If you are an atheist, what would make you willing to consider the idea of a benevolent deity? If you are a believer, what could happen that would make you suspect that your deity is imaginary?
2006-09-28 09:55:57 · 17 answers · asked by Buffy Summers 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
As an atheist, I'll reconsider if I have a definite scientific proof, testable and repeatable.
2006-09-28 10:00:28 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 0⤋
there is believing and then there is knowing . Perhaps a believer might change their mind but knowing is out of the knowers control. It is like this there are at least 3 levels of perception. One is to have heard about something and I will use fire as an example becuz that is what my teacher used with me. If you hear about fire you then become aware that it exists and might even believe the testimony you heard.
the second level is when you have percieved through your eyes and then there is seeing is believing. In the case of fire it is there and you see it, with regards to the Spirit you see it expressed through a person, chills run down your back and the little hairs stand up and seeing is believing and one becomes a believer. Alongwith seeing there can be an understanding of the chemical interaction of the elements involved, yet as you understand this is still abstract.
The third level of perception is knowing and that is the experience of putting your hand into the fire, At that point one becomes at one with the fire, albeit for a brief time. At that point one becomes a knower. I have been burned and I likey so I get burned whenever I can.
Back to your question is it possible after being burned to suspect the fire is imagenary once you have been burned. Not for me, cuz I likey, i am an arsonist, me play wit fire and get burned, i'm kinda like the cookie monster except i am thinking Spirit instead of cookies. Reading the Bible is like booze for an alcohalic, chocolate to an easter bunny, yum yum
get the idea
on the other hand some who say they are christians set off my gag response, most I feel warm and close to but since i rarely take part in religion there are only a few and because of some of their actions I am glad not to be associated.
2006-09-28 17:16:51 · answer #2 · answered by icheeknows 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I was was an atheist, raised by atheist parents without any religious upbringing. However, I was always curious and never found the evolution theories satisfactory when trying to figure out how life started. That question kept bothering me for years and in the end I came to the inevitable conclusion that there most have been a Creator God who must have had a purpose for creating everything. It took me a bit longer to accept that He was benevolent and even a few years more to embrace Christianity.
2006-09-28 17:02:21 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Usually a birth or near-death experience (including getting old) will make people explore religion.
On the other hand, death of a loved one will sometimes make a 'religious' person doubt thier chosen god.
But this will vary from person to person. Some people have very strong faith, (or equally strong lack of faith), that cannot be changed. Each person is a unique and different individual. As much as I enjoy trying, you really can't lump them together into groups.
2006-09-28 17:00:28 · answer #4 · answered by wuzzle, deus ex machina 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am a believer and there is no-thing that will ever happen to keep me from the personal relationship that I have with GOD because there has been too many personal things that have happen to me and also that I have spiritually experienced to say otherwise! GOD is soo Good! I can't compromise with this question not even hypothetically.
=0)
2006-09-28 17:07:54 · answer #5 · answered by Pashur 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Once you know someone personally its pretty unlikely that you would then decide that person is imaginary. Among the persons I know firsthand are my God, my wife, my children, and my co-workers. There is nothing anyone can say or do that could convince me that any of these persons are imaginary. That would be utterly illogical.
2006-09-28 17:45:39 · answer #6 · answered by PaulCyp 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
as an atheist, nothing could convince me that the superstitious stories of any of the hundreds-of-years old books has any relevance as truth to my life, though there are some nice morals in there.
if i was not on any drugs or alcohol and a benevolent god made themselves known to me, well i guess i would have to accept that...
...it was time to go to the doctor.
2006-09-28 16:58:22 · answer #7 · answered by Boring 5 · 2⤊ 2⤋
As an Atheist, NOTHING could EVER make me rethink my position. I am certain beyond the shadow of a doubt that all religion is fictitious garbage!
2006-09-28 17:00:56 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
no one can say that Jesus Christ did not walk the face of this planet. he is alive now more so than he was 2000 years ago. every corner of the world(like it or not) will know of him before his return. keep your eyes to the sky because that's already happened.
2006-09-28 20:04:36 · answer #9 · answered by cycodad69 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
For me to believe:
God would have to appear to me, or show me a sign with "non-doubt-able" proof (example: I just start flying or it begins to rain roses in my room).
For me to be willing to die for my new-found belief:
I'd want to have a conversation with Him and have all my questions answer -- and be able to fully comprehend the answers.
2006-09-28 17:01:04 · answer #10 · answered by Derek 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