To quote the channel Belief It or Not, "I stopped fighting for something that was supposed to be fighting for me."

@GeneGrey337

Жыл бұрын

🙌.

@alexamaya3208

Жыл бұрын

That sounds a little selfish. It seems very entitled if anything. As if we deserve whatever it is you think should be fighting for you. The thing is it doesn’t even make sense seeing as the whole idea for most theists is that God came down and died for our sins. So he already did his part. Now you expect him to “keep fighting” for you when he gave everything he possibly could’ve? And then not fight yourself?

@CB66941

Жыл бұрын

@@alexamaya3208 I'll admit, the wording is problematic, but not unbiblical. Jesus said "do not worry" and "he who is in you is greater than he is in the world" and "whatever you ask in my name, it will be given" and "cast your cares upon him". You can imagine why many people flock to religion. The lack of control in life is troubling. And so, having an omnipotent best friend seems great. But all the failed prayers, the doubts, the gaslighting, and guilt can become too much to bear. And soon you realize that this God promised much but delivered nothing. And you soon wonder if he even did what he claimed he did. We fought for it. It was our "trial of faith". But really we wasted our life. We were told that we are to seek God and ask HIM to reveal himself. Then told never to doubt him. But in this relationship, who do you think is the one that should be making concessions?

@aronjanosov9046

Жыл бұрын

@@alexamaya3208 it's not selfish. Claiming that "God did the work already so it's up to you" is not enough if you need convincing that the claim is true. It's like saying that I, Aaron saved your life, Alex. Multiple times! So now be grateful to me." You won't say "Oh yeah okay". You want some proof that I told the truth. So my job isn't done by the claim - the burden of proof is still on me. In Christianity it's on God (or on the christians).

@terryaucoin4708

Жыл бұрын

​@Alex Amaya Oh shut up. God isnt real Jesus isnt real Moses isnt real Youd have better luck trying to convince people luke skywalker lost his hand for them 🤣

“If the knowledge of a God is the most necessary, why is it not the most evident and the clearest?”- Percy Shelley

@elliotyudenfriend7481

Жыл бұрын

Ben, God is in plain sight, in all of creation. In the magnificent creatures He created. In the solar system, in which, if the sun was just a tiny bit further away, the earth would be so cold nothing could live on it. If it were closer, the high temps of earth would make life impossible. If the moon was any closer, the oceans would cover the land masses. If it was further away, the tides, would not turn, making life on earth impossible. Creation shouts that God made all things. By the way, the very eyes in your head reveal God to you, because no one but a supernatural being could have made them. (“Evolution” my eye!”)

@heinshaaine8153

Жыл бұрын

​@@elliotyudenfriend7481 hes another puddle thinking that the hole wad made perfectly for it.

@heinshaaine8153

Жыл бұрын

​@Sandy Macfarlane the bible also calls slavery noral, so why should anybody care

@awkwardukulele6077

Жыл бұрын

@Sandy Macfarlane Jews being slaves to Jews meant that, but slavery of gentiles was closer to how we know black people were treated in slavery. So again, the Bible does support Alva very.

@pmbcdirector1489

Жыл бұрын

Because it has consequences for your life and introduces limits. Many things in life, very evident and clear, are often not sought or achieved because people are afraid of consequences and limits.

I did exactly this from childhood to early adulthood, then I just couldn’t pretend anymore. It’s so scammy, was like seeing the king had no clothes and everyone yelling that you’re not trying hard enough

@neptunianvibes

Жыл бұрын

Once you start genuinely seeking truth and study the text thoroughly, you’ll realize the book is heavily symbolic & has been referring to the battle of truth & lies in the human mind the entire time. It’s all about accepting truth so that humans can create “heaven” on earth.

@arkkon2740

Жыл бұрын

@@neptunianvibes Every time someone says this I just think "The fuck is the truth if no one is looking for the right thing anymore"

@ArminiusSage

Жыл бұрын

This. I grew up on a farm near a small town of a couple thousand. The local church (non-denominational) was more of a cult than your typical house of “god”. It ran majority of the businesses and had its own school. There was a lot of shit that didn’t make sense to me so I did a lot of research. Martin Luther and John Huss fascinated me. As did their questions and writings. Especially with how the church ran shit in town and the sheer power it had/has. But what ended my belief was when I was 15, I asked one of the youth pastors(who also ran the only gym in town) about his thoughts on Martin Luther and his writings, as well as questions regarding Christianity being nothing but Roman propaganda created to quell the Jewish rebellions…and the sheer power the church held over Europe for almost 2000 years as well as other subjects. The pastor had no good answers….didn’t even know that Islam is a Abrahamic religion as well. But what he said when he finally got frustrated of me questioning his faith in front of other kids is what did it…. Flat out said “if you keep asking questions you’ll end up in hell” I gave him a look and replied with “if god is all knowing, all seeing, and loves us, why would he punish someone for seeking answers and becoming more knowledgable? Wouldn’t he want his people to question rather than be controlled?” I was kicked outta that youth group for being impertinent, my mom didn’t talk to me for months because she felt humiliated, and the head pastor flat told her that if I didn’t change, i would go to hell and take her with him. It was then I realized it was alllllllll about control, and making money off the sheep. Ever since then, I debate with every preacher I can. I’ve only met two that actually had good arguments and could debate. Two. Religion has bred tumors of inhumanity. The sooner religion is stamped out, the better.

@ArminiusSage

Жыл бұрын

@@neptunianvibes if I stare upon the sticks laying about on the ground in a forrest, eventually I will see patterns that symbolize anything I wish to see. The Christian Bible is not about symbolizing anything. It’s propaganda created by the Roman’s to quell the Jewish uprisings, and because they realized that there was more control and less strife by going with a monotheistic cult rather than the polytheistic religion stolen and adapted from the Greeks and other cultures that Roman stole. The most basic example of this; How many Christian holidays started from Christianity and had no roots from pagan and other religions of the time? How many?

@dmere123ify

Жыл бұрын

@@neptunianvibes The book is heavily open to many vastly different interpretations and is unconvincing as evidence for the God it seems to purport. It reads as a collection of books that often contradict one another as would be expected from purely human origins in ancient cultures with relatively limited understanding of reality. The history of the book’s use and misuse is also good evidence for its lack of Devine origin, along with the lack of surviving manuscripts that would give us anything like a definitive original version due to huge numbers of differences, large and small, between early available manuscripts.

The word that gentleman is looking for isn't "struggle" or "journey," it's "living a spiritually gaslit existence until you're so broken, the indoctrination might take hold."

@claires9100

Жыл бұрын

True. Well said.

@R_A_3000

Жыл бұрын

This is the best description of "finding" religion.

@r.a.l.27

Жыл бұрын

The world is already broken. We are already broken. For many, religion is living by the ultimate "Truth" that gives human life meaning, or at the very least it is an attempt to fix or explain the brokenness. Regardless of it being truth or not, such "indoctrination" is not the cause of the brokenness and also is not inherently harmful.

@Nick-ss7jb

Жыл бұрын

Wow that was stupid

@pyrotechnick7995

Жыл бұрын

Absolutely spot on !

From a Christian perspective I guess it makes sense if an atheist has some long struggle and eventually finds god in the end. But there are tons of people like me who started as a Christian, then had that struggle of faith, and came out the other side an atheist. If the road works both ways how is it meant to give validity to Christianity?

@davidejibia3930

Жыл бұрын

From my perspective, being raised catholic, then athiest, then agnostic then to orthodoxy, it felt like i didnt understand but blindly followed at first, then questioned and rejected it, and then out of curiosity i ended up looking into it to understanding better and ended believing it

@miniciominiciominicio

Жыл бұрын

@@davidejibia3930 Do you mind if I asked how long you spent in each category you mention and how old you were at each crossroads?

