God. - Page 5

NoelSeven · ‎03-09-2010

Yes, Einstein's relationship with religion was complex and actually he did not believe in a god as most people do.

Albert Einstein's religious views have been studied extensively. He said he believed in the "pantheistic" God of Baruch Spinoza, but not in a personal god, a belief he criticized. He also called himself an agnostic, while disassociating himself from the label atheist, preferring, he said, "an attitude of humility corresponding to the weakness of our intellectual understanding of nature and of our own being".

Pantheism is interesting to look into.

A Thrill Of Hope The Weary World Rejoices

goldensrbest · ‎03-10-2010

My husband passed in 2013, of cancer,he was raised to believe in GOD,and JESUS, so he had the foundation, towards the last of months, he would say, why should i go to heaven,when i would talk to him about that, there are much better people than me, i would explain why, it took two preachers, to get him to understand, i brought bibles to him,got tapes for him to listen to,talked to him,prayed, read to him from the bible. at the last he accepted the truth.

When you lose some one you L~O~V~E, that Memory of them, becomes a TREASURE.

GingerPeach · ‎03-12-2010

@NoelSeven wrote:
Yes, Einstein's relationship with religion was complex and actually he did not believe in a god as most people do.

Albert Einstein's religious views have been studied extensively. He said he believed in the "pantheistic" God of Baruch Spinoza, but not in a personal god, a belief he criticized. He also called himself an agnostic, while disassociating himself from the label atheist, preferring, he said, "an attitude of humility corresponding to the weakness of our intellectual understanding of nature and of our own being".

Pantheism is interesting to look into.

I don't know @house_cat or her dad, but perhaps it is enough for him to have the name of a "real" scientist. And as I said, since her dad said the words "science and spirituality" (and not "religion" per se), it does fit.

The point was to find comfort for her dad, I believe.

(My thought on Einstein's quote is that he likely was talking about the fact that science ought to have a "heart" and not be completely cold-blooded. But that's just a thought.)

[was Homegirl] Love to be home . . . thus the screen name. Joined 2003.

jubilant · ‎06-10-2010

You might want to suggest to him that he can pray right where he is at and ask God for faith to believe. It is my belief that we don't just pursue God....He pursues us too. That could be what is happening as he draws closer to his time.

Sunshine Kate · ‎03-10-2010

House_cat, if you don't believe and your dad doesn't believe, why are you even writing about it?

That doesn't make sense to me.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

IMO - I think that when a religion imposes so many rules and imposes so much on someones personal life when they become adults they tend to pull away from those rules and constraints. Perhaps he would have stayed in the church if he had been in a religion that was less strict in it's manmade rules. Is he seeking God at this point? or are you bringing this up and he is just answering what you are saying? If he is seeking God I would ask if he wants to speak to a minister or a priest - if you are the one initiating the conversation, you need to leave the poor man alone.

1jenniferjuniper · ‎03-09-2010

@house_cat wrote:
I'm sincerely hoping that this thread doesn't go awry.
I'm also hoping that the QVC moderators will see its value.
I don't know where else to bring up this topic, as it's not a good one for the workplace. I value the opinion of the participants in this forum.

My dad is 92 years old and in ill health. Yesterday, he said to me that he wishes he could believe in God. He said that it would make him less anxious. He was raised Catholic, but I've never seen him in church except for funerals and weddings. My mom was also raised Catholic, but has rarely gone to church and doesn't follow Catholic doctrine.

Dad said that he wishes he could believe, but being the educated person he is, he can't reconcile the science with the spirituality. I know there are millions of educated people, who are strong believers in God.

Can someone please suggest something I can say to him?

Thank you in advance for not making your responses judgmental or divisive.

Buy him a devotional book, he might found comfort in reading it and come to terms with his doubts.

Teacups · ‎04-13-2010

You could ask him to read the book of John in the scriptures and see what he thinks. It cannot hurt.

Vivian · ‎03-11-2010

Your father is entitled to his beliefs. Prostheletizing at this point would be a disservice to him. Your job is to love him, care for him, and respect him. This is not a time to put him in the position of trying to please you by his accepting your beliefs. Let him live his life as he chooses, not as you choose. He'll be better able to enjoy what time he has left, and you will too, once you let go of trying to change him.

house_cat · ‎03-09-2010

@Sunshine Kate wrote:
House_cat, if you don't believe and your dad doesn't believe, why are you even writing about it?

That doesn't make sense to me.

Here's why I'm bringing it up. His death is not imminent, but he is 92 and in poor health. He is blind and cannot walk and a mini-stroke has left him with difficulty speaking. DH and I do all that we can to keep him content. I supply him with audio books and visit every day. I walk him to the grocery store and take him to his doctor visits. I attend all functions at the senior center with him and my mom (who is 90), because they cannot attend alone and I want to provide them with distractions from their aches and pains.

Despite our efforts, he has a lot of time to contemplate the inevitable. He talks to me frequently about his wishes for his burial. He asked me to get medical POA for the both of them, and I did, because he's terrified that another stroke will leave him unable to express his wishes. In his own words, he is "ready to go".

Yesterday I was driving him to the doctor's office and the Joel Osteen station was playing on the radio. I listen to him frequently, because I find his sermons to be uplifting, even in a secular sense. Dad said, "I wish I could believe like he does. It would be so much easier to face dying if I believed in God." We've discussed the topic over the years, but it's more relevant at this time in his life. I wish I could offer him some solace, but I'm not religious either. I do consider myself a spiritual person and I do believe there is more to reality than what we experience on Earth. I, too, wish I was a believer. I envy those who say, "It's in God's hands", because I'd love to hand God some of my concerns.

I guess I was just asking for other perspectives. The insights that are shared on this forum are priceless, in my opinion. Thank all of you who responded. I read through the comments once, quickly, but when I have time later I will read them more intentionally.

I do want to say, though, that those who think it is my goal to convert him to my way of thinking, are missing the point. Still, I thank you for responding.

~ house cat ~