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Hey Adam,

Thank you for sharing your background with me, and for your kind-hearted attitude. I haven't taken any offense to what you've said. I'll try to answer your questions as best I can.

I'll relate some of my background to you first of all. I grew up in a secular home, and there wasn't any talk of religion in my household, for or against. There was a bible in my house, and although I attempted to read it as a child, I didn't get past the "begats" in Genesis. I thought that perhaps that was the entire rest of the book. I grew up knowing nothing much about religion, and so I was agnostic by default.

It wasn't until a bit later in life that I received revelation that there is a God. At the time, I had started to ponder what the truth actually was. I started to search for it, because I felt that the love was slowly draining out of this world, that things were going really wrong, and it got to the point where I felt personally convicted to stand up and do something. What, I had no idea, but more than anything else, I wanted to know the real truth.

It was very shortly after this that I received revelation from God of His existence. Although I wasn't precisely looking for God at the time, I believe that He gave me this revelation because I was searching for the truth. God showed me that He was there, and that He is personally interested and involved in my life, and that He loved me. Needless to say, this was utterly shocking, and as naturalistic materialist, my mind was blown. I found out in a moments time that all that I knew was in some way, wrong. There was no room in my worldview for a Spirit, but God shattered that mold.

He didn't come out and say who He was, though. Instead, He had me investigate all of the various religions, belief systems, philosophies etc that I could..everything from Asatru to Zen Buddhism, and while I was doing this He gave me clues about Himself along the way. What I ended up believing was that none of the worlds religions were correct. I essentially believed that while they all might contain some element of thetruth about God, they were imperfect representations of who He is. I definitely did not believe that Christianity could be the one true faith. I had that picked out from the beginning as something I profoundly disagreed with.

Which is why it was the last religion I investigated. The actual truth was that I didn't know very much about it. I had, like many atheists do, a lot of things picked out of the bible which made me believe I could just dismiss it outright. It turned out though when I actually really read the bible that the understanding I thought I had was incredibly superficial (and self-deceiving). I had tried to read it before, but there was always veil there that prevented me from really understanding it. This time though that veil was taken away and everything became alive to me. The reason for this was that what I was reading was corresponding to those clues that God had given me about Himself that I had mentioned earlier. God had reinforced certain ideas and principles about Himself to me, which didn't really make any sense at the time (and indeed drove me crazy trying to figure out what He meant), but suddenly the meaning was unlocked and made crystal clear through what I was reading in scripture.

Because of that, I started to develop a simple faith in what I was reading. On that basis I put some faith in the bible as being at least potentially accurate, and I decided to give my life to Jesus Christ. That's when God showed me that is who He is. When I gave my heart over to Him, He supernaturally transformed me, and He gave me a new life free of anxiety, addiction and depression. He exchanged those things for peace and love and joy. Where there was darkness before, He had brought light.

So, that's my testimony. When you ask why didn't God reveal Himself to you at that time, a few things come to mind. The first is that everything is done in His timing. God has a plan, much bigger than our plans, and I believe that there were many things God wanted to show me before He brought me to Christianity. He wanted me to experience what I did so that when I became a Christian, I would be more effective in communicating with others who are seekers like I was. So that I would be able to relate to them better than someone who grew up in the faith could have. It could be the same for you, that God has had many things to teach you, to give a certain ministry to others, and for your own understanding.

Second, although you are a non-believer, you seem to have a genuine desire to know the truth, and to know, if there is a God, who He is, and what He wants from you. I believe God has placed that desire into your heart so that it would lead you to find Him, as He did in mine. I believe that you're asking me this question for a reason, and that reason is that God is reaching out to you. I would suggest to you that you pray to God and invite Him into your life, and ask Him to forgive your sins. Part of the Lords prayer is "Your will be done, your Kingdom come". Tell God, if this is so, that you're willing to surrender your will for His will in your life. I have prayed that God would hear your prayer and lead you to Him. I also recommend that you read the Gospel of John.

You're right, that from your perspective there may be no reason why you should believe one religion is any better than the other. I shared that view for all of the years I was searching. I can give you a lot of good reasons why Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, but only God can change your heart.

