About to become an Atheist PLEASE HELP!

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"It is not science that redeems man: man is redeemed by love. This applies even in terms of this present world. When someone has the experience of a great love in his life, this is a moment of “redemption” which gives a new meaning to his life. But soon he will also realize that the love bestowed upon him cannot by itself resolve the question of his life. It is a love that remains fragile. It can be destroyed by death. The human being needs unconditional love. He needs the certainty which makes him say: “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 8:38- 39). If this absolute love exists, with its absolute certainty, then—only then—is man “redeemed”, whatever should happen to him in his particular circumstances. This is what it means to say: Jesus Christ has “redeemed” us. Through him we have become certain of God, a God who is not a remote “first cause” of the world, because his only-begotten Son has become man and of him everyone can say: “I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal 2:20).

In this sense it is true that anyone who does not know God, even though he may entertain all kinds of hopes, is ultimately without hope, without the great hope that sustains the whole of life (cf. Eph 2:12). Man’s great, true hope which holds firm in spite of all disappointments can only be God—God who has loved us and who continues to love us “to the end,” until all “is accomplished” (cf. Jn 13:1 and 19:30). Whoever is moved by love begins to perceive what “life” really is. He begins to perceive the meaning of the word of hope that we encountered in the Baptismal Rite: from faith I await “eternal life”—the true life which, whole and unthreatened, in all its fullness, is simply life. Jesus, who said that he had come so that we might have life and have it in its fullness, in abundance (cf. Jn 10:10), has also explained to us what “life” means: “this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (Jn 17:3). Life in its true sense is not something we have exclusively in or from ourselves: it is a relationship. And life in its totality is a relationship with him who is the source of life. If we are in relation with him who does not die, who is Life itself and Love itself, then we are in life. Then we “live”."

–Pope Benedict XVI Spe Salvi
 
“Day by day, man experiences many greater or lesser hopes, different in kind according to the different periods of his life. Sometimes one of these hopes may appear to be totally satisfying without any need for other hopes. Young people can have the hope of a great and fully satisfying love; the hope of a certain position in their profession, or of some success that will prove decisive for the rest of their lives. When these hopes are fulfilled, however, it becomes clear that they were not, in reality, the whole. It becomes evident that man has need of a hope that goes further. It becomes clear that only something infinite will suffice for him, something that will always be more than he can ever attain.”…

“Let us say once again: we need the greater and lesser hopes that keep us going day by day. But these are not enough without the great hope, which must surpass everything else. This great hope can only be God, who encompasses the whole of reality and who can bestow upon us what we, by ourselves, cannot attain. The fact that it comes to us as a gift is actually part of hope. God is the foundation of hope: not any god, but the God who has a human face and who has loved us to the end, each one of us and humanity in its entirety. His Kingdom is not an imaginary hereafter, situated in a future that will never arrive; his Kingdom is present wherever he is loved and wherever his love reaches us. His love alone gives us the possibility of soberly persevering day by day, without ceasing to be spurred on by hope, in a world which by its very nature is imperfect. His love is at the same time our guarantee of the existence of what we only vaguely sense and which nevertheless, in our deepest self, we await: a life that is “truly” life.”

-Pope Benedict XVI Spe Salvi

vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20071130_spe-salvi_en.html
 
If you are going to look at great critical thinking Atheist, then look at somebody other than Dawkins, Harris or other new atheist

Here is a debate with a great critical thinking Atheist from the past Betrand Russell
Debating Fr. Copleston S.J, Who was a great critical thinker, and student of the history of Philosophy, Perhaps this will help

bringyou.to/apologetics/p20.htm

Another great thinker

fultonsheen.com/Fulton-Sheen-MP3.cfm
 
onemangang said:
If you are going to look at great critical thinking Atheist, then look at somebody other than Dawkins, Harris or other new atheist
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👍 Seconded.
Here is a debate with a great critical thinking Atheist from the past Betrand Russell
Debating Fr. Copleston S.J, Who was a great critical thinker, and student of the history of Philosophy, Perhaps this will help
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bringyou.to/apologetics/p20.htm
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Another great thinker
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fultonsheen.com/Fulton-Sheen-MP3.cfm
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Thanks for these links. 🙂
 
alongexpected said:
Brockman, I realized I was an atheist a couple of years ago now. There were/are just so many reasons and points that made me realize that, if I had to bet, I would bet that there aren’t any gods. If this is what you honestly agree with, then admit your atheism and don’t be ashamed by it. Otherwise, follow whatever religion you think is true or worthwhile.

