When I began to question my Christian beliefs, one of my biggest fears was: “How can a person be happy without God?”
Interacting with happy atheists on the Internet reassured me. Their enjoyment of life proved it must be possible.
I can’t count on God loving me or directing my life anymore, or eternal happiness after this life. But I can appreciate the kindness of others, beautiful scenery and everything that is going well. They are as wonderful as ever though I no longer think of them as gifts from God.
Two years ago a new level of uncertainty came into my life. I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease, a condition with no cure. Doctors try to control the symptoms with medication but in my case the medications haven’t been very effective.
My counselor attempted to give me hope with “Maybe this medication will work.” I tried to explain “I can’t go there any more than I can hope in a God I don’t know exists. What works for me is accepting the reality that my future health is uncertain, then choosing not to worry about it.” Worry implicitly assumes a bad outcome and is as unrealistic as counting on a good one.
I remember reading “Don’t worry” back in my Bible studying days. That’s ok. Outsiders are allowed to incorporate any good advice they run across, even if it’s attributed to Jesus!
Hi Helen… As an “outsider” myself, I would like to offer you a warm welcome to Communitas… I’m not sure how I found your personal blog, but I’ve enjoyed it going back at least six years! Now I really don’t know if anyone currently lives a “faithless life” as your bio reads, but I agree with Glenn: Not only is your perspective welcome here, it’s needed, as well!!! I also wanted to add this thought… I believe when we see evidence of what bible calls the fruit of the spirit (love, joy, peace, etc…) in people that reject the Bible & the God in it, speaks volumes on what is truly happening on a much deeper level of their experience! Experiences just as inspired as the ones written about in a book that was never intended to be finished, because it’s still being written! It is my strongest belief that One never truly lives without God. It’s more a choice of being ignorantly separated and that is a perfectly fine place to be, until it isn’t anymore…
grace,peace,love & good luck… t.f.
I just want to say “Welcome!” to you Helen. Thank you for joining our little corner of the internet. I always love your writing and value your perspectives, and I look forward to the conversations that will take place on your posts.
Thom, thanks for the warm welcome! Wow, you were reading my site six years ago? I think you were the only reader apart from my parents
Perhaps such qualities as love joy and peace come from God; I don’t know. I’m happy when I run across people who have them: happy for them and also those people are more fun to be around. (Not that it’s necessarily a person’s fault if they don’t have those qualities; and not that I avoid all people who are suffering) Erin, it’s wonderful to be here in the company of so many wonderful people and great writers. I know I’ve never commented here but I’ve lurked and read the posts with interest. Now I can’t get by with lurking anymore!
Howdy Helen… I’m still not sure HOW I first found you, But I’m sure glad I did! And I would think you’ve been read by multitudes, so I love your humor & humility!!!
Although your early “christian” writing was well written devotional material, it’s been your journey that was is so fascinating! I first remember being draw in by your intelligent & articulate handling of your “Questions/Right Answers” period. The wrestling with biblical/doctrinal questions and the back-story of your illness and hearing god, was and is, book worthy!!! Again, I’m really looking forward to your posts here and wish you the best of luck with whatever direction you take, topic wise… peace&love… t.f.
Thanks again Thom!
Helen – after reading this today I was struck by your approach to “reality” – which made me think of the recent announcement that Michael Dowd has cancer. You might find his approach interesting also. [url]http://thankgodforevolution.com/node/1928/url]. I’ve recently learned about Integral Theory and find it very interesting. That is how I came to know of Michael Dowd. Stages of Faith is a course I took from Leslie Hershberger this summer. It really helped me understand how I arrived where I am in my beliefs. The Stages can apply to other ways we develop emotionally and spiritually (stages of consciousness and more) – Leslie used it to help people understand faith. http://www.lfhgroup.com/
Thanks Elaine. I can imagine a course on stages of faith being reassuring to someone like you who has been on a journey of faith with many stages. I would think it’s very validating. Are they Fowler’s stages of faith? When I looked up stages of faith in Google that’s whose name came up. Thanks for the links.