I believe in something

[Nooj]

Among other things, I believe in fate. Quietly at first and then more insistently, fate or destiny or God, whatever you want to call it, has entered my life. And I have put a little deposit of trust into this intuition.

It's actually nothing more than that, a little suspicion that any reasonable person might and should dismiss. But I'm not that. I'm not a reasonable person and I don't want to be. As the sick man in Notes from Underground says, reason is nothing but reason.

Well, what is the content of this belief? Not that there is a purpose or a plan. Not that there is a benevolent hand guiding me. To be completely honest, I have no idea. It's just a feeling. A feeling that I...or rather, the world is a good place. That life is good. And it will keep bringing goodness into my life. Again, rationally I know this is not true. That I am a person living in the First World, and I wouldn't be thinking this if I was a refugee from the Congo. But I'm still holding onto it with a death grip.

There was a person who recently came into my life, and then just as quickly left it. Off living her own life now. I'm not sure you could call it love or friendship, they're awfully big words for what I'm trying to describe. She probably wouldn't have used those words either. But that person had a huge impact on me. Clare Carlisle, describing Kierkegaard's thoughts on possibility, wrote:

it wasn't just that something new happened in the world, but that the world itself felt new.

That's it right there. Subjectively, my world has been and is crazily tilted. I love it. I thank her and whoever sent her, God or the world, my way. I thank whoever's moved me and set me on this new and interesting path, shown me a direction I would have been too scared to stare down. I feel myself moving faster. I've done more things in this past month than in the past two years.

And who knows? I may crash and burn. That's the interesting thing about faith isn't it, it makes you a madman...but you don't really care that you are.

 

[sandwiches]

Among other things, I believe in fate. Quietly at first and then more insistently, fate or destiny or God, whatever you want to call it, has entered my life. And I have put a little deposit of trust into this intuition.

It's actually nothing more than that, a little suspicion that any reasonable person might and should dismiss. But I'm not that. I'm not a reasonable person and I don't want to be. As the sick man in Notes from Underground says, reason is nothing but reason.

Well, what is the content of this belief? Not that there is a purpose or a plan. Not that there is a benevolent hand guiding me. To be completely honest, I have no idea. It's just a feeling. A feeling that I...or rather, the world is a good place. That life is good. And it will keep bringing goodness into my life. Again, rationally I know this is not true. That I am a person living in the First World, and I wouldn't be thinking this if I was a refugee from the Congo. But I'm still holding onto it with a death grip.

There was a person who recently came into my life, and then just as quickly left it. Off living her own life now. I'm not sure you could call it love or friendship, they're awfully big words for what I'm trying to describe. She probably wouldn't have used those words either. But that person had a huge impact on me. Clare Carlisle, describing Kierkegaard's thoughts on possibility, wrote:

That's it right there. Subjectively, my world has been and is crazily tilted. I love it. I thank her and whoever sent her, God or the world, my way. I thank whoever's moved me and set me on this new and interesting path, shown me a direction I would have been too scared to stare down. I feel myself moving faster. I've done more things in this past month than in the past two years.

And who knows? I may crash and burn. That's the interesting thing about faith isn't it, it makes you a madman...but you don't really care that you are.

DICLAIMER: I AM NOT A DOCTOR.

If I remember correctly, from you previous posts, it seemed to me you might be suffering from depression. And from this post, it seems you might almost be euphoric. In my opinion, it might be in your best interest to visit a counselor, psychologist, or psychiatrist.

I know I'll probably get flak for suggesting a psychologist when someone claims they feel the touch of God or whatever but from the somewhat nihilistic and almost hopeless posts I've seen from you in the past to this rainbows and unicorns post, I have the sneaking suspicion that you might have some emotional issues. So, again, I would suggest talking to a counselor or therapist of some kind.

Edit: That or you might just be in love. It does crazy stuff to us, for sure.

 

[Resha Caner]

Nooj,

Notes from Underground is a great book. Including myself, you are now the 2nd person I know who has read it.

Of course I would think that the inkling you feel is the Spirit at work (and in that regard, if I could help in some way I would), but I don't know you well. I don't know if this is a radical change from what you've posted in the past or part of a gradual trend. And, there are other places in this forum that might be more suited to this type of post.

So ... I'm curious what led you to post this here.

 

[Resha Caner]

I know I'll probably get flak for suggesting a psychologist when someone claims they feel the touch of God or whatever but from the somewhat nihilistic and almost hopeless posts I've seen from you in the past to this rainbows and unicorns post, I have the sneaking suspicion that you might have some emotional issues. So, again, I would suggest talking to a counselor or therapist of some kind.

sandwiches, you won't catch flak from me. It appears you know more of him than I do. Psychologists certainly have their place, and maybe this is one of those instances. As I said earlier, I don't know the situation well.

But neither would I dismiss the possibility that it is God. In that regard, there are such things as Christian psychologists.

Regardless, whether there is an emotional issue or whether this is an emerging faith, the Internet isn't going to provide too many answers. Real contact with real people is a much better avenue.

