<![CDATA[Atheist Forums - Christianity]]> https://atheistforums.org/ Wed, 13 May 2026 17:11:31 +0000 MyBB <![CDATA[My thread for Charity :) x]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66672.html Thu, 30 Apr 2026 16:37:31 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66672.html I am Jewish by blood but appalled by what the Jews have done to Gaza. They even allowed Children to starve Sad
You would have thought they would have learned compassion after what Hitler did to them but apparently not they have allowed Children to starve.
I would sort of say I am Christian but I don't believe people go to Hell so I am not sure what I am. 
I am still going to say Christian.
Now I am God
Well not God I am St Christopher and Jesus 
Man and Angel God but not actual God
Hello to everyone Smile]]> I am Jewish by blood but appalled by what the Jews have done to Gaza. They even allowed Children to starve Sad
You would have thought they would have learned compassion after what Hitler did to them but apparently not they have allowed Children to starve.
I would sort of say I am Christian but I don't believe people go to Hell so I am not sure what I am. 
I am still going to say Christian.
Now I am God
Well not God I am St Christopher and Jesus 
Man and Angel God but not actual God
Hello to everyone Smile]]> <![CDATA[Jesus' resurrection was prophesized?]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66570.html Tue, 25 Nov 2025 04:16:04 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66570.html Those who saw the resurrected Jesus, saw prophecy fulfilled.

Which is, in best case, debatable because you can go back and say that the Bible said anything you want.

Look at it this way: if Jesus's resurrection was clearly prophesized in the Bible long time before Jesus was born, then, when he was in the grave, you would expect hundreds of people waiting outside for the famous prophecy to be fulfilled, but no.

Even the gospels claim that Jesus' resurrection was discovered by a woman (or group of women) who happened to be there.]]> Those who saw the resurrected Jesus, saw prophecy fulfilled.

Which is, in best case, debatable because you can go back and say that the Bible said anything you want.

Look at it this way: if Jesus's resurrection was clearly prophesized in the Bible long time before Jesus was born, then, when he was in the grave, you would expect hundreds of people waiting outside for the famous prophecy to be fulfilled, but no.

Even the gospels claim that Jesus' resurrection was discovered by a woman (or group of women) who happened to be there.]]> <![CDATA[Psalms 14:1 is not about intellectual atheism]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66520.html Tue, 19 Aug 2025 16:09:54 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66520.html Psalm 14

Psalm 14:1
Quote: The fool says in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does good.

Many people who read this think this is saying something negative about those who deny the existence of God, but (IIRC) atheism in this sense is not something that is considered anywhere in the Old Testament.

Instead, the attack is on those who are “moral atheists”, those that live as if God is not watching them, so instead of calling on God, they do what are deemed morally vile things, including oppressing the chosen people of God. This is made clear in the rest of the Psalm.

Funnily enough, despite the wording, Psalm 14:1 doesn’t even support the Christian doctrine that no man is righteous. But that’s another topic for another day.]]> Psalm 14

Psalm 14:1
Quote: The fool says in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does good.

Many people who read this think this is saying something negative about those who deny the existence of God, but (IIRC) atheism in this sense is not something that is considered anywhere in the Old Testament.

Instead, the attack is on those who are “moral atheists”, those that live as if God is not watching them, so instead of calling on God, they do what are deemed morally vile things, including oppressing the chosen people of God. This is made clear in the rest of the Psalm.

Funnily enough, despite the wording, Psalm 14:1 doesn’t even support the Christian doctrine that no man is righteous. But that’s another topic for another day.]]> <![CDATA[It is a bit frustrating reading through Ecclesiastes]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66517.html Sun, 17 Aug 2025 05:57:49 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66517.html
You guys all know about Ecclesiastes, how it is considered a favorite among atheists because it sort of reads like a work from an ancient Israelite Nietzsche. And actually, I would consider the Teacher (the author of the core message in Ecclesiastes) to be like a proto-Nietzsche. The guy is cynical as fuck and loves pointing out how everything is meaningless. And the philosophy itself is interesting and engaging.

But what is annoying is seeing what appear to be injections by later scribes who may have found the message valuable enough to include in the canon (as it speaks to the suffering of the Jews and such) but nevertheless too "unorthodox" to leave untouched. So they basically had to insert their commentaries into the text and fuck with its intended core message: that everything is meaningless and you should just enjoy your life.

Thus, you get stuff like this:

Ecclesiastes 4:

Quote:The Teacher:
And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
The naughty scribes:
Fools fold their hands and ruin themselves.

The Teacher:
Again I saw something meaningless under the sun: There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil,yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. “For whom am I toiling,” he asked, “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?” This too is meaningless—a miserable business!
The naughty scribes:
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Notice how they fuck up the original points.

The Teacher is deriding hard work and accomplishments, pointing out how it's all meaningless. The editors then had to add that laziness is not good either; better to be neither lazy nor a workaholic.

While the Teacher points out how futile it is to have all the wealth a man can have, the later scribes changed this point and made it about how important it is to have friends/companions.

Another example in Chapter 3:

Ecclesiastes 3:16-17 Wrote:And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment—wickedness was there, in the place of justice—wickedness was there.
I said to myself, “God will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed.”
]]>
You guys all know about Ecclesiastes, how it is considered a favorite among atheists because it sort of reads like a work from an ancient Israelite Nietzsche. And actually, I would consider the Teacher (the author of the core message in Ecclesiastes) to be like a proto-Nietzsche. The guy is cynical as fuck and loves pointing out how everything is meaningless. And the philosophy itself is interesting and engaging.

But what is annoying is seeing what appear to be injections by later scribes who may have found the message valuable enough to include in the canon (as it speaks to the suffering of the Jews and such) but nevertheless too "unorthodox" to leave untouched. So they basically had to insert their commentaries into the text and fuck with its intended core message: that everything is meaningless and you should just enjoy your life.

Thus, you get stuff like this:

Ecclesiastes 4:

Quote:The Teacher:
And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
The naughty scribes:
Fools fold their hands and ruin themselves.

The Teacher:
Again I saw something meaningless under the sun: There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil,yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. “For whom am I toiling,” he asked, “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?” This too is meaningless—a miserable business!
The naughty scribes:
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Notice how they fuck up the original points.

