Look what I found linking directly to msn.com!

neutrino_cannon

Master Poster
neutrino_cannon
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Dec 13, 2002
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http://secure.agoramedia.com/index_leftbehind.html

I found this under prophecy news. WTF!

from the message boards there

:
This is a letter I recently wrote to God, I wanted to share it after seeing how many people are out there feeling just like I am.

God? Can you hear me? Do you remember who I am? My voice is not as strong as it used to be, neither is my spirit. I worry if my prayer even will reach you.

I"m lost, God. I wandered from the safety of your house, I ignored the direction of your word. I have found myself somewhere in the middle of nowhere, and I am afraid.

The mornings come, but I stumble in the dark with no light in this desolate place. When night falls, my soul aches for rest, but there is not restful sleep here. This place is a wilderness, and even in my sleep the enemy whispers in my ear.

God, I want to come home, but I cannot find the way! I keep wandering down roads that only take me farther away from you. Some roads deceive me and I take them over and over again. I just wander aimlessly in vain.

I am the one who longed for the adventure of this journey. I have only myself to blame. Like a foolish child, I thought nothing of danger and consequence. I have tested waters that only drown.

Will you save me? Dare I beg for you to pluck me out of the sea that encompasses me? With each wave that crashes over me, I can taste the bitter salt of what I have done. I am shamed, and full of sorrow, is there any hope for redemption?

Oh, my God, I cry out in desperation. The enemy has found me and now uses me for his delight! For while I was drowning in this pit, he offered refuge onto his vessel of deceit, I willingly and thankfully climbed aboard.

My father in heaven, I have sinned against you...I have rebelled against your perfect ways...I know I am not deserving of your forgiveness, let alone your divine intervention. I ask you, no, I beg you, in the name of your son Jesus Christ, to wash away my sins. I pray that your Holy Spirit will return to me, and guide me once again. I ask that you search my heart and if you find that I am sincere, that you will save me from myself and this wilderness that surrounds me.

Let me once again glorify your name, that the world would see you in me and know that you are God.

In Jesus' name I offer up this prayer of redemption-

Amen

verena
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Does this sort of thing happen often? What is your opinion on this site anyway?

I for one am sure that there are those who are taking comfort form that board as we speak (type), but is that really the best way?

It seems like the Randi board's evil dopleganger.
 
It's certainly very poetic...

Ignoring the argument about "God vs No God" entirely, is putting all your problems down with a pen an act of thearapy in itself?

I imagine a lot of people would benefit from re-reading their own ad-libbed, heart-felt prayers, and finding a way to either help themselves, or ask for help. Surely if a theist believes that god can send help in the form of the kindness of others (which would be an indirect tactic typical of Him, from what I can tell), a person who prays would best keep their eyes open for help that isn't obviously divine in nature.

Or just ask for help in the first place.
 
Yeah. I see nothing wrong with it. The concept of God helps people. In fact, these churches that we deride for taking money is, from a certain point of view, what people will pay to ease their lives. How much do YOU pay for distractions, therapy bills, or whatever it takes to make life bearable above and beyond the bare necessities?

What we are against is the harmful application of illogical and unskeptical thought. If writing letters to God prevents this person from seeking help on this Earth for her problems, then that might be an issue. However, if it's just a little something to help her on her way, then I guess it's okay.

I wish there were no such thing as a slippery slope. :(
 
Well... when one could argue that distracting from one's pain has no constructive value whatsoever... if writing letters and prayers to god ranks up there with taking drugs or abusing alcohol (ie, a temporary percieved relief, with no intention of actual improvement) then it's defenitely destructive.

If praying togod closes your eyes to the world around you, then it's not doing as much good as you could be doing for yourself.
 
Yeah, but then there's this from the same site:

Is it all alright to use your fingerprint to acess your Bank account at an ATM machine? My bank recently added a new atm machine with such features. I was mortified and afraid to use it! My thoughts aligned this with the future mark that non christians will need to buy and sell. (I am not saying that fingerprints will be the future mark.) I just do not feel comfortable having my fingerprint scanned for the purpose of obtaining money from an atm machine.

