Pastor spends a year without God.

While I like many of the old Bishop Sheen videos, I also like interesting perspectives.

Quote:

RNS) Ryan Bell — the former Seventh-day Adventist pastor who spent 2014 living as an atheist — is ready for his big reveal.

After chronicling the last 12 months on his blog Year Without God, Bell — who now works as director of community engagement at People Assisting the Homeless in Southern California — announced in an interview with NPR that he no longer believes in God.

Bell talked with Religion News Service about his decision and what it will mean to him and his loved ones. Some answers have been edited for length and clarity

More here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/04/ryan-bell-atheist_n_6397336.html?cps=gravity_2444_6356341497867191293

Here's a link to his blog

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/yearwithoutgod/

It is rather gratifying when you see someone find salvation.

Very interesting article. Here is one of my favorite quotes from it:

"On the other hand, I recoil from a one-track-minded scientism that I sometimes encounter — as though science has all the answers for every question that a person has ever asked. There is also a kind of smug condescension that is hard for me. I still have scores of Christian friends who are not dumb. Their faith is not like believing in Santa Claus. The more the atheist movement behaves like the traveling evangelists I encountered as a conservative Christian, the more I cringe — and for the same reasons." - Ryan Bell

"I’d just say that the existence of God seems like an extra layer of complexity that isn’t necessary. The world makes more sense to me as it is, without postulating a divine being who is somehow in charge of things."

Somebody who wised himself up. Don't be
surprised if he backslides in a year or two.
God is a powerful drug, and he was hooked
and dependent for a long time. He's been
in rehab trying to kick the addiction for a
year, and most rehabs don't work. The
insidious Christian guilt will work on him
now and if he keeps hanging out with his
addicted friends, he hasn't got a chance.

Surely he will come back to his senses soon, but it won't be because of guilt.

Quote: FrGamble

Surely he will come back to his senses soon, but it won't be because of guilt.

Sure it will, what else. Guilt is the weapon that
keeps them in the fold, keeps them addicted.
He just came to 'his senses' and thinks he's
cured, but he's not. God is a drug, books have
been written on it. You don't see it because
you're deep inside, just like a heroin junkie
can't see his own addiction clearly. Oh well,
he's not my problem, he never should have
gone down the road to begin with.

Guilt does not have the staying power to keep people addicted. In the case of an addict it is their guilt that is trying to set them free. If truly allowed to feel their guilt like in a rehab center or detox it often leads to the first steps of recovery and change in their lives. So why do people go back to using after rehab, its not the guilt, its the joy. This is where the analogy breaks down because being a Christian is true deep seated joy and the "joy" of drugs is false and fleeting. Nevertheless it will be the peace and joy of Christianity that will bring him back.

Quote: FrGamble

Guilt does not have the staying power to keep people addicted. .

You're joking. I've seen people addicted
to alcohol for 30 years because of guilt. I've
seen them destroy their lives and others
because of guilt. The penal system depends
heavily on guilt to make people lead crime
free lives when they get out.

Guilt is one on the longest lasting and strongest
emotions we have. That's why the Church
has always used it. Make someone feel guilt
and they have no place to go with it. That's
why Jesus is still hanging on the cross when
you enter a Catholic church. The constant
reminder of what he did 'for you', a constant
source of guilt. My wife has even tried to do
it to me, and she's a Baptist. "Don't you feel
guilty that Jesus died for you and you don't
even care?"

Guilt is the grease that keeps the wheels of
Christianity turning.

Quote: FrGamble

Surely he will come back to his senses soon, but it won't be because of guilt.

He has come to his senses. he can't come back to where he is now ;)

Quote: Evenbob

You're joking. I've seen people addicted
to alcohol for 30 years because of guilt. I've
seen them destroy their lives and others
because of guilt. The penal system depends
heavily on guilt to make people lead crime
free lives when they get out.

Guilt is one on the longest lasting and strongest
emotions we have. That's why the Church
has always used it. Make someone feel guilt
and they have no place to go with it. That's
why Jesus is still hanging on the cross when
you enter a Catholic church. The constant
reminder of what he did 'for you', a constant
source of guilt. My wife has even tried to do
it to me, and she's a Baptist. "Don't you feel
guilty that Jesus died for you and you don't
even care?"

Guilt is the grease that keeps the wheels of
Christianity turning.

There is no doubt guilt is painful and that is why Jesus came to set us free from guilt, I really don't know why you aren't seeing this.
"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the word, but that the world might be saved through Him." (John 3:17)
"I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. This is my commandment; love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. (John 16:11-13)

My point is that the alcoholic drinks because at least for a brief time he can feel relief from that guilt, it gives him/her false joy and fleeting peace. The guilt when the hangover is over is only larger so we drink more to find more brief happiness. Jesus hanging on that cross is a reminder that He has already paid the price for your sin, you are set free, not briefly but eternally from your sin and guilt. Once you taste that total freedom from guilt that comes from forgiveness - that's the good stuff that will have you coming back for more.