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If you seen for yourself would you believe?

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    #122
    Scofflaw
    Registered Users Posts: 23,283 ✭✭✭✭Scofflaw


    For those who don't require such miracles, a quite detailed account of an atheist's conversion.

    Tempted to give it its own thread, for comment, but it seems reasonable to post it here.

    cordially,
    Scofflaw


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    #123
    5uspect
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 10,518 Mod ✭✭✭✭5uspect


    Scofflaw wrote: »
    For those who don't require such miracles, a quite detailed account of an atheist's conversion.

    Tempted to give it its own thread, for comment, but it seems reasonable to post it here.

    cordially,
    Scofflaw

    It would make for an interesting thread alright.
    However I can imagine that most comments will focus on the fact that she was in an abusive marriage which lead her to find comfort in religion.

    Her conversion seems based purely on her state of mind and emotions. She just knew it was true. No rationality involved. Almost like how a transsexual knows that he's a woman really. Maybe this supports the idea that feeling about god are really hardwired into us? Are we born to be believers?

    [AH]Also we all know silly wimmins are much less rational that us men, Ph.D or not.[/AH]


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    #124
    condra
    Registered Users Posts: 3,849 ✭✭✭condra


    5uspect wrote: »
    How's the hangover?:p

    Pretty bad, but I've had worse. Glad I held off that last shot of sambuca.

    Met an openly gay taxi driver last night. He was giving out about taxi men being racist and biggotted. It was quite a surreal experience.

    Anyway, youre still a load of silly billys, but I will concede, on giving it more thought, I suppose the initial question is open to interpretation.

    But I stand by my yes vote, if for no other reason than to state that as an atheist, I'm not anti-god, I just do not believe in one.


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    #125
    5uspect
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 10,518 Mod ✭✭✭✭5uspect


    womoma wrote: »
    I'm not anti-god, I just do not believe in one.

    Fair enough. I think most people here would like some of it to be true. An after life where you meet long dead family members and friends would be quite nice.


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    #126
    Dades
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,558 Mod ✭✭✭✭Dades


    womoma wrote: »
    But I stand by my yes vote, if for no other reason than to state that as an atheist, I'm not anti-god, I just do not believe in one.
    I know you say you're not anti-god, but if (s)he revealed themselves to you - wouldn't you have a few questions before you knelt down?
    Like what did Bangladesh do to deserve last week for example...


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    #127
    MooseJam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,111 ✭✭✭MooseJam


    If my ass performed miracles who here would bow down and worship it, I'd make sure to polish it before the grovelling commenced !


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    #128
    Scofflaw
    Registered Users Posts: 23,283 ✭✭✭✭Scofflaw


    5uspect wrote: »
    It would make for an interesting thread alright.
    However I can imagine that most comments will focus on the fact that she was in an abusive marriage which lead her to find comfort in religion.

    Her conversion seems based purely on her state of mind and emotions. She just knew it was true. No rationality involved. Almost like how a transsexual knows that he's a woman really. Maybe this supports the idea that feeling about god are really hardwired into us? Are we born to be believers?

    It's interesting, because a fair number of our Christian posters came to God in quite similar ways. It's as if the mind says "we'll not get out of this one on pure willpower - better call in the Big Man Upstairs".

    Also, she describes herself as having been an atheist, but she doesn't seem to have thought through that position - I'd be more tempted to call her a 'materialist', someone who essentially hasn't gone any further than "I don't really believe in that stuff any more" (the agnostic equivalent being "I don't really think about that stuff"). The same, again, seems to be true for PDN and the other 'converts from atheism'.

    Certainly it demonstrates one of the positive characteristics of religion.

    cordially,
    Scofflaw


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    #129
    5uspect
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 10,518 Mod ✭✭✭✭5uspect


    Scofflaw wrote: »
    It's interesting, because a fair number of our Christian posters came to God in quite similar ways. It's as if the mind says "we'll not get out of this one on pure willpower - better call in the Big Man Upstairs".

    Also, she describes herself as having been an atheist, but she doesn't seem to have thought through that position - I'd be more tempted to call her a 'materialist', someone who essentially hasn't gone any further than "I don't really believe in that stuff any more" (the agnostic equivalent being "I don't really think about that stuff"). The same, again, seems to be true for PDN and the other 'converts from atheism'.

    Certainly it demonstrates one of the positive characteristics of religion.

    cordially,
    Scofflaw

    Yes, atheist in the sense of never having ever had an opinion on religion before. As long as she's happy...


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    #130
    Scofflaw
    Registered Users Posts: 23,283 ✭✭✭✭Scofflaw


    5uspect wrote: »
    Yes, atheist in the sense of never having ever had an opinion on religion before. As long as she's happy...

    It's interesting to see the timeline of acceptance - it's clear she's well on her way to accepting Christianity by the time she accepts first the First Cause argument, then God as the only source of morality, then the Resurrection and the historical accuracy of the New Testament, and finally that she is a Christian.

    I find that more than slightly reminiscent of the arguments that are used to try and persuade us here of the veracity of Christianity, and I wonder to what extent the order reflects the experience of our Christian posters. Certainly people like JC say they were convinced of these things before they became Christians - how long before, I wonder?

    cordially,
    Scofflaw


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    #131
    condra
    Registered Users Posts: 3,849 ✭✭✭condra


    MooseJam wrote: »
    If my ass performed miracles who here would bow down and worship it, I'd make sure to polish it before the grovelling commenced !

    What kind of miracles would it perform? My ass has been performing miracles all day, without my consent. It's a pain in the arse.


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    #132
    MooseJam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,111 ✭✭✭MooseJam


    womoma wrote: »
    What kind of miracles would it perform? My ass has been performing miracles all day, without my consent. It's a pain in the arse.

    It would make logs appear out of thin air !


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