In Reply to: Re: Loving the father I hate posted by OT2 on January 29, 2010 at 15:07:39:
The next project of my heart is my son; whose mother convinced him to become an atheist, based on her own pain, self-pity and bitterness. The cult membership, and the subsequent instability snd poverty affected our relationship greatly.
Please pray for us; anyone who would like to--I'd appreciate it.
I do...I do OT2...you had quite a biography..I figure.Well, all that "heat" put on us, is supposed to make us better than normal gold.Sufferings in discipleship should be accepted and acknowledged as we appreciate also challenges on the intellectual side and face there complications just as well (it's either for me to say/write that, than actually living it day by day!!!)...yet the emotional problems...the soul-side/body-side is quite difficult to handle at times.The oldest son of my ex...we were a patch-work-family (something I was once convinced of)...got a drug/cannabis-induced bipolar
disorder/psychosis...apparently the "normal"/"milder" cannabis was stretched with something else...whatever it was.He is highly intelligent, but now socially quite disabeled...meaning workwise lacking in strength and ability to focus.Therefore I was also quite a bit alarmed, that Perry on his website has this pro-cannabis-stance...made me wonder quite a bit.If opium is linked/likened in Marxism to religion, than I would like to know how he thinks about religion and Cannabis ; ) ....IMO he just exchanges just one "drug" against another...and I rather keep my "addiction" to God and HIS amazing love and grace.In any case the oldest son of my ex has not lost faith in God and professes Jesus to be the son of God...however besides some deep thinking of his, he seems to "hear" and get things/absorb things...ways of thinking, by listening to all kinds of people...which can and have led him astray.He knows the Bible better than his younger sister ...(though, she's catching up...to my deep joy)
All to say, I can somewhat sympathise with you...my sister and brother in law are long-time agnostics...I send them for Christmas an abreviated look into the concepts of Gödel and it's implications for "science-loving" people...you have to believe in science as well...accept, that there are insurmountable hindrances to knowing it all...whether it be math or physics...and knowing it all is just equivalent for me with God...so man has to leave that field to Him...whether they like it or not...
When I posted that link, I was on the look for more insight into jewish customs...the title intrigued me, as some time people can else ending up hating God, the heavenly father..My father was so humble and sweet...he never raised a hand against me, never said a bad or bitter word...yet I missed some directions in life...and may be expected something or hoped something more from my parents....but they were "war-survivors"...more occupied with building up a new life from the shambles...so I understand that...which made me setting out to search alone for the answers.
I had posted on Gen-ex a bit my experience of reading last year the fantastic biography of Jane E. Gilbert a 1947 New York born Jewess who grew up with this hate and bitterness against Germans...she set out to conquer that hate in her life...very amazing to me.
She studied German first in the US and then earned her PhD. in that field in Germany...last not least got then her German citizenship.
I wanted to write to her, complimenting her for that great book...her vison in life...I should do it one of these months...God willing.
Quite a few holocaust-surviving Jews ended up as atheist, as they couldn't figure out a God remaining silent, "inactive" in those very trying times.Their wit and intelligence is almost unparalleled (though Gödel doesn't seem to be Jewish or was he ?? ; ) ) and frankly I read most of their comments in German newspapers/magazines...consequently we have the Jews as "alter consciousness" in many
aspects of social life...seems "fair" to me...especially in a nation, who betrayed much to all of their their somewhat more Christian heritage
Anyway...to me atheism has for one to do with ignorance, lack of intelligence (contrary to what websites and proponents of atheism would want us to think and believe)...lack of tact...for if you enjoy any party on earth you're invited to, you attend, you at least express some thanks for the goods lavished on you...and if the host is not present/available, you notice at least from others, who it was, who arranged it...only the self-centered indulge into the feasting, without thanking anyone...just going there for the free ride.
Furthermore it can have something to do with hurt feelings...bitterness...like in any "bend" relationship...the "mate" didn't live up to the expectations...one thinks to deserve better treatment (or others...like the poor on earth...one of the prime arguments of atheists)
I mean, even the devils believe, that there is a God...therefore their faith (in atheism) happens to be the most spiritual ignorant one and for everything happening out of the normal they have their last straw of probability-theory...even if things cannot happen by the odds calculated...they just answer with stupid glee, that there is just one tiny little probability left...I just wonder, why they are not all addicted gamblers and lottery-participants...
So either they wisen up (Gödel-way) or snap out of bitterness...difficult, but not impossible ; )
Last not least...according to the NT...all knees shall bow one day to the Lord...be that a Perry...a Richard Dawkins...an ex etc...
And of course..prayer of dedicated loved ones can make the difference, as I heard many good testimonies of dedicated prayer...God help me pls...
however for being inside of God's city...the decision for Jesus, God's son...has to be made, while alive here...I don't see any other waay...the white throne judgement is just another thing...