The Teacher is deriding hard work and accomplishments, pointing out how it's all meaningless. The editors then had to add that laziness is not good either; better to be neither lazy nor a workaholic.

While the Teacher points out how futile it is to have all the wealth a man can have, the later scribes changed this point and made it about how important it is to have friends/companions.

Another example in Chapter 3:

Ecclesiastes 3:16-17 Wrote:And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment—wickedness was there, in the place of justice—wickedness was there.
I said to myself, “God will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed.”
]]> <![CDATA[Proverbs 30:4 - The son is rhetorical]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66514.html Wed, 13 Aug 2025 14:25:44 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66514.html Proverbs 30

Proverbs 30:4 says:

Proverbs 30:4 Wrote:Who has gone up to heaven and come down?
Whose hands have gathered up the wind?
Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is his name, and what is the name of his son?
Surely you know!

Bold mine. A Christian may read this part and think "Hey, this is referring to God and his Son, Jesus!"

But, once again, paying attention to the context helps. Agur, the sage of this chapter, is not talking about God at all here. He is sarcastically asking about this human person who can do all these amazing things that only God can do.

Basically, it's like this:

Who is this amazing person? Give me his name, along with the name of his son, so we may find him and praise him for his awesomeness!

It's not about God (the Father) and Jesus, but about a human who just cannot possibly exist but is sarcastically assumed. The son is asked about here probably because if it's anything like in my culture, a father was sometimes identified in ancient Israel by the name of their oldest son.]]> Proverbs 30

Proverbs 30:4 says:

Proverbs 30:4 Wrote:Who has gone up to heaven and come down?
Whose hands have gathered up the wind?
Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is his name, and what is the name of his son?
Surely you know!

Bold mine. A Christian may read this part and think "Hey, this is referring to God and his Son, Jesus!"

But, once again, paying attention to the context helps. Agur, the sage of this chapter, is not talking about God at all here. He is sarcastically asking about this human person who can do all these amazing things that only God can do.

Basically, it's like this:

Who is this amazing person? Give me his name, along with the name of his son, so we may find him and praise him for his awesomeness!

It's not about God (the Father) and Jesus, but about a human who just cannot possibly exist but is sarcastically assumed. The son is asked about here probably because if it's anything like in my culture, a father was sometimes identified in ancient Israel by the name of their oldest son.]]> <![CDATA[Genesis 1:26 is not implying God is triune]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66513.html Tue, 12 Aug 2025 16:27:04 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66513.html Genesis 1

Genesis 1:26 Wrote:Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

As you can see in the above verse, the plural pronoun "us" is used as the model that human beings are based on. Christians then latch on to this to argue that it is referring to the Trinity. But as always, that interpretation is forced, especially since the Old Testament doesn't outright state (or even imply) that God is a trinity.

What we do see in various passages in the OT are mentions of "sons of God". Not just in Genesis but elsewhere, such as in Psalms and Job. These are the ones God is very likely speaking to in Genesis 1:26.





Of course, Christian apologists are a clever bunch and have some stock responses to this latter interpretation. So one point to keep in mind:

Genesis 1 is not about the creation of the heavenly beings but the creation of the heavens (skies) and earth (land) and everything in them (and in the waters), so Christians who argue it doesn't make sense that God would speak to his creation about creation misunderstand the point of Genesis 1.

Now if any Christian is reading this and would like to share one or more counters to this, I'm all ears.]]> Genesis 1

Genesis 1:26 Wrote:Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

As you can see in the above verse, the plural pronoun "us" is used as the model that human beings are based on. Christians then latch on to this to argue that it is referring to the Trinity. But as always, that interpretation is forced, especially since the Old Testament doesn't outright state (or even imply) that God is a trinity.

What we do see in various passages in the OT are mentions of "sons of God". Not just in Genesis but elsewhere, such as in Psalms and Job. These are the ones God is very likely speaking to in Genesis 1:26.





Of course, Christian apologists are a clever bunch and have some stock responses to this latter interpretation. So one point to keep in mind:

Genesis 1 is not about the creation of the heavenly beings but the creation of the heavens (skies) and earth (land) and everything in them (and in the waters), so Christians who argue it doesn't make sense that God would speak to his creation about creation misunderstand the point of Genesis 1.

Now if any Christian is reading this and would like to share one or more counters to this, I'm all ears.]]> <![CDATA[Are you fan of "Sinead O Connor"]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66497.html Fri, 18 Jul 2025 03:25:34 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66497.html
She is known for basically calling out sex abuse by Catholic Clergymen, but at the time nobody believed her, until John Paul II decided to say it was true later.

I guess the only way i can think could heal people, would be to heal it over time as (Walker) from Walker Texas Ranger from episode 1+2 talked about. Though the scars will still be there]]>
She is known for basically calling out sex abuse by Catholic Clergymen, but at the time nobody believed her, until John Paul II decided to say it was true later.

I guess the only way i can think could heal people, would be to heal it over time as (Walker) from Walker Texas Ranger from episode 1+2 talked about. Though the scars will still be there]]> <![CDATA[Psalm 110 is about the Israelite king, not Jesus Christ]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66493.html Sun, 13 Jul 2025 03:38:28 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66493.html Psalm 110 (NIV)

The first verse in Psalm 110 says:


Quote:The LORD says to my lord:


Jesus in the New Testament quoted this verse and somehow stunned the Pharisees into silence because he questioned that a son of David could have been called 'lord' by David himself. Christians of course latch onto passages like this to argue that Psalm 110 is about Christ because look at what Jesus himself said.

The problem is that if you go with the most parsimonious reading of the text, considering the original intent of the psalmist and ignoring all later interpretations in line with later beliefs, there is nothing to suggest that David was the psalmist here, other than perhaps the title/superscription of the Psalm (which would have been a later ascription anyway). One thing clear to me is that the psalm is either ABOUT David or some Israelite king in power at the time, so I don't think any king came up with this psalm, and the psalm was probably authored by some poet/singer who sang praises to the king at the time.

Either way, it is a mistake to confidently ascribe the authorship of this Psalm to David.

Nevertheless, Christians may counter by latching on to a later verse about how this Lord is said to be "a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek". So how could an Israelite king have been a priest also, when only Levites could have been priests?

Fair question, but these Psalms are forms of poetry, and people should not take this verse to mean that the Israelite king was a priest in the Levitical sense. There's a reason it says "in the order of Melchizedek" as opposed to something like "in the order of Aaron".

