How can one feel God's presence?

Question

When I ask why people believe in God on Y!A, many religious people say that they have just felt God's presence, therefore he must exist. But how does one "feel God's presence?" I would argue that this is some sort of intrinsic fault in humans that are too weak and therefore they need to believe in a higher power. Any other thoughts?

To the person who questioned the basis of my argument. Weak and having fault mean emotionally incapable of living life without reliance on a higher power, it is not incredibly hard to figure out. Also the argument you make doesn't make sense because Christianity holds that all people are from God, and it doesn't make sense that he would make some people unable to feel his presence. Also the post about God, endorphins and heroin.

Answer 1

If someone is truly desiring to be in the presence of God, then the one true way, pray!

It is not an "intrinsic fault" which causes a need to believe in God! Some people simply pick up on God before others do. Perhaps, this comes in part, through training, as a child; however, God is the creator of each soul and when we are near Him, through prayer or, scripture...there is an awareness that God is with you. Those who feel this and have felt this, know God is God!

I hope I do not offend you when I ask you to seek God in prayer, and scripture. God says if we seek, will will find and that is a fact! Therefore, I pray you will come to know HIS presence, love and that indeed, God is God.

gail

Answer 2

What is your argument based on? Your own opinion that God does not exist. That makes you a little biased to be making such a distinction, does it not? How do you define "weakness" in humans? How do you define "fault?" How do you define something that you don't even understand? Some religious people would simply reverse your argument and say YOU are the weak one for your inability to feel God's presence. It's the same argument, and of course it is a weak one. What makes yours valid?

In any case, most people who feel God's presence do so through prayer, worship, and meditation. If you believe this is a psychological or physiological cognitive weakness, be my guest, but the truth is you do not know. You are merely passing judgment on people you really don't know or understand, which is far from the logical and rational perspective that atheists are suppose to possess. I think you can do better than this.

Answer 3

Hi. Until recently I was a non believer, seeing the suffering in the world and not being able to look past it to "see" God. I knew all the scriptures but I could find a million ways to disprove the arguments. I decided to look at science for answers to the beginning of the universe and fossil records. I was not satisfied scientifically that the universe could get started without a "cause" and decided that all human morals and laws are useless without a lawgiver. I decided to give my Bible another try but this time with an expectation that the Creator certainly exists. I embraced the love of the Creator and spent a lot of time in prayer. I cannot explain exactly what happened to me but it was as though suddenly all my questions no longer mattered and I could answer everything with "God exists and I can trust Him even if I cannot explain everything". I can only say that this would never have satisfied me before, but am able to feel God's presence around me after fully accepting Him and it is as if everything finally fits. I am finally able to see why God has not come back to Earth yet to put everything right. The Bible says he wants everyone to repent and come to Him and move from Death to Life.
My advice would be to approach the Creator with thanks and try to fit in with Him, not the other way round. I would not be without that knowledge now.
God Bless.

Answer 4

It's a question of faith. It takes faith to believe in something that cannot be proved or disproved. If you don't believe, you also have to take it on faith, because god maybe does exist. You cannot prove he doesn't.

what are humans too weak for? it's not a question of weakness, it's more a question of how did the universe come into existense? even Einstein came to the conclusion that it must be a higher power. besides, what is the prize for not believing? whoop-de-doo, you are tough and strong, you dont beleive, here's your prize, oops, there is none. take this pine box as a consolation gift, you can lie in it for eternity. what an aspiration.

you can believe in god and still have fun on this earth. not everybody that believes in god beleves in the bible fire and brimstone rhetoric.

however, i have felt the presence of god usually when looking into a starry sky, or scuba diving or skydiving through storm clouds that are breaking up and letting sunrays through.
you know? that outdoors kind of stuff is when i usually feel god's presence.

Answer 5

hhhmmm...how does one describe "love"...how does one describe what Compassion feels like?

Interesting...an anthropology course I once studied, the only thing common with all cultures, is a belief in a Creator.

However...according to your argument, it is an intrinsic fault. Something we haven't "evolved" past, I suppose. So, I look to the lower species, and I see how they do all they can to avoid death, to avoid being hunted and eaten - and this tells me at some level, all animals are aware of life and death, but I see no signs of worship. So...where did this need to worship come from?

No...the belief in a Creator, is not a sign of weakness. It is the opposite. It is the barest of honesty, to be able to say "there is something larger than me....that I am not the center of the universe... that there is a Being far more capable than my puny mind can comprehend. Yes...it takes honesty to admit we are not the cherry on top.

Answer 6

You aren't going to get an answer to your question you believe. Anything that requires faith can't be proved. That's a definition of faith. So therefore, when you argue with someone of faith, you're arguing with someone who can't prove anything. You're always going to win that argument in your mind, and they're always going to win it in theirs.

As for me, I was sure I felt His presence when I was a child. Now, I don't feel anything. That's my relationship with God.

However, I think that physical feelings associated with the presence of the Holy Spirit are also associated with the release of endorphins. It's not just some mumbo jumbo everybody makes up for themselves, it's actually something people physically experience, like a warmth coming from your heart. The same chemical reaction happens when you hold a baby, or see someone you're attracted to, or any number of other things equated with love.

Answer 7

I think you are totally wrong. I'm not weak and I feel God's presence quite often. If I get real scared over something, I can pray and I get a peace over all. This is God calming me down. When I worship I feel 'God. It isn't tangible but rather a warm feeling and a sense of peace. It's very hard to explain,but oh so good when it happens to you. I pray you can get this feeling. It will change your life for the better, I can promise you--------------if you accept and don't run away.

Answer 8

the human body cannot perceive what this is talking about, Gods presence comes only to his servants, children if i might say. a non believer cannot feel Gods presence except when the Holy Ghost is dealing with someone to be saved. and you say to be weak,,,that's a joke, i will tell you a story about a boy i went to school with, He was a Christian and brought his bible ever day and people made fun of him all the time, one day a couple of bullies came up and was calling him sissy like normal ,,, and he just looked at them and held out his bible , and told them if you are so tough , you carry it for a week or to,, had a great impact on me the next few years , until i met Jesus myself, i was one of those.

Answer 9

I feel God's presence every day. I look around and see all of the wonderful things he has created for us to enjoy (flowers, the sunset, the ocean, the sky....everything), all the wonderful scents we have to smell, all the great food we have to eat.

I feel God's presence in my children and the love they have for God.

I feel God's presence when I pray and open (truly open) my heart to him.

I feel God's presence when I read the Bible and search for understanding.

I feel God's presence with each breath I take knowing that He gave me life and knowing that I have a relationship with him.

Feeling God's presence is like feeling the air. You can't see it but you know it is there.

Matthew 5:3, 1 Timothy 3:16

Answer 10

Good question. Well how about if ya look into the major religions and see what they have to say, or what they have in common, because I kinda agree with you on "how does one feel God's presence. I think it becomes a personal issue where you gotta decicde on ya own....buttt..... I hate to say this but at least we all will feel the presense of death, and that 100% Athiest Approved.