BTW: the subtitle is another fundy handbook saying
Phatboy writes:
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
I really liked your explanation. It clearly shows how you FEEL that your experience with God/HS is different than your experience with Santa Clause (btw--I always ate the cookies).
However:
You have never stated what it was about your meeting with God/HS that made it different than any meeting with Santa Claus.
What observations by you, or others around you at the time, gave you the indication that it was real?
Mind you, I have been to "healing services" where the people being healed jump up and run around claiming that all pain is gone. Later, maybe even a few days, they are in pain again. Seems like an emotive response to me at the time of the service...ie placebo effect. So again I ask; What gave you the indication that your experience was real, rather than an emotional experience?
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.
Verified in what way?
To your own belief? Does this mean that God follows your concept of Him or that you now believe in all that He is?
It is not that I don't care about the depth of your belief. It is that I don't see how you can distinguish the validity of your beliefs from those of an ardent New Ager or a Buddist Monk...or Osama Bin Ladin(sp?).
If faith is "...evidence of things hoped for and the substance of things not seen..." from what material do you build your faith?
™ Version 4.2