And if you read elsewhere in the Old Testament, such as in Chronicles, the king was priestly in some of the roles he took on. For example, he would lead the people of Israel in prayer and in sacrifices even. And his relationship with God was not more distant than the one the priest would have with God. So the verse is a poetic way of saying that God approves of the king (including his services on behalf of the people) and in an ethereal and divine sense (like how Melchizedek was in an ethereal sense both a king and priest of God).

So once again, a passage in the Old Testament that Christians interpret as speaking of Christ (in the future legendary sense) when a better reading suggests otherwise.]]> Psalm 110 (NIV)

The first verse in Psalm 110 says:


Quote:The LORD says to my lord:


Jesus in the New Testament quoted this verse and somehow stunned the Pharisees into silence because he questioned that a son of David could have been called 'lord' by David himself. Christians of course latch onto passages like this to argue that Psalm 110 is about Christ because look at what Jesus himself said.

The problem is that if you go with the most parsimonious reading of the text, considering the original intent of the psalmist and ignoring all later interpretations in line with later beliefs, there is nothing to suggest that David was the psalmist here, other than perhaps the title/superscription of the Psalm (which would have been a later ascription anyway). One thing clear to me is that the psalm is either ABOUT David or some Israelite king in power at the time, so I don't think any king came up with this psalm, and the psalm was probably authored by some poet/singer who sang praises to the king at the time.

Either way, it is a mistake to confidently ascribe the authorship of this Psalm to David.

Nevertheless, Christians may counter by latching on to a later verse about how this Lord is said to be "a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek". So how could an Israelite king have been a priest also, when only Levites could have been priests?

Fair question, but these Psalms are forms of poetry, and people should not take this verse to mean that the Israelite king was a priest in the Levitical sense. There's a reason it says "in the order of Melchizedek" as opposed to something like "in the order of Aaron".

And if you read elsewhere in the Old Testament, such as in Chronicles, the king was priestly in some of the roles he took on. For example, he would lead the people of Israel in prayer and in sacrifices even. And his relationship with God was not more distant than the one the priest would have with God. So the verse is a poetic way of saying that God approves of the king (including his services on behalf of the people) and in an ethereal and divine sense (like how Melchizedek was in an ethereal sense both a king and priest of God).

So once again, a passage in the Old Testament that Christians interpret as speaking of Christ (in the future legendary sense) when a better reading suggests otherwise.]]> <![CDATA[Maybe controversial - Religion IS bad, but.....]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66470.html Tue, 24 Jun 2025 02:46:59 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66470.html <![CDATA[Failed prophecy in the bible if one cares to look]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66467.html Sun, 22 Jun 2025 02:28:34 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66467.html
Critics say that the prophecy says Tyre will never be rebuilt and yet it was.

Christians respond by saying that the prophesy really says is Tyre will never regain its independence wealth and power.

They assert confidently that history shows it was never independent again and never regained its wealth power, glory, in all history...

That can sound very convincing and hard to beat when they state it with so much confidence.

Well lets just see if that's true.

Google search: how rich and influential was Tyre compared to other cities at the time Nebuchednezzer sieged it

It shows Tyre was indeed the wealthiest, most powerful etc. of the time (excluding the super powers of the day)

Awhile later Alexander the Great sieged it.
We know the city was soon rebuilt because historical documents say the Seleucid empire took control of the city of Tyre (can be found on Google).
The Seleucid empire then lost control of it and Tyre became an independent republic (also can be found on Google).
The Seleucid empire continued to try to regain control of the city but failed.

Google search: how rich and influential was Tyre compared to other cities at the time the Seleucids tried to control it

Google shows how Tyre was again the wealthiest, most powerful etc. of the time (also excluding the super powers of the day). Really.

Unfortunately, and of course, I can't get and research the actual historical documents concerning these two periods to fully prove it for myself.

Even so, I think common sense says Tyre regained its wealth, power and independence.

Thus the biblical prophecy failed.

bah would have put the links in but they were too large and didn't know how to shorten them, if even possible....]]>
Critics say that the prophecy says Tyre will never be rebuilt and yet it was.

Christians respond by saying that the prophesy really says is Tyre will never regain its independence wealth and power.

They assert confidently that history shows it was never independent again and never regained its wealth power, glory, in all history...

That can sound very convincing and hard to beat when they state it with so much confidence.

Well lets just see if that's true.

Google search: how rich and influential was Tyre compared to other cities at the time Nebuchednezzer sieged it

It shows Tyre was indeed the wealthiest, most powerful etc. of the time (excluding the super powers of the day)

Awhile later Alexander the Great sieged it.
We know the city was soon rebuilt because historical documents say the Seleucid empire took control of the city of Tyre (can be found on Google).
The Seleucid empire then lost control of it and Tyre became an independent republic (also can be found on Google).
The Seleucid empire continued to try to regain control of the city but failed.

Google search: how rich and influential was Tyre compared to other cities at the time the Seleucids tried to control it

Google shows how Tyre was again the wealthiest, most powerful etc. of the time (also excluding the super powers of the day). Really.

Unfortunately, and of course, I can't get and research the actual historical documents concerning these two periods to fully prove it for myself.

Even so, I think common sense says Tyre regained its wealth, power and independence.

Thus the biblical prophecy failed.

bah would have put the links in but they were too large and didn't know how to shorten them, if even possible....]]> <![CDATA[Why are Christians afraid of Gay People?]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66384.html Fri, 04 Apr 2025 03:43:24 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66384.html
Less than 10% of the U.S. Population identifies as homosexual AND all the other letters and the plus sign combined. They aren't over throwing anything. In fact they own less guns and are far more likely to be the ones shot by said guns. Now I'm all for shooting for sport but this isn't even a contest. They aren't a threat to anybody save your erotic sexy mind you pervert you.

Seriously, why are people upset about this?]]>
Less than 10% of the U.S. Population identifies as homosexual AND all the other letters and the plus sign combined. They aren't over throwing anything. In fact they own less guns and are far more likely to be the ones shot by said guns. Now I'm all for shooting for sport but this isn't even a contest. They aren't a threat to anybody save your erotic sexy mind you pervert you.

