Some of my readers may have noticed that the blog description no longer identifies me as an atheist. That's because I'm not one any more.
Let's review: There are three different types of nonbelievers...
Agnostic: Don't know, don't care, it's unknowable. These are folks who gave up on the question.
Atheist: After careful consideration of the evidence, they do not believe there is sufficient proof of the existence of a God.
Anti-theist: They firmly believe that there is no God.
While most atheists will go through an Anti-theist period, they will get over it if they are truly atheists. I never held any real hostility towards people of faith. I never went through "anti-baptism" ceremonies or went to any great lengths to deny faith, for I considered the whole concept meaningless. I simply figured that if there were an all-powerful God, He would be able to make Himself known to me in a manner that left no doubt in my mind.
I think He has. Over the last few months, I've found myself answering all those questions that skeptics ask of believers. I've found myself praying, before I ever acknowledged any concept of faith. And finally, I realized that I did have faith, else why would I bother 'refudiating' skeptical arguments? To whom was I praying?
I challenged God. He took me up on it.
I am now a Christian.
I realize that this is a leap of faith. I am still of the opinion that the law of the land should be secular, that faith cannot be forced(I'm living proof), that the Lord wants us to grow and evolve by our own efforts, using the gifts of free will and intellect that He has graced us with. And, no--the Earth is not 6,000 years old.
And, those of my readers of an atheist bent, do not despair that my blog will become Uber-Christian. (Remember, I know what it's like!) This blog will remain centered upon politics and America. If necessary, I will start another blog considering my ruminations upon God and His place for me in the universe, but I will endeavor to keep everything in its place.
Having said that, I'm most intrigued by Hottie With An Evil Pink Rifle's posts regarding "Jesus and Guns." (There is no way to direct-link, so if you arrive here late, they're the 11/27/10 posts.) Christians and curious atheists may wish to peruse these writings, gleaned from a Christian who makes it a point to find and personally interpret the earliest possible translations of the Scriptures. Food for thought, indeed.
Like you, I don't have a problem with folks who are religious. "Whatever blows your skirt up." In fact, I love to sit around a fire on a cold night, brewski in hand while discussing the deeper issues, challenging, probing, questioning. Unfortunately, believers who can have these types of discussions rationally, without emotional diatribes or calling me Satan, are few and far between.
ReplyDeleteGet thee behind me, Satan!!
ReplyDeleteLOL ;D
A recent study showed that agnostics and atheists tend to know more about religion than religious folks. I think that's because too many 'believers' never really bothered to question how they were brought up and what their beliefs truly were.
There's a difference between a faith and a habit.
One of the things I love about my faith is that we the members are continually exhorted to find out for themselves whether or not doctrines are true. You'll still find a lot of people coasting on through, but that sort of behavior is soundly discouraged.
ReplyDelete(And athiests and agnostics may have more information about the histories, practices, and mannerisms of particular faiths than the members do, but that doesn't mean that they necessarily know more about the subject. ;))
Congrats on your epiphany. :) It is the beginning of a rather bumpy but highly rewarding road. *hugs*
"There's a difference between a faith and a habit."
ReplyDeleteThat's wonderfully true and punny at the same time. I find myself less influenced by intellectual arguments for the divine, then I am by the simple observance of the behaviors shown by those who profess it.
Ad rem...
How did I miss this?
ReplyDeleteMan, I need to be coming by more often.
What awesome news; thanks for sharing it. It is indeed a leap of faith. I realized about 8 years ago that I would never have all my questions answered. That I'd have to decide what to believe anyway. Then 3 years ago, I needed to confess my faith and commit myself more fully, and so I was baptized.
It was only when I stopped fighting the idea of God that my understanding increased. Once you open yourself up to Him, then He can work on you.
I still have a lot to learn of course. I bet I'll have a thing or two to learn from you.
You don't have to bother doing a separate blog for religious stuff. In my experience, if the atheist is conservative-minded, then he/she will respect your beliefs. And the lefty atheists, well who the hell cares what they think!
God bless you Wraith. I just might cry. Yes I'm a sap. Big bloggy hugs.
Linda
Fantastico... I very much look forward to hearing about just how God took you up on your challenge to Him. :-) He has a funny way of doing it sometimes, but He does. I am also very curious to see what kinds of insights and perspectives you had on things like America or politics has been over the past few years, and to see how those perspectives might change, or might stay largely the same. Hopefully, coming to faith in God won't necessarily altar the state of being somewhat "weird and pissed off", cuz that's a place that too few Christians are able to embrace!
ReplyDeleteMy own perspectives on things like the U.S. government, and indeed, large swaths of human history, have really been undergoing quite a sizeable re-examination over the past few years, and it's been quite the little journey. Blessings to you on yours...
He got into my head. When an atheist starts praying--outside of immediate mortal danger--he tends to start questioning the whole 'there is no God' thing. Funny thing was, I wasn't praying for myself, or for a person...I was praying for America, that she might be saved from her destroyers. Perhaps that's not His plan, but I just can't feel ambivalent about the greatest achievement of His children spiraling into darkness.
DeleteAnd never fear; it's been over four years since I came to God. I'm still weird, and DEFINITELY still pissed off every time I make the mistake of reading the news. ;)