What God doesn't expect is that you are going to figure Him out. Only He could reveal the truth to you. What He does do is give you opportunities in life to get closer to Him. They could be, for instance, situations that test your moral fabric. "What does he do when no one else is looking?" "How does he treat people when he has nothing to gain?". It's how you live your life that is proof of what is in your heart, and that is what God is interested in. I think that is what determines how close to Him you will get. What scripture guarantees though, is that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. That you would have the desire to do that is a gift from above.

In regards to your forest question, God speaks to us in many different ways. A person doesn't need language to understand that there is a higher power. In Romans 1:18-21 it speaks to the fact that God gives a general revelation through His creation of His power and Godhead. How could this man learn about who God is? Well, no one is unreachable on this planet. God could lead him out, or lead someone in. He could give the man dreams and visions.

So I hope that is a satisfactory answer. I couldn't tell you precisely why God hasn't reached out to you before, but what I feel is that He is reaching out to you now. The question is, will you answer His call?

God bless you,

Joshua

>> ^PalmliX

Those are all anatomically correct descriptions of you laughing yourself to shitz, but did you climactic instead of climatic? Seriously, I don't need to be rated for this comment. I am just curious...


>> ^kceaton1:

>> ^Boise_Lib:
Ah, shit--you mean they drown in the end?

IN 3D!!!!

edit-
I have to add...that these trailers are killing me. I'm fairly certain I've disconnected my esophagus from it's muscle connections to the interior and exterior walls of the chest cavity, as I'm in great pain due to my laughing. I'm certain that my vocal chords are also on the verge of spilling outward--inside out, as it were, and falling into my stomach where they will be digested as I writhe in pain; hopefully as I'm still watching more of these trailers at the moment of this horrendous, but part and parcel event that must be paid when it comes to true comedy--yet still as the just previous moment had occurred the climatic conclusion is yet to be finished--so as the video and sound trickle into my helpless mind the brute humiliating force of my laughing will be unattaching my retinas and blood vessels will begin to pop as I finally reach what comedians and entertainers aspire to instill in their audience the near opium maxim, that says that I may have a stroke at any second and die: the oxygen deprivation moment of laughing Zen. I love them, I love their trailers. So does my doctor and the hospital's chief surgeon.
P.S.- I just had to add something over the top... Sorry for the two upvotes if you hate my cavalcade of craziness edit .

Moment of Zen :





What shapes do you see ?

I liked his comment after Gingrich's speech.

>> ^Boise_Lib:

Ah, shit--you mean they drown in the end?

IN 3D!!!!


edit-

I have to add...that these trailers are killing me. I'm fairly certain I've disconnected my esophagus from it's muscle connections to the interior and exterior walls of the chest cavity, as I'm in great pain due to my laughing. I'm certain that my vocal chords are also on the verge of spilling outward--inside out, as it were, and falling into my stomach where they will be digested as I writhe in pain; hopefully as I'm still watching more of these trailers at the moment of this horrendous, but part and parcel event that must be paid when it comes to true comedy--yet still as the just previous moment had occurred the climatic conclusion is yet to be finished--so as the video and sound trickle into my helpless mind the brute humiliating force of my laughing will be unattaching my retinas and blood vessels will begin to pop as I finally reach what comedians and entertainers aspire to instill in their audience the near opium maxim, that says that I may have a stroke at any second and die: the oxygen deprivation moment of laughing Zen. I love them, I love their trailers. So does my doctor and the hospital's chief surgeon.

P.S.- I just had to add something over the top... Sorry for the two upvotes if you hate my cavalcade of craziness edit .

My moment of Zen for the week.

All of a sudden I feel so zen =o}

Possibly one of the more Zen Cyriaks. Spiders within spiders within spiders within...

Thanks for that man. I have a well-groomed beard but I like to keep my neck clean-shaven and my neck-line tight. Unfortunately, neck skin tends to be the most delicate. I end up having to go through those expensive-ass cartridges like once every 4 or 5 shaves. Once that blade-jizzm dries out, it tends to wreck havoc on my skin. I'm wish-listing all of your recommendations for purchase when the last of my cartridges runs out (or shortly before) >> ^Fletch:

>> ^jqpublick:
I didn't know about the after-shave, I'll check it out. Thanks.
>> ^therealblankman:
@gwiz665 I knew the part about the ladies would convince you.
For my fellow Canucks you can buy the Proraso line at Shoppers Drugs across the country. They also carry the "Real Shaving" products from England- I really like their after-shave balm, use it every day.


