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From: rcd@opus.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: An Ex-Atheist Speaks
Message-ID: <325@opus.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 4-Apr-84 21:52:51 EST
Article-I.D.: opus.325
Posted: Wed Apr  4 21:52:51 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 7-Apr-84 05:51:09 EST
References: <633@pucc-h>
Organization: NBI, Boulder
Lines: 38

<>
I suppose I could call my response "an ex-theist speaks", but...

>A guy came to my room once to witness,
>and my roommate and I not only ran him out of the room, but also went
>to his room and tried to convert him to atheism!  I hope THAT settles
>any questions about the "devoutness" of my atheism...
No, but it says something about your attitude toward people...

>  Now, one would think that this "God" would reward me for at least
>trying...
Not for trying in the sense you did it - sort of an attempt at a "30-day
money-back guarantee" on God...

>I finally prayed  with  an
>honest heart "God, if you really exist, I need your help.  Badly." The
>result was fantastic, and I will swear by most anything you like that
>I am not lying.  Within 3 days, my emotional stability had been totally
>restored and has not been seriously shaken since...
Pretty shaky causality there.  If things are bad enough, they're bound to
get better - especially if you want them to.  I'm not saying you're crazy;
I'm saying that your mind is powerful.

>Then I started praying and getting occasional results.
Intermittent reinforcement is more effective than consistent reinforcement.
Anyone with a background in behavioral psych care to fill in more?

>    Some of you are probably saying, "Nice story. So what?"  First of
>all, it is a true story, not a fable...
It may well be.  What the story seems to point out to me, far more than any
possible significance of religious conversion, is the significance of
becoming sincere with others and honest with yourself.  When you get to
college it's time to question the assumptions that you were brought up
with.  In some cases, this results in turning toward religion; in other
cases, turning away.  If a better person results, fine either way.
-- 
Nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile.
{hao,ucbvax,allegra}!nbires!rcd