Doy (An atheist - not a sinner!)

"...it helps to quell panic attacks and to get things back in perspective."

****Wow, I've never heard that. I suspected this little system of mine did not originate with me, but no one ever mentions it. It's definitely different from talking or thinking.****

"I thank you for your advice. I will try it. Do you sit down at the beginning of the day and write a list of goals and then your reasons for having those goals?

****Usually, it's toward the afternoon. Mostly it's a directed stream of consciousness. I might write how I felt about "screwing up last week, month etc. Why I went wrong and what I hope for the future. And yes, I write out all the reasons I can think of to make the change, even selfish reasons. I've written as short as a single paragraph to a whole page at one sitting****

Are there any other things you do?"

***Well, you'll need a live chicken, some candles, and a machete... :-)****

To clarify my views on morality, I think that moral living is an active, not a passive process. I observe in my life the necessity to determine the right moral action then choose, through force of will, to do the right thing.

****Exactly. I find that my will is greatly benfitted from this process. An example of a weakness one could work on for example might be temper and lashing out at others. (That's an e.g., not a particular problem for me.)****

I would speculate that this view of morality does not differ much from yours. I enjoy discussing things with you and am interested in your reaction to my post.

****Likewise. Believe it or not, my fundamental moral guide is the Golden Rule. I try to apply it even to mundane situations. I fail often, but I'm working to improve.****

I would also be interested in hearing your path to your current beliefs.

****Oh, probably a much less interesting story than the deconversion stories on Ebon's main page.****

****I hope it helps you and anyone else who's interested. I realize that I'm unusual in that I love to handwrite. There's a little discipline involved in writing each day or a few times a week. Sometimes, I can't get to it. I've always maintained that this is an analog for prayer. I used to do both, before.****

I found an even more potent weapon against my human foibles: writing. I found that if I write out what I want and why, my mind tended to focus on those things all day. It's as if writing it down made it "official" to my mind.

Great to hear this worked for you. I've heard it suggested elsewhere and know of people who've said it helps to quell panic attacks and to get things back in perspective. I understand that it forces you to use a different part of your brain compared to when you just talk to yourself internally.

JN: With regard to being "personal," I answered this taunt.

I thank you for your advice. I will try it. Do you sit down at the beginning of the day and write a list of goals and then your reasons for having those goals? Are there any other things you do?

To clarify my views on morality, I think that moral living is an active, not a passive process. I observe in my life the necessity to determine the right moral action then choose, through force of will, to do the right thing.

I would speculate that this view of morality does not differ much from yours. I enjoy discussing things with you and am interested in your reaction to my post. I would also be interested in hearing your path to your current beliefs.

Have a day!

Matt

Hi Matt,

I used to claim the same. I had a similar experience where I had the power to overcome sin and ignore all kinds of temptations that used to bring me down. I attributed this to the power of JC.

But, it was focus that helped me.

I found an even more potent weapon against my human foibles: writing. I found that if I write out what I want and why, my mind tended to focus on those things all day. It's as if writing it down made it "official" to my mind.
This is not magic. Writing generally helps me remember things, too. I think it has something to do with the exercise of motor skills in combination with the activation of the frontal lobe(?Dr. Nernoff?) that sort-of engraves what I'm writing into my brain.

Anyway, it helped me. I think there's much wisdom in daily meditating on the changes you wish to see in your character. It just turns out that writing, for me, multiplies the results.

But, it's independant of a deity and it still works. Also, the more intensely I think and feel about what I write, the more effective - just like prayer! It seems to me that these TOOLS were discovered by ancients who were introspecting and then religionized.

I'm offering a different interpretation of your experience to consider as a result of my own similar experiences. I'm not trying to deconvert you; I'm proposing a potentially useful additional tool to add to your toolbox.

Peace,
Polly

Good point. God is only relevant as reality and not as abstract thought.

Matt