QUESTION to ALL Atheists!

originally posted by: WakeUpBeer
a reply to: TechUnique

I don't think anything would convince me. If God physically entered my room and performed some miracles, and proclaimed Jesus was his risen son I would believe it was a hallucination of some kind. If he was willing to chat for awhile and talk about my numerous reasons for being an atheist, and if he was able to clear those things up for me then that would go a long way towards convincing me. If I was to be convinced I would still not worship him though. Personally I think he is morally bankrupt.

Some of the reasons I am an atheist:
Numerous contradictions in the Bible.
Numerous denominations of Christianity in disagreement.
Lack of historical evidence for many of the claims.
Impossibility of many of the claims (e.g. Noah's Ark).
God's paradoxical attributes (e.g. Omnipotence & Omniscience).
God's very human characteristics prove he isn't perfect or all loving.
God's moral fiber leaves a lot to be desired. (See my signature)
God's relationship with Satan.
Numerous failed prophecies and predictions.
Similarities with older religions/myths/legends etc.
Absence of any objective proof that prayer works.
Texts about Jesus were written way after he may or may not have lived.
Every generation believes it's the "end times" but time keeps ticking.
Some Christians are willing to lie to spread the faith (e.g. Martin Luther).
Numerous holy wars and inquisitions all in the name of God.

Those, for starters, are why I'm 100% certain the Christian God does not exist.

You sure have put a lot of thought into NOT believing in God. Your general attitude toward the issue suggests that you resent God rather than purely not believing in him.

Did something awful happen to you or someone you know? Resentment can get to the best of us.

originally posted by: Sremmos80
a reply to: TechUnique

As it stands, my personal proof lies above anything any one person could present as 'evidence'.

But yet you will continue to ask others to change their beliefs.
Can you not see why people will not be receptive to that?
You ridicule those that don't think like you for not being open minded enough but you your self are absolutely closed minded about it.

Where have I ridiculed anyone? Again, if you are going to accuse me of doing something, PROVE IT.

IF you can show me one comment of me ridiculing someone, I will show you 5 comments of them doing the same. Seriously. Give it a break.

I am not asking you to change your beliefs, I am SUGGESTING that you probably should. There's a difference.

a reply to: TechUnique

Yeah, I have put a ton of thought into it. Nothing in my life has ever happened to make me resent God. Before I was an atheist I believed things were all a part of God's plan, whatever it may be. Any suffering in the world or my personal life wasn't blamed on God because I believed those things hurt him deeply. You might say I viewed him as a father figure, and mankind the prodigal son. I couldn't understand why there were people who didn't want or understand his love and I made efforts to share it with them. My atheism is a direct result of asking questions. Many questions. To which I found many answers. After finding those answers I couldn't honestly say I believed anymore and to continue doing so would be dishonest to myself. No resentment involved.

I'm neither atheist or religious. I don't like having either belief systems pushed on me. I noticed both parties spend a significant amount of their short time on earth practicing and some pushing these beliefs.

I did not attend church as a kid. Even as a kid I felt this was a fraudulent practice that takes advantages of peoples imagination for control and money. I went to church a few times and felt this immediately.
I feel the bible is so abstract that it can mean whatever the reader feels it should mean.
Expanding on common sense morals, into storybook form.

If people didn't argue over their imaginations, millions would still be alive and that is the worst side effect.

Not trying to dog on religion, but at what point did you decide god was real?

Why do you feel the need to change other people's belief systems?

I believe in evidence, and I think you would really have to flunk math class to not think there is a higher power than us in this infinite universe, I just don't think it will be some guy floating in the clouds, looking over and manipulating the population by the name of god.

It is always funny to watch how he is presented as science changes...before air travel, he chilled in the clouds, after that he chilled in the universe, now he is outside of, but created the whole universe, or he is inside of everyone? I lost count.

I am not against people having the right to their own imagination and beliefs, if it helps them...I just don't want either of them trying to influence mine.

I guess I would use the same standards as for alien or ghosts. I would have to see them, try and communicate, rule out all possibilities, like hallucination, projections or just mental malfunction. Ruling out all the variables before I could call it proof. It would also need to happen more than just once and to other people too.

originally posted by: woodwardjnr
I guess I would use the same standards as for alien or ghosts. I would have to see them, try and communicate, rule out all possibilities, like hallucination, projections or just mental malfunction. Ruling out all the variables before I could call it proof. It would also need to happen more than just once and to other people too.

