"If Jesus didn't exist..."

In a discussion with a friend today we talked about Christianity and my being Catholic.

He said, if when you died you found out that Jesus didn't exist would you be disappointed?

This thought has surfaced in my thoughts and many others im sure a few times now so I had already made my mind up.

"No, I replied"

His response was predictable, "but you would have wasted your life"

Now, to me this argument has no credence, "God isn't real so Christians are wasting their lives."

My response is this:

1) Well, what are you doing with your life that makes it any more fulfilling than mine? I'm happy enough and probably just as happy as the next man.

2) I've chosen a set of principles and stuck to them, even though they turned out to be based not on God but on Humanity...thats still admirable isn't it?

3) If there is no God then surely the point of life is make it your own, respect care for and help other people and enjoy as much of it as you can? I've done that.

You could say that I've not made life my own because I've followed set rules made up by other people...but I still choose to do so, I made it my own as far as any of us can allow. Whether we care to admit it or not none of us are truly individual and our thoughts/opinions/views etc are all shaped by society...none of us can escape cultural conditioning...even if we believe we have.

So assuming Jesus isn't real is being a Christian a waste of time? No. Its just makes it another brand on the shelf of sauces that make life so different...

Ofcourse I'm not Christian because I believe that variety is healthy...no Im Christian because I believe in Jesus...

now what your saying is you wouldnt have wasted your life because the christian morals have made you lead a good life. now i have no qualms with your morals. they make you who you are. if i was you though, and i found out jesus wasnt real, omg i would ****in kill somebody. i mean wouldnt you be angry that you had wasted years of your time praying to something that isnt there.

think about it, wouldnt you rather live your life without restrictions about what you can and cant do, getting up late on sundays whatever. now my morals are not influenced by god or the belief in one. however they are there and they are similar to most peoples. consider whether spending time in church is worth it my friend.

Well the idea of finding out Jesus didn't exist would be upsetting but I wouldn't be that angry...I mean I remember writing letters to Santa and it turned out he didn't exist...that doesn't bother me at all.

You talk about restriction but we all have them whether we like it or not, and I enjoy the life of a Christian and life in Church...so are the early sundays worth it? Sure.

^ as long as the teachings you follow do not scare you into beleif{and they often do. sum can rise above that fear and still follow the same teachings with other motivating factors but that is rare} and the beleifs themselves are humanistic and mostly nuthing else{but it is true that a lot, even a majority of mainstream abrahamic beleifs are very negetive and have little to do with humanity or your wellbeing} , then yes, there wud be no motivation to think that you had WASTED your life on christianity. its possible that you havent, but i wud be inclined to say that most relegious follower have wasted PARTS of their lives on doing negetive things directly or indirectly based on their beleif.

Originally posted by chickenlover98
consider whether spending time in church is worth it my friend.

If I found out he wasn't real, I would still go to church, just to quiet my thoughts each week.

Originally posted by Grand_Moff_Gav
1) Well, what are you doing with your life that makes it any more fulfilling than mine? I'm happy enough and probably just as happy as the next man.

2) I've chosen a set of principles and stuck to them, even though they turned out to be based not on God but on Humanity...thats still admirable isn't it?

3) If there is no God then surely the point of life is make it your own, respect care for and help other people and enjoy as much of it as you can? I've done that.

Well, all sorts of unfounded beliefs would be entirely justified under these limits.

No, you aren't wasting your life. Most wouldn't go that far, nor should they. Everyone finds their purpose, and some find it in religion, however flawed it might be. But it doesn't invalidate a person's life.

A priest at my former parish died recently. Loved by all, a friend to many, and a productive life. A great man by any standard. Yet if his God isn't real, was it wasted? Certainly not, and the amount of good he did is a testament to him and his life, regardless of beliefs.

Now, of course, I have great problems with religion, Christianity, and organized sects, but it doesn't invalidate people on an individual level.

...

My response would be that as long as you're going to have a purpose, you might as well follow something that is truthful. In that sense, I would view creating one's own purpose as preferable to be given a purpose by an institution (which is man-made and fallible), but wouldn't take it as far as your friend did.

The thing is, though, that Jesus not existing immediately makes the religion of Christianity, no matter what sect or part of it you're in, a sham. Now, just because he might not have existed, however, doesn't mean his "supposed" teachings should be completely discarded and disregarded. So, I guess, in a way being a Christian (assuming Jesus didn't exist) was a waste of time, while other religions, whose main crux could possibly be real, might have been better for you.

