This is a continuation of the conversation with the Christian @abolitionist, continued from here.

You start by repeatedly asserting that all my opinions are to be ignored. If that's the case, I don't see the point of us having a discussion, do you?

I'll respond to what you said though...

See, I live amongst living, breathing, feeling human beings. Being part of a social set, they have feelings of empathy and love and caring. When they see abuse, it causes them to have EMOTIONS. These emotions are how HUMANS regulate their own behaviour. We don't need a silly old book to guide us.

Psychopaths have blunted or flattened emotions and can commit atrocities because they don't have this inbuilt 'thermostat' to regulate themselves. They don't care. Their response to suffering is: 'So what!' or 'This is entertaining!' They will be incapable of empathy, even after reading your silly old book.

It seems that reading the bible has caused you to blunt any emotional response that would be normal for most humans. You've handed over moral decision making to your leader, a bit like Nazi soldiers did in the death camps. The leader is perfect, therefore everything the leader says must be perfect. Don't question it. Obey.

Do you consider this a loss of your humanity? How is life as an automaton?

As humans, we share opinions and, as a result, will modify our own as we go along, recalibrating after considering new facts, issues and opinions. We evolve.

You, on the other hand, are set in a rigid mindset that is thousands of years out of date. You have denied yourself any feelings of warmth or empathy for people suffering abuse (except, apparently, foetuses... more on that later).

So, you've handed over all moral responsibility to an imaginary being whose morals would embarrass the likes of Stalin, Hitler, Pol Pot, Ted Bundy...

text source

Abortion

Here's my hypothesis. Having enjoyed a bit of time with you, it seems you have no respect or empathy for human beings, just like the god of the bible. It got me wondering why you are so opposed to abortion.

Why champion the rights of a cluster of cells when your God clearly has no problem wiping them out on a massive scale? Why intercede for foetuses when your response to a fully-developed victim of abuse is SO WHAT? Then, I remembered that the bible really doesn't seem to like women. Women are property. Women are the root of all evil. Women caused The Fall. Women should be controlled. Women should be PUNISHED!

Abortion is a choice some women make. There are all manner of reasons which, of course, are irrelevant to you and, frankly, none of your business. What gives you the right to bully women into making choices YOU want? What makes your opinion on abortion weigh more than theirs? It's their body, after all; not yours. What if they are victims of rape or incest or the foetus is so severely damaged it would suffer on birth? What if the pregnancy puts that woman's life at risk? Why does a cluster of cells get more empathy than a woman?

What about the woman's god-given free will? Would your god want you to interfere with this? Surely it's all part of his divine plan? The woman makes her free choice. God gets to torture her for all eternity. Fun stuff.

I wonder if your response will be SO WHAT? again.

What importance does empathy have among random results of undirected natural processes? No hell below us; above us only sky. Imagine it.

IMAGINE ~ JOHN LENNON

I love that song. He's from the same city as me. Maybe there was something in the water that made us less vulnerable to lies and fantasy stories.

Empathy

If we go back to your bible, we know that one of the worst punishments for a person was ostracism from the community. A person would have a very hard time surviving if they were turfed out of their group and left to fend for themselves. Selfish, antisocial types would be cut off because they served only themselves, bringing nothing of value to the community.

Empathic people formed mutually beneficial relationships with others. As a result, they were able to pass on their genes more successfully than psychopaths (psychos have their purpose too but that's another story). Anyway, empathy helped our species survive. Empathy helps us all, collectively, live lives that are safer, more enriched and fulfilling. That's the importance of empathy.

Supernatural water source

First of all, LOL. Water sources are natural, not supernatural. Remember, people liked to make up stories back in the day. Hagar found water (lucky girl) and said that God did it. What makes you think she was telling the truth? Could she – an ostracised woman on the edge, carrying an infant, desperate – be making up stories to wiggle a bit of empathy from listeners, get a better position? Is it possible she was doing whatever a desperate person would do in her position to survive? Perhaps she'd consider manipulating highly superstitious, potentially dangerous strangers, planting the idea: God's on her side, we should look after her. Don't piss Him off!

Is life meaningful for an atheist?

Maybe you believe a god gives your life purpose and meaning. I give my own life purpose and meaning.

I know my time is limited and that I must seize the day and make the most of it. I spend time with my loved ones, write, do crafts, listen to music, read wonderful books, watch movies, walk my dogs, have a laugh. I learn, think, evolve, and try to help others when I can. I find meaning and purpose in developing good relationships with my family, friends, neighbours and my dogs. The meaning of my life is to live as fully as possible. I don't need to insert myself in a fairytale to find meaning.

Will you just respond with SO WHAT! WHO CARES ABOUT YOUR OPINION? again? Let's see...

Human laws

Some laws are deeply flawed, written or inspired by self-interested despots. Sound familiar? I prefer to follow my own law, the one that's internally regulated by my thoughts and emotions.

So before humanity existed, humanity both existed and didn't exist? The sun was both hot and not-hot? Since there was no logic?

Humans invented logic. Before humanity there were no humans to think or care about whether the sun was hot or not hot so that's irrelevant isn't it.

Humans invented gods too.

And finally...

Let's have a recap to make sure I'm not missing any points...

According to your version of Christianity:

• human opinions are irrelevant

• child abusers and rapists are no worse or better than people who eat broccoli

• if people whine about rape or child abuse, the best response is SO WHAT! WHO CARES?

You make Christianity sound soooo appealing. Where do I sign up?

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