I’m not sure which “rules of life” [your quote] you are asking me about. If you’d like to clarify, I’ll be happy to give my best attempt at an answer.
Ok. Beliefs in general arise from a mixture of experiences starting from early infancy onwards. After that, if they are reinforced by other experiences, or are rewarding in some way, they’ll tend to persist; otherwise, they may be supplanted by other beliefs, or simply fade from relevance.
Maybe one is also predisposed to kinds of beliefs, or to certain ways of acquiring them.
I’m not sure what you kind of distinction you asking me to make between an “objective” source of a belief and any other kind of source. (Maybe it is related to your concept of “authorative” sources (see below)). Please explain.
About what? I only gave my opinion about how I plan to deal with what you called “sins”.
That “set of rules and axioms” is usage. The word “sin” in normal English has certain connotations; the word “wrongs” has other connotations; I used the word which I felt best suited my meaning.
I must make it clear that I don’t claim credit for inventing any of these things. I’m sorry if I gave that impression.
I’m not sure what type of distinction you are trying to make between an “authoritative source” of a belief and a non-authoritative one. By definition, EVERY source of a belief is “authoritative” in the sense that it had the power to induce the belief.
Well, the authors of your bible advocated certain kinds of action. Many people have advocated many things. Why would I want to take a piece of literature and try to show-horn its precepts - some of which are very dissonant with my philosophy on life - into my beliefs?
As mentioned, I don’t understand this terminology. Please explain.
[quote]If I am wrong, then I live a fairly good life, and then “poof” I am gone and nothing else is there. However, if I am correct that the Bible is correct (AND IT IS!) then, I spend eternity with the Lord and you spend eternity cast out into the darkness of fire, burning for eternity.
…Are you sure you want to take this risk?[/quote]
Think about it. Over time, there have been a vast number of contradictory declarations about how people ought to behave - and a good many of these declarations have been drummed home by threats, some supernatural (such as the christian concept of hell) and others more earthly. Whatever my beliefs are, they’re going to be at odds with something that somebody once wrote or said. In short, no matter what I do, someone, somewhere will be able to say it’s wrong.
This isn’t a “risk” - it’s a certainty.
