I'm afraid to say though, there are no prizes for correct guesses.
I do seem to have a slight fear of sleep. Not all that helpful when you're exhausted and in desperate need of sleep. However sleep isn't always the most restful experience for me. There are various reasons behind it, the main one being an uncomfortable bed, but the other are actually far more significant when it comes to a fear of sleep. I repeatedly ask "Why can't I sleep?" "Why am I so tired?" but the irony is I know exactly why.
Anyhoo, why am I yet again on the lovely blogger, making yet another post? I guess to get out a few ponderings I've had of late. I was in Borders the other day, resisting a lovely hard back copy of The Screwtape Letters, I think I already have it somewhere, I can't afford to go buying duplicates. When I decided to look through all the books they had on Faith, Spirituality and Theology in relation to Christianity (as opposed to any of the other religions). Well there seemed to be an awful lot of books by atheists, anti theists and agnostics. The whole notion amused me. Agnostic writings I can understand, after all God is unfathomable. But the books by atheists and anti theists, it seems crazy that they are so perturbed by the idea of a divine being they feel compelled to write a book about it. If God doesn't exist then surely the debate of His existence shouldn't concern a non believer. However these non believers have such a passion about the lack of God's actuality, it almost makes you think they're angry at God for not existing and so will do everything in their power to deny His being. I may of course be wrong, but why the venom against something which apparently doesn't exist?
(Just to clarify, it's the books by atheists and anti theists who take it upon themselves to slander anyone with a faith, belittle them and criticise I was referring to, not just commentary, deliberation and declaration of non-belief. I have no problem with that, everyone has different beliefs as we're all very different as people. The authors I disagree with, as Andy hinted at, are those with a holier than thou attitude of the other extreme. I just don't see any need to belie people in such a way, it's totally unnecessary. Faith isn't a crutch for the weak, and those who have faith shouldn't be mocked and thought less of for it. I guess those with over inflated egos it would seem have trouble with any notion of a superior entity.)
Now this is a different to debate to that of those who are anti religion. That is perfectly apprehensible, after all given the atrocities carried out in "God's name" it's no wonder there are so many people eager to denounce religion and blame it for a lot of the wrong in this world. I personally am not a fan of religion, I can see it's strong points, however given the nature of man religion has over time deviated from faith and spirituality and transformed into politics, laws and judgement, and an excuse. You only need to look at the world around you to see that. And quite often the church doesn't do itself any favours in that respect given the hypocrisy within, the divisions between the denominations and the shift in focus from God/Jesus/The Holy Spirit to abiding by a set of rules.
Another thing I don't quite grasp is why all the negativity towards anyone claiming a personal relationship with Jesus. Fair enough if they're the sort to preach, condemn and generally shove the gospel down people's throats without second thought. But I don't see what people have against the average Christian, after all we're not causing any harm, we're only here to love, and if you don't like what I believe then you don't have to read/listen. It's your choice at the end of the day. Such as this blog; I don't tell people to go and read it, I may mention it if someone is interested, but I generally leave it for people to find on their own, there are links readily available but it's your choice to click on them. Just as people, talk about cars, celebrity, football, their daily lives, shoes, I talk about God, He's a big part of my life, I should make no apology for including him in my musings. In fact He's my whole life really come to think of it, without Him, I'd be nothing. Not only do I believe that, I know it.
But so many times I get the "You're not one of those born again types are you?". It does quite upset me actually as I am born again in Christ's grace, mercy and love. But I don't fit the description of the "born again type" they refer to. Those with the holier than thou attitude. Hey sometimes I can get like that, I'll be the first to admit it. But I do my best not to judge, after all I'm not perfect, "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone." John 8:7, I'm most definitely not sinless! I've put as much as I possibly can behind me, but I'm only human and to fail, but with God's help I do my very best. It's just a shame I'll come under persecution from others for my faith. It's not hurting them, it doesn't even concern them if they don't want it to. I'm not the sort to try and convert everyone I meet, one I don't have the confidence or self esteem, and two that's not the way to go about it. I talk about my relationship with God when people ask, and on here of course, otherwise my form of witness is through my everyday life. Non invasive I like to think. Forcing your own beliefs on other people will only yield negative reaction.
