I grew up atheist for 16 years. I had always kept an open mind towards religion, but never really felt a need to believe in it. My sister started going to a Wednesday night children's program at a church. Eventually, I was dragged into a Christmas Eve service. Scoffing, I reluctantly went, assuming that this was going to be a load of crap, but when I went, I felt something. Something that I've never felt before. I felt a sense of empowerment and a sense of calling. Jesus called upon my soul, just like he did with his disciples. he wanted me to follow him. Now, my life is being lived for Christ. He died on the cross for my sins, and the sins of everyone who believes in him. He was beaten, brutalized, struck with a whip 39 times, made to carry a cross up to the stage of his death. This I believe to be true, and I can never repay him for what he has done. I still have my struggles with Christianity, but I've found this bit of information most useful. Religion is not comprehensible in the human mind, because we cannot comprehend the idea of a perfect and supreme being, a God, but we can believe it in our heart, and that's the idea of faith. Faith is, even though everything rides against me believing in Jesus, I still believe in him because I know that it's true in my heart. I invite my fellow Brothers and sisters of the LORD to talk about how Jesus has helped you in your life. No atheists and no insults please
vesperbot:that is a very large claim to make considering you didn't provide the evidence. This makes you look like your running out of options so you use drama to win and sorry but that's not going to happen
No I do not. I am perfectly fine with waiting. However, if there was a God, and he wanted us to follow his laws, it would stand to reason that he would give us some way to find him.
God uses smaller tools to do bigger deeds, maybe He will use you if you would make yourself small in terms of ambitions.
I thought no man may know the mind of God? How do you know how he works or what he wants? Has he told you this?
I thought no man may know the mind of God? How do you know how he works or what he wants? Has he told you this?
This is past statistics and there are some words in "The story of one soul" by Faustina Kowalska that mean the same. There are other works written by people who are now recognized as saints, that contain similar things when it comes to God choosing people to do something for Him here. About what God wants - He wants no soul to perish, Jesus said this once (Mt 18:14, "So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.". We often go against this will, though.
However, if there was a God, and he wanted us to follow his laws, it would stand to reason that he would give us some way to find him.
There is one, however covert and highly personal, if you live without God, eventually you start to fill some kind of emptiness within yourself. People who do start trying to fill it by anything and everything, and they don't get fullness back. It takes a lot, before such people finally resort to calling for God to fill that emptiness, without any demands or conditions, a pure cry for help, and only then God comes and they feel themselves being finally whole. There are some stories about how people seek God far and wide, while He was just behind their heart, waiting for them to open it for Him. I am no exception, I did feel something like this, so I can testify this is real. That's why I am still here.
There is one, however covert and highly personal, if you live without God, eventually you start to fill some kind of emptiness within yourself. People who do start trying to fill it by anything and everything, and they don't get fullness back. It takes a lot, before such people finally resort to calling for God to fill that emptiness, without any demands or conditions, a pure cry for help, and only then God comes and they feel themselves being finally whole. There are some stories about how people seek God far and wide, while He was just behind their heart, waiting for them to open it for Him. I am no exception, I did feel something like this, so I can testify this is real. That's why I am still here.
There it is, the brainwashing. Do you truly believe that everyone who does not believe in God will eventually feel some sort of emptiness and no matter what can not reclaim it unless they believe in God? That's so obviously something just preached by the church to keep people in it/convert depressed people.
There is one, however covert and highly personal, if you live without God, eventually you start to fill some kind of emptiness within yourself.
The emptiness I have is from the lack of intimacy with a human being. That simple. I know myself ^^
People who do start trying to fill it by anything and everything, and they don't get fullness back.
Know that for a fact? The emptiness is not present in everyone, religious or not and furthermore subject to each person. The neighbourhood I live in see cash, *****es and booze as the pinnacle of life. They have no empty side beyond that.
It takes a lot, before such people finally resort to calling for God to fill that emptiness, without any demands or conditions, a pure cry for help, and only then God comes and they feel themselves being finally whole.
Oh, you know that emptiness I said I felt? Err, not really - I know what my goals are and I actually don't look at it as emptiness. That human intimacy is a MASSIVE bonus if everything. The state my life is in now is beyond what could be expected and I'm eternally grateful to nearly everything that is real for that.
Needing God is a reliance that is not required in itself.
There are some stories about how people seek God far and wide, while He was just behind their heart, waiting for them to open it for Him.
Aesops' Fables' mean more to me. Really - the idea that where something is is right infront of you is only applicable to goodness, badness and beauty.
I am no exception, I did feel something like this, so I can testify this is real. That's why I am still here.
Testify what is real? The feeling of emptiness that could be a result of placebo, pretend, ungratefulness and / or idiocy? Maybe there are other ways it could occur, but this in itself is nowhere near enough to stand for a God being real.
I am happy with what I got, and even exceptionally happy with what I don't have. Because the thing I crave for now gives me a reason to work and the other things that don't mean as much (despite popular belief) are the bonus.
Good day Vesper, please consider what you imply when saying what you did, as Kasic pointed out:
Do you truly believe that everyone who does not believe in God will eventually feel some sort of emptiness and no matter what can not reclaim it unless they believe in God?
Also, it could easily be a result of greed coupled with placebo.
I am not implying that you are subject of any of these elements that could have you under the affect of feeling emptiness and seeking God to fill it. But I can easily argue that what I have now is more than enough and emptiness will be something I gain when this personality dies and reason fades from me - you know when that'll happen? When the body dies.
There it is, the brainwashing. Do you truly believe that everyone who does not believe in God will eventually feel some sort of emptiness and no matter what can not reclaim it unless they believe in God? That's so obviously something just preached by the church to keep people in it/convert depressed people.
