Hi, Linear Ag and Gilgamesh! You guys simply do not understand the depth of belief within a believer; either that or you do not care. You seem to think that a believer can step outside of themselves and critically analyze why they think the way that they do with no emotion attached.
To explain better, lets take two hypothetical 9 year olds. One is being told that Santa Claus is not real. He or she may be a bit depressed but more than likely will be given confirmation to what they already suspected. After all, there were never any footprints on the roof, the chimney was even closed one Christmas, and the cookies that he/she left out were found back in the cookie jar! They never saw Santa except for the phonies at the Mall, and some of their friends laughed at them for sticking to this obvious myth.
Our second 9 year old had two parents who divorced. His Dad was a Navy pilot. He never remembers exactly what his Dad looks like, and his Mom has no pictures, yet he DID meet his Dad once when he was younger. He can remember the day perfectly and while he does not remember what his father looked like on that day, he does remember that his Father told him that he loved him very much! Now, however, his Mom wants to break off all contact with this man and keep her son from what she feels is an eventual letdown. She tells her son that his Dad never really was his Dad and that he was brainwashed by a man who did not care for her or the family and who they need not associate with any more. Do you think that this kid will let go so easily? Only if he blots the fact that he had a Dad out of his mind.
It won't happen easily.
This is how I feel about God. God is not some vague fairytale concept that gives me comfort. God is always there to listen and I believe that He speaks into my life. For you to tell me that
You underwent a psychological transformation/breakdown. Such a change can change world-views and personalities. Unfortunately because you underwent such a change in a religious context, much of what you believe you experienced and now much of what you believe is untrue.
This may be how you explained it to yourself, but not to me!
And then you inform me that
God's character is inconceivably vague and indefinable.
How do expect me to respond? I am sad that you do not know God as well as I do. I am puzzled as to how to get you to see Him as I do. You may be equally frustrated at getting me to know reality as you know it. Understand where I am coming from?
LinearAq writes:
Well, no one can prove that something doesn't exist.
And if you have experienced knowing a character rather than a concept you would not want to prove that the character was a figment of your imagination. You indeed would not allow yourself to deny what to you was obvious. A believer has allowed God to be over their human wisdom. You are asking us to trust our human wisdom and reject the fact that we allowed anything or anyone to lord over it. For us, it is too late because we have verified the character of God to our own belief and reconciled our human wisdom as subservient to this fact.
This message has been edited by Phatboy, 03-04-2005 08:27 AM