Ex-believers-What once convinced you of God's existence?

madaz · Sep 10, 2014

Hi, I was wondering if any of you had any remarkable experiences/events/co-incidences that you once attributed to God.

I'll kick off with a personal story of my own.

When I was about 11 years old I was given the priviledge of going out hunting alone for the first time, a farmer (Friend of my parents) lent me his rifle and told me to look after it very carefully as it was one of his most prized weapons. He also advised me as an added safety precaution to remove the bolt from the rifle until I was ready to use it, so I tucked the bolt behind my ammuntion belt and trekked up through miles of bush and highlands looking for some game to shoot.

When I went to install the bolt I noticed it was gone. I had somehow dropped it along the way. I knew I could not return without the bolt or I would not be allowed to borrow any of his firearms again and/or get in big trouble with my parents, so I tried retracing my steps in an effort to find the bolt, but because I didn't follow any track I started losing hope quickly.

After back tracking a few miles I noticed the sun was setting and knew time was running out fast, so I sat down on an old tree stump and started to cry. When I finished I prayed to God to help me find the bolt. When I opened my eyes, I saw a sparkle (through my teary eyes)in the long grass right in front of me .

It was the bolt. Lying in the exact spot that I just happened to sit down to cry and pray.

What are the chances of that???

This was one of the most compelling experiences I ever had.

So...ex-believers-care to share a story of what once convinced you of God's existence?

Ana the Ist · Sep 10, 2014

madaz said:
Hi, I was wondering if any of you had any remarkable experiences/events/co-incidences that you once attributed to God.

I'll kick off with a personal story of my own.

When I was about 11 years old I was given the priviledge of going out hunting alone for the first time, a farmer (Friend of my parents) lent me his rifle and told me to look after it very carefully as it was one of his most prized weapons. He also advised me as an added safety precaution to remove the bolt from the rifle until I was ready to use it, so I tucked the bolt behind my ammuntion belt and trekked up through miles of bush and highlands looking for some game to shoot.

When I went to install the bolt I noticed it was gone. I had somehow dropped it along the way. I knew I could not return without the bolt or I would not be allowed to borrow any of his firearms again and/or get in big trouble with my parents, so I tried retracing my steps in an effort to find the bolt, but because I didn't follow any track I started losing hope quickly.

After back tracking a few miles I noticed the sun was setting and knew time was running out fast, so I sat down on an old tree stump and started to cry. When I finished I prayed to God to help me find the bolt. When I opened my eyes, I saw a sparkle (through my teary eyes)in the long grass right in front of me .

It was the bolt. Lying in the exact spot that I just happened to sit down to cry and pray.

What are the chances of that???

This was one of the most compelling experiences I ever had.

So...ex-believers-care to share a story of what once convinced you of God's existence?

No offense, but wouldn't the most likely explanation for your experience be that you just did a better job of back tracking than you thought and since the sun was lower in the sky, you saw the bolt easier? Sure, it's possible it was a sign from god...but don't you think the other explanation was more likely?

I did believe in god for a little while when I was very young, but I turned atheist before my teens so it wasn't very long. I believed in god because my mother told me he existed...I've never had an experience I'd attribute to god.

Ken-1122 · Sep 10, 2014

madaz said:
Hi, I was wondering if any of you had any remarkable experiences/events/co-incidences that you once attributed to God.

I'll kick off with a personal story of my own.

When I was about 11 years old I was given the priviledge of going out hunting alone for the first time, a farmer (Friend of my parents) lent me his rifle and told me to look after it very carefully as it was one of his most prized weapons. He also advised me as an added safety precaution to remove the bolt from the rifle until I was ready to use it, so I tucked the bolt behind my ammuntion belt and trekked up through miles of bush and highlands looking for some game to shoot.

When I went to install the bolt I noticed it was gone. I had somehow dropped it along the way. I knew I could not return without the bolt or I would not be allowed to borrow any of his firearms again and/or get in big trouble with my parents, so I tried retracing my steps in an effort to find the bolt, but because I didn't follow any track I started losing hope quickly.

