I "need" a God................ (beliefs, atheist, Holy Spirit, proselytize)

[michel]

I was astounded by my older son, whom I saw recently.

He is a practical minded sound engineer as is his "partner" -( I think they have been together long enough to show comitment to a relationship.).

He has always claimed to be an atheist - and I have never 'argued' that position with him, because I respect his right to his own beliefs. It is his 'path' to walk.

When we saw him last, he mentioned that he and his girlfriend have a yearning to 'belong' to some sort of religious community. Not from a wish to 'know God', but from the perspective that they see that they are 'missing out' on something, and that that something is what will fill the 'hole' in their lives.

It made me think immediately of Jay's often quoted definition from Yi-Fu Tuan of religion as " as the impulse for cohesion and meaning.".............

In this particular case, "The cap fits" ; does anyone resonate with that, or know of someone who has felt the same ?

[robtex]

Michel I think that "need" as in strong emotional want is one of the driving factors of a belief in God. Others may be social coehsion, cultural norms and personal emotional projections. What I have learned from my time on RF is that people when expressing God or positioning God to other RF posters most of the time are positioning either personal emotional needs, cultural norms or both. I have come to see God as a manfestation of one's emotional self or an iconization of a cultural idea or sometimes both. I think for many people, if they do a personal innventory and check-off their reasons of belief in God, and are honest with themselves are going to find emotional needs and social and/or cultural norms as qualifers for their belief in a personal God. I am not saying that this is bad or wrong or weak or stupid but rather that is a honest assessment as to what drives one to believe in a God or follow one particular religion over another.

thread tags:
arguement from need
speculation of God

[Victor]

I’ve never really agreed with that definition of religion. It’s far too vague and you can almost paint everybody that wants unity and meaning as religious. Who doesn’t want this? In that sense everybody is religious. In fact I remember my philosophy professor saying just that it is “human to be religious”.

I think most everybody gets glimpses of this innate need for unity and meaning. Just look at most all societies Michel. They all seem to want to reach to the Divine. I always found this odd when I was atheist. I remember thinking “people will attach themselves to pretty much anything if you let them”. I saw this as weak and felt it handicapped your intelligence. To some extent I still think that way. I’m probably one of the most stoic Christians I’ve met. I let feelings fall where they may and I usually put them on the back burner. I was actually talking to Rob about this like a week or so ago (remember Rob?).

If I have any useful advice, I’d say not to enter religion on strong emotional grounds alone. Emotions come and go. Reasons, true love, etc. are everlasting.

[adilrockstar]

Originally Posted by michel

I was astounded by my older son, whom I saw recently.

He is a practical minded sound engineer as is his "partner" -( I think they have been together long enough to show comitment to a relationship.).

He has always claimed to be an atheist - and I have never 'argued' that position with him, because I respect his right to his own beliefs. It is his 'path' to walk.

When we saw him last, he mentioned that he and his girlfriend have a yearning to 'belong' to some sort of religious community. Not from a wish to 'know God', but from the perspective that they see that they are 'missing out' on something, and that that something is what will fill the 'hole' in their lives.

It made me think immediately of Jay's often quoted definition from Yi-Fu Tuan of religion as " as the impulse for cohesion and meaning.".............

In this particular case, "The cap fits" ; does anyone resonate with that, or know of someone who has felt the same ?

THIS IS THE HOLY SPIRIT CONVICTING THEM. GOD IS CALLING THEM TO CHRIST.

[Bishka]

Originally Posted by adilrockstar

THIS IS THE HOLY SPIRIT CONVICTING THEM. GOD IS CALLING THEM TO CHRIST.

No need to shout.

[ayani]

i always get kind of enthused when a friend talks to me about "wanting" or "needing" some kind of religious life or community. partially as this gives me a new friend with whom i can debate and discuss religious ideas, and also because i think it touches something in me that wants to "share" faith. not really to proselytize, but kind of in a spirit of "oh, you too! man i got all these...books!"

[MaddLlama]

*raises hand*

That's pretty much how I feel too =)

[Scott1]

Originally Posted by adilrockstar

THIS IS THE HOLY SPIRIT CONVICTING THEM. GOD IS CALLING THEM TO CHRIST.

Very well may be the case... if they are looking at a Christian community.

The Catechism teaches:
"God's free initiative demands man's free response, for God has created man in his image by conferring on him, along with freedom, the power to know him and love him. The soul only enters freely into the communion of love. God immediately touches and directly moves the heart of man. He has placed in man a longing for truth and goodness that only he can satisfy. The promises of "eternal life" respond, beyond all hope, to this desire."

[PHOTOTAKER]

i thank my mom went to every church imagenable before she found what she was looking for (way before i was born); she never settled or gave up... finding truth in darkness is never easy it is hard, i truly hope they find what they need at this time in there life...