Why I Can't Be An Atheist

[@joeyparsons14]

For those wanting to see videos of healings I've attached two below: www.tiktok.com/@_joeyparsons_/video/7395236099288861983?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7413081458183734826 www.tiktok.com/@_joeyparsons_/video/7010181762361937158?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7413081458183734826

[@Mosz]

I like how in the first one you can literally see the cane is brand new, while still in the store, and it still has the price tag on it. Sandals are also the safest shoes for those "struggling to walk." Is this some sort of social experiment or do you need someone to call an orderly for you?

[@Maksie0]

Do you genuinely think this is even remotely good evidence of "healings"? Someone could film me hopping out of a wheelchair and it'd be the same damn thing.

[@maxdoubt5219]

Meanwhile the children keep starving. Your god has craptacular priorities!

[@denizen53]

God hates children most of all.

[@I_am_Mister_Y]

Don't you know GOD cares about this guy, but he cannot see Africa? I mean, African starving chiIdren pray with his same sincerity and faith, but they don't get fed, or healed. Weird how that works, huh?

[@ajzma]

You are wrong, God is real and has the right priorities. There is no question that helping joey with that girlfriend thingy has to be wayyy up on the priority list than saving people from stupid things like cancer, war, hunger, and famine.

[@ndjarnag]

motivating a person with a torn ACL to start running is very dangerous.

[@moneynongrata]

Ok. I'm convinced! You can heal! Our hospital is ready to offer you the position! Contact us to claim the job! You name the price for every patient you heal!

[@randyorr9443]

A true creator of the entire universe would not spend her time going around amazing a few people performing parlor tricks.

[@amac9044]

I've healed from a sprained ankle before as an atheist.... And I'm sure people from religions different than yours.... Your anecdotal evidence is unconvincing.... Just because you've experienced some seemingly miraculous good things occur in your life an unjustified Lee Associated it with your religious beliefs doesn't make them correct. You have to draw some sort of causal link between the two before you actually have an argument. And your implication that those who HAVEN'T experienced the same "miracles" as you just haven't asked or haven't been in the position to need one IS dishonest. For every anecdotal Miracle story you can provide I can give you a hundred examples of someone calling to God with NO apparent answer. Finally, when tou start your argument off with "it's impossible" for you to believe something, your implicitly admitting that your beliefs aren't based on evidence. I can BELIEVE ANYTHING given sufficient reasonable evidence, because my beliefs are based on the data not what I WISH to be true. Your unwillingness to update your beliefs based on evidence shows a degree of cognitive bias and wishful thinking. This is poor epistemology....

[@joeyparsons14]

1. When years of chronic pain (or something to that likes) disappear moments after prayer, it's not very hard to figure out the cause. It doesn't seem to be a huge jump. 2. You're right, it was probably unfair of me to say that. It CAN be true that those who haven't seen miracles haven't been in the position to or sought them, but certainly not always. I should have worded that more carefully. 3. I have also seen prayers not get answered in the way I was hoping or thought they should have. I don't fully understand why this is, but the point of the video was sharing some undeniable answers to prayer or miracles that I have seen. How many miracles would one need to see before beginning to believe? How many healings after praying would it take to dismiss the idea that it's just a coincidence? 4. The point of the video was sharing things I have personally experienced that strengthen my faith in God. It was not meant to be a full case for the existence of God using evidence, reason, etc. I do believe there is great evidence for God outside of the experiences I shared but that wasn't the point of this video.

[@landsgevaer]

"Post hoc ergo propter hoc"? This event convinced you. Why should it convince us though? How many healings it would take to be convinced? A significantly larger number than without praying. And those studies have been done. The answer is not that prayer works, otherwise hospitals would start doing it.

[@markuss-n5i]

@@joeyparsons14 Once, thunder was seen as a miracle-a mysterious, awe-inspiring force beyond understanding. Today, it's simply explained by science. It’s all a matter of perspective.

[@VadimRadtchenko]

I'm so happy for you being able to play basket, you are a gift to humanity! Not so happy about Jesus giving 0 fks about my mother dying last year... so I can be an atheist, no kthxbye.

[@music4meh]

I could share with you the stories on how I was never caught carrying LSD on 5 different occasions. This is what Faith is all about. Belief, knowing you are right. It becomes stronger if you believe in it. But if you stop to wonder, that is the only way to keep it alive. You need people to doubt. If certainty can exist on this subject, there'd be no need for faith. I remain Godless, but I'd love to be enlightened

[@waldo..8021]

That's nice and all, but that just isn't everyone's experience. Some people are ignored by God and are forced to walk this life alone.

[@mlgfin]

God told me that you’re wrong about all of this.

[@11kravitzn]

If only miracles were testable and repeatable, they would actually be a way to convince someone instead of a way to confirm your personal faith commitments

[@markuss-n5i]

I’m an agnostic, and I sometimes find myself envying those who truly believe. It seems to me that people with strong faith often experience a sense of fulfillment that’s difficult to replicate without it. In many ways, I think true believers lead happier lives. Barry Hughart once wrote, “Blessed are the idiots, for they are the happiest people on earth.” While I don’t agree with using the term 'idiots,' I do understand the sentiment-there can be a certain peace and joy in embracing simplicity and not overthinking everything. For me, knowledge often feels like a double-edged sword. I tend to over-explain things, and I’ve found that, in many cases, it’s quicker and easier to do things on my own than to work in a team. Maybe that’s the 'curse of knowledge.' At times, I wonder how different my life might have been if I had taken a different path. Also, you’re still quite young, so live the life you want to-but please never try to force your beliefs on others. In my experience, religious people often do this, and history provides plenty of examples of the harm it can cause. Just be mindful, and I think you’ll find that people will respect your beliefs more when they’re shared freely, without pressure.

