personal relationship with God?

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

For those of you who have never been to an AA meeting:


The bulk of the meeting is given to "sharing". Members get up and tell "their story" which is intended to show "what it was like then,and what it's like now"

Meetings are lot like like the curates egg. At best they can be life affirming,cathartic, fascinating,sad and at times hilarious*.Mostly not so much. You are simply with people who understand you better than anyone else who accept you without judgement.

The composition of groups varies enormously (my home group is about 30% atheist,which is rare)

BUT at almost every meeting there will be some brain damaged dropkick who gets up and starts rabbiting on about his/her personal relationship with is /her "higher power". It's vomit making. I go outside with a coffee and have a chat with other saner members at such times. In AA words like 'recovering', 'sane' and 'normal' are relative terms.In my home group, the general community are often referred to as " the earth people".



*Funny? At one meeting a guy told of how when having the DT's, he saw a line of kangaroos come bounding through his living room.Each had a tiny aboriginal jockey,in full racing silks.

[Minimalist]

he saw a line of kangaroos come bounding through his living room.Each had a tiny aboriginal jockey,in full racing silks.

Well.............. still makes slightly more sense than a dead jewish carpenter's kid coming back to life.

[Dotard]

Whenever Mormons, JW's or whatever evangelical comes by I always speak with them. I offer them a seat, coffee and 'interest'.

During the convo they inevitably state; "We need to bring Brother (whoever) who will be better able to answer your questions and concerns."

I always invite them back. They never come back. Never.

Believe it or not, when I'm hanging out in my front yard and I see the group coming down the street, they always cross the street when they near my home. I'll even wave at them. They wave back but never approach me.

[Rhizomorph13]

Dotard,

The key difference would be genuine interest in God. Back then, I had it, so they obviously thought it worthwhile to try to steer our beliefs toward Mormonism. The two missionaries that came to my friends door were quite willing to discuss the scriptures with us but when we got closer to their core beliefs they got nervous. During one session they left early saying that they needed to bring elders who could explain better than they could. We were excited because we really wanted some answers.

Three elders came along with the two missionaries! I hadn't figured that we rated a three elder meeting, but such was the case so we started asking questions. We quickly realized that the elders didn't know anything more than the missionaries, they were simply much less willing to discuss our topics and would give pat, meaningless, answers refering us to bible verses. We wanted to look up the verses they quoted but they said we should read them after they left!

There are probably better sources of mental stimulation that would be much less like sewing your lips to your asshole.

Rhizo

[The_Truth]

In my discussions with christians I am always intrigued to hear them go on about having a 'real personal relationship with Jesus/God'

Christianity is a relationship with God, personally.

Further questioning reveals that they talk to Jesus and get a warm fuzzy feeling that Jesus is listening or guiding them in some way.

So, what's wrong with that? Buddhists get that warm fuzzy feeling when they rub Buddha's pot belly.

I have also met those people who not only talk to Jesus but get a reply!

Wouldn't this conclude that is he listening?

My own father in law is a born again fundie who just won't shut up about Jesus/God, all day every day. It starts raining and its praise God, it stops raining and its thank you Jesus. He also claims to be speaking with God/Jesus all the time and that God speaks to him. I am too afraid to ask if God is actually replying in an articulated voice or not as that will usually set him off on his favourite discussion - religion, for many hours.

I don't see any problem in a person speaking to God. Christians are just people trying to understand God, and meanwhile, trying to communicate with him.

So I ask those on this forum who may be reformed christians - did you have ever have a personal relationship to Jesus and did he ever reply back to you when you spoke to him?

One night I was sitting on my back patio, and I asked God, "If you're listening to me, how about a sign, any sign, great or small". Within several seconds, I witnessed a meteor shooting across the midnight sky. This meteor left a bright blue blazing trail behind it.

What's the harm (to the atheists) if I believe that was a sign from God? Why do they instantly have to deny it?

I am curious if my father in law is actually hearing voices or when he refers to God talking to him is he just referring to that fuzzy warm feeling.

I highly doubt he is hearing voices. He is communicating with God through Spiritual connections. God stopped speaking to mankind after the ancient scripts were written. The rest of the world is left to ponder the existence of God through faith and understanding.

[Darwinian]

I highly doubt he is hearing voices. He is communicating with God through Spiritual connections. God stopped speaking to mankind after the ancient scripts were written. The rest of the world is left to ponder the existence of God through faith and understanding.

Why would he do that? Wouldn't it make things much easier, bring people together and clear up the whole mess if he hadn't stopped?

[RevOxley]

Whenever Mormons, JW's or whatever evangelical comes by I always speak with them. I offer them a seat, coffee and 'interest'.

During the convo they inevitably state; "We need to bring Brother (whoever) who will be better able to answer your questions and concerns."

I always invite them back. They never come back. Never.

Believe it or not, when I'm hanging out in my front yard and I see the group coming down the street, they always cross the street when they near my home. I'll even wave at them. They wave back but never approach me.

Damn, that sounds familiar!

[The_Truth]

I highly doubt he is hearing voices. He is communicating with God through Spiritual connections. God stopped speaking to mankind after the ancient scripts were written. The rest of the world is left to ponder the existence of God through faith and understanding.

Why would he do that? Wouldn't it make things much easier, bring people together and clear up the whole mess if he hadn't stopped?

Yes, I agree with you on that one. It would make everything alot easier. But...
God wants us to believe in him through faith. If He showed himself to the entire world, what would be the sense in faith?

[Overmars]

Whenever Mormons, JW's or whatever evangelical comes by I always speak with them. I offer them a seat, coffee and 'interest'.

During the convo they inevitably state; "We need to bring Brother (whoever) who will be better able to answer your questions and concerns."

I always invite them back. They never come back. Never.

Believe it or not, when I'm hanging out in my front yard and I see the group coming down the street, they always cross the street when they near my home. I'll even wave at them. They wave back but never approach me.

I had some interesting discussions with JWs, the last time I talked with them for about 30 minutes then they said they have to leave, they left me some Watch Tower copies and they assured me that they will visit me soon. That was last spring and I haven't seen any of them since in my neighborhood. I am very dissapointed.

[Rhizomorph13]

The_Truth,

You have done nothing on these forums except make raw assertions based on faith. These raw assertions are not going to convince anyone.

There is no sense in faith. Faith fails to comprehend new data, it fails to bring anything useful to the table other than driving people to action because they feel they have an answer.

Why faith? Why not answers based on evidence or at least logical reasoning.

Rhizo