I really should get some sleep. It's half 3, I have work tomorrow, or rather later on today as it now stands.
Well it's been an awkward week, but various issues have been resolved. So things should improve, mind you life is pretty sweet regardless. We don't know how good we've got it at times. I may be feeling lonely as a singleton, but I'm looking for the positives and praying to God that His perfect man for me isn't that far away and when I'm ready for a relationship again there'll be someone good lined up for me. That's if He intends for me to be married.
Proverbs 19:21
Many are the plans in a man's heart,
but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.
Right, off to bed. Seriously now Iz, you need some rest, your eyes will cease to focus soon!
1 comment:
First off, more concern your way on the lacking in sleep issue as it'll just exacerbate everything else, which in turn becomes a vicious cycle ever more tricky to break out of the longer it continues.
Would've suggested the trick of a mug of warm milk afore bed and then reading till your eyes can't stay open anymore but that fails as often as it succeeds, with the sight of dawn first rays testament to failure. Neither would I recommend the night cap method I utilised for a while when first starting at uni, as it's also just a short term fix that stores up more problems than it solves.
The uncomfortable bed certainly won't be helping matters, as it'll reduce the quality of your rest even without factoring the sleep side of things, but there's no easy solution to the other part of the problem that I know of. Just need to become more at peace with the other things that are troubling you or at least find methods of temporarily compartmentalising them in the run up to sleep. On that note...
*curtails own rambling*
..will be sending spare positive vibes and thoughts your way. Onto the topic of actual discussion, something I actually feel I can contribute to the debate on for once.
Agnostics you seem to have covered more than adequately, but I'd certainly second that questioning the nature of God/or indeed God's existence is only human; as someone's level of faith is as much a variable as physical characteristics. I think some doubts and waivering belief affects everyone to a degree, as to be otherwise would to be perfect, which surely is something as humans we can aspire towards but never truly achieve.
Atheists writing on the existence of God seems natural in part to me, as just as much as their are varying levels of extreme within belief, surely the same can be said of non belief.
There are people who just don't believe, moderates if you will and they leave it at that and don't find the need to make a fuss/song and dance about it. These folk I would class as the equivalent of moderate christians, in that they're reasonable and level headed enough in their lack of belief to not feel the need to preach on the subject et all.
There are those who were raised in a religious enviroment and then for what ever reason either lost their belief or decided to not believe. Within this group, logic would dictate there are more who've given a great deal of thought on the existence of God in order to come to the decision of non belief. As such some who're of a literary or academic background may find the need to share their thoughts with a larger audience, as partly the sharing of knowledge is a natural urge to further the species. These types within the field of theological writings you were browsing I feel are in the minority though.
The final group in my rather brief generalisation are those of the more extremist viewpoint, where they feel belief itself is wrong, or their dislike for organised religion is so strong it colours their views towards the existence of a deity or those who take science as a alternate religion almost (which can be a slant on the first view, in thinking that faith in anything that cannot be empirically proven holds us back and is folly perhaps?). I'd certainly class señor Dawkins as falling into this category.
Those of this group, I feel contains some who write to satisfy ego or perhaps a feeling of intellectual superiority through their non belief. Others perhaps feel a cynical need to preach and shove things down your throat, in a manner same as some of the American evangelists and televangelists where consideration for others' views is overridden by a stubborn will towards furthering of their own views. Non-believerer than thou as it were I guess.
I might have wandered slightly askew in my ramblings/musings but hopefully there something worthwhile within as food for thought. As a summation I guess I'd say in someways it's varying degrees of reaction towards the thought that, 'those who don't believe cannot be given enough proof to change their mind, whereas those who believe don't feel the need to require proof' *paraphrased rather badly I know*.
Take care.
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