Atheists - Do you ever talk to God?

by AK - Jeff 94 Replies latest jw friends

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  Open mind

  I occasionally talk to the Coordinator of the Body of Elders.

  Does that count?

  Good thread Jeff.

  om
• 

  cognizant dissident

  lol open mind. close enough!

  Why be afraid of death? Especially if it is simply non-existence?

  I did not exist for billions of years before my birth and it did not bother me one iota. Why should it bother me if I cease to exist for billions of years after my death? ... unknown
• 

  AGuest

  which would make Shem a PREDECESSOR of Jacob, not his 'descendant'...

  Yes, dear Zid (peace to you!), you are correct: predecessor. My apologies - I mis"spoke" - !

  It was SATIRE, Dear AGuest

  Yes, of course, but satire intended to ridicule and insult. I simply chose to take you "seriously" rather than respond in kind... because I took the thread and subject seriously. Because I thought AK-Jeff was being serious...

  may you gain enlightenment - ever heard of it??

  I have... and I have. May you, as well... if you truly wish it!

  Again, peace to you, dear Zid!

  YOUR servant and a slave of Christ,

  SA
• 

  cyberjesus

  i dont talk to god but I have had several intimate conversations with many goddesses
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  AK - Jeff

  Because I thought AK-Jeff was being serious...

  Yes. I was. Obviously I know that there is no god listening to me. I am angry at the metaphorical construct of man, not any being. There is no being. But yes, the anger at times is serious.

  Someone mentioned a comparison with a child's view of Santa. Interesting thought. Somehow it seems that children instinctively 'know' better, and eventually shed the entire fantasy without much difficulty as they age. This god fantasy though, having been nurtured as center to one's life for many decades, though shed by the conscience mind, remains embedded under the surface for many, and for a long time, I have discovered.

  It's a pretty cruel hoax foisted upon us by our ancestors, eh?

  Jeff
• 

  aquagirl

  I have concluded that I AM God.And since I often talk tp myself,yeah,I guess I do talk to God.
• 

  AGuest

  Perhaps the TRUTH, dear ones (may you all have peace!)... is that your anger is NOT at God... but at those who misled you, first, and yourself, second, for BEING misled. One of the WORSE things that can happen to someone who perceives themselves as smart, intelligent, reasonable, and rational... is to come to the realization that you were absolutely wrong... and, even worse, misled into such wrong. How could that BE? How could I, smart, intelligent, reasonable, rational, critical thinker that I am... have been SO wrong, indeed have been SO misled? Unfortunately, it is the "blindness" that Christ spoke about that makes it difficult for one to "see"... and admit this truth.

  So, the one to is God ("why did YOU let this happen?")... who some profess they don't even believe exists, yet blame. But perhaps that is because the TRUTH is that such ones feel helpless against those who misled them ("really, what is my rant/anger going to do to make them/it/things change? Absolutely nothing. What was done is done"...), and/or lack the TRUE strength it takes to acknowledge their own part in it ("No, it was NOT my fault; I had NO choice, none at all, at ANY point")... or the part of ones they loved (i.e., parents/guardians/friends/"brothers").

  If so, then such ones should know that it is this "anger"... and misdirected blame... that causes the rage... and "separation" from God... that they "feel." It is what stands between them and "seeing" the Most Holy One of Israel. Because it undermines love. It is the product of the frustration behind the "belief" that there is absolutely nothing one can do about what has occurred... except stop believing in God altogether. Only then does the "pain" of being lied to... of being WRONG... being to subside, to a greater or lesser degree... but there is always some residue. Always. And it "flares" anytime God... or something of that nature... is mentioned.

  Putting AWAY such anger, however, at EVERYONE... including those who misled one... oneself...and God... is the beginning of TRUE healing... and a returning to the True God. When one stops finding fault... but comes to know that everything... EVERYTHING... has a purpose: that some were misled for a reason... that some believed them for a reason... that some subsequently STOPPED believing them... for a reason... THEN one can begin to "turn around."

  And no, the reason is NOT so that such ones would come to the conclusion that there is not God).

  The reason is so that such one... and he/she alone, on his/her own, without help from Mommy, Daddy, the "brothers," the "GB", the "FDS"... the Pope... priest... reverend... pastor... or anyone else at all... but just one's LONE self... could reply to the challenge made to ALL of mankind, that:

  "Skin in behalf of skin and ALL that a man has he WILL give on behalf of his life..."

  and that if the Most Holy One of Israel WERE indeed to step back, to remove the "hedge" from around such one... and indeed let such one stand on his/her OWN... such one WOULD... in fact... curse Him... to His very face.

  That challenge, which is THE "Universal Challenge", was put before ALL mankind, even Christ:

  "Eli, Eli... lama sabathani?"

  Even HE had to feel "abandoned" by God... in order to know what WE feel. He was tested like us... and in ALL respects... unlike us. We only go through some such tests (which are NOT brought upon us by the Most Holy One of Israel). He, however, he went through them ALL... including feeling abandoned by God. Yet... he maintained his loyalty, devotion... and integrity... to the end. Of his skin... and his life.

  He did that for ALL of mankind, including those who don't believe God even exists. Including those of us who, perhaps feeling abandoned... respond to that challenge by doing exactly what our Accuser said we would do: cursing God to His very face.

