[sdtPikachu]

"But you see, that doesn't work for me."

Nor me neither.
I agree with Xantar; there are too many atheists and agnostics who read a bit of the bible and thought it was full of ****. They then apply this to all religion. This is the wrong way to go about it. If on the other hand you have no need for spirtual guidance like Xantar seems to be, why bother researching into somrthng you have no use for?

" The people I DO have beef with, are the people that accuse people of going to hell for eternity or whatever"

My beef too. IMO responsible for some of the worst atrocities ever perpetrated by so-called humanity.

"I believe in God. I do not believe he placed anything on this Earth. I believe in evolution, but something had to create that ball of energy."

So gekko does not believe the bible to be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Yet he believes in god. In fact gekko, I agree with a remarkable number of your points. I too believe the bible was primarily created as a method of control in creating a stable society (that's what all the moral bits are about). But the bible only perpetuated these ideas (which are part of basic human nature); it didn't invent them.

"Religion is a way to explain the unexplained."

Precisely why so many people find it so comforting.

"God forgives when you ask for forgiveness"

And why should I ask someone I don't believe in for forgiveness, when I have done nothing more wrong than not believe your beliefs? Why am I destined to spend the rest of time in unimaginable agony for thinking different to you? I have no need to ask for forgiveness; by your definition I am going to hell.

"At the same time, he refuses to read and understand the Bible."

You are making assumptions again. 1. he has no need to read the bible, and like he says has better things to be doing. 2. you are onto the "understanding" thing again, which since it's coming from you I expect means "believes in god". He doesn't feel any spiritual need to have to read it, therefore why should he? It's his own choice. Have you read On The Origin of Species? You could call that my bible. Yes, there's alot wrong with it, but I wonder how hard you have tried to understand his/our point of view from a different perspective. Still you persist in you r belief that we are lacking something human because we do not believe in god.

"think about it, why not give it a chance? If you don't believe in anything, and you are looking for an answer before you die (obviously). Why not read a source on what is claimed to happen after you die?"

I believe in the lack of a god. Therefore asking me to "try it out" would be like me asking you to pray to Allah or Buddha or any number o other deities you care to mention. This is grossly insensitive to his beliefs.

"It would be different if you guys gave it a chance."

I already have. Not happy with it one little bit.

"I think all people should look for an answer before they die"

I found mine a long time ago.

"It's your life... you can waiste it if you want, but I suggest you look for a direction."

Yet another offensive comment. I am not wsting my life, nor do I intend to. Once again, you presume that Xantar and I are beneath you because we do not follow your beliefs. How would you like it if I became ruler of the world and started saying that people like you are wasting their lives because of what they believe?
I already have more than enopugh direction at the moment thank-you. I don't see how a god could give me any more.

"I would still like an answer to my three-legged gerbil question. Humans are the worst creatures on this planet so why do they live after they die and other animals don't?"

The more I learn about most religions, the more I am convinced humans have worshipped nothing but themselves.

"If you are baptized, you get the chance, if not, you burn."

Well, what a surprise. Again (I've lost count) you say that you (presumably baptised) are going to live in heaven and that everyone else in the entire world who hasn't been is going to die and burn in hell. Did it never occur to you you might be wrong? Obviously not.

"Why don't you wake up early every Saturday, go into your back yard, hold a block of cheddar above your head and walk in a circle for an hour and a half? you don't know if it'll get you into heaven, but it could, therefore you should do it right?"

Crikey gekko, you should start a church.

"If you die and there is no afterlife, what difference would it have made what you did in your life?"

Cos it'd be nice to die knowing you actually made something of it, rather than regretting that you'd not done enough.

"If you die and there is an afterlife, what you do in your life makes a HUGE difference... right?"

To me, what I am doing in my life makes a huge difference to my death already. There are things I know I've done and can look back on with pride.

"Have you heard of life insurance??? You pay it in case somthing happens... if nothing happens, there wasn't a point to paying it, if everything happens, you were smart for paying for it.
So why not pay it?"

Because it is contrary to my beliefs. If an Islam guy came to you and said exactly the same thing, how would you feel? Why the hell should I be made to believe in something I don't believe in? I thought humans had the right to be free and decide tgheir own views. Obviously not in your opinion.

"What you are saying is, what if nothing happens?"

No. What I am saying is that I don't think anything will happen.

"What I'm saying is "What if somthing does?""

Then I'll go "hey ho, looks like they were all right and I was wrong. Looks like I'll just have to shuffle off to the eternal lake of fire then." Thing is I consider this so fantastically unlikely that it doesn't bother me.