[@dagimawiephrem1668]

i can relate with you very much.....specially since i have exprienced what to be like a true beliver and now becoming an agnostic

[@markuss-n5i]

@@dagimawiephrem1668 Interesting, I come from a very different background! My parents were quite strict in their religious beliefs, but I had an unusual experience that set me apart. As a child, I had a strong allergic reaction to incense, which led my grandparents to worry that something was spiritually ‘wrong’ with me. This experience shaped me into something of a rebel against strict religious norms. When I turned 18, I had a philosophy teacher who rarely gave high marks, which pushed me to switch over to the religion class. There, I met my first teacher-priest who was genuinely open to my perspective and didn’t judge me for past choices. It was a refreshing change, and it taught me a lot about acceptance and growth. He even gave me the best possible mark for my openness and critical worldview, while all the ‘yes-men’ got below average!

[@durere]

You kinda hit the nail on the head there. To be honest, I think the only difference between an agnostic and a full believer is the decision to believe and stop doubting. It's a major release of stress, if nothing else. For the record, I do believe it's more than that.

[@markuss-n5i]

@@durere Thanks. Can you try to explain what you meant in your last sentence. For example, I belong to the Old Catholic Church and live according to it. However, I would never present it as simply as is often done (black-white / atheist-believer). There is a spectrum and no proof for either side.

[@vgverog]

You do understand that miracles are not proof of God, they're only proof of miracles. And even then, it's about not understanding what happened, not proof of magic.

[@kamnale1317]

if you really think you can heal people by praying for them, you should do that day and night, going through the hospitals and healing everyone, none of them want to be there, they all want to be healthy, why arent you doing that?

[@sanshaypatiyal2012]

Exactly I don't know these Religiostic people are so dumbass

[@joeyparsons14]

I never claimed having the power to heal. God has that power, and often He answers in amazing ways when people pray. Not sure if you watched the whole video or not but I shared multiple testimonies of not just my own healing but many others as well. I’ve spent the last 5 years very frequently praying for people in stores, malls, on the streets, and in other public settings. So I do pray for people like this very regularly. Also they don’t exactly just let you into hospitals to go room to room to pray for people. I would certainly do that though. Not everyone gets healed when I pray for them, but the video was to share that I’ve seen too many amazing things at this point to not believe.

[@SlovakGreekCatholic.]

We dont heal people. God is healing people. Yesterday my 89y. Grandpa went to hospital because of stroke(or how you call it in english). He already went through 3 this was fourth. It looked very bad for him and we awaited worst. We all started praying for him and we prayed for him "all day". Now he is better, eating, walking and his brain is well. I know that God helped him. Maybe not interesting for you but i just wanted to say it. May Lord bless you.

[@sanshaypatiyal2012]

@@SlovakGreekCatholic. I totally respect your opinion and i hope your grandpa will live long but it's a person's choice there is no need to be Extrimist we already know what a Extrimist religion like islam can do to the world. Although I believe that Christianity or hinduism is the most open religion. And the way forward

[@markuss-n5i]

@@SlovakGreekCatholic. I'm glad to hear your grandfather is doing better. I'm curious, how do you evaluate these experiences? Have you ever considered other explanations for recovery? Did you try to falsify your findings?

[@WorkingFromHomeToday452]

Young athlete that was raised christian heals from minor injury, overcomes some of life's common obstacles, and dreams about a high school couple getting back together. Wow. Convincing. Goober.

[@ajzma]

@@WorkingFromHomeToday452 the girlfriend getting back with ex boyfriend thing was actually hilarious. Joey's god is a true bro! Respect!

[@WorkingFromHomeToday452]

@@ajzma god is the homie! Always looking out for bro

[@sledzeppelin]

If your foot had been torn off in a car accident, would you expect god to grow it back so you could play basketball? If not, why not?

[@I_am_Mister_Y]

Excellent question.

[@ajzma]

@@sledzeppelin I wanted to ask the same question but for, you know, the middle leg. Asking for a friend, mine's perfectly fine.

[@ajzma]

I wanted to ask you a genuine question. Just to you first point on your ankle pain going away. Do you really think if there's a god, then she cares more about healing your minor ankle pain instead of healing people with cancer, and other deadly diseases and illnesses?

[@BigTwitchy]

Could be incompetence - maybe she's only able to occasionally work minor miracles? So rarely, that it could, and now hear me out, just be a coincidence and not divine intervention? I'm so tired of the whole "Something good happened, praise the lord! Oh, something bad happened, well, the lord has a plan and we just can't comprehend it because we are big dumb-dumbs" crap.

[@douglasdueno]

That’s a question that really a personal relationship with God. Yeah, God can definitely help with physical issues like cancer or deadly diseases, but what He really cares about is healing the heart. Throughout history, God has helped a lot of people, but plenty have chosen to ignore His love and just kept going with their lives.

