Do you feel the presence of God in your life?

[Boogs]

Got a question for you to ponder. If you ask God who he is. What answer would you expect in return? That we could understand and remember?

I am that I am.

If I say I know God and you say you know God. How do you differentiate from each other? By the written word he leaves behind? Or the materials man writes about him?
Which do you believe? Is it not still faith to believe the materials man make’s versus God’s?

In the end faith is the answer. You choose to believe and by that choice you establish your conception of reality. Until something challenges it. Then you must analyze it threw the lense of the reality you have faith in. Ignoring possible clues of an alternative truth for the justification.

I am however unique in one way. My experience with God came before my knowledge of religion or faith. Before I could speak man’s tongue or his words.
Or read that which was written.

Not a question I'd choose to answer, as it requires me to believe in your way of thinking, to be able to answer. That's hardly a level playing field. You're expecting me to believe in your god, and then answer questions relating to it.
Can you not see how you're going completely against everything I've been writing? In fact, I already mentioned the question of a god having a gender, but you've not addressed that despite using it above, how about a bit of give and take?
Also, I've already said no two peoples gods can be truly compared, and you're asking me to do that very thing, have you actually been reading my posts?
I honestly just don't see any point in an answer beyond that which I've just said, based on my position.

 

[Wolfnox]

Not a question I'd choose to answer, as it requires me to believe in your way of thinking, to be able to answer. That's hardly a level playing field. You're expecting me to believe in your god, and then answer questions relating to it.
Can you not see how you're going completely against everything I've been writing? In fact, I already mentioned the question of a god having a gender, but you've not addressed that despite using it above, how about a bit of give and take?
Also, I've already said no two peoples gods can be truly compared, and you're asking me to do that very thing, have you actually been reading my posts?
I honestly just don't see any point in an answer beyond that which I've just said, based on my position.

No disrespect meant. I understand.

 

[Fino]

At all times. I feel tremendous pity for those who don't know Christ, but it's not really something someone can understand through words. It needs to be experienced first-hand.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

Nope.

 

[Progster]

Nope.

Me neither.

I'm not religious and don't believe in the existence of God/gods/deities. Nor can I believe that a person who last walked the Earth over 2000 ago can somehow have some power over our lives today. I do not doubt Jesus' existence - I think he was one of many in the history of mankind who paid for going against the ruling authority with their life.

Religions are the creations of human imagination. For me, they are fantasy. I read a children's Bible when I was a kid. It was a great read, like an epic fantasy/sci fi novel, but in no way can I believe in a literal interpretation any more than I can believe a fantasy novel, even though the Bible may speak of real places and people.

Religions ask you to believe on faith alone, but I can't do that. I need something more concrete to go on.

If a God or Gods do exist, then they are no doubt extraterrestrial with infinitely superior technology, in order to be able to do all those things religious scripts attribute them to. Scary.

 

[All-Rounder]

This is that sort of case where my thoughts get in the way of what I feel.

Feelings are the domain of psychology. There are many settings they can occur in, self voluntary, alien induced and involuntary.

I'm an atheist, the type that is unlikely to believe in a dragon in my closet without evidence for it that allows us to verify everything in existence, just because it can exist. Theoretically anything can. It doesn't make it true. That fallacy aside,

1. There is no god for me
2. I don't have a reason to feel him
3. I used to feel him in the sense I made myself feel him through various religious practices and mental exercises
4. People used to make me feel they're good, while proving the opposite. Feeling doesn't verify it, though it's nice to have it
5. I have realistic feelings I can verify with humans
6. I feel what the belief in him causes in negative ways and I think they far outweigh the benefit
7. I have reached the point of not needing to feel like he's protecting me, and when I know I'm responsible for my wellbeing and I should do my best to stay safe and build relationships with humans who give back
8. I don't have any patience for the disrespectful gender discrimination and human crime encouragement in the old religion books as well as the support for slavery in the New Testament. Somebody who treats me like that would be very uncomfortable to feel they are close to me
9. If proof is found of creation, I'll not only be able to believe it, it'd be impossible not to [though it's very unlikely religious gods did it so I never expect it to ever come]. I think there's no reason to offer it validity nor search for its potential validity as there is nothing to indicate it's worth seeking for and there are plenty of points to start on that counter the biblical claims. The prayer test, the sameness of people with or without beliefs in terms of benefits, the psychology and historical and present ongoing making of gods etc. There is currently no evidence to suggest that miracles truly exist.