 

[sandwiches]

Among other things, I believe in fate. Quietly at first and then more insistently, fate or destiny or God, whatever you want to call it, has entered my life. And I have put a little deposit of trust into this intuition.

It's actually nothing more than that, a little suspicion that any reasonable person might and should dismiss. But I'm not that. I'm not a reasonable person and I don't want to be. As the sick man in Notes from Underground says, reason is nothing but reason.

Well, what is the content of this belief? Not that there is a purpose or a plan. Not that there is a benevolent hand guiding me. To be completely honest, I have no idea. It's just a feeling. A feeling that I...or rather, the world is a good place. That life is good. And it will keep bringing goodness into my life. Again, rationally I know this is not true. That I am a person living in the First World, and I wouldn't be thinking this if I was a refugee from the Congo. But I'm still holding onto it with a death grip.

There was a person who recently came into my life, and then just as quickly left it. Off living her own life now. I'm not sure you could call it love or friendship, they're awfully big words for what I'm trying to describe. She probably wouldn't have used those words either. But that person had a huge impact on me. Clare Carlisle, describing Kierkegaard's thoughts on possibility, wrote:

That's it right there. Subjectively, my world has been and is crazily tilted. I love it. I thank her and whoever sent her, God or the world, my way. I thank whoever's moved me and set me on this new and interesting path, shown me a direction I would have been too scared to stare down. I feel myself moving faster. I've done more things in this past month than in the past two years.

And who knows? I may crash and burn. That's the interesting thing about faith isn't it, it makes you a madman...but you don't really care that you are.

Now, to answer your post more directly, I would say that I have all that at more than one point in my life pre and post deconversion. I feel sometimes that coincidences are too great or that everything seems full of possibilities or that there's an unseen hand guiding all of this. However, intuition, feelings, and wishes alone cannot guide my life nor are they useful in determining what is true and what isn't.

If you feel that these feelings are leading you a better life or understanding, let yourself go and see where it takes you. If you're happier and you're not interfering with anyone else, who cares? If you end up a Christian, Buddhist, whatever, then more power to you. Just keep your head clear when you need to make decisions that will influence others and remember that not everyone will share your vision of reality.

 

[Nooj]

DICLAIMER: I AM NOT A DOCTOR.

I think everyone's a doctor here...

If I remember correctly, from you previous posts, it seemed to me you might be suffering from depression. And from this post, it seems you might almost be euphoric. In my opinion, it might be in your best interest to visit a counselor, psychologist, or psychiatrist.

I've been off my meds for a few years, and I haven't had a relapse into the type of crippling depression where I was having suicide fantasies and couldn't leave the house. I've stopped seeing a psychiatrist. In other words, I feel as fine as I've felt since I was a little kid. I knew something was wrong and I asked my family for help then. I'd go back again if I felt any different. But really, truly thank you for your concern though.

And yes, I feel euphoric. Or just hopeful and happy. That's a surprisingly rare feeling for me, so I had to share it with someone.

 

[sandwiches]

I think everyone's a doctor here...

I've been off my meds for a few years, and I haven't had a relapse into the type of crippling depression where I was having suicide fantasies and couldn't leave the house. I've stopped seeing a psychiatrist. In other words, I feel as fine as I've felt since I was a little kid. I knew something was wrong and I asked my family for help then. I'd go back again if I felt any different. But really, truly thank you for your concern though.

And yes, I feel euphoric. Or just hopeful and happy. That's a surprisingly rare feeling for me, so I had to share it with someone.

Well, I guess I wasn't so off-base. I would REALLY suggest you see a doctor of some kind. Clinical depression is not something that you usually get rid off for life. You obviously seem old enough to make your own decisions but I would really be wary of feelings of euphoria if you've had depression in the past.

I wish you good luck and I hope you're happy in whatever path you take, theist or not.

 

[Nooj]

Nooj,

Notes from Underground is a great book. Including myself, you are now the 2nd person I know who has read it.

It's up there on my bookshelf along with The Brothers Karamazov.

Now, to answer your post more directly, I would say that I have all that at more than one point in my life pre and post deconversion. I feel sometimes that coincidences are too great or that everything seems full of possibilities or that there's an unseen hand guiding all of this. However, intuition, feelings, and wishes alone cannot guide my life nor are they useful in determining what is true and what isn't.

I'm not a scientist sandwiches. I mean, I'm studying to become a linguist, but the methods I use in linguistics seem hardly applicable to life.

I may become a linguist by profession, but I'm the sort of fallible, ignorant, forceful, willful being that you expect from a human. I don't know if I'm strong enough to live like Socrates did. Reason has never been the basis of my ethics or my belief system (or lack of such).

 

[Resha Caner]

It's up there on my bookshelf along with The Brothers Karamazov.

Hmm. I didn't like Karamazov much. The interesting part to me was Alexei and Zosima, but that was a small part of the book. My Dostoyevsky favorites (in order) are Crime & Punishment, Notes from Underground, and The Idiot.

I don't think you'll see me on the streets proclaiming a new or old message for mankind any time soon.

