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The closest answer is the Quaker answer: "I cannot tell anyone else how to experience God. I can only tell you how I experience God."
Reading and studying the bible never did it for me, either. Standing in the woods or at the edge of the ocean or a lake or other body of water does. That's when I feel connected.
Doesn't mean that works for everyone else.
Yes, no question nature drives my spirituality.
But that connection to the whole does not require a sentient, anthropomorphic, omnipresent, omniscient entity. All it requires is absorbing the interconnection of our world, from the earth, microbes, plants, animals, humans, and the celestial bodies that comprise our solar system, galaxy and the universe itself.
That connection drives my other side, humanism. We are all part of this whole, and if we take care of ourselves, our families, and our fellow human beings, then we have lived a good life.
But that connection to the whole does not require a sentient, anthropomorphic, omnipresent, omniscient entity. All it requires is absorbing the interconnection of our world, from the earth, microbes, plants, animals, humans, and the celestial bodies that comprise our solar system, galaxy and the universe itself.
That connection drives my other side, humanism. We are all part of this whole, and if we take care of ourselves, our families, and our fellow human beings, then we have lived a good life.
Ok, so I couldn't "rep" this. All I can do is repost and add
And you are the king of insults here, including this post. It shouldn't be allowed here.
This is the stuff I was talking about. You're right. He's a bigot. He makes a habit of insulting people. That's why the people pretending to be insulted when I made a statement yesterday just aren't convincing. We see this garbage every day.
Why would god create the curse in the first place? Why did he create satan?
Let's say that atheism is true, and your parents are the true creators of your life. Now if you go out and rob banks, who created the sinful act, the parents or the child?
God only created free will and that includes the freedom to choose sin.
This is the stuff I was talking about. You're right. He's a bigot. He makes a habit of insulting people. That's why the people pretending to be insulted when I made a statement yesterday just aren't convincing. We see this garbage every day.
No, it will never end. They can say God talks to them, but if you claim God told you something, they will gang up on you.
Oh wait, it already happened
Exactly. I even had 2 mods going ape to rip into me. All because I dared to say God talked to me and disagreed with what someone else said Jesus told them.
It really is quite obvious who the protected class is and who the hated ones are around here.
And this, ladies and gentlemen, is what atheists have been saying a long time. There are so many flavors of christianity that what is at one side of the spectrum doesn't resemble at all what is at the other side.
I've asked the question many different times as to how I, as an atheist, can get the same feeling you do, and how can it be replicated. No one ever has been able to answer it other than to say it is written on one's heart, whatever that means. Or open up one's heart. Or read the bible and the spirit will guide you.
I've READ and STUDIED the bible. All of it. In context. In more than one language. And doing so made me, and many, many others, atheists.
Don't skip any parts. They tell a story. How many gods did the Hebrews have as example.
Your problem is that you seem to think that Christianity is a feeling. It isn't.
Exactly. I even had 2 mods going ape to rip into me. All because I dared to say God talked to me and disagreed with what someone else said Jesus told them.
Poor, sad, misunderstood Fundie. Maybe Finny or jeffy will invite you to a nice pity party. You can wear colourful hats and complain about mods, wrong-Christians, atheists, Muslims, gays and that damn animist.
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The closest answer is the Quaker answer: "I cannot tell anyone else how to experience God. I can only tell you how I experience God."