It has happened more than once and to other people.

You don't believe them so that's irrelevant and I don't blame you for not believing them. There are a lot of crazy people.

All of what you just said has happened to me, countless other people and even more so to the people who wrote the bible. In fact, they tell you exactly what you just told me would be proof.

They weren't just 'making it all up'..

originally posted by: TechUnique

originally posted by: hutch622
a reply to: TechUnique

No hate here . God would not only have to enter the room but do so via walking through a wall or something . Failing that the miracle would want to be pretty good .

But then if you offered this 'Proof' to someone one of the following would happen;
You would be ridiculed and mocked.
People would think you hallucinated it.
People would think you were making it up.

Or all of the above. If I were to tell you my personal proof you would not believe me. To briefly outline it;

God has saved my life multiple times. I should have been dead through a drug overdose it was rare I survived with how serious it was. I woke up fresh as a daisy. ANYONE who went through what I went through and somehow managed to survive should be BRAINDEAD.

I have been in a few serious car crashes, not a scratch on me. I have avoided prison so narrowly in my short life. I have been warned by God multiple times not to go somewhere or do something, all throughout my life.

You know what happens when that happens? Something bad. I always avoid something bad when I listen to God telling me something. Similarly when I think something is a bad idea but God tells me to crack on anyway, something AMAZING happens.

On top of that there have been some AMAZING coincidences throughout my life. I can't say because it would be getting even more personal than what I already have.

To put it this way, without God I would be dead. Without God I would not be here talking to you. What you guys don't realize is the proof is in the pudding.

In other words, you have to have faith for God to appear to you. If you don't have faith you are lost. How can you find anything if you are lost?

Sorry to get philosophical I know you guys want PROOF. You have to seek it. I promise you, if you open your mind to the real God and believe that IF he exists, you WANT to know him, He WILL come! Pray about it, not hypothetically. You don't wait outside someones house without knocking and expect them to just be there at the window eagerly waiting your arrival. Yeah, dogs might do that for you but chances are your mother won't even do that, why would God? Weird analogy I know, sorry but It's hard for me to explain how I feel spiritually in a way that you guys will understand. I genuinely want you to understand, these threads aren't troll threads as someone suggested.

You don't have to give up Science, see it as an experiment. The parameters are as follows;

Assume that what you are doing COULD WORK. Don't do it whilst not believing that there is a possibility otherwise it is pointless. See the praying as an instrument you are testing, you want it to work but you've never seen it work and you're not quite sure.

Under this premise you are still a Scientist but you are willing to give God a chance IF he exists. Pray every night for at least a few days and genuinely HOPE that God will appear to you whilst you are genuinely asking him to IF he exists.

Then keep an eye out throughout your day to day life.

Remember, God is above and beyond time and the law of physics. He can make things happen around you that you would NEVER be able to quantify or explain. Complete and utter anomalies that no one will believe but YOU will KNOW.

God will make his presence known in the most unimaginable ways. It's different for everyone, it is a personal relationship with God. There isn't a peer reviewed scientific paper on it I'm afraid.

But alas. Give it a go if you're a real scientist. If you were a real scientist you would try anything once just in case I'm actually right. You can't prove I'm not right can you?

Ah yes, the old ask a question so you can write a wall of text post about what you believe and why we should believe because you believe in an entity that cares about you but doesn't care about us because we don't believe in it trick.

Why did God allow you to become a drug addict and put you through hell? Why did God allow you to get in the car and then protect you when it crashes? Surely it would have been easier to just steer you away from that situation? Your scrapes with death are not ordained by an alien being. They are just random outcomes of situations you put yourself in.

originally posted by: TechUnique

originally posted by: hutch622
a reply to: TechUnique

No hate here . God would not only have to enter the room but do so via walking through a wall or something . Failing that the miracle would want to be pretty good .

But then if you offered this 'Proof' to someone one of the following would happen;
You would be ridiculed and mocked.
People would think you hallucinated it.
People would think you were making it up.

Or all of the above. If I were to tell you my personal proof you would not believe me. To briefly outline it;

God has saved my life multiple times. I should have been dead through a drug overdose it was rare I survived with how serious it was. I woke up fresh as a daisy. ANYONE who went through what I went through and somehow managed to survive should be BRAINDEAD.

