My atheism sometimes acts as a guiding light keeping me level-headed when life feels questionable. I don’t need to find comfort in faith, I feel relief in common sense. I know you have to be willing to ask questions to get answers. Putting your hands together in prayer just doesn’t cut it. Everything has an earthly explanation — even if we haven’t figured it out yet. Bring it on — I got this.
Atheist mom: 1
Fantasy fairytales: 0
Having faith in God may bring people earthly emotional comfort, but that comfort is the byproduct of their faith, not the reason or source of it. If the only reason a person seeks God for their own personal earthly, mental, emotional, or physical comfort, then they are not likely to find either (God, faith, or comfort). Or if they do, it is likely to be temporary disposable comfort as soon as something doesn’t suit them to continue their faith. as soon as a crisis passes and they no longer need the comfort of God then they no longer need God – right? But for those who seek God for selfless reasons, they will find God and they will inherit faith and comfort that is born out of their genuine, unselfish striving. It is really now that I write to you that I see more clearly than ever that it is narcissistic to seek God solely for one’s own comforts. (it would be like you are using God to get something that satisfies you). From another angle, it is also narcissistic and a bit maniacal to devalue someone’s need of comfort from God when they are in a crisis or catastrophic life event. It sets a narrow and cynical view of people’s faith to assume they only believe and relate to God for their comfort. (Isn’t that the most basic premise of defending atheism is that weak-minded people are propping up themselves with a comforting notion that God will help them – believing that their faith is in vein and devoid of any real value.) I totally get why people imagine that faith is illogical – especially blind faith. But then the scriptures never say that God requires you to have blind faith. The idea that God makes you run on an empty gas tank is just as absurd as it sounds. The Lord says taste (experience) and see that God is good. You cant blindly/emptily experience. I get why atheists think that people are muddling through with a self-educed, almost hypnotic belief that God is magically listening. I totally get it that THAT kind of faith is daft. and i do think i have met people who are throwing themselves into a religion in just that sort of blind mind-trip. You are correct that it is illogical to idealize God. But this is where your pivotal point is – – do you have a need that only God can supply? If not, that is likely why you are okay with self-determining that God is non-existent, without having any proof that you are correct. You believe others are blindly following God for self-comfort as a crutch. (isnt that the atheist excuse?) When in fact you are also following atheism blindly without proof and for your comfort. In principle atheists reject God for the very same reason that they accuse/assume believers accept God. You feel you need proof but believe you cannot get it – well those feelings of comfort you get from deciding you don’t need to believe in God are in principle the same blind following that you claim others have in following God. You feel you don’t need any proof to follow atheism, you can just call it logic and skip along. You are specifically motivated by the lack of proof that atheism is true. You have no proof that atheism is true. feelings but no proof. But you are okay with that for yourself and any other atheist. that is the very definition of narcissism. Atheism fails the very litmus test (veracity) that you claim faith in God lacks, while not knowing at all whether faith in God lacks proof. Now that you can logically see that you are just on the other side of the same “no proof” coin, wouldn’t you really like to know if God is real?? And if God IS real wouldnt you really like to know Him? IF Jesus did all those miracles to help, heal, free, and provide for others, wouldnt you want to do that for others around you??? Even if you dont need help/healing/miracle/provision, isn’t there someone around you that needs help? if not in your family or household, what about your community, city, your state? Or are you like almost every atheist I know, too self-centered, self-assured, and self-satisfied that you don’t give a care about the plight of others. This whole “earthly” excuse of atheism as being born out of narcissism – me – I did it, I achieved it – I got this. I am my own hero. I have noticed that those whom I’ve observed being immovably sold-out to atheism, do indeed exhibit strong traits of narcissism and selfishness – in general lifestyle and their personal comportment. They don’t have any room for God. God might ask them to