Atheists, do you hope you're right?

[Tyrathca]

A few Facts about atheists, according to PEW:

Their numbers have increased, but marginally, over time.

They tend to be male and younger than the general population and four in ten have college degrees.

Hey that sounds like me! My university degree did not include any study of religions or similar for those curious and I considered myself atheist before I got there anyway.

14% of those who call themselves atheists profess a belief in some form of God/universal spirit. I'm guessing this part of the atheist crowd would be in the six out of ten who don't have college educations...or dictionaries.

:chuckle:

 

[noguru]

Belief/disbelief isn't about certainty or knowledge it's about a tendency toward either one or the other. You can't really call yourself an atheist if you tend toward belief but even a more genuine atheist can still have plenty of room for doubt, just as do many theists.

I have always had a tendency towards belief. Even as an agnostic I would often find myself being grateful to a force I felt was divine. I have just grown very cautious of dogmatic traditional views of divinity that are not what they try/seem to be on the surface.

 

[Jamie Gigliotti]

I am not really sure what you are saying there. It sounds good but I see no coherent point.

It is a lonely unfulfilled person who desperately seeks love from others. It is a grateful and content person who gives their love freely to others.

People are often trying to fill that whole with the wrong thing. They seek external validation and sacrifice introspection. A balanced person is not so concerned with external validation, because they realize that others cannot see their path as clearly as they. They persevere whether recognized or not by others, because they know the value of what they seek. They do not need others to confirm its value, though they do seek others for counsel but not as dictators.

 

[Jamie Gigliotti]

I am not really sure what you are saying there. It sounds good but I see no coherent point.

It is a lonely unfulfilled person who desperately seeks love from others. It is a grateful and content person who gives their love freely to others.

People are often trying to fill that whole with the wrong thing. They seek external validation and sacrifice introspection. A balanced person is not so concerned with external validation, because they realize that others cannot see their path as clearly as they. They persevere whether recognized or not by others, because they know the value of what they seek. They do not need others to confirm its value, though they do seek others for counsel but not as dictators.

The point was that it is a pretty darn accepted psychological truth that human being is in the condition of needing love and acceptance. Buddha does describe the suffering of the human condition and sets a path to remedy the suffering, but does not address this need. This need is ingrained in us. Nothing can satisfy it, people are incapable apart from Christ for perfect unconditional agape love that Jesus demonstrates and gives.

 

[noguru]

The point was that it is a pretty darn accepted psychological truth that human being is in the condition of needing love and acceptance. Buddha does describe the suffering of the human condition and sets a path to remedy the suffering, but does not address this need. This need is ingrained in us. Nothing can satisfy it, people are incapable apart from Christ for perfect unconditional agape love that Jesus demonstrates and gives.

We are seeking it because we lack it. How else can you help the world to gain it but to give it?

Buddha was all about giving love freely and accepting the human condition of struggle in much the same way as Christ. You don't get to redefine Buddhism out of ignorance. You are a bit confused, my friend. I sure hope some day you find the true meaning of life. You are looking for the answer from external validation, when all along you held the key. I hope someday you will accept Jesus' words that the kingdom is within you.

I Wish You Peace

 

[bybee]

I have always had a tendency towards belief. Even as an agnostic I would often find myself being grateful to a force I felt was divine. I have just grown very cautious of dogmatic traditional views of divinity that are not what they try/seem to be on the surface.

Dogmatism shuts off growth. Comfort of the known cannot keep us from necessary change.

 

[noguru]

Dogmatism shuts off growth. Comfort of the known cannot keep us from necessary change.

Well said, sister.

 

[noguru]

When we let fear rule our psyche we are not using our frontal lobe to its full capacity. This is why in many military exercises and in the martial arts we are taught to channel fear and hostility into a useful part of our being. It can be a motivator to progress, but if it is overwhelming it blocks us from thinking clearly.

 

[Jamie Gigliotti]

Sure, click here

It's in several parts. I found it interesting and its author certainly sounds sincere.

