Why I might believe in God after all

[fanofclendennon]

My opinions on atheism here have been well noted for years. But something happened to me last week that defies all logic and made me question all the laws in the universe.

I was driving my car and had to make a quick pick up at a local deli. Sadly, there were no parking spaces anywhere, so I drove around the block hoping one would open up. Unfortunately one did not.

My only option as I could figure was to pull in head first into the corner of the block with the back of my car jutting out into the street. I reasoned I’d be in and out in a few seconds so no worries. I parked. Put on my flashers. Ran inside the deli, and grabbed my order. When I came outside, a cop was waiting for me.

“I’l need your documentation, sir.” I handed him my license and registration. “Do you have your insurance?” Yep. He pointed to a shoppers lit across the street, wondering why I didn’t pull in there. Then he told me to wait. Came out of his car 10 minutes later. No, he wasn’t just going to issue me a warning but he was giving me a ticket for illegal parking. And he handed back all of my paperwork. I got back in my car, shoved it in my glove compartment, and drove a half hour to my destination.

When I got there I went back into my glove compartment and realized I had my registration and insurance but no driver’s license. Searched the car frantically. Nothing. Called the police dept to see maybe if it turned up in the officer’s car. Nope.

The thought of having to replace a lost license in the Covid age was beyond upsetting. I figured I had one thing left to do: Drive back to the deli to see if maybe it was still there.

Took me a half hour to get back there. This time I parked in the shopper’s lot. Walked across the street where there was an empty spot right in front of the deli this time. And as I got closer I could see, there in the street, in the spot where I had been parked, was my driver’s license. It was still there.

Big smile. I put it back in my wallet and realized, maybe there really is a God after all.

[Kenny Powders]

Praise be

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

[HowFit]

Glad you found it, brother!

[Crovash]

This thread got me to thinking: was there a moment or an event that was decisive in your journey to belief or non-belief?

For me, the starting point was when my mother died of ovarian cancer when I was 10 (she was 37). While she was not what I’d call particularly religious, she would take me and my siblings to church (Episcopal) from time to time. However, after her death, my father stated that he’d never set foot in a church again (he did once later, though, when my sister got married).

I spent some time in college trying to understand and even experience the religious call that people seem to have, but it never took hold. The older I have gotten, the more distant any religious attraction has gotten.

[dbroncsinmo]

This thread got me to thinking: was there a moment or an event that was decisive in your journey to belief or non-belief?

For me, the starting point was when my mother died of ovarian cancer when I was 10 (she was 37). While she was not what I’d call particularly religious, she would take me and my siblings to church (Episcopal) from time to time. However, after her death, my father stated that he’d never set foot in a church again (he did once later, though, when my sister got married).

I spent some time in college trying to understand and even experience the religious call that people seem to have, but it never took hold. The older I have gotten, the more distant any religious attraction has gotten.

By 'distant', I think you meant disdain.

[Crovash]

By 'distant', I think you meant disdain.

Fair enough. Or at least some of both, very often intertwined.

[SiteWolf]

I may have told this story before, been awhile since I've been 'here'

Early 80s I'd moved to Oregon for a 'fresh start' after a few things like, well, losing almost everything in a house fire. In Oregon I'd just started going back to church after 'falling away' for the first few years on my own after HS.

Jobs were tough, money was tight, and I had precious little coming in from a part time job and doing some woodworking. Yet I was still keeping up with tithing to the church, even that meant 10% of not much.

At the end of the month I was going over my finances and trying to figure out how...but even though my expenses were higher than my income plus I'd continued my offering to the church, I actually had more money in my checking account than I'd started with...the amount I'd gained almost to the dollar the amount I'd put in the offering plate. I did that math a half dozen times and it always came out the same, which solidified to me- stay faithful and He will always provide...and He always has.

[Crovash]

Interesting. The other side of the coin, I suppose.

What was it that Job said: “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away?”

[SiteWolf]

Interesting. The other side of the coin, I suppose.

What was it that Job said: “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away?”

well, He can't give OR take away....if He doesn't exist...yes?

[Crovash]

well, He can't give OR take away....if He doesn't exist...yes?

Well now, in my defense, I never said that Job was speaking the truth.

But it is interesting to me that the genesis of my unbelief was an experience of loss (though I know folks whose losses have led them to intensify their beliefs).

[valade16]

I may have told this story before, been awhile since I've been 'here'

Early 80s I'd moved to Oregon for a 'fresh start' after a few things like, well, losing almost everything in a house fire. In Oregon I'd just started going back to church after 'falling away' for the first few years on my own after HS.

Jobs were tough, money was tight, and I had precious little coming in from a part time job and doing some woodworking. Yet I was still keeping up with tithing to the church, even that meant 10% of not much.

At the end of the month I was going over my finances and trying to figure out how...but even though my expenses were higher than my income plus I'd continued my offering to the church, I actually had more money in my checking account than I'd started with...the amount I'd gained almost to the dollar the amount I'd put in the offering plate. I did that math a half dozen times and it always came out the same, which solidified to me- stay faithful and He will always provide...and He always has.

Where in Oregon did you move to?

[SiteWolf]

Where in Oregon did you move to?

I lived in Eugene for the 80s plus before my job took me to Tacoma then Bellingham...before moving back to SD when dad's health was failing (which was supposed to be a 2 yr move, now over 25)

[valade16]

I lived in Eugene for the 80s plus before my job took me to Tacoma then Bellingham...before moving back to SD when dad's health was failing (which was supposed to be a 2 yr move, now over 25)

Tacoma has actually really come up the past decade or so. Eugene is one of the few cities in Oregon I have not visited extensively.

[SiteWolf]

Tacoma has actually really come up the past decade or so. Eugene is one of the few cities in Oregon I have not visited extensively.

when I lived in Eugene, the Grateful Dead still referred to it as their summer home....not sure that'd still be the case.....but it's also where I finished my first degree and am a Ducks alum....Tacoma, I made a point of looking for an apartment with a view of Rainier and did exactly that...but also meant I was a manager in the Tacoma Mall when the Rodney King verdict came down...besides the mall being evacuated for a bomb threat (that wasn't), for weeks after, customers of mine I had been on friendly terms with suddenly acted like all white people were their enemies....good times

[valade16]

when I lived in Eugene, the Grateful Dead still referred to it as their summer home....not sure that'd still be the case.....but it's also where I finished my first degree and am a Ducks alum....Tacoma, I made a point of looking for an apartment with a view of Rainier and did exactly that...but also meant I was a manager in the Tacoma Mall when the Rodney King verdict came down...besides the mall being evacuated for a bomb threat (that wasn't), for weeks after, customers of mine I had been on friendly terms with suddenly acted like all white people were their enemies....good times

You're a Duck alum?! They are my college team, growing up from Oregon. In fact, I almost went to UW Law School and I was actually wrestling with having to be a Huskie while being a Duck fan lol.

But Tacoma is now considered a hip city with a ton of breweries and arts and crafts shops. Lots more apartments/condos on the water as opposed to a more industrialized feel it had before.