@theintelligentmilkjug944

Жыл бұрын

You could say it brings equality to every ideology. It just goes to show that even Christians aren't immune to the impurities in the world.

@decibel333

Жыл бұрын

​@@theintelligentmilkjug944 "even Christians"??

@theintelligentmilkjug944

Жыл бұрын

@@decibel333 especially Christians

If it’s _supposed_ to be a struggle, then I’m *rocking it* !

@naturealbums

Жыл бұрын

HAHA me too! nice one

@gango23

Жыл бұрын

I really don't think I can do it, I feel like giving up and just settling for reality.

@JRRTokeKing

Жыл бұрын

@@gango23do it. It might take some time to adjust, but you’ll be so much more free.

@andresv.8880

Жыл бұрын

@@gango23 reality is the real struggle, not going to sleep feeling like a magical being has your life figured out

@gango23

Жыл бұрын

@@andresv.8880 Too true, to think a supernatural being will right all the wrongs after death gives us less responsibility to do it ourselves. Religion is the ball and chain that civilisation is destined to drag around unfortunately though.

Willingful self-deception, so that is the free will everybody is talking about. 😂

@rokosbasilisk5376

Жыл бұрын

Thats what faith sounded to me back in my days as a christian. I'm glad someone put it into words. "Intellectual sacrifice"... I quite like that

@colinriches1519

Жыл бұрын

​@@rokosbasilisk5376 Also, you could just call faith lying to yourself and others in order to emotionally blackmail vulnerable people. You can only be morally superior if you lie to yourself 😂

@davidrigg8678

Жыл бұрын

@@rokosbasilisk5376 Faith is the foundation of knowledge. Whatever knowledge you attain will ultimately come down to having faith in the source of that knowledge. Historical events, scientific facts, current events that you haven't directly experienced, any future you plan for yourself, love, eating food given by others, the American banking and credit system, driving through a green light...the list goes on and on of things and people that you put your faih in.

@davidrigg8678

Жыл бұрын

@Moonlight Gamers What I mean is, you won't know it's a scientific fact unless you have faith in the source of that information. For instance, I've learned that the universe is expanding. But why should I believe it? I believe it because I have faith that information I've read on it is true. The fact that I haven't heard it disputed, and I've read and heard from multiple sources that the universe is expanding, still doesn't take away from the fact that I believe it by faith in the sources of the information.

@davidrigg8678

Жыл бұрын

@Moonlight Gamers You're not listening to what I'm saying. I didn't say facts change because of faith. I said YOU DON'T HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE FACT, UNLESS YOU HAVE FAITH IN THE SOURCE OF THE INFORMATION GIVEN. Have you personally witnessed the universe expanding? I haven't, but I trust the information given.

Struggle? Are they trying to describe cognitive disonance?

@briansmith3791

Жыл бұрын

Belief in a Creator is rational, belief in a Religious God, which interferes in the universe, brings cognitive dissonance.

@Raz3477x

Жыл бұрын

@@briansmith3791 Belief in a creator is circular reasoning. You have to actively ignore that in order to think that it makes sense.

@briansmith3791

Жыл бұрын

@@Raz3477x We can only reach our beliefs through the available evidence. The observable evidence is that there is one universe with the Physical Constants. Fine-tuning.

@Raz3477x

Жыл бұрын

@@briansmith3791 1. You’re assuming any other form of universe is even possible (I.e. that the constants are tuned rather than necessary) 2. This is basically the puddle argument, and just like how it fails with evolution, it fails here 3. You think the universe cannot exist without fine-tuning, but you think an omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent being can exist without it? 3. That is still circular reasoning.

@briansmith3791

Жыл бұрын

@@Raz3477x 1 : I'm not assuming anything. Cosmologists say other universes are possible with slightly different Constants, but the conditions for Life wouldn't exist. 2 : Adam's Puddle analogy is false. We have evidence for only one puddle, one universe. 3 : Who said the Creator is omnipotent, omniscient or omnipresent? You're confusing my belief with Religious beliefs.

I stopped struggling when i realized im in the struggle by myself.

@alexamaya3208

Жыл бұрын

That’s what the faith is for. Knowing you’re not by yourself despite feeling as though you were. You may not care, but one of the greatest saints for Christians thought God abandoned her for years until she grew to her saintly state and no longer felt that way.

@pala1blood240

Жыл бұрын

@@alexamaya3208 You don't really know what you're talking about. I've heard it all, and what you're telling me is just one of the recycled advice that we give each other to make us feel better.

@pb5640

Жыл бұрын

Exactly. I like the way you put that!

@alexamaya3208

Жыл бұрын

@@pala1blood240 That’s fine if that doesn’t work for you. But to say I don’t know what I’m talking about is pretty ignorant lmao. If you’re implying a God doesn’t exist then say that… but if you think God just abandons and leaves you to it, my point is that history in the Bible, personal experiences, etc. shows he hasn’t(if you do believe in God)

@pala1blood240

Жыл бұрын

@@alexamaya3208I meant that in a sense that you only refer to your god and disregarding every other gods. I don't believe in your god of the christian bible or any other gods for that matter. I believe in human solidarity and what we can do for each other, in this life is the only chance for us to do good by one other.

Of course, there is a struggle. It is irrationality struggling with rationality. And when you end up a believer, then irrationality won.

@georgenorris2657

Жыл бұрын

All I can say is that I totally disagree.

@johnbrzykcy3076

Жыл бұрын

I don't think that a belief in God negates rationality. We still can use our reasoning process to be cognizant of life. And we can still use reasoning to seek the truth. Peace

@arthurwieczorek4894

Жыл бұрын

And, I would say, the irrationality doesn't stay contained. And, let me ask a true or false question. The atheist is more concerned with her rationality than the believer.

@andreasplosky8516

Жыл бұрын

@@johnbrzykcy3076 "I don't think that a belief in God negates rationality. " Oh, not completely. The irrationality very often is kept compartmentalized. This is a very well known mental mechanic. Many christians live a normal life of course, but when you go in depth about their religious beliefs, the absurd irrationality comes floating to the top very quickly. And when the christian beliefs spill over in real life this can be harmless, but there also is something like, for example, christian nationalism. This is when the crazy on the inside starts affecting everything around it, like cancer. The true corruption of the christian mind then comes fully to the surface, and is a danger to us all.

@johnbrzykcy3076

Жыл бұрын

@@andreasplosky8516 Respectfully, what do you perceive as the "absurd irrationality comes floating to the top" ? Do you think a simple belief in the existence of God is "absurd irrationality" ? Of course it depends on how we define God. I'm not sure either how you define "Christian nationalism ". From my understanding, the foundational belief in Christianity that God loves His creation can't be classified as "absurd irrationality". I respect what you said although I'm not quite certain what specific aspects of Christianity point to "corruption of the Christian mind."

When my dad heard me reject Christianity for the first time, he was heartbroken. His only advice was, "Read your Bible..." The thing that he doesn't understand is that I did. I fought for it. I cried for it. Many times I knelt at my bed, praying and repenting because I had doubts and negative thoughts about God. I only found peace when I realized there was no god to fight for.

@cd4playa1245

19 күн бұрын

You found peace because Satan stopped harassing you after you caved.

@Aaron-mj9ie

19 күн бұрын

@@cd4playa1245 Do you really believe that?

@hmb8801

17 күн бұрын

​@@Aaron-mj9ieread the Quran too

@Aaron-mj9ie

17 күн бұрын

@@hmb8801 One of the things that I did when I left Christianity was read and research all the other world religion's books too see if they offered anything that the faith I ws brought up in did not. Turns out, they all offer something different, but we're all predicated on the same principles. The Quran was basically just like reading the bible.

