Yes I understand what you are saying and that's why I included it - that our 'visions' of heaven are currently polluted by the world we live in. As for something I've never seen - I think that's where that word "FAITH" is important. I haven't yet personally visited the United States or Britain but I still believe they are there. I've meet many representatives of those countries. Likewise if you meet the representative of heaven "Jesus" you will believe it exists because he says "in my fathers house are many rooms ... if it were not so I would not have told you" Of course I respect you as a thinking person and you are entitled to follow wherever your logic, thinking, feelings, heart takes you. Enjoy your day.
Some practical examples of my faith at work - 18mths old 21% burns - in the early 70's such level of burns was a death sentence - my church prayed for me and I lived. - touched a caravan and got 240volts down my arm - stuck, held and dying - called out 'God help me' and I hit the ground - at a set of traffic lights, get the green and about to drive off car stalls, before I even restart it a car flying at high speed (probably a drunk driver) - 100 kph plus goes through a red light, had the car not stalled I would have been T-boned and likely be dead. - these are some examples of many Either I am a lucky person (yet to win lotto), or there is a power at work that is greater than us. Your call.
Because no one on earth has ever nearly died before. And if they did, every time they nearly died, God saved them. But wait... wasn't it you calling out to God and prayer that saved you? Now I'm gonna resist resorting to jokes about why God would need a wake up call to save you and just say this.... What about all the people who nearly die every day that don't believe in, care about, worship, or even want to know God? Who saved them? Yeah I know... you're gonna say God loves everyone and he will save you even if you don't want to etc etc blah blah propoganda. But then if that were true that would make your whole story POINTLESS. Do you still feel like one of God's special little kids?
Man this is the question I think every day so have some plans but the best one is Meeting with the Creator of Every thing.
I'm not suggesting God saves everyone from injury, pain or death. He has His greater plans. But I do believe in Divine Intervention. You obviously don't. And Yes I do still feel lie one of God's special kids - he is after all my Father.
Then what was the point of your post? You spouted events that happened to you in your life and tried to hold them up as if they were evidence of God's intervention. Now that I showed you the flaw in that perception you proceed to say it's not.. See that's the problem, theists are so desperate to believe, that they will hold up ANYTHING or ANY event as proof of God's will. When in fact you know deep in your psych that you really have no idea whether God had anything to do with it or not. So to sit there and state God did or caused ANYTHING is blasphemous and quite arrogant on your part to assume you as a human have any clue what God did, wants, or plans. The whole problem is every time you try and say something was God scientists come in and show you how it was actually done. That must be frustrating.... Theist: See those clouds, God makes those. Scientist: Err... no, those clouds are created when the sun evaporates moisture in the lower atmosphere and it rises. Theist: Well... God created that process. Scientist: Well up until a moment ago you believed God created clouds. What else could you be wrong about? I'm just here to tell you it's OK to admit you don't know and stop speaking about thigns as if you do know. FAITH and KNOWLEDGE are not the same. That is all.
That is true. If FAITH was based on 100% knowledge then it wouldn't require much faith. Mine you as Jesus said - 'even if one was to be raised from the dead you still would not believe' - In other words a miracle could happen right in front of you and because of your unbelief you will still deny the divine intervention. I'll let the Bible say the final word "Ever since God made the world, his invisible qualities, both his eternal power and his divine nature have been clearly seen, they are perceived in the things that God has made. So those people have no excuse at all ..... They say they are wise, but they are fools." Romans 1:20-22
Actually that's all completely wrong, and a really bad analogy... See if a miracle were to happen in front of me that proves God's existance that would be well... proof of God's existance. End of discussion. Unfortunately for you your book has already trained you to not even expect God to appear so it has already done it's work on you. Any professional psychologist can attest to how religion is an absolutely exquisite example of mass control. It offers you great rewards in exchange for your complete and utter obedience only you can never see, experience, or even determine if the rewards exist until after you've done your part (given your life to it). I mean honestly when you compare religion to many mind control experiments in psychology the similarities are stunning. Eerie even. But let's reverse it. You are so blindly willing to "believe" that anything can happen in front of you and you will accept it as a miracle without even trying to prove it's not. In other words, the epitomy of "blind faith". So you see that whole miracles proving God's existance thing is a double edged sword and you lose on either side. On one hand there has never been a miracle that: A) hasn't been proven by science to not be a miracle at all or B) actually proves God's existance beyond doubt. Only thing that miracles prove is that something happened that we can't explain. How is that proof God did it? A miracle in itself is no more proof that God did it than that I did it. And on the other hand it exposes believers' blind willingess to believe anything is a miracle. Tough break.
The word faith is overrated & hyped. It's popular, yes, but so is scientology if you look at it. But it still is just another way to say "irrational belief" or "belief without substantiating evidence". Thank you for putting that into perspective
Ok guys what is love for the atheists in here? Yea i know its a positive feeling of ganglions clicking positively together and compatible hormones saying that u love that person looooooooooooooooooooooooooooool. Do you people seriously believe in just everything that u can touch with your hands and see with your eyes. Do u feel we will blink into nothingness one day. Casboy that is your point of view of humanity and thank god that this isnt etched into stone. I have seen and felt too many things in my life to know there is more to humanity than flesh and bone. We have souls and i believe this will all my heart.
I think our God (The Father, The Sun and The Holy Spirit) loves us. Everyone is his son. He will accepts me even I am not a perfect guy.
Silly, there isn't any time in Heaven, it's eternal, no beginning and no end, how could you possibly tell time? And how did this turn into a debate about whether or not God is real? That doesn't seem very respectful to the thread originator. They asked how you would pass the time in Heaven. If you don't believe in Heaven, why even read the thread?