How do you "just know?"

[G.T.]

I think your new one is making you rethink your life and ideas..........

Look deeply into those eyes....and you will just know.

N'aw, this inner debate has BEEN within me, for eons.

Her beauty cannot sway me towards a Religion - I cannot rationally ascribe "Religion" as the reason she exists, and is beautiful.

I did not say anything about religion now did i?

ahaha, no but that's precisely what I'm conflicted with/abo0ot.

 

[syrenn]

N'aw, this inner debate has BEEN within me, for eons.

Her beauty cannot sway me towards a Religion - I cannot rationally ascribe "Religion" as the reason she exists, and is beautiful.

I did not say anything about religion now did i?

ahaha, no but that's precisely what I'm conflicted with/abo0ot.

explain to me again what the conflict is please.

 

[G.T.]

I did not say anything about religion now did i?

ahaha, no but that's precisely what I'm conflicted with/abo0ot.

explain to me again what the conflict is please.

I'd like to know what leads someone to believe in a Religion - what exactly breaks them past that "Rationalization" boundary of needing proof, etc.

 

[GWV5903]

Not a trick question - I'm being sincere. Me and the guy who hooked up my Verizon Fios were talking about this.

I was telling him that I'm just agnostic - I don't believe everything came from nothing but at the same time I'm not at all Religious.

He began to get into the Forgiveness thing.

I was like - well, I do my best (and even when noone's looking) to be a good person.....but if I continue down that path and can never get over the mental block of not having "faith," then I guess I'm doomed eh?

But the mental block won't ever go away. I know this because I know myself. I'd have to see some sort of miracle, and be able to somehow attribute that miracle to a Religion or whatever. I don't see this happening. How do you "just know?"

For me, "you don't."

I'm sure it's different for others.

"How do you prove you love someone"?

 

[ABikerSailor]

Some of us are not sucked into the mass illusion and must be shown.
So far no show on the convincing of me there is anything beyond this life.

I was in College, and we all went to a Cemetary that was "supposedly" Haunted. It's called Pinewoods Cemetary, formerly Forest Park Cemetary.

There was about 14 of us.

We were all hanging out in the open, and decided to move the party to the Mauseleum(sp?) area.

As a group, we were walking across a big field, cut grass.

A friend and I were saying how Ghosts and stuff are bullshit, etc.

Then every single person in the entire group was witness to a pair of legs, glowing, running in front of us all and into the tree line. Actually glowing, like in the cheesey ghost movies. One drunk kid tried chasing them and got broke. They were roughly ten feet in front of us.

The group was giggley after that, as opposed to scared.

Years went by - the confidence in my actually ever having been there and seen that diminishing each day.

Then my sister (who I didn't realize was also there) brings it up recently out of no where.

This is one of three supernatural experiences in my life - and despite seeing the hard evidence I *still* have trouble believing in ghosts.

I just look at the complexity and complete organization of the solar system, the planet, the different ecological systems, etc... all the way down to the microscopic cell and DNA. After humans labeling all of this as 'systems', organized functioning units that all work together to keep life going, how can you not wonder at there being a creator or intellgent designer of some kind? The odds are far more in favor of that than coincidence in my opinion.

Interesting thing about coincidence..........more people use it to discount Father than anything else, because a lot of people don't really believe that their prayers are answered.

Me? I find it really interesting that there have been a lot of times that certain things happen in a just so manner whenever I ask questions.........all the way from meeting a random stranger who just happens to know about the question I've asked, to seeing a documentary program that does the same thing, and that's just for starters.

When I was 16, I was living in a foster home and they were using me simply for labor and a meal ticket and after living with that bullshit for around 3 years, I decided I was outta there. Well, when I got to Helena, I called my caseworker and told him what I'd done. He then told me that I had to go back or else I'd have to pay 80/day to stay at the runaway home. Well...........for some strange reason the bus left early and just as I got to the station, it was pulling out. The next bus out? It was headed to Great Falls (where my Grandparents lived), and I had just enough money for a ticket with enough left over to buy myself a meal. Around midnight that day, I walked into a truck stop on the edge of town (my Grandparents were 10 miles away in Vaughn) ate a meal and got ready for the hike out to Vaughn. Just as I was halfway across the parking lot, 3 guys in a VW bug pulled up and asked if I needed a ride and where was I going. I told them I was headed to Vaughn and that would be far enough, but they told me if I wanted, I could ride all the way back to Missoula with them (where I'd just left).

That was Father telling me that I had a choice to make, and He'd help whatever my choice was.

Nope........sorry...........God really does exist, I've seen it happen in my life.

If you pay attention to the coincidences, you may find Him along that route as well.

 

[syrenn]

ahaha, no but that's precisely what I'm conflicted with/abo0ot.

explain to me again what the conflict is please.

I'd like to know what leads someone to believe in a Religion - what exactly breaks them past that "Rationalization" boundary of needing proof, etc.

Again... why did you as a child believe in santa, the easter bunny and tooth fairy?

