorry if I offended you; that wasn't my intention and you make some very good points. I was just trying to illustrate that MY ideal would be just to continue living here on plain old Earth.

There can be a god without hell being an infinite punishment, or heaven being an infinite reward. Sure, such a being wouldn't be the God of fundamentalist xtians, but sie's still be a God, and no less plausible for that.

First, I wasn't offended. I try to respect everyone's views and their feelings behind them.

I don't agree with the Agnostic approach, though. My views don't allow for a god to create a world and then let it be without any interaction with his creation nor any revelation to his creation of his existence, purpose and desire.

I find that the universe tends to act precisely the way it wants to act, regardless of whether my views allow it to or not.

Almost like it has a personality, huh?

I find it funny that many people view Heaven as boring because it lasts for eternity. Well stupid simple us. Being that God is ALL powerfull in the Christian sense, He could take away time, something we can't comprehend. And possibly, Hell would be a lot worse without time to pass it by, because one would be stuck in constant pain and torture.

Very interesting article!

I thought it sounded thorough and even handed.I do appreciate people who can put language to difficult ideas creating, in my case, a feeling of more clarity.

Did I read above the suggestion that God was in charge of Hell?

If he was all powerful and all knowing he would have to be.

If he is in charge of hell that seems to challenge the notion that he is all good.

If he is not in charge of hell then that challenges the notion that he is all powerfull and running the whole show.

Here is where the argument that we are not able to know the mind of God comes in. We humans are too stupid to know how God is being good.

If we can't know how he is being good, how can we know that he IS being good? If he was there at all, he could be anything.

There seems to be a lot of contradictory ideas that one needs to hold in order to buy in to Christianity. I would like explore some of them here.

God is all powerful. God doesn't like evil. Evil exists.

God is good. God allows evil, pain, cruelty, etc.

God loves us totally. God created us with the ability to destroy ourselves and others. Whatever we don't like about ourselves, either individually or collectivly, is allowed for by God. Our abuility to sin is God given. God does not like for us to sin.

God guides members of my faith and I know I'm right. Members of your faith are wrong about what God wants and it is your own fault that you are getting it wrong. If you got your directions from God you would have the same directions I have.

We cannot know what God wants. We know what God wants. I know what God wants YOU to do. You do not know what God wants ME to do.

We cannot know the nature of God. We know God is good.
We know God is powerful
We know God is fair
We know God is just
We know God loves us
We know God wants us to obey the
ten commandments
We know God is not lying to us
We know it really is God we are
being guided by.

We know that which is necessary to justify our opinions. We know not that which is necessary to justify our opinions.

My own ideas about the nature of life, the universe, and everything may be wrong to some extent. I'm grateful that I know that. Learning can only happen if what we think can be changed. I find the seach for truth to be far more exciting and fulfilling than hanging on to a dubious dogma ever was.

I encourage anyone reading this to consider the idea,
"I may be wrong."

I may be wrong about a lot of things, but that does not mean that I will believe someone just because they are really, really, convinced that they are right.

I would like to end with the Yogabikers proposition.

*Send me 500 bucks and live forever in wealth and bliss.
If you do not you will live forever in helpless agony.

Isn't it worth 500 bucks just to be safe?



YB







*the yogabikers proposition was made in jest and is not a valid offer