DISABILITIES: HOW DO YOU COPE WITH YOURS??
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Y
I was born 1 lb. 14oz. back in 1970 with Epilepsy and the devil tries to use spirits of fear try to set off seizures. When I sense then God gives me an ability to push them away, He did not give us a spirit of fear , but of power , love, and a sound mind. I also died once from a wrong medicine but it made me develop a stronger mind, because I had to retrain myself and the memory of the just is blessed. I have all Neuralgic and nerve burning type pain from head to toe though my body , but the more I focus on the problem solver, the smaller the pain is.I am the word and focus on the word, because one thing I learned is it makes the pain smaller. I am more then a conquer and can do all things though Christ is my strength. Yet I am in a wheelchair and push onward, to those replies out there do not forget where it says " Speak the truth in Love" and remember Greater is he who is in you then he who is in the world ... fight on brothers and sister.
jb800m, yup the same happened to me with each medication change..Nope I can't imagine you not throwing pie!! LOL!! 
Our disabilities are only as bad as we make them. We can let them make us stronger, or we can throw in the towel and give up. I choose to stand strong!! Bless you for staying strong also. I truly believe the ONLY disability in life is a bad attitude. Attitude is important for how we choose to deal with our disabilities, and life in general. Thanks for sharing.
Our disabilities are only as bad as we make them. We can let them make us stronger, or we can throw in the towel and give up. I choose to stand strong!! Bless you for staying strong also. I truly believe the ONLY disability in life is a bad attitude. Attitude is important for how we choose to deal with our disabilities, and life in general. Thanks for sharing.
L
I've had chronic depression since I was a child but wasn't formally diagnosed until I was 19 or so. I've got PTSD from my military experience. I have a lot of problems sleeping. I'm on a powerful anti-depressant, a muscle relaxant, and a sleeping pill.
I've also got quite a bit of arthritis in my hips, knees, and shoulders. It only hurts bad when the temperature drops, but a heating pad and a couple Tylenol tend to straighten me out.
I've also got quite a bit of arthritis in my hips, knees, and shoulders. It only hurts bad when the temperature drops, but a heating pad and a couple Tylenol tend to straighten me out.
C
I have a brain injury sustained in 1994 from a car accident. It took me many years to learn to deal with it. I had many different issues I had to learn to overcome. I had a big problem with taking medication because I looked at that as being a druggy. There came a point in my life though we're I had to start taking medication though. I self medicated with alcohol for awhile and that of course didn't work, finally I started different prescriptions until the right one was found. I've had, and still do at times, trouble understanding why God wouldn't heal me. I know Jesus healed all those that asked Him so why not my brain injury? This I don't understand. I believe He is the same today as he was yesterday and a 1000 years ago, that He still can and does heal people. I've witnessed miracle healings of other's so why in the heck does He heal some and not all in this day and age. Puzzles me. At any rate thanks for sharing your story.
I have a brain injury sustained in 1994 from a car accident. It took me many years to learn to deal with it. I had many different issues I had to learn to overcome. I had a big problem with taking medication because I looked at that as being a druggy. There came a point in my life though we're I had to start taking medication though. I self medicated with alcohol for awhile and that of course didn't work, finally I started different prescriptions until the right one was found. I've had, and still do at times, trouble understanding why God wouldn't heal me. I know Jesus healed all those that asked Him so why not my brain injury? This I don't understand. I believe He is the same today as he was yesterday and a 1000 years ago, that He still can and does heal people. I've witnessed miracle healings of other's so why in the heck does He heal some and not all in this day and age. Puzzles me. At any rate thanks for sharing your story.
You're welcome. And thanks for sharing yours. I believe that God doesn't heal everyone, for reasons that only He understands. He uses our illnesses to help others. Read my cancer, suicide and depression threads. God used those situations in my life, to help others here who are going through the same thing. I've had several people thank me for sharing my stories and tell me how much it helped them. For better insight, go to the bible forum and read BenFTW's thread, "Healing: A Question to ponder". Read the responses by Depleted about why God hasn't healed her. Very good stuff.
You're welcome. And thanks for sharing yours.
I believe that God doesn't heal everyone, for reasons that only He understands. He uses our illnesses to help others. Read my cancer, suicide and depression threads. God used those situations in my life, to help others here who are going through the same thing. I've had several people thank me for sharing my stories and tell me how much it helped them. For better insight, go to the bible forum and read BenFTW's thread, "Healing: A Question to ponder". Read the responses by Depleted about why God hasn't healed her. Very good stuff.
