I didn't believe in God, nor had nothing to do with so-called Christians for the first 32 years of my life. That all changed one evening in the solace of the kitchen in my home. I was totally sober. It was there that I met Jesus Christ for the first time in my life. No way to explain it. Nothing can be compared to it. It was what it was....and is what it is. Believe as you may, but since that time, I have enjoyed many irrefutable personal evidences which have continued to confirm God, and His existence/influence in my life. It's not an addiction or delusion. Dependence? Most definitely.....and gladly. Wouldn't have it any other way, actually. Through the many trials, tribulations, and victories I've had in my life, God has given me great peace and joy to walk through each and every experience. It's the coolest of the coolest.
Hyperbole? If you think that's hyperbole, then you are probably correct in assessing the likely ease of our conversing. Forgive me, but your response to my response seems rude and defensively dismissive (just in case you're not aware of it).
meeting your gardener? why, did he introduce you to yoga? (btw, just so we're clear, I'm trying to imply your gardners name was Jesus. Which said in the manner I'm doing it implies that I'm belittling your religious convictions. I mean, if I'm going to be inflammatory and hypocritical, might as well go all out, right!?! I MEAN AM I RIGHT! OH CRAP I'M YELLING...sorry....anyways, much respect to you A to the BM)
Ahh, I see. Well, since it's you doing the talking, I have a bent ear, because I sense you are a well-intentioned person. Otherwise known as 'good people'. For that, you get much grace and exception in my book.....for what that's worth.
That's cuz yer special, ABM [blatant effort to cause you to pause and reflect on the suffering innocent millions who weren't selected to Jesus' team, but who must instead suffer first]. I normally don't automatically make the sobriety association when discussing religious experiences. So I find it interesting that you mention it in this context. So to clarify for my own understanding, did your conversion or life change correspond with or have any relation to the use or dependence upon alcohol? [Not insinuating anything by any means. But since you are discussing it openly I wondered if alcohol had anything to do with the course of your old life and thus the reason for a religious move.]
Nah, it's just that, sometimes, people equate so-called "religious experiences" with the use drugs and/or alcohol. My conversion had nothing to do with that....although, I have to say that my 20's very much were regretful years. I gotta head out to work, but will share more of my testimony later.
I don't see any conceptual change or whatever being the issue. You have people who are basically in charge of the vocabulary. They add words, change their meanings, etc., to the dictionaries. In theory, they're intellectually honest about that pursuit. That's why: 1) Neo Nazis can't just call themselves social democrats 2) we all have a common frame of reference (understanding) of what words mean
Absolutely -- me too. But the label "agnostic" says nothing about whether or not we actually (at this moment) believe in god.
Sure it does. Agnostic means "does not believe in god, but would believe if evidence arose." It's consistent with Huxley's definition.
