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A few of the posts on the atheists forum got me thinking about this question. Often you hear Christians, when confronted with a difficult decision in their lives, say that they've turned it all over to God. What exactly does this mean and if it means that God is going to be the decision maker then how is the information regarding the decision communicated to the person who is asking for guidance? Let me give an example to clarify what I'm asking. Suppose a young Christian is struggling with what they want to do with their lives as they're about to start college and they're completely clueless about what direction to take as many young people are. I can't tell you how many times I've heard people in some situation such as this one say that they're turning it over to Jesus. I would imagine that this would involve praying and asking for some purpose in life but I must admit that I am very skeptical about what is really going to take place.
Because I'm an atheist I don't believe that there's going to be any communication with God, Jesus, or any other supernatural entity when someone prays or seeks guidance from something outside of themselves. Eventually a decision about what to do with one's life is going to have to be made. If a young college student is trying to decide what they're going to major in and what their long term goals are going to be then they're going to be confronted with that day when they will be forced to choose particular classes to enroll in and actually make the decision themselves because Jesus will not be there to make suggestions. What I'm really getting at is that I view this whole process as a means for someone to engage in a certain amount of self deception which allows them a feeling of comfort when making life changing decisions. It may relieve the psychological burden of making a difficult choice even though they're actually going to be the one who makes that choice anyway. Any thoughts?
My friend, the God we serve is not a distant silent deity. He has been communicating with His children since the beginning. He speaks through His Word, the Holy Spirit, Godly people, and circumstances. Yes we can give it to Him, 1 Peter 5:7 "Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about what happens to you".
My personal favorite verse is Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope".
The purpose of religion is to control human beings -- by other human beings.
Religious scriptures are vague and old (outdated). Everything there is interpreted through someone with "religious authorities" -- someone has to put words in God's mouth. The "interpreters", in these cases, often have humanly agendas:
i). gaining monetary profits by talking follower into believing they have "sins" that they can never, ever, be cleared out themselves
ii) achieving certain political goals through intimidation such as "hell" stories
I think what may actually be going on when the person is praying is more of a kind of meditation. I believe prayer or meditation can clear someones mind, and allow such a decision to be made more from a peaceful perspective.
GOD left it's teachings to us. We need only learn from them and apply them to our lives.
Also, when I turn to GOD, I understand that GOD is within me and I am GOD. As it was written by our liberator, Jesus Christ,
Quote:
Jesus said, "If your leaders say to you, 'Look, the (Father's) kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, 'It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you. Rather, the (Father's) kingdom is within you and it is outside you.
When you know yourselves, then you will be known, and you will understand that you are children of the living Father. But if you do not know yourselves, then you live in poverty, and you are the poverty."
- Gospel of Thomas, Saying 3
So, GOD lies within. We are all given the gift of a piece of the great light which is beyond this world, the great light that is GOD. The inner spark, the holy spirit of Pneuma, is within us, and it is through it that we find GOD.
Know yourself, understand yourself, and learn from GOD within, and you will understand the GOD above this world and become the GOD above this world...hence, "As above, so bellow, as within, so without"
[quote=I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA;7781450]My friend, the God we serve is not a distant silent deity. He has been communicating with His children since the beginning. He speaks through His Word, the Holy Spirit, Godly people, and circumstances. Yes we can give it to Him[quote]
was with ya till then.. You stated you opinion on what the Christian God is (or isn't)... I think. But its not very informative.
That can actually be said about almost any of the gods and goddesses ever created. Where are they?
Quote:
, 1 Peter 5:7 "Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about what happens to you".
My personal favorite verse is Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope".
Bible quoting..this really doesn't help a non-Christian understand anything, NC. Honestly no offence, just telling ya from my end of the religious scale.
The purpose of religion is to control human beings -- by other human beings.
Religious scriptures are vague and old (outdated). Everything there is interpreted through someone with "religious authorities" -- someone has to put words in God's mouth. The "interpreters", in these cases, often have humanly agendas:
i). gaining monetary profits by talking follower into believing they have "sins" that they can never, ever, be cleared out themselves
ii) achieving certain political goals through intimidation such as "hell" stories
...
If the Scriptures are vague like you say. How were the Christians who lived back in the 1600s able to accurately predict, that before the return of Jesus Christ, we would first see the Jewish people return from a worldwide exile? How did those Christians know the Jewish people would return to the land of Israel? How did those Christians know the Jewish people would retake the city of Jerusalem. And how did the Christians know that the return of these Jewish people would anger many nations around the world. How could anyone that lived hundreds of years ago possibly know that such a thing would happen? The Scriptures may be vague to you, but it appears the Scriptures were very clear to Christians that lived in the past.
What I was trying to say with my OP is that people often find themselves in circumstances that are difficult to face and they really don't even want to deal with it. With this economic disaster that we're currently confronted with I'm finding my own situation to be very difficult and I realize I'm going to have to find some way to resolve it. If I was religious I suppose that I would be praying about it but I'm not religious and I know that I'm the only one who can help myself by making the efforts that are necessary. That's why I find the concept of turning your problems over to God so confusing because when it comes down to resolving any sort of personal problem the individual is going to have to deal with it sooner or later.
Last night I found out at a conversation at a Starbucks that I can really find the impending economic disaster amusing from any particular individual's perspective. Really it is a matter of advice for the personal way of dealing with one's strengths and shortcomings. Thus an exemplary for what One can do for the people he loves and the acqurinrg of talents for let's say career changes or financial decisions is God or the god of human capacities on Earth.
The news broadcast deludes so much into, what I would call, the criminal perspective. Truly we shoudl be worried about impending anarchy. But that is a matter of good citizenry and a community conscience.
So we deal from the knowledge of distinguishing wealth form love.
That's why I find the concept of turning your problems over to God so confusing because when it comes down to resolving any sort of personal problem the individual is going to have to deal with it sooner or later.
And the individual is GOD, and hence, it is GOD that deals with it.
As for the economy:
Quote:
But first be concerned about God's kingdom and his righteousness, and all of these things will be provided for you as well. So never worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
Matthew 6:33-34
By "GOD's kingdom" is meant our spiritual selfs. Our spiritual self is unaffected by any downturn in the economy and is always with us, no matter how poor or wealthy we become. So, be concerned with our spiritual relationship to GOD first. Second, deal with what's going on now first, and not tomorrow, for we have enough worries in the day-to-day and do not need to be worried about long-term investments nearly as much.
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