@mindmaestro4108

15 күн бұрын

​@@cd4playa1245This comment is gold

“Be opened minded, just not so much your brain falls out.”- Tim Minchin

My religious family: have you tried praying to God to ask him to reveal himself to you? Have you tried reading the Bible praying before every passage for God to reveal himself? Me: So you're asking me to pray to something I don't believe in, and that might help me believe in it? That sounds like putting the cart before the horse.

@jllamb88

Жыл бұрын

Sounds like a troubleshooting session. “Have you tried turning your brain off and back on again?”

@LagMasterSam

Жыл бұрын

The most sincere prayer of my life was when I was still a believer. My prayer was to better understand the Bible. I started reading it after that prayer and immediately thought to myself, "This is all fake." That was the "answer" to my prayer, so I don't know what to tell people. If God were real, and wanted me to believe the Bible is his word, then why was that the answer I got? Surely God wouldn't give, or even allow, such an answer in these circumstances if the Bible were true.

@geraldpolzinjr9670

Жыл бұрын

​​@LagMasterSam God wouldn't say that, but the devil would. I prayed the same thing & guess what? My sister bought me a MacArthur study Bible. I learned so much before I even got to Genesis chapter 1😂😅 The devil immediately comes to steal, kill & destroy. So did you keep studying?

@dreistheman7797

Жыл бұрын

@@LagMasterSam You are assuming that what you felt is what God’s answer. I’ve learned that our feelings should not dictate what is true, especially our minds and feelings are very impressionable, but rather the truth should change the way we think and what we feel. Continue seeking and not giving full trust in “just what you feel”.

@question3147

Жыл бұрын

@@LagMasterSam Great point the commenter Gerald made from his indoctrinated mind. It's a religion of confusion, you never know if anything happens on behalf of a skydaddy or behalf of an anti-skydaddy. Which a) makes every thought about it irrelevant or b) leaves you in a constant state of doubt about everything. 😂 Also the audacity to tell you what you really felt or really happened even tho you are the most reliable source, since you were there, never fails to make me smile.

How about, "well, why don't you pretend and act like He doesn't exist for a while and see how you feel?"

@SalimMalibari_Comments

Жыл бұрын

Did that.. and i ended up becoming a believer with a more rational, logical, epistemological believer...

@gango23

Жыл бұрын

It will feel the same way it feels not to believe in Zeus.

@crazyprayingmantis5596

Жыл бұрын

​@@SalimMalibari_Comments A believer in what?

@SalimMalibari_Comments

Жыл бұрын

@Crazy prayingmantis in one true God and Islam was the most logical way to that true God... I think after a long journey of understanding how evidence works for myself, I chose this path, which is the most rational, healither, logical, and epslistomological in the whole world..

@SalimMalibari_Comments

Жыл бұрын

@@crazyprayingmantis5596 .

"fake it till you make it". I'd been living like that for decades until a preacher said it in a sermon, encouraging struggling people to do that. That was my lightbulb moment. I stopped being an avowed Christian within a year or so of that moment.

@wet-read

Жыл бұрын

Society: Honestly is the best policy. Also society: Fake it till you make it!

@yagami1918

Ай бұрын

Maybe don't let people dictate your faith which you are trying to root in God.

@_S0me__0ne

Ай бұрын

@@yagami1918 If only it was that easy. At least I was able to one day seriously and honestly think about my faith and beliefs. I suspect a lot of people never do.

@theboombody

14 күн бұрын

I think Jesus said the opposite. I think he said count the cost before joining. Don't jump in until you're ready. That's way different than faking it until you make it.

@yagami1918

14 күн бұрын

@@_S0me__0ne yes I agree with you fully. I seem to recall why Jesus said the way to life is narrow in Matthew 7: 13-14.

Theist: "you just need to be as gullible as me...then you will believe"

@echiko4932

Жыл бұрын

I've been truthd

@yusufnaseem5114

Жыл бұрын

Atheist: nothing = something 👍

@bokononbokomaru8156

Жыл бұрын

@yusufnaseem5114 theist: "I love to strawman what I don't understand & pretend i know other's thoughts"

@miiguel3550

Жыл бұрын

@@bokononbokomaru8156bro nearly became self aware

@jghifiversveiws8729

11 ай бұрын

@@yusufnaseem5114 Explaining where everything supposedly came from is not a central tenet of Atheism, let alone most religions. Religious folk believe the universe needed a "god" to come into existence, but what about that creator's creator? Where is the "god" that created "god" that created this universe and why is that "god" not seen as the true supreme deity. "Well it's because God is eternal, he doesn't need a creator" but then why does the universe need one? Why can't the universe also be eternal and uncreated? See this "god of the gaps" argument has always struck me as specious. We may not know for certain what phenomenon caused the universe to emerge into it's current form, but we suspect that it had something to do with the four fundemental forces acting in concert on a macro/microscopic scale over incomprehensible lengths of time, rather than a "god" willing it into existence because there's zero evidence for that.

These kind of things are precisely what you'd expect people to say when trying to get you to believe an idea that isn't true.

My story, to a tee. When I finally admitted that “fake it till you make it” wasn’t doing the job, it all fell apart pretty quickly. Kinda hard for that to happen while working for the RC church, but I was able to continue ministering musically to the assembly until I retired because I truly wanted them to have a good prayer life, even if it wasn’t real, and maybe my music would help them to be better people. I’m singing in a church choir now, but only thru Easter, then it’s to a secular choir for me. I can’t support the evil empire anymore.

@georgenorris2657

Жыл бұрын

This idea of "fake it to make it" is so counterproductive as to be risible.

@johnbrzykcy3076

Жыл бұрын

I don't think you can actually "fake it" to make something become reality or the truth. I could be wrong. Jesus never did fake it. His compassion was real. His human emotions were real, but Jesus was intimate with God the Father. This intimacy prevented any "fake it til you make it." Unfortunately we humans tend to fake it. I know I do. Thanks for sharing. I appreciate your honesty.

@timcooney3600

Жыл бұрын

@@johnbrzykcy3076 well, as you say, Jesus had the benefit of being god, so he had knowledge and a relationship (with himself?) that I didn’t. I tried really hard and begged for decades for faith and was never granted it, while I watched others casually drift through life without a seeming doubt ever, and maintaining a relationship I could only marvel at. You’re right that you can’t fake yourself into belief. You might want to share that with all the religious folks over the years who counseled me into that attitude.

@dmere123ify

Жыл бұрын

@@johnbrzykcy3076 we really don’t know very much about Jesus. Pretending that we do is part of the faking it required to keep ourselves believing without the good evidence that should be readily available if it were true. The history of both the bible and the church strongly confirm the lack of sufficient evidence to believe it’s true. Any true God could and would do so much better at communicating with us.

@johnbrzykcy3076

Жыл бұрын

@@timcooney3600 I really appreciate your honesty. I think people of most religions struggle with answers to life, as you did. However as you said, some people "drift through life without a seeming doubt ever..." You have excellent observations about reality. Regarding Jesus, I believe Jesus was both fully divine and fully human. Don't ask me to explain how that's possible because I don't know. Jesus' humanity was one reason He could relate to other people. Regarding "faith", don't worry. I believe God sees and understands our hearts. Why can't He understand if Jesus Himself was involved in creation of the Cosmos and mankind ? I'm sorry to hear that counseling by others didn't help you. We must remember that no human is perfect or even close to perfection. So how are you doing nowadays? Do you consider yourself an atheist? I guess I'd call myself a questioning Christian. Again I understand your comments. None of us can experience the same thing another person goes through. Right? I sometimes wonder how people felt who experienced the Holocaust. Some of them must have felt abandoned by God. Peace to you from Florida.

This whole thing with God supposedly being deliberately mysterious or hard to find has always baffled me. If he's gonna play hide-and-seek or expect someone to act as if he exists even if they have no reason to think he's real, he's an asshole and not worth the effort. Also, every and any religion could make this argument, but I doubt any Christians are gonna try and live as if Islam or Hinduism or Buddhism were true in search of the truth.