Seriously, why are people upset about this?]]> <![CDATA[I will only ban Homosexual marriage, on one condition]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66354.html Wed, 05 Mar 2025 12:29:22 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66354.html But Catholics and Orthodox Christians better allow it on the mouth. If not then its like what Chief Wiggum from Simpsons said, which is (The bible says alot of things)

( Then, after the consecration of the Holy Sacrifice of God, because He wished us also to be His sacrifice, a fact which was made clear when the Holy Sacrifice was first instituted, and because that Sacrifice is a sign of what we are, behold, when the Sacrifice is finished, we say the Lord's Prayer which you have received and recited. After this, the 'Peace be with you' is said, and the Christians embrace one another with the holy kiss. This is a sign of peace; as the lips indicate, let peace be made in your conscience, that is, when your lips draw near to those of your brother, do not let your heart withdraw from his. Hence, these are great and powerful sacraments. — St. Augustine ))

The overall reason for why i want "Holy Kiss" in its original form back is. Christians are often seen as massive hypocrites on picking and choosing. So if Love is what matters, then clearly this shouldnt be a problem.]]> But Catholics and Orthodox Christians better allow it on the mouth. If not then its like what Chief Wiggum from Simpsons said, which is (The bible says alot of things)

( Then, after the consecration of the Holy Sacrifice of God, because He wished us also to be His sacrifice, a fact which was made clear when the Holy Sacrifice was first instituted, and because that Sacrifice is a sign of what we are, behold, when the Sacrifice is finished, we say the Lord's Prayer which you have received and recited. After this, the 'Peace be with you' is said, and the Christians embrace one another with the holy kiss. This is a sign of peace; as the lips indicate, let peace be made in your conscience, that is, when your lips draw near to those of your brother, do not let your heart withdraw from his. Hence, these are great and powerful sacraments. — St. Augustine ))

The overall reason for why i want "Holy Kiss" in its original form back is. Christians are often seen as massive hypocrites on picking and choosing. So if Love is what matters, then clearly this shouldnt be a problem.]]> <![CDATA[Women on period]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66317.html Wed, 29 Jan 2025 19:53:21 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66317.html
And suppose I want to obey that God's command. How can I tell if a woman is on her period? Especially since most women take offense when you ask them.]]>
And suppose I want to obey that God's command. How can I tell if a woman is on her period? Especially since most women take offense when you ask them.]]> <![CDATA[The Delusions Are Real]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66172.html Tue, 22 Oct 2024 00:19:59 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66172.html Administrator Notice
Link removed per 30/30 rule.  The other posts/threads will be deleted.  If you don't see a post show up right away it may be in the spam filter. 
Woman claims she witnessed heaven and hell after being dead for 11 minutes, then came back to tell her peeps all about it.

Sure, this kind of stuff happens all the time, but what I found interesting was how specific the questions were about her baby and aging. It seems she needed answers...

Our brain can make us see all kinds of things that we want to see (or not). When my Dad had dementia he was convinced he was on his old ship, painting while eating cookies and asking me to hand him the box, even though he was laying in a hospital bed. He could still recognize me (the reality), while at the same time living in the delusion.

So, I conclude that when people die (or are dying), their mind projects whatever reflects their own personal beliefs, memories and thoughts. She sees what she wants to see...heaven good, hell bad....but then comes back to life with those visions as "proof" of an afterlife, even though it's just like any other delusion, and the uncritical non-thinkers lap it up. Tell us more! Does Aunt Sara still have that scar on her forehead? Are there unicorns??

My Dad was sure he was sailing before dying, but that didn't make it so....]]> Administrator Notice
Link removed per 30/30 rule.  The other posts/threads will be deleted.  If you don't see a post show up right away it may be in the spam filter. 
Woman claims she witnessed heaven and hell after being dead for 11 minutes, then came back to tell her peeps all about it.

Sure, this kind of stuff happens all the time, but what I found interesting was how specific the questions were about her baby and aging. It seems she needed answers...

Our brain can make us see all kinds of things that we want to see (or not). When my Dad had dementia he was convinced he was on his old ship, painting while eating cookies and asking me to hand him the box, even though he was laying in a hospital bed. He could still recognize me (the reality), while at the same time living in the delusion.

So, I conclude that when people die (or are dying), their mind projects whatever reflects their own personal beliefs, memories and thoughts. She sees what she wants to see...heaven good, hell bad....but then comes back to life with those visions as "proof" of an afterlife, even though it's just like any other delusion, and the uncritical non-thinkers lap it up. Tell us more! Does Aunt Sara still have that scar on her forehead? Are there unicorns??

My Dad was sure he was sailing before dying, but that didn't make it so....]]> <![CDATA[I believe the Bible is God's Word]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66119.html Sat, 07 Sep 2024 13:38:12 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66119.html <![CDATA[Christianity is unsafe for your health]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66107.html Wed, 04 Sep 2024 03:28:40 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66107.html info@atheists.org
I received on Saturday, Aug 31, 2024

Quote:Earlier this month, Gallup released a troubling new poll. Among its findings:

TITLE = Far Fewer in U.S. Regard Childhood Vaccinations as Important
Decline occurs among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents
Source:
https://news.gallup.com/poll/648308/far-...id=8326847


Only 40% of Americans say vaccinating their children is essential, down from 58% in 2019.
Just 51% of Americans believe the government should require children to be vaccinated, down from 62% in 2019.
1 in 5 adults in the United States believe vaccines are more dangerous than the diseases they are designed to prevent.

The pollsters reported “the declining belief in the importance of vaccines is essentially confined to Republicans and Republican-leaning independents.” This aligns with other research that’s found vaccine denialism occurs across the political spectrum but tends to skew conservative.


^^^^^That's a rapid drop in numbers for the USA.
I wonder how do the numbers look for Canada and related countries? Come on Gallup!

Quote:TITLE = For COVID-19 vaccinations, party affiliation matters more than race and ethnicity
Source:
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/for-c...id=8326847

There is no reason to believe that these gaps in vaccination rates will disappear anytime soon. According to Gallup, 40% of Republicans “don’t plan” to get vaccinated, versus 26% of Independents and just 3% of Democrats. In response to a more sharply worded KFF question, 23% of Republicans report that they will “definitely not” get vaccinated, compared to 11% of Independents and just 4% of Democrats.

^^^^^Maybe the independent types are the kind of people that tell me "stop being a sheep or a sheople".

