If you were ever a theist...

[Brakeman]

Out of interest and if you don't mind, can you describe your faith experience? (just interested, not gonna criticize)

I shared it in pm with two people here, and not that I don't 'want' to...but I can see that then going off the rails. lol 

Why do you fear public analyzation and critique? Are you emotionally bonded to your perception? Why? Why would you feel more comfortable unless you were avoiding a harsher truth?

[*Deidre*]

I shared it in pm with two people here, and not that I don't 'want' to...but I can see that then going off the rails. lol 

Why do you fear public analyzation and critique? Are you emotionally bonded to your perception? Why? Why would you feel more comfortable unless you were avoiding a harsher truth?

Is this supposed to cause me to want to share? 

[Mr.wizard]

In scrolling back through some of the exchanges here with Mystic and others, I wonder why we find this overwhelming need to judge people who don't believe as we do. I remember arguing with theists when I first came to this site, and thinking back...why did I do that? In some ways, I justified it all by saying I was trying to 'help' them, but was I? Maybe. Same can be said about theists. I merely share experiences that I've had that led me back to faith, nothing more or less. Not my place to tell someone...'you haven't sought the truth hard enough.' Truth is, I wasn't seeking anything when this experience happened, which I why I feel it actually happened. As far fetched as it rationally sounds, I was very indifferent to the idea of Jesus, Christianity, religion, spirituality. Perhaps, I was agnostic, more than anything when this experience happened, but just the same...I certainly wasn't seeking anything. About six months ago, I remember talking with a friend and said ''why can't God just reveal Himself to us?'' She's an atheist, and said...''yea, why can't God do that?'' We laughed, and went on with our day...

To me, there needn't be this tension that exists between theists and atheists...only in so much, as both sides are amicable. I do think that there are religious zealots in the world who are out to hurt others, using their religion as their excuses to do so. Of course, that is a dangerous side to religion, but in all honesty, psychopaths don't need a religion to carry out their deeds, I happen to think that if ISIS weren't trying to get people to see that their version of Islam is the right one, they'd be carrying out a different quest, perhaps in the name of something else entirely. Psychopaths are gonna psychopath.

Anyway, just wanted to insert these thoughts, here.

It's not like we hunted Mystic down to challenge his beliefs, he willingly posts threads on an atheist forum to provoke debate about his beliefs. If it was a matter of him just wanting to keep his beliefs personal or not have them questioned he could not post at all or on a religious forum with other like minded believers.

[*Deidre*]

All of a sudden, feeling very sad atm. I wish there was less judgement from both atheists and theists. Always seems like I'm the odd girl out...when I left Christianity, I was questioned by Christians, when I turned back...I'm questioned by atheists. Idk.

[*Deidre*]

In scrolling back through some of the exchanges here with Mystic and others, I wonder why we find this overwhelming need to judge people who don't believe as we do. I remember arguing with theists when I first came to this site, and thinking back...why did I do that? In some ways, I justified it all by saying I was trying to 'help' them, but was I? Maybe. Same can be said about theists. I merely share experiences that I've had that led me back to faith, nothing more or less. Not my place to tell someone...'you haven't sought the truth hard enough.' Truth is, I wasn't seeking anything when this experience happened, which I why I feel it actually happened. As far fetched as it rationally sounds, I was very indifferent to the idea of Jesus, Christianity, religion, spirituality. Perhaps, I was agnostic, more than anything when this experience happened, but just the same...I certainly wasn't seeking anything. About six months ago, I remember talking with a friend and said ''why can't God just reveal Himself to us?'' She's an atheist, and said...''yea, why can't God do that?'' We laughed, and went on with our day...

To me, there needn't be this tension that exists between theists and atheists...only in so much, as both sides are amicable. I do think that there are religious zealots in the world who are out to hurt others, using their religion as their excuses to do so. Of course, that is a dangerous side to religion, but in all honesty, psychopaths don't need a religion to carry out their deeds, I happen to think that if ISIS weren't trying to get people to see that their version of Islam is the right one, they'd be carrying out a different quest, perhaps in the name of something else entirely. Psychopaths are gonna psychopath.

Anyway, just wanted to insert these thoughts, here.

It's not like we hunted Mystic down to challenge his beliefs, he willingly posts threads on an atheist forum to provoke debate about his beliefs. If it was a matter of him just wanting to keep his beliefs personal or not have them questioned he could not post at all or on a religious forum with other like minded believers.

Yes, I see. I haven't been on here consistently, so didn't see his postings. Mystic is cool though, he might just have a different way of sharing...
I'm personally not a fan of challenging people to believe something different, unless what they believe (on any level) is hurting people, etc.

[Thumpalumpacus]

My doubts started when I lived in Iran, and saw not just Islam but other forms of Christianity practice. During and after the Revolution in 1978 they multiplied as I discovered the problem of evil. A few years of thinking saw me abandon the notion of any gods when I was fourteen, thought I spent a few years wandering through the wilderness of irrationality before I discovered Euclidean geometry, and the writings of James Randi and Carl Sagan.

[Mr.wizard]

It's not like we hunted Mystic down to challenge his beliefs, he willingly posts threads on an atheist forum to provoke debate about his beliefs. If it was a matter of him just wanting to keep his beliefs personal or not have them questioned he could not post at all or on a religious forum with other like minded believers.

Yes, I see. I haven't been on here consistently, so didn't see his postings. Mystic is cool though, he might just have a different way of sharing...
I'm personally not a fan of challenging people to believe something different, unless what they believe (on any level) is hurting people, etc.

I don't see anything wrong with challenging or defending beliefs, but if your going to do either, then you should expect opposition.

[*Deidre*]

Yes, I see. I haven't been on here consistently, so didn't see his postings. Mystic is cool though, he might just have a different way of sharing...
I'm personally not a fan of challenging people to believe something different, unless what they believe (on any level) is hurting people, etc.

I don't see anything wrong with challenging or defending beliefs, but if your going to do either, then you should expect opposition.

Yea.

[Mystic]

All of a sudden, feeling very sad atm. I wish there was less judgement from both atheists and theists. Always seems like I'm the odd girl out...when I left Christianity, I was questioned by Christians, when I turned back...I'm questioned by atheists. Idk.

I don't know if this would mean anything to you, but one line that stroke me as important is describing the lovers of God and loved ones of God:

...and fearing not the blame of any blamer...(5:54)

[Thumpalumpacus]

All of a sudden, feeling very sad atm. I wish there was less judgement from both atheists and theists. Always seems like I'm the odd girl out...when I left Christianity, I was questioned by Christians, when I turned back...I'm questioned by atheists. Idk.

You can only be who you are, ma'am. There will be those who understand, and those who don't.