Well I have some things I can share. I have JFM Juvenile Fibromyalgia but I got it the way my father got it (it started with 14 with me and my dad got it in the army) and i have cronic pain all over my body but i get cramp and shaking pain attacks that are much worse. they can be triggered like when a friend yould hit me in the back id get a attack. and id have to take very tough meds like codeein and valium or oxycodone to make it stop (it depends on what caused the attack) or i get them by weather changes and when my back gets cold. It also brings problems with sleeping very much. I just cope with the pain when possible but I am lucky that my school is very helpful like when i get a attack they immedeately have a blanket for me and stuff and they try to build me up as good as possible especially the teacher and principal. Im not allowed to do a lot of PE (not at all this year). I even had a accident where a ball hit me in the back and it hit one of the points (tender points) that trigger the attacks and I ended up cramping and shaking for over a month until we got it under controll. I have a few things but thats the worst.
God saved me from becoming depressed because of it. I just feel weak a lot and sick and all but God holds me up and makes me stronger. For a while i was having attacks at least 1 a week but i havent had any for over a month and for all people who deal with this: God is good and he raises up always!!
God bless you all
God saved me from becoming depressed because of it. I just feel weak a lot and sick and all but God holds me up and makes me stronger. For a while i was having attacks at least 1 a week but i havent had any for over a month and for all people who deal with this: God is good and he raises up always!!
God bless you all
S
My problems are emotional and mental. I've changed my life around so they don't get triggered so often and I think I manage them okay most days. I've tried talking to counselors and therapists and it just isn't for me to talk to a stranger about my feelings. I hold on to past hurts and can't let them go and it's just what I have to deal with. The way I am makes me really hard to get along with, and I've never been able to hold down a job for long because of my unfriendliness and by insubordination (thank you spell-check).
K
Hi, I Have Add. I have had it ever since I can remember. I may not me like normal people. But, I fill that I was blessed with Add. I love people. I am also a good crazy. But, I look at it as a blessing. I went through school with struggles to understand what I was to lourn. I tried as hard as I could. People always told me that I would never make something of my self or graduate high school. But, after I graduated people started to beleave in me. So I like my crazy self. So my disability is a blessing.
T
Hello everyone, I decided to make this thread because I would like to know what disabilities you may have and how well (or badly) you cope with them. What are they? How do they make you feel? How do you tolerate having them?
I will begin with the story of my own disability. Around age 5 or so, I would wake up from naps drooling quite a bit and unable to talk straight. My parents took me to a neurologist, who diagnosed me with epilepsy. I grew up pretty much as an only child, because my two sisters and brother are so much older than me, and by the time I was ten or so, they had all moved out on their own. My childhood was hard, and for the huge part, very unhappy. I had seizures every day, both grand mal and petit mal. I even had seizures at school pretty much everyday also. My classmates had never seen anyone drop onto the floor and convulse into a grand mal seizure before, and they did'nt fully understand what I had. The other kids were very nasty to me--not because of my seizures, just because that's how kids act in high school!! LOL. I felt very ostracized and out of place. There was another girl at my school with epilepsy, but she never had seizures in school the way I did almost every single day.
I got shuttled from doctor to doctor, and each one put me on something different. I have been on several seizure meds in my life, and not even ONE of them worked really well. Some made me gain weight, others made me very sleepy. There was no tolerable in-between. As a child, and then a teenager, I HATED taking my meds with a passion!! I would pretend to take them if my mom was around, then I'd go downstairs to a little cubbyhole in the wall and spit them out and hide them. One day, my hiding place got discovered when my dad found it. I received quite the stern lecture from my mother about it too!!! LOL. She is a former nurse, and thought she always knew what was best. When we would go to the doctor's, if he or she asked me if I'd had any seizures, I would lie and say no, because I did'nt want them adding or changing my medicine. As I said, I hated taking pills.
Fast-forward a little to the year 1997. I was referred to a new neurologist, who promptly took me off Tegretol and Dilantin, and started me on Lamictal and Keppra. None of the other meds had worked, but the Lamictal and Keppra stopped my grand mals altogether!!!! I was sooo happy about that. To this day, I still have petit mals, or what I call "startle seizures" because loud, sudden noises usually trigger them. I know for some people, bright lights such as ambulance lights can trigger seizures. I've never had any problem with that. I am still on Lamictal and Keppra today. I am glad to say I am seizure-free except for the petit mals. I'm even happier because I was taking 7 pills a day a few months ago, but my doctor figured the dosage out so that now I'm only taking 3 pills a day!!! Yay!!