Quote:Religiosity, too, is a contributing factor in vaccine rejection. An analysis released this week found, for example, “Catholics have a significantly lower COVID-19 vaccine intention than atheists, and this relationship was mediated by lower belief in science among Catholics.”

^^^^^That line was in the email.]]> info@atheists.org
I received on Saturday, Aug 31, 2024

Quote:Earlier this month, Gallup released a troubling new poll. Among its findings:

TITLE = Far Fewer in U.S. Regard Childhood Vaccinations as Important
Decline occurs among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents
Source:
https://news.gallup.com/poll/648308/far-...id=8326847


Only 40% of Americans say vaccinating their children is essential, down from 58% in 2019.
Just 51% of Americans believe the government should require children to be vaccinated, down from 62% in 2019.
1 in 5 adults in the United States believe vaccines are more dangerous than the diseases they are designed to prevent.

The pollsters reported “the declining belief in the importance of vaccines is essentially confined to Republicans and Republican-leaning independents.” This aligns with other research that’s found vaccine denialism occurs across the political spectrum but tends to skew conservative.


^^^^^That's a rapid drop in numbers for the USA.
I wonder how do the numbers look for Canada and related countries? Come on Gallup!

Quote:TITLE = For COVID-19 vaccinations, party affiliation matters more than race and ethnicity
Source:
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/for-c...id=8326847

There is no reason to believe that these gaps in vaccination rates will disappear anytime soon. According to Gallup, 40% of Republicans “don’t plan” to get vaccinated, versus 26% of Independents and just 3% of Democrats. In response to a more sharply worded KFF question, 23% of Republicans report that they will “definitely not” get vaccinated, compared to 11% of Independents and just 4% of Democrats.

^^^^^Maybe the independent types are the kind of people that tell me "stop being a sheep or a sheople".

Quote:Religiosity, too, is a contributing factor in vaccine rejection. An analysis released this week found, for example, “Catholics have a significantly lower COVID-19 vaccine intention than atheists, and this relationship was mediated by lower belief in science among Catholics.”

^^^^^That line was in the email.]]> <![CDATA[What seems to be the latest claim about end times belief]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-65945.html Thu, 16 May 2024 14:13:09 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-65945.html
My mother is still a fundie, and she was largely responsible for my indoctrination (my father having been largely indifferent). I sometimes get an earful of what the latest bs desperate attempts are by the likes of the SBC to continue arguing for an impending rapture. Various family members conveniently forget that they have been hearing interpretations and claims on the imminent nature of this supposed event since the 70s at least. 

The current theory seems to be that there is a 27 nation European Coalition that somehow represents a rebirth of the ancient Roman empire and that there is somehow going to be a "wealth redistribution" as a result of the demand for Middle Eastern oil. This, combined with the current events in Israel is believed to lead the the rapture. Forget the fact that everyone was once convinced that the rapture would follow a Russian invasion of Israel and who knows how many other whacky theories. 

Do other member of this board endure such lunatic thoughts from relatives? Lol.]]>
My mother is still a fundie, and she was largely responsible for my indoctrination (my father having been largely indifferent). I sometimes get an earful of what the latest bs desperate attempts are by the likes of the SBC to continue arguing for an impending rapture. Various family members conveniently forget that they have been hearing interpretations and claims on the imminent nature of this supposed event since the 70s at least. 

The current theory seems to be that there is a 27 nation European Coalition that somehow represents a rebirth of the ancient Roman empire and that there is somehow going to be a "wealth redistribution" as a result of the demand for Middle Eastern oil. This, combined with the current events in Israel is believed to lead the the rapture. Forget the fact that everyone was once convinced that the rapture would follow a Russian invasion of Israel and who knows how many other whacky theories. 

Do other member of this board endure such lunatic thoughts from relatives? Lol.]]> <![CDATA[The Never-Ending and Quite Exasperating Debate We All Know of]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-65906.html Wed, 10 Apr 2024 15:50:02 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-65906.html  
https://www.yahoo.com/news/arizona-top-c...27591.html
 
The second thing I want to do is to mention an important Yogi (Yaggadish Vassudev / Sadhguru). In one of his video he says that “Between 8 and 10 weeks; Life is currently experimenting with this new life form” Meaning that if you have an understandable reason, you may decide to end that life form like you may end the life of a frozen egg of the life of sperms for instance.
So that’s the spiritual approach here. The only thing Sadhguru is warning us about is, for instance “When you are 5 month pregnant, your fiancé decides to leave you, so suddenly you want to stop being pregnant”. One could argue that this is rather irresponsible for both parents. Also in the ethical approach in general (just like in the issue of euthanasia for instance) there are (and has to be) some limits. You can’t (for instance) issue death pills and let adolescents have them if they decide to. That’s not how these things are supposed to work Smile
 
The third idea here is the debate on population. Birth rates in countries like Portugal, Italy, Greece are in free fall for decades now:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/losing-battle...04285.html
 
But who says that’s a bad thing? Again I am going to mention Sadhguru (or Yaggadish Vasudev): He once said that the ideal population for this planet id 4 billion. The current 8 / 10 Billion is excessive. It’s excessive even if we were to manage resources in a better way. If we were just 4 billion, we could keep burning fossil fuels, use plastic packaging as much as we want to, take long showers etc. and nature would be able to find a way before we get to getting at least 2/3rd of us killed because of severe environmental collapse in some form.
Actually, I think we will get to a point in which we may be forced to afford some sort of “single child policy” if we want to keep inhabiting the earth.
 
The fourth point might be the issue of chastity. This is a huge issue in Eastern religions that has reached gigantic proportions in the last few decades. The simple truth on this is actually very simple: In ancient agricultural communities, when you had two young bodies working in proximity with one another and producing all forms of pheromones etc. things could happen between these bodies whether they wanted of not. So one solution was marriage at a young age. This was useful especially when young men were recruited into armies. It allowed you to maintain the genes even when you lost the individuals. The other was (of course) religion.
 
This is out of context but here is the typical headscarf for middle class women in my country in the 60’s or 70’s. The Iranian “hijab” is actually a political perversion. The Arabic-Yemeni Hijab is not a perversion because they are desert people who need to be all covered-up both male and female.

