I can sort of understand the view point of the Athiests here.
Being raised in a Christan enviroment where so many people fail to even try to live up to the ideals of Christianity, seeing even the failures of the church in the past, and horrible events like the Cruasades, and never being taught how attain unity with God.
After some very harsh years I did not realise were to prepare for my duty, and not being able to comprehend the order of the universe, seeing the so called luck around me, I to became disillusioned. It was a relieve to be free from the misdirection created by those who use the Church for their own ends (*cough* Bush *cough*) without having any respect for God, relgion or the people of this earth.
But when I went on to full Atheism, I felt I was floating around in an empty void.
The idea of living freely was certainly appealing, but I could feel certain vibes that could not be seen. I felt a certain part of me "despirited". And I felt a voice calling me back. And I recall all the times I felt the Lord's precense. I recalled the strange feeling I got when I prayed to the Holy Spirit for guidance, and recieved it. Or peace, or almost anything. Even if I did not recieve what I asked for, I still felt a pulse and my prayer wasn't ignored.
I realised how silly I had been.
I came back to the Lord, and atoned for my lack of faith. I slowly followed his will more and more. I actually felt more free. Free from false Christans. Free from the voices of society that try to confuse us. Free from having to pretend that those forces I could feel on a daily basis did not exist. Free from the silly belief that we could know everything, and figure all out with out limited minds.
Their is stuff out their you cannot see, but you can feel. Tell you never feel a presence from anyone? Tell you do not feel a strange air when you enter a church. Tell the Lord has never responded to ANY of your prayers.
Of course I was still responsiable, in fact I felt more so, since life wasn't about looking after umero numero, And the Lord's council and guidance let me understand myself, and the Lord's way, freed me from evil influnces (tell you do not feel a strong negative presence when dealing with or doing evil?).
And I was able to use my intution, and not crush it under a blanket. I did not have to claim the stuff I could see and not understand did not exist. ANd it felt wonderful.
If you are so sure God does not exist, open your mind and pray. Bring all you thoughts and feelings before, including you doubts and worrys, including thoughts you feel are wrong or shameful. Then wait. If you really do not feel a special presence, then maybe you have your "proof" that God doesn't exist.
Grizzly: Looking at your sig makes me nod sadly in truth. Yeah, too many people have used God or a god to justify their hatreds and stuff. The god their following is probably created in their own image. But the God I'm following will always lead me to seek peace, wever possible, even if it goes agisant my desires. I remember when i had hunted down and struck a kid who had cheered on a gang when they attacked me and a group of friends. I got a sick pleasure off that. But words spoken to me by a wise woman I know compelled me to seek the holy spirit and pray. I did so. And I immediatly felt a strong peaceful energy surge through me when I was done, I saught out the kid, and apolagised, with words from my heart, and words that were shown to me by the Holy Spirit. And this act changed us both. He quit his gang and went on to live a better life. And I became more peaceful and obediant to the Lord.
One day, after I had finished praying at my local church, I went down to the shops, and was attacked by said gang. Although I had negative feelings of the leader, and once had a strong desire for revenge, I could feel God's presence telling me not to attack. I had no idea what was going on, or why I was to do this, but I obeyed.
He attacked me after I tryed to use diplomacy to resolve the situation, and still being obediant, i refused to strike him. I did however grab him (without hurting him) and held him. I asked him to call this off, and even when he was screaming death threats at me, I still kept a peaceful temperment. His gang watched in bewilderment. Eventually reinforcements came for him, and when he struck me across the face, I ran to a shop.
I still did not understand what was going on. The shop owner called the police, and having better things to do, like giving tickets to people harlot were giving 2 miles over the speed limit, took enough time to come so that they could easily get away. I almost lost my glasses (and I have very bad sight), and not having perfect faith, did I was a little resentful to God over the outcome. I study Tae kwon doe, and I was a brown belt (1 off black), so if I had attacked directly, I would have overcome all 4 of the people who were their.
But anyway, the nexttime I went down their, word of what happened spread, and the leader's reputation had taken a strong hit. This time their were about 10 of them. After some trash talk, to whihc I simply did not respond, they waited for the leader to attack me. Feeling agian that same presence from the Lord, I walked right right the circle, which included walking right by the leader. internally i was scared if these 10 people would attack me, but some part of me trusted the Lord, so I did it anyway, and appeared to be quite confident. On the way back the same thing happened, only after I walked through, i heard them muttering about the leader.
He lost all his respect, the gang crumbled, with many of the members going to better things, the neigbourhood kids who were oppresed by them, were no more, and the leader wasn't seen around agian.
Had I attacked that day, they would have left me alone, but continued their evil.
I wonder how I knew what to do?