  Some of you might consider him foolish for doing so... and ones like me even more so for believing in him... and thus, God. But, again, it is way more than a belief, MUCH more. I know what he did for me... and why. Because, I, too... may, in MY anger... curse God. Yet, he gave HIS life so that if I ever DID... I could ask forgiveness and have that error "covered over." And also I know who misled me... and why. Because HE, Christ, has told me and showed me. And for that, I have resolved to be, if necessary, the one lone voice in the entire word... if that's what it boils down to, if that is what it takes... to say to our challenger... and the accuser of my brothers, indeed all mankind... that HE, Satan, our Adversary, is the liar. To say that while perhaps not ALL of us will maintain our integrity in the face of so GREAT an appearance of all that is foolish, ridiculous, impossibile, futile, even vain... some of us will. I will.

  And for that, I have received great gifts... gifts of which I speak about hear, which I share with you. NOT because I am perfect or without sin. Not because I am "better" or "smarter" than anyone else anywhere. I am none of those things. It was simply because I did not shrink back, out of fear... or anger. Rather, I just answered when he called.

  And I have shared the truth of this matter with you, dear AK-Jeff, because, again, I perceived you were serious. Particularly in your anger but confusion and questioning. You may think that God does not hear you, dear one, but you are in error - it is you who do not hear: the challenge to and against you... WHY such a challenge was made... or how it is you can respond to it. May you be given ears to hear about these things, however, if you so wish them. And if not, even then may the Most Holy One of Israel, JAH of Armies... in HIS righteousness... continue to bless you... and your entire household... as a favor to ME, His servant. For your kindnesses shown to ME, if for nothing else.

  I bid you peace.

  YOUR servant and a slave of Christ, however foolish that makes me be...

  SA
• 

  AK - Jeff

  You may think that God does not hear you, dear one, but you are in error - it is you who do not hear: the challenge to and against you... WHY such a challenge was made... or how it is you can respond to it

  .

  No challenge was made to me. Or against me. The 'challenge' is to finally put away childish images of a being that never existed to begin with except in the construct of man's mind. Jesus was no more than a Jewish rebel against Rome - put to death as a seditionist. His god, the OT God, is depicted as a monster of magnanimous proportions - one who turns his head, even encouraged and commanded, rape, murder of innocents, and land-grabbing from the rightful owners. The 'challenge', if there were to be one - is to understand how I EVER believed that the OT God was less demonic and horrible than Satan of the OT. And further to understand why anyone would want to worship such a horrific demon as the OT God to begin with.

  If Jesus worshiped this demon - then why would I want to pay any attention to what he said - though it is doubtful in addition, that he said anything attributed to him.

  Having concluded the foolishness of worshiping such a God helped lead me to critical reason, skeptical inspection of my own attachment to the idea of God at all. That inspection lead me to conclude that every variation of that Christian God must be corrupted, since all the worshipers use the same 'Holy Writ' to explain their relationship with him. Deeper inspection of the mythology of that writ makes it obvious that the God of the Bible is borrowed from myths that long pre-dated Yahweh.

  Just as those earlier legends and myths were eventually dispelled and left as worthless - so it is hoped that sometime soon, mankind will release himself from the bonds of this Christian myth. Unfortunately, many millions will still believe for a long time, waste their entire lives in such belief, then perish with a hope of joining Jesus in heaven.

  They will never know it was all false. As their own Holy Writ advises 'The dead know not anything'. So their death will be a blessing indeed. They will believe till the last flicker of light that they are about to go 'meet the Lord in the air', and the second part of the blessing is satisfied when the lights go out and they no longer exist, but are unaware of the disappointment of no reward. For how can one be truly disappointed personally, when one no longer exists? Still, there remains the wasted years in which they should have loved life for what it was instead of pining for a future that is not to be.

  I have released the 'hope'. I have mentally released the very idea of God. It is just the construct of that concept that I occasionally struggle with. Not that I, for even a fraction of a second, believe that God is real, that he is listening to me. I am seeking to dispel my anger at the lies that I was force-fed by a society that has totally enculturalized that concept.

  That is my challenge. Nothing is out there. I know it. I am working to fully integrate that fact. My mind is subtly influenced by long held superstition. Most of mankind face that challenge. Our forefathers sat around the fire seeking to explain all the universe by attribution to Gods or Demons. It is such that I fight. That is my challenge. Not getting to know a false god of anyone's making.

  Jeff
• 

  WalkTall

  Beautifully said AK Jeff.
• 

  AGuest

  I am seeking to dispel my anger at the lies that I was force-fed by a society that has totally enculturalized that concept.

  Yet, it is not that "society" that you railed against and addressed in your professed tirade or whom you confessed to be angry with, is it? But... so be it: continue in your anger.

  OR... alternatively, you COULD choose to let it go.

  But that's quite a challenge in and of itself, too, isn't it, as doing so just might "open" you up to "believing" all over again. And you certainly can't have that. Better to be angry at "no one" and "nothing"... and blame a "nothing" and "no one"... than risk EVER being misled again. I get that, truly, I do. I don't want to ever be misled again, either.

  Which is why I no longer put MY trust... in earthling man. Whatever his faith, belief, class, intellect, wealth, station, position, what have you. No matter his accolades, reverence, title, accomplishments. Because he cannot save me... any more than he can save himself. I put it, instead, in the One who set ME free... from EVERYTHING that was "binding" me... including such anger. Quickly... and painlessly. In an instant.

  And so, I truly believe that if the choice is between his kind of peace... and your kind of suffering... I truly am the one who made the better choice. Without exception... and without regret.

  I bid you peace, dear Jeff, truly. Not the kind the world gives... but the kind my Lord gives... that which has NO pain added with it.

  Your servant and a slave of Christ,

  SA, who does think it interesting that some deride me for speaking to/with someone I profess I know exists... while they speak at someone they claim does not...yet, I'm the "crazy" one... and that "beauty" is in the eye (or ear)... of the beholder...