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Some of the things, including atrocities, embezzlements, etc., that have been committed in the name of religion are sufficient reasons for any logical person to want to distance themselves from it.
A lot of people have opted for a more explainable approach to life and all that is, to the picture of Christianity held by its respective followers. But I’d like to list a few points as to why that is not enough:
1. Many people have invested a lot of mental, financial and physical effort into understanding the way the world functions, but haven’t really questioned who or what made the world. Others do not apply the same effort into this quest as they do in studying world matters. Because that question appears not to have implications on the present life, it has been relegated to the backburner, possibly as unimportant, or for study when it appears to really matter.
Our home libraries are full of science fiction and drama and crime and all other kinds of novels but don’t quite have the bible…with the same open-mindedness as we do with other books.
2. One verse you will find in the bible says Everyone has sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. In short, that means do not get your picture of what God is by looking at any one on this planet. Absolutely no one measures up to the ideals of what God wants and should not affect the way you view God. So all scandals in the name of the Lord should not count against religion, just as a good teacher will have some of his students failing.
3.The ideals that the bible prescribes are actually for our own benefit. For example, if everyone obeyed the 10 commandments (Exodus 20), there would be not corruption, no rape, no cheating, no murdering, no coveting (hence no unnecessary credit card debt), and there is even a prescribed day of rest, which doctors are only now prescribing as good for physical regeneration.
4. Let’s just say all the bible says is actually true and that the world will end, and those who are good will be saved…Well then, in that case there is literally a whole universe out there to be had. There’s a heaven (not a metaphor) to go to, space to fly though, and all those wonderful things to experience.
Right now, Sir Richard Branson’s sub-orbital space flight plans have been scuppered by a crash. It’s just too difficult for us to get into space. But if you ever dreamt of doing it, for less than $250000, it won’t kill you to dream in the direction of going to heaven.
There really is nothing to lose. You may actually need to visualise that there is nothing to lose by being Christian by creating a table and listing its pros and cons.
Both the Christian and non-Christian will die at some point, but if what the Christian believed happened to be spot-on, well then there a whole new life and eternity to look forward to.
On the other hand, belief in no God basically means the end of this life is the end of everything. And for such wonderful creatures as humans, with all their intelligence and all the advances they have made over the millennia, somehow, that to me is not the right ending to the story…
