From: arron@waikato.ac.nz
Newsgroups: talk.religion.misc
Subject: Re: A deep bit of flame bait
Date: 16 Dec 92 14:47:58 +1300
Organization: University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand

> Most of us atheists _have_ given it a go, and have become
> disillusioned when it became apparent to us that there simply ain't
> anybody out there, so to speak, and when Christian arguments for the
> existence of their god began to sound more and more like a child's
> arguments for the existence of his or her imaginary friend.
> 
> What really hurts, though, is how Christians repeatedly tell me "well,
> obviously you didn't try hard enough, you didn't truly _want_ to find
> God, you were just fooling yourself, you have to believe even though
> it may go against what you feel is correct right now."  To tell me
> that I didn't try enough is to insult me -- when I first began
> doubting my Christian faith, I clung to it desperately in the hopes
> that I'd find some plausible explanation of my doubts that would
> restore my faith.  But I never did.

I admit readily that one of the worst things about Christianity when looking
from the outside is Christians themselves. I mean, I don't agree with
everything every other Christian says, but I do have to be patient with them,
and not get snotty if they say something I don't like. However, when you aren't
a Christian, a raving Christian can easily become a pain in the posteria.

I have seen a lot of people come into Christianity, and a few go as well, and I
have seen a bit of a pattern, BE ASSURED ... I am NOT generalising about you, I
have no idea what circumstances you have been through ... but ...

A few of my friends have 'fallen away', and each case it is more their choice
than God abondoning them.

Two friends got into the 'sex' thing and both felt so guilty they couldn't face
coming to chruch anymore, it's not that they intentionally turned away, they
just were afraid. Adam & Eve did the same thing, but through Christ we have
forgiveness, God would forgive them (some Christians might not) and they could
have come back.

One lost his job, and became depressed, but he never prayed for God to give him
a job, and he was not self motivated. Hanging on to Christianity and Church is
no good then, you have to let go, get on your knees, and beg for help. It WILL
come !!!

One lost his Girlfriend and job, but found that his girlfriend was the reason
he had got into God in the first place. When the times got tough he just walked
away and jumped into bed with the nearest girl he could find.

One was a strong theologist, a man I respected a lot. He spent 9 years at
University, then got a well paying job, and went out and lived his wild teens
at the age of 30 because he loved having and spending money.

God NEVER left one of these people, they all found their strength in other
things, God is STILL waiting for them all, and is working hard on two of them
at the moment. God is STILL waiting for you, with those answers you were
looking for. Don't give up yet! I am glad to see you are still facing the
discussion. Although you are now fighting strongly against your faith, it shows
you are still near the word of God, God is still teaching you (like it or not),
and you are still precious in God's eyes. May God bless you, and I am
looking forward to the day you remember the God that waits for you.

I will keep you in my prayers.

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from:arron@waikato.ac.nz			Arron Scott
						University Of Waikato
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