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i was somewhat an atheist until -- some things happend etc

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narrowroad

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i was somewhat an atheist until -- some things happend etc

I was very young when I called myself.. well, never used the A word but I questioned my parents re the existence of God (was raised Catholic)

Then I EXPERIENCED God in a big way... long story but God came to me in a big way and no one will ever tell me that did not happen, or that it was "all in my mind" You may as well tell me I haven't eaten in a year or something...

Then I read the New Testament, after the aforementioned experience.. fell in love w/ Jesus and things were awesome.. for a long time, etc.. (I back slid because was not well-trained in the faith... very sad thing..)

so anyway, then later on, i read the entire Bible.. which, if not for the Catholic faith i had then returned to.. i have to admit.. some things in the Old T are just... Why do I want to say Just BAD? Well, there are a few things in the OT that are just hard to really accept so if i hadn't had my Catholic faith (esp the Real Presence in the Church), I probably would not have accepted the bible (OT, that is)

anyway... maybe atheists ought to try reading the Bible.. or going to Mass daily..
 
narrowroad said:
i was somewhat an atheist until -- some things happend etc

I was very young when I called myself.. well, never used the A word but I questioned my parents re the existence of God (was raised Catholic)

Then I EXPERIENCED God in a big way... long story but God came to me in a big way and no one will ever tell me that did not happen, or that it was "all in my mind" You may as well tell me I haven't eaten in a year or something...

Then I read the New Testament, after the aforementioned experience.. fell in love w/ Jesus and things were awesome.. for a long time, etc.. (I back slid because was not well-trained in the faith... very sad thing..)

so anyway, then later on, i read the entire Bible.. which, if not for the Catholic faith i had then returned to.. i have to admit.. some things in the Old T are just... Why do I want to say Just BAD? Well, there are a few things in the OT that are just hard to really accept so if i hadn't had my Catholic faith (esp the Real Presence in the Church), I probably would not have accepted the bible (OT, that is)

anyway... maybe atheists ought to try reading the Bible.. or going to Mass daily..
Click to expand...

Many atheists have read the bible and have not had any experience as you describe.
 
Quag said:
Many atheists have read the bible and have not had any experience as you describe.
Click to expand...

well, that coincides with what I said (re the old t)

so I guess in a nutshell it was the Catholic Faith that was mostly responsible for me being a die-hard Christian

St Augustine said the same kind of thing, that if not for the Catholic Church he would not believe or something 2 that effect
 
narrowroad said:
well, that coincides with what I said (re the old t)

so I guess in a nutshell it was the Catholic Faith that was mostly responsible for me being a die-hard Christian

St Augustine said the same kind of thing, that if not for the Catholic Church he would not believe or something 2 that effect
Click to expand...

Many people would say the catholic church is what turned them towards atheism.
We are all different with different experiences
 
narrowroad said:
i was somewhat an atheist until -- some things happend etc

I was very young when I called myself.. well, never used the A word but I questioned my parents re the existence of God (was raised Catholic)

Then I EXPERIENCED God in a big way... long story but God came to me in a big way and no one will ever tell me that did not happen, or that it was "all in my mind" You may as well tell me I haven't eaten in a year or something...

Then I read the New Testament, after the aforementioned experience.. fell in love w/ Jesus and things were awesome.. for a long time, etc.. (I back slid because was not well-trained in the faith... very sad thing..)

so anyway, then later on, i read the entire Bible.. which, if not for the Catholic faith i had then returned to.. i have to admit.. some things in the Old T are just... Why do I want to say Just BAD? Well, there are a few things in the OT that are just hard to really accept so if i hadn't had my Catholic faith (esp the Real Presence in the Church), I probably would not have accepted the bible (OT, that is)

anyway... maybe atheists ought to try reading the Bible.. or going to Mass daily..
Click to expand...

I studied the bible in college from a literary perspective. But I didn't experience any kind of connection to God. That wasn't really the point of the class.

But when you're in church its completely different. Especially a Catholic style church. They are designed to awe and impress with their architecture, to be so beautiful it's intimidating. And of course, attending with others is important for the experience. Humans are a social species, we communicate emotions rapidly. Very easy to get caught up in the religious fervor of belief.
 
narrowroad said:
i read the entire Bible.. maybe atheists ought to try reading the Bible.. or going to Mass daily..
Click to expand...

