Old Dudes and Atheists

This guest post comes from Dan McLeod, an avid golfer and Christian patriot who lives near Yosemite National Park.

 

 

OLD DUDES AND ATHEISTS:

Today I watched an older man of faith discuss the state of our culture with a young man who claimed to be an Atheist. As are most self proclaimed Atheists, he was dismissive, angry and arrogant.

One observation I found interesting….as people grow older their faith tends to emerge or assert itself. Some people joke that it is because they are closer to death and they begin to hedge their bets. There may be some truth in that, however I see it a little differently. As we go through life we learn. I am not talking about education, labor skills or book knowledge. If that were true the young Atheist with all of his Doctorates and Degrees would be less angry, dismissive and insecurely self assured.

The key to life is understanding that we learn what truly matters from experience and not a book, computer, or college lecture course. Life is an exponential experience. Each year we learn new things and we do so at an accelerated pace.

As a 60 year old the things I have learned this past year are 10 times more valuable and insightful than what I understood the year previously. With each year, all that I learned in the past is moderated, enhanced, reevaluated and changed. It does not matter whether I am Doctor or a Ditch Digger…the process is the same for all of us.

The things that truly matter, those core values and beliefs, are cultured over a life time of experience. The young Atheist described above cannot benefit from such development and understanding. These lessons only come from a long introspective life. There are no shortcuts. Introspection is not a product of education…it can only come from the soul.

It is the soul that questions God; it is the soul that feels his presence and shares his love. It is through the soul that we gain the wisdom and perspective of age. That is the real reason so many people turn to God in their later years. It is not because we fear death, it is because life in it’s infinite glory leads us to what truly matters……and that is a relationship with God.

~Dan McLeod