My experiences that suggest an intelligent force exists

[Keith&Co.]

I felt like I should tell my boss (the only other person at work that day) about the answered prayer but I felt a bit embarrassed.

Dude, never be ashamed to tell people what worked. Or appeared to work. Or, in your mind, what seemed to be connected to what worked.

If YOU feel your prayer accomplished something feel free to share that.


With the above fault, I wanted to log it: "Naked Chicken Danced around tube, fault corrected."
WEPS threatened to keel haul me if I did. Ended up with a compromise. I logged, "Fault cleared during troubleshooting, was unable to identify the action which restored system operations. Intermittent fault." But I was free to tell anyone about it.

Offered the bones to the Nukes when the distilling system went down a month later, too.

 

[excreationist]

I thought that the meaning of life ("42") had a strong connection to "Connect 4" - it happens to also be 6 x 7. When I thought about this and checked the numbers of yellow and red pieces I found something unexpected:
https://sky-walker.net/temp/connect4.jpg
That set was the one in the mental ward I was in recently. Also I was reading a Gideon's Bible recently upside down - I was reading the 6th chapters, trying to annoy God.... then a sealed NIV Bible I got from my sister had the contents upside down!

 

[steve_bank]

Synchronicity I think. Things that appear related but are not.

One time you prayed and felt something. An emotional response to stress or something, prayer as a release mechanism.

Modern medicine acknowledges aspects of ancient traditions do have benefits.

Still nothing supernatural,.

When I Christian connects prayer with something positive it is god's will. When prayers are unanswered it is also god's will.

 

[excreationist]

That connect 4 set might be one of the only ones like it in the world -
e.g. here is an example of a set with 21 of each colour:
https://bouncycastlenetwork-res.clo..._limit,w_900/f71f29dc4e952c39819acf653cc547ec
But it was the first time I'd ever tried counting the pieces.
The Bible being printed upside down was even more significant because I had been reading a Bible upside down recently...

 

[Keith&Co.]

The Bible being printed upside down was even more significant because I had been reading a Bible upside down recently...

Ever bought a car?

I have gone years without paying much attention to car ads. Then I was in the market for a car. I saw kajillions of ads.
It wasn't that any company's advertising budget increased 80-fold, it was just that I was geared to pay attention to them.

After I bought my CR-V, I stopped noticing much of any car ads, except those for CR-Vs. It seemed for about two months that every other commercial was for Honda, half of those for the car I was driving.

And the cars are everywhere! For the first month, it seemed that every parking lot I stopped in had at least one CR-V in it!

This was not a 'sign,' however. Just a predilection on the part of my own brain.

 

[bilby]

The Bible being printed upside down was even more significant because I had been reading a Bible upside down recently...

Ever bought a car?

I have gone years without paying much attention to car ads. Then I was in the market for a car. I saw kajillions of ads.
It wasn't that any company's advertising budget increased 80-fold, it was just that I was geared to pay attention to them.

After I bought my CR-V, I stopped noticing much of any car ads, except those for CR-Vs. It seemed for about two months that every other commercial was for Honda, half of those for the car I was driving.

And the cars are everywhere! For the first month, it seemed that every parking lot I stopped in had at least one CR-V in it!

This was not a 'sign,' however. Just a predilection on the part of my own brain.

It's funny; I was just the other day reading an article about the Baader-Meinhof Effect.

 

[Keith&Co.]

It's funny; I was just the other day reading an article about the Baader-Meinhof Effect.

Spooky...

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

It's funny; I was just the other day reading an article about the Baader-Meinhof Effect.

Spooky...

Gods work in mysterious ways.

Come to think of it, why do mysteries exist? Could it be that gods like soap operas?

 

[Learner]

Beyond the Higgs-field theory is the mysterious ways , the process workings of the universe. " I wonder what it is ? ", ponders the scientist.

 

[Keith&Co.]

Beyond the Higgs-field theory is the mysterious ways , the process workings of the universe. " I wonder what it is ? ", ponders the scientist.

....and?

