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EvC Forum ⇒ Social and Religious Issues ⇒ Faith and Belief ⇒

What is an "Ex Believer", anyway?

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Author Topic:   What is an "Ex Believer", anyway?
Dr Jack
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Posts: 3514
From: Immigrant in the land of Deutsch
Joined: 07-14-2003
Member Rating: 8.4

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Message 10 of 123 (193229)
03-22-2005 4:54 AM 		Reply to: Message 1 by Phat
03-21-2005 10:19 AM

The thing you've got to realise Phatboy is that your god doesn't exist, he's a figment of your imagination. At one time I had a figment of my imagination that I called "God" or "Jesus" (depending on mood) but I came to realise that that's all it was - a figment of my imagination - and decided I'd rather live in the real world without an imaginary friend to call my own.
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Dr Jack
Member
Posts: 3514
From: Immigrant in the land of Deutsch
Joined: 07-14-2003
Member Rating: 8.4

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Message 20 of 123 (193616)
03-23-2005 4:54 AM 		Reply to: Message 15 by Phat
03-23-2005 3:51 AM

Re: I'm not insane, I'm telling you! You've Got to believe me!
No. A Believer is someone who has actually( at least in their perception) met God...through a spiritual epiphany. My point is that once you meet someone, you can never deny their reality.
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Yeah. I did that. As far as I can tell from talking to the Christians I knew at the time, and the ones I've met since. My experiences were no different from theirs.
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I still believe that it was a figment of my imagination; and your experiences are a figment of yours.
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 Message 15 by Phat, posted 03-23-2005 3:51 AM Phat has not replied
  
Dr Jack
Member
Posts: 3514
From: Immigrant in the land of Deutsch
Joined: 07-14-2003
Member Rating: 8.4

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Message 48 of 123 (195124)
03-29-2005 4:11 AM 		Reply to: Message 32 by Phat
03-23-2005 5:55 PM

Re: OK..you don't have to believe me. Now what?
As with Mike, I'd like to know why my position does not disprove yours:
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Did you have an emotional and lifestyle transformation?
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Yes. To some extent at least; but then the other Christians I knew exhibited as little or less change than me.
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Did you have multiple times in prayer where you strongly felt that there was a presence apart from the norm?
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Yes.
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Was it a good feeling?
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Yes.
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I feel confidant that God is with me every moment. This is subjective, to be sure but did you ever have such confidence away from the church?
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Every single moment? No. But confidence away from the church? Sure. In fact I had more faith away from the church than within it.
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If the above are yes, why in the world are you so intent on sticking with facts and not stepping out in faith?
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Because I have no wish to delude myself. Because ultimately living in the real world is more rewarding, more fulfilling and more functional.
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