Quote:
Originally Posted by BigErf
I would say signs are signs when they're recognized as signs. If I'm doing something trying to achieve a result (in this case I was contemplating whether or not to switch the pic back) and some outside influence is recognized by me in a way that helps this decision, then I consider it a sign.
Not sure I understand what you're trying to get at here.
I've learned to not expect anything. I have an overall goal that I think is Gods will for me but I also allow for this to manifest in whatever way(s) it does.
Other signs that I believed were from God are what has helped open my mind to the unlimited possibilities that IS God. There's a whole other fascinating and creative side to life if you just listen to what it's trying to tell you.
I am only following the devil if I am following the devil, which I'm not. And FWIW I'm not sure that I'm convinced Satan is anything other than a forming device used by God.
Do I believe that I walk around with sole ownership over the decisions I make? No. If my will was completely free then I wouldn't have "received a sign" as I did. You might say that even after I perceived this sign I still had a choice, but I ask what kind of a choice is it when you're influenced by something that makes your decision no longer a decision?
It came to be interpreted that way because that's the way I interpreted it. That's the best answer I can give. I don't know why I took it the way I did instead of another way. I mentioned above about listening to what life is trying to tell you and this is a perfect example.
Thanks for the response. Am I oversimplifying if I say that you think something is a sign because it feels right and interpretit it in a similar fashion?
Now, Im not trying to put you down or be negative here, there is nothing wrong with that. But do you understand that it is not going to help anyone else who doesnt feel that way?
As for your satan counter, I dont see how that says anything to the argument I made, or how it says anything at all really.
Let me try again. There is this boy Dave in this alternate universe. There the creator-meddler God (lets call him Haweh) has decreed inquisitiveness, logic and clearmindedness to be the be all end all for people he wants to hang with after they die in the physical realm. All the other folks are left to his meddling biggest most powerfull creation, lets call him Hucifer. Dave believes in a revealed religion (its just that Hucifer did the revealing, oh sad day), lets call it Histianity, and is headed for Hucifer. Atheist Simon tries to figure things out as best he can and Haweh likes that, he's gonna be spending eternity with him. Dave does not know this and cannot find out due to the way he goes about his thinking.
How do you know you're not infact Dave? I say that you cannot know.
If you're going with because it feels right again (its really not a horrible answer, but it assumes a God that speaks through your feeling, which has other implications), Ill ask you about a bunch of sins that feel so very right, but apparently arent, if you believe some of the mainstream religions. How come the difference?
Free will: have you ever NOT followed a sign? Would you consider this a sin?
last bit: You mean what God (not life) is trying to tell you I assume.