About my faith, I cannot expect you to understand it if you have never experienced it. But I do think if there is any evidence at all that there may be a God, prime mover, intelligent designer etc. that we should want to know Him, it or who they were.
If the world is simply a mass chaos without purpose, design or intention as materialists believe then certainly we should eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.
But if there is even the possibility of something beyond the material I would think it is the most important thing in life to consider and find out.
But if there is even the possibility of something beyond the material I would think it is the most important thing in life to consider and find out.
You are still young and your life seems like it will go on forever. But one day it will end. If there is nothing beyond that then it has been good to live for sure.
But if there is nothing then the only ethical framework that is valid is the subjective one that each generation and each culture creates. The categories of good and evil have no ultimate meaning except as defined by each person.
But if there is nothing then the only ethical framework that is valid is the subjective one that each generation and each culture creates. The categories of good and evil have no ultimate meaning except as defined by each person.
Ultimately materialism (not purchasing things but the idea that nothing exists outside of the material world) results in nihilism. It gets rid of God but at a huge cost to the individual, relationships and society.
In his writing "The Madman" Friedrich Nietzsche said of this
“God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all murderers? What was holiest and mightiest of all that the world has yet owned has bled to death under our knives: who will wipe this blood off us? What water is there for us to clean ourselves? What festivals of atonement, what sacred games shall we have to invent? Is not the greatness of this deed too great for us? Must we ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy of it?”
In my mind, if there is a God it is the single most important quest in life to seek out His reality, His purpose for our lives and His favor.
I do not believe in God like a child believes in Santa Claus. I know Him. I do not know all of Him nor am I deluded to think that my knowledge of Him is not colored by my own thinking. But I do know that there is another aspect to life that is not material. I know there is a God and I know He personally reveals Himself to those who seek Him.
When my sweetheart was dying and the words tubal pregnancy came into my mind over several days when I prayed for her those word are what saved her from death. I know God spoke to me. You were there and watched it happen. What ever explanation anyone might put on that event there is no explanation can be given that says the material world is all there is.
What happened to me when i was seventeen, my mind completely destroyed through the use of drugs, my life completely alienated through the use of women as objects, and my heart completely dead from exalting myself as omnipotent, convinced me forever of the existence and personal nature of God.
In his writing "The Madman" Friedrich Nietzsche said of this
“God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all murderers? What was holiest and mightiest of all that the world has yet owned has bled to death under our knives: who will wipe this blood off us? What water is there for us to clean ourselves? What festivals of atonement, what sacred games shall we have to invent? Is not the greatness of this deed too great for us? Must we ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy of it?”
In my mind, if there is a God it is the single most important quest in life to seek out His reality, His purpose for our lives and His favor.
I do not believe in God like a child believes in Santa Claus. I know Him. I do not know all of Him nor am I deluded to think that my knowledge of Him is not colored by my own thinking. But I do know that there is another aspect to life that is not material. I know there is a God and I know He personally reveals Himself to those who seek Him.
When my sweetheart was dying and the words tubal pregnancy came into my mind over several days when I prayed for her those word are what saved her from death. I know God spoke to me. You were there and watched it happen. What ever explanation anyone might put on that event there is no explanation can be given that says the material world is all there is.
What happened to me when i was seventeen, my mind completely destroyed through the use of drugs, my life completely alienated through the use of women as objects, and my heart completely dead from exalting myself as omnipotent, convinced me forever of the existence and personal nature of God.
One night in that year when on acid laced with enough strychnine to kill four people, I asked "Is there a God and if there is does he have anything to do with us?" It was the most important question I had ever asked. July of that year I found the answer to my question.
I went to Dallas Texas to attend the second concert of Led Zeppelin in the US. Our band was invited by their manager who we had played for in a concert with Vanilla Fudge in OKC. That evening we were booked into the Cellar Club to play.
After the first set I went outside to get away from the strippers who performed during our 15 minute break. As I paced up and down the sidewalk in front of the club I saw a little piece of paper on the ground. I recognized it as a gospel tract - a small pamphlet that shared about God.
I went to Dallas Texas to attend the second concert of Led Zeppelin in the US. Our band was invited by their manager who we had played for in a concert with Vanilla Fudge in OKC. That evening we were booked into the Cellar Club to play.
After the first set I went outside to get away from the strippers who performed during our 15 minute break. As I paced up and down the sidewalk in front of the club I saw a little piece of paper on the ground. I recognized it as a gospel tract - a small pamphlet that shared about God.
I was rabidly anti christian up to that point. The front row of the Baptist church my grandparents attended was filled with the football team that beat me up in the school halls and after the games when they got drunk. But that night I picked up the tract. I tucked it into my pocket went back in and played my next set.
I again went outside, walked across to the middle of the road where there was a large birdbath. I crawled up on it to get out of the light rain that was falling. I pulled out the tract and began to read.
I really don't remember all it said. It did have John 3:16 in it: For God so loved the world He gave his only begotten son that whoever would believe in him would not perish but have eternal life." As I read the tract I understood that God was real and that He loved everyone.
I cried that night for the first time since I was a child. Those tears were not tears of sadness. They were not really tears of joy. They were tears of finding my way to a safe place after having lived a nightmare for so many years.
I again went outside, walked across to the middle of the road where there was a large birdbath. I crawled up on it to get out of the light rain that was falling. I pulled out the tract and began to read.
I really don't remember all it said. It did have John 3:16 in it: For God so loved the world He gave his only begotten son that whoever would believe in him would not perish but have eternal life." As I read the tract I understood that God was real and that He loved everyone.
I cried that night for the first time since I was a child. Those tears were not tears of sadness. They were not really tears of joy. They were tears of finding my way to a safe place after having lived a nightmare for so many years.
Jesus came to me that night and let me know that I was important to Him. He revealed himself to me and I have never doubted His existence since.
My mind was restored to me. My heart found joy for the first time. I knew that He was real and He loved me specifically and intentionally. I knew that He loved everyone else the same including those football players.... I could forgive and be forgiven.
I could tell you of all the miracles He has done but unless you believe that He is there you would not believe they actually happened or you would have to find some explanation of how they could have happened without a God, gods, force, supernatural being etc.
You are right, unless you know Him it makes no sense at all.
I have seen though that if someone will honestly seek Him, even if it is the crazy prayer of a druggie like me, "Are you there and do you have anything to do with me?" He will show Himself to them. It is my hope and prayer that you will seek Him and find Him.
Knowing him did not make me a perfect person.
My mind was restored to me. My heart found joy for the first time. I knew that He was real and He loved me specifically and intentionally. I knew that He loved everyone else the same including those football players.... I could forgive and be forgiven.
I could tell you of all the miracles He has done but unless you believe that He is there you would not believe they actually happened or you would have to find some explanation of how they could have happened without a God, gods, force, supernatural being etc.
You are right, unless you know Him it makes no sense at all.
I have seen though that if someone will honestly seek Him, even if it is the crazy prayer of a druggie like me, "Are you there and do you have anything to do with me?" He will show Himself to them. It is my hope and prayer that you will seek Him and find Him.
Knowing him did not make me a perfect person.
I still have so many wrong things in my life. You have suffered with some of those. I am sorry. I have not always represented God as he is to you. I hope you can forgive me for that.
But I know this. I know He is real and He is not like me. He is good, He is loving, He is perfect. He has nothing of evil in Him. And I love Him though I don't always love Him perfectly.
I love you too and have prayed almost every day of your life that you will find Him as I did that July night so long ago.
I love you too and have prayed almost every day of your life that you will find Him as I did that July night so long ago.
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