Have you read Koran and Torah, in full? Maybe they'd speak to you even more loudly, especially if you try to practice Salat (daily Muslim prayer) or Jewish prayers daily?
 
narrowroad said:
i was somewhat an atheist until -- some things happend etc

I was very young when I called myself.. well, never used the A word but I questioned my parents re the existence of God (was raised Catholic)

Then I EXPERIENCED God in a big way... long story but God came to me in a big way and no one will ever tell me that did not happen, or that it was "all in my mind" You may as well tell me I haven't eaten in a year or something...

Then I read the New Testament, after the aforementioned experience.. fell in love w/ Jesus and things were awesome.. for a long time, etc.. (I back slid because was not well-trained in the faith... very sad thing..)

so anyway, then later on, i read the entire Bible.. which, if not for the Catholic faith i had then returned to.. i have to admit.. some things in the Old T are just... Why do I want to say Just BAD? Well, there are a few things in the OT that are just hard to really accept so if i hadn't had my Catholic faith (esp the Real Presence in the Church), I probably would not have accepted the bible (OT, that is)

anyway... maybe atheists ought to try reading the Bible.. or going to Mass daily..
Click to expand...

Atheist here. Was a diehard Christian for 20 years.

Know what led me to atheism? I really started studying the bible.
 
I had multiple emotional experiences in different churches growing up. I used to attribute them to the holy spirit, but then I realized that people in large groups can get pretty emotional. I still enjoy reading parts of the New Testament, but the bible itself was never the real foundation of my faith to be honest. It was the community. Acting like non believers should sit through mass every day is pretty insulting. It isn't a disease or something to be ashamed of.
 
narrowroad said:
i was somewhat an atheist until -- some things happend etc

I was very young when I called myself.. well, never used the A word but I questioned my parents re the existence of God (was raised Catholic)

Then I EXPERIENCED God in a big way... long story but God came to me in a big way and no one will ever tell me that did not happen, or that it was "all in my mind" You may as well tell me I haven't eaten in a year or something...

Then I read the New Testament, after the aforementioned experience.. fell in love w/ Jesus and things were awesome.. for a long time, etc.. (I back slid because was not well-trained in the faith... very sad thing..)

so anyway, then later on, i read the entire Bible.. which, if not for the Catholic faith i had then returned to.. i have to admit.. some things in the Old T are just... Why do I want to say Just BAD? Well, there are a few things in the OT that are just hard to really accept so if i hadn't had my Catholic faith (esp the Real Presence in the Church), I probably would not have accepted the bible (OT, that is)

anyway... maybe atheists ought to try reading the Bible.. or going to Mass daily..
Click to expand...

Interesting.

As a child I promised God I would read the bible cover to cover. I did, and that's what convinced me that it was nothing but a storybook. An ark that could hold not only a pair of every animal on earth, but each of their special diets, without refrigeration, for a year? A man living inside a fish for three days? A "good" god who commits genocide over and over, and condones slavery?

Clearly storybook characters, like Harry Potter and Santa Claus.
 
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narrowroad said:
i was somewhat an atheist until -- some things happend etc

I was very young when I called myself.. well, never used the A word but I questioned my parents re the existence of God (was raised Catholic)

Then I EXPERIENCED God in a big way... long story but God came to me in a big way and no one will ever tell me that did not happen, or that it was "all in my mind" You may as well tell me I haven't eaten in a year or something...

Then I read the New Testament, after the aforementioned experience.. fell in love w/ Jesus and things were awesome.. for a long time, etc.. (I back slid because was not well-trained in the faith... very sad thing..)

so anyway, then later on, i read the entire Bible.. which, if not for the Catholic faith i had then returned to.. i have to admit.. some things in the Old T are just... Why do I want to say Just BAD? Well, there are a few things in the OT that are just hard to really accept so if i hadn't had my Catholic faith (esp the Real Presence in the Church), I probably would not have accepted the bible (OT, that is)

anyway... maybe atheists ought to try reading the Bible.. or going to Mass daily..
Click to expand...

It’s called “The mystery of faith” for a reason. Some people have it, and some people don’t.

It is what it is.
 
narrowroad said:
i was somewhat an atheist until -- some things happend etc

I was very young when I called myself.. well, never used the A word but I questioned my parents re the existence of God (was raised Catholic)

Then I EXPERIENCED God in a big way... long story but God came to me in a big way and no one will ever tell me that did not happen, or that it was "all in my mind" You may as well tell me I haven't eaten in a year or something...