Whenever I went into a grand mal seizure, I remember thinking each time, "God please bring me out of this." And he always did. I have'nt always coped the best with my seizures. They embarass me, especially if I have one in front of somebody else. It might sound strange now, but if I did NOT have seizures anymore, it would feel strange. Strange in the sense that I've endured them since the age of five, and they are a part of me. Having epilepsy, having seizures, and even having had cancer four years ago, gives me a very compassionate, personal and first-hand stance on others who have the same disease(s). I know exactly how they feel, for I have been down that dark road of pain and loneliness and ridicule because I have a disease that no one understands. I can relate to others on a first-hand knowledge basis. Just as I know God gave me cancer for a specific reason, he also gave me epilepsy for a certain reason.
Please dont think I'm being bold or arrogant when I say I know his reasons, for I truly do know his logic behind it. We are all given certain crosses to bear. Depression, suicidal thoughts, epilepsy and cancer have been my crosses, and I am glad for each one. Each situation has given me insight and made me stronger, into the person I am today. The reason God gave me all this, is to see how well I cope with what I'm given. I have'nt always made the best decisions, but with God's grace and love, at least I'm still here to share my life's tales with all of you. I never once stopped believing that God loves me, and is with me. He gives me strength and courage to take on anything he throws my way!! This is my story, and I'm honored to be able to share it with you. May it give those of you with disabilities the courage to fight and rise above whatever you have. God bless you.
I will begin with the story of my own disability. Around age 5 or so, I would wake up from naps drooling quite a bit and unable to talk straight. My parents took me to a neurologist, who diagnosed me with epilepsy. I grew up pretty much as an only child, because my two sisters and brother are so much older than me, and by the time I was ten or so, they had all moved out on their own. My childhood was hard, and for the huge part, very unhappy. I had seizures every day, both grand mal and petit mal. I even had seizures at school pretty much everyday also. My classmates had never seen anyone drop onto the floor and convulse into a grand mal seizure before, and they did'nt fully understand what I had. The other kids were very nasty to me--not because of my seizures, just because that's how kids act in high school!! LOL. I felt very ostracized and out of place. There was another girl at my school with epilepsy, but she never had seizures in school the way I did almost every single day.
I got shuttled from doctor to doctor, and each one put me on something different. I have been on several seizure meds in my life, and not even ONE of them worked really well. Some made me gain weight, others made me very sleepy. There was no tolerable in-between. As a child, and then a teenager, I HATED taking my meds with a passion!! I would pretend to take them if my mom was around, then I'd go downstairs to a little cubbyhole in the wall and spit them out and hide them. One day, my hiding place got discovered when my dad found it. I received quite the stern lecture from my mother about it too!!! LOL.
She is a former nurse, and thought she always knew what was best. When we would go to the doctor's, if he or she asked me if I'd had any seizures, I would lie and say no, because I did'nt want them adding or changing my medicine. As I said, I hated taking pills. Fast-forward a little to the year 1997. I was referred to a new neurologist, who promptly took me off Tegretol and Dilantin, and started me on Lamictal and Keppra. None of the other meds had worked, but the Lamictal and Keppra stopped my grand mals altogether!!!! I was sooo happy about that. To this day, I still have petit mals, or what I call "startle seizures" because loud, sudden noises usually trigger them. I know for some people, bright lights such as ambulance lights can trigger seizures. I've never had any problem with that. I am still on Lamictal and Keppra today. I am glad to say I am seizure-free except for the petit mals. I'm even happier because I was taking 7 pills a day a few months ago, but my doctor figured the dosage out so that now I'm only taking 3 pills a day!!! Yay!!
Whenever I went into a grand mal seizure, I remember thinking each time, "God please bring me out of this." And he always did. I have'nt always coped the best with my seizures. They embarass me, especially if I have one in front of somebody else. It might sound strange now, but if I did NOT have seizures anymore, it would feel strange. Strange in the sense that I've endured them since the age of five, and they are a part of me. Having epilepsy, having seizures, and even having had cancer four years ago, gives me a very compassionate, personal and first-hand stance on others who have the same disease(s). I know exactly how they feel, for I have been down that dark road of pain and loneliness and ridicule because I have a disease that no one understands. I can relate to others on a first-hand knowledge basis. Just as I know God gave me cancer for a specific reason, he also gave me epilepsy for a certain reason.