Don’t despair, though, if you do “stick” with atheism. I know the feelings of disappointment that accompany, after being taught for years that there’s a candy land awaiting us after death, thinking that there probably won’t be anything at all. But one thing my atheism has taught me is (I know it’s a cliche, but I’m being honest) to truly appreciate the good things I have: being born into a home with fantastic parents, never having to go hungry, being able to watch fireworks on the fourth of July, etc.

There’s nothing wrong with you either way.
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So coming to understand the complete meaning of everything, and coming to know God in complete fulness is candyland? Someone needs to spiritually mature…
 
Rainaldo said:
What if God’s deliberately withholding an answer from you, for the sake of making a statement about your attitude?

I mean, I’m a teacher, and sometimes a student asks me a question I know he knows the answer to but is playing the helplessness card and just wants me to tell him what he already knows. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I do just give him the answer, but if I suspect he’s playing dumb I clam up, look him in the eye, and kind of smile, as if to say, "Seriously? You need me to say so? Are you saying I just wasted my time teaching you this stuff for the last 1-9 months?

Don’t you know how to determine what is the truth, Brockman?

Even more pointedly, what if God gives you whatever answer it is that you’re looking for right now? If you’re all tied up in knots over how we know truth, then if God gives you an answer, how are you going to know that is the truth?

Don’t despair, though. This is the time in your life when you are supposed to be going through an epistemological crisis. Up till now you have been trusting people you are supposed to trust, people who are not supposed to be playing mind games with you or lying to you. Now you are transitioning into the adult world of suspicion, ambiguity, and deception. (That’s why an under-18yo cannot legally enter into a contract in the USA - youth are too naive.)

When John the Baptist’s disciples came to Jesus claiming John had doubts that Jesus was The One, Jesus basically gave them the kind of answer I’m talking about. Jesus basically said, “Seriously? The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor hear the Gospel … and you have to ask?” (For John had no doubt about Jesus - he was sending his disciples to ask because the disciples weren’t sure.)

When are you going to give in to the obvious?
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What an excellent post. 5 stars.
 
Brockman138 said:
I have been going through a real tough time spiritually lately. It all started when I started my search for the one true religion over a year and a half ago. I went through all the world religions one by one and marked them out when I knew they couldnt be true. I got stuck between Catholicism, Islam, Judaism, and Neo-Paganism. So I prayed to God to show me the truth and I have been praying for over a year with no answers. There are times when I stay up all night crying and begging for God to show me the truth. I am like Thomas I need to see to believe and Thomas is a saint and in Catholicism there are thousands of reports of God (or someone on his behalf) appearing to people when they didnt ask for it. So why cant God show me the truth if he has to others? I promised him that once I know the truth I would use my life to serve him (Priest, Rabbi, Imam). My only desire in life is to serve God and yet he wont answer me no matter how much I pray and beg. Lately I have been watching alot of Dawkins and Maher and this whole thing isn`t helping. I about ready to give up and become an Atheist which would really depress me because there would be no afterlife or reason for being I will fill even more worthless than I already am. Not to mention that I have to hide this whole thing from my parents at the same time( racist anti any religion other than baptist christian types)
Please I am begging everyone to help me.
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you have been praying very earnestly but feel no answer? I have a small plaque that says
“some of God’s miracles are small” . Since you are coming from a baptist home, leaning to become Catholic is God answering you and leading you. In the OT, Naaman the Syrian
needed a healing from leprosy. He went to Elisha. He had it set in his mind what and how he should be healed. It didn’t happen that way at all and he nearly missed his healing because of his preconceived ideas about how God was going to heal him. Sometimes when we are praying and praying for something and it seems like God didn’t answer us, God actually has but our own ideas on how God will answer gets in the way. Some of God’s miracle are small. The fact that you are coming from a strong Baptist home and looking at the Catholic Church is God answering and leading you to him. To me that is a miracle. It is small but over time you will see it. God Bless you!
 