Two factors.
One: becasue you were told to believe in them.
Two: you wanted to believe in them.

The whole point of religion is submission and following without question. To believe.....

 

[Avatar4321]

How do you know?

How did Peter know?

13 ¶When Jesus came into the coasts of Cæsarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 16:13-17)

What else do the scriptures have to say about this:

5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. (James 1:5-6)

How do you know? You go to the source.

 

[G.T.]

explain to me again what the conflict is please.

I'd like to know what leads someone to believe in a Religion - what exactly breaks them past that "Rationalization" boundary of needing proof, etc.

Again... why did you as a child believe in santa, the easter bunny and tooth fairy?

Two factors.
One: becasue you were told to believe in them.
Two: you wanted to believe in them.

The whole point of religion is submission and following without question. To believe.....

I told you the distinction between now and then. We are back at square one.

 

[G.T.]

How do you know?

How did Peter know?

13 ¶When Jesus came into the coasts of Cæsarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 16:13-17)

What else do the scriptures have to say about this:

5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. (James 1:5-6)

How do you know? You go to the source.

This doesn't get me past my mental block whatsoever.

 

[syrenn]

I'd like to know what leads someone to believe in a Religion - what exactly breaks them past that "Rationalization" boundary of needing proof, etc.

Again... why did you as a child believe in santa, the easter bunny and tooth fairy?

Two factors.
One: becasue you were told to believe in them.
Two: you wanted to believe in them.

The whole point of religion is submission and following without question. To believe.....

I told you the distinction between now and then. We are back at square one.

How?


Your "boundary" point is where you agree, conscious or not, to submit and follow with blind faith without question...or prof... to believe....

 

[LOki]

Perhaps this is all true, but I'm not here to poke anyone's ribs. I want points of view minus glib.

Superb! Then resist assigning a glib tone to this:

"Just knowing" is a lie that insecure people tell themselves to avoid saying "I don't know," or "I am uncertain."​

Consider the nature of those who think uncertainty is something to be ashamed of; who can't function competently without a connection to a real or imaginary source of unconditional certainty; who insist that reality conforms to their unconditional convictions of certainty.

Then consider the nature of those who don't think uncertainty is something to be ashamed of; who can function competently without a connection to a real or imaginary source of unconditional certainty; who insist that their convictions of certainty conform to objective reality.

Those who don't fall back on "just knowing," and are at ease with saying, "I don't know, or "I am uncertain," obviously have no need to claim to "just know." They may not be comfortable about their uncertainty; they may seek to resolve it. But the means to that goal won't have to be cultivating certainty from an imaginary source--ever.

Those who claim to "just know," obviously just don't. Any correlation their claims (under such a premise) have with objective reality are purely coincidental. There's no "why" to how they "just know," but there is the "why" they say they "just know." I posit that the ""why" they say they "just know"" is an insecurity, and that insecurity is ameliorated by telling themselves that they "just know."

 

[percysunshine]

I have an old 73 Plymouth Duster as a work on hobby. Runs sometimes...sometimes not. Last month I had finished a piece of work on the water pump and tried to turn it over. Wouldn't start.

I just knew it was the starter. I didn't know how I knew, I had no evidence or computer diagnostics, but I just knew. Sure enough, after about 45 minutes of dis-assembly and re-assembly. It turned over.

Weird.

 

[emilynghiem]

Not a trick question - I'm being sincere. Me and the guy who hooked up my Verizon Fios were talking about this.

I was telling him that I'm just agnostic - I don't believe everything came from nothing but at the same time I'm not at all Religious.

He began to get into the Forgiveness thing.

I was like - well, I do my best (and even when noone's looking) to be a good person.....but if I continue down that path and can never get over the mental block of not having "faith," then I guess I'm doomed eh?

But the mental block won't ever go away. I know this because I know myself. I'd have to see some sort of miracle, and be able to somehow attribute that miracle to a Religion or whatever. I don't see this happening. How do you "just know?"

For me, "you don't."

I'm sure it's different for others.

Dear GT:
Everyone I know reaches the point where they recognize their limit.
Where there is something in ourselves or in our lives we CANNOT change.

At whatever point you let go/forgive/accept there are some things in life
greater than ourselves, that is where "faith" steps in.

Just because you don't talk about how you think/feel/believe
the same way other people do
doesn't mean it's that much
different from whatever changes and struggles THEY went through.

The more we realize that we are each unique and none of us or
our experiences can be directly compared with any other,
the more we realize how universal the human process is,
that we ALL go through these same processes, and yet no two paths are the same.

So recognizing that universality and how it does not contradict being unique
is where faith steps in, that we are all part of one interconnected spiritual process,
all of us have our individual roles and contributions, and whatever differences we have
are SUPPOSED to be there and serve a purpose that adds to the whole.

I hope you can let go some of these fears that your faith won't be like other people's
faith or expectations/conditions. No one's views are going to align perfectly,
and the most we can do is try to harmonize like instruments in an orchestra that all play in different keys.

