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Because he spoke to me once. It was very strange and very moving at the same time. It was an experience that I have shared with no one except my wife and my priest.
Now, mind you, I am a complete rationalist. I do not go out and ring doorbells, beat bibles, or any of those other things.
I have thought about this question before..As long as I can remember, I have believed in God, even though I didn't "know" him..I always felt something of him..When I was a child, I felt him and associated it with angels watching over me.. As I matured and started asking questions of different peopl about God, I got many different answers..sadly most of the answers were based on their religion or church doctrine..That confused me about who God was besides the crearor..I tried to be what my family and others told me was the truth...I was uncomfortable and I felt I was moving backwards from God...I didn't want to lose touch with the creator, and I told him so..Long story short..I began to search myself and found Gods Spirit was within me and willing to be my teacher.
First of all, it takes more faith to believe something else such as the big bang theory. To say that there was atom that just started to expand evolve into what we call the universe goes against the very laws that these scientist set for themselves. If there was an atom by itself that started evolve or what have you, then that theory goes agaisnt the law of Inertia -
An object at rest tends to stay at rest and an object in motion tends to stay in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.
Even at face value, the big bang theory needs the existance of something greater to "jump start" the evolution.
These scientist that are so "great" can only discover and reason with what they know is to be real. Their logics and laws only stretch as far as their own reasoning will allow it. It was only 400 yrs ago that the great minds of our scientist believed that the earth was flat. They only could come up with theories that fit their worldly beliefs.
One last comment about the big bang theory. Scientist use a formula, some type of mathmatical formula that differentiates between what is possible and what is impossible ( a set number that anything that falls below it is consider impossible), when the scientist used the formula for this theory it fell some 10x times below their set number. But they still cling on to it becuase its the only way to explain the unkown.
I am not bashing scientist becuase of my belief in the Lord, I believe their contributions to our culture is great and that I am actually very thankful because I wouldnt know what to do if I didnt have a car, or a tv...etc...I just think its one thing to be able to invent things such as electricity, cars, planes, etc...and its a another to say they now know how the universe began.
I have no comment besides the fact that you clearly have no idea what the Big Bang is. An expansion from an atom? Come on. I don't think anybody would support such an idea. In addition, there is tons of evidence for the Big Bang.
god and science are not an "either or " choice.
spirituality includes science, and the practice of a spiritual tradition is big enough to hold it all, including science. it is harmonious, not in conflict
as far as believing, doubting, coming to terms with those concerns, great question, great thread.
engage in an active dialogue; relationship with creator (or whatever you want to call your god) is just that, a relationship and as such is a two-way dialogue. Start with the very questions you've put here, and put those out to god (or the universe, or whatever feels comfortable to you) and then be open to whatever guidance, direction, coincedences, message you might get from any source in your life (dreams, books, conversations, articles, songs, whatever)
ask for a sign. I'm big on and often use, "I'm confused about _____ (whatever) and need a sign" and usually add on, "and make it so clear i can't possibly miss it."
this dialogue is like a muscle that is faint and weak at first, and grows stronger with use. like intuition, the more you use it the stronger it becomes and the more you become aware of the very personal and individual ways the Universe (or Creator, or god, or whatever being works for you) interacts with you
I have no comment besides the fact that you clearly have no idea what the Big Bang is. An expansion from an atom? Come on. I don't think anybody would support such an idea. In addition, there is tons of evidence for the Big Bang.
A few months back there was a documentary on AE that talked about the Big Bang Theory, and i dont remember the exact words that were used, but to the best of my memory they said that there was a time in the beginning when there were 1 million trillion anti atoms in the universe and thankfully there was 1 million trillion and 1 atoms, so when they clashed and did whatever they did, there wa 1 postive atom left, from which all life came from.
Granted there might different views and beginings from which this belief is told, but from my understanding, that is what i understood.