Please dont think I'm being bold or arrogant when I say I know his reasons, for I truly do know his logic behind it.
We are all given certain crosses to bear. Depression, suicidal thoughts, epilepsy and cancer have been my crosses, and I am glad for each one. Each situation has given me insight and made me stronger, into the person I am today. The reason God gave me all this, is to see how well I cope with what I'm given. I have'nt always made the best decisions, but with God's grace and love, at least I'm still here to share my life's tales with all of you. I never once stopped believing that God loves me, and is with me. He gives me strength and courage to take on anything he throws my way!! This is my story, and I'm honored to be able to share it with you. May it give those of you with disabilities the courage to fight and rise above whatever you have. God bless you. Hey beloved I got myself a plate full but rather than list them I would just like to say rejoice in everything ...means everything . At what point do things stop coming at us ? I have bagggage from like age 4 so has not every single thing been to bring me to
Him to acknowledge I need Him . when anything returns or comes at me new and unknown I instantly look to Jesus . it only took 55 years . it takes less time to bring it to Him than it does to complain or even to ask why . what does it serve us to know why ???? Trusting Jesus is trusting Jesus in ALL things knowing why will still be Jesus reason . I know its so hard to get beyond what you feel and see and just Love Jesus in the middle of whatever .... I have some pain I have some mobility issues I have some bladder issues ......But they dont have me Jesus has Me . I can still function and for all my infirmities things could be so much worse because any day with no Jesus is a bad one . But I have Jesus so anything the world wants to throw on my plate can just stack and stack some more . in heaven NO MORE PLATE . we get to practice keeping our joy better when its an obsticle course . God bless yall Jesus loves you best .
D
Please allow me to begin by saying, AMEN! The strength you exhibit throughout your story is amazing! The faith you explain in the end; is up lifting {to me}. Whether this was faith learned through the process or known all along!!!
My story of being ‘disabled’ begins in June of 2003: “I visited a chiropractor the morning of June 30, 2003. The chiropractor was too forceful in his adjustment/manipulation. Later this day (three hospitals later) it was determined that I had sustained a left vertebral artery dissection, a moderate sized cerebellar hemispheric stroke, and a paramedian artery stroke in my pons. The Cerebellar infraction was of sufficient size that it began to swell. I required a ventriculostomy to treat acute hydrocephalus, and a craniotomy for surgical resection of the cerebellar stoke bed. Since June 30, 2003; I have made an excellent over all recovery, regaining alertness, full cognition, and having considerable improvement in my double vision and ataxia. I am now considered ‘disabled’ by and remain under the care of my neurologist.” Atop of this; I have recently been diagnosed with CPTSD (Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). This stems not only from the head injury, but also a chaotic childhood.
How I feel in regards to these issues of mine: the head injury… … I have good days and bad. When the vertigo, vision, balance and cognitive issues are on a decent baseline I feel good and wish I could get back to work, I feel like a productive, contributing and ‘normal’ adult. On the ‘off days’. I really wish that chiropractor had to spend just one day in the life of me now. I think that would be sufficient price paid by him. To know how it is to be: on a constant ‘merry-go-round”; see 2-4 of everything you look at; have to use glasses with prisms in them; pray you don’t have to be up and moving too much in case you are too unstable. Learn you own limitations all over again because they are now NOTHING close to what they use to be. I wonder how he would like to have had to learn to: swallow, walk, talk, sign (I use ASL to communicate with my daughter), and write all over again.
My most recent ‘heavy feeling’ was just a week ago; I had a heart sinking thought of my children having to cope with the death of their mother at the ages of 13, 11 & 9. I am so thankful they did not have to!!
Tolerating my disability; I currently tolerate them all much better. I am now 13 years use to spinning on a daily basis. I have adjusted to my baselines and am truly thankful that I have more of them days than not. I can now just be calm and at rest when my days are not so good. It has taken me 13 years to reach this point, and now understand the doctor’s decision to not release me for employment. In regards to the CPTSD; I am thankful for learning and continuing to learn the hidden reasoning’s behind my behaviors in certain situations and or with certain individuals. With this knowledge in my pocket; I now can tolerate this condition with much more acceptance and understanding.
