[Stingy Jack]

Actually, I had an interesting conversation last summer with a gentleman who claimed to be an "ethical monotheist." His view, basically, is that god is what stands for the objective difference between ideals of good and evil, right and wrong, justice and injustice, etc. He says that god's only concern is that we be decent to each other. No threat of hell for silly things like: "You didn't believe in me, so ... regardless of the fact that you were a good person, you still burn." Basically, those people who are decent and treat others with decency, are admitted into heaven. Those who are not will have justice enacted upon them after their deaths. Now this idea of god makes sense to me (even though I don't believe it exists). At least this idea has god actually being more concerned with how we treat other than it is about petty, selfish needs like "Believe in ME!!! Love ME!!! ME ME ME!!!"