The theists make more sense to me here, in this thread, than the atheists. Humans have an innate purpose. I sense atheists are in the main simply coming to terms with the religious simplifications of their youth, rather than looking forward at the more complex theological answers. But that’s MY two cents.
 
Brockman138 said:
I have been going through a real tough time spiritually lately. It all started when I started my search for the one true religion over a year and a half ago. I went through all the world religions one by one and marked them out when I knew they couldnt be true. I got stuck between Catholicism, Islam, Judaism, and Neo-Paganism. So I prayed to God to show me the truth and I have been praying for over a year with no answers. There are times when I stay up all night crying and begging for God to show me the truth. I am like Thomas I need to see to believe and Thomas is a saint and in Catholicism there are thousands of reports of God (or someone on his behalf) appearing to people when they didnt ask for it. So why cant God show me the truth if he has to others? I promised him that once I know the truth I would use my life to serve him (Priest, Rabbi, Imam). My only desire in life is to serve God and yet he wont answer me no matter how much I pray and beg. Lately I have been watching alot of Dawkins and Maher and this whole thing isn`t helping. I about ready to give up and become an Atheist which would really depress me because there would be no afterlife or reason for being I will fill even more worthless than I already am. Not to mention that I have to hide this whole thing from my parents at the same time( racist anti any religion other than baptist christian types)
Please I am begging everyone to help me.
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Look into miracles. (1) Honoring the Victims of the Rwandan Bloodbathnytimes.com/1999/04/08/world/honoring-victims-of-the-rwandan-blood-bath.html Read: Our Lady of Kibeho: Mary Speaks to the World from the Heart of Africa by Immaculee Ilibagiza

(2) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Therese_Neumann
Miscellaneous
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During the Third Reich, Therese Neumann was the target of ridicule and defamation, as the Nazis knew about her dissenting views and feared her growing popularity. She was observed by the Gestapo.[11] She was never physically harmed, though her family home, parish church and priest’s house all received direct attacks. She encouraged Fritz Gerlich to continue his opposition to Hitler and his national-socialist party. Gerlich was subsequently killed for his opposition.
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Paramahansa Yogananda visited her and wrote about her case in his book Autobiography of a Yogi, published in 1946. He wrote an entire chapter, Therese Neumann, The Catholic Stigmatist of Bavaria, which reverently gives a vivid first-hand description of one of her Friday Passion trances.
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On 18 September 1962, Therese Neumann died from cardiac arrest, after having suffered from Angina pectoris for some time.
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The Roman Catholic Church has neither confirmed nor denied the inedia (from which she suffered according to her critics), nor her stigmata. The “Resl”, as she is colloquially known, nonetheless attained a place in popular piety — a petition asking for her beatification was signed by 40,000 people. In 2005, Gerhard Ludwig Müller, Bishop of Regensburg, formally opened the Vatican proceedings for her beatification.
Her task in life
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According to Paramahansa Yogananda, Therese Neumann said during his visit: “One of the reasons I am here on earth today is to prove that man can live by God’s invisible light, and not by food only.” His judgement was: “I realized at once that her strange life is intended by God to reassure all Christians of the historical authenticity of Jesus’ life and crucifixion as recorded in the New Testament, and to dramatically display the ever-living bond between the Galilean Master and his devotees.” When Paramahansa Yogananda questions the notion that Therese Neumann had lived eating only a daily eucharistic wafer for the past 12 years, she states that she lives by God’s light. The renowned yogi then suggests, “I see you realize that energy flows to your body from the ether, sun, and air.” Therese then smiles and expresses her happiness that he understands the way she lives.[12]
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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Therese_Neumann

Then get an MA in Theology from a more conservative institution (without enough knowledge to get a masters in theology, the religion will be too confusing to understand fully). Educate yourself on how Catholicism is a natural outgrowth of Judaism.
 
