“I really want to believe in God,” said the lady on the train. “I can’t find a reason to believe in God. But I really want to.”
Intriguing... I often hear people who do or don’t believe in God, rarely someone who doesn’t but wants to.
“Why do you want to believe in God?”
“Because life would be so much easier.”
“Easier?”
“Yes, I could easily pass all my troubles to God. But I don’t believe.”
Hmm... How do I help this lady? Let’s try this...
“In my 20s,” I said, “I researched why people believe in God. They fell into four categories. The first category was, because their family has a religion, they believe in that type of God too.”
“My partner is a Christian. He believes 100% there's a God. I want to believe, but can’t.”
“The second reason people believe,” I continued, “is because they’re in trouble, and turn to God for help, as a sort of crutch.”
“I’m in trouble,” said the lady, “but I wouldn’t turn to God, because I can’t find a good enough reason to believe.”
I looked from the train window at thick white mist on pale grey fields. Phew, this lady is so close to God, and yet
so far ... “The third reason,” I said, “is upbringing in a culture, a nation that focuses on a particular God-belief.”
“I was brought up in a Catholic country. It didn’t make me a Catholic. Especially when I saw nuns abusing children.”
“Nuns are just being human beings. Some have genetically inherited faults. Just because you saw abuse does not mean you shouldn’t believe in God.”
“I know. I just need a reason.”
The mist outside the train swirled like giant balls of white candyfloss. “The fourth reason people find God is sudden enlightenment, an unexpected God experience. Like Paul on the road to Damascus, where God was revealed through blinding white light. I love hearing of sudden enlightenments, why people who did not believe, suddenly do.”
“OK...”
“Sudden God experiences cross boundaries of all religions. An atheist or agnostic in an Arabic country who had a sudden God experience would probably become Muslim. But an atheist or agnostic with a near identical experience in a Christian country would probably become a Christian. And so on.”
“Yes, I see that would happen...”
“Except some people have a God experience, and deny it. They think their mind is playing tricks, and even see a doctor or psychiatrist.”
“Oh dear,” said the lady. “That’s me. I saw a blinding bright light. I knew it was like Paul on the road to Damascus, and assumed I was ill. I saw a psychologist.”
“So, you had a reason to believe in God, but you turned it down?”
“Yes, I guess that’s it.”
The train pulled into the station, and the lady stood up to leave. “Perhaps God will help,” I said kindly, “and give you another experience, another reason to believe?”
She smiled as she left the carriage and stepped towards a bright white misty day.
Intriguing... I often hear people who do or don’t believe in God, rarely someone who doesn’t but wants to.
“Why do you want to believe in God?”
“Because life would be so much easier.”
“Easier?”
“Yes, I could easily pass all my troubles to God. But I don’t believe.”
Hmm... How do I help this lady? Let’s try this...
“In my 20s,” I said, “I researched why people believe in God. They fell into four categories. The first category was, because their family has a religion, they believe in that type of God too.”
“My partner is a Christian. He believes 100% there's a God. I want to believe, but can’t.”
“The second reason people believe,” I continued, “is because they’re in trouble, and turn to God for help, as a sort of crutch.”
“I’m in trouble,” said the lady, “but I wouldn’t turn to God, because I can’t find a good enough reason to believe.”
I looked from the train window at thick white mist on pale grey fields. Phew, this lady is so close to God, and yet
so far ... “The third reason,” I said, “is upbringing in a culture, a nation that focuses on a particular God-belief.”
“I was brought up in a Catholic country. It didn’t make me a Catholic. Especially when I saw nuns abusing children.”
“Nuns are just being human beings. Some have genetically inherited faults. Just because you saw abuse does not mean you shouldn’t believe in God.”
“I know. I just need a reason.”
The mist outside the train swirled like giant balls of white candyfloss. “The fourth reason people find God is sudden enlightenment, an unexpected God experience. Like Paul on the road to Damascus, where God was revealed through blinding white light. I love hearing of sudden enlightenments, why people who did not believe, suddenly do.”
“OK...”
“Sudden God experiences cross boundaries of all religions. An atheist or agnostic in an Arabic country who had a sudden God experience would probably become Muslim. But an atheist or agnostic with a near identical experience in a Christian country would probably become a Christian. And so on.”
“Yes, I see that would happen...”
“Except some people have a God experience, and deny it. They think their mind is playing tricks, and even see a doctor or psychiatrist.”
“Oh dear,” said the lady. “That’s me. I saw a blinding bright light. I knew it was like Paul on the road to Damascus, and assumed I was ill. I saw a psychologist.”
“So, you had a reason to believe in God, but you turned it down?”
“Yes, I guess that’s it.”
The train pulled into the station, and the lady stood up to leave. “Perhaps God will help,” I said kindly, “and give you another experience, another reason to believe?”
She smiled as she left the carriage and stepped towards a bright white misty day.
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