Do you think planets with no life are happier places than planets where life exists?

Well, our brain capacity is somewhat limited - for a reason perhaps  but if we could all know and understand everything then things might become kind of boring.

I like Socrates' attitude, even when he faced death he was ready and looking forward to his next big adventure. 

My point being: after all the thinking Socrates did, life was still a mystery to him as well. 


This post was edited by Art Lover at October 30, 2020 7:53 AM MDT

Happiness is when there is no problem with suffering.

"The dead are happier than the living"  according to the Bible.

If the Bible says that ... doesn't that mean there is no Hell?  (eternal punishment)

No, that verse is old testament, before the return of Christ, who came to bring eternal life.

Further proof that the god of the OT is not the same god as the NT.

No, the messiah was predicted in the OT, Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.


And NT explains Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

Romans 16:25 Now to him that is of power to establish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,


This post was edited by kjames at October 31, 2020 8:14 PM MDT

My statement has nothing to do with a messiah.

Ok, well the OT has the predictions of the NT

According to the Bible experts (the Jehovah Witness people) there is no hell fires punishment. This post was edited by Kittigate at October 30, 2020 8:59 PM MDT

There is not...there is the 2nd death. The death of the soul. 

Well at least there is stability and no suffering.

Not sure that is what the author of Ecclesiastes is trying to convey.

I think if you ask most people in western developed countries they might say 'life is a gift'  but in many places around the world maybe not so much and life may be an almost unbearable burden for them with little if any hope for anything better.

I agree with Buddha that so much suffering in the world exists  overall that there probably  is  no such thing as a merciful God.

Buddhism thinks that the Universe was evolved, not created, and functions according to law, not according to the caprice of any God.

Maybe yes, maybe no---but whether a merciful God created the universe will not be determined by majority vote or our limited human reasoning powers.

And if it turns out there is a merciful God, I suggest that our retrospective vision attained after our deaths and in His presence will be that life---regardless of its temporal circumstance was in fact a "gift" of incredible value.

Edit: corrected spelling. This post was edited by tom jackson at October 31, 2020 6:11 PM MDT

When Budda determined that there is no supernatural spirit creator he said ' leave beginnings for science to determine'.

When language developed then people became able to ask and discuss 'what cause wind, what cause rain'? etc. One idea was that perhaps a powerful animal like the bear caused wind, rain etc Hmm.. no perhaps there were invisible powers like spirits which they called gods. So then the god fad began and there was a different god named for every different natural phenomena and in the likeness of a man woman or beast. Then ages later a man acquired the inspirational idea that belief in only one all powerful all wise creator God would suffice: the Abramic God of the Bible.

Buddhism comes from Hinduism, and still includes the Asura's and Deva's

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asura_(Buddhism)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deva_(Buddhism)

Thanks.

Buddha believed that there is no supernatural spirit creator, but just because he believed it, that neither did---nor does---make it true.

Regardless, nothing that an atheist or a Christian can say about the existence or non-existence of a god can compel belief. 

For an atheist it would have to be significant supernatural events like return of Jesus and end of suffering perhaps to change.

Devout Christians would continue to believe and refuse to accept any kind of 'proof'  of Creator non-existence.