A believer started a thread insisting that all an atheist, or anyone else for that matter, has to do to “find god” is to look. It seems kind of a silly claim at first, but it is based on another of the innumerable claims of their holy book that turn out empty. This one, for anyone who cares, can be found in the section they call Matthew. It may well be the believer in question honestly thinks he has a point. It may also be that he thinks Noah actually built an Ark.
In reality there is a whole collection of people who sincerely tried to “find god”, only to come up empty; a facet of “knocking” that our ranting Christian friend apparently never considered; that of those who have left faith behind. It is a common misconception that people who used to be members, but then find themselves outside the community of faith, chose to stop believing. It doesn't always work like that.
In fact it is often just the opposite, with every effort made to cling to the faith that is starting to slip away. Renewed dedications to study and church services, endless promises made to one's self to “do better” And yes, sometimes, near desperate prayers that the god would show itself or, at least, send some word of encouragement. Prayers that go deep into the night and come from the bottom of the heart.
When one's entire life has been built on a religious identity, finding that identity starting to falter (often for reasons not understood until years later) is going to ignite a firestorm of internal drama. It often ignites an equal storm among friends and family. After all friends and family have only and ever known this person as a believer, one of the faithful. It is equally likely that, for the truly dedicated, everyone close to them is a believer as well. Such faith does not fail without some serious crashing sounds going on in a life.
Eventually the now-ex-believer realizes that faith has faded completely away. The prayers were never going to be answered, and that all the seeking was in vain. There was simply nothing to find. (Oddly enough, it may be years again before such a person will use the word "atheist" to describe him or herself.)
It is completely untrue that everyone who seeks a god will find one. Indeed, anyone who looks honestly is likely to come up empty handed, not a bad thing at all. Truth is a much more faithful mistress than is faith, and a lot more fun. As for the believer who insists that all who seek will find, nothing will convince him otherwise. It is, after all, in the book. But he really doesn't have a clue.
In reality there is a whole collection of people who sincerely tried to “find god”, only to come up empty; a facet of “knocking” that our ranting Christian friend apparently never considered; that of those who have left faith behind. It is a common misconception that people who used to be members, but then find themselves outside the community of faith, chose to stop believing. It doesn't always work like that.
In fact it is often just the opposite, with every effort made to cling to the faith that is starting to slip away. Renewed dedications to study and church services, endless promises made to one's self to “do better” And yes, sometimes, near desperate prayers that the god would show itself or, at least, send some word of encouragement. Prayers that go deep into the night and come from the bottom of the heart.
When one's entire life has been built on a religious identity, finding that identity starting to falter (often for reasons not understood until years later) is going to ignite a firestorm of internal drama. It often ignites an equal storm among friends and family. After all friends and family have only and ever known this person as a believer, one of the faithful. It is equally likely that, for the truly dedicated, everyone close to them is a believer as well. Such faith does not fail without some serious crashing sounds going on in a life.
Eventually the now-ex-believer realizes that faith has faded completely away. The prayers were never going to be answered, and that all the seeking was in vain. There was simply nothing to find. (Oddly enough, it may be years again before such a person will use the word "atheist" to describe him or herself.)
It is completely untrue that everyone who seeks a god will find one. Indeed, anyone who looks honestly is likely to come up empty handed, not a bad thing at all. Truth is a much more faithful mistress than is faith, and a lot more fun. As for the believer who insists that all who seek will find, nothing will convince him otherwise. It is, after all, in the book. But he really doesn't have a clue.
