Easter: Message of Jesus?

Quote: Evenbob

Of course it's rational and reasonable.
What possible difference does it
make if a god exists or doesn't.

The answer to the question about God is one of the most important answers we can ask ourselves as human beings. Our belief in God is what enables us what has defined as human beings since the beginning. It makes all the difference. Are we just an accident? Did we pop into being without purpose? Is there no meaning to life besides what we desire or make it to be? Are we willing to sacrifice to love, to be honest, and to serve our fellow men? The answer to is there a God makes a big difference in answering all these questions!

Quote: FrGamble

The answer to the question about God is one of the most important answers we can ask ourselves as human beings. Our belief in God is what enables us what has defined as human beings since the beginning. It makes all the difference. Are we just an accident? Did we pop into being without purpose? Is there no meaning to life besides what we desire or make it to be? Are we willing to sacrifice to love, to be honest, and to serve our fellow men? The answer to is there a God makes a big difference in answering all these questions!

Atheists have answers to all of
that and none of them involve
a god. Your religion requires
you to insert god in the answer
to every possible question. I am
under no such burden. Being
under such constraints is meant
to keep a person from asking
questions rationally. And it
works like a charm.

You can't just insert yourself into all those questions. You can pretend to be God in answer to some of them, but the bigger questions of how and why we are here you don't have an answer, you just don't seem to care or think its not important. I just don't understand that attitude, it doesn't make sense to me.

Quote: Evenbob

What part of 'Moses was a myth'
don't you understand. Even the
Jewish Torah historians admit
that Moses never existed, he's
a made up character.

Is Moses existence a myth wasn't the question I responded to.

Quote: FrGamble

but the bigger questions of how and why we are here you don't have an answer,

Sure I do. Why is a cat here, or a
tree. The answer is, why not. There
is no reason. You invent a god and
then raise yourself right up to his
imaginary level. There is no 'why'
behind anything, there's no purpose
to your existence. You create the
purpose in your life, it doesn't come
from the outside.

If you think it does, shame on you.
Because what was the purpose of
the 5 kids that died in Africa from
starvation or malaria while you were
reading this. There was none, obviously.
But to you your life has some 'special'
purpose and meaning? Sure it does.
My life is as special as the cockroach
who lives under my fridge. As long
as you live you'll never understand
that.

Quote: Evenbob

Sure I do. Why is a cat here, or a
tree. The answer is, why not. There
is no reason. You invent a god and
then raise yourself right up to his
imaginary level. There is no 'why'
behind anything, there's no purpose
to your existence. You create the
purpose in your life, it doesn't come
from the outside.

If you think it does, shame on you.
Because what was the purpose of
the 5 kids that died in Africa from
starvation or malaria while you were
reading this. There was none, obviously.
But to you your life has some 'special'
purpose and meaning? Sure it does.
My life is as special as the cockroach
who lives under my fridge. As long
as you live you'll never understand
that.

Your life and the lives of starving people in Africa are more valuable and meaningful than all the cockroaches that have ever existed. They are more valuable than the stars and planets. I am saying that their suffering and the injustice that caused it is awful and that God and His love and justice have the last word and defeat forever sin, suffering, injustice, and death. That is the Easter message!!
You seem to be saying there suffering is without meaning and they and their plight are no different than the cockroach you stepped on this morning?!? Is that really what you are sayin?!?

Quote: FrGamble

God and His love and justice have the last word and defeat forever sin, suffering, injustice, and death.

I'm sure that brings great solace
to the kids who died of starvation
while you typed it.

Quote:

You seem to be saying their suffering is without meaning

Of course their suffering is without
meaning, what would the possible
meaning be. There wasn't enough
food, they died. End of story. That
bothers you so you make up a
meaning to feel better about it.
Changes nothing.

Quote: Evenbob

There wasn't enough
food, they died. End of story. That
bothers you so you make up a
meaning to feel better about it.
Changes nothing.

It doesn't bother you?

Quote: FrGamble

It doesn't bother you?

The question is does suffering have meaning. The question is not do you have a emotional reaction to suffering. Nothing has any meaning outside of what we give it. It just is.

Quote: Evenbob

The question is does suffering have meaning. The question is not do you have a emotional reaction to suffering. Nothing has any meaning outside of what we give it. It just is.

If it has no meaning and they are as important as cockroaches then nobody should have any emotional reaction to suffering. Is that what you are going with here?