@crazyprayingmantis5596

Жыл бұрын

Exactly, they're not and wouldn't ever attempt to.

@georgenorris2657

Жыл бұрын

God wouldn´t be God if he wasn´t "hard to find!" One of the major tasks of the committed believer is to forgive Him His very invisibilty.

@AwesomenessOnToast21

Жыл бұрын

@@georgenorris2657 you have to forgive god for a LOT of things, even if he was proven to be real, I wouldn’t worship him. Deuteronomy 20:16-18, “As for the towns of these peoples that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, you must not let anything that breathes remain alive. You shall annihilate them-the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites-just as the Lord your God has commanded.” Exodus 21:20-21 20 “Anyone who beats their male or female slave with a rod must be punished if the slave dies as a direct result, 21 but they are not to be punished if the slave recovers after a day or two, since the slave is their property.

@johnwalker1058

Жыл бұрын

One of my main problems with the Christian faith: If God likes to play "hide-and-seek" and either not do things to make his presence more easily known or especially deliberately hide himself, but then also severely punish people for unbelief, that's kind of a dick move right?

@georgenorris2657

Жыл бұрын

@@AwesomenessOnToast21 Well I wouldn´t worship that God either. Down through the ages (and still today) leaders have used God for their own nationalist ends. Russia even now. Every single nation in the first great war. on and on. This has nothing to do with God. It´s human manipulation. Sorting out the wheat from the chaff is what we are all called to do.

Alex is so good he could probably convince God he doesn't exist 😆

I don't have to "struggle" to believe that India exists despite the fact that I've never been there. There's nothing so preposterous about the existence of India which lends itself to a "struggle" of any sort. It's not surprising whatsoever that people "struggle" with the idea of god. It's preposterous. Naturally people struggle. The struggle emerges precisely because it is preposterous. The struggle is being HONEST with yourself.

@JD-wu5pf

Жыл бұрын

Something being "preposterous" says nothing about it being true or not. It's important not to use the same fallacies that religious people use (in this case, the fallacy of appealing to personal incredulity). Some people find evolution preposterous. Or string theory. Or quantum mechanics. Or artifical intelligence. Yet those things exist all the same.

@brimerwelpippy4972

Жыл бұрын

​​@@JD-wu5pf ​... Yes but we can say those things exist because, despite sounding preposterous or being hard to believe, they're completely demonstrable. Faith didn't lead us to discovering evolution, or quantum mechanics. Trying to believe something that there is 0% evidence to support the belief of is not personal incredulity lol

@JD-wu5pf

Жыл бұрын

@@brimerwelpippy4972 Correct. So say that religion is a struggle because they don't provide evidence for their claims, not that you find their claims preposterous.

@sos1691

Жыл бұрын

Only the brainwashed victim struggles to be honest. A condition also called cognitive dissonance. On the other hand, no one with a free mind will struggle with the truth of a matter.

@brimerwelpippy4972

Жыл бұрын

@@JD-wu5pf Ahh word, I get you. I'll say religion is a struggle because they don't provide evidence for their claims... Which is what makes it preposterous.

*"if god is real, then you wouldn't have to preach that he exists"* - me, Jesus.

If you have to force yourself to believe in something, do you really believe it?

@theboombody

14 күн бұрын

The answer is no. When I kept seeing people in movies sleeping around indiscriminately and binge drinking, saying that is the best way to live life, I asked myself if I believed that. The answer was no.

An invisible god that does not interact with reality is indistinguishable from a god that does not exist.

@tempgangster4952

Ай бұрын

Nice one

@objectivereality1392

17 күн бұрын

God does interact with reality-- Literally every fiber of it. Don't assume that because God isn't in our presence (because of the fall) that he's not interacting with reality. He's the only reason reality can logically exist.

@thomasowens5824

17 күн бұрын

@@objectivereality1392 When does god interact with reality?, does he interact with you? How do you know it is made from fibres? what evidence do you have that allows you to conclude a god is responsible for the existence of reality?

Belief in a personal god is a sign of ‘human weakness’’-Albert Einstein. Incidentally, this is not a criticism towards any person of faith, rather an acknowledgement that human beings are all, in their own way, trying to find meaning in life-but some people rather live in the harsh realm of reality and accept the difficult fact that there is no divine entity that is concerned about our personal wellbeing. Our life’s are defined through the courage of rational choice.

@theboombody

14 күн бұрын

What's courageous about choosing the rational thing? Sometimes the less rational, more dangerous path requires more courage. When you get a business degree, and you're told you have a 95% chance of getting a corporate job and being financially secure, or a 20% chance of starting your own business and if it hits, being financially secure, clearly the less rational path is more courageous.

Why would a God hide? Why would a God give us a brain to understand and then demand faith, which is believing without understanding?

@themanchestercollective3616

Жыл бұрын

Because it works perhaps.

@ShortFilmVD

Ай бұрын

​@@themanchestercollective3616 yeah but experiments always work in the sense that there's always an outcome that you can learn something from.

When you cannot twist yourself into a big enough knot to force yourself to believe the garbage taught by Christianity, that is you fault not the fault of the BS the Church is trying to jam down your throat. Maybe God should come up with a bigger threat than eternal Hellfire? Yeah, that's it.

This is the problem. There is no falsifiability to religion. There’s always an excuse as to why we get the exact opposite of what we expect from a universe with a god.

i was a christian until like a year ago and the funniest part is that even back then, nothing that god did was as incredible or awe inspiring than basic science principles that i’m learning in high school

@echiko4932

Жыл бұрын

"Inni de beninging, god made heaven and earth" Nah id rather believe in the beginning, there was no beginning. Our rock is just the coolest rock of billions, trillions, centillions of rocks

Trying to believe in a non existent entity must be a struggle

Did he say in the end " its a big cope " ?

@ChadrickNurn

Жыл бұрын

I think so.

@raghavgupta1118

Жыл бұрын

yes he did. social media has ruined the word cope for us

@notu1529

Жыл бұрын

cope as in overcoming an issue. in this case, the issue of religious belief or the feeling and inclination to believe in a religious god

@ultrasignificantfootnote3378

Жыл бұрын

@@raghavgupta1118 If he said : fake it till you make it , that would be more applicable I think.

@miniciominiciominicio

Жыл бұрын

Copium, bruh. Religion is the opiate of the masses.

Ditched the whole god thing long ago , looking forward to many more happy years ,

Imagine going through your whime life listening to guys like these two. Only to find out that God isn't real. Cos he isn't.

Don’t worry. You just have to prime yourself by entering a mental state of openness and mimicry that allows the brain washing to work.

This is a sad but poignant point to make. Sometimes it’s hardest when you’re smart. When you can see the cogs moving and understand what’s happening on a surface level it becomes so hard to let go of trying to understand every nuanced detailed from every angle and just let it happen. I can relate to that mindset. But the misconception here I think is that there is an expectation of some special divine “moment” where it all just happens and clicks and everything makes sense. There’s the testing of the waters to see what it’s like to feel that change and then make your decision. Except that fundamentally conflicts with the whole point. The point is that you don’t have that moment until after you’ve let go. When the book talks about “by faith alone are you saved” that’s what it’s referring to. You can’t want to understand every bit cognitively and then parse out if you want to believe based on the mechanics or not before you make a decision. God presents information to you and presents you with an option. If you decide that what is offered is worth the commitment then that’s the instant you have that “moment” he’s referring to searching for. But it can’t come until after you make that decision. You can go your whole life studying every detail and memorizing every bit of info and know it all by heart and yet still never feel anything because you never chose to make the decision to submit to the flow. And yet the second you do it somehow all makes sense. But it’s not something you can try to force or trick into happening so that you can then make your real decision. It’s understandable to want to. But you cant force or argue your way into conversion. You hear the offer and simply decide to accept it or not. It’s so simple it’s confusing and painful oftentimes. Especially when you like to think and understand it all before making decisions. Life precludes that sometimes tho.

