"I am an atheist - help me"

[water]

His miracles (not miracles of a “bang”) are all around you. You must open your eyes and heart to see them.
Shalom~

yes, I am trying to be opened for suggestion; however, in this particular forum, I’ve seen mixed of understandings about Jesus’ teachings? How should I be convinced if the faithful ones are not on the same page?

 

[Keikiolu]

yes, I am trying to be opened for suggestion; however, in this particular forum, I’ve seen mixed of understandings about Jesus’ teachings? How should I be convinced if the faithful ones are not on the same page?

Water,… DUDE…! People always have disagreements about particulars.

The question is where do they agree?

The thing for you to do is to ask people how THEY hear God.

Then, perhaps, you’ll recognize that “small quiet voice” in yourself…

Mahalo ke Akua…!
E pili mau na pomaikai ia oe. Aloha nui…!

 

[Catholic_Mike]

yes, I am trying to be opened for suggestion; however, in this particular forum, I’ve seen mixed of understandings about Jesus’ teachings? How should I be convinced if the faithful ones are not on the same page?

Well we definately need to work for Christian unity. Maybe this is why Christ gave us the teaching authority of the church; when we need a definite answer about something, we get it. But in a way maybe you’re getting the cart ahead of the horse… do you believe in God? Can he hear you?

 

[water]

The thing for you to do is to ask people how THEY hear God.

Then, perhaps, you’ll recognize that “small quiet voice” in yourself…

The very first post:

I can’t hear God and I don’t think God can hear me. **How do I know that God hears my prayer? **

That question would allow others to say how they hear God.

 

[water]

do you believe in God? Can he hear you?

If I heard His voice, I would’ve been a believer.

 

[tptram]

I would recommend “Mere Christianity” by C.S. Lewis.
He was an atheist and came back to Christianity.

There are a few chapters that he reasoned out the existence of God (a personal and compassionate God)

I lend the book to my father so I can’t quote his reasonings

Tak

 

[Keikiolu]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Keikiolu forums.catholic-questions.org/images/buttons_cad/viewpost.gif
*The thing for you to do is to ask people how THEY hear God.

Then, perhaps, you’ll recognize that “small quiet voice” in yourself…*

The very first post:
Quote:
I can’t hear God and I don’t think God can hear me. **How do I know that God hears my prayer? **
That question would allow others to say how they hear God.

OK then,… silly me…!

I hear God in my conscience, and more specifically in the reaction of my conscience to my acts.

When I have determined that I “ought to do something”, and I don’t do it, my conscience will tell me why I should have,… in rather excruciating and usually painful detail.

Check out the subject of “Examination of Conscience”:
ewtn.com/vlibrary/search2.asp

I also “hear” God in the beauty of the world, which is a wonderful, and very VERY necessary, counterbalance to the messages of how ludicrously sinful humanity is.

Best to you…!

Mahalo ke Akua…!
E pili mau na pomaikai ia oe. Aloha nui.

 

[Keikiolu]

If I heard His voice, I would’ve been a believer.

Why?

Because you wouldn’t believe you heard it?

Think about that for a second…

If God exercised His prerogative to actually do a vocal miracle right in front of you,… would you believe it?

…And if you didn’t,… would you be just like the Pharisees, who simply figured that Jesus was yet another “magician”…?

I’d be a bit leery about putting myself in that camp…!

Mahalo ke Akua…!
E pili mau na pomaikai ia oe. Aloha nui.

 

[Benedictus]

Keikiolu,

It’s hard to believe in an undetectable god. I’m not sure what it means to “hear” God. I assume God doesn’t “talk” to most people in the sense of speaking in English words, whether audible or not.

So how do I know if I’m hearing God? Do I just get a warm feeling? How do I know this is God and not just some peculiarity of human psychology?

 

[buffalo]

Keikiolu,

It’s hard to believe in an undetectable god. I’m not sure what it means to “hear” God. I assume God doesn’t “talk” to most people in the sense of speaking in English words, whether audible or not.

So how do I know if I’m hearing God? Do I just get a warm feeling? How do I know this is God and not just some peculiarity of human psychology?

That is why it is called faith. Imagine for a minute that God was emperically provable. What do you think the impact would be?

 

[Keikiolu]

Keikiolu,

It’s hard to believe in an undetectable god. I’m not sure what it means to “hear” God. I assume God doesn’t “talk” to most people in the sense of speaking in English words, whether audible or not.

It is difficult to believe in God, if one does not allow oneself to recieve that which is sent by God.

God is only undetectable if one has hardened preconceived notions of what that “detection” would look like.

I can tell you, straight up, that I do “detect” God, and in an informative (and formative) way.

When you ask Him to tell you if you should do a thing, and you KNOW you should do it, but you don’t do it, and you KNOW that you should have done it, you hear God.

By simply allowing for the possibility that He will “talk” to you this way, you will find that you can’t shut Him up.

That is the usual reason that people DON’T allow themselves to “detect” Him.

They don’t want to be accountable. Do you want to be accountable for who you are?

So how do I know if I’m hearing God? Do I just get a warm feeling? How do I know this is God and not just some peculiarity of human psychology?

“Peculiar human physiology” is yet another way that God talks to us.

Talking with God is not a series of isolated events. It is a continuing conversation.

But even though He is ALWAYS talking to you, you have to start the conversation by accepting first that it’s possible,… then make the simple request: “God, let me hear you.”

Mahalo ke Akua…!
E pili mau na pomaikai ia oe. Aloha nui.

 

[Catholic_Mike]

If I heard His voice, I would’ve been a believer.

I’m not sure we’re in a position to force got to use any particular way to reveal himself to us. I’d like a booming voice from on high too, though I suspect God knows I’m not really ready for that yet… Still, he has given us other ways to know him - or at least, of him - and one of those is reason. But knowing something from reason can be a heck of a lot of work. I think the prusuit of knowledge is worth it, though.

 

[Nullasalus]

Here’s a good question: Assuming God existed, how would he be empirically provable?

I know that seems like a rather mundane question - do miracles! Communicate with us! Some kind of sign! But, I witnessed a conversation today which forced me to realize how difficult a ‘provable God’ truly is. The best (and it’s still going to be sloppy) way I can illustrate it is this.

Do you think your dog (or cat, if you prefer) knows that humans exist?

Again, it sounds like a simple question: Sure. I mean, he sees you, right? He interacts with you. But do you think even for a moment your dog understands what makes a human distinct from a dog? Does he understand the range of your worries, your intentions, your thoughts - how close does a dog get to grasping humanity?

Now think of humanity in relation to God. What would that be like? I can’t help but think that, at best, we’d only be able to truly relate to God the way a dog probably relates to a human - in a fumbling, human-centric way. Imperfectly, with contradiction and confusion. God may well be able to communicate certain points to us - He may even help us along the path to understanding Him better. But being able to conceptualize God-as-a-whole in a satisfactory way - fitting God neatly into an understood and reasonable boundary - is likely out of the question.

So, that would be my first bit of advice to water: Realizing that interacting with God requires, first and foremost, the recognition of a personal limitation in the process. The relationship is two-way, but the human part of the relationship is in no position - not due to right, but simple capability - to dictate the terms of this interaction. So you have to approach the question with a reasonable bit of faith - assume that there is a God, and go from there.

There’s other ways this can be handled, but right at this moment, this seems like the most reasonable path to me.