Where is your faith at?

[unsafe]

Thread Title

Where is your faith at?​

Well ---Human Faith is where it is suppose to be ----with humans who are not connected to God but God in His Grace gives all humans their human faith ---

Now demonic Faith is where it should be ----with Demons who believe Jesus is the Christ and is God -----and they tremble in great fear when they hear his name -----

Now God's Faith is where it should be----- with His Children who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour -----

Where your Faith is ---is where your at -----

Just

 

[unsafe]

Actually, @unsafe has been pretty quiet since Snoopy's thread on Acts died down. Hope all is well.

All is so very well in my World ---thank you for your wellness concern ----Haven't seen much to comment on lately here so keeping a low profile -----

Hoping paradox3 after a long rest will think about doing what she does best ----Bible Study ---

 

[chansen]

I thought her Irish dancing was what she did best?

 

[JayneWonders]

I am at a retreat this weekend. I know that it will have me attempting to answer this question.

For now, I can say that my faith has nothing to do with organizational structures, ie denominations or congregations.
I am not sure if what i have is even appropriately described as faith.

I thought i would try through a series of prompts to drive into it.

My Current Place​

I'd probably use agnostic to describe where I am sitting. Someone who appreciates the teaching of Jesus; however, has not expectation that he walked on earth.

My Relationship With Church​

I miss the people in church, and the community that we had.
I don't miss the church structure, or worship.
I do miss singing.
I don't miss it enough to go back.
I am trying to find community in other areas.

My Connection With God​

God, for me, was felt best when I chatted with Panentheism.
When i walk in the woods, or listen to my grandchildren's joy outside, or see the smallest creatures of the forest, then i can feel connected with God.

My Sources of Meaning​

This is likely the hardest, as I don't have a good rock right now, or grounding spot.
When I need strength -- i go to family and to friends.
I have found writing to help.

My Ongoing Questions​

The whole concept of faith is a challenge for me.
I do wonder did church destroy my faith for me

My Values and Lived Faith​

This is easier to see.
i try to be generous, sometimes to a fault.
I volunteer
I work ethically

My Sense of Belonging​

I'm not sure that I belong anywhere right now.
Maybe home.
Family
Close friends
It is where I feel safest and held.

My Future Direction​

I'm not seeing myself moving to any church org at this time.
I'm not moving away now, though, either.
I am ok being where I am.

 

[BetteTheRed]

My father, the man whom I adored (I was a devout Daddy's girl, his firstborn) was an almost aggressively atheist. He was among the world war vets (served from age 17-23) who lost god in the metaphorical foxholes. The godstruck come from strange places.

A few months after he died, he came to me in a vision. It was simply that "it was all okay", but it was also clear that some aspect of his personality existed after death and was reunited with his parents. And wished to convey something to me. Never happened again with him. (He and I had a history of him totally not understanding the importance of a religious life although we were very devoted in every other way.) Had a similar but totally different experience almost two months after my Hippie died.

It's all experiential, and a bit rare in my experience. My children being born would be a more physical manifestation of that other/awe. My parents dying would be up there too. These transitional moments are what draw me to try to simultaneously both embody and contain Divinity sometimes.

I believe in nothing but I am totally in awe of what occasionally comes around the next corner, be it friend, perfect flower, fleeting occasional joy (channelling Rumi).

 

[Luce NDs]

If a character loses faith what can it know ... a lot of stuff (material) that wasn't there when blinded by the opposition ...

Thus the rejection of faith and knowledge and why rackets in the eve when the Sun descends to where? That's alien ...

In a way we may feel stretched and expanded upon ... it is just how it goes and the paradigm doesn't like to hear ova ide ...

Best to stay connected with periods or rest (when coming apart) ... that's a breather ... as what goes in ... generally exits ... as a pul Sar.

Former questions arose about Sar AH ... the head lady ... guiding Abrae Ham ... inebriated ... overcome by alien power of a caressing cousin! Relates ... to orgiastic images ... when everything gets into IT ... the return ... shuttle cocks work in weaving ...

 

[Mendalla]

I will mention that while I was raised in a strong, if liberal, Christian household, my exposure to atheism came quite early. A buddy of mine was a follower of Bertrand Russell and similar 20th century atheist thinkers (this was before the "New Atheists" like Hitchens and Dawkins became prominent so they weren't really a factor for him) so we had some lively discussions. Probably an influence on my later drift. Another Christian friend, probably an even more ardent one than me at one point, did become an atheist eventually but that came in university.

I am perhaps a little too "chill", to use the millennial term, to be an ardent anything. I love exploring ideas and philosophies, but I'm not someone who throws all his life and energy into promoting or living any one of them.

 

[Luce NDs]

This kill is in the trades ... quiet about it ...

 

[Luce NDs]

I will mention that while I was raised in a strong, if liberal, Christian household, my exposure to atheism came quite early. A buddy of mine was a follower of Bertrand Russell and similar 20th century atheist thinkers (this was before the "New Atheists" like Hitchens and Dawkins became prominent so they weren't really a factor for him) so we had some lively discussions. Probably an influence on my later drift. Another Christian friend, probably an even more ardent one than me at one point, did become an atheist eventually but that came in university.

I am perhaps a little too "chill", to use the millennial term, to be an ardent anything. I love exploring ideas and philosophies, but I'm not someone who throws all his life and energy into promoting or living any one of them.

When tossing such ... it is then out there ... and how it goes when extending questions like how de Quell!

Thus wrote ... as comprehension is tossed into transient condition ... transcendence of substance? Therein a quirk ...

