The Atheist Asks: I touched God guys! (The meaning)

[GrimKingGrim]

Story time kids!

Wanna hear something that you might not believe? I touched God! I'm so sure of it!

Taking a step back to about a decade ago I was a young boy sleeping as I should when I'm asleep. I had a dream. I don't remember any of the content of this dream except the very last part. I was drowning in a vast ocean. Crying out for help.

Picture it like this minus the fire for an ocean and the epic thumbs up.

And just as my hand was about to make it's final descent under the water a hand comes out of nowhere and grabs my wrist. This grab was REAL. I felt a huge shock go through me, pressure on my wrist, and a slight jerk on my arm.

It scared the hell outta me so bad I woke up in a sweat and grabbed my wrist immediately to see if my hand was still attached. I looked around my junky room with nothing more than the moonlight glimmering through my blinds and my fan blowing my sweaty brow. Not a being in sight. My wrist still tingled from the grab. My body was shaken and I was so paranoid. Getting back to sleep was a chore but I managed it.

The next day I told my mother and she told me that it was God saving me from something. Saying "he's got me covered" and that put so much elation and somewhat fear in my heart. God is real. Holy crap that was messed up.



Ah what a sobering thought. God grabbed my wrist in a symbolic dream about me drowning in something probably symbolic of my depression.

: Hey wait a second! Aren't you listed as Atheist? How can you be atheist after THAT?! Seriously, broski, what gives?

I'll stop there because it's fun. Speculate.

So the question is: How far do your dots connect? Does everything have meaning? Do you find yourself assigning meaning to events in your life that might not have any? Is there more to symbolism than pure concept?

 

[Emmyc]

When I moved from California to Oregon on my last day there was the biggest, brightest rainbow I ever saw, like God offering me courage or hope.
Now, why would the God of the universe send a huge rainbow special order just for me. Thousands of people saw that rainbow. Maybe it was especially for all of them for different but specific reasons.
The question is "Why not?". I wouldn't suggest making any life decisions based on a rainbow or a dream, but if it gives one comfort then it's better to go ahead and believe it. If you allow yourself to feel comforted and not alone in life, then you die and it turns out Christians are wrong and there is no afterlife, you benefited and you'll never know the differences.

 

[Ana the Ist]

but if it gives one comfort then it's better to go ahead and believe it.

There is so much suffering born out of this idea. The idea that comfort is a reason to believe.

 

[TillICollapse]

Consider using "broseph", given the forum

[/crickets]

 

[Paradoxum]

I've had 'religious experiences' (involving others), but I'm an atheist. The brains does funny things.

 

[GrowingSmaller]

I used to have some odd dreams, as a teenager especially. I even read Carlos Castenada books, and had a dream of my "dreamers will power" (luminous supernatural fibres) during a lucid dream inside my everyday bedroom. I dreampt I was where I was, and had a "vision" therein.

It was only later when I sobered up from the hippie life that a Buddhist told me the Castenada series was fictional, or "faction" i.e. part fact part fiction.

 

[GrowingSmaller]

"Over many years, animal communicator Dawn Baumann Brunke dreamed of polar bears. One night, a lucid dream triggered the realization that not only was she dreaming of a living polar bear but also that the polar bear was dreaming of her.

"Through shared dream encounters, Brunke became adept at connecting with the bear both while asleep and awake. Together, they explored nonphysical locales where lucid dreamers meet to join in consciousness and co-dream together. Recounting the dreams she had with polar bears as well as with a council of spirit bears, Brunke presents techniques she learned to enter shared dreamscapes and form meaningful dream relationships with other species. "


Dreaming with Polar Bears: Spirit Journeys with Animal Guides: Amazon.co.uk: Dawn Baumann Brunke: 9781591431831: Books

 

[GrowingSmaller]

Top the OP directly: The best explanation I have heard is we "encounter" the transcenndent God subjectively, though our personal and cultural filters.

Thats how I could have a "Christian vision" but still turn out to be a Muslim.

 

[Emmyc]

How does it cause suffering? If you really follow Jesus "do unto ot others as you would have them do on to you. Love your neighbor as yourself. Do not seek revenge." Etc who are you hurting?

If on the other hand you use the bible as an excuse to hate a certain class of people and feel justified about it, to go to war and kill a bunch of people, or do other mean, hateful, judgemental things, well you would have found another excuse. People can always find an excuse to hate of they really want to

 

[GrowingSmaller]

How does it cause suffering? If you really follow Jesus "do unto ot others as you would have them do on to you. Love your neighbor as yourself. Do not seek revenge." Etc who are you hurting?

Is a man on a cross a role model?

 

[Emmyc]

It doesn't (or shouldn't) matter to people who choose to follow Jesus's example (as far as behavior is concerned). I read books by Jesus followers who believe Jesus was just a human man who died a long time ago, and books by Christians who believe you can (and must) have a current, living relationship with the risen Christ.

I read them both because they are food stuff. Hear me loud and clear: Go Dominic Crossin. Love your books. Unitarian Universalists have great things to say about Jesus.

If you clame to be a Jesus follower then you live by his example:

Everywhere Jesus went he healed the blind, sick, lame, hurt, or mentally I'll.
He fed the hungry, proclaimed good news to the poor.
He taught love your neighbor, do not seek revenge but do good to those who hurt you.
He told his decipals to go and do likewise. Follow his example. To be Gods hands and feet on earth doing good where ever you go.

The difference between being a Jesus follower who believes Jesus rose from the dead and that God is real or that Jesus is just a man who died a long time ago (but was right about loving eachother) is that if you believe Jesus is standing beside you holding your hand, ready to catch you if you fall, and even if you die it's okay, you'll be with your best friend Jesus and loving father God. Is that the latter gives you courage and strength when it's hard tok turn the other cheek.

 

[Emmyc]

(In case i misunderstood you) Yes he is a rolemodle. Christians are to follow the example of Jesus. And yes he was brutally murdered for it, and so have some Christians who seek to follow Jesus (Martin Luther king Jr comes to mind).
Jesus never fought back, even on the cross, and then was raised again, proving you don't need to figjht your enemies, even if you die doing good God is stronger then death, you'll be okay. The worst thing that can happen to a person trying to do good happened to Jesus (you are tortured and killed for it) but his reserecation proves he was okay.

But I guess if you're not christian you could say "he was murdered for going against the grain! unless you too want to be killed don't follow Jesus. Don't go against the grain. You'll be assassinated just like martin Luther king, Lincoln, Jesus, people burned at the steak for being a witch etc. Don't make waves you could be killed"

I guess that's true too... But if everyone felt that way we'd still jhave slavery (for example)