Some basic Questions about Religion from a total non-believer

[tolu619]

Rainbird said:

@ OP

I don't believe in a god, but I think your questions can be answered better philosophically or culturally.

1. God created living beings with free will, so God can't force us to think one way or another. Those who want to see "proof" see it, those who don't want to see it, don't. I don't know if such evidence exists, but two different people will look at the same thing and interpret it as two different things. Some see evidence, some see coincidence.

2. Women being treated badly in religion is probably more down to the culture where these religions started and matured. No matter what the original message on the subject may have been, it will have been interpreted and massaged to fit into the culture around it at any given time.

3. I think the meaning of the word "prophet" has been misused a bit through times. "Prophecies" are fiddly as many of them can be percieved differently (see #1), so where some people see prophecies, others see fantasies or dreams. Some "prophets" are simply people who are incredibly wise. I don't think Jesus had any more to do with the divine than you or me, but he was an incredible teacher and guide non the less. Whether there are (or has been) any actual prophets out there is something I will let others argue about.

OK......I JUST have to talk! I think that most people that don't believe haven't EXPERIENCED anything spiritual, they've only HEARD stories. I've experienced more than enough so that it's impossible to convince me that there's no God but I'd like to know if the OP is still following this thread and how those of you that don't believe are going to take my experiences if I post them. I really don't feel like writing volumes of my experiences just for people to dismiss them as made up stories or hallucinations or coincidences.

Did u guys ever wonder how De ja vus work, for example? At least I'm sure EVERYONE has experienced those!