Quelling inquiries ... an issue! When disposed does it become Kohl ... that's dark and mysterious ...

Expect more roundabouts!

 

[Luce NDs]

Wandering circuits ... can they be redacted also????

Expel nothing ...

 

[unsafe]

It's been a while since we talked about our faith journeys (and it is almost always a journey)

what makes us think that Human intellectual Faith is a journey ---??????

My view

Human Intellectual Faith to me is a Mental acceptance of Facts -----that is a belief in what you see --feel ---hear --taste and touch ---it is driven by the 5 senses ------so it has nothing to do with us growing and finding meaning in one's inner self to believe in something or someone greater ----this Faith relies on our mental acceptance of what already exists --

 

[Mendalla]

Human Intellectual Faith to me is a Mental acceptance of Facts -----that is a belief in what you see --feel ---hear --taste and touch ---it is driven by the 5 senses ------so it has nothing to do with us growing and finding meaning in one's inner self to believe in something or someone greater ----this Faith relies on our mental acceptance of what already exists --

What "facts"? There are no empirically testable facts about the existence of a Deity or an afterlife or whatever other metaphysics are involved. Or to show that any particular Deity or afterlife is "true" in an objective, verifiable sense. So what we have is a variety of human created texts from a variety of cultures presenting ideas about our relationship to a greater reality. How we engage with and navigate all that, how we learn from it, what we take away from it can all change with time and experience. That's the journey.

E.g. I can test gravity by dropping a rock from the roof of my house and measuring its rate of fall. And the equations of Newton and Einstein will allow me to calculate and predict that rate of fall. And anyone else doing the same experiment on the same planet at roughly the same altitude (yes, gravity get weaker with distance between the centres of the objects) will get the same results. The rate of fall at a given distance from the centre of the Earth is a verifiable fact, in other words. There's no such test for the statement that "God exists" or "Jesus was resurrected". They are beliefs that have to be taken on faith. So is "There is no Deity but Allah and Muhammad is His Prophet". And so on. With no testable theories, we have to use our reason and personal experience to make sense of these beliefs and different people will end up at different belief and might change beliefs over time as they revisit and re-examine matters of belief and faith. Again, that's the journey.

 

[chansen]

Human Intellectual Faith to me is a Mental acceptance of Facts -----that is a belief in what you see --feel ---hear --taste and touch ---it is driven by the 5 senses ------so it has nothing to do with us growing and finding meaning in one's inner self to believe in something or someone greater ----this Faith relies on our mental acceptance of what already exists --

See? This is why you can't have nice things.

 

[chansen]

I remain what I refer to as an "agnostic pantheist".

I don't believe the Bible word for word, but I find many wisdoms in it that uplift and help me in the trials and joys of life.

As for what I think is plausible in the bible. Not much unless I read it as mythology.

I am not sure if what i have is even appropriately described as faith.

I believe in nothing but I am totally in awe of what occasionally comes around the next corner, be it friend, perfect flower, fleeting occasional joy (channelling Rumi).

This is depressing. I came here for an argument.

 

[Mendalla]

Odd that a "Religion & Faith" board seems to have so little of the latter anymore, eh.

 

[chansen]

I suppose the place mirrors society a bit. We've had a number of people come through our doors with the obvious intent to proselytize. It hasn't seemed to have taken.

 

[Mendalla]

We've had a number of people come through our doors with the obvious intent to proselytize.

And most have passed on their merry way. Unsafe is the only one to remain at this point.

Proselytization only works, IMHO and IME, on people who are already receptive on some level. Maybe they're closet Christians looking for a reason to come out, maybe they've had a shock in life and are looking for something to cling to/lean on, maybe they are just in the right frame of mind, but there's generally something that makes them receptive. You and I are clearly not in that headspace.

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

There’s got to be a parallel universe/ alternate history/ more “heavenly” existence. Because after 2.5 million years of human evolution, we’ve taken ourselves to the brink of extinction - some are Ivy League animals even - we're some real dumbasses who need saving and there’s got to be a place where we’ve come together. I have faith that such a place exists. It’s impossible to have proof, so I’m agnostic. Maybe it’s in the future, maybe it’s in some quantum reality.

That said, the notion of a God who would create us as being fallible so that we screw up so much and hurt each other and experience tragedy so he could save us sounds like a psychopath and I’m having a hard time with that. Not very happy with him, if he exists. He’s not making sense.

Consciousness comes from somewhere. We may not have free will. Those are things to consider. I’m angry with the idea that God would set humans up for all this pain and tragedy. I have faith that that isn’t necessary, if that makes sense. I don’t have faith that all this destruction is good.

The teachings of Jesus still make sense. I’m still Christian.

 

[chansen]

There’s got to be a parallel universe/ alternate history/ more “heavenly” existence. Because after 2.5 million years of human evolution, we’ve taken ourselves to the brink of extinction...

Not really, we're somewhere north of 8 billion in number, though we're coming up more novel ways to potentially reduce that number all the time. And it's more like 250,000 years.

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

Not really, we're somewhere north of 8 billion in number, though we're coming up more novel ways to potentially reduce that number all the time. And it's more like 250,000 years.

I’m talking about since pre-humans, Neanderthals etc.

Yeah, no matter how many of us, we invented the means to wipe ourselves out - we have some insane people in charge if you haven’t noticed - the world’s in a dangerous place in time and we’ve destroyed the environment. It seems unecessary and unfathomable. Also unfathomable that consciousness and “evolution” thus far was for no purpose.