[Image: 330px-H%C3%BClya_Ko%C3%A7yi%C4%9Fit_1964.jpg]

[Image: koylu-kadinlar.jpg?w=750&ssl=1]

(Above 1) city woman of the 60's / 70's 
2) Peasant women of the same era in Turkey = normal way of wearing the Hijap mostly in this whole region.

Below: Arabian peninsula dress (completelly coevered up dress that protects them from the elements in a very harsh climate:

[Image: depositphotos_166326356-stock-photo-musl...n-cafe.jpg]

(bellow= 21st century nonsense that is a result of a distorted interpretation of religious teachings:

[Image: ?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brig...1ba5725f0e]


 
So this perverted Hijab is there to protect a semi-mystical concept called “Namos” (Chastity). In north Africa they go as far as female genital mutilation. These are (in its basis) primitive inventions to keep the young and healthy bodies who are producing effort and sweating under the sun while doing agricultural work from joining one another. That’s all it is. Smile
 
Less educated people tend to be more impulsive and more physical in their way of living in comparison to us. More civilized / self-controlling people. So part of the solution was (I’m talking about millennia old beliefs) to tell them that this was a “tabu” never to be thought of / never to be even considered (for fear of being rejected by the community + for fear of committing a huge “sin” against God or whatever they see as their deity).
 
So again: Reason must be our guide here. Some people seem to be treating politics like some sort of ball game in which each one is supporting two opposing teams in a very hooligan manner. Can there be no bipartisan compromise to this whole issue that takes into account the logical aspects of each opposing party and then ends up with a legal solution that works as a tool to promote human life and wellbeing?
 
Personally: I don’t believe in purely dogmatic / fanatical approaches in any kind. I think these two are not compatible with any form of genuine spirituality.]]>  
https://www.yahoo.com/news/arizona-top-c...27591.html
 
The second thing I want to do is to mention an important Yogi (Yaggadish Vassudev / Sadhguru). In one of his video he says that “Between 8 and 10 weeks; Life is currently experimenting with this new life form” Meaning that if you have an understandable reason, you may decide to end that life form like you may end the life of a frozen egg of the life of sperms for instance.
So that’s the spiritual approach here. The only thing Sadhguru is warning us about is, for instance “When you are 5 month pregnant, your fiancé decides to leave you, so suddenly you want to stop being pregnant”. One could argue that this is rather irresponsible for both parents. Also in the ethical approach in general (just like in the issue of euthanasia for instance) there are (and has to be) some limits. You can’t (for instance) issue death pills and let adolescents have them if they decide to. That’s not how these things are supposed to work Smile
 
The third idea here is the debate on population. Birth rates in countries like Portugal, Italy, Greece are in free fall for decades now:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/losing-battle...04285.html
 
But who says that’s a bad thing? Again I am going to mention Sadhguru (or Yaggadish Vasudev): He once said that the ideal population for this planet id 4 billion. The current 8 / 10 Billion is excessive. It’s excessive even if we were to manage resources in a better way. If we were just 4 billion, we could keep burning fossil fuels, use plastic packaging as much as we want to, take long showers etc. and nature would be able to find a way before we get to getting at least 2/3rd of us killed because of severe environmental collapse in some form.
Actually, I think we will get to a point in which we may be forced to afford some sort of “single child policy” if we want to keep inhabiting the earth.
 
The fourth point might be the issue of chastity. This is a huge issue in Eastern religions that has reached gigantic proportions in the last few decades. The simple truth on this is actually very simple: In ancient agricultural communities, when you had two young bodies working in proximity with one another and producing all forms of pheromones etc. things could happen between these bodies whether they wanted of not. So one solution was marriage at a young age. This was useful especially when young men were recruited into armies. It allowed you to maintain the genes even when you lost the individuals. The other was (of course) religion.
 
This is out of context but here is the typical headscarf for middle class women in my country in the 60’s or 70’s. The Iranian “hijab” is actually a political perversion. The Arabic-Yemeni Hijab is not a perversion because they are desert people who need to be all covered-up both male and female.

[Image: 330px-H%C3%BClya_Ko%C3%A7yi%C4%9Fit_1964.jpg]

[Image: koylu-kadinlar.jpg?w=750&ssl=1]

(Above 1) city woman of the 60's / 70's 
2) Peasant women of the same era in Turkey = normal way of wearing the Hijap mostly in this whole region.

Below: Arabian peninsula dress (completelly coevered up dress that protects them from the elements in a very harsh climate:

[Image: depositphotos_166326356-stock-photo-musl...n-cafe.jpg]

(bellow= 21st century nonsense that is a result of a distorted interpretation of religious teachings:

[Image: ?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brig...1ba5725f0e]


 
So this perverted Hijab is there to protect a semi-mystical concept called “Namos” (Chastity). In north Africa they go as far as female genital mutilation. These are (in its basis) primitive inventions to keep the young and healthy bodies who are producing effort and sweating under the sun while doing agricultural work from joining one another. That’s all it is. Smile
 
Less educated people tend to be more impulsive and more physical in their way of living in comparison to us. More civilized / self-controlling people. So part of the solution was (I’m talking about millennia old beliefs) to tell them that this was a “tabu” never to be thought of / never to be even considered (for fear of being rejected by the community + for fear of committing a huge “sin” against God or whatever they see as their deity).
 
So again: Reason must be our guide here. Some people seem to be treating politics like some sort of ball game in which each one is supporting two opposing teams in a very hooligan manner. Can there be no bipartisan compromise to this whole issue that takes into account the logical aspects of each opposing party and then ends up with a legal solution that works as a tool to promote human life and wellbeing?
 
Personally: I don’t believe in purely dogmatic / fanatical approaches in any kind. I think these two are not compatible with any form of genuine spirituality.]]> <![CDATA[Some thoughts on "god"]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-65894.html Thu, 04 Apr 2024 01:41:01 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-65894.html
"Imaginary"

"Non-existant"

"A control mechanism"

Any you wish to add?]]>
"Imaginary"

"Non-existant"

"A control mechanism"

Any you wish to add?]]> <![CDATA[Some Thoughts on the Goodness of God]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-65890.html Tue, 02 Apr 2024 18:27:43 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-65890.html Hi everyone,

I hope this note finds you well.  I just wanted to take a moment to share my thoughts with you. You can take them, or ignore them, but I truly hope you will consider them and know that they don’t come from a place of judgment, but love. They are things that I wish someone would have brought to my attention before I was a believer. Here are some things I learned in my walk with God.  Maybe they will speak to you.