I have been in a few serious car crashes, not a scratch on me. I have avoided prison so narrowly in my short life. I have been warned by God multiple times not to go somewhere or do something, all throughout my life.

You know what happens when that happens? Something bad. I always avoid something bad when I listen to God telling me something. Similarly when I think something is a bad idea but God tells me to crack on anyway, something AMAZING happens.

On top of that there have been some AMAZING coincidences throughout my life. I can't say because it would be getting even more personal than what I already have.

To put it this way, without God I would be dead. Without God I would not be here talking to you. What you guys don't realize is the proof is in the pudding.

In other words, you have to have faith for God to appear to you. If you don't have faith you are lost. How can you find anything if you are lost?

Sorry to get philosophical I know you guys want PROOF. You have to seek it. I promise you, if you open your mind to the real God and believe that IF he exists, you WANT to know him, He WILL come! Pray about it, not hypothetically. You don't wait outside someones house without knocking and expect them to just be there at the window eagerly waiting your arrival. Yeah, dogs might do that for you but chances are your mother won't even do that, why would God? Weird analogy I know, sorry but It's hard for me to explain how I feel spiritually in a way that you guys will understand. I genuinely want you to understand, these threads aren't troll threads as someone suggested.

You don't have to give up Science, see it as an experiment. The parameters are as follows;

Assume that what you are doing COULD WORK. Don't do it whilst not believing that there is a possibility otherwise it is pointless. See the praying as an instrument you are testing, you want it to work but you've never seen it work and you're not quite sure.

Under this premise you are still a Scientist but you are willing to give God a chance IF he exists. Pray every night for at least a few days and genuinely HOPE that God will appear to you whilst you are genuinely asking him to IF he exists.

Then keep an eye out throughout your day to day life.

Remember, God is above and beyond time and the law of physics. He can make things happen around you that you would NEVER be able to quantify or explain. Complete and utter anomalies that no one will believe but YOU will KNOW.

God will make his presence known in the most unimaginable ways. It's different for everyone, it is a personal relationship with God. There isn't a peer reviewed scientific paper on it I'm afraid.

But alas. Give it a go if you're a real scientist. If you were a real scientist you would try anything once just in case I'm actually right. You can't prove I'm not right can you?

Ah yes, the old ask a question so you can write a wall of text post about what you believe and why we should believe because you believe in an entity that cares about you but doesn't care about us because we don't believe in it trick.

Why did God allow you to become a drug addict and put you through hell? Why did God allow you to get in the car and then protect you when it crashes? Surely it would have been easier to just steer you away from that situation? Your scrapes with death are not ordained by an alien being. They are just random outcomes of situations you put yourself in.

originally posted by: TechUnique

originally posted by: woodwardjnr
I guess I would use the same standards as for alien or ghosts. I would have to see them, try and communicate, rule out all possibilities, like hallucination, projections or just mental malfunction. Ruling out all the variables before I could call it proof. It would also need to happen more than just once and to other people too.

It has happened more than once and to other people.

You don't believe them so that's irrelevant and I don't blame you for not believing them. There are a lot of crazy people.

All of what you just said has happened to me, countless other people and even more so to the people who wrote the bible. In fact, they tell you exactly what you just told me would be proof.

They weren't just 'making it all up'..

So the member that you are responding to you is crazy for not believing them?

You whine that people are attacking you in other threads and you go and say this to a polite and eloquent reply?

well, having once been an atheist and embracing God, I will tell you what it would take for me to disavow the Creator, give me a scientific explanation as to why my car suddenly just stopped inches from the rail of the Gandy bridge back in 2004 during a full spinout @ 55mph on a socked road with 70+mph winds from what was left of Hurricane George I believe was right over my city.

I foolishly went across the only bridge that remained open at that moment to hang out with the news and random people. I saw them leaning all the way back against the wind and just being held up. I thought that was really cool so me and my cousin said lets go.

As we were leaving we noticed the westbound lane had finally been closed from the Tampa side, but St. Pete had not yet gotten to their side to close it off. So we headed home. I was driving initially at like 70mph too and I realized that probably was not the brightest idea. I slowed it down to 55, and as we were going I felt a hit from a strong gust that forced my vehicle to veer. Well I attempted to compensate by turning wheel opposite, and in that fraction of a second before I went into a spin I realized the grave error. At that speed the sudden jerking by me to adjust from the hard push in the other had no other outcome on that soaked road and my balding tires than a free spin.