[@joeyparsons14]

@@ajzma not sure if you listened to the whole video or not but I shared several other healing stories more severe than my ankle. God cares about it all and does heal those more severe diseases as well.

[@jeremiahharrigan846]

@@joeyparsons14no he doesn’t

[@QuietWind01]

​@joeyparsons14 Irrelevant, and not an answer to the question that was asked. 1. Why would God heal your sprained ankle but won't heal everyone else? Not just a few instances... I'm talking about everyone? 2. Why has no atheist experienced this? I thought God was supposed to have unconditional love? 3. If faith healing and prayer actually worked, why don't we just replace doctors with prayer? Your placebo is such a weak reason to consider it to be "inpossible" to be an atheist. I'm sure many of the Christians-turned-atheists said the same thing at one point as well, but guess what, it wasn't actually impossible. I simply do not believe you.

[@RafaelKeveluk]

Would you say it makes sense for me to continue being an atheist because no amount of prayer has cured my diabetes? Are you comfortable with the fact that your god seems all too eager to make your life better and leaves others hungering, ill, and so on? Would you be convinced by a Muslim who's had the same things happen in their life? Or does it sound as unbelievable/impossible when they say it to you, as it does when you say it to me? Just questions to give you some insight into a random atheist's perspective, which isn't far off from others' I don't think.

[@joeyparsons14]

1. I’d be understanding of your position for sure. I know people who are chronically sick and have gotten prayer as well but haven’t been healed. I wish I knew why some people got healed during prayer but others don’t. 2. No I’m not comfortable with that. The reason Jesus came was to put an end to that, and that’s why He raised His disciples to do the same. Which is what I am giving my life to do. 3. I haven’t encountered that yet. From my interactions with Muslims they don’t expect their God to be involved in their life this way. They don’t expect him to do things like that. However if I were to, I would certainly be intrigued. I have often posed questions to those of other religions to find someone who needs healed to pray for to see which God answers. I’d do that with any religion at anytime. I appreciate the respectful engagement and understand the reservations. This conversation is probably too nuanced to fully carry out in KZbin comments. I understand your hesitancy to believe what I’ve shared in the video, but I gain nothing by lying about this (as you can tell by 90% of the comments not believing me at all lol). My hope was that this would be encouraging to those who are wondering/doubting but ultimately people need to have these kinds of experiences for themselves as well.

[@Romanticidio]

@@joeyparsons14 "I wish I knew why some people got healed during prayer but others don’t." I know that! Because healing doesn't depend on prayers. "The reason Jesus came was to put an end to that". Yeah Mr. Jesus pls, 2k years later maybe it's time to do something about it. Also, do you think you'd be a christian if you were born in Saudi Arabia? Did you find a "true god" or you just accepted the culture that has sorrounded you since you're born?

[@jakes658]

​@@joeyparsons14Why do you totally discount the experience of Muslims?

[@markuss-n5i]

@@joeyparsons14 Regarding your second point, how do you plan to do that? If we look at history, the Church often caused more harm than good from a scientific perspective. Do you not think so? Look into figures like Galileo Galilei, Giordano Bruno, Michael Servetus, Johannes Kepler, Blaise Pascal, Antoine Lavoisier, and William Harvey, and reflect on their experiences.

[@I_am_Mister_Y]

If you actually believe in GOD for the (claimed) healings you've seen, then tell us, why won't GOD heal amputees? Why are GOD's miraculous acts of healing exactly and precisely limited to: 1, Illments known to heal on their own. 2, Healing events that are claimed yet not shown. 3, Healing events that make for a good story, but never go beyond what's medically possible, such as the full regrowth of limbs?

[@NateFennelly]

I actually appreciate when people make claims like this sincerely because they’re testable. He believes by the power of prayer people have been healed. Let us test this under controlled circumstances and I will become a devout Christian. Please respond to my comment if you believe your power of prayer can save some of my sick relatives and I will happily dm you my personal information.

[@joeyparsons14]

I'd love to pray for them. I can't promise they will be healed, but I have seen God do amazing things through prayer.

[@NateFennelly]

@ thank you for responding Joey! I’m very appreciate of the fact you take the time to consider your faith and respond to others that don’t share your faith. The purpose of my comment is you claim to be able to access things through prayer I find to be untestable and falsifiable. I would love to see you pray for a specific thing to happen and we could determine that that actually happened. It would move me toward the religion! Should we be having these conversations offline or am I missing something?

[@joeyparsons14]

@@NateFennelly Feel free to message me on instagram @_joeyparsons_

[@markuss-n5i]

@@NateFennelly Just a friendly reminder to consider using a control group 😉. Studies on the placebo effect might offer some helpful insights methodologically.

[@QuietWind01]

1. Why would God heal your sprained ankle but won't heal everyone else? Not just a few instances... I'm talking about everyone? 2. Why has no atheist experienced this? I thought God was supposed to have unconditional love? 3. If faith healing and prayer actually worked, why don't we just replace doctors with prayer? Your placebo is such a weak reason to consider it to be "inpossible" to be an atheist. I'm sure many of the Christians-turned-atheists said the same thing at one point as well, but guess what, it wasn't actually impossible. I simply do not believe you. "I could tell you the story about..." "I could tell you the story about..." Okay cool, to your own admission, these are just stories. I don’t have any way to verify those things, and even if I did or I believed you, it still doesn't prove that there is a god when other possibilities are available. I find it extremely sad that these are the reasons you think it is IMPOSSIBLE to be atheist. I'm not saying you have to change your mind, but the sheer fact thatvyou are willing to put up a steel wall around yourself and refuse to have an open mind is extremely sad and I think its a major problem. You are admitting your mind cannot and will not be changed, and that is EXACTLY how you continue to be ignorant. It is basically a requirement and prerequisite of willful ignorance. It's sad to see.

