PP from 16:54 here again: I just read through this thread and I'm going to ignore any snarky trolls who respond, and advise others to do so as well. So don't bother.

I've struggled a lot with faith as well. Sometimes spiritual solace just doesn't cut it, and I need a break from my musings, internal debate and worries over God's existence.

Honestly, funny humanists bring back my faith in life and universe more than religion does in moments like this. Keep in mind I'm in my 20's so who knows if my experiences are just very different. But for me, when I am in a dark place and faith seems to be slipping away from me, I find it really reassuring to read David Sedaris, Bill Bryson, or Terry Pratchett. ESPECIALLY Terry Pratchett! On my darkest nights when even meditation can't help me sleep, I plug in my headphones and start a Terry Pratchett audio book. I can only fall asleep listening to that.

So yeah, the Discworld restores my faith in the universe when my spiritual practices can't.

The awful thing is that without any kind of "proof", such as a divine experience or a "there is no other way to explain that" incident happening in your life, it's hard to believe. It's really, really, really hard. And I feel like my faith has been disappointed again and again and again throughout my life.

Sometimes I just want to be an atheist because it would relieve so much worry and doubt in my life.

On the other hand, the spiritual emptiness of atheism scares me.

And I do believe, still after all the disasters that have occurred in my life, that God is real. I don't know why.

Faith is a pain in the ass, but we can't live without it. That's my contribution to this thread.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:God seems to get the best job performance reviews. He gets credit for all the good stuff and the bad things are just part of "his plan".

Best comment.

In the sense that it epitomizes, for us atheists, the unwillingness of believers to see how illogical their view of God is. But on the other hand, I suspect that it epitomizes, for many believers, the unwillingness of us atheists to even try to understand the essence of God.

God is not to be understood. He is to be loved, obeyed and feared.

At least that's what the Bible teaches.

There it goes again -- we are supposed to accept the Bible as the authority when someone raises doubts about the content of the Bible.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:God seems to get the best job performance reviews. He gets credit for all the good stuff and the bad things are just part of "his plan".

Best comment.

In the sense that it epitomizes, for us atheists, the unwillingness of believers to see how illogical their view of God is. But on the other hand, I suspect that it epitomizes, for many believers, the unwillingness of us atheists to even try to understand the essence of God.

God is not to be understood. He is to be loved, obeyed and feared.

At least that's what the Bible teaches.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:God seems to get the best job performance reviews. He gets credit for all the good stuff and the bad things are just part of "his plan".

Best comment.

In the sense that it epitomizes, for us atheists, the unwillingness of believers to see how illogical their view of God is. But on the other hand, I suspect that it epitomizes, for many believers, the unwillingness of us atheists to even try to understand the essence of God.

God is not to be understood. He is to be loved, obeyed and feared.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:God seems to get the best job performance reviews. He gets credit for all the good stuff and the bad things are just part of "his plan".

Best comment.

In the sense that it epitomizes, for us atheists, the unwillingness of believers to see how illogical their view of God is. But on the other hand, I suspect that it epitomizes, for many believers, the unwillingness of us atheists to even try to understand the essence of God.

Anonymous wrote:God seems to get the best job performance reviews. He gets credit for all the good stuff and the bad things are just part of "his plan".

Best comment.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:God seems to get the best job performance reviews. He gets credit for all the good stuff and the bad things are just part of "his plan".

You gotta give him credit for the good stuff. He gets really mad if you don't. Remember - he is the boss. He is rating us, not the other way around.

But since we are made in His image, wouldn't you think He'd use the same reasoning and figure that we are responsible for the good stuff we do while the bad stuff comes from some part of us that He just doesn't understand?

Don't forget -- he's the boss. Your line of thinking makes us the boss, while it says clearly in the Bible that he's in charge.

I didn't realize our relationship with God is about who gets to be boss. I thought that was called marriage.

God doesn't "get to be" boss. He IS boss. As creator and ruler of the universe and determiner of our eternal fate, he may want a relationship with humans, but there's no question about who is in charge.

You really should not waste your time with someone who can't get his tongue out of his cheek.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:God seems to get the best job performance reviews. He gets credit for all the good stuff and the bad things are just part of "his plan".

You gotta give him credit for the good stuff. He gets really mad if you don't. Remember - he is the boss. He is rating us, not the other way around.

But since we are made in His image, wouldn't you think He'd use the same reasoning and figure that we are responsible for the good stuff we do while the bad stuff comes from some part of us that He just doesn't understand?

Don't forget -- he's the boss. Your line of thinking makes us the boss, while it says clearly in the Bible that he's in charge.

I didn't realize our relationship with God is about who gets to be boss. I thought that was called marriage.

God doesn't "get to be" boss. He IS boss. As creator and ruler of the universe and determiner of our eternal fate, he may want a relationship with humans, but there's no question about who is in charge.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:God seems to get the best job performance reviews. He gets credit for all the good stuff and the bad things are just part of "his plan".

You gotta give him credit for the good stuff. He gets really mad if you don't. Remember - he is the boss. He is rating us, not the other way around.

But since we are made in His image, wouldn't you think He'd use the same reasoning and figure that we are responsible for the good stuff we do while the bad stuff comes from some part of us that He just doesn't understand?

Don't forget -- he's the boss. Your line of thinking makes us the boss, while it says clearly in the Bible that he's in charge.

I didn't realize our relationship with God is about who gets to be boss. I thought that was called marriage.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:God seems to get the best job performance reviews. He gets credit for all the good stuff and the bad things are just part of "his plan".

You gotta give him credit for the good stuff. He gets really mad if you don't. Remember - he is the boss. He is rating us, not the other way around.

But since we are made in His image, wouldn't you think He'd use the same reasoning and figure that we are responsible for the good stuff we do while the bad stuff comes from some part of us that He just doesn't understand?

Don't forget -- he's the boss. Your line of thinking makes us the boss, while it says clearly in the Bible that he's in charge.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:God seems to get the best job performance reviews. He gets credit for all the good stuff and the bad things are just part of "his plan".

You gotta give him credit for the good stuff. He gets really mad if you don't. Remember - he is the boss. He is rating us, not the other way around.

But since we are made in His image, wouldn't you think He'd use the same reasoning and figure that we are responsible for the good stuff we do while the bad stuff comes from some part of us that He just doesn't understand?

Anonymous wrote:God seems to get the best job performance reviews. He gets credit for all the good stuff and the bad things are just part of "his plan".

You gotta give him credit for the good stuff. He gets really mad if you don't. Remember - he is the boss. He is rating us, not the other way around.

God seems to get the best job performance reviews. He gets credit for all the good stuff and the bad things are just part of "his plan".