Interesting conversation with chap who notice that my book was concerned with the issue of atheism.
'I'm an Atheist,' said he and then went on to explain the reasons why he disagreed with my views (which he hadn't actually asked for or heard, he'd merely assumed the dogcollar meant what he assumed to be was what he assumed it to be!).
As is often the case, he threw in the fact that he believed in faeries and the like because that explained the odd happenings in his home. 'Could be Poltergeists,' said I (helpfully); and amazingly he agreed!! So I continued:
'So you're not really an Atheist at all! You can't be because you believe in the existence of the supernatural and in beings that have less credibility than Jesus, who is (after all) a person of historical substance.'
His response was that he could, 'Believe in the supernatural and maintain his belief that there is no God without conflict!'
So I asked him to define supernatural realms where mischievous spirits (of faeries) could exist and yet god, any god, couldn't (and explain the 'why,how, what' and the like to support it).
Taking up his coat he merely said, 'I don't choose to believe and that, for me is enough!' And with was vanished into Rugby!
Totally agree :-)
So farewell 'Agnostic of Rugby' (or should that be confused?) - thank you for the dialogue, distraction and company.
May God (who I'm sure does exist) bless you as you continue life's journey :-)
2 comments:
What I find amusing is that the same people [who hold the I-don't-believe-it-therefore-it doesn't-exist view] are so affronted when I argure the opposite (i.e.well then, if I DO believe, then it must exist).
If unbelief renders a thing non-existent, then belief must call it into existence? Terry Pratchett springs to mind ;)
They don't seem to see the error in both arguments!
I used to hold the non-belief thing close to my heart. Having left the RC Church, I denied it as a load of mumbo-jumbo, comparable to your Atheist/agnostics belief in fairies.
I also at the same time scoffed at the supernatural in any form, but still wondered if Ghosts were factual or imaginary.
Confused, mixed up, or just angry?
The latter I think. I left the Church in anger and despair, and chose to by antagonistic towards God and anything to do with it. The reality was different. I'd been damaged by men, not God or Jesus, but just couldn't see the difference through the pain.
But, God has a habit of claiming or re-claiming waifs and strays, as the Good Shepherd he is prepared to go a long way to round up his sheep, and I thank him that he allowed me to get over the anger, to become reconciled to past hurt. To be forgiven and to be self-forgiving and to become once again a disciple.
Atheists can please themselves, I will try to please God.
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