[@hamobu]

My uncle almost died from liver failure in the early 90s, but the faith in god changed him and saved him. He has been a Muslim ever since.

[@LawrenceLaffer]

This video is cute and all but inherently meaningless.

[@criticalthinker8007]

How do you know if it was your personal believe in God or the actual existence of God that created/inspired those things. Why are you highlighting the good thing as God and the bad things as not God how do you tell the difference.

[@arsnova.9353]

You're kidding right? You believe in a god because your ankle healed, and some girl rejected you for another dude? C'mon.

[@Captain-Cosmo]

"There's no rational argument that could convince me otherwise." And there is your problem. You have admittedly closed your mind to any other explanation, and now, through an intense and self-professed desire to believe, you refuse to consider any alternative explanation. Belief in a thing is independent of the truth of a thing. And being wrong but not knowing it feels no differently than being right. Basically, you have a bunch of anecdotes that, when added together, is nothing but a bunch of anecdotes. A million zeroes still adds up to zero.

[@scottguitar8168]

Sure you can tell us stories all day, but what about the many who also believe in God that don't have nearly this level of success? Even if we had consistent results, how does prayer and healing indicate a God?

[@gergelymagyarosi9285]

Yes-yes. You convinced me you believe God is real, because you needed this to get your life straight. This can be great for your psychological health but has little to do with accurate depiction of reality. You have a surefire method to reinforce your belief, but you'll going to be stuck if you'd need to change your mind.

[@markuss-n5i]

I have to say, I truly enjoy discussing God and faith. I draw from both my Catholic upbringing and my experience as a scientist to shape my perspective. In my opinion, agnostic thinking offers the most balanced approach. Thank you, Joey, for all this thought-provoking conversation here in the comments.

[@philojudaeusofalexandria9556]

... Man believes in faith healing... 😢

[@ToTheGrave20]

Of course nobody can rationalise you out of your view because you didnt rationalise yourself into your view.

[@Shoomer1988]

I get that you are just sharing your experiences as you perceive them rather than providing evidence. And I'm pleased that your faith has made a positive difference in your life. However... - Health improvements can easily be explained by the well-documented and proven _placebo effect_ - 9 years trying to change a behaviour and suddenly it worked because you prayed? What about all those times before when you prayed and it didn't work? I can't believe that in those 9 years, you didn't pray for help. - Fracture healing is generally accepted to be a thing. - It's strange how church healers have never once managed to perform these "miracles" under monitored conditions. And the idea that people have tried to find God and asked for healing but were somehow doing it wrong is intellectually dishonest at best. At worst it's downright insulting, offensive and cruel.

[@johnpro2847]

which god.?.that is the problem,, there are so many gods now and in the past, it is a lucky dip which one you pick..Amen

[@BigTwitchy]

Could we get names of those that were completely healed so that we can have independent medical professionals confirm this diagnosis, based on the medical records that support the severity of their conditions? Prolly not, because these stories sound a lot like "a guy down at the pub told me so".

[@joeyparsons14]

@@BigTwitchy I have several of them on video, and have seen documented miracles occur with doctor reports. Even with this I question whether you’d believe.

[@Captain-Cosmo]

@@joeyparsons14 Then you need to put these little videos aside and carry these genuine, verifiable accounts of miracles to the press where they should make headlines. Overwhelming evidence for the existence of a god should be front page news!

[@Mosz]

@@joeyparsons14 You don't have to convince us, if its documented then submit it to the Templeton Prize foundation. Not only will you soon be a millionaire, but with such power you will likely get a Nobel Prize. You can revolutionize modern medicine. If you prayers are so powerful you could literally end the war in the middle east. Get off youtube now and save us messiah!!!

[@PsychoMuffinSDM]

You mean to say "Trust me, bro" isn't a good enough source for you?

[@QuietWind01]

​​@@joeyparsons14Dude, quit being dishonest. Deflecting when being asked by someone for names and then trying to gaslight them is CRAZY. The person is asking you for names, we aren't going to go search through your videos to find it, it takes a minute to list off just a few names of the people. You either have names or you don't

[@Sak-pz5bp]

Wow, your sprained ankle felt better, therefore prayer works and God is real. Your surface level assessment of the situation is fallacious. Do you always believe important things due to bad evidence? Exercise your brain more.

[@SourceCod33]

You’d be think the whole internet would be full of faithful pastors traveling the world “shifting jaw bones back into place” in real time, that the hundreds and thousands of years of people dying of childbirth and disease wouldn’t have happened as we can categorically see did. Then child deformities and painful deaths wouldn’t have happened. If I had seen a quarter of the things you’ve seen, I’d think that god must hate a hell of a lot of people

[@NickGagnon-u1v]

I tried to believe. I just dont. I just dont take any religion seriously. I am a atheist.

