<div dir="ltr"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Aug 27, 2008 at 6:30 AM, Cantor Wolberg <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:cantorwolberg@cox.net">cantorwolberg@cox.net</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
<div style=""><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;"><div><font size="4"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Of the 613 Mitzvos, there are Six Constant Mitzvos.</span></font></div><div><font size="4"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Rather than requiring the performance of a certain action, </span></font></div>
<div><font size="4"><span style="font-size: 14px;">these mitzvos are a state of being, of living with the reality </span></font></div><div><font size="4"><span style="font-size: 14px;">of God's existence. The Six Constant Mitzvos are:</span></font></div>
<div><font size="4"><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></font></div><div><font size="4"><span style="font-size: 14px;">* Know there is a God.</span></font></div><div><font size="4"><span style="font-size: 14px;">* Don't believe in other gods.</span></font></div>
<div><font size="4"><span style="font-size: 14px;">* God is one.</span></font></div><div><font size="4"><span style="font-size: 14px;">* Love God.</span></font></div><div><font size="4"><span style="font-size: 14px;">* Fear God.</span></font></div>
<div><font size="4"><span style="font-size: 14px;">* Don't be misled by your heart and eyes.</span></font></div><div><font size="4"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font size="4"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Here's my question: The first, third, fourth and fifth of the above </span></font></div>
<div><font size="4"><span style="font-size: 14px;">constant mitzvos obviously all deal with God. I know people who </span></font></div><div><font size="4"><span style="font-size: 14px;">are decent, philanthropic, kind, considerate, and observe every law </span></font></div>
<div><font size="4"><span style="font-size: 14px;">of the state, who are "convinced" there is no God. And I'm not speaking about a MLT. </span></font></div><div><font size="4"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Though many will consider it an oxymoron, there are very ethical atheists with impeccable integrity.</span></font></div>
<div><font size="4"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font size="4"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font size="4"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Can they be punished for not believing in God or what we perceive as an apikorus?</span></font></div>
<div><font size="4"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font size="4"><span style="font-size: 14px;">As Spiritual Leader, I've been asked this question. I'm not happy with any</span></font></div>
<div><font size="4"><span style="font-size: 14px;">of my responses, but I've answered some using the "tinuk shenishba" defense.</span></font></div><div><font size="4"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Also, Avos 2:14 was not helpful.</span></font></div>
<div><font size="4"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Any insights?</span></font></div><div><font size="4"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font size="4"><span style="font-size: 14px;">ri</span></font></div>
</span></div></blockquote></div><br><br>I don't believe that these people really do not accept God. I have listened to well-known Atheist Ron Kuby wax positively mystical and rhpasodic in describing Yankee Stadium and its history and tradition. <br clear="all">
<br>My karate instructor Chaim Sober claimed HIS teacher denied the denial of God. to paraphrase "not deny God but ANGRY at God" So Atheists are Angry at God is HIS way of phrasing it.<br><br>IMHO most contemporary Atheists don't really deny God. They deny religion, any religion and any religiously based dcefinition of God. But deep down, I'll bet that 99% of them are more akin to the 18th Century Deists than they are really positive atheists.<br>
<br><br>Anyone who listens to thei "consience" is in asense listening to God<br><br><blockquote style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;" class="gmail_quote">
<font class="quote">Yet still there whispers the small voice within,
Heard through Gain's silence, and o'er Glory's din;
Whatever creed be taught or land be trod,
Man's conscience is the oracle of God.</font>
<br>
<font class="details">Author:</font> <a href="http://www.worldofquotes.com/author/Lord-Byron-%28George-Gordon-Noel-Byron%29/1/index.html" class="author">Lord Byron (George Gordon Noel Byron)</a><br>
<font class="details">Source:</font> <i>The Island (canto I, st. 6)</i></blockquote><div><a href="http://www.worldofquotes.com/topic/Conscience/index.html"><br>http://www.worldofquotes.com/topic/Conscience/index.html</a> <br>
</div><br><br>Of course Atheists might DENY that their consience is from God, but some people are in Denial of their obesity, aclohlism, gambling problems etc. So I would venture to say that anyone who does the "right thing" becuase they have an active consience are realyl Listening to the voice of God within in even if their conscience is unconsious of the connexion.<br>
<br>Only a psychopath could deny God and REALLY mean it.<br>
<br><br>That said, I don't deny that denying God is undeniably heresy! I jsut deny that the deniars are denying God so much as that the yare in denial of their "goodness" of their "Godness"<br><br>
<br>In New Age Terms, those Atheists who are moral/ethical and listening to thier inner voice are in touch with thier HIGHER SELF. This is AIUI a manifestation of HKBH within us, perhaps part of our soul structure, akin to he Super-Ego or simply the yetzer tov but it is more than JUST a yetzer tov it is something spiritual rather than merely an advisor.. <br>
<br><br>-- <br>Kol Tuv / Best Regards,<br>RabbiRichWolpoe@Gmail.com<br>see: <a href="http://nishmablog.blogspot.com/">http://nishmablog.blogspot.com/</a><br>
</div>