God Vs Religious People
Before I was a believer, I was confused between the difference between God, and religious people/ churches.  Here’s the thing, people are imperfect.  We make mistakes whether we go to church or not.  We cannot base God solely off of people.  He is perfect, loving, and well spoken always, whereas people can be clumsy with words and actions. Do I hope that you have a positive experience with followers of God? Of course I do, I pray that you find love, comfort and encouragement from the Lord’s followers, however, I just don’t want you to cut off God from your life because of an imperfect human (like I had). Don’t even base it fully on me.  While I hope that this brings you closer to God, or even just opens your mind, I want you to get to know him for yourself, and see the love he has in store for you. 


Stress and Anxiety
For as long as I can remember, I had struggled with stress, anxiety, and even sometimes depression.  Something that God teaches us is to not worry- he’s got tomorrow (easier said than done right?).  Here’s the thing, we have grown-up in a time where we are expected to carry all our burdens, and solidify our future ourselves, which is an incredible amount of pressure for one person. Let God take some of that burden.  Give it to him to deal with, and shape. That doesn’t mean that bad things aren’t going to happen, or that you are going to get everything you wanted/ thought you wanted, but it does mean that God has a plan, sometimes one that you can’t see, or one that disappoints you or makes you sad at first to lead you to something better.  Please note though, I am not telling you that if you are struggling to not go and see a doctor or take medication.  I just know that this is something that brought me a lot of comfort and relief… God’s got me.


Loneliness 
Something I think every one of us experiences at one point or another is loneliness. People are complex, and those around us don’t always understand, or can’t comprehend exactly how we are feeling- but God can.  He knows your heart better than anyone, he knows your struggles, he feels your hurt, and while you can’t see him, he is there with you.  Imagine a friendship where someone knows you completely, without edits, the good parts of you, and the parts that are a work in progress, and still loves you fully without hesitation.


Bad Things Happening to Good People and Difficult Roads Leading to Beautiful Avenues
Something I struggled with before becoming a believer was the thought of why do bad things happen to good people?  After becoming a believer, it became clear to me that sometimes bad things happen so that we can grow as people, or so that our course in life changes to where we are supposed to be. Now please don’t take this as me downplaying or ignoring your struggle/pain.  Some of you have been through horrors that I can only imagine.  What I am saying though is two things 1) If the bad things that happened to you are from people, that is because people have evil inside them, not God, and 2) sometimes pain leads us to better destinations or callings.  When I was a kid, my brother had cancer.  Through growing up around sick children, I really lost faith. Now on the other side of it though, I know that it grew me in compassion and understanding, and that it put me down a course to help others, as I have seen it do for many others.  Some people I know became nurses because of this, and are helping people every day, others have brought awareness, or started charities which are making an impact in the lives of others.  Right now, maybe you are thinking about your own path, and maybe it was a challenge that made you who you are.


A Love Like No Other
One of the last things I want to leave you with is love.  Please hear me when I say that God loves you so much.  People come and go, they leave, betray you, pass away, but God is always there (even when you feel like he isn’t), and he wants so badly for you to trust him and put your faith in him.  Jesus literally died for us. He was tormented, humiliated, beaten, and outcasted, all because he loved us so.  Imagine the kind of love that takes.  Moreso, imagine sending your only child to endure that, so that you could bring  your lost and broken children home? Jesus spent his time on earth serving the ones he loved so much-us.  He advocated for those who were struggling financially, for the sick, for the broken.  You might be enduring your own struggles right now, and the only thing I can suggest is to truly reach out to God.  He knows your pain, and he cares.


So through this all, you might wonder what gives me so much faith in God, and so I want to share my story with you. 


My Testimony/ God’s Timing

It took me 5 years of struggle to conceive my kiddo, including 9 months of a high-risk pregnancy, 87 injections not including nightly gestational diabetes insulin injections, numerous rounds of bloodwork, finger pricks, and days spent wondering why I was going through all this. Then last year, my little one made it into the world- fearfully and wonderfully made, and everything made sense.  It was around that point that I had to apologize to God for the time I spent being frustrated by the wait- for he knew what I couldn’t yet see- my beautiful, joyful, spirited, energetic girl, and all the other extra things that fell into place, like time.  Extra time to spend with my daughter that I waited so long for.  Had she been born any later or any earlier, I wouldn’t have been granted an extra 2 months on top of my maternity leave to spend with her.  Now, my journey doesn’t quite end there.  3 days after she was born I was hospitalized from an organ  issue- something that has only ever happened to a handful of people worldwide, and then 2 weeks later I got a call telling me that my newborn had tested positive for cystic fibrosis. It was easily the hardest time of my life.  Now after a child tests positive with cystic fibrosis through bloodwork, they go for what is called a sweat test to double check the results, at that point though, I was honestly feeling completely hopeless.  But then there on the wall of the sweat test waiting room was a plaque with Jesus, and I remember just fixating on it and calling out to him in my head asking him to make sure that my daughter would be okay, begging him to keep her safe, and that if it was between keeping her healthy and safe, or me, that he would choose her.  Well here we are, months later and so far, all of her sweat tests have come back negative for cystic fibrosis, and after scan after scan, my organ has healed. Now I don’t know what the future holds- my kiddo will have more sweat tests and appointments, and the future plan I had to carry more children myself might look different now, but I do know that God has a plan, his timing is perfect, and for the times that he has chosen me, loved me (loved all of us), I want to spend the rest of my lives choosing him. Don’t lose hope.


Final Thoughts
These thoughts that I have shared with you are in no way intended to judge, or undermine your experiences.  It is just some things that I wish I had discovered earlier in my walk with God that I wanted to share with you.  If you are feeling incomplete, lost, or broken, try God.  I believe with all my heart that he loves us, and that he wants to help us through difficult times. The words in the bible are real, and every day God’s miracles are still saving and changing lives (even if it’s not always obvious).  There is so much goodness in the world from God, amoungst all the evil from humankind, and I wish I had known how incomplete my life was before letting him in.  Much love to you wherever you are in the world, and in whatever you are going through. ]]> Hi everyone,

I hope this note finds you well.  I just wanted to take a moment to share my thoughts with you. You can take them, or ignore them, but I truly hope you will consider them and know that they don’t come from a place of judgment, but love. They are things that I wish someone would have brought to my attention before I was a believer. Here are some things I learned in my walk with God.  Maybe they will speak to you.


