From: dan@ingres.com (Heaven is not for the careless or cowardly)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian
Subject: Re: There is no god
Date: 17 Dec 92 05:14:51 GMT
Organization: Ingres, an ASK Company, Alameda CA 94501

This bugs me.  People see nothing wrong with "I think, therefore I am."  But,
they will "how do you know" down every explaination for a belief in God
feeling that they have justified their unbelief by simply exhausting the
ability of another person to answer questions.

Well, how do you know you think?  How do you know that knowing that you think
implies that you think?  If you choose to accept no precepts, then of course
you can easily guarantee that nothing can be proved including the conclusion
that nothing can be proved.  Logic dies.  (And you thought God was dead?)

The existance of a dog goes unquestioned simply because people agree to
accept the dog's existance upon sight or upon hearing a bark or upon feeling
or smelling or hopefully not by tasting it :-)

Well, God is there and interacts with people.  He also allows us to have all
the free cheap shots and mocking arguements we want should we choose to keep
our hearts turned against Him, but His existance does not change.  How do I
know God exists?  Well, He interacts with me and several people I know and
with anyone who chooses not to shut Him out.  Why should I not believe in
God while believing in a simple dog that He created?  Why stop here?  Why
not just live as though nothing existed?

Of course, you can touch and see the dog.  But can you?  What is the dog?
Is it a certain collection of atoms in a certain arrangement?  What if it
loses a molecule or the molecule moves around to a different place?  Does
it cease to become a dog?  Or does it cease to become a dog when it takes
leave of our senses?  Also, on what basis is one sense considered supreme
over others in matters involving  judgement over the existance of something?

I may never be able to "prove" the existance of God.  But, I can see His
influence on the lives of myself and others.  I can look around at His
creation.  I can pray and interact intimately with God and know with just
as much certainty that He exists as I know that any person around me within
my sight exists.  The way He answers promises changes with the way I either
respect the Lord or disrespect Him.  When I'm far away from the Lord, He
still cares and wants me to come back, but He does not take joy in answering
prayers and in interacting with me the way He does when I'm humble and
submissive to His will.

I can feel this when I cross over the speed limit going down the freeway
or when I am reminded that I don't have my seat belt on.  I can feel the
distancing when I become upset, lose sight of the Lord and utter a bad word
under my breath.  I can feel the difference in my relationship with the Lord
when I do and do not love my wife and pray for her as I should.  I feel it
when the offering plate gets passed and I do or do not give my fair share.
I feel the closeness of God when I take time to get into intercessory prayer
and let the Lord remind me of what I should pray.  I see things happened that
do not happen outside of prayer--people written off for dead get healed--
people such as my own grandmother and my own brother.  Spirits get bound.
I can see the difference between churches where the demons are present and
oppress the church and churches where the spirits of darkness have been bound
and praise of the Lord is full and free.  I've seen the devil worshipper
hatefully accuse the christian falsely only to be broken down in love and
be won over to the  love of Christ.  I've seen the fearful repent and become
courageous spiritual soldiers for Christ sacrificing everything even to the
point of death.

God is very real, and regardless of where I live and what the people around
me say of His existance and regardless of how the media represents the Lord's
followers, I will continue to believe in God and will give my reasons for doing
so without apology or excuse and assert my right to hold true to God as long
as I shall live.  After all He has done for me through Christ and His blood,
how can I give Him any less of myself?

--
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-----------/\---------- Daniel J. Dick
----------/ /\--------- ASK/INGRES Internal Support Team
---------/ /| \-------- 1201 Marina Village Parkway - 3rd Floor
--------/ / /\_\------- Alameda, Ca - 94501
-------/ / / / /\------ (510) 748-2538 (dan@ingres.com)
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