@callosamiusprometheus7350

Жыл бұрын

The thing is, I -was- in that "flow" until i started learning about other religions. And then it clicked, there was literally nothing, NOTHING, about the one that was imposed on me from early childhood that was special, outside of the amount of genocide and wars committed in its name. Which...is how it spread. Not as i had been taught "because it was so apparently true." It's easy to follow blindly, to just let go and pretend whatever this book says is the absolute truth. But the reality is, all books are written by fallible human beings. All holy texts have been. None of them are different from each other in that regard. It's the written story of the struggle of humans in the past to understand a world without the advancements of scientific research, their explanations for why things were the way they were, and their cultural ideas of morality. Not everyone seeks the feelings you seek, some of us just want to learn and grow. And I have, and hope to continue doing so sans religion. ♥︎ It only served to keep me ignorant on any other perspective.

@traguna00

Жыл бұрын

@@callosamiusprometheus7350 nothing wrong with wanting to learn and grow. It’s one of my favorite things about life. And I agree that after decades of studying religions the vast majority of them are basically the same exact thing. With the same flaws and shortcomings and self-contradictions as the rest. But I do have to humbly submit that the Bible isn’t that. Not from my observations and experience. Obviously coming from some anonymous voice on the internet that means nothing, but love to discuss if you’re interested. And hey, who knows, maybe you convince me it’s the same as the others and release me from the rules I’m bound to because of it.

Belief isn't a choice, you're either convinced or you're not and you can't choose to be convinced. (despite Christians trying to argue that you can, and failing BIG time, but never admitting the failure)

@HenryHarrison477

6 ай бұрын

I agree as a Christian you cannot choose what you believe in. You cannot choose to all of the sudden have faith in something that you haven’t before. That’s why truly believing and having faith is so precious

@crazyprayingmantis5596

6 ай бұрын

@@HenryHarrison477 Well at least we can both agree on that ☺️

@BuckScrotumn

Ай бұрын

@@HenryHarrison477please stop with the “I’m one of the good Christians” nonsense. You’re just as stupid as the rest of them.

Faith in god is like being in an abusive relationship. Get the crap beat out of me but he still loves me.

If accepting something you cant prove out of frustration for something you cant change out of impotence is NOT born out of a struggle, what the hell would be? of course thats a struggle, its a freaking cognitive war.

I tried this with my mum after years of her telling me that i am closed minded to god, ghosts, the afterlife etc and i need to be "open to these things": I held my hands up, palms upwards with a tennis ball in one hand and nothing in the other. I asked her what colour both balls where. Obviously she said there was only one ball. After a fair bit of to and fro, i told her to be open to the fact that there are two balls. She told me i was being stupid. Yep, being open to things is a great way to go.

@theboombody

14 күн бұрын

"There are FOUR LIGHTS" - Captain Picard

Yup yup yup I did exactly that during my two years in a Christian college and a year beyond that. I finally understood that I don't have a dog in this race. That the fight for my soul is between God & Satan, I left it to them. Then a few years later I had to laugh at the absurdity, realize I'm atheist and I came out. I've never been a true believer and if I'm wrong, it's flat-out not my fault.

@ramencatdog8371

Ай бұрын

Yeah it is

@manofwisdom2

18 күн бұрын

Currently you are in Satan's domain.

I struggled before I found faith in Gandalf. Now the Shire is... safe?

The religious experience is something very personal and meaningful. You can't cope your way into it and honestly you shouldn't.

@table2.0

Жыл бұрын

Or it’s extreme indoctrination from birth with not so much as a glimpse to the outside world for other ideas, pretending those who leave are dead and not escapees from the religion. Oh, or it’s something that creeps into the vulnerable cracks of those who are at their lowest, a desperate delusional hope that there is a supernatural force that loves them and has a purpose for them in the world when everything else seems hopeless- coupled with an outwardly friendly community that is happy to take in new recruits to their religion and keep you trapped in an emotionally abusive relationship with “god”, preventing self improvement, honest reflection or healing using the mistranslated words of random long dead men that they want to hear for comfort from the real world.

@briobarb8525

Ай бұрын

Yes, and it is only real... and works...for those who are gullible enough to convince themself of it!?? Try harder!!!

Wow this is beautiful. Happened the other way round for me. Grew up in a Christian home, when I left, i ran so far from all religion, only to start seeking truth, tried many other religions, only to later have had a super natural revelation of Christ. Ive been reading my Bible and praying ever since..

And how do we know which religion's belief we're supposed to struggle for? Life's far too short to try and believe in each, one at a time, for months or years at a time, to try and find the one that you've been convinced "works"... in the end, all to no avail

@georgenorris2657

Жыл бұрын

How about looking at what they all have in common? That has to be significant.

@bubbafowpend9943

Жыл бұрын

@@georgenorris2657 Not sure how that lead anyone to determine accurately which one, if any, is correct, or which one they should try and struggle to convince themselves is correct? They could all have plenty in common and still all be wrong. They could also all have nothing in common and still all be wrong

@georgenorris2657

Жыл бұрын

@@bubbafowpend9943 Well in my experience it isn't so much a question of which stories to believe but how we act in our daily lives. I think all the religions agree on the need for kindness and compassion. That is probably all that matters.

@johnbrzykcy3076

Жыл бұрын

​@@georgenorris2657 Jesus Christ was a great example of kindness and compassion.

@bubbafowpend9943

Жыл бұрын

@@georgenorris2657 it seems to depend on who you ask; for example, for every christian I've spoken to who believes it's all about compassion and love, there's another who thinks disbelievers should burn for eternity. In the end, I don't think we need any religion to make us compassionate, in fact those that claim we do terrify me; I've had people openly admit if not for their god they'd rape to their heart's content. It seems to say more about that segment people than it does the general population, thankfully

Always loved this channel

Man the lengths apologists are willing to go is insane.

Pretty much just how I feel! Actually I was in a little mountain church in Crete today. There's loads and loads of them across the island, in the middle of nowhere, beautifully and carefully maintained, spectacular surroundings, very peaceful, almost made me wish I believe in God!

@georgenorris2657

Жыл бұрын

That´s kinda sad. Yeah I have visited many of those beautiful little churches.

Before you can think you believe, you believe in your senses, in your capacity to think properly, in the reality in front of you. Belief is a light that guides everything about your decision making processes.

@cyablu6538

Жыл бұрын

Yep. We are the stories we tell ourselves. Our beliefs literally shape our perception of reality

There are much more important things to struggle for, like human dignity, & the freedom of the oppressed.

@Being_Bohemian

13 күн бұрын

👌

I think it's important to make a distinction between faith and imagination. You can imagine something in your mind and conjure it up, so to speak, that you don't believe is a present reality. You can imagine some kind of theoretical danger, let's say a tiger. It may have some effect on you, but you'd experience something completely different if you thought the tiger was close, within 40 feet. Maybe you heard a report about a tiger in the area and while walking at night you heard a sound, and you froze in fear. That is a real visceral reaction. However, if you thought tigers are dangerous but they don't live around here, that is not a faith that really affects you, even if you hear a sound. The effect on you is closer to imagination. Compare this to God. If you believe in a God that will not likely hear you or respond, you will only pray half heartedly because you're not confident in making contact. It's possible you will pray only intellectually on the idea of a God who can theoretically hear and respond, but there is no sense of this being an imminent reality. It is not visceral. It's only ideas. But to have faith in the heart, I would say, is more visceral. It's not necessarily a gut feeling, but it is connected to that part of us and affects it. It's not just an idea in the head alone. For actual faith in God, we have to approach God in a whole hearted way, not just being open to the idea of God, or pretending God exists and trying to live it. But to approach a living God who can hear and see and respond to us at a particular place and time. Or else, what are we doing? We're just pretending, and no one wants that. That can't be faith. It's probably just imagination, a thought in the head. But I think everyone needs something empirical to go on. That's human nature. Either you have to see it for yourself or believe it on the testimony of others who have seen it. It's not good enough for everyone, but the testimony of the Apostles has been enough for some to approach God as a present reality. For others, they have some reason to believe there was genuine fulfilled prophecy. For others, a miracle in their life or family members. For others, they hit rock bottom, and find some connection with God that turns their life around. But I think whatever we call a deeply rooted faith, is not pretending or trying to believe. You can slow down and rest in it, rather than trying harder to make it real.

