Anonymous wrote:Jesus billboard poster here...would love to hear skeptics' and atheists' thoughts on what I'm claiming. Did not occur in the Bible Belt. Wasn't under the influence of substances or withdrawing. No history of visual\auditory hallucinations.

There are many coincidences in life. what you describe is one of them. Also, it's possible that if you had not called out to God at that moment, you would not have noticed or interpreted all the same "signs" that were there for anyone passing by to see.

I say this not to disagree with or diminish the profound emotional experience you had, but rather to respond to your request for another interpretation of it.

Jesus billboard poster here...would love to hear skeptics' and atheists' thoughts on what I'm claiming. Did not occur in the Bible Belt. Wasn't under the influence of substances or withdrawing. No history of visual\auditory hallucinations.

Former atheist/agnostic here. Grew up with atheist/lapsed Catholic father and lapsed Catholic mother who didn't openly talk about spirituality. Decided at age 14 when Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker were all over the news and after watching Dana Carvey's Church Lady that God/Jesus and all religions were "lame" and belief was relative to ones culture and family. Pretty deep reasoning, I know.

Anyways, fast forward to 2004. I'm in the middle of a messy, expensive divorce and starting all over. I was driving on the highway and in a moment of deep, utter despair, I angrily dared God "if you're real, if you really e ist, then show me a sign, something I know and can't doubt is coming from you". At that PRECISE moment, my eyes were drawn to see an open field next to a forest and as if by magic, a huge billboard with the singular word
" Jesus" appeared. I exclaimed with skepticism "oh my god you're really here?!" and then a semi truck with the words "rite on time" crossed over into my lane. Again with skepticism I said "you're really here?" And then at THATprecise moment, my eyes spotted another billboard (a concert promotion for some rock band) that said "30 years and waiting"

I'll say I didn't immediately convert at that moment, but it was the beginning of faith for me. I could have handled silence at the moment I asked for a sign and would have just continued my atheist/agnostic path and accepted that we're just worm food. If the sign had said "Buddha, God, Allah or Muhammad on it then I'd be a converted Buddhist, Jew or Muslim. In the months that followed, more strange coincidences happened that were just inexplicable to me other than coming from a divine source.

Still not particularly religious. But damn, a sign like that, mixed with inexplicable benevolent coincidences, and my life and spirit restored..I just can't believe in atheism anymore. To me, Christ and God and the spirit realm are real...church and religion not as much.

Anonymous wrote:I was raised to go to Baptist church with my grandparents, but gently and swiftly stopped going in my early teens. I have routinely gone to Passover and temple with my closest friend who is jewish. Currently consider myself a secular humanist rather than atheist. Militant atheism has just as bad a connotation as evangelical Christians.

Militant anything has a bad connotation. It suggests taking up arms for your cause -- something people referred to as militant atheists (e.g. Dawkins, Hitchens) have never done or encouraged anyone else to do. They simply talk forcefully - like "Militant feminists" did.

Atheism just means lack of believe in gods.

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Anonymous wrote:Not all religions require supernatural faith.

Thank you for your insightful contribution!

You are welcome. I am non-believer in the supernatural aspects of religion, but I am still a religious person as mu faith does not require belief in the supernatural. So it is possible to be a "non-believer" and still be religious.

Can you describe the elements of your faith? Is it an established religion? that is, are there regular services that you can attend?

Yes, it is an established religion. Yes, I attend regular services and even teach Sunday School. I am UU. Our seven Principals are my core- especially the first and seventh.

>1st Principle: The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
2nd Principle: Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
3rd Principle: Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
4th Principle: A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
5th Principle: The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
6th Principle: The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
>7th Principle: Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

old people become more fearful, and it is that fear that turns them to such a crutch.

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not all religions require supernatural faith.

Thank you for your insightful contribution!

You are welcome. I am non-believer in the supernatural aspects of religion, but I am still a religious person as mu faith does not require belief in the supernatural. So it is possible to be a "non-believer" and still be religious.

Can you describe the elements of your faith? Is it an established religion? that is, are there regular services that you can attend?

Yes, it is an established religion. Yes, I attend regular services and even teach Sunday School. I am UU. Our seven Principals are my core- especially the first and seventh.

I was raised to go to Baptist church with my grandparents, but gently and swiftly stopped going in my early teens. I have routinely gone to Passover and temple with my closest friend who is jewish. Currently consider myself a secular humanist rather than atheist. Militant atheism has just as bad a connotation as evangelical Christians.

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Anonymous wrote:So this thread confirms that many people turn to religion because they can't handle "not knowing."

BS.

I'm one of the readers of Marx and Nietsche. Not a single person here has mentioned fear and uncertainty about death and the afterlife as a reason for comment to religion. You made that up, or you have horrible reading comprehension. Instead two people got to religion by extensive study of philosophy.

This is what I was referring to: "I didn't believe in the randomness of things that was happening around me and in the world. I wanted to know what was the reasoning behind it."

and all your philosophy studies didn't help you figure it out, so you decided God did it?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So this thread confirms that many people turn to religion because they can't handle "not knowing."

BS.

I'm one of the readers of Marx and Nietsche. Not a single person here has mentioned fear and uncertainty about death and the afterlife as a reason for comment to religion. You made that up, or you have horrible reading comprehension. Instead two people got to religion by extensive study of philosophy.

not a single person mentioned Fear and uncertainty about death and the afterlife" -- except you. all pp said wasn't "They can't handle not knowing" You presumed the rest. why is that?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So this thread confirms that many people turn to religion because they can't handle "not knowing."

BS.

I'm one of the readers of Marx and Nietsche. Not a single person here has mentioned fear and uncertainty about death and the afterlife as a reason for comment to religion. You made that up, or you have horrible reading comprehension. Instead two people got to religion by extensive study of philosophy.

This is what I was referring to: "I didn't believe in the randomness of things that was happening around me and in the world. I wanted to know what was the reasoning behind it."

Anonymous wrote:Raised by atheists. I found my parents' atheism and their disapproval of openly religious people to be so negative. They consider themselves to be incredibly tolerant but really they're not.

I see this SO much, in real life and on here. So irritating. Glad you're where you're happy!

-a fellow Catholic

Raised by atheists. Became Catholic in 2014 @ age 33. I found my parents' atheism and their disapproval of openly religious people to be so negative. They consider themselves to be incredibly tolerant but really they're not. I want my children to see religion as a positive part of society, not a negative one. Also, my husband is Catholic. And we live in a very Jewish neighborhood so I think it's nice to have a supportive community of friends that celebrate the same holidays we do. And celebrate them for the right reasons.
I am a happier, less judgmental, less skeptical, more balanced person thanks to my parish.

Anonymous wrote:Yes, faith does cleanse you.

Do you think, then, that people who do not believe in god are less clean than people who do? and that you were not as cleansed when you were a non-believer>

Yes, faith does cleanse you.