I do not think you ‘bold or arrogant’ for saying what you do in regards to your personal struggles. I agree, and let me tell you; I can so relate. I too would not be who I am today if I had not endured the lessons I needed to endure for God to bring me to this current place in my life. I am thankful to be alive today and continuing to learn the lessons my heaven Father have for me. I never once blamed God or thought He didn’t love me either, however its just been in the last 3 months that I am drawing so much closer to my heavenly Father and I am learning to see myself through His eyes. This has been the biggest blessing since the injury, for I no longer feel I am useless and disposable!!!!
Thank you so much for starting a feed like this. This was good ‘therapy’ for me and all of us who choose to share our story. I believe it helps us all see just how loving, accepting, caring and ever present God is to all who choose to become his adopted child!
Ray
My story of being ‘disabled’ begins in June of 2003: “I visited a chiropractor the morning of June 30, 2003. The chiropractor was too forceful in his adjustment/manipulation. Later this day (three hospitals later) it was determined that I had sustained a left vertebral artery dissection, a moderate sized cerebellar hemispheric stroke, and a paramedian artery stroke in my pons. The Cerebellar infraction was of sufficient size that it began to swell. I required a ventriculostomy to treat acute hydrocephalus, and a craniotomy for surgical resection of the cerebellar stoke bed. Since June 30, 2003; I have made an excellent over all recovery, regaining alertness, full cognition, and having considerable improvement in my double vision and ataxia. I am now considered ‘disabled’ by and remain under the care of my neurologist.” Atop of this; I have recently been diagnosed with CPTSD (Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). This stems not only from the head injury, but also a chaotic childhood.
How I feel in regards to these issues of mine: the head injury… … I have good days and bad. When the vertigo, vision, balance and cognitive issues are on a decent baseline I feel good and wish I could get back to work, I feel like a productive, contributing and ‘normal’ adult. On the ‘off days’. I really wish that chiropractor had to spend just one day in the life of me now. I think that would be sufficient price paid by him. To know how it is to be: on a constant ‘merry-go-round”; see 2-4 of everything you look at; have to use glasses with prisms in them; pray you don’t have to be up and moving too much in case you are too unstable. Learn you own limitations all over again because they are now NOTHING close to what they use to be. I wonder how he would like to have had to learn to: swallow, walk, talk, sign (I use ASL to communicate with my daughter), and write all over again.
My most recent ‘heavy feeling’ was just a week ago; I had a heart sinking thought of my children having to cope with the death of their mother at the ages of 13, 11 & 9. I am so thankful they did not have to!!
Tolerating my disability; I currently tolerate them all much better. I am now 13 years use to spinning on a daily basis. I have adjusted to my baselines and am truly thankful that I have more of them days than not. I can now just be calm and at rest when my days are not so good. It has taken me 13 years to reach this point, and now understand the doctor’s decision to not release me for employment. In regards to the CPTSD; I am thankful for learning and continuing to learn the hidden reasoning’s behind my behaviors in certain situations and or with certain individuals. With this knowledge in my pocket; I now can tolerate this condition with much more acceptance and understanding.
I do not think you ‘bold or arrogant’ for saying what you do in regards to your personal struggles. I agree, and let me tell you; I can so relate. I too would not be who I am today if I had not endured the lessons I needed to endure for God to bring me to this current place in my life. I am thankful to be alive today and continuing to learn the lessons my heaven Father have for me. I never once blamed God or thought He didn’t love me either, however its just been in the last 3 months that I am drawing so much closer to my heavenly Father and I am learning to see myself through His eyes. This has been the biggest blessing since the injury, for I no longer feel I am useless and disposable!!!!
Thank you so much for starting a feed like this. This was good ‘therapy’ for me and all of us who choose to share our story. I believe it helps us all see just how loving, accepting, caring and ever present God is to all who choose to become his adopted child!
Ray
Hi everybody.
Talking about disability I received mine through the driving skills of an elderly lady that failed to see me on a sunny summer morning in spite of wearing the high visibility clothing that is practically a uniform for cyclists. I had help from a young punk rocker that was passing by. When I returned to consciousness I had been thrown about 15 meters by the collision. I actually heard the young police officer tell the driver that if she didn't accept responsibility for the incident that he would press for her prosecution for driving without due care and attention.