@I_Quarter_

Жыл бұрын

I think that this is a pretty good description of it and its pretty close to what my testimony would be like, I was a fake it till you make it kind of person, then in my lowest point I had a divine intervention from God

Yes following Christian ideals like forgiveness, engaging in charity work, working to repair damage you’ve done in the past, and sacrificing for the greater good…some people need a lot of convincing to actually do those things.

It is a big cope…. That works for some all of their life…. Others part of their life (like me)… and others not at all.

Core conservative values have always focused on making people suffer.

@davidejibia3930

Жыл бұрын

Life is suffering baby

@arthurwieczorek4894

Жыл бұрын

And they call it tough love.

@macdonald2k

Жыл бұрын

How so?

@tidalfite2748

Жыл бұрын

Liberals are no better. They also support capitalism. Which makes life suffering.

Every person's journey is unique...for me, finding God's voice happened when I was so desperatly broken in my heart that I cried out to Him as a baby would cried out to his father. As long as we think we do not "need Him" we will never experience His presence in our lives. May Alex be blessed by the Grace and the Peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

@DarkAdonisVyers

29 күн бұрын

Sounds like a bum taking drugs.

Without faith it is impossible to please God. For you must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that Diligently seek him. Hebrews 11: 16.

This is a terrible defense of faith, because in the Bible itself the existence of God is treated as an obvious objective fact by nearly every character in it with no "struggle" necessary.

@themanchestercollective3616

Жыл бұрын

You've not read it have you.

@lukejones7164

Жыл бұрын

@@themanchestercollective3616 I've read the entire Bible and even the non-canom scriptures numerous times. It's clear that you yourself haven't read it.

@themanchestercollective3616

Жыл бұрын

@@lukejones7164 then we clearly have very different definitions of the word "nearly". What does the name Israel mean?

@lukejones7164

Жыл бұрын

@@themanchestercollective3616 You clearly didn't get my post. The "struggle" isn't with the notion of God's existence (which is taken for granted in the Bible, and name Israel itself assumes the objective reality of God from the start), the struggle is with the Will of God (adversity, fate, etc).

@themanchestercollective3616

Жыл бұрын

@@lukejones7164 you clearly didn't get my question. God's existence by some definitions is and isn't assumed depending on the definition. Obviously all gods exist by some definitions. The fact that Jacob (among others) struggles with God and is such a central figure contends your point.

I was a non believer until recently. Can anyone explain the inner peace and serenity I feel when connecting with God? I haven’t studied the bible, I dont attend the church, but somehow I believe it so wholeheartedly. I genuinely love God and believe in Jesus, and I’m generally sceptical AF. I went through some stuff recently, nearly a decade long relationship breaking up, grandmother dying 3 months later and then an uncle dying 2 months after that. I was at my lowest and loneliest, crying myself to sleep, that’s when I started praying and some strangely positive things started happening all at the one time. Too many and too precise to call it a coincidence. I’m definitely a believer now.

@G.D.G.

Жыл бұрын

Your perspective of your lowest point will always seem like the most painful moment. Anything from that moment on will feel better. The pain of losing someone is great and a belief system lets you think if even for a moment that they are now living a much better life then you. Heaven, Valhalla call it what ever. Similar to drowning our brains grasp at straws for any way to stop the pain. You do anything you can to reach the surface for air. Some start praying to a made up man in the sky, the people before that asked a water or air diety to help them. Anything to help your mind cope - to ease the pain. I wanted BADLY to believe in a god. My issue is that I ask questions. I find the answers no matter what. All branched of abrachimic reginions fell apart for me. Each one. If you practice these faiths - stay away from the unneeded hate and support of harm. Stay kind. ❤

@esthervip

Жыл бұрын

bless you 💟

@amask99

Жыл бұрын

I'd encourage you to look up Catholic teachings, maybe you'll find the Truth in them

@Terrestrial_Biological_Entity

Жыл бұрын

@@G.D.G. This is not simplificationism! We are brave, and the truth is really hard, but we have to go little by little, otherwise brains fall out....

@odinson6348

Жыл бұрын

You feel that way because you believe it's true, not because it is true. It's a psychological panacea. The purpose of religious belief has always been a coping mechanism to deal with things that we find too difficult to deal with, like the permanence of death or unavoidable pain and injustice. We psychologically give them deeper meaning, convince ourselves death is not the end, that God will bring justice where man failed, because accepting the alternative is more psychologically damaging, and we're specifically seeking relief.

Boom. I really like what I'm seeing from this channel a lot.

As JP says "I act as if god exists", thus covering base propositions and opening the door for tangient topics. However; I view the "act as if" response to be a lie, attempting to align oneself in a bid for side-taking for argumentative purposes.

I'm a Christian believer and yet I do struggle with issues such as doubts, health problems, and judgemental attitudes. I look at the various scriptures in the Gospels and I see how often people came to Jesus for help. And Jesus recognized their faith.

@DCxSkateboarding

Жыл бұрын

Bro there are spells in Harry Potter that literally heal people why the fuck are we not looking at those then?

@tennicksalvarez9079

Жыл бұрын

​@@DCxSkateboardinghey don't be so mean

@JRRTokeKing

Жыл бұрын

@johnbrzykcy3076 I completely relate to your experience. When I was a Christian it was difficult to be in the place you’re in. It became hard to find the difference between a God that had the power to help me and chose not to and the possibility that God just didn’t exist at all. I’m not a Christian now, and am finally free from trying to rationalize that God had a plan to realizing my belief in the claims of Christianity were not warranted because the evidence just isn’t there.

@theintelligentmilkjug944

Жыл бұрын

​@@DCxSkateboarding No one said you couldn't lol.

@noodlened7964

Жыл бұрын

@@DCxSkateboarding why do you wish to be so disrespectful and mean to someone simply sharing a personal account of their religion?

Existence itself is a protracted struggle. Faith as struggle only demonstrates the extra-mental existence of the believer. It itself does not necessarily demonstrate the veracity of the believer's professed faith, much less whatever exclusive truth claims it may state.

@johnbrzykcy3076

Жыл бұрын

What do you mean by " extra mental existence"?

@teilhardmcgee2165

Жыл бұрын

Existence outside one's mind (thought, imagination, desire, &c.)

@S.D.323

Жыл бұрын

​@@teilhardmcgee2165how are those things outside the mind though

I appreciate his honesty and clear judgement. I pray for you brother 🙏

So long ago i was one of many millions of children silently wondering what to do to get faith in "God" to avoid burning forever in hell. What was i supposed to do? Study the Bible? I did, while no one else around me was -- THEY weren't a bit worried. "Let go, and let god ". That was my normal attitude because i knew i didn't really care about "God", which was supposed to mean i was evil and hellbound "Fake it till you make it "? I thought Jesus said hypocrisy was a serious sin! None of those worked for me. Was the path towards true faith supposed to be difficult with a lot of pain and tears? Was i a hopeless case? The grownups seemed indifferent and not caring one bit that i might burn forever in hell from not being able to believe what they did. Did "Jesus" care that i could feel no faith? If so, why didn't he help me believe? Was i too old after age 7 and did he care only about the very little kids? Those questions were going through my mind for years.