Eventually, yes. Will they notice? Maybe. Will they act accordingly? Not everyone, pitiful though, but this is human's free will.
The emptiness I have is from the lack of intimacy with a human being. That simple. I know myself ^^
Hmm. Probably, as this is one of the factors that we need. However, I know of people that thought the same, then did everything in this scope to fill that emptiness, and failed.
Know that for a fact? The emptiness is not present in everyone, religious or not and furthermore subject to each person. The neighbourhood I live in see cash, *****es and booze as the pinnacle of life. They have no empty side beyond that.
Okay, overstretched, not everyone tries to fill such an emptiness, but booze is another common way to fill it. It's possible that there is something undercover even in your neighbors, mainly people don't say that to everyone asking.
I am happy with what I got, and even exceptionally happy with what I don't have. Because the thing I crave for now gives me a reason to work and the other things that don't mean as much (despite popular belief) are the bonus.
Why, it's good that you're feeling full in yourself. And it's good that you know what should amend that emptiness you speak of. Hope you'll find it true. Hmm.
The emptiness I have is from the lack of intimacy with a human being
That's something I just don't think I can understand...I'm a severe introvert and would be perfectly happy if I never saw/talked to another person again. There are people who I do like to be around, but those are few and far in between.
However, I know of people that thought the same, then did everything in this scope to fill that emptiness, and failed.
Some of the possibilities I stated in my previous post (placebo, pretend, ungratefulness and / or idiocy) can be that, although from a logical standpoint those that feel empty generally just lack something and it's that attitude people often expect from a child - "I want it" and they're apparently ungrateful for what they already have.
It's good talking about this though because I didn't think about things quite this way. ^^
but booze is another common way to fill it.
It's often used to shroud the darkness that is in their life now that they lost something. A poor and put simply an ungrateful method of mourning.
In other scenarios it is used... no justified but on a much less selfish level.
It's possible that there is something undercover even in your neighbors, mainly people don't say that to everyone asking.
Certainly - I mean do I expect people to be as deep as they appear to be to me? Hell no, and a prime example is that I don't discuss a lot of things with anyone I know in real life, and the depth of my morality, code and understanding of things has never been fully elaborated to anyone - hence one of the reasons for wanting human intimacy.
And to clear up and misconceptions - I don't mean the sexual kind, thanks.
I am confident in that people will do with what they have and no care or seek more, I am also confident that others can / will look at themselves and charge for something more, but in the sake of staying on topic that need not be achieved with the sensation of someone watching over you.
Why, it's good that you're feeling full in yourself.
I feel full in myself because not only am I in a much better position than I was last year but I should be reasonably happy in either case because of what I had. It wasn't much in comparison but it's also because I'm confident in who I am -- I don't think I would do something so much as "wrong", I know I'm not perfect (yet ^^) but going for that kind of ideology of not doing the wrong thing (not saying I always do the most optimal or effective right thing) gives me great confidence and pride.
And it's good that you know what should amend that emptiness you speak of.
I'll quote what I said in my first post as this is what I think of what I previously called my "emptiness":
a MASSIVE bonus
I guess it could be considered a "Glass is half full" method.
Hope you'll find it true.
As do I :P thanks!
That's something I just don't think I can understand...I'm a severe introvert and would be perfectly happy if I never saw/talked to another person again.
I've gotten along perfectly fine by myself but given the scenario of not being around other people I always think that no people were around in the first place bar me. It's difficult to dredge up likely scenarios where you're not around anyone and it's hypothetical as is so I'd rather just say that as things are now, if ties with me and others were cut off to pretty much bare essential level? I'm alright with that.
There are people who I do like to be around, but those are few and far in between.
Indeed, I would see it as a blessing in some situations. - H
And it just keeps coming back. You grab more booze but it will keep on coming back.
Yep, even with any other entertainment such a feeling will come back.
Some of the possibilities I stated in my previous post (placebo, pretend, ungratefulness and / or idiocy) can be that, although from a logical standpoint those that feel empty generally just lack something and it's that attitude people often expect from a child - "I want it" and they're apparently ungrateful for what they already have.
By the way, ungratefulness is a pretty much common issue in the society currently, people want MOAR or better or different, not being satisfied with what they are given. While being grateful is merely a lifestyle, knowing or believing in God (who gives all you have, in Christianity) helps improving in what we call humility. As far as I have heard, this way is one of the more common ways people come to religion at all, not just Christianity or Catholicism in particular.
one of the reasons for wanting human intimacy. And to clear up and misconceptions - I don't mean the sexual kind, thanks.
Yep, nearly fell into this. But in this case, you need a human to expose yourself to, that will listen and help you, and in return will open himself to you (regardless of gender. I don't like "him/her" constructions) with about the same desires. Basically this precedes true love, and is called confidence. This is indeed one of the rarely encountered things among people, and mostly if a couple confides everything or at least everything crucial to each other, it holds for the entire life. This, however, requires the ability to keep secrets, from both participants. I wish you luck in finding such a human.
I guess it could be considered a "Glass is half full" method.
Well, not just that I think, and now, given your clarification of what you mean under "human intimacy", it's also "we can make the glass full by adding less than if either of us would be alone".
I personally believe that science and religion need each other, if there was no religion, where would our morals and respect for each other be? If there was no science, we wouldn't have all the technological appliances we rely on today.
I personally believe that science and religion need each other, if there was no religion, where would our morals and respect for each other be? If there was no science, we wouldn't have all the technological appliances we rely on today.
Why would morals need to be derived from religion? Atheism is not a concept that would lead to a nihilistic, depraved world. Morality and religion are mutually exclusive in many cases.
