Great post JGnat!
I think I may confuse some athiest/agnostics here having gone the opposite direction they have.
I also am annoyed as they are by some fundamentalist antics, particularly those that make mention of fact or fiction that could only be at best described as likely or unlikely.
Such reluctance to name as "truth" in absence of evidence can come across to the fundamentalist as lack of faith. For instance I have always thought the story of the garden of eden to be allegory rather than actual events. And for me it is difficult to respect a fundamentalist who maintains that such events took place exactly as described without any supporting evidence (or in the presence of evidence to the contrary). It disturbs me!
I do however think the key teachings of the Bible is intact, and far simpler then many would have it. I also think whatever "facts" you require, will be given to if you do exercise the due diligence to seek out a Creator who manifests himself in a subtle but barely perceptible ways that are only found by repeatedly asking "why".
For myself my breakthrough in faith came when I decided to imagine that His existence could be a possibility. It was a painful detachment of my rational mind as Terry would put it. I realized that in many ways we can be better off believing in God, that such a decision has practical benefits. I decided, for the sake of argument, to believe that God existed.
The grass became greener. The sky became bluer. My life became infused with meaning that always eluded my proudly rational mind. I immediately began to have experiences stemming from my new perspective. I kind of liked it. But in particular I began to have very vivid dreams that indirectly fortold a future life shattering event. One in particular had details that simply could never have been anticipated by my subconsious. I guess it would just be to damn relevant and coincidental for me to think it was just chance. I can say that I never felt so prepared for something in my life. I felt the hand of God. What started as a little project on the meaning of existence became a life altering event.
I don't expect anyone to take my experience as proof of God or the Bible. I am just saying that whatever proof you require, will likely be given to you if you ask for it. I am not saying that every word of the Bible is fact as written, for I could never prove such a thing. I will say that I percieve facts and realities about the universe and the Bible provides for me a likely and believable explanation. I hope everyone can find those benefits and avoid the many, many, many, many pitfalls such as door knocking, kool-aid drinking, or beheading of non-believers.
Of course, anyone reading this does not agree, I will crash a plane into your house! Die infidel die!
Great post JGnat!!!