In hindsight, it almost felt like I was in my mind for an eternity, thinking about the car floating in the water, wondering how I was going to make it to work without a car. If my insurance would even cover it! I don't even know for sure I was consciously aware that I was literally going to be in water that would kill me in minutes, if not from being pulled down and drowning then from being slammed and shredded onto the pilings.

It was only a few seconds but at the velocity we were going at the time we should have slammed right over the railing and landed in that turbulent water. But it did not happen. We were completely still. When we realized we weren't sitting in darkness we decided to step out and have a look at what the hell just happened. I got out and used my hand to measure how close we were to the edge. It was less than from the end of my thumb to my index finger stretched out. That just does not happen, not at that speed on a little 2 lane. I was overcome with a sensation I am at a loss of words to describe, I just blurted out "you know God literally just reached his hand out and stopped us right?" to my cousin. he starts to clown me talking about I thought you didn't believe in God and reminding me of all the crap I used to talk. At that moment though, I just knew, it was like my heart just filled with the knowledge that I was saved from a higher power.

Mind you that was not even close to my first encounter to near death. And every encounter I have had since I can remember, like falling out of a ten foot branch in a tree onto my head when I was only 8 and simply walking away with a headache. To the time I was being held at knifepoint to the neck the same year in a mall by a crazed teenager who was probably off his meds who had just stabbed his aunt in a store. nine years old I was at the beach when a rip current took me and my grandma out after she tried to help some girls that were just pretending to be in trouble, which put her in trouble, and then me going after her. I don't know how in the hell my scrawny nine year old self was able to keep her from going under and continue swimming back towards the shore screaming like a maniac for my pops to come help when neither one of us could even come close to touching the floor! He says I barely sounded like a whisper, but that something just did not seem right because I was nowhere to be found, until he realized all the people gawking in the distance were watching us. Boy he charged into that water like an angry hippo and made it to us like greased lightning.

That honestly to this day is still the best feeling in my life, my father coming to save me and my grandmother from good intentions gone awry. Its actually bringing tears to my eyes remembering it now. its been twenty years...

whatever, the point is I had crappy tires, we were spinning on that bridge at least 50mph on a small two lane bridge with a layer of water on the pavement and regular winds of 70+ with gusts up to 95mph and literally came to a sudden stop a mere inches from the railing. A watery grave was a certainty. it was a miracle, and in 2011 I was saved again from a car accident which was a result of my wreck less drinking and driving days gone by. My body was all messed up, left leg torn wide open from the intrusion, right femur fractured. multiple facial fractures, concussion, collapsed lungs, NO seat belt no air bag. Report says I was absolutely doing at least 50 no doubt about based on damage from vehicle. According to the first responders, they told the officer there was no way this guy should be alive, which he mentioned to the nurse to let me know when I was awake and not screaming to be released as apparently I was still intoxicated. But somehow I survived, and without even a chipped tooth, how does that happen? I was so happy to see I still had a great smile

the bridge I spun out on was here and I was going East back to Tampa. I do like science and am rather scientific myself, but even I have failed to come up with an answer for. After that point I reflected on my life and realized God was watching me the whole time.

GOD IS GREAT

a reply to: DYepes
Just one question. What about all the people who do die in road accidents, Does god just not like them?

Do not forget that the second, minute, hour, day etc etc is in front of you and that it takes only one person who is not careful (as well as yourself) in order that you get squashed to jelly by a big yellow school bus with faulty brakes or a careless/drunk driver... Or someone that has a mental disorder and a firearm in their hands...!?

If god exists then I kindly invite him/her to pop over to my place and cure my sons handicap and give me a new back as mine is completely buggered!

Maybe he/she can perform a miracle in order that all innocents of acts of war have/are not killed be cause of what some people think or have been BRAINWASHED into believing?

May I be called a sinner or unbeliever (I prefer realist).... God as you believers, AND as far as the world has seen up until now, has not performed ONE documented (pics or it did not happen!)... Miracle

Prove me wrong please?

