Evidence God Exists

[DiRNiS]

I've experienced the presence of God

It was probably constipation. Ex-Lax should help.

[Ace Otana]

I've experienced the presence of God.

That confirms it, he is too crazy to reason with.

I do understand the whole "feeling god" crap. It's just, I know where those feelings are coming from. They come from you.
So I know your nuts mate.

[Edwardo Piet]

So I know your nuts mate.

You personally know them? You must know him.... really quite personally then.

I always had you down as a straight Ace, Ace

[Ace Otana]

So I know your nuts mate.

You personally know them? You must know him.... really quite personally then.

I always had you down as a straight Ace, Ace

Shut it you.

If one wishes to see and understand another, one must see what they see. I once came close to believing in god(I was young and very stupid at the time ) and I do recall "feeling" like I could feel that santa was in the neighborhood sort of thing. Thing is, I could bring on that feeling or remove it at any time. Since I know where it's coming from. So when I hear about people experiancing "god's presence" I know what they're talking about. It's just I figured it out at a young age.

[Regens Küchl]

Maybe if unbelievers would experience what you and I have, they'd be believers.

And what exactly have you "experienced"?

I've experienced the presence of God. But like the man said, it's difficult to put into words. A lot of you will say that it was just what I imagined based on my belief. But to live it is to breathe it.

I was first a Christian, and then an atheist. But it wasn't until I let myself be open to experiencing God that I was able to experience him. Before that I never really did, even as a Christian.

And how did you know it was the Christian god ?

hock:

[AngelThMan]

I've experienced the presence of God

It was probably constipation. Ex-Lax should help.

Oh, come on. Min is occasionally funny, but that one was a cliche.

---

Maybe if unbelievers would experience what you and I have, they'd be believers.

Implied here is more predictable goalpost moving: If anyone claims to have faith in a particular god but years later down the track loses said faith, then whatever that was, it wasn't really faith. They were never reeeeeeeeally a believer...

Most believers who become atheists do it as a result of some traumatic disappointment. Something goes horribly wrong in their lives and they lose faith in God.

Others do it because their lifestyles (e.g. sexuality) do not fit in with/is not supported by their particular religions.

And then there are those who were born into religious homes, and went through the motions as children based on their parents' faith, but never really gave God or religion much thought, and therefore were never really open to experiencing God. Driven by certain studies and scientific findings as they get older, they find that the notion of atheism speaks to them.

There are always exceptions, but I'm sure you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who went from Christianity to atheism that doesn't fit into at least one of the above categories.

So yes, in most cases it is true that if someone goes from being a believer to atheism, they were never reeeaaalllyy a believer, or were pushed by other circumstances.

[Regens Küchl]

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[Entropist]

...So yes, in most cases it is true that if someone goes from being a believer to atheism, they were never reeeaaalllyy a believer, or were pushed by other circumstances.

If a lifelong Republican later registers with the Democratic party, he never really was a republican-- he was a democrat all along? Who knew!

If a non-believer later converts to Christianity, they never really were an non-believer after all-- they had always been a Christian, they just didn't know it? People convert to Christianity for many similar reasons that people leave it.

Semantic gymnastics render the term "Christian" and all sorts of other terms absurd since we really won't know what they are (including ourselves) until the very final seconds of one's life. One cannot even call oneself a Christian because, who knows-- he might become an atheist, a pantheist, a deist, a Buddhist or a Scientologist tomorrow, or five, ten, twenty years from today. You never know. These are mere verbal tricks which are ultimately meaningless.

We are not static beings, nor is the world. Changing your ideas in life as you get older is generally a sign of growth.

[TheDarkestOfAngels]

Most believers who become atheists do it as a result of some traumatic disappointment. Something goes horribly wrong in their lives and they lose faith in God.

Others do it because their lifestyles (e.g. sexuality) do not fit in with/is not supported by their particular religions.

Uhh... no. Most atheists become atheists because they come to realize just how irrational their beliefs are despite it being far easier to keep on believing (because of community, family, etc.) Evidence of this is abound on youtube videos on the subject by atheists, here in the introductions forum, and anywhere else I can think of to talk to atheists.
It also wasn't the case for me as well.

And then there are those who were born into religious homes, and went through the motions as children based on their parents' faith, but never really gave God or religion much thought, and therefore were never really open to experiencing God. Driven by certain studies and scientific findings as they get older, they find that the notion of atheism speaks to them.

Why is it that believers tend to think that atheists are atheists for any reason other than because not believing seems to be a better, more coherant, more logical idea? You know, the reason the majority of atheists become atheists.
Why is it so difficult to believe that I am an atheist precisely because I was given as much exposure to religion as a normal person and just as much thought (or more, considering I have thoughts on the topic) and rejected the beliefs for the irrational imaginings that they appear to be?
Secondly, atheism isn't a notion to be bought into, it's a rejection of religion and faith.

There are always exceptions, but I'm sure you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who went from Christianity to atheism that doesn't fit into at least one of the above categories.

If you believe that to be the case, then I have serious doubts about the level of exposure you have with atheists and the reasons they've become atheists.
People like Richard Dawkins or Auronra (from youtube) or Matt Dilihaunt (the Atheist Experience public broadcast show from texas that is also found on the internet) are all examples of people who, despite enough knowledge of one or more particular faiths (Matt was even an ordained minister at some point) did not become atheists because of trauma, rejection of god, or not enough exposure to god - it was because they simply chose not to have a religious faith of any kind.
This is because many atheists, like myself, simply choose not to take things by faith, but instead hold everything to the same standards and not to believe in something without some good reason or evidence.

So yes, in most cases it is true that if someone goes from being a believer to atheism, they were never reeeaaalllyy a believer, or were pushed by other circumstances.

Utter nonsense.

[Minimalist]

Others do it because their lifestyles (e.g. sexuality) do not fit in with/is not supported by their particular religions.

ACtually, Angel, I dumped your bullshit because I realized that all of you people were full of shit.

I've seen nothing in the ensuing 40 years to suggest my initial determination was incorrect.