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Being older doesn't always mean being more sagacious, I would hate to think what sermons would be like without the use of the bible, well I am not here to judge you as I stated I have confidence in my salvation I don't KNOW a whole lot about Fundamentalism but know that I need a body of believers(church) which is the bride of Christ to clarify and edify each other in the Lord. The bible is a road map to Heaven, there is no book out there that is better, do I understand everything that is in the book, no way but neither do pastors and that is why we need a body of Christ.
I like Billy Graham in the way he delivers the word along with my pastor, two sagacious people who love the Lord and believe in His word
I love the Lord and believe in doing His WORK---as in loving the unlovable, mingling with the outcasts (in religious viewpoints), and providing both physical and spiritual assistance to people who are completely undeserving. You know, sorta like that Jesus fella did.
You can't see or necessarily judge what someone believes, but you sure as heck can make some judgments about their actions. Let your deeds speak louder than your bible.
I am not going to say very much. But I seem to have mystified some people. Let me get it straight. I have seen Him. And I have been so wrong about everything I thought that I was even wrong about what I thought I'd be right about if I did find out I was wrong. What I have seen - and am still seeing - is ..Him. He exists. I know this just as I know I exist. I say He because He is called by many names. I know some things and wonder about others. I think He is only one, but I don't know. I think he created us and everything, but I don't know. He doesn't talks to me; he just lets me Know Him. and 'He' is of course not a gender -thing. It is more about being and authority. He (with the capital) is just the right thing to say. I know one thing. He loves us. Don't ask me how I know. It is -as they say - like explaining light to someone blind from birth.
"Can you see it?"
"Yes. I can see it."
"What does it look like?"
Just one thing more. It isn't like the vague mystical whiteness of the Tao, nor yet the Terry Gillam 'Of course it's a good idea' crowned head in the Holy Grail. It is a divine presence with an invisible visibility. Like the sun, you can know it is there to be seen, but you can't really see it, but this is not because it burns the eye or mind. And now I'm getting garrulous again. I'll leave it there and will keep trying to Know and see more. Maybe I'll have something later worth saying. For now that's all Folks. Oh yes, I was aware of the date. And I said He didn't seem to have a sense of humour.
Well, it sure is nice to know that everything we atheists have said on this board has made such a difference that we can't even keep the militant atheists from falling into the abyss.
I think it might be me who isn't around for awhile.
To me, this is just too discouraging for me to even want to keep up the good fight.
It all seems rather pointless given the circumstances.
Well...really laughing...see, I know there are miracles like
this bec, Arq, you got off my ignore list.
I also have ''seen'' (no book involved! Haha)...and this is why I follow no religion
and don't care, either, much about what people believe or
don't believe, love me my atheist friends...
(Just not their anger or persistent repeating of what I know just 'isn't', but oh well.)
Why do I not mind?
Cuz with the epiphany is a peace of understanding,
all is just fine and perfect...all is unfolding as it will.
'The petals fall off a flower in their own time.'
You know now, I'm sure...there is no 'which God', just this Presence, power,
authority, Being, as you say.
It doesn't make me happy you know now or unhappy when you didn't.
I just hope Arq will not be persuaded to join "denominational religions". I never "saw" Him/God/Creator until I walked out on man's religions.
These forums and the Mystics, the Atheists, the Agnostics,the Native Americans, and even the Christian fundamentalists helped me finally get the courage stand up and to walk out, and to accept what I already knew deep down where He dwells ...in myself..
It cost me broken friendships and family relationships in my real life as well as here, but all that is nothing compared to the love and peace that comes with knowing a very personal knowing/belief.
I have read his posts over the years and have seen subtle signs along the way that Arq was beginning to 'think" about it.
As I've posted to Arq before, he would make a great Christian. I believed I saw the spark in his writing before and even mentioned it. And as I've mentioned on many posts, finding faith is a revelatory experience, not a logical, Bible-believing experience.
Arq certainly has all the intellectual and spiritual capacity that puts me to shame.
And for that, I shall be eternally grateful.
This is neither a time for atheists to mourn or Christians to rejoice. If this is a real revelatory experience, it is a time to stand in awe.
Arq, you are no joke. And if this is your experience, it will follow you all the rest of your days. God bless.
Last edited by Wardendresden; 03-30-2015 at 07:58 AM..
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Just to clear house a bit