Kindest respects

Rodinus

originally posted by: TechUnique

originally posted by: hutch622
a reply to: TechUnique

No hate here . God would not only have to enter the room but do so via walking through a wall or something . Failing that the miracle would want to be pretty good .

But then if you offered this 'Proof' to someone one of the following would happen;
You would be ridiculed and mocked.
People would think you hallucinated it.
People would think you were making it up.

Or all of the above. If I were to tell you my personal proof you would not believe me. To briefly outline it;

God has saved my life multiple times. I should have been dead through a drug overdose it was rare I survived with how serious it was. I woke up fresh as a daisy. ANYONE who went through what I went through and somehow managed to survive should be BRAINDEAD.

I have been in a few serious car crashes, not a scratch on me. I have avoided prison so narrowly in my short life. I have been warned by God multiple times not to go somewhere or do something, all throughout my life.

You know what happens when that happens? Something bad. I always avoid something bad when I listen to God telling me something. Similarly when I think something is a bad idea but God tells me to crack on anyway, something AMAZING happens.

On top of that there have been some AMAZING coincidences throughout my life. I can't say because it would be getting even more personal than what I already have.

To put it this way, without God I would be dead. Without God I would not be here talking to you. What you guys don't realize is the proof is in the pudding.

In other words, you have to have faith for God to appear to you. If you don't have faith you are lost. How can you find anything if you are lost?

Sorry to get philosophical I know you guys want PROOF. You have to seek it. I promise you, if you open your mind to the real God and believe that IF he exists, you WANT to know him, He WILL come! Pray about it, not hypothetically. You don't wait outside someones house without knocking and expect them to just be there at the window eagerly waiting your arrival. Yeah, dogs might do that for you but chances are your mother won't even do that, why would God? Weird analogy I know, sorry but It's hard for me to explain how I feel spiritually in a way that you guys will understand. I genuinely want you to understand, these threads aren't troll threads as someone suggested.

You don't have to give up Science, see it as an experiment. The parameters are as follows;

Assume that what you are doing COULD WORK. Don't do it whilst not believing that there is a possibility otherwise it is pointless. See the praying as an instrument you are testing, you want it to work but you've never seen it work and you're not quite sure.

Under this premise you are still a Scientist but you are willing to give God a chance IF he exists. Pray every night for at least a few days and genuinely HOPE that God will appear to you whilst you are genuinely asking him to IF he exists.

Then keep an eye out throughout your day to day life.

Remember, God is above and beyond time and the law of physics. He can make things happen around you that you would NEVER be able to quantify or explain. Complete and utter anomalies that no one will believe but YOU will KNOW.

God will make his presence known in the most unimaginable ways. It's different for everyone, it is a personal relationship with God. There isn't a peer reviewed scientific paper on it I'm afraid.

But alas. Give it a go if you're a real scientist. If you were a real scientist you would try anything once just in case I'm actually right. You can't prove I'm not right can you?

a reply to: TechUnique

**And yes, I am an atheist. I'm not agnostic. I'm an atheist. Huge difference. My son is an agnostic and he'd say that a miracle would be enough for him.

Okay, so God comes down and performs a miracle for me, would I believe? Nope, that would not be enough.

First of all, I'd take "God" to a neighbor's house and ask if they saw the individual standing with me, too? (Negates hallucination.)

Then I would ask "God" to read my mind and he would have to do with without asking any questions. This would be a neat trick for God because he would have to describe what I was seeing as I think in pictures. (Testing omniscience).

Then I would ask "God" to transport me to a habitable planet across the known universe and, of course, return me safely home. (Testing omnipresent)

Then I would ask "God" to turn a tree in my front yard blue. Then I would get another neighbor and ask them if they saw anything amiss in my yard (aside from the bearded guy in robes as he's always depicted). (Testing power over matter).

You see, someone coming up to me and claiming they are "God" and performing a miracle can be staged. It's much better to set one's own parameters even if it makes "God" a godly equivalent of a performing monkey.

When all was said and done though and if "God" had passed all of these tests with flying colors, I'd ask God why the hell he just let a human being turn him into a performing monkey when he could've probably just snapped his fingers and made me believe. Oh yeah, free will.

Overall, would all of that change my views? Not entirely because "God" could still be an alien with mind reading capabilities that can alter space, time and matter.

