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Originally Posted by ERCougar
Some interesting points, although I think that he ignores the very basic notion that we all, atheists and believers alike, would like to be much better people than we are, but that our natural tendencies hold us back.
I also think you could just as easily turn this around and show that most atheists' actions don't really reflect their belief that this life is all there is. Beyond just the basic idea that "there are no atheists in foxholes", people of all types perform many actions without regard for their personal welfare. Why ever perform a good deed that will go unrecognized? What's the point of following any sort of moral code? Why would we consider it noble for a person to give their life for something or someone? It seems rather idiotic, if we're only viewing things from the standpoint of this life.
Why do people spend money on life insurance?
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That was my thought. If this world was all there was, and there was absolutely nothing after this life, wouldn't it be logical to do whatever it takes to enjoy this life as much as possible, even at the expense of other people? And yet, I doubt very much that most atheists take that approach.
What's more, even though a church teaches that people must do certain things to go to heaven, a person can certainly still believe in God, but simply believe that God's requirements aren't as strict as those taught by the church. A person could give stronger credence to the notion of God's mercy and think that as long as the person is generally living a good life, even if not in strict conformance with the teachings of that person's church, the person could still live with God.