After back tracking a few miles I noticed the sun was setting and knew time was running out fast, so I sat down on an old tree stump and started to cry. When I finished I prayed to God to help me find the bolt. When I opened my eyes, I saw a sparkle (through my teary eyes)in the long grass right in front of me .

It was the bolt. Lying in the exact spot that I just happened to sit down to cry and pray.

What are the chances of that???

This was one of the most compelling experiences I ever had.

So...ex-believers-care to share a story of what once convinced you of God's existence?

I never has an experience I attributed to God, I just believed becasue everyone around me believed.

Ken

essentialsaltes · Sep 10, 2014

Everyone around me talked about gods as though they were real. They said the same about giraffes and platypuses, and those turned out to be real. But there was never an enclosure for gods at the zoo.

Paulos23 · Sep 10, 2014

It was what I was told, and at the time I didn't have any reason to disbelieve it while I was growing up.

Paradoxum · Sep 10, 2014

I attributed lots of things to God. I was in a charismatic kinda church.

When I was quite young (under 10) I felt cold shivers, normally during worship. My mum or dad told me that could be the Holy Spirit. I knew back then we were near a closed door which could probably let wind through, but I still held it in my head that it could still be the Holy Spirit.

The sort of churches I went to were ones where people talked about healings happening, and people being raised from the dead in modern times. I trusted such people, so these stories gave me reasons to believe.

I felt the high you can get from good worship.

There was a preacher guy at a small youth gathering that said that lightning from heaven was going to hit a friend of mine. Then she fell down. Afterwards she said she felt something.

I, and three others, seemed to feel a warm shiver as I prayed once. I tried to convince myself that this was God's presence, since what are the chances of us feeling it at the same time. I was already losing faith by this point.

Etc, etc... healings were a big thing for me.

variant · Sep 10, 2014

madaz said:
So...ex-believers-care to share a story of what once convinced you of God's existence?

I was a child.

When I became an adult my ideas about religion couldn't withstand my own questioning adult mind.

Deidre32 · Sep 10, 2014

I was raised in a Christian home, as a kid. I had no choice during those times. I grew to love the faith, as I thought this was what I should be doing. I had a sense of peace, and I enjoyed prayer. But, I never believed in heaven or hell, really. Over time, once I reached adulthood, I started exploring in a more objective way, the things I had believed all those years, without question. The doubts came...and then, I abandoned Christianity eventually, and eventually came to atheism. Being an atheist hasn't been a choice, but more of an arrival from all the facts that I discovered along the way that seemed to disprove the beliefs I once had in god's existence.

Something that stands out a lot to me from those days as a Christian, were that it seemed like when things were tough in my life, I had 'Someone' looking out for me. Hard to explain. But, now, I look at it as more of a reaping what we sow. Our lives are really more that, than anything.

madaz · Sep 10, 2014

Ana the Ist said:
No offense, but wouldn't the most likely explanation for your experience be that you just did a better job of back tracking than you thought and since the sun was lower in the sky, you saw the bolt easier? Sure, it's possible it was a sign from god...but don't you think the other explanation was more likely?

I now believe the existence of deities is highly unlikely so no offence taken and I do think the other "natural" explanation is more likely.

I just thought it was rather remarkable that I happened to stop at exactly the right location at exactly the right time with my back to the setting sun which allowed me to easily see the sparkle of light from the bolt through the long grass.

At the time (when I was a believer) it was the most convincing sign of God I had ever had.

I did believe in god for a little while when I was very young, but I turned atheist before my teens so it wasn't very long. I believed in god because my mother told me he existed...I've never had an experience I'd attribute to god.

Thanks you.

madaz · Sep 10, 2014

Ken-1122 said:
I never has an experience I attributed to God, I just believed becasue everyone around me believed.

Ken

Thank you Ken.

madaz · Sep 10, 2014

essentialsaltes said:
Everyone around me talked about gods as though they were real. They said the same about giraffes and platypuses, and those turned out to be real. But there was never an enclosure for gods at the zoo.