From now on, I am refusing to respond to such pleas, unless they respond within 24 hours.

We all just got played.
 
Rainaldo said:
From now on, I am refusing to respond to such pleas, unless they respond within 24 hours.

We all just got played.
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It’s possible… but at least participants and lurkers, present and future, may benefit from the thread in one fashion or another. If something in this discussion helps a reader find Christ, let God be praised.
 
Nimzovik said:
Hmmmmmmmm… go ahead and become an Atheist. It is a very dark place. You will be back when you actually realize what being an Atheist truly means.
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Why is it a dark place? Atheists think that they are the enlightened ones who don’t believe in things that aren’t real or superstitious.
Brockman138 said:
I have been going through a real tough time spiritually lately. It all started when I started my search for the one true religion over a year and a half ago. I went through all the world religions one by one and marked them out when I knew they couldnt be true. I got stuck between Catholicism, Islam, Judaism, and Neo-Paganism. So I prayed to God to show me the truth and I have been praying for over a year with no answers. There are times when I stay up all night crying and begging for God to show me the truth. I am like Thomas I need to see to believe and Thomas is a saint and in Catholicism there are thousands of reports of God (or someone on his behalf) appearing to people when they didnt ask for it. So why cant God show me the truth if he has to others? I promised him that once I know the truth I would use my life to serve him (Priest, Rabbi, Imam). My only desire in life is to serve God and yet he wont answer me no matter how much I pray and beg. Lately I have been watching alot of Dawkins and Maher and this whole thing isn`t helping. I about ready to give up and become an Atheist which would really depress me because there would be no afterlife or reason for being I will fill even more worthless than I already am. Not to mention that I have to hide this whole thing from my parents at the same time( racist anti any religion other than baptist christian types)
Please I am begging everyone to help me.
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How can you label yourself as an atheist when you aren’t one, I really hope that those who claim that they were atheists understand the real meaning of it.
 
Rainaldo said:
From now on, I am refusing to respond to such pleas, unless they respond within 24 hours.

We all just got played.
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I’m lost…how did we get played?? 🤷 I keep reading the posts…was he lieing or something??
 
ASimon said:
Because what I was getting at was that most self-identifying unbelievers don’t find their lives hopeless or depressing at all.** I certainly don’t, and I don’t know a single unbeliever who does.** What I was suggesting to the OP is that he might ask himself why that is.
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You can add me, my family, and all my close friends to that list. Not one of us have ever felt our lives were hopeless or depressing.

In fact, just the opposite.

The fact we have one life here on earth motivates us to get the most out of every single minute of our life here, and live as happy and fulfilling a life as we possibly can.

Sarah x 🙂
 
atheistgirl said:
You can add me, my family, and all my close friends to that list. Not one of us have ever felt our lives were hopeless or depressing.

In fact, just the opposite.

The fact we have one life here on earth motivates us to get the most out of every single minute of our life here, and live as happy and fulfilling a life as we possibly can.

Sarah x 🙂
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Happiness is a subjective factor, and can change when factors beyond our control change. I prefer peace, which is an objective factor in light of Christ’s never abandoning or losing sight of us, and which is happiness’ deeper and eternal expression.

I hope that nothing ever happens to destroy your happiness; I can say with certainty that nothing will ever destroy mine.

Pax.
 
Lochias said:
I hope that nothing ever happens to destroy your happiness; I can say with certainty that nothing will ever destroy mine.

Pax.
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Thank you.

But rest assured nothing can destroy my happiness 🙂

Sarah x 🙂
 
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