From: Brian Holtz [brian@holtz.org]
Sent: Friday, August 30, 2002 8:49 AM
To: Gary Amirault
Cc: Alt.Atheism.Moderated
Subject: atheism is caused by pride?

A Christian emailed me:

> I have met a lot of proud people in my life, religious and otherwise.
> Surely, your writings show signs that you wish to be on the top of that
> mountain. 

Which indicates more pride: to believe that one is merely 
an animal, or to believe that one has a soul?

Which indicates more pride: to believe that one's consciousness 
is merely the product of stupid and uncaring random processes, 
or to believe that one's consciousness is a supernatural phenomenon 
akin to that of angels and gods?

Which indicates more pride: to believe that the vast and ancient 
universe has no purpose, or to believe that a universe of 100 billion 
galaxies was created 14 billion years ago just so that one could 
grace it with one's presence?

Which indicates more pride: to believe that one's mind will soon 
forever cease, or to believe that one's mind is eternal?
 
Which indicates more pride: to believe that one's body will soon 
rot and decay once and for all, or to believe that one's body will 
be renewed for an eternal blissful afterlife in the presence of the Creator?

Which indicates more pride: to believe that no higher power cares 
about humanity, or to believe that the Creator of 100 billion galaxies 
came to Earth and suffered just for the benefit of its human inhabitants?

Which indicates more pride: to believe the universe rigidly follows 
natural laws, or to believe that the laws governing 100 billion galaxies 
are sometimes suspended because the Creator listens to one's prayers?

Which indicates more pride: to believe that no higher power cares 
about humanity, or to believe that gods and angels and demons are 
engaged in a supernatural struggle to influence one's eternal fate?

Which indicates more pride: to believe that one's deceased loved 
ones are gone forever, or to believe that they are a special group 
whose reunion will outlive the Earth and the Sun and the galaxies?

Sorry, but any pride I may have is a pale shadow of yours.
--
brian@holtz.org
http://humanknowledge.net