The claim that “God” is something beyond our comprehension, an essence of the Universe working through the laws of physics, beings in another reality who either caused our Universe to be or is running the whole thing in a simulation, and other such ideas, either puts the divine safely beyond the limits of what we can observe, or dilutes it to such an extent as to be indistinguishable from the workings of nature as we observe it [to which we already have explanations].

 

[All-Rounder]

So basically I have another type of 'You are not alone'

Spoiler

 

[Boogs]

No disrespect meant. I understand.

Sorry if I come across as abrupt or even angry(?) over your question, it's mostly just how I communicate, it's not how it sounds. But that said, you were placing me in an impossible position in being able to answer you in any worthwhile way, beyond repeating what I'd already said. If any of it didn't make sense, I'm happy to answer questions.
But as our beliefs seem pretty polarised, I'm pretty sure any discussion on those themselves would end up of little value, or worse.
I completely respect your right to have your personal beliefs, but I can't guarantee to respect those actual beliefs in the same way, especially if to me they are anathema!
But that's not personal, even if it sounds like it is!

 

[GrownupGirl]

No.

 

[Gift2humanity]

Do you feel God's power and presence each day?
Or only when u pray?
Do you feel like He loves you for people who believe and you can seek refuge and comfort in Him?

Or do you get it from Jesus?

Yes, not in a religious way though.
I feel comforted by knowing there is a God.
I was Catholic, but by the age of 14, I felt there was not enough proof.
I did some ecstasy alone in 2001 and found myself writing a fantasy short story narrated through the eyes of a 12 year old boy, about faith and drawing a picture of a fantasy Wizard type character. That character was not the God in my story. The story was set in a church, I'd only go to church for weddings and funerals.
I used to go to spiritualist church and wanted to be a medium for ego reasons, but I don't agree with dabbling in that sort of stuff, so I stopped.
When I moved here 300 miles away, I lived here about 13 years and went to a spiritualist church to support a friend who was doing their first time on the rostrum as a medium, I purely went to support the friend, but "saw" a spirit, and got a message for a lady in the congregation, not been back since.
I'm not a writer, yet, ever since, I kept that faith.
I do make requests to higher more evolved forces/beings/God for guidance, wisdom, etc.

 

[Dagan]

I got in trouble and got an A+ 100% at the same time in my senior year of high school. Our honors teacher asked us to think of and perform the most controversial, social experiment that we could think of. We were to conduct and write our experience. I did this: I went to seven different religious temples in the area - First Baptist, Catholic, Assembly of God, Jehovah's Witness, Jewish Temple, Methodist and Lutheran. I told the head clergy of each church/temple that I was simply doing a school project and would consist of only asking ten questions, that's it. The first nine questions were all simple and concerning good works and good will. It was the tenth question that was the real kicker. It was, "Do you speak with God personally, and has God confirmed to you that your religion/denomination and beliefs are the proper ones above others?" They all said, "yes."

Now, all of these years later, I have come up with many more questions, definitely including ones that about melt brains, as you can just see people having a breakdown, but I don't mean to pose them for malicious intent. I seriously have said questions myself and seriously want to know the answers. I do even have some answers to questions that are commonly posed at me, and said answers do not leave folks feeling so confident. I don't want to get into things too specifically, so I will pose the two questions that I wind up asking the most (and the responses, in part, that always occur).

"What would you do, if you had the power, omnipotent, all-knowing and all-seeing, exactly as the God(s) you believe in?"

99.9% percent of the time, said person will tell me of these great things they would do, and all of those things would be remedying things on Earth that are out of hand or so heinous.........and so, my next question is always...

"Why did it take until just now and with you to think of and want to do said great and loving thing(s) before your God(s) have ever wanted to?"

I'll leave it at that.

 

[Boogs]

I got in trouble and got an A+ 100% at the same time in my senior year of high school. Our honors teacher asked us to think of and perform the most controversial, social experiment that we could think of. We were to conduct and write our experience. I did this: I went to seven different religious temples in the area - First Baptist, Catholic, Assembly of God, Jehovah's Witness, Jewish Temple, Methodist and Lutheran. I told the head clergy of each church/temple that I was simply doing a school project and would consist of only asking ten questions, that's it. The first nine questions were all simple and concerning good works and good will. It was the tenth question that was the real kicker. It was, "Do you speak with God personally, and has God confirmed to you that your religion/denomination and beliefs are the proper ones above others?" They all said, "yes."