[@stevenna2918]

Sorry friend, but if you simply look at a map of religions of the world, your christian because you were born in America, had you been born in the middle east, we wouldn't be having this conversation. People feel just like you, in every other religion, how do you explain that?? Oh, yeah, they are all wrong and your not.

[@nthnglsn]

Saw this video and thought id check out the comment section. Sure enough its full off secular responses. Just looked like it was aiming for an atheists response. I too am secular and this video is full of nothing but anecdotal evidence which should never convince anyone. Everyone should practice skepticism.

[@QuietWind01]

Not to mention, Dude is gaslighting people in the comments, "Even if I gave it to you, I doubt you'd believe" 😂😂😂

[@markuss-n5i]

I’m not sure most people are able to practice skepticism in a scientific way. Without that, they risk falling into beliefs like the flat Earth theory.

[@nthnglsn]

@@markuss-n5i true

[@SJ12285]

which denomination are you? it would be helpfull if you reply.

[@ajzma]

Ok joey. Let's do this. Which city in the US do you live in? We can book a small hall, get together a hundred or so people who are suffering from some injuries, and off you go on your healing journey. We'll document it and have all of it on camera. Even if 10% people actually get healed, that would be mindblowing and could go a long way towards proving the existence of god. Let's do this?

[@joeyparsons14]

I’ll absolutely do it, this is what I do for work anyways lol. I’m in PA.

[@markuss-n5i]

Even then you need a control group and more to be sure the healing does not come from the placebo effect. So use a second group with placebo pills and one with no healing at all.

[@I_am_Mister_Y]

​@@joeyparsons14Have you healed an amputee, or seen someone heal an amputee? Or is the regrowth of a limb outside the power of GOD?

[@markuss-n5i]

@@I_am_Mister_Y Yes, God can do anything. For instance, starfish can regenerate their limbs, which highlights the incredible power of evolution. While humans may not have the natural ability to regrow limbs, I believe that with God's power, anything is possible. However, I also believe that God doesn't interfere in such ways. That's why I’m skeptical of stories like Joey's, as I don't see them aligning with natural laws.

[@I_am_Mister_Y]

@markuss-n5i So you don't accept claims of miraculous healings?

[@jbill190]

Tell you what: I'm ready to become a believer just like that. My kitten is missing a leg. Pray for your god to regrow her leg and let me know that you have done that here. Obviously you'll want to let me know which god that you prayed to so that I can know who should get the credit. You mentioned Jesus, so I already went ahead and addressed a petition to Jesus (whom I am given to understand is omnipresent and occupies the otherwise empty air around me) to get the job done and nothing happened, so I guess you are likely to get better results. I am very much looking forward to my kitten getting a new leg. Unless, there is some reason that I should *not* expect that to happen?

[@AnotherViewer]

It’s fascinating how people can be so convinced of something based on personal anecdotes, but the fact that you "believe" because of personal experiences doesn’t actually prove anything to anyone else. You’ve shared a collection of stories-your ankle healed, your addiction broken, some dream confirmations-and that's great for you. But those are your experiences, and they don’t serve as evidence that there’s a supernatural being pulling strings behind it all. How convenient is it that your “experiences” always line up with your existing beliefs? The human brain is fantastic at finding patterns, especially when we're emotionally invested in an outcome. You’ve had all these seemingly miraculous events, but that’s a far cry from objective evidence. There’s no way to test or verify that your healing wasn’t a coincidence or that your dream wasn’t just your mind working through things, especially when you want it to have meaning. You say that no intellectual argument can convince you otherwise, but that’s just intellectual laziness. You’ve built up your faith on subjective experience, not evidence. And let’s not forget, the same could be said about anyone else’s deeply held belief system. People in other cultures claim to have had similar “experiences” with gods of their own, but that doesn’t make their gods real either. Your “faith” might be unshakable, but it’s based on what you’ve already decided to believe-not on evidence that would hold up to scrutiny from someone who doesn’t already share your conclusions. So, while you may be convinced your god is real, don’t kid yourself into thinking that convinces anyone else. All it proves is that the human mind can be incredibly good at justifying what it wants to believe.

[@joeyparsons14]

Once again, I stated up front that the intent behind the video was sharing things I have personally witnessed that convince me of the reality of God. I never was intending this to be some apologetic or evidence based argument for God. It was meant to be a collection of stories on things I've seen that make me believe. I recognize that these stories might not be enough to make anyone else believe but it was meant to produce curiosity in those who heard it to seek these things out for themselves. It's an incorrect assumption you've made that my experiences always lined up with my beliefs. This is not true. There have been times when my experiences didn't match my beliefs and I had to wrestle through that. Sure you could argue that these experiences are just coincidences but how many coincidences does it take before we start realizing that there is more going on? I haven't seen just one miraculous healing, but many. I invite skeptics to come with me to pray for people all the time so they can see the same healings that I do (oddly enough they never do) and would extend that same invitation to you if it were possible. Again, this video was meant to share experiences, not evidence. I have wrestled through doubts and sought opposing viewpoints and have come back to the same conclusions. I believe there are great arguments for the existence of God and very solid evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. While the point of the video was my personal experiences, it is certainly not the ONLY thing my faith is founded upon. Once again you are wrong. Do you think I have always believed this way? I may have for the majority of my life but there have been periods of time where I didn't or was seriously doubting. The same way you accuse me of intellectual laziness, I can point that back to you. You took four paragraphs to essentially say "you believe this because you want to and have warped all these subjective experiences to fit your beliefs." You are being just as intellectually lazy if not more by dismissing the entire video this way. I ended the video by encouraging all to seek God. I recognize my personal experiences won't be enough for anyone else to believe which is why I encouraged everyone who heard this to get their own. I am not special or more spiritual. If anyone had seen what I have seen, they would believe as well. All that being said, God bless! I do appreciate the engagement and pushback. Jesus loves you and you will find Him if you seek Him.