I switched to DE shaving about a year ago after reading some enthusiastic comments for it somewhere. I used to abhor shaving. Now, it has become a pleasurable, zen-like ritual instead of a monotonous chore. I will never go back to cartridges.
For those thinking of giving it a go, I'd just recommend getting one of the many blade sample packs you can find on Amazon and on just about any site that sells DE razors. There are many different skin and beard types, and not all blades will feel and perform the same for everybody. I ended up choosing Astra Superior Premium Platinums. Buy them in a hundred pack and they are about 11.5 cents apiece. I get about 5 or 6 shaves per blade. Some people will get less. Some will get more. Even if you shave every day (I don't), it's cheaper than the Dollar Shave Club (initial costs aside).
If the initial cost is off-putting to you, take trip to the local grocery store and stare at the ridiculous price of replacement cartidges for the razor you are using now. DE razors and accessories are like cars, computers and kitchen knives. You can spend as much as you desire on one. There are many excellent razors under fifty bucks available. I use a Merkur Heavy Classic 43c and I love it. Unlike cartridge razors, it wil last a lifetime.
But cost savings isn't the reason I would recommend DE shaving. The benefits listed above by @therealblankman are the reasons why it's superior to catridge shaving. DE shaving takes a little longer than cartridge shaving (if you want baby smooth cheeks), but the results are more than worth it.
Proraso seems to have a following by the looks of some of the above comments, and for good reason. I also use the Proraso Ultra-Sensitive soap, the Proraso aftershave balm, and Proraso Anti-Irritation pre-shaving cream. I complete the kit with a nice badger hair shaving brush.

>> ^jqpublick:

I didn't know about the after-shave, I'll check it out. Thanks.
>> ^therealblankman:
@gwiz665 I knew the part about the ladies would convince you.
For my fellow Canucks you can buy the Proraso line at Shoppers Drugs across the country. They also carry the "Real Shaving" products from England- I really like their after-shave balm, use it every day.



I switched to DE shaving about a year ago after reading some enthusiastic comments for it somewhere. I used to abhor shaving. Now, it has become a pleasurable, zen-like ritual instead of a monotonous chore. I will never go back to cartridges.

For those thinking of giving it a go, I'd just recommend getting one of the many blade sample packs you can find on Amazon and on just about any site that sells DE razors. There are many different skin and beard types, and not all blades will feel and perform the same for everybody. I ended up choosing Astra Superior Premium Platinums. Buy them in a hundred pack and they are about 11.5 cents apiece. I get about 5 or 6 shaves per blade. Some people will get less. Some will get more. Even if you shave every day (I don't), it's cheaper than the Dollar Shave Club (initial costs aside).

If the initial cost is off-putting to you, take trip to the local grocery store and stare at the ridiculous price of replacement cartidges for the razor you are using now. DE razors and accessories are like cars, computers and kitchen knives. You can spend as much as you desire on one. There are many excellent razors under fifty bucks available. I use a Merkur Heavy Classic 43c and I love it. Unlike cartridge razors, it wil last a lifetime.

But cost savings isn't the reason I would recommend DE shaving. The benefits listed above by @therealblankman are the reasons why it's superior to catridge shaving. DE shaving takes a little longer than cartridge shaving (if you want baby smooth cheeks), but the results are more than worth it.

Proraso seems to have a following by the looks of some of the above comments, and for good reason. I also use the Proraso Ultra-Sensitive soap, the Proraso aftershave balm, and Proraso Anti-Irritation pre-shaving cream. I complete the kit with a nice badger hair shaving brush.

>> ^Shepppard:

wow..
May have been thought up with the best intentions, but I can tell you that if my "friends" thought slamming my face into ANYTHING - especially on my birthday, I'd be finding some new friends.


I was in a white elephant christmas gift exchange one time where people were supposed to play pranks on each other. Nothing ever happened to me and i was suspicious of everyone. I finally shrugged it off, thinking my person was too lazy to prank me. Then, the day of the gift exchange, in front of my co-workers, this guy fucking spit in my face and got someone else to dump a beer on me while announcing "Happy White Elephant!!!"

I had to go into a zen-like state to prevent assault charges and the loss of my job subsequent to the assault.

*zen.