Yep, pretty sure that the only miracle that God could perform to make me believe would be the miracle of making me believe. Even then, I wouldn't respect the guy because, well, look at the world. How can you respect someone who, at best, is a rotten and overindulgent parent that lets their children literally get away with murder or at worst, is a raging psychopath?

a reply to: TechUnique

What would make me accept there is a god in whose image I am made?

I woujld like to start with what puts me off the ludicrous claims religious people make concerning God. Its the idea the I am made in his image, so why did he have to develop me from the mud? Surely he would have cut out his own rib and given me life? Why start with the gorgonopsis and then the dinosaurs and millions of years to beget a son in his own image? he had the blueprint within himself so the religious claim.

They also claim he built the earth and of course the universe - that's such a huge claim that one wonders why he would be interesting in watching so closely tiny minute little ants like ourselves when contemplating the grand scheme of things.

I would believe realistic claims. I do know that this planet started at the subatomic level and developed, that 'spark' for me is life and that is God. but where he ends and I begin is the line the religious think they have the right to dictate to us all. I know the inner glow that warms my body, heart and mind so I know there is something more to me that enters the realm of the spiritual and links me to others.

Hope that helps.

a reply to: TechUnique

What would be proof of God existing for you?

Maybe a good apple explanation, the banana just didn`t work for me...

But on a serious note, he should appear physically before me and perform a whole lot of test for me.

Bruce Almighty style would do it for me.

originally posted by: TechUnique

originally posted by: WakeUpBeer
a reply to: TechUnique

I don't think anything would convince me. If God physically entered my room and performed some miracles, and proclaimed Jesus was his risen son I would believe it was a hallucination of some kind. If he was willing to chat for awhile and talk about my numerous reasons for being an atheist, and if he was able to clear those things up for me then that would go a long way towards convincing me. If I was to be convinced I would still not worship him though. Personally I think he is morally bankrupt.

Some of the reasons I am an atheist:
Numerous contradictions in the Bible.
Numerous denominations of Christianity in disagreement.
Lack of historical evidence for many of the claims.
Impossibility of many of the claims (e.g. Noah's Ark).
God's paradoxical attributes (e.g. Omnipotence & Omniscience).
God's very human characteristics prove he isn't perfect or all loving.
God's moral fiber leaves a lot to be desired. (See my signature)
God's relationship with Satan.
Numerous failed prophecies and predictions.
Similarities with older religions/myths/legends etc.
Absence of any objective proof that prayer works.
Texts about Jesus were written way after he may or may not have lived.
Every generation believes it's the "end times" but time keeps ticking.
Some Christians are willing to lie to spread the faith (e.g. Martin Luther).
Numerous holy wars and inquisitions all in the name of God.

Those, for starters, are why I'm 100% certain the Christian God does not exist.

You sure have put a lot of thought into NOT believing in God. Your general attitude toward the issue suggests that you resent God rather than purely not believing in him.

Did something awful happen to you or someone you know? Resentment can get to the best of us.

The absolute arrogance behind this post and many others is astounding.

You claim wakeupbeer and others by extension must have had a traumatic event that caused them to resent or reject God. Earlier in the thread you said numerous traumatic events involving drug use (isn't that against T&C?)led you to God. So even if some traumatic event led someone to deny God how is that any worse than your traumatic events leading you to believe in God?

I know I rejected organized religion after seeing how much bs is involved. I could write a book on the stuff that happened in my church and especially to my father, who is the living ideal of a hardworking American Christian man.

What I resent more than the church is people like you who are determined to ignore the valid choices others made after a great deal of rational thought. What drives me absolutely insane is that you came to find God because you almost died from your terrible and irrational decisions. Just because you need God to keep yourself from sliding back into self destruction doesn't give you the right to push this crap on people.

Just stop. I beg of you. This isn't the right place to play missionary.

I can relate so much! Multiple car crashes, 2 of those I should have been hospitalized at the very least. I was held at knife point once by some cokeheads who were robbing me because thought I dealed drugs. He was very angry when I said 'What shoebox????" "I KNOW YOU'VE GOT BARE CASH AND FOOD YOU WANNA GIVE ME IT NOW YOU ****" etc etc. Basically threatening to stab me in the leg. If he had stabbed me with that knife anywhere in the leg I would have probably died, it was that big. Bearing in mind they had me completely to themselves in MY flat. They were literally in my place holding me at knifepoint with gloves and masks on, they meant business. If anyone knows about the UK you'd know it is the knife capital of Europe. So many time's people have threatened me with knives but this was real. I saw them 'change their mind' about stabbing me with a look at each other. I nearly crapped myself.

