"With or without the backing of the church?" What is that supposed to mean? The church is made up of individuals. A group of individuals. It's not an object, it's people. A group can accomplish more than an individual. Something to be said for having the backup of your friends of common belief, accountability, support. Maybe like playing an arranger; you can do it as an individual and accomplish quite a bit, but an arranger big band style isn't like a 17 piece orchestra. The concept of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts comes to mind.

Yes, Mother teresa was an individual, but she herself wouldn't say she did what she accomplished under her own power. She wouldn't have done what she did if she didn't think that it was for a greater good and a higher calling, rather than herself just feeling good about doing something nice for somebody.

Nope, the devil can't make you do something, but he might have a lot of influence on a compromised mind. God chooses not to make people do anything either, but many teachings of many faiths are pretty clear that there are rewards, both now and after, for those who try to live righteously. Whatever people do in the name of religion isn't really god's fault. God is God regardless what we do. Some people invoke God's name or concept to very ill ends, but that's their problem they'll have to reckon with. Some non believers are much better people than some who profess faith, no question.

And, who exactly DOES have the right to be wealthy? Not church, not oil barons, not investment bankers, not lawyers, not insurance companies, not drug companies, not right wing talk radio guys. Nobody, apparently.

Ironically, there is only one level of separation between and Atheist and a believer. Atheists can't quite understand where everything came from. I mean, it takes a lot of faith to believe in a big random bang that made all of this happen. Whereas believers have found that answer, God made it. But, that begs the question, what made God. Hmmm. Every religion is a very long way off from a full understanding of what God is. And any real scientist knows they are a hell of a long way from a full understanding of what the universe is and how it works too. Yet there are those in both camps who very confidently say they pretty much have it figured out. Al Gore knows everything there is to know about how our planet's climate works, and my dad is pretty sure he has a better understanding of God than most anybody. I think they're both due for a big surprise.


[This message has been edited by FAEbGBD (edited 05-21-2010).]