I am in no way saying religion is a waste of time, so don't misconstrue what I'm saying for that.

Originally posted by Grand_Moff_Gav
In a discussion with a friend today we talked about Christianity and my being Catholic.

He said, if when you died you found out that Jesus didn't exist would you be disappointed?

This thought has surfaced in my thoughts and many others im sure a few times now so I had already made my mind up.

"No, I replied"

His response was predictable, "but you would have wasted your life"

Now, to me this argument has no credence, "God isn't real so Christians are wasting their lives."

My response is this:

1) Well, what are you doing with your life that makes it any more fulfilling than mine? I'm happy enough and probably just as happy as the next man.

2) I've chosen a set of principles and stuck to them, even though they turned out to be based not on God but on Humanity...thats still admirable isn't it?

3) If there is no God then surely the point of life is make it your own, respect care for and help other people and enjoy as much of it as you can? I've done that.

You could say that I've not made life my own because I've followed set rules made up by other people...but I still choose to do so, I made it my own as far as any of us can allow. Whether we care to admit it or not none of us are truly individual and our thoughts/opinions/views etc are all shaped by society...none of us can escape cultural conditioning...even if we believe we have.

So assuming Jesus isn't real is being a Christian a waste of time? No. Its just makes it another brand on the shelf of sauces that make life so different...

Ofcourse I'm not Christian because I believe that variety is healthy...no Im Christian because I believe in Jesus...

I agree entirely but some people are too consumed by their angst to let people believe things like that.

Originally posted by Grand_Moff_Gav
In a discussion with a friend today we talked about Christianity and my being Catholic.

He said, if when you died you found out that Jesus didn't exist would you be disappointed?

This thought has surfaced in my thoughts and many others im sure a few times now so I had already made my mind up.

"No, I replied"

His response was predictable, "but you would have wasted your life"

Now, to me this argument has no credence, "God isn't real so Christians are wasting their lives."

My response is this:

1) Well, what are you doing with your life that makes it any more fulfilling than mine? I'm happy enough and probably just as happy as the next man.

2) I've chosen a set of principles and stuck to them, even though they turned out to be based not on God but on Humanity...thats still admirable isn't it?

3) If there is no God then surely the point of life is make it your own, respect care for and help other people and enjoy as much of it as you can? I've done that.

You could say that I've not made life my own because I've followed set rules made up by other people...but I still choose to do so, I made it my own as far as any of us can allow. Whether we care to admit it or not none of us are truly individual and our thoughts/opinions/views etc are all shaped by society...none of us can escape cultural conditioning...even if we believe we have.

So assuming Jesus isn't real is being a Christian a waste of time? No. Its just makes it another brand on the shelf of sauces that make life so different...

Ofcourse I'm not Christian because I believe that variety is healthy...no Im Christian because I believe in Jesus...

Well let me just say that i'd feel way worse if it WAS true then you would if it wasn't.

Originally posted by King Kandy
Well let me just say that i'd feel way worse if it WAS true then you would if it wasn't.

Originally posted by Grand_Moff_Gav

2) I've chosen a set of principles and stuck to them, even though they turned out to be based not on God but on Humanity...thats still admirable isn't it?

Sure, part of being human is about making decisions and moving forward. I say look at the evidence and to the fore with the most promising scenario.

Well...I am pretty sure it is almost factual Jesus DID exist, it is whether he is truly the Messiah that matters.

Originally posted by Violent2Dope
Well...I am pretty sure it is almost factual Jesus DID exist, it is whether he is truly the Messiah that matters.

sure he existed, but people take things WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY outta proportion. i seriously doubt that he was as fantastic to as many people as they describe. think of it how they turned the giant squid into the kraken. no he wasnt the messiah. the messiah is among us right now...........his name is Chuck Norris

If i found out that he wasn't real i would freak out! My whole life is about Jesus! i worship him! Jesus rocks!i agree with Quark666, i would still go to church and i would still read th bible.

Originally posted by Grand_Moff_Gav
In a discussion with a friend today we talked about Christianity and my being Catholic.

He said, if when you died you found out that Jesus didn't exist would you be disappointed?

This thought has surfaced in my thoughts and many others im sure a few times now so I had already made my mind up.

? I'm happy enough and probably just as happy as the next man.

2) I've chosen a set of principles and stuck to them, even though they turned out to be based not on God but on Humanity...thats still admirable isn't it?

IMO the problem is not whether Jesus did exist, but that the church exists, is the problem. Good Christians and others should never follow any teachings unless it is from a place of love, understanding, considerations, and thought.