[@AnotherViewer]

@@joeyparsons14 Here's the thing: if your entire “argument” boils down to anecdotes, that’s all it is-personal stories with zero verifiable content. You can claim healings and miracles all you want, but stories aren’t evidence. You invite skeptics to pray with you and chalk up their lack of interest to their closed-mindedness. Think about it for a second-if you’re convinced this actually happens, why aren’t these events documented, scientifically studied, and independently verified? The fact that you’ve “wrestled” with doubts doesn’t make your beliefs any more valid. And “curiosity” isn’t an argument for God; it’s a lazy appeal to emotion that does nothing to address the lack of empirical support for your claims. You’re essentially admitting that what convinces you has no real substance outside of your personal experience, and yet you expect others to respect that as if it’s something more. Your accusations of intellectual laziness are projection, pure and simple. You’re right-I did call out that your experiences are shaped by what you want to believe, because that’s exactly what they are. Confirmation bias doesn’t suddenly transform into a credible method of discovering truth because you’ve chosen to believe it. Real intellectual rigor means you can support your beliefs with something stronger than stories about coincidences and subjective feelings.

[@markuss-n5i]

@@joeyparsons14 Instead of saying, 'Once again, you are wrong,' you might consider saying, 'I don’t think that fully captures my perspective.' Yes, it’s understandable to feel frustrated if someone’s comments seem dismissive, but even when others don’t express their ideas respectfully, responding calmly often leads to more meaningful conversations. Remember, Jesus taught us to turn the other cheek, showing patience and understanding even when met with opposition.

[@bootskanchelsis3337]

@@joeyparsons14 (" the intent behind the video was sharing things I have personally witnessed that convince me of the reality of God. ") "Reality" is demonstrable to be so. Gods? not-so-much .

[@markuss-n5i]

​@@bootskanchelsis3337 True, "existence" would be a better world then "reality." The second point is not so strong. He speaks for Christians, so it makes sense to talk about one god.

[@johnhammond6423]

Anecdotal evidence is not evidence, sorry.

[@joeyparsons14]

The intent of the video was sharing why I personally believe, not providing evidence using arguments or reasoning. I stated this in the very beginning of the video.

[@johnhammond6423]

@@joeyparsons14 Yep, fair comment my friend.

[@aidanwood421]

Hoping Jesus comes to you in visions and through other people brother. Much love

[@LawrenceLaffer]

You said “why/how you KNOW god is real” You have nothing jr. trust me.

[@brotherxela5085]

​@LawrenceLaffer seek him with your heart and you won't think but you will KNOW... thats the only way to know. You can't know by being in a church, being raised up in a religion, reading the bible... nothing. Those things only matter if your heart chases after truth.

[@Suzubagamez24]

People can honestly make claims like him because God works at the same rate of chance. It either the person is healed or doesn't get healed it's kind of like the flip of a coin. God doesn't seem to give a damn about people that he claims to love or he doesn't exist or he likes to pick favorites and heal who he wants to. Meanwhile people are suffering in the United States and around the world. If a person gets healed of their illness we just say God did it and if the person doesn't then we just say oh God says no. He can't even heal amputees but for some reason he can heal all the stuff that could pretty much be healed on its own😂😂😂 or with treatments from a hospital

[@2005SURFER]

L I A R. shame on you, kid

[@Athezir]

Nice try.

[@I_am_Mister_Y]

Eh... Not even that nice of a try.

[@TimeTraveler6022]

Think hard about this: do you want your god to be there, or you think he really is there.

[@tickbrick6631]

People do both.

[@markuss-n5i]

Yeah, that goes hand in hand. It's called **self-deception** or **cognitive dissonance**, where people convince themselves their lies are true to reduce discomfort or maintain consistency. => confirmation bias 😉 I❤Science

[@tickbrick6631]

@@markuss-n5i You can say the same for atheism. Do you want God not to exist, or do you really think he doesn't.

[@markuss-n5i]

@@tickbrick6631 I do want God to exist, but I believe She doesn't interfere in our lives. I think He gave us free will and allows nature to take its course, guiding us through Her creation rather than stepping in directly. For example, evolution is simply a part of creation. The stories in the Old Testament about the seven days are metaphors for what really happened, aligning with what is scientifically proven.

[@tickbrick6631]

@@markuss-n5i On what basis do you think He gave us free will and on what basis do you think he stays out of our lives completely?

[@fredwoods-o3g]

You suffered a whitch to live? I believe that's a stoning offense.

[@johnpro2847]

sure, one god will fix one person up and just lets others suffer for years. Pain is not an indication of the supernatural. If a person grew a new arm back overnight that might be worth a second look..Amen

[@shassett79]

So say someone had prayed over your ankle and it had continued to hurt, or that you'd read your Bible and remained addicted to whatever. Would you still believe in god? How do you tell the difference between intuition or random impulses and the voice of god? I guess it makes sense that god would be willing to suggest a Bible verse for you to read, but would he give you advice on something like which car to buy or what to eat for lunch? The psychology of theism is endlessly fascinating to me.

