Guest aginghipster Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 I am unable to totally turn my back on God. There has to be something. It may not be exactly like the Bible states but there ha sto be something. I am unable in good conscience to proclaim myself an Atheist. I have prayed and I have felt at variosu times some sort of presence. The reality of life is just not meant for mortal man to know. I hope there is no hell. I dont want to go there. For that reason I am compelled to maintain some contact with the Lord. I hope that he does'nt send anyone to Hell including you folks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Star Stuff Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 With all due respect, you are making a HUGE leap in your thinking. We know that our thoughts control our feelings. 100% of the time. It is not possible to have a feeling without a thought behind it. So, the fact that when you pray, (which is nothing more than a thought process), you have some sort of feeling is no surprise. But, you then leap to the enormous conclusion that because you have a feeling, there simply must be a god. Yikes, we wouldn't (and don't) use that pretzel logic in any other area of our lives, so why use it here? See the "Proving that Prayer is a Superstition" video here: www.godisimaginary.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wonderer Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Hi aginghipster, This is a forum for ex-christians - not necessarily for atheists. An ex-christian is not a synonym for atheist. Just to help you keep things in perspective: Christianity=religion=manmade belief system. An ex-christian is someone who no longer subscribes to the manmade belief system known as christianity. It does not mean someone who does not have a personal belief in a deity. The confusion you express is one of the major reasons I'm here, personally: To help people come to grips with the idea that men could create a thing (religion), and then convince people that accepting it is tantamont to accepting that there is a God, while rejecting it is tantamont to choosing to be tormented for eternity. The arrogance of such men is what, if there is such a place as Hell, will get them there much faster than reasoning together on the ex-christian discussion forum! Best regards, Rob I am unable to totally turn my back on God. There has to be something. It may not be exactly like the Bible states but there ha sto be something. I am unable in good conscience to proclaim myself an Atheist. I have prayed and I have felt at variosu times some sort of presence. The reality of life is just not meant for mortal man to know. I hope there is no hell. I dont want to go there. For that reason I am compelled to maintain some contact with the Lord. I hope that he does'nt send anyone to Hell including you folks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mongo Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 AH, I view this site like a hospital that serves out the balm of truth rather than a fortress from which we fight the lies of the bible. In a sense, the latter is true but the former is a far more useful and beneficial function. Maybe you are not ready to jump into an atheist camp. Then don’t! Give yourself time to evaluate your options and absorb some really good information that you can find here and elsewhere. What I consider extremely important is that you find salve for the wounds that fundamentalist or whatever brand of Christianity you came from. Christianity damages people emotionally and also causes them to play nasty head games on other people. There are hordes of stories of people that took up to 25 years to get over the fear put into them by fundamentalist head games. It can take years for people to feel truly free to think for themselves. Don’t rush. People will challenge you to think on this site. That is what I’m telling you to do. Take some time and think. Make changes only when you are ready. Many of us have been herded and manipulated into rushing our decisions to live for god and regret it. Now a days, when people push me, I push back. You are among friends here and we’ll help you explore different views. The first one I suggest you evaluate is your fear of hell. Hell is the most dastardly lie of modern Christians. It is intended to scare you into the fold and nothing else. Do you like being controlled by fear? No one does. That is what hell is all about. Do you remember Jesus telling his followers that he as the sheep herder and they were his sheep? In the bible Jesus didn’t round that analogy out to include the sheep dog so I assume god doesn’t have one. Christians (I believe in the Middle Ages) decided god needed a sheep dog to scare followers into the herd so they invented the hell doctrine. That’s all hell is, a barking dog. There is a thread on getting over fear of hell. It seemed to strike a chord with people here. I recommend you read it. Mongo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_raven23 Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 aginghipster, Abandoning religion (man-made) and abandoning the idea of a supreme being are NOT the same thing. You will find all types here. Welcome to the forum. Rest, Heal, and be at Peace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riverbank Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Hi mate I don't know exactly what's going on in your life that has got you to the position where you are now, but I hope you manage to find the right pathway for you. I have read some books about God from a totally different perspective to the christian view of God, and they were good. Hey life and the meaning of life is a funny old thing sometimes, no? best wishes to you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markkasan Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Hey, Take things slow for a while. Deconversion doesn't happen overnight, and the fears associated with turning one's back away from religion will last for a while, although they lessen over time. I find myself fearing hell as well, so you have company. Take heart that every religion in the world with the exception of certain sects of Buddhism preach damnation for nonbelievers. So, it isn't a uniquely Christian concept. View it as a membership incentive, and you will feel better. best of luck, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piprus Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Welcome, aginghipster: Don't think you have to be an atheist to join in here, this is not a site to promote atheism. This is just a place for those who are no longer christians, and if you're doubting, you'll fit right in. Enjoy this community, and don't be shy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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