Events in your life that convince you God is real

**Mes Tarrant** · 09-01-2009 05:11 AM

I was just browsing through this section today and saw a couple of people mention that they believe in some kind of god because of various things that have happened to them in life (miraculously cured disease, for example, and things along those lines).

I'd be interested in hearing about these events in more detail.

I'll be upfront though... I'm an atheist and just want to see if I could come up with a different explanation for each event. But I do hope people respond and don't get too scared away...

I'm really, really curious. I don't usually get a chance to talk to people about these sorts of things.

Okay, go!

**spockman** · 09-06-2009 11:04 PM

Question Mes, are things that seem supernatural- if not blatantly spiritual- wanted for this thread? Like... for sake of example... spirits and such.

**Sornaensis** · 09-07-2009 01:23 AM

In before CONFIRMATION BIAS.

**Xei** · 09-07-2009 01:59 AM

I readed Bibble.

**grasshoppa** · 09-07-2009 02:08 AM

Can't think of any...FML

**Mes Tarrant** · 09-07-2009 03:42 AM

Well this topic didn't take off like I had hoped. I might just have to address these things in the other topics that they do pop up in.

Spockman yeah that's fine too.

Originally Posted by A Roxxor

In before CONFIRMATION BIAS.

Wait what?

**Universal Mind** · 09-07-2009 03:51 AM

Jeremysr got thirsty one time when he was mowing the yard. He prayed for something to drink, and his mother drove up with some lemonade. He said that event is what proves the intelligent design argument.

Ne-yo, Alric, Really, Noogah, where are you?????? Tell us your stories.

**Xei** · 09-07-2009 05:39 AM

Originally Posted by Mes Tarrant

Wait what?

Confirmation bias... via some subtle (or not so subtle) and possibly subconscious means, only looking at information which is in agreement with your views, and hence erroneously gaining increasing conviction.

**grasshoppa** · 09-07-2009 06:30 AM

Originally Posted by Xei

Confirmation bias... via some subtle (or not so subtle) and possibly subconscious means, only looking at information which is in agreement with your views, and hence erroneously gaining increasing conviction.

Wait, I just thought of one...

I see the number 23 everywhere. God keeps showing it to me for some reason.

**Noogah** · 09-07-2009 07:30 AM

Originally Posted by Universal Mind

Jeremysr got thirsty one time when he was mowing the yard. He prayed for something to drink, and his mother drove up with some lemonade. He said that event is what proves the intelligent design argument.

Ne-yo, Alric, Really, Noogah, where are you?????? Tell us your stories.

Sorry, I don't live an adventurous life.

Anything I mention will be more personal, and will probably seem trivial to you guys.

**Xaqaria** · 09-07-2009 07:46 AM

Originally Posted by A Roxxor

In before CONFIRMATION BIAS.

This only applies if the person was more or less convinced of their belief already. You cannot claim confirmation bias if someone is giving their honest first reason for being convinced.

This however does mean that many people's honest answers should be something along the lines of "My parents told me it was true when I was at a very young age."

**Mes Tarrant** · 09-07-2009 08:15 AM

Originally Posted by Noogah

Sorry, I don't live an adventurous life.

Anything I mention will be more personal, and will probably seem trivial to you guys.

It's the personal stuff that I'm most interested in, as it's usually what convinces people in the first place. So if you wouldn't mind, please share some stuff?

Originally Posted by grasshoppa

Wait, I just thought of one...

I see the number 23 everywhere. God keeps showing it to me for some reason.

Wait a minute. I'm 23 years old.

**Universal Mind** · 09-07-2009 09:37 AM

Originally Posted by Mes Tarrant

Wait a minute. I'm 23 years old.

Woes! I used to be 23 years old!

**really** · 09-07-2009 02:10 PM

Originally Posted by Universal Mind

Ne-yo, Alric, Really, Noogah, where are you?????? Tell us your stories.

Hahahaa! I barely have a story!