Then I read the New Testament, after the aforementioned experience.. fell in love w/ Jesus and things were awesome.. for a long time, etc.. (I back slid because was not well-trained in the faith... very sad thing..)

so anyway, then later on, i read the entire Bible.. which, if not for the Catholic faith i had then returned to.. i have to admit.. some things in the Old T are just... Why do I want to say Just BAD? Well, there are a few things in the OT that are just hard to really accept so if i hadn't had my Catholic faith (esp the Real Presence in the Church), I probably would not have accepted the bible (OT, that is)

anyway... maybe atheists ought to try reading the Bible.. or going to Mass daily..
Click to expand...
Thanks for bearing witness, and a belated welcome to the forum.
You are in this thread, however, as you will soon find out, trying to describe color to the blind.
 
I have read the Bible from cover to cover. It was mostly boring, with some amusing bits, especially the mistakes and contradictions.
 
zyzygy said:
I have read the Bible from cover to cover. It was mostly boring, with some amusing bits, especially the mistakes and contradictions.
Click to expand...

Not once but twice, mind ya...:2razz:
 
Moonglow said:
Reading the Bible is like trying to read James Blish...
Click to expand...

The Bible is not meant to be read, the Bible is meant to be studied...of course there are those who don't know how...
 
Angel said:
You are in this thread, however, as you will soon find out, trying to describe color to the blind.
Click to expand...

No matter how much personal testimony I hear, I'm not going to believe Harry Potter used Wingardium Leviosa to wink the universe into existence. Or Santa Claus HoHoHoed the universe into existence. or Yahweh said magic spells to create the universe.

Not without more evidence.
 
Elvira said:
The Bible is not meant to be read, the Bible is meant to be studied...of course there are those who don't know how...
Click to expand...

Yes, you need to "interpret" his words so they agree with whatever you believe. Because I have yet to meet a Christian that Jesus didn't agree with 100% of the time. Even though every Christian believes something different. How odd.
 
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Thank you for sharing this beautiful story.

I envy people who, like you, have had experiences that convince them that God exists.


Best wishes
 
narrowroad said:
i was somewhat an atheist until -- some things happend etc

I was very young when I called myself.. well, never used the A word but I questioned my parents re the existence of God (was raised Catholic)

Then I EXPERIENCED God in a big way... long story but God came to me in a big way and no one will ever tell me that did not happen, or that it was "all in my mind" You may as well tell me I haven't eaten in a year or something...

Then I read the New Testament, after the aforementioned experience.. fell in love w/ Jesus and things were awesome.. for a long time, etc.. (I back slid because was not well-trained in the faith... very sad thing..)

so anyway, then later on, i read the entire Bible.. which, if not for the Catholic faith i had then returned to.. i have to admit.. some things in the Old T are just... Why do I want to say Just BAD? Well, there are a few things in the OT that are just hard to really accept so if i hadn't had my Catholic faith (esp the Real Presence in the Church), I probably would not have accepted the bible (OT, that is)

anyway... maybe atheists ought to try reading the Bible.. or going to Mass daily..
Click to expand...

This post overflows with arrogance and ignorance.

Well done. :roll:
 
Moonglow said:
Reading the Bible is like trying to read James Blish...
Click to expand...

Huh, I've read a lot of science fiction from that era: Edgar Rice Burroughs, Simak, Laumer, Vonnegut, Heinlein, Asimov, Delaney, McCaffrey, and many many more, but I can't recall reading any Blish.

Was he good?
 
JustHanging said:
Huh, I've read a lot of science fiction from that era: Edgar Rice Burroughs, Simak, Laumer, Vonnegut, Heinlein, Asimov, Delaney, McCaffrey, and many many more, but I can't recall reading any Blish.

Was he good?
Click to expand...

He wrote stuff for Star Trek and other novelizations.
 
Moonglow said:
He wrote stuff for Star Trek and other novelizations.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I saw that. I'm wondering if his books are as good as the other authors I mentioned. What's your opinion?
 
Quag said:
Many people would say the catholic church is what turned them towards atheism.
We are all different with different experiences
Click to expand...

neither one is correct. It is up to US to choose. No church can force anyone to live by its laws, no church can make someone leave said establishment

and yet the Catholic Church does have supernatural power (Transubstantiation-Jn 6:27-72), so there is always the power to attract.. if one is open to it
 
JustHanging said:
Yes, you need to "interpret" his words so they agree with whatever you believe. Because I have yet to meet a Christian that Jesus didn't agree with 100% of the time. Even though every Christian believes something different. How odd.
Click to expand...

No, you need to study each and every scripture and compare with each and every scripture to get the true meaning...
 
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