Hacker News Reader

Comment by raptorraver | Hacker News Reader

I had an agnostic period as young adult. I was so disappointed on what protestant christianity had to offer and felt spiritually bankrupt. I tried zen buddhism and drugs but they couldn't fill the void. Eventually I found my way to Orthodox Church. The deepness and practicality of it's teachings has given me a purpose for my life and something to live (and die) for.

So if you ask me should you explore the Faith, I answer with a counter question: do you want to know what - or who - the Truth is before you die? In your dead bed you won't regret exploring it but you may regret not doing so.

Enjoy your search!

View on HN

There's truth, and there's emotionally comforting. Which do you want? I agree with raptoraver, that truth is what you should seek.

I suggest reading "He Is There And He Is Not Silent" by Francis Schaeffer. He argues that what is really there is also what we really need as humans - a God who actually exists, not just as an idea or a philosophical construct, but one who is really there. And this God is Someone, not just Something, so our human aspirations for being persons, not just machines, have a basis in what actually exists.

But don't stop there. Don't stop with knowing the truth as an intellectual construct. That's not what you really need. You need faith, not just knowledge. You need truth rather than lies or wishful thinking, but then you need faith in that truth.

("You" in this post is addressed to jelliclesfarm, even though I'm directly replying to raptoraver.)

I hear you. That’s why I was hoping someone who had crossed over from atheism to theism would be able to provide insights.

Even dipping my toes slightly, I am finding that I need to have a strong faith in an omnipresent/omnipotent being. This is problematic.

I wanted to approach it as an intellectual/philosophical/man made construct, but the pieces are not fitting for a coherent narrative. I think I can even filter some religious dogma.

If I can find a rational reason for the possibility of an omnipresent/omnipotent/omniscient being(proof not required), then it would be easy to surrender. It is not an egoic thing. I don’t want to subscribe to imaginary constructs.

That’s where I am today. Or at least, this afternoon.

I was never an atheist, but one of my favorite writers was until his 30s: C. S. Lewis. You might try some of his slim books: The Problem of Pain or Mere Christianity.

That's exactly Schaeffer's strength, that he has a philosophical and intellectual approach, but he fits the pieces into a coherent narrative.

Do drugs open said ‘doors of perception’?

No. First it looks like it but in the end you realize it was only illusion and you're getting more and more lost and locked inside you.

Here's an debate between an orthodox scholar and an atheist you could find interesting. It's a long talk but full of good arguments from both sides: https://youtu.be/AajJBhdRpDA Hope it helps!

Thank you for the YouTube link. I listened to parts of it. My dilemma is that my notion of divinity/god/theis’ has its beginnings in Hinduism, the religion of my ancestors.

I reject all monotheistic/Abrahamic faith based notions outright.

When I first came to the United States and became a card carrying member of American atheists, I was carried away. Rationalism was the name of my game. Except ...what if a religion can be religion? But soon I realized that my polytheistic faith of birth origin was a completely different animal. And I had to start from scratch again. I called myself agnostic and then ignostic rather than atheist.

I outright reject all monotheistic notions of God as in organized monotheist religion but I do recognize the common strain it shares with polytheistic faith that is Hinduism. So..what is THAT? It is just a deeper layer of religion that delves deep beyond superficial notions and motions of organized religion. That is just the packaging. What is The Gift? I want that. If it exists. A rational religion and a compatible God. How wonderful would that be!!

It is true that our culture and the faith of our ancestors shapes how we perceive and think about the world around us.

If I recall right Krishna in Hinduism is the highest of all the other gods. That seems to have more in common with Abrahamic religions than from the first look of it. Like you we also believe there are other creatures that are immaterial: different ranks of angels and demons. What differs them from the God though is they were created by the Creator. We believe that this Creator is a person whom we can interact with, and that makes the search of divinity a fascinating journey, not just a mind game or scientific project. It's a relationship with two sides.

I don't know what you mean by rational religion or compatible God? Like someone said in this thread that even our rational thoughts have unrational presuppositions at their bottom. And trying to make God compatible with our thoughts means reducing God to fit into our minds. He is infinite and eternal being. In one sense we can't even say that God exists as our existence lies in Him.

I understand why people are sceptical to organised religion. But from my viewpoint and experience Orthodox Christianity offers a thousands of years of experience about who is the Truth and how I can participate about His life and become like Him.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com