Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site oakhill.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!whuxl!whuxlm!harpo!decvax!genrad!panda!talcott!harvard!seismo!ut-sally!oakhill!davet From: davet@oakhill.UUCP (Dave Trissel) Newsgroups: net.religion Subject: Re: reply to Lord Firth Message-ID: <368@oakhill.UUCP> Date: Tue, 19-Mar-85 16:56:56 EST Article-I.D.: oakhill.368 Posted: Tue Mar 19 16:56:56 1985 Date-Received: Thu, 21-Mar-85 03:02:28 EST References: <184@cvl.UUCP> Reply-To: davet@oakhill.UUCP (Dave Trissel) Distribution: net Organization: Motorola Inc. Austin, Tx Lines: 31 Summary: >[David Harwood] > > My feeling > is that everyone who sincerely wants to know whether there is a God > will be given sufficient reason for faith, but that not everyone is > sincere. You have only to look around to see that many lord it over > the others -- in their hearts, they would presume the place of God. > They hardly want to find out that they were wrong. > Please step back David and look at what you are saying. You are making a bold claim that everyone who doesn't believe in your version of a God is insincere. Do you really think that? What about someone like myself who grew up a dedicated Christian but when confronted with the contradictions involved chose to honestly face what reality was instead of blindly clinging to earlier beliefs in God. And it was very painfull. I didn't WANT to change my beliefs. It was much more psychologically confortable not to have to. But there was something within me, a yearning for Truth, that forced me to be honest and accept the consequences of being honest. Back in my earlier years I would have said just what you did. So I very well understand why you said it. But I suggest that you examine the damages your belief system holds as well as its advantages. Do you think it beneficial that you feel justified in labeling millions of people insincere just because they don't accept the same concepts as you do? If there were ever to be such a thing as a judgement day, I wouldn't be afraid. Since God supposedly sees into the heart, He/She would know I've dealt with the issues of Her/His existence with all integrity and openness. Dave Trissel {seismo,gatech,ihnp4}!ut-sally!oakhill!davet