Forgiving those differences helps you focus on the commonality underneath.
Don't let that worry you or trip you up; EVERYONE I know gets tripped up the same way.

Just be okay, and you'll find a way to think and frame things
where it works in harmony, no matter how different you may
feel from other people. All people go through that, and just express it differently.

Take care and more love and power to ya!

Yours truly,
Emily

 

[peach174]

G.T.
How did this subject with the guy come up?
Did he talk to you about or did you bring it up?
You have probably been questioning this in your mind for quite sometime now right?
What do you think that thing is ? That inner voice that keeps coming up in your thoughts.
That is the Holy Spirit wanting to you come to Christ.
All who have accepted Jesus as their Saviour have wrestled with this, before we accept him.
And once you accept him you feel it inside of you.
Once you feel that inner warmth and love inside, then you have do doubts what so ever, that he lives and is real.

 

[emilynghiem]

explain to me again what the conflict is please.

I'd like to know what leads someone to believe in a Religion - what exactly breaks them past that "Rationalization" boundary of needing proof, etc.

Again... why did you as a child believe in santa, the easter bunny and tooth fairy?

Two factors.
One: becasue you were told to believe in them.
Two: you wanted to believe in them.

The whole point of religion is submission and following without question. To believe.....

I look at "religions" as "languages" for laws.
Some systems spell these out as "divine laws" on a collective spiritual level of humanity.
Other systems depict principles as "natural laws" that govern human nature socially.

Whatever makes you assume that religions are only about
"submission without question"
well I QUESTION that, do you? or do you blindly assume and submit to this
assumption about religions without question?

Also, what matters to me or to others is what
concepts/terms in religion REPRESENT

if God represents: Wisdom, truth, love, life those are real concepts
if Jesus represents: Justice, and what kind of Justice (retributive? or restorative?)
that affects how neighbors treat one another, either attacking and rejecting for faults,
or forgiving correcting and accepting shared responsibility for good faith relations.

So these are VERY REAL concepts that have direct impact and application
on REAL LIFE relationships, both locally and globally.

Maybe when we are like children underneath parental authority
we start out obeying laws out of blind respect for authority and order.
That happens with both church and state institutions, or any collective group.

As we grow toward independence, then people develop skills to
represent themselves as directly and democratically as possible,
and rely less and less on representation by others.

But the point is not to stay in a state of blind obedience to authority,
the purpose is to become independent and self-governing.

This happens both in spiritual and political realms.
It is not human nature to remain bound, but to choose freely based on
learning by experience and making socially responsible decisions by informed consent.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

ahaha, no but that's precisely what I'm conflicted with/abo0ot.

explain to me again what the conflict is please.

I'd like to know what leads someone to believe in a Religion - what exactly breaks them past that "Rationalization" boundary of needing proof, etc.

I have chosen to pray for my answer. Not always to God at first just for an answer. It always comes back to me through actions that God exists. He does answer prayers, not necessarily in a manner you wanted but you can and d see his answer.

Every time I have prayed for guidance from God I have gotten an answer. Either through someone approaching me and telling me something or through contemplation on my own or even from a movie a may have a chosen to watch.

Now my failure is I do not always follow the Guidance.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Again... why did you as a child believe in santa, the easter bunny and tooth fairy?

Two factors.
One: becasue you were told to believe in them.
Two: you wanted to believe in them.

The whole point of religion is submission and following without question. To believe.....

I told you the distinction between now and then. We are back at square one.

How?


Your "boundary" point is where you agree, conscious or not, to submit and follow with blind faith without question...or prof... to believe....

Proper religious faith is never blind. One must be informed and be free to make judgement calls in order to actually have true faith.

 

[LOki]

Proper religious faith is never blind. One must be informed and be free to make judgement calls in order to actually have true faith.

I have to admit that you have just posted one of the most obvious, but saddest of truths.

 

[syrenn]

I told you the distinction between now and then. We are back at square one.

How?


Your "boundary" point is where you agree, conscious or not, to submit and follow with blind faith without question...or prof... to believe....

Proper religious faith is never blind. One must be informed and be free to make judgement calls in order to actually have true faith.

i agree...however...it is blind faith even in the face of things you know cannot be possible.

Virgin birth and waling on water for example, of which the only explanation is divine intervention..... ie blind faith.

 

[uscitizen]

Not a trick question - I'm being sincere. Me and the guy who hooked up my Verizon Fios were talking about this.

I was telling him that I'm just agnostic - I don't believe everything came from nothing but at the same time I'm not at all Religious.

He began to get into the Forgiveness thing.

I was like - well, I do my best (and even when noone's looking) to be a good person.....but if I continue down that path and can never get over the mental block of not having "faith," then I guess I'm doomed eh?

But the mental block won't ever go away. I know this because I know myself. I'd have to see some sort of miracle, and be able to somehow attribute that miracle to a Religion or whatever. I don't see this happening. How do you "just know?"

For me, "you don't."

I'm sure it's different for others.

"How do you prove you love someone"?

Usually by doing lots of stupid shit.