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

Beyond the Higgs-field theory is the mysterious ways , the process workings of the universe. " I wonder what it is ? ", ponders the scientist.

....and?

I will have to write up a grant to study this in depth.

 

[bilby]

Beyond the Higgs-field theory is the mysterious ways , the process workings of the universe. " I wonder what it is ? ", ponders the scientist.

....and?

And anything you can't explain is due to a god or gods.

Don't know what causes thinder? A god.

Don't know why people fall in love? Gods.

Don't know why some people survive a disease, while others die? God.

Don't know what Matter Atoms Subatomic Particles Quarks and Bosons are made of? Surely it's god this time, right? Right?

 

[Learner]

Beyond the Higgs-field theory is the mysterious ways , the process workings of the universe. " I wonder what it is ? ", ponders the scientist.

....and?

And anything you can't explain is due to a god or gods.

Don't know what causes thinder? A god.

Don't know why people fall in love? Gods.

Don't know why some people survive a disease, while others die? God.

Don't know what Matter Atoms Subatomic Particles Quarks and Bosons are made of? Surely it's god this time, right? Right?

And...

Its all mysterious , is all I was going to say. Besides , the concept from my POV would be ... God made those quarks and bosons and not: either it was God or it was quarks + bosons, so wrong wrong in this regard.

 

[skepticalbip]

And anything you can't explain is due to a god or gods.

Don't know what causes thinder? A god.

Don't know why people fall in love? Gods.

Don't know why some people survive a disease, while others die? God.

Don't know what Matter Atoms Subatomic Particles Quarks and Bosons are made of? Surely it's god this time, right? Right?

And...

Its all mysterious , is all I was going to say. Besides , the concept from my POV would be ... God made those quarks and bosons and not: either it was God or it was quarks + bosons, so wrong wrong in this regard.

Indeed... Many people, when they encounter something about the universe that is a mystery to them, they automatically fall back on "god did it". It makes them feel like they now understand and it is no longer a mystery... and it is certainly easier than the effort needed to actually study and understand the physics involved. Also it is not as humbling as admitting that the mystery is something they may never be able to fully understand and explain.

Scientists actually like mysteries. Mysteries challenge them. OTOH, priests find nothing mysterious because they start with the answer then twist the question to fit the answer.

 

[Learner]

Indeed... Many people, when they encounter something about the universe that is a mystery to them, they automatically fall back on "god did it". It makes them feel like they now understand and it is no longer a mystery... and it is certainly easier than the effort needed to actually study and understand the physics involved.

The phrase, "God works in mysterious ways" still means "mystery" although funny enough, is not a phrase quoted directly from the bible.

Also it is not as humbling as admitting that the mystery is something they may never be able to fully understand and explain.

Yes theists use the above phrase also with the understanding we may never know or have the ability to comprehend.

Scientists actually like mysteries. Mysteries challenge them. OTOH, priests find nothing mysterious because they start with the answer then twist the question to fit the answer.

True, God is the automatic default for believers but it still remains mysterious e.g. "HOW" it all works. Trying to make questions fit isn't a bad thing if an idea or discovery does indeed fit or corroborate the belief to the individual, who is genuinely trying to find answers. Of course when we are using your particular choice of word "twist" then this may imply a somewhat different context to finding answers (not a standard theistic practice), I don't doubt this may happen but it defeats the purpose for any search for truth obviously, especially if they're priests.

 

[Keith&Co.]

And anything you can't explain is due to a god or gods.

Don't know what causes thinder? A god.

Don't know why people fall in love? Gods.

Don't know why some people survive a disease, while others die? God.

Don't know what Matter Atoms Subatomic Particles Quarks and Bosons are made of? Surely it's god this time, right? Right?

And...

Its all mysterious , is all I was going to say.

And you put a comforting mask on the mysterious and call it 'god.' 'Kay.
It just seems like a bit of a cop-out.
For me, my POV, if something's mysterious, it needs to be investigated until it's not.

You just rubber stamp the mystery, like the unfilled-in portions of ancient maps. But where they put 'here there be monsters' you put 'God.' God did it, God wants it, God commands it...