I think it must be exhausting being a Christian, trying to make sense of the absolute nonsense in the Bible, the mindset of someone that believes Adam and Eve were historical figures and Noah's flood and the miracles of Jesus were historical events is something I can't fathom at all.

@JRRTokeKing

Жыл бұрын

Former Christian, can confirm, it was exhausting.

@theintelligentmilkjug944

Жыл бұрын

With biblical issues I don't find it exhausting, but it can be challenging.

@crazyprayingmantis5596

Жыл бұрын

Cognitive dissonance on steroids

@georgenorris2657

Жыл бұрын

You don't have to "believe" that any of that actually happened to be a Christian. Christianity has to change with the times we live in. Those who try to force themselves to "believe" the whole caboodle are walking on ice that can crack at any moment and often does.

@theintelligentmilkjug944

Жыл бұрын

@@georgenorris2657 I wouldn't say that exactly. Instead I'd say the interpretation of the Bible must be modified to satisfy scientific and moral truths. However, I would say that taking the Bible entirely literally is not a practical way to go about Christianity.

In the best light, I can see it as a row of shelves for tired minds

@roznai

Жыл бұрын

Some people were taught to stop asking questions 🙃

@decibel333

Жыл бұрын

​@@roznai that's a pretty succinct description of being brought up in a religion

People are gonna struggle regardless...its what to struggle for

To summarize. IF you don't believe the Bible, you are reading it wrong. IF you have doubts, don't trust in your own reasoning. IF the above still don't work, 'Fake it 'till you make it.' Afterwards give Bible god all of the credit none of the blame.

Two phrases stick out here: "I just wasn't feeling it", and "It wasn't doing it for me". Two points: one, you can't trust your emotions; two, it's not supposed to be about you. If your search was all about you getting the God experience for yourself then were you really looking for God, or instead some kind of self-validating spiritual experience? If the latter, then how do you reckon God's going to respond to you? By validating your narcissism? Really?

@macdonald2k

Жыл бұрын

It is about the self. If a man can't feel God's love, then how can he believe without evidence?

@mikehutton3937

Жыл бұрын

@@macdonald2k As I said, it's not about feelings. It is about evidence. If you're looking for God then it can be any combination of things which will convince you, be it scripture or circumstances or convincing argument or observing the change in someone who comes to faith or "feelings" or whatever. But the point is that if you decide on a path because of a feeling or just a decision to try it out, and don't look for evidence in the meantime, then you'll find it difficult to keep going when adversity and doubt come your way. You have merely rabbited CS's point of view. If it is all about the self then the God you are seeking is you. And when you find it out is just you then you won't be impressed. Unless you're Zaphod Beeblebrox.

@macdonald2k

Жыл бұрын

@Mike Hutton Evidence is still self-serving.

@mikehutton3937

Жыл бұрын

​@@macdonald2k​Evidence is self-serving? Really? You don't know any scientists, do you? Or Empiricists, I presume? Evidence is evidence. It's the interpretation which is key, and is probably where we disagree the most. But the whole idea is not that you look at the evidence and skew it to suit yourself, but rather derive your response from the evidence taken on its own merits. Which is why reading scripture is not about picking passages you like and discarding the bits you don't. You need to take the bits you find inconvenient as well. t's also about recognizing the efforts prior generations have made in interpreting these things and lending it some weight rather than dismissing it out of hand because it doesn't fit your narrative, or that of the prevailing culture. As I said before, if it is all about you, then it won't be God you'll end up finding. Maybe this is your blind spot. Perhaps you don't see how you can seek God without being self-serving.

When I started questioning, my father encouraged me to be an ‘intellectual Christian’ - classic Pascal’s wager.

Faith doesn't come from arguments and it isn't about feelings. It's a practise. Like meditating. Don't pretend you're meditating. Just sit down and practise it.

@jedaaa

11 ай бұрын

No faith comes from flushing your brain down the toilet and allowing yourself to brainwash yourself

I’m glad to see you back in action on your channel Alex. I’ve missed your content !

God is Life my friend

@themanchestercollective3616

Жыл бұрын

Amen

@S.D.323

Жыл бұрын

Ok so is life omnipotent I'm life so am I omnipotent

@michaelleahcim4507

Жыл бұрын

@@S.D.323 you are an individualized aspect of omnipotencey. And believe it or not, you can begin to tap Into and experience this truth.

@themanchestercollective3616

Жыл бұрын

@@S.D.323 you are not life, you are alive. That''s the difference.

@merbst

9 ай бұрын

If God is Life, is he the life of flesh eating bacteria? Is he the detrietovoric fungi? Is he the zombie ant fungus?

If we don’t live forever, then everything is meaningless. Great news, we do live forever, the only difference is whether we want control or if we want to surrender control. It seems like you’re struggling against loosening and letting go of the grip of control of your life to the one who made you and loves you. Why not? You never really had it anyways.

I'm not sure how common the "non-resistant -> engage with literature -> act as if it's true -> believe it's true" thing is for once-struggling believers. I think it's also common for someone to become increasingly desperate to find God, and they either manifest some experience through their desperation, or they're biased enough at this point to consider any insignificant events to be the conclusive proof of God's existence that they've been looking for.

The claim you are worshiping the only god, in the way it wants to be worshiped is the pinnacle of self important arrogance. Your certainty is invalidated by every other person of faith that you say is wrong.

Original video?

@4Neighbors1Camera

Ай бұрын

Did you find it?

Listening to Justin Brierley is refreshing. He's a good man who actually operates in good faith when talking to atheists.

I have this quote that has helped me a lot goes like this faith is not evidence but the struggle to believe without it and when the evidence presents itself in a way you understand then you believe.

@jedaaa

11 ай бұрын

All it's done is allow you to brainwash yourself . How sad

just keep drinking the Koolaid...if you throw-up...pour another glass...

@themanchestercollective3616

Жыл бұрын

The athiest koolaid tastes too bad. I'll stick to wine.

It's not "pretending" to have faith. Like the lovely British man said, we struggle with God. Christianity is not about empty "feelings," we were never promised to constantly be in a state of jubilation. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, and your "feelings" that you get from religion are no exception to that. It's a test, if you choose to see it that way, to see if you truly love God even without the silly feelings. It seems most people fail.

@anon8638

Жыл бұрын

Have a blessed pascha and fast brother

@milko540

Жыл бұрын

@@anon8638 You as well!

God is so powerful that he needs evangelists and apologists to communicate his "truth".

Only in his darkest hour will he understand this concept

Goes to show that accepting the truth of God’s word really is a struggle of the heart. No one can force you to believe and it all comes down to you.

@sharper68

Жыл бұрын

A good step toward theist honesty is admitting the truth of gods word is an individual standard that everyone applies differently, even among the faithful.

@ado5778

Жыл бұрын

​@sharper68 Please elaborate. What do you mean by "individual standard"?

@JRRTokeKing

Жыл бұрын

@@ado5778 there are thousands of denominations that disagree on core principles in the Bible. There is no perfect consensus on the correct interpretation of the Bible amongst Christians.

@crazyprayingmantis5596

Жыл бұрын

What exactly is God? And How do you know its gods word?

@sharper68

Жыл бұрын

@@ado5778 A standard of conduct applied based on an individuals selection and tastes they apply based on thier iteration of faith, what ever thst is.

I understand this struggle but something I can’t help but consider is that you run a business whose entire premise is based on refuting the existence of God, heck the name of the channel is Cosmic Skeptic, it’s part of your identity, so if it wasn’t already personally challenging to believe in God, it’s near impossible now with your livelihood being directly linked to catering to the audience you’ve built over the years.

