Quote:
Originally Posted by senior citizen
Beliefs can differ, even within a family that went to church every single Sunday, read their children's bible in the evening, said their prayers along with their parents and so forth (did the sacraments, etc.; went to catechism or Sunday school)...........no matter what the denomination. We even know some Jewish families whereby the sons became even more orthodox after visiting Israel.
One never knows what their free thinking highly intelligent children will choose as their path in life. One child can love a spiritual life and continue that on with their children, while the other is just too intellectual to be a believer , thus professing to be an atheist.
The latter would generally be the more scientific minded scoffer.
I’ve always wondered, if they don’t believe, why do they tell people they are sending love and "prayers" upon the death of a loved one?? Go figure.
Such as "You are in my thoughts and prayers." Especially if they never pray.........and do not believe in a higher power or deity. Who are they praying to?
Fox hole atheists always convert when they themselves come down with a grave illness. Most things invisible have to be accepted on "faith alone".
DEFINITION OF ATHEIST ................
Atheist, agnostic, infidel, skeptic refer to persons not inclined toward religious belief or a particular form of religious belief.
An atheist is one who denies the existence of a deity or of divine beings.
An agnostic is one who believes it impossible to know anything about God or about the creation of the universe and refrains from commitment to any religious doctrine.
Infidel means an unbeliever, especially a nonbeliever in Islam or Christianity.
A skeptic doubts and is critical of all accepted doctrines and creeds.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
|
I think I understand the premise of your post, Senior.
I think the answer to why people respond in that manner when they don't pray is because they care, and that answer is a traditional one.
I know a lot of people who are not religious who are in every way ethical, kind and fair, caring, good and honest.
In this country we are allowed to believe or not to believe in God.
So...on this forum the same is true as well.
I personally dislike attacks on others who are doing no harm. There are many of the readers on this forum who are facing some pretty scary things right now. Let's just hope and wish and think and care that they will get through it alright. And let's not fight about religion. If faith in God helps them, then may they be blessed with it. I think you agree, Senior.
Last night we were watching NCIS and at the end there was a sweet interchange when the characters admonished one of the group to be kind, nice, love, give, have faith and a lot of other nice things. I liked that. A lot.