I had my shoulder blade smashed and the top of my upper arm bone had to be replaced and as a result of the surgery my arm was saved (in past decades they would of had to amputate) but I am left with a chronic pain problem (chronic pain is pain that no longer serves a purpose and lasts more than three months). I have been on 3 different pain killers every day for the last eleven years.
You will notice I have not cried out to a god I don't believe in and he/she/it does not help me everyday. What helped me was the four week Pain Management Program (PMP) created by The Walton Centre in Liverpool which taught me how to cope with the chronic pain problem. When I left the PMP I joined the Patient Support Group formed by ex-patients SMILE (Sustained Motivation In Lasting Endorphins) where ex-patients continue with some of the techniques for managing pain which include exercise (mostly chair based exercise),Tai Chi and relaxation. I am told that mindfulness is now used by The PMP in place of the relaxation techniques I was taught. There are people in the patient support program that are coping with pain far more pain than I am and I like to think I help them a little, if only because I do understand what they are going through.
You will notice that there is no mention of God in my story, or indeed in the cases of most of the people in the PMP. God is not relevant to most people (there are a few that rely on God entirely but their situation and their pain is not diminished as a result). We rely on each other because their is nobody else that understands. A neighbor of mine, that had been in the PMP nearly 20 years before me, talked with my wife for an entire morning before she understood and her attitude changed from that moment on.
While I can understand people turning to God in moments of trauma, pain or immanent death for a lot of people that is a consequence or symptom of their trauma rather than a reflection of their beliefs. It is almost like reaching out for a cultural last straw or a last moment distraction rather than an actual belief and they don't expect any actual relief.
I live in a country (UK) where belief in God is actually regarded with suspicion, our country was almost ripped apart by religion several times. The Troubles in Northern Ireland being the most recent to be resolved. Those that believe in God in my country are dangerous, really dangerous and their belief in God calls on them to convert as many people as they can and (when in a position to) kill the rest.
I do not have a God to rely on and I don't think I'm missing anything as a result.
Anyway that is my opening post.
Heretic
Talking about disability I received mine through the driving skills of an elderly lady that failed to see me on a sunny summer morning in spite of wearing the high visibility clothing that is practically a uniform for cyclists. I had help from a young punk rocker that was passing by. When I returned to consciousness I had been thrown about 15 meters by the collision. I actually heard the young police officer tell the driver that if she didn't accept responsibility for the incident that he would press for her prosecution for driving without due care and attention.
I had my shoulder blade smashed and the top of my upper arm bone had to be replaced and as a result of the surgery my arm was saved (in past decades they would of had to amputate) but I am left with a chronic pain problem (chronic pain is pain that no longer serves a purpose and lasts more than three months). I have been on 3 different pain killers every day for the last eleven years.
You will notice I have not cried out to a god I don't believe in and he/she/it does not help me everyday. What helped me was the four week Pain Management Program (PMP) created by The Walton Centre in Liverpool which taught me how to cope with the chronic pain problem. When I left the PMP I joined the Patient Support Group formed by ex-patients SMILE (Sustained Motivation In Lasting Endorphins) where ex-patients continue with some of the techniques for managing pain which include exercise (mostly chair based exercise),Tai Chi and relaxation. I am told that mindfulness is now used by The PMP in place of the relaxation techniques I was taught. There are people in the patient support program that are coping with pain far more pain than I am and I like to think I help them a little, if only because I do understand what they are going through.
You will notice that there is no mention of God in my story, or indeed in the cases of most of the people in the PMP. God is not relevant to most people (there are a few that rely on God entirely but their situation and their pain is not diminished as a result). We rely on each other because their is nobody else that understands. A neighbor of mine, that had been in the PMP nearly 20 years before me, talked with my wife for an entire morning before she understood and her attitude changed from that moment on.
While I can understand people turning to God in moments of trauma, pain or immanent death for a lot of people that is a consequence or symptom of their trauma rather than a reflection of their beliefs. It is almost like reaching out for a cultural last straw or a last moment distraction rather than an actual belief and they don't expect any actual relief.
I live in a country (UK) where belief in God is actually regarded with suspicion, our country was almost ripped apart by religion several times. The Troubles in Northern Ireland being the most recent to be resolved. Those that believe in God in my country are dangerous, really dangerous and their belief in God calls on them to convert as many people as they can and (when in a position to) kill the rest.
I do not have a God to rely on and I don't think I'm missing anything as a result.
Anyway that is my opening post.
Heretic
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