Now, all of these years later, I have come up with many more questions, definitely including ones that about melt brains, as you can just see people having a breakdown, but I don't mean to pose them for malicious intent. I seriously have said questions myself and seriously want to know the answers. I do even have some answers to questions that are commonly posed at me, and said answers do not leave folks feeling so confident. I don't want to get into things too specifically, so I will pose the two questions that I wind up asking the most (and the responses, in part, that always occur).

"What would you do, if you had the power, omnipotent, all-knowing and all-seeing, exactly as the God(s) you believe in?"

99.9% percent of the time, said person will tell me of these great things they would do, and all of those things would be remedying things on Earth that are out of hand or so heinous.........and so, my next question is always...

"Why did it take until just now and with you to think of and want to do said great and loving thing(s) before your God(s) have ever wanted to?"

I'll leave it at that.

Is that not an invalid question?

had the power, omnipotent, all-knowing and all-seeing, exactly as the God(s) you believe in

It's a contradiction to be omnipotent and omniscient. If you know everything, then you know everything you will do and have done. But if so, then you have no free will, and therefore, cannot be omnipotent, because a lack of free will prevents you from taking any action you would wish to, as you would be able to if omnipotent?
And if you could, say, change your future because you're omnipotent, then how could you be omniscient, you wouldn't be able to know what you would change?
It may seem like I'm splitting hairs, but isn't the answer of what people would do, based on their presumption of omnipotence and omniscience? You're definition of this god is:

power, omnipotent, all-knowing and all-seeing

Power and omnipotent are the same, as are all-knowing and all-seeing; omniscience and omnipotence.
Maybe I'm over thinking it, or missing something, but would love to know what.

Sorry if I'm sounding argumentative, I'm honestly curious.

 

[Dagan]

No, actually that's part of it. Most religious texts say / claim all of those things, and if not, their "preachers" do. I was just throwing out all their usual words to get the point across how they make the grand claims. Yes, it all just rolls into the same ball and essentially means "perfection." You are on the same wavelength with me. You then understand how it just creates more and more questions that go unanswered. Since you are curious, I will give you more of my kinds of questioning:

"Perfection" does not "want / need" ......ever. Why would a perfect being desire anything of creation to more and more? It's beyond a paradox.

All-knowing (the beginning and the end) means that in any instant, said God would know everything that would ever occur with us, to us, for us, etc...so why even make it a physical reality at all? Are we truly just a thought of a supreme deity and therefore a "matrix" simulation running?

Here's one where I've really, really scared people - it's per the bible wording exactly, and I don't understand why more folks don't ask the same:

"1-In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2-Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 3-And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4-God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day."
------------------ This all-knowing God had never experienced light or that it was good, ever before, never even knew that it was possible or going to be experienced as such..............so..........you choose to worship this God...that existed however long before and came from the dark void, an absolute abyss, in the first place...like a Lovecraftian deity....and you trust it? You are really going to follow this being and its teachings, no questions asked?

 

[Boogs]

Yeah, I think I took you slightly wrong, wasn't sure how literal you were being, but it seems more tongue-in-cheek that I realised?
To be honest, the moment a "god - is there/isn't there?" type question comes up, as soon as anyone chooses to try and use a useless piece of text as their argument, even if they are quoting the most beautiful and perfect wisdom of the ages, it wouldn't matter because they haven't answered for themselves the question of just who their god is and why their god is the correct god to worship than the many other almost indistinguishable gods there to choose from?
The book is part of their god and their religion, so how can it be used as part of their argument, doesn't their argument have to first prove the significance of their holy texts? Isn't it rather like relying on the prisoner in the dock giving their own defence, and acting as their own jury? "I'm right about my god because my god's book says I am" - seriously?
I'm happy to have a valid debate, especially if it's on a level I can join and contribute, but each argument can't rely on it's own theory being it's own proof, or we are back to saying "my god's better than yours, because it's mine", which has little satisfaction or interest to me.
Any valid theory requires the ability to be disproven, for it to have any significance in any framework of ideas. If it cannot be disproven, it certainly can't be proven, so of what value is that? Anyone can make something up that can't be disproved, but what use is it?
I've had far too many deeply disappointing conversations about this sort of thing where they've almost always devolved into a someone saying something along the lines of "you've got to have faith" or worse. That's all well and good, but it instantly becomes a dead conversation, game over. If someone thinks that's a worthwhile win, then they are welcome to it, because I don't want any so useless for myself.
There's nothing to be taken from it beyond the fact that there's nothing to be taken from it!