Believe me, when a British coke head from Hastings is spitting at you whilst his mate is pressing a razor sharp hunting knife against your throat.. you kind of re-evaluate your life. Luckily I had a hundred quid or so I could give them I think if I had nothing they definitely would have killed me. They were waiting for me to say the wrong thing. I kept going to say things but God told me to be quiet as he has done so many times before.

Time and time again I've narrowly escaped death. Just recently I dodged a swing to my head with a bat. The guy just flipped on me out of nowhere.

I've nearly been run over by cars that come out of nowhere at lightning speeds. I'm talking about missing the cars by a fraction. This has happened countless times.

Put it this way, if half of the stuff that has happened to me had happened to you. You would think you had insane bad luck. Thing is, I've had so much 'GOOD LUCK' as some of you guys would see it, that it completely outweighs all of this.

Not just in terms of mortality but just in terms of livelihood. I've had my 'life' saved right at the last minute, more times than I can remember. You know at the end of a film, all hope is lost, then suddenly some #ing anomalies happen that no-one can explain but suddenly the world is saved from certain destruction.. That isn't even half of it!

originally posted by: ScepticScot
a reply to: DYepes
Just one question. What about all the people who do die in road accidents, Does god just not like them?

I cannot speak on God's behalf as to why bad things happen to people the world over, that's just the way the world works. He saved me at that moment, and that is the only thing of which I can be certain about. I am still waiting for the scientific explanation as to why my vehicle did what it did. Will it get me to abandon God if an easy one is found, nope too late for that. Im in it for the long haul now. But the question was posted to reverse by an atheist earlier, so I testified to my experiences. There is a plan for everyone, and I sincerely believe I found mine not long afterwards from that moment.

I am not going to preach bible to anyone, because frankly I also believe half of that is made up. What I know, is what I feel. I really pity those who cannot feel the power within themselves that comes from this submission to His will, but everyone is capable. That much I am certain of. Its like the OP said, you have to be willing to actually hear, see, and feel it in order for you to start experiencing that bond. Until then your all just spiting yourselves, not God or the rest of us who accept. There is a certain power that builds within, which can unlock some very interesting mysteries and insight into yourself and the world around.

a reply to: tavi45

Well said, tavi45. Well said. Traumatic events didn't turn me away from God. I went agnostic during my traumas because I wanted so badly to believe that there was some purpose to what had happened to me. I just quite frankly never thought the Bible made sense. I read it 5 times, even went to a bible study, and I still couldn't fathom why anyone would actually think that what goes on in that book is actually holy at all. The Old Testament in particular is pretty terrible in terms of depravity.

I rejected God not because of trauma. I rejected God because of the "Holy" Bible, itself. The only differences between it and VC Andrews' books were that one had a God involved and had funkier language usage. If I'm going to go to hell for saying that and my non-belief, I'm down with that.

a reply to: WhiteAlice

Your post speaks volumes for your resentment of God! You think it is merely a resentment in the way the world is, therefore there cannot be a God because you don't like how the world is. The world is this evil because of Satan, not god.

You could argue that God banishing Satan and his comrades from Heaven and into this world instead of slaughtering them was a bad move but who are we to judge an all knowing being beyond space time?

Furthermore if there is literally nothing that God could do to prove to you that he exists, lest actually FORCING you to exist.. then you will never know.

The days we are living in are trials and tribulations. It's a re-birthing process. Not some new age nonsense. This evil that you don't like and therefore resent God for, he is sending Jesus and his Angels back to rectify all this.

You can see all of todays problems WRITTEN DOWN in the Bible. Everything, I mean everything that they say the world will be like in the time of the end, it IS like that.

Once you've read the Bible more with an actual FAITH in God you realize. Beyond the relationship with God you realize that other people have experienced this intimate relationship that you have but on a even deeper level. There are many who will never believe but the ones who finally do despite all the hardship, will be all the better for it.

God is coming back to sort this mess out. You can either be a part of the mess or a part of the real 'New world order'. One of real order and justice. A real utopia. Heaven, on earth! Quite literally.

This is all written down!