Basically I became deeply intrigued about the nature of "self" and God when I learned more about the nature of spirituality. It was an unexpected exposure, but it may have been the turning point, it seems. Since then I've practiced meditation.

**Sornaensis** · 09-07-2009 03:21 PM

Originally Posted by Xaqaria

This only applies if the person was more or less convinced of their belief already. You cannot claim confirmation bias if someone is giving their honest first reason for being convinced.

This however does mean that many people's honest answers should be something along the lines of "My parents told me it was true when I was at a very young age."

Most people who would believe in god over one single event were most likely heavily predisposed to the idea, they just never took it seriously until they came across something they could not explain and we're convinced that this is proof. I know a lot of people who are like this at the school I go to.

Churches are pretty bad about this too, but that's for another thread

Originally Posted by Universal Mind

Woes! I used to be 23 years old!

Holy shit, I'm about to be 23 years old!

I think we may be onto something here...

**Xei** · 09-07-2009 04:35 PM

I'm 18... Holy shit 23 - 18 = 5, it's the law of fives!

:0

**spockman** · 09-07-2009 06:44 PM

This isn't 100% topical, as it didn't convince me of a whole lot, but it's kind of creepy. Even though I'm still skeptical at super-human/BD type stuff. This guy whose a friend of mine, you know the Christian type that doesn't go the doctor or anything like that, told me he could read peoples minds. This wasn't in some circus attraction, but in a crowded public place. So I had him guess what card I was thinking of. First time, he was right. Second time he was right. Third time he got the number, not the suite. Fourth time he got the suite not the number, (which he had a 25 percent chance of doing anyway so he pretty much botched that one.) Fifth time he got it again.

Not proof, sure, but it friggin' creeped me out.

**Noogah** · 09-07-2009 09:20 PM

My sister was dealing with personal issues. She fasted and prayed for a while, and that week, she and I went to hear a speaker. The speaker announced that although he had originally chosen a different topic to preach, he felt that God wanted him to preach something else. It was what my sister had needed. On the way home, she wanderedif God really had provided her with a message. So, she turned on the radio, and the same message was on from a different speaker.

Personally, God has done alot of personal things for me. But I remember the one that convinced me that prayer works when I was...seven I think? I prayed all year for a white Christmas. That was the last white Christmas that I ever experienced.

**Bonsay** · 09-07-2009 09:30 PM

Since you can't experience a non-believers life and view on this I'll just tell you, this sort of thing happens to me all the time, without praying. Just for your consideration.

**Sornaensis** · 09-07-2009 09:33 PM

Has anyone ever told you how selfish you and your family are? You pray for your own wants and needs? You are convinced you're talking to the creator of the universe, and you ask him to do something for you?

Unbelievable. I once prayed that people would stop killing each other, but they didn't. Guess god must exist, though, since he made that christmas white. Forget the well-being of other people. I want to see snow, dammit.

**Noogah** · 09-07-2009 09:36 PM

Originally Posted by A Roxxor

Has anyone ever told you how selfish you and your family are? You pray for your own wants and needs? You are convinced you're talking to the creator of the universe, and you ask him to do something for you?

Unbelievable. I once prayed that people would stop killing each other, but they didn't. Guess god must exist, though, since he made that christmas white. Forget the well-being of other people. I want to see snow, dammit.

Quote my post where I said "I never pray for anyone except for myself"

I pray for many people. God will always answer a (sincere) prayer. His answer will not always be yes.

**Sornaensis** · 09-07-2009 09:38 PM

And why the fuck not? He created the whole universe, but he can't change people? He can't stop senseless violence? Oh, but he can make it snow, thus he exists. It's all coming together now!

**Noogah** · 09-07-2009 09:47 PM

Originally Posted by A Roxxor

And why the fuck not? He created the whole universe, but he can't change people? He can't stop senseless violence? Oh, but he can make it snow, thus he exists. It's all coming together now!

He can. He won't. We've covered this. Enough.