I can say without hesitation that I don't "believe" in organized religion or most of the Bible stories. That does not preclude the existence a higher power of some sort, however.
Well, I'm not searching that much if any anymore, I searched up until my early 60's and finally was able to "let go". I was still searching at many of your ages. My daughter at 56 believes in something, but not sure what...the Sun, Moon, Earth.....grandson questions it all at 20. I didn't raise her in a religion so it figures, she's gotten what she has from life and a lot from AA. I was falling off for years while raising her so could not be dishonest and push something on her I didn't believe. I got the MOST from the religious teachings and principles of Science of Mind aka Religious Science that was in the 80's and makes the most sense to me.
I will freely admit that in times of personal distress I have exclaimed "Oh my God!" or even "God help me." I'm just not sure anyone was listening. I will probably be searching until I die. I will say that I have NO belief in any afterlife, reincarnation, etc. I believe that once our heart stops, that's it. We simply revert to whatever elements we were before we were born. And I'm OK with that (not that I have any say in the matter.)
Who knows what is after this, as a dear old friend who was an atheist and a member in good standing at the Unitarian community church here, where I met her, and I learned SO MUCH from this wise woman, "no one ever came back to tell me"....I still hear her words. I talk to my mom and dad but don't get answers.
Religion has turned more people off to God than anything else that I know of. I think even God must hate what religion has done in His name. God is not about religion...He is all about love and relationship while religion is all about dogma and man made rules and rituals. You want to find God all you have to do is open your hearts and minds to the possibility that He is real...and keep it open...if He finds the door open and the person wanting to really know the truth...He will enter in and show Himself to you. You have to want a relationship with Him...and Him alone.
There is no Heaven. There is no Hell. After death there is only Oblivion. That's just fine with old Hal!
"I was considering converting to Atheism, but discovered they had no holidays, so I gave up the idea." (Rodney Dangerfield quote) Hal
To piggy back on @Babs Hunt’s statement, If I made the statement that I’ll never drive a Chevrolet because someone who drove one caused a 10 car pile up, it would sound ludicrous! It wasn’t the Chevrolet that caused the crash but how someone was driving it. Same with Christianity but does it stop people from saying “I’ll never be a Christian because such and such who proclaims to be a Christian is a thief or a rapist? Nope. Absurd isn’t it? My faith isn’t based on what other people do. It’s based my personal relationship with my creator and none other.
Simple solution: Ask Him. Doesn't require whining or crying or some emotional ordeal. Just a person really wanting to know one way or the other.
Actually, Hal, the driver caused the Chevrolet to have the accident since he/she was operating it. If the Chevy is standing idle with the engine turned off, it would not have caused any accident. It only becomes animated when the ignition is turned on by someone and starts driving it.
I'm with Hal on this one. The Chevrolet was not being driven when the accident happened. The Chevy had a technical issue with the engine control system and became disabled stopping abruptly in the middle of rush hour traffic. The driver got out just in time.