God Vs Religious People
Before I was a believer, I was confused between the difference between God, and religious people/ churches.  Here’s the thing, people are imperfect.  We make mistakes whether we go to church or not.  We cannot base God solely off of people.  He is perfect, loving, and well spoken always, whereas people can be clumsy with words and actions. Do I hope that you have a positive experience with followers of God? Of course I do, I pray that you find love, comfort and encouragement from the Lord’s followers, however, I just don’t want you to cut off God from your life because of an imperfect human (like I had). Don’t even base it fully on me.  While I hope that this brings you closer to God, or even just opens your mind, I want you to get to know him for yourself, and see the love he has in store for you. 


Stress and Anxiety
For as long as I can remember, I had struggled with stress, anxiety, and even sometimes depression.  Something that God teaches us is to not worry- he’s got tomorrow (easier said than done right?).  Here’s the thing, we have grown-up in a time where we are expected to carry all our burdens, and solidify our future ourselves, which is an incredible amount of pressure for one person. Let God take some of that burden.  Give it to him to deal with, and shape. That doesn’t mean that bad things aren’t going to happen, or that you are going to get everything you wanted/ thought you wanted, but it does mean that God has a plan, sometimes one that you can’t see, or one that disappoints you or makes you sad at first to lead you to something better.  Please note though, I am not telling you that if you are struggling to not go and see a doctor or take medication.  I just know that this is something that brought me a lot of comfort and relief… God’s got me.


Loneliness 
Something I think every one of us experiences at one point or another is loneliness. People are complex, and those around us don’t always understand, or can’t comprehend exactly how we are feeling- but God can.  He knows your heart better than anyone, he knows your struggles, he feels your hurt, and while you can’t see him, he is there with you.  Imagine a friendship where someone knows you completely, without edits, the good parts of you, and the parts that are a work in progress, and still loves you fully without hesitation.


Bad Things Happening to Good People and Difficult Roads Leading to Beautiful Avenues
Something I struggled with before becoming a believer was the thought of why do bad things happen to good people?  After becoming a believer, it became clear to me that sometimes bad things happen so that we can grow as people, or so that our course in life changes to where we are supposed to be. Now please don’t take this as me downplaying or ignoring your struggle/pain.  Some of you have been through horrors that I can only imagine.  What I am saying though is two things 1) If the bad things that happened to you are from people, that is because people have evil inside them, not God, and 2) sometimes pain leads us to better destinations or callings.  When I was a kid, my brother had cancer.  Through growing up around sick children, I really lost faith. Now on the other side of it though, I know that it grew me in compassion and understanding, and that it put me down a course to help others, as I have seen it do for many others.  Some people I know became nurses because of this, and are helping people every day, others have brought awareness, or started charities which are making an impact in the lives of others.  Right now, maybe you are thinking about your own path, and maybe it was a challenge that made you who you are.


A Love Like No Other
One of the last things I want to leave you with is love.  Please hear me when I say that God loves you so much.  People come and go, they leave, betray you, pass away, but God is always there (even when you feel like he isn’t), and he wants so badly for you to trust him and put your faith in him.  Jesus literally died for us. He was tormented, humiliated, beaten, and outcasted, all because he loved us so.  Imagine the kind of love that takes.  Moreso, imagine sending your only child to endure that, so that you could bring  your lost and broken children home? Jesus spent his time on earth serving the ones he loved so much-us.  He advocated for those who were struggling financially, for the sick, for the broken.  You might be enduring your own struggles right now, and the only thing I can suggest is to truly reach out to God.  He knows your pain, and he cares.


So through this all, you might wonder what gives me so much faith in God, and so I want to share my story with you. 


My Testimony/ God’s Timing

It took me 5 years of struggle to conceive my kiddo, including 9 months of a high-risk pregnancy, 87 injections not including nightly gestational diabetes insulin injections, numerous rounds of bloodwork, finger pricks, and days spent wondering why I was going through all this. Then last year, my little one made it into the world- fearfully and wonderfully made, and everything made sense.  It was around that point that I had to apologize to God for the time I spent being frustrated by the wait- for he knew what I couldn’t yet see- my beautiful, joyful, spirited, energetic girl, and all the other extra things that fell into place, like time.  Extra time to spend with my daughter that I waited so long for.  Had she been born any later or any earlier, I wouldn’t have been granted an extra 2 months on top of my maternity leave to spend with her.  Now, my journey doesn’t quite end there.  3 days after she was born I was hospitalized from an organ  issue- something that has only ever happened to a handful of people worldwide, and then 2 weeks later I got a call telling me that my newborn had tested positive for cystic fibrosis. It was easily the hardest time of my life.  Now after a child tests positive with cystic fibrosis through bloodwork, they go for what is called a sweat test to double check the results, at that point though, I was honestly feeling completely hopeless.  But then there on the wall of the sweat test waiting room was a plaque with Jesus, and I remember just fixating on it and calling out to him in my head asking him to make sure that my daughter would be okay, begging him to keep her safe, and that if it was between keeping her healthy and safe, or me, that he would choose her.  Well here we are, months later and so far, all of her sweat tests have come back negative for cystic fibrosis, and after scan after scan, my organ has healed. Now I don’t know what the future holds- my kiddo will have more sweat tests and appointments, and the future plan I had to carry more children myself might look different now, but I do know that God has a plan, his timing is perfect, and for the times that he has chosen me, loved me (loved all of us), I want to spend the rest of my lives choosing him. Don’t lose hope.


Final Thoughts
These thoughts that I have shared with you are in no way intended to judge, or undermine your experiences.  It is just some things that I wish I had discovered earlier in my walk with God that I wanted to share with you.  If you are feeling incomplete, lost, or broken, try God.  I believe with all my heart that he loves us, and that he wants to help us through difficult times. The words in the bible are real, and every day God’s miracles are still saving and changing lives (even if it’s not always obvious).  There is so much goodness in the world from God, amoungst all the evil from humankind, and I wish I had known how incomplete my life was before letting him in.  Much love to you wherever you are in the world, and in whatever you are going through. ]]>