[@denizen53]

He would believe in God regardless. Theism, particularly allows one to hold two completely opposite outcomes, and yet be convinced that either one is evidence for God. That why all the prophecies in the end times always have two completely different things happening in the future, so you claim that the Bible always predicts the future 'There will be a time of war!" "There will be a time of false peace!" "There shall come a deceiver! There shall come a redeemer! There will be a great spiritual awakening! There shall also be a great 'falling away' of believers!" If God intervenes, it's a miracle. He doesn't intervene, he's testing you. But he exists apparently regardless.

[@shassett79]

@@denizen53 Mysterious ways, right? Why does god help one believer and leave another to suffer? _Go ponder the the divine mystery until you come up with a rationale that makes it seem OK!_

[@denizen53]

@@shassett79 Mac from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: "I'm playing both sides so that I always come out on top."

[@shassett79]

@@denizen53 That's the sick joke of this whole line of reasoning they put forth though, right? I can't force myself to believe things; I have to be convinced. So, like, I could pretend to be Christian despite not actually believing any of it, but am I supposed to believe that _the omniscient creator of the universe_ won't see through my act?

[@cajunqueen5125]

sure.

[@QuietWind01]

4:08 I'm sorry... what? LOL. So... God knows it was a problem, and knew the issue this person had that needed healed... but rather than just freaking HEALING the person, god decided to speak to YOU, a random stranger, to PRAY to himself (god), to heal the other person? What? That's like my dad telling me to tell him to cook dinner, why the hell am I needed if he knows it needs done? Did you even thinking abiut these stories before you made them up?

[@I_am_Mister_Y]

Ok, I'm watching this with an open mind, no cynicism. But I have to be honest. First argument: GOD healed your leg and harmful habit? Well, why? Why heal you, while ignoring the prayer of equally sincere, faithful children born with cancer, and their families? I had a very bad habit too, and I managed to quit.ñ without GOD. So it may have been that your own will plus your religious conviction made you quit. Thr pain on your leg may have been mostly psychosomatic. Wouldn't that make more sense?

[@QuietWind01]

7:11 It IS intellectual dishonesty. Literally it is a component of intellectual dishonesty. You are saying that you'd refuse to change your mind no matter what, even of you were given compelling evidence. Not only is this intellectual dishonesty, it is completely irrational. 7:20 So why is it that atheists haven't seen this, hmm? Why HAVEN'T I seen these types of things? Does god WANT me to br an atheist? If so, why would he then condemn me to hell for it? Is your god a monster? Also, why is it that folks from other religions that have similar experiences say that it was THEIR god that did it, and not the Christian god from YOUR denomination from YOUR particular religion?

[@landsgevaer]

If this works so reliably in your life with all these stories, do a prospective experiment please. The power of hindsight is strong in you, and so is the power of confirmation bias. Let's start with the story where you posted this video and did not convince me despite spreading the word of an omnipowerful god who loves me and wants a relation with me, supposedly. I bet you are not going to count that piece of data, huh?

[@nicolasandre9886]

Believers never cease to amaze me with their tendency to believe god could have such a messed up sense of priority that he would let literal genocides happen at the other side of the world, but would rather intervene to heal a kid's ankle in a rich country.

[@terrypanayiotou3485]

I live in Australia indigenous Australians untouched southern Australia for 80k history re evaluate all religions that derived from12k that were from 35k history of the whole globe . Please look onto other cultures not just European view's

[@ajzma]

Also i wonder if god helps you only when you pray to her or does she do it without praying?

[@kamnale1317]

i agree that god should prove himself to everyone, the same way he proved himself to your satisfaction, and that apologetics has nothing to do with that, it is absolutely useless actually. What i dont agree is that i should already believe him in order for him to prove himself? it should be the other way around. And also, that it is my fault or problem, not searching enough, if he doesnt show up. No, it's on him to convince me, and then actually belief and faith would also be unnecessary, we would all just know god, how much better that would be!

[@doyouknoedawae]

I see the other two comments and ask you to ignore them, for it is said in : Psalm 14:1: "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God'" And I pity these atheists, for they have shyed their face from the lord and choose to close their eyes in his light. Keep going strong, and know well that god loves all of us, and he always will. But he hates the sin that we have, not us.

[@Shoomer1988]

Why should I care what a book with talking donkeys in it says?

[@AdelaideTsukino]

A fool says there is a god, but fails to provide any evidence to back up their claims.

[@markuss-n5i]

You are pretty ignorant in your worldview. Would Jesus act the way you do? Where in the new testament? Matthew 7:1-2: "Do not judge, or you too will be judged." Luke 6:27-28: "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." If you quote the old testament over the new one, you might chosen the wrong religion 😅 I do believe in an Old Catholic way, but I'm also an agnostic.

[@moneynongrata]

Sure God made Adam out of dust. And dust he made out of what? Did he magic things out or make them out of something else? Because examples we have of agents making something - is just changing the form the existing mater/energy? Do you claim that God can make things out of nothing?