@bitcoinweasel9274

Жыл бұрын

There's some truth in what you're saying, but being a convert can also be quite lucrative, even to the point where I wouldn't be surprised if it paid better. Besides, you're also discounting whether or not someone cares if it's true. Look at all the Christian musicians who have fallen away from the religion, even though it will very likely hurt their livelihood.

@UniDocs_Mahapushpa_Cyavana

Жыл бұрын

Like... if God 💃🤖 (by an objective definition) was proven, he would still have a lot to talk about.

@jon4574

Жыл бұрын

You've literally just described every pastor, reverend, preacher, etc. as well who earns money preaching the words of ancient, fallible men as "God's Word." They'll sometimes confess they no longer believe but had to keep earning a paycheck. Sometimes they eventually walk away from the ministry, but they have to start fresh in a new career. If Alex became a believer, there'd be plenty of Christians who'd subscribe and support him. Heck, he might even make more money as the famous black sheep who became a Christian. He'd be fine, so it's not as much incentive as you might think.

@JRRTokeKing

Жыл бұрын

This minimizes Alex’s sincere and honest attempts to find the truth regarding God. Also, Alex isn’t trying to disprove God. That’s not possible, God is an unfalsifiable claim. He certainly does a good job showing that the arguments and evidence theists have presented so far do not warrant belief in God.

@crazyprayingmantis5596

Жыл бұрын

This is the sunk cost fallacy, it applies to every church, pastor, business profiting or relying upon their belief to make a living too. The difference is, one group doesn't have a way to detect or examine the thing they claim exists And the other group is merely pointing that fact out.

Finding God is not a struggle. Trying to find him is. He's right here and now. You can "find" him whenever you want. Being still snd silent helps. Stop struggling. Be at ease. If you can't be at ease right now, create just a little more ease for yourself everyday untill you can. He'll show up 👍

From a young age I almost demanded an audience with god. Going so far as declaring that I hated him if he wouldn’t show his face. This was an episode that transpired after my cousin died at a very young age, and an uncle dying in a car accident. I was heartbroken by familial tragedy at the age of 6 and I wanted answers. After all I heard was silence. I gave up. And devoted myself to earthly pleasures. I ate as much as I wanted. I watched too much tv, I fought with kids my own age. I grew to be a resentful little shit. And was humbled time after time until I learned to calm down and observe the world before me. Find happiness in exploring my mind, creating things, painting, drawing, writing stories, and forming long lasting relationships with the ones I love. And only after all that did God make himself known to me. I had always been suspicious, and the devil had always been on my shoulder. I had always thought in the back of my mind that God was real. I doubted but he was always there. Watching me. He would send his angels to watch over me in his absence. We’re all angels in development. His cultivating us for so much more than we’re ready to understand. But only if you can figure out this world and forge a path the leads you to creating more happiness for yourself and others than despair. Once you’ve accomplished a life with more positive karma than negative, God will pull you up to join his family/army/hierarchy.

@georgenorris2657

Жыл бұрын

that´s a beautiful post. thank you.

@tanyanikolaevagizdova6571

Жыл бұрын

Karma is a Buddhist or Hindu idea. Look, I'm glad your life turned around but that wasn't God. If a God exists, and you believe it is anything like the common Christian perception (meaning omnipotent or at least powerful), he would never have let you loose faith or your relatives die.

It's like a joke. If you have to explain it for 10-20 years before you understand it.....then it's not a very good joke.

@themanchestercollective3616

Жыл бұрын

It's the exact opposite of that.

@S.D.323

Ай бұрын

Indeed

Ofc it’s a struggle to make yourself believe in a god when it obviously does not exist, it’s very difficult to believe in something that you’re not convinced of.

copium

it IS a big cope

Truly speaking, ALOT of people won't REALLY be open to God until they NEED him.

@jedaaa

11 ай бұрын

Same reaching for the bottle or a needle

But don't confuse the "journey of Faith" with "believing that God exists". These are two separate but related things. God's existence is merely the premise, not the conclusion.

Maybe it's because you're waiting for a "feeling." Believing isn't about "feeling." The heart is fickle and can deceive

@crazyprayingmantis5596

Жыл бұрын

I think he's waiting for a sufficient amount of evidence in order to be convinced

@johnbrzykcy3076

Жыл бұрын

I think believing or faith can have two components, reasoning and emotional aspects. I do agree that the heart can deceive. But cannot God touch the heart ? Thanks for your comments.

@heckingbamboozled8097

Жыл бұрын

@@johnbrzykcy3076 Emotional experiences often cloud judgement in such a way that we make terrible decisions that negatively effect us and others. So no, when it comes to claims of fact, there should not be a mix of logical and emotional aspects involved. Judgement is easily clouded by elated or depressed feelings to a huge extent. Why would you hinge any aspect of belief on something that inconsistent? That's not to deny human emotionality, but there's a time and place for it - that being NOT when discussing whether something is true or not

I don't think Alex even wants it to be true. I went through my "intellectual athiest" phase when I was an adolescent, of course, and later when I started taking religious literature seriously and trying to understand it as if it might be true, thats when I "saw God".

@fredrikjohansson7854

Жыл бұрын

And thus you provided the perfect example of what he was talking about.

@davidejibia3930

Жыл бұрын

​@@fredrikjohansson7854 yes, thats why I mentioned it 😂

@JRRTokeKing

Жыл бұрын

You must not want to believe it can’t be true. You’re going through an intellectual theist phase, and I’m sure you’ll grow out of it when you read some more. How does that make you feel?

@crazyprayingmantis5596

Жыл бұрын

What is God?

@crazyprayingmantis5596

Жыл бұрын

​@@JRRTokeKing Great response, don't expect an answer though ☺️

I'll bet there are millions coping in just that way.

In my most desperate times I've sorta almost convinced myself to believe for a moment but never lasts. Just doesn't work.

God comes to people, not people to God.

@gango23

Жыл бұрын

And the fate of those he doesn't come to?

@JRRTokeKing

Жыл бұрын

If that’s true, he can come to me whenever he chooses then to prove he exists. Until then it is more than reasonable to doubt they exist and will just live my life

@crazyprayingmantis5596

Жыл бұрын

Zorg comes to people, not people to Zorg. See, I can make unsubstantiated claims too

@loveandideas7826

Жыл бұрын

That means they don't need it now. Just live your life.

@loveandideas7826

Жыл бұрын

My claim is based on logic and people experiences.

I think if you dabbled in the occult you’d find out it’s real

@theofriesen9527

Жыл бұрын

How would one begin dabbling in the occult?

@sebastiannechita4483

Жыл бұрын

He could even find that god is real but nothing like Christians claim it is, in fact it would be closer to how the Bible describes it.

@sebastiannechita4483

Жыл бұрын

​@@theofriesen9527 just by reading the literature and putting in practice the newfound knowledge

@andrewsmith9677

Жыл бұрын

@@theofriesen9527 occult stand’s for secret knowledge, the whole new age movement that Jesus brought me out of stems from the occult.

@__-tz6xx

Жыл бұрын

I think if you dabbled in stage magic tricks & science you would find out it is a bunch of illogical hodgepodge.

This guy is in LOVE with his own (stunted) intellect. Hope he grows out of it

@jedaaa

11 ай бұрын

you're in Love with a celestial dictator

@BoutYoungAnnaLee

11 ай бұрын

@@jedaaa not even close buddy 🖤

@jedaaa

11 ай бұрын

@@BoutYoungAnnaLee now I don't hold this kid on any kind of pedestal or anything , but I'd like you to elaborate on how you think his intellect is stunted ?

We use the term struggle with God because we are inherently sinful people, which means our nature is to go against God, this is why we struggle

@briobarb8525

Ай бұрын

But of course...😅