Thank-you essentialsaltes.

juvenissun · Sep 11, 2014

madaz said:
So...ex-believers-care to share a story of what once convinced you of God's existence?

Convince is the wrong word used in the question. It never happened.

CabVet · Sep 11, 2014

juvenissun said:
Convince is the wrong word used in the question. It never happened.

Nothing like the good old No true Scotsman fallacy.

Here is a hint: questioning someone's statement of belief is against this forum's rules.

CabVet · Sep 11, 2014

madaz said:
So...ex-believers-care to share a story of what once convinced you of God's existence?

I believed because I was told he existed since I could understand words.

Ana the Ist · Sep 11, 2014

madaz said:
I now believe the existence of deities is highly unlikely so no offence taken and I do think the other "natural" explanation is more likely.

I just thought it was rather remarkable that I happened to stop at exactly the right location at exactly the right time with my back to the setting sun which allowed me to easily see the sparkle of light from the bolt through the long grass.

At the time (when I was a believer) it was the most convincing sign of God I had ever had.

Thanks you.

I've never had that experience...something I would attribute to god, so it always seems a little baffling when someone does. To me, it would take that bolt growing a pair of legs and walking over to you while you're praying...you know?

Good topic though.

madaz · Sep 11, 2014

Paradoxum said:
I attributed lots of things to God. I was in a charismatic kinda church.

When I was quite young (under 10) I felt cold shivers, normally during worship. My mum or dad told me that could be the Holy Spirit. I knew back then we were near a closed door which could probably let wind through, but I still held it in my head that it could still be the Holy Spirit.

The sort of churches I went to were ones where people talked about healings happening, and people being raised from the dead in modern times. I trusted such people, so these stories gave me reasons to believe.

I felt the high you can get from good worship.

There was a preacher guy at a small youth gathering that said that lightning from heaven was going to hit a friend of mine. Then she fell down. Afterwards she said she felt something.

I, and three others, seemed to feel a warm shiver as I prayed once. I tried to convince myself that this was God's presence, since what are the chances of us feeling it at the same time. I was already losing faith by this point.

Etc, etc... healings were a big thing for me.

Hi Paradoxum, , thanks for sharing, now apart from the personal experiences your peers shared with you and the feel good experiences you had with other people, did you ever have a remarkable experience or event while alone or perhaps a prayer answered that you thought would be near impossible to answer or some unlikely event you had difficulty trying to find an explaination for?

madaz · Sep 11, 2014

Paulos23 said:
It was what I was told, and at the time I didn't have any reason to disbelieve it while I was growing up.

Thank you Paulos23.

madaz · Sep 11, 2014

variant said:
I was a child.

When I became an adult my ideas about religion couldn't withstand my own questioning adult mind.

Thank you Variant. Ditto for me too.

madaz · Sep 11, 2014

Deidre32 said:
I was raised in a Christian home, as a kid. I had no choice during those times. I grew to love the faith, as I thought this was what I should be doing. I had a sense of peace, and I enjoyed prayer. But, I never believed in heaven or hell, really. Over time, once I reached adulthood, I started exploring in a more objective way, the things I had believed all those years, without question. The doubts came...and then, I abandoned Christianity eventually, and eventually came to atheism. Being an atheist hasn't been a choice, but more of an arrival from all the facts that I discovered along the way that seemed to disprove the beliefs I once had in god's existence.

Something that stands out a lot to me from those days as a Christian, were that it seemed like when things were tough in my life, I had 'Someone' looking out for me. Hard to explain. But, now, I look at it as more of a reaping what we sow. Our lives are really more that, than anything.

Thank you Deidre32, I recall myself when I was a believer that I had (or believed I had) God on my side. Whenever I was faced with a difficult situation I would pray and ask for assistance. After praying my confidence would increase because I really believed God was listening to me.

But did you have any remarkable or unexplained events happen at all?

madaz · Sep 11, 2014

juvenissun said:
Convince is the wrong word used in the question. It never happened.

My experience was (for me at least) very convincing indeed.

What do you think is the "right" word to use?

Ex-believers-What once convinced you of God's existence?

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