I hope the anonymous person is ok, that I would like to ask you a question to confirm my understanding of your position. Since you used the word conscience to suggest it gives you more peace (assuming this means that to believe that there is no God is a relief).. if that is what you mean, then it seems to me that you have chosen to resolve that discomfort by basically ignoring the problem. Would you agree that this is a true observation? My concern about this, is that since there is a moment in every person's life where we do finally lose our grip on it, and are left entirely in God's hands, would your conscience be at peace when you see Him? (Note: in my experience, the ability to confidently answer "yes" to this, comes and goes according as we exercise power over sin).
Ask away, but I think you have misunderstood my podstion, or I have misunderstood your original question:
"Do you never worry that this cause for comfort is fleeting?"
I took that to mean that you thought I was more comfortable with the idea of their being no God... this being a reason for my atheism and *from your perspective* at best only a very temporary and illusory shelter from God's existence and judgement.
My reply was *against* that, since in terms of intuitive comfort I find an indifferent universe less comforting.
(I'm an ex-theist: the idea of God existing is neither unthinkable nor repugnant: I just don't think it's true.)
This is where conscience, or being true to myself, comes in. Irrespective of what I would find more comfortable to believe, or more socially convenient, what am I more convinced is simply true?
I've met more than once (away from theology) the issue of holding to what was true when it was neither comfortable nor convenient became a noticeable pressure to betray my own standards.
"...and are left entirely in God's hands,"
Well, only if God exists. I'm not operating from such a paradigm, so the question of later meeting God does not really arise if I've already addressed my thinking on the issue of God existing or not existing.
You may have to shift into my mindset rather than a Christian one (just provisionally and hypothetically) to see how it stands.
"Will you be happy to explain to Odin, when you meet him," why you died without a sword in your hand?"
That's pretty much the equivalent framing of your meeting question, but coming from a firm Asatru perspective.
What have I ignored? I've got more time and depth on this area than most.
I can even note from Pauline writings a strand portraying God as *choosing* me to be an atheist, with me having no say in the matter. (Ephesians 1, Romans 9, )
But this is if Paul and the Bible are correct: not a settled starting point from which to build securely, unless that position and been settled separately.
Chris