I think the Gospel is too "simple" of explanation for some people to believe, it doesnt feed into their human merit or pride or what have you, so it seems completely to simple for that to be true. It makes tooo much sense that would be they way, it has to be something way far out there that we will never have the answer to and so forth.
Its not that hard to believe that a Creator would want to communicate to his creation...
I don't think I've ever believed in god, least can't remember doing so. Those things have strengthened my belief that the loving, compationate, forgiving christian god does not exist.
....or when a person hits such a wall, those very questions can take a person to the very loving compassionate god that indeed does exist (does not belong to any one faith, but belongs to us all, and which in some way shape or form all spiritual traditions seek to describe) and demand some answers, explanations. That is when the real learning begins, because spirituality exists not only to connect us with the divine from which we all come, but to truly answer all of life's big questions, including the very ones which pladecalvo describes so succinctly.
I know exactly what you are feeling. For a very long time I felt myself in that same limbo, feeling his presence occassionally. At times I even talked to him everyday, but I just didn't know if it was all real. Growing up I was taught very little about God or Christ and didn't know what I was missing. As a young adult I began searching everywhere to find something to fill the loneliness that sometimes crept in. I read about Buddhism, Judaism, atheism, and everything in between (including Christianity). Intellectually I knew the major tenets of each of these, but I really wasn't able to develop a longstanding commitment to any of them. I still kept searching...until tonight. After talking/arguing about religion and his Christian beliefs for countless nights over the past four years, I finally pushed my pride, fear, and confusion about God and his plan for me aside. I admitted to myself that I had been so lost and wicked in so many ways for my entire life. It was really scary, but now I feel so much relief. Relief that I don't have to be the smartest, fastest, or best at anything for God to love me. He just does. I know now that I want to seek His Word everyday. I want to please him and develop a deep relationship with Him that even includes joking (I'm a bit of a goof). I really hope that you will be able to recognize His love for you in your own life. He really does love you!! He created you and has molded you into the person that you are. I hope that you and I will both learn to love reading the Bible and taking the Truth He has laid there.
Well the first thing that happens is that you start believing ridiculous stories about all the organisms on this planet... past, present and those yet to be discovered, all fitted onto a small boat, or that people can walk on water, raise the dead and perform various other miracles.
Next, you start to believe that an omnipotent deity who punishes people today for something that two people were supposed to have done thousands of years ago...is 'just, merciful and forgiving'.
Then you start to believe that an omnipotent deity that allows hundreds of thousand of men, women and children to die every year rather than make it rain, is somehow 'loving and compassionate'.
The next stage is to start giving 10% of your income to an organisation that has more accumulated wealth than most countries do.
Finally, you consider that anyone who does not believe in the same god that you do, will be subjected to everlasting torture and that this is perfectly acceptable...because they deserve it.
When all that happens, you know you believe in 'God'.
Well the first thing that happens is that you start believing ridiculous stories about all the organisms on this planet... past, present and those yet to be discovered, all fitted onto a small boat, or that people can walk on water, raise the dead and perform various other miracles.
Next, you start to believe that an omnipotent deity who punishes people today for something that two people were supposed to have done thousands of years ago...is 'just, merciful and forgiving'.
Then you start to believe that an omnipotent deity that allows hundreds of thousand of men, women and children to die every year rather than make it rain, is somehow 'loving and compassionate'.
The next stage is to start giving 10% of your income to an organisation that has more accumulated wealth than most countries do.
Finally, you consider that anyone who does not believe in the same god that you do, will be subjected to everlasting torture and that this is perfectly acceptable...because they deserve it.
When all that happens, you know you believe in 'God'.
Sorry, Rafius . . . that is when you know you "believe IN" RELIGION . . . NOT God. When cruelty, injustice, apathy toward others' suffering, completely self-absorbed life styles, divisiveness among people, greed, lust, envy, jealousy, hatred, vengeance, etc. . . . sicken and sadden you to your very core . . . THEN you know you "believe ON" God (in "love of God and each other.")
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