Regards

He most certainly sounds sincere. I found it to be incredibly sad. In all of His declared faith statements, I did not here him describing the pesonal love and presence connection that I have felt through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. This indescribably good phenomena has validated my step of trust. His presence has convicted my heart soul of His truth and the truth of His word.
I have seen seen prayers answered that that have had no explanation other than the supernatural and I have seen unanswered prayer. It never shook my conviction. The truth is faith is trust. If we are doubting why He does things we are not trusting. There are logical reasons why prayers don't get answered, but they are not all encompassing. From trust not being genuine to Paul who was told by Jesus the thorn in His flesh was intended to keep Him from getting prideful and relying on Him. The point being faith is trusting and relying on God, is so far beyond our mental capacity that we can not fully understand Him. The answer He gives to Job when calamity strikes. I personally had a great personal tragedy, a devastating blow to my heart and soul after I had already known His realness. I never questioned that He existed, but I was extremely angry with Him. My anger was out of the pain that was inflicted and he gently set me back on His truthful path. He has given us free will. People do horrendous things. God could control everything, but that is only robot making. Why would he be interested in that? It is only with the gift of freedom that we can experience a beautiful love that can be by no other way than freedom.

The answer for the battle of truth. The battle for the church. Is that freedom, the Spiritual Battle that even Satan attempted to use against Jesus by distorting God's word and what it means.

I would love to talk to the person in the video's and I am going to attempt to talk to Him. His story is a tragic one.

 

[Jamie Gigliotti]

We are seeking it because we lack it. How else can you help the world to gain it but to give it?

Buddha was all about giving love freely and accepting the human condition of struggle in much the same way as Christ. You don't get to redefine Buddhism out of ignorance. You are a bit confused, my friend. I sure hope some day you find the true meaning of life. You are looking for the answer from external validation, when all along you held the key. I hope someday you will accept Jesus' words that the kingdom is within you.

I Wish You Peace

We give the love He gives us. His kingdom in us is at our acceptance and trust of Him. Him filling us. I pray that one day you feel, you know how wide, how far, how deep is the love that Jesus, Our Father and the Holy Spirit have for you.

 

[noguru]

We give the love He gives us. His kingdom in us is at our acceptance and trust of Him. Him filling us. I pray that one day you feel, you know how wide, how far, how deep is the love that Jesus, Our Father and the Holy Spirit have for you.

Our conception of God is simply a humanly devised concept for the source of love. It is not what it really is. Jesus knew this but conversed with us in ideas we could understand. It is only our way of conceptualizing it. Speaking some words passed down by scientifically illiterate ancestors as a some sort of magical incantation is not the way to love. Love is a sincere attitude and the resulting action. You are simply idolizing your humanly devised conception of God. You do this because you seek external validation from your peers, rather than realizing it is an inside job and it is in perseverance and a reasoned approach that brings fruit.

Good day, my friend. I have to go install Ubuntu on another computer now.

 

[bybee]

When we let fear rule our psyche we are not using our frontal lobe to its full capacity. This is why in many military exercises and in the martial arts we are taught to channel fear and hostility into a useful part of our being. It can be a motivator to progress, but if it is overwhelming it blocks us from thinking clearly.

Fear can grip us by the throat. By an act of will we pry it's fingers loose and moving forward stomp on it's toes.
I have conquered fear, not because I wanted to or because it was easy but because I had to.
I have learned that the way to conquer fear is to look it in the eye and say "Here I come! And damn you to Hell"!

 

[Jamie Gigliotti]

Our conception of God is simply a humanly devised concept for the source of love. It is not what it really is. Jesus knew this but conversed with us in ideas we could understand. It is only our way of conceptualizing it. Speaking some words passed down by scientifically illiterate ancestors as a some sort of magical incantation is not the way to love. Love is a sincere attitude and the resulting action. You are simply idolizing your humanly devised conception of God. You do this because you seek external validation from your peers, rather than realizing it is an inside job and it is in perseverance and a reasoned approach that brings fruit.