Please let me know what you think of this?
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Sheesh. :rolleyes:
 
Regarding the letter posted by NC.

I would really like to know what this person did to get themselves so worked up. While religion can be a helpful and healing force in people's lives, it can also screw them up in the first place.

In college I attended a Maranatha service and a very kind young woman I knew got worked into such a religious fervor that she collapsed to the floor, screaming in grief. I can't imagine she did anything that would warrant beating up on herself like that.

Likely her perceived "sins" were sins that wouldn't exist in her mind without the church defining them as sins in the first place.
 
Ipecac said:
Regarding the letter posted by NC.

I would really like to know what this person did to get themselves so worked up. While religion can be a helpful and healing force in people's lives, it can also screw them up in the first place.

In college I attended a Maranatha service and a very kind young woman I knew got worked into such a religious fervor that she collapsed to the floor, screaming in grief. I can't imagine she did anything that would warrant beating up on herself like that.

Likely her perceived "sins" were sins that wouldn't exist in her mind without the church defining them as sins in the first place.
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One of my high school classmates went from the drug taking crowd to a full-blown Mormon woo-woo, in about one week. He would still hang with the former crowd, but would break down at times and cry, upset with others' inability to see the Truth. It was odd, to say the least.
 
by Akots
if ... prayers to god ranks up there with taking drugs or abusing alcohol (ie, a temporary percieved relief, with no intention of actual improvement) then it's defenitely destructive.
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Prayer, unlike substance abuse, can provide the wonderous effect of focusing your mind. ;)
 
Hammegk,

Prayer, unlike substance abuse, can provide the wonderous effect of focusing your mind.
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Many drug users would say just the opposite. And their claim would be every bit as backed up by the evidence as yours is, which is to say, not at all.

Dr. Stupid
 
Stimpson J. Cat said:
Hammegk,



Many drug users would say just the opposite. And their claim would be every bit as backed up by the evidence as yours is, which is to say, not at all.

Dr. Stupid
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You beat me to it, Stimpy. I was about to point out that... uh... what were we talking about?
 
Note the words "substance abuse".

I will state that, to me, Mystical (religious) rituals involving drugs doesn't constitute substance abuse.

As to alcohol use, have you ever been happier with a choice you made after a few drinks vs the choice you would have made sober? (Er, getting laid is not the thought here.)

Closer to topic, mysticism and prayer(& meditation) can and do change worldviews as is demonstrated by subsequent thought, word & deed.
 
Shroud of Akron said:
i have made many wonderfull decisions while abusing lsd. i just can't remember what any of them are.
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Gee, you may have sampled reality. Some religions seem to have started to try to explain what some actually remembered. Have any materialists/atheists come back from a trip/vision/whatever convinced they were on the right path?

Who knows? I don't.
 
hammegk,

Note the words "substance abuse".

I will state that, to me, Mystical (religious) rituals involving drugs doesn't constitute substance abuse.
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What's the difference? What you call drug abuse, the drug user would call "mind expansion".

As to alcohol use, have you ever been happier with a choice you made after a few drinks vs the choice you would have made sober? (Er, getting laid is not the thought here.)
Click to expand...

I don't drink. The only time I have ever been intoxicated, is under prescription medication.

Closer to topic, mysticism and prayer(& meditation) can and do change worldviews as is demonstrated by subsequent thought, word & deed.
Click to expand...

So can drug use. So what?

Dr. Stupid
 
So anyway, back to the letter Neutrino_Cannon posted; if there is a god does s/he go on the internet? If so, dial-up or broadband? Does /she use instant messaging?
 
Stimpson J. Cat said:
I don't drink. The only time I have ever been intoxicated, is under prescription medication.

So can drug use. So what?

Dr. Stupid
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So what indeed. I'm glad drugs & drink are not vices of yours.

You will have to take your own "mind-expanding" drug & alcohol trips, and then might be able to see the difference between substance abuse and numinous experiences.

Read & think all you want. Some things must be experienced individual by individual. Science that one out. ;)
 
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