 

[Dagan]

Agreed. I want to repeat that I am never malicious or even want to scare folks with questions, but they still exist, I have them and if ever truly answered, they'd cease to be. And yes, when anyone for any reason tells me that I just "have to have faith," I both immediately think of Jerry Dandridge in Fright Night and also a used car salesman that looks like Kurt Russell telling me, "hey, trust me on this."

 

[Slime_Punk]

In the past I never thought I'd say this, but I feel the presence all the time.

Maybe I was afraid of it before (which, I think is how a lot of people feel), but being able to feel positivity, compassion for others (to the best of one's ability) and to see the greater good in mankind despite our evil tendencies is something you really have to practice doing, or you'll lose faith -- faith in others, or even.... yourself.

I guess I was turned off at one point because one book said one thing and another book said something else, but realizing that at the root if it all, most religion strives for peace, unity and compassion, and that we, too can strive for the aforementioned (despite the human baggage that can get in the way of this) is true power.

I feel as though god (as I've come to know him / her / them) has become a very strong presence in my life. And whether or not Jesus actually existed, it's still sometimes important to ask 'WWJD' (or insert your favorite positive influence) so that you can be the change you want to see in the world rather than waiting around for others to come around.

 

[Jenisautistic]

this is a bit private and and I’m not sure if I should be saying that cause I don’t believe that God would want me to share this
But I have had several dreams about angels
I’ve even odd ones where they’re talking to me and then I wake up the same time as they say i am going to have also found them holding me as I am dreaming

Here is the longer private story
When I was younger after the near death traumatic events happened at the hospital, I believe the next day I heard a voice of my friend, but he was not there, and I felt the presence of something I don’t know if it was an Angel, or possibly God I don’t believe it is hallucinations , although it could be

I’m very strongly believe in the presence of Angels and god although I have no idea about religion
I still pray whenever I am nervous, or I want to share gratitude

I have been up since the middle of the night so that’s all I can really say for now, but I may edit and add more later

 

[Bolletje]

I do not, I am agnostic.

 

[lovely_darlingprettybaby]

In the past I never thought I'd say this, but I feel the presence all the time.

Maybe I was afraid of it before (which, I think is how a lot of people feel), but being able to feel positivity, compassion for others (to the best of one's ability) and to see the greater good in mankind despite our evil tendencies is something you really have to practice doing, or you'll lose faith -- faith in others, or even.... yourself.

I guess I was turned off at one point because one book said one thing and another book said something else, but realizing that at the root if it all, most religion strives for peace, unity and compassion, and that we, too can strive for the aforementioned (despite the human baggage that can get in the way of this) is true power.

I feel as though god (as I've come to know him / her / them) has become a very strong presence in my life. And whether or not Jesus actually existed, it's still sometimes important to ask 'WWJD' (or insert your favorite positive influence) so that you can be the change you want to see in the world rather than waiting around for others to come around.

I'm glad you feel God. I believe God would want compassion and eventually peace too. I do not think God would celebrate evil despite us being imperfect.
Yes and it is better to hold to light rather than darkness. Well I believe in a God of unity too bring autistic I do not think that means being the same or acting the same or necessarily co-operating with others perfectly like if you struggle to get alone with others and co-operate then that is ok too as autistic, other people have to understand and accept ur boundaries, limitations and manner. Not all autistics can get along with others well.
Anyway glad u feel God

 

[lovely_darlingprettybaby]

this is a bit private and and I’m not sure if I should be saying that cause I don’t believe that God would want me to share this
But I have had several dreams about angels
I’ve even odd ones where they’re talking to me and then I wake up the same time as they say i am going to have also found them holding me as I am dreaming

Here is the longer private story
When I was younger after the near death traumatic events happened at the hospital, I believe the next day I heard a voice of my friend, but he was not there, and I felt the presence of something I don’t know if it was an Angel, or possibly God I don’t believe it is hallucinations , although it could be

I’m very strongly believe in the presence of Angels and god although I have no idea about religion
I still pray whenever I am nervous, or I want to share gratitude

I have been up since the middle of the night so that’s all I can really say for now, but I may edit and add more later

I'm glad u feel angels, that is so nice. I believe in angels too and I believe they are there for everyone at difficult moments, God has a whole army of them.
Hope ur angels continue talking to you.