The Struggle of an Ex-Prayer Warrior

 

This is my struggle: is there really "someone out there" who hears my prayers, or am I talking to an imaginary friend?  My brain is telling me the latter, but my heart seems to want to find some external "being" to communicate with.  

Recently, Tanya Luhrmann, a psychological anthropologist and a professor in the Department of Anthropology at Stanford University, did a 2 year field study of the Vineyard Movement, which shares a lot in common with other Evangelical Christians trying to "hear from God".  Her results are in When God Talks Back: Understanding the American Evangelical Relationship with God (2012).  

Luhrmann's website states: 

"How does God become and remain real for modern evangelicals? How are rational, sensible people of faith able to experience the presence of a powerful yet invisible being and sustain that belief in an environment of overwhelming skepticism? T. M. Luhrmann, an anthropologist trained in psychology and the acclaimed author of Of Two Minds, explores the extraordinary process that leads some believers to a place where God is profoundly real and his voice can be heard amid the clutter of everyday thoughts." (http://luhrmann.net/).  

This is a similar background to where I'm coming from, and it's hard to break the "practicing the presence of God" (à la Brother Lawrence) that I got accustomed to.

Lots to adjust to . . . 

Cheers,


Bjarte

I´m Now a Born Again Agnostic Truth Seeker; I´m Loving It!

THE ONGOING JOURNEY
 
You know, I'm so excited these days!  Yes, I realise that it's just a feeling, that it'll wear off, but please let me enjoy it for awhile.

Yes, this new phase of life has me ecstatic about my freedom from the Evangelical Camp, its ideology, history and unreasonable expectations. Now I'm free to seek out and discover truth, the nature of REAL reality, and not the stuff that the Evangelicals and their Right Wing buddies in business and government dish out to the masses. 

 

Questions I'd like to answer over time:

- What are the foundations of morality and ethics, if it's not "the Word of God"?  I think that Nature has a lot to teach us, as well as indigenous peoples who are uncorrupted by Westerners and our destructive philosophies.  Also, I really like the ancient Chinese philosopher Mozi, with his moral teachings on loving family, neighbours and even enemies.

- How the Hell did the planet buy into Westernism, and its foundation in Christianity?

- How do other cultures, before their corruption by Western forces, perceive reality?

- How can I love more deeply?

- Etcetera, etcetera

It's going to be a fun journey!  I'm so looking forward to all the adventures ahead.  I did have some adventures during my Evangelical years (1978 - 2012), but damn (!), the BEST IS YET TO COME! 

I'm nearly 46 now, and Higher-Power-willing, I'd like to live a full life, with the heart of a curious infant, the discernment of an old sage, and the happy-go-luckiness of a 20 year old.

To truth!

To adventure!

To love!

To kicking the ass of propagandists!

Cheers,

Bjarte Harvisen

E-mail me at

harvisen AT gmail.com

May the force be with you!  hahaha  ; )