That's a good idea. New converts (not saying that's what you are, just as a comparison) often suffer from the "seed on rocky ground" syndrome (the parable from Matt 13). IOW, their euphoria causes them to overreach and then when hit with something they're not prepared for, they wither.

So, whether the "counselor" is a psychiatrist or a pastor, it's good not to go it alone.

 

[Received]

Nooj,

Notes from Underground is a great book. Including myself, you are now the 2nd person I know who has read it.

Third!!!!!!111!!!!

 

[Received]

Nooj, you deserve (hands down) the award for most interesting poster.

 

[Resha Caner]

Third!!!!!!

Cool. Maybe we could form a club.

 

[sandwiches]

It's up there on my bookshelf along with The Brothers Karamazov.

I'm not a scientist sandwiches. I mean, I'm studying to become a linguist, but the methods I use in linguistics seem hardly applicable to life.

I may become a linguist by profession, but I'm the sort of fallible, ignorant, forceful, willful being that you expect from a human. I don't know if I'm strong enough to live like Socrates did. Reason has never been the basis of my ethics or my belief system (or lack of such).

You don't have to be a scientist to understand that there's correct and wrong ideas and statements. Correct ideas are those that align with what is demonstrably and observably true, in other words ideas that match up with reality. Now, if there are correct ideas, then there's reasoning that will lead you to them and there's reasoning that will lead you away from them. Whether or not you use reasoning to lead you to what is true, what is false, or what cannot be determined to be one way or is up to you.

 

[Received]

Cool. Maybe we could form a club.

I could never been in a book club with a person who doesn't consider the Brothers K to be the greatest example of literature in history. [/snob]

 

[Received]

Among other things, I believe in fate. Quietly at first and then more insistently, fate or destiny or God, whatever you want to call it, has entered my life. And I have put a little deposit of trust into this intuition.

It's actually nothing more than that, a little suspicion that any reasonable person might and should dismiss. But I'm not that. I'm not a reasonable person and I don't want to be. As the sick man in Notes from Underground says, reason is nothing but reason.

Well, what is the content of this belief? Not that there is a purpose or a plan. Not that there is a benevolent hand guiding me. To be completely honest, I have no idea. It's just a feeling. A feeling that I...or rather, the world is a good place. That life is good. And it will keep bringing goodness into my life. Again, rationally I know this is not true. That I am a person living in the First World, and I wouldn't be thinking this if I was a refugee from the Congo. But I'm still holding onto it with a death grip.

Forgive me if I'm being a shrink, but when did you notice this change arise? Sounds like it clearly involves this other person. What did she reveal to you that made you change your outlook?

Also, is this new faith in fate mediated by choosing? That is, what kind of fate do you believe in? The sort of choice-mediated fate, where if you choose to act a certain way, then you're fated for goodness? Or is it a type of fate that just is, no matter what you do about it?

 

[Eudaimonist]

And yes, I feel euphoric. Or just hopeful and happy. That's a surprisingly rare feeling for me, so I had to share it with someone.

I don't think that the source of your euphoria is "metaphysical", but there's nothing wrong with having such profound, intuitive feelings about life, and certainly nothing wrong with euphoria. Good luck with that!

And don't crash too hard, if and when you come down off of that euphoric high.

On the subject of euphoria...

http://www.psychologytoday.com/coll...om-nature/nature-gave-us-four-kinds-happiness

You may find this interesting.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[Nooj]

Forgive me if I'm being a shrink, but when did you notice this change arise? Sounds like it clearly involves this other person. What did she reveal to you that made you change your outlook?

She did it by being who she was. A funny, generous person. Didn't know me, didn't care about my failures nor did she care to judge. Just expected the best out of me. I can't remember being moved in such a way.

Also, is this new faith in fate mediated by choosing? That is, what kind of fate do you believe in? The sort of choice-mediated fate, where if you choose to act a certain way, then you're fated for goodness? Or is it a type of fate that just is, no matter what you do about it?

I think the world acts towards my good. To put it another way, good things happen to me. The world gives me possibilities. I believe it's what I do with these opportunities that makes them fruitful or not. But the very fact that I'm presented with these possibilities at all, is something that I'm in awe of. It's more than I deserve by far, and they come at just the right time.

 

[Eudaimonist]

I think the world acts towards my good. To put it another way, good things happen to me. The world gives me possibilities. I believe it's what I do with these opportunities that makes them fruitful or not. But the very fact that I'm presented with these possibilities, is something that I'm in awe of. It's more than I deserve by far, and they come at just the right time.

I find that the world usually takes its own sweet time in presenting me with possibilities, unless I take action to find them or create them. You are fortunate indeed if they just land in your lap.



eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[Nooj]

I find that the world usually takes its own sweet time in presenting me with possibilities, unless I take action to find them or create them. You are fortunate indeed if they just land in your lap.

Maybe it's two ways of seeing the same thing. It certainly feels like I've been handed a gift. But isn't it true that a long line of actions and decisions on the part of many people, including me, have lead up to this point? If we don't play the part of the actor, who knows what we're missing out on. Some doors, I'm sure, are not opened by us. But some we close ourselves by not doing anything.