boasts of Athiests II

Had I known you were 38 instead of 28 I would have posted the .wav file which would have recorded the sound of my jaw hitting the floor.I see folk having a 'good time' all the time. But usually if you look for any length of time into their eyes the uncertainty will reveal itself. It might take a while, it might take the bad times to come over them. Thats why I couldn't meet my own eyes for very long in a mirror ~ (now its just sin - which is a different thing altogether)Perhaps it was just a highlight in your life captured by the photoEdited by iano, : No reason given.

Hardly. Although one must know it to recognise it - that is true.

Often they have to look. I'm their boss or their trying to sell me something.Its amazing how much folk avoid looking you in the eyes. Long before I became a Christian I was sent on some high-flyer management course (it was my bosses idea: steady Robin). Straight after lunch we all settle back into our seats. The Teech waltzs into the room and sticks out his hand to the first person in the bottom row of the semi-circle shaped auditorium. The 'student' somewhat confusedly sticks out his hand and it is shook. Onto the next - we're all (supposedly) high flyers so the next guys is less confused. Sticks his hand out - only to have Teech pull his hand back before contact, stick his thumbs in his ears, wiggle his fingers and poke his tongue out at the student.Round the bottom row he goes. Seated there myself, I got the wiggling fingers treatment. At the end he announces that the reason some got the wiggly finger treatment was that they didn't meet his eyes as they went to shake hands. 70% 'failure' rate it was that day.People aren't keen on meeting anothers eyes. Even less keen to hold it for any length of time. Don't believe me? Try holding anothers eyes tomorrow

There is a difference between looking into a persons eyes as another human being and looking into their eyes professionally. Think making love in the same context (no insult intended for I do what I do professionally to)All the best sales reps give the firm handshake and the look into the eyes whilst they do so - they've been on the same course as me no doubt. After that they are the same as every one else. Restless Same here - but there are all kinds of ways to eliminate threat. One doesn't stare manically. You could look straight into their eyes for x seconds then look away demurely, flutter the eyelashes once or twice, look hesitantly back...away.. and then your good for another minute. Putty in your hands Shraf.Well it works on me at any rate. You got any MPEGs of yourself?

Because then people tell you about their unhappiness and worries and concerns. Their horrible bosses, their failing sales figures, their..unhappinessIts good to talk if your unhappy. At least I have found so. And if they are anything like me then talking about their unhappiness is not the first thing they would consider if the original intent was to report on the days production figures or selling me a piece of equipment.And many people, like me, have stuff they want to get off their chest.I used to use it as a way to bed women. Its just a reapplication s'allEdited by iano, : No reason given.

Sometimes its that. It depends on the person themselves. Ultimately my goal is as a beggar pointing to other beggars where it is they may find food. But if its simply shelter from the storm then that's good enough for me. Often I am in the same storm as them in many waysDon't see it as I am here. Here is out and out preaching in whatever guise. There it is different. I don't listen for 10 minutes and then ram a tract down their throat if that is what you mean.I've been talking to certain folk for years and have never mentioned God. It would be unseemly to do so it seems to me.

Swoon...

If you had to take a heavily caricatured version of it then yeah that would be about it. You see, there, people aren't typically aware that they have such a thing as a worldview. The starting point is a long way back. Different zone altogether.Here, people are typically quite smart, have their worldview figured out and are speaking worldview only. I mean by and large it is worldview pitched against worldview. All are preaching in one form or another. Few are genuine out and out seekers. Less head cradled on breast - more pitched battle. Horses for courses.

Assurance has nothing at all to do with ones salvation. A person doesn't need to feel as I feel about it in order to be saved. Some do, some don't. Nor has it anything at all to do with strength of character. Arrogance, pride and boastfulness (a plague on their house) reside within me in most recognisable fashion. Just not when it comes to a statement like the one you were referring to. If your not a Christian then I would be of no help at all I am afraid. Biblically speaking Satan would be your father and you would do his bidding with relish. Not exactly a recipe for "helping you make the right choices" is it?My relationship with God could be described as lite-weight - I would not make a good candidate for the tenure you propose. That is not false humility speaking there - honest. Its not a finely honed skill unfortunately. My neighbours case should have demonstrated that. The emptiness of her own life was something that came from her own lips. As it happens it wasn't all that long ago that I felt the same way (not that life is full to overflowing at the moment - but in comparison...) so its not rocket science to come to the conclusion arrived at. More like adding 1+1. If anyone is to put her back on her feet it will be him - not me.I'm beginning to form the notion that you have a rather strange definition of what it is to boast DL.

I agree with what you say. Its as if (to invoke another automotive picture) we have a 1000cc engine but it is fitted with the carburettors and air inlet system of a 200cc motorcycle. And fitted in a 200cc motorcycles chassis. We sense the potential but no matter how much we spanner on it we cannot release that potentialThere is an alternative road open aside from vacuity - which many appear to take. It is the road of increasing stimulation. As the thrill wears off and we settle back into the middle ground we add something new in order to rise again to the point of happiness we prefer to be at (happiness is nice so there is good reason to suppose we all want to be there. This leads to bigger, better, faster, more exciting, more stimulating. The world seems geared towards accomodating this tendency in people and the impression is given that in following this path we are heading upwards and onwards - whereas in fact it really is a case of maintaining position up a side slope at the bottom of which is this middle ground you speak of. Ever-accelerating in order to maintain position.Sometimes the world would consider the behaviour extreme, sometimes not - but the motivation seems to me to be the same all the same.