Besides , the concept from my POV would be ... God made those quarks and bosons and not: either it was God or it was quarks + bosons, so wrong wrong in this regard.

Meaningless distinction.


When my son was little, his first word was 'Daddy.' 'Mommy' was his second word. But what he MEANT by 'mommy' was either parent. 'Daddy' was his term for 'anyone who feeds me.' It was cute when he was a toddler. He came to understand, however, that words have meaning and applied them more correctly for the social situations he found himself in.

Substituting 'god' for 'we don't know' or 'we don't understand' or 'let's call it a mystery and pretend we're not SUPPOSED to know' doesn't really do anyone any good.

It's painting a Happy Face on the window so you won't be scared of the shadows moving around in the dark, out there. But the shadows are still there.

 

[DrZoidberg]

True, God is the automatic default for believers but it still remains mysterious e.g. "HOW" it all works.

Which is broken logic. It's argument from ignorance. If something is a mystery... just stop there.

 

[skepticalbip]

The phrase, "God works in mysterious ways" still means "mystery" although funny enough, is not a phrase quoted directly from the bible.



Yes theists use the above phrase also with the understanding we may never know or have the ability to comprehend.

Scientists actually like mysteries. Mysteries challenge them. OTOH, priests find nothing mysterious because they start with the answer then twist the question to fit the answer.

True, God is the automatic default for believers but it still remains mysterious e.g. "HOW" it all works. Trying to make questions fit isn't a bad thing if an idea or discovery does indeed fit or corroborate the belief to the individual, who is genuinely trying to find answers. Of course when we are using your particular choice of word "twist" then this may imply a somewhat different context to finding answers (not a standard theistic practice), I don't doubt this may happen but it defeats the purpose for any search for truth obviously, especially if they're priests.

History demonstrates your interpretation is wrong. For one example, science unraveling the 'mystery' of where species came from is still seen as sacrilegious heresy by some religious sects. When first suggested, the theory of evolution was widely condemned by religions. This is because religion 'knew' that god created each species exactly as they are and to question that knowledge was an inconceivable sin. For the religious, 'god did it' is a final answer negating the need of any further questioning or even condemning the morality of questioning further.

 

[Learner]

And you put a comforting mask on the mysterious and call it 'god.' 'Kay.
It just seems like a bit of a cop-out.
For me, my POV, if something's mysterious, it needs to be investigated until it's not.

But of course, investigations could work for me too. If it becomes NOT the mystery I thought it was, I become atheist. (or otherwise, prove atheists wrong if such a thing was the case)

You just rubber stamp the mystery, like the unfilled-in portions of ancient maps. But where they put 'here there be monsters' you put 'God.' God did it, God wants it, God commands it...

Meaningless distinction.

I thought it important imo , to make clear to atheists from a generalization that it is not a believers argument e.g. the mistaken notion that its about "God verses natural forces" or "its either one or the other".

When my son was little, his first word was 'Daddy.' 'Mommy' was his second word. But what he MEANT by 'mommy' was either parent. 'Daddy' was his term for 'anyone who feeds me.' It was cute when he was a toddler. He came to understand, however, that words have meaning and applied them more correctly for the social situations he found himself in.

Substituting 'god' for 'we don't know' or 'we don't understand' or 'let's call it a mystery and pretend we're not SUPPOSED to know' doesn't really do anyone any good.

It's painting a Happy Face on the window so you won't be scared of the shadows moving around in the dark, out there. But the shadows are still there.

But to believers, God is the source of all things , so to speak , meaning, believers are not "substituting" God for "don't know" if in response to investigations or valid scientific questions, but of course, you mean, when theists use God to be the answer, when no-one knows (scientifically).

 

[Learner]

True, God is the automatic default for believers but it still remains mysterious e.g. "HOW" it all works.

Which is broken logic. It's argument from ignorance. If something is a mystery... just stop there.

Simply.. the mystery context of God between a believer and non-believer are simply not the same , but yes we should stop there putting belief aside and getting with the investigation etc..etc..