give something that is inconvenient to them. Like the rich young ruler. he wanted Jesus to know he kept all the commandments and honored his parents and unlike you he also wanted to go to heaven, Jesus said okay then Mr. Perfect (paraphrasing), take all that dishonestly gained wealth that you rule over (that your parents taught you not to be covetous or steal from your neighbors) and give it to the poor and needy … and come and follow me. And the man went away, unwilling to part with his wealth. I accepted Christ when I was about 28. When I 30, I was diagnosed with a tubal pregnancy after an ultrasound was done – actually 3 ultrasounds were done, they insisted I get the life-saving surgery to terminate my pregnancy and keep my ovarian artery from rupturing. I cant quite describe what happened in words except to say, I heard a voice tell me don’t do it. I left the doctor flabbergasted when I declined the surgical intervention. He pleaded. I left. On the way home at a stop light, I had a moment to reflect and I placed my hand on my abdomen and said, God I am going to protect the life of my child even if it means my own. We will just go to heaven together. SNAP at that very instance, a heavy weighty (but invisible) blanket dropped onto me and I was just swaddled in a blanket of peace. UTTER PEACE. i have never felt this before or since. So strong was this peace that I did not tell a single sole the news I just received. I just waited for it to happen. Since it was Friday and the doctor had given it a 48 hour window, i assumed it would happen over the weekend. But I woke up Saturday and Sunday and lived. I woke up Monday, and even though I was still having the sharp pains and bleeding that had been the reason I went to get checked, I returned to work. All week I said nothing to none of my coworkers about this problem. I really had such peace – I cannot describe it. I had no fear, no anxiety, no worry, not an ounce – not for a second. I did not tell my fiance or my family. I went about every day with this peace overriding the crisis I was literally enduring. The second week the nurse called and said the doctor was so worried that he wanted me to come in again and have another exam and ultrasound. I agreed. Again, all tests confirmed that I still needed the surgery but he concluded the baby had stopped developing. AGAIN – in peace – I declined and left him speechless, with his shocked expression. THAT NIGHT – again a friday night – after I went to bed, it dawned on me to pray. NO I DID NOT KNEEL OR FOLD MY HANDS. I layed on my side and genuinely asked God to save my baby’s life. (i mean i couldnt tell you what I thought would happen – i had no imagining of how God would bring this about. I just had a singularly focused moment praying to God for the life of my child. I was so focused and moved to pray, that I prayed over every organ and body part I could think and name … until I fell asleep. I was not prepared for what happened – but in the early morning hours I sat up in bed to see what clearly looked like an angel standing by my bed. A face but otherwise he was made of solid brilliant white light – no visible wings – but definitely covered in light. I pinched myself because i thought i must be dreaming. I wondered if it was okay to speak to this thing and I decided to ask for a name. If I got a name that sounded nice, then I would feel more inclined to talk to him. He answered but with a phrase not a name – i reasked and go the same answer. But then he stretched out his glowing arm and I guess that is when he healed me. when he left I know I was going to have a baby. The next ultrasound a week later sparked panic in the doctor’s office. The ultrasound technician said oh my God, the doctor is not going to believe this!” and she tore down the hallway yelling for the doctor. He left an exam room to be pulled up the hall by this hysterical technician and I could hear her all the way! She restarted the machine and he looked stunned and scratched his head and said strange things happen sometimes (an atheist possibly). Today I am a grandmother to 3 boys because God answered my humble prayer – not kneeling, not folding my hands, not in public, not in a church, not with the help of others, not being prayed on by elders – just me praying to God by myself at home alone. That is really the best way to get to know God. If you don’t have a personal crisis, then humble yourself and start praying for others who do. But do the world a favor, and stop espousing to a blind belief that you have no proof is true (atheism).
Thank you for sharing your story.
When theists say atheists have no proof that god doesn’t exist, it’s like saying, “I believe in unicorns. You have no proof they don’t exist.” The burden of proof is with the believer.
A big part of being an atheist is using common sense.