[@MG-ot2yr]

Joey you're so special...you've got the gift of faith healing apparently....why don't you pay a visit to St. Jude's hospital for childhood cancer? Sounds like you're convinced you could cure them by praying, so why don't you do that?

[@MrNimbleBear]

God bless you man. I see you got a lot of comments, at times rude ones. Keep studying the word of God and be brave to ask priests questions.

[@markuss-n5i]

If you're truly brave, you'll also seek insights from figures of other religions and even non-religious perspectives.

[@moneynongrata]

Time for you to start praying for God to enlighten you of what is the best economic system for humans to practice on planet earth. Sure God can get you girlfriends but: Think big!

[@markuss-n5i]

Snowballsystem / pyramid scam, for sure if you start the system😂😂

[@moneynongrata]

@@markuss-n5i Sounds Godish... :)

[@doronregev4481]

Yeah, this is garbage! Your personal experience is not proof of any God. Mountains of anecdotes do not amount to data. This is the least convincing argument I've heard in a while. Sad

[@markuss-n5i]

The way you speak-don't you think a bit more courtesy would be in order?

[@doronregev4481]

@markuss-n5i nope

[@markuss-n5i]

@@doronregev4481 dislike

[@danielrussell9416]

Why don't you use your faith-healing powers for a single prayer. Pray to heal every injury, cure every disease, re-grow every limb, end poverty, end homelessness, end unemployment, for now and all times in the future. Let us know the time and date of this prayer so we can see in the data proof of your powers.

[@georrgecole6807]

Thanks for this video Joey. God also helped me get over an addiction. God has strengthened my faith so much that I want nothing to do with it anymore. Im glad to see God did the same to you. Praise Jesus and God bless!

[@durere]

I can't watch it all, because I don't need convincing, but what did you do to get this many scoffers in the comments breah? Maybe you're saying the right things, that's when they come out of the woodwork.

[@markuss-n5i]

He comes across as immature and radical in his way of expressing himself. He should aim to express his thoughts more openly. In one of his other videos, he also admits that he would do anything for his faith, even putting it above all others. That kind of mindset could lead to dangerous outcomes.

[@markuss-n5i]

But you are right in the way, that we need to post under every second comment something like "The way you speak-don't you think a bit more courtesy would be in order?"

[@SlovakGreekCatholic.]

Bless you. ✝️🙏

[@bootskanchelsis3337]

Baseless assertions of the supernatural are just that ... baseless. Easily discarded as nonsense. .

[@nolanbalzer1796]

After 31 years as a Christian, having earned a biblical Theology degree and working passionately in ministry, my experience convinced me that ,not only did God not exist but, god could not exist as described by traditional Christianity (all loving, all powerful and all knowing and sovereign) Some of those experiences included speaking to people who were just as convinced and passionate about other gods as you are about the specific one to whom you've attributed these events. Our intuitions are not a reliable path to truth.

[@randyorr9443]

Some people do not value TRUTH. Some people do not want TRUTH. Some people are afraid of TRUTH. Sometimes TRUTH is hard to swallow. Some people numb themselves to the TRUTH by using drugs. Some people numb themselves to the TRUTH with religion.

[@markuss-n5i]

​@@randyorr9443 That's an interesting perspective-especially the idea that beliefs, including religious ones, can sometimes act as a kind of comfort or defense. It’s true that faith can provide a lot of reassurance, especially within a community of like-minded people. But on a larger scale, this approach can sometimes become restrictive or even divisive if it leads to imposing beliefs on others. History has shown that when any belief system is enforced too rigidly, it can sometimes have harmful consequences. Thanks for giving me something new to think about.

[@markuss-n5i]

@nolanbalzer1796 Have you thought about different ways to approach gathering knowledge? Sometimes, it's tempting to look for information that confirms our beliefs. Karl Popper, in The Logic of Scientific Discovery, actually highlighted the importance of falsifying our ideas to get closer to the truth. This means actively seeking out evidence or arguments that could challenge our current understanding, rather than just reinforcing it. For example, flat-Earth believers may hold onto their views, but there are clear ways to test those ideas-like observing how a boat appears to sink from the bottom up as it moves farther from the shore, which demonstrates the Earth's curvature. Seeking out criticism and testing our beliefs rigorously can lead to a much deeper understanding.

[@nolanbalzer1796]

@@markuss-n5i I have thought and continue to think about that. In the 26 years since my deconversion, I've deliberately looked for reasons to reconsider my position (perhaps best described as 'weak atheism'). In my experience, every argument for the traditional Christian positions regarding the character of God and the authority of the Bible crumble when viewed through the lens of divine perfection. Put simply: A maximally great being, with perfect knowledge of our limitations and the power and benevolent incentive to communicate individually, instantaneously, and unambiguously with each of its creatures has, instead, chosen to convey the most important message they will ever hear through a book so prone to error, contradiction and ambiguity that there is still no unified consensus on what exactly that message is or how to accurately interpret it.

[@markuss-n5i]

​@@nolanbalzer1796 Thanks for your reply. Do you know about the agnostic view? About the "divine perfection." I think this is why Joey like the testament written by Mark. Jesus as a human. While I like Johannes. Learning from Jesus. Being like Jesus.

[@fazerianducati]

Do you have any evidence that a god could possibly exist?

[@markuss-n5i]

Nope, and that is not the point. Agnostic 😉