Good day, my friend. I have to go install Ubuntu on another computer now.

You may think I am imagining His love and presence, but that doesn't mean it isn't real.

"As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Abide in my love." John 15:9

Your conceptions about Jesus don't align with what He said, what he did or what I have experienced. You reject His personal love for you. It is real. He loves you.

I have not grown compasion for my enemies by my own doing.

Believe me I know what it's like to seek validation/security from my peers. What a losing, miserable existence that was. I have no need for that now. His love secures me.

 

[noguru]

You may think I am imagining His love and presence, but that doesn't mean it isn't real.

"As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Abide in my love." John 15:9

Your conceptions about Jesus don't align with what He said, what he did or what I have experienced. You reject His personal love for you. It is real. He loves you.

I have not grown compasion for my enemies by my own doing.

Of course you have. But he showed us how to do that. That is why he had to become human incarnate.

 

[Jamie Gigliotti]

Of course you have. But he showed us how to do that. That is why he had to become human incarnate.

That is true. It is also true that His real Spiritual Presence, the Holy Spirit moves in our hearts and minds.

 

[Jamie Gigliotti]

Of course you have. But he showed us how to do that. That is why he had to become human incarnate.

I could not even explain how real and good His presence is if I tried. The phrase "High on Jesus" with a real, physical, emotional, spiritual experience could not even begin to give it justice.

 

[Tyrathca]

I could not even explain how real and good His presence is if I tried. The phrase "High on Jesus" with a real, physical, emotional, spiritual experience could not even begin to give it justice.

You do realise that sensation is capable of being felt with not-real things too?

 

[Hedshaker]

He most certainly sounds sincere. I found it to be incredibly sad. In all of His declared faith statements, I did not here him describing the pesonal love and presence connection that I have felt through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. This indescribably good phenomena has validated my step of trust. His presence has convicted my heart soul of His truth and the truth of His word.
I have seen seen prayers answered that that have had no explanation other than the supernatural and I have seen unanswered prayer. It never shook my conviction. The truth is faith is trust. If we are doubting why He does things we are not trusting. There are logical reasons why prayers don't get answered, but they are not all encompassing. From trust not being genuine to Paul who was told by Jesus the thorn in His flesh was intended to keep Him from getting prideful and relying on Him. The point being faith is trusting and relying on God, is so far beyond our mental capacity that we can not fully understand Him. The answer He gives to Job when calamity strikes. I personally had a great personal tragedy, a devastating blow to my heart and soul after I had already known His realness. I never questioned that He existed, but I was extremely angry with Him. My anger was out of the pain that was inflicted and he gently set me back on His truthful path. He has given us free will. People do horrendous things. God could control everything, but that is only robot making. Why would he be interested in that? It is only with the gift of freedom that we can experience a beautiful love that can be by no other way than freedom.

The answer for the battle of truth. The battle for the church. Is that freedom, the Spiritual Battle that even Satan attempted to use against Jesus by distorting God's word and what it means.

I would love to talk to the person in the video's and I am going to attempt to talk to Him. His story is a tragic one.

Well, at least you listened and can see there are people who were once in as deep as you but managed to recover. I do not doubt your sincerity but I've seen not a single shred of evidence that anything is going on outside your head.

But alas, it's your mind to do with as you will.

Regards

 

[serpentdove]

"When we let fear rule our psyche we are not using our frontal lobe to its full capacity. This is why in many military exercises and in the martial arts we are taught to channel fear and hostility into a useful part of our being."

Channel?

"...It can be a motivator to progress, but if it is overwhelming it blocks us from thinking clearly."

Fear of hell is an excellent motivator (Pr 9:10, Mt 10:28, Phil 2:12). :burnlib:

 

[serpentdove]

Fear can grip us by the throat. By an act of will we pry it's fingers loose and moving forward stomp on it's toes.
I have conquered fear, not because I wanted to or because it was easy but because I had to.
I have learned that the way to conquer fear is to look it in the eye and say "Here I come! And damn you to Hell"!

Ro 8:15