Back to Basics

Step 2

Lack of Power

Chapter 4 - We Agnostics

Page 45, paragraph 1, lines 1-3 and paragraph 2, lines 1-3

would have recovered long ago. But we found that
such codes and philosophies did not save us, no matter
how much we tried. We could wish to be moral, we
could wish to be philosophically comforted, in fact,
we could will these things with all our might, but the
needed power wasn’t there. Our human resources, as
marshalled by the will, were not sufficient; they failed
utterly.

Lack of power, that was our dilemma. We had to
find a power by which we could live, and it had to be
a Power greater than ourselves.
Obviously. But where
and how were we to find this Power?

Well, that’s exactly what this book is about. Its
main object is to enable you to find a Power greater
than yourself which will solve your problem.
That
means we have written a book which we believe to
be spiritual as well as moral. And it means, of course,
that we are going to talk about God. Here difficulty
arises with agnostics. Many times we talk to a new
man and watch his hope rise as we discuss his alcoho-
lic problems and explain our fellowship. But his face
falls when we speak of spiritual matters, especially
when we mention God, for we have re-opened a sub-
ject which our man thought he had neatly evaded or
entirely ignored.

We know how he feels. We have shared his honest
doubt and prejudice. Some of us have been violently
anti-religious. To others, the word “God’’ brought up
a particular idea of Him with which someone had tried
to impress them during childhood. Perhaps we re-
jected this particular conception because it seemed
inadequate. With that rejection we imagined we had
abandoned the God idea entirely. We were bothered

Where Do We Find the Power?

Chapter 4 - We Agnostics

Page 55, paragraphs 2 and 3

though it emanate from our best minds. What about
people who proved that man could never fly?

Yet we had been seeing another kind of flight, a
spiritual liberation from this world, people who rose
above their problems. They said God made these
things possible, and we only smiled. We had seen
spiritual release, but liked to tell ourselves it wasn’t
true.

Actually we were fooling ourselves, for deep down
in every man, woman, and child, is the fundamental
idea of God. It may be obscured by calamity, by
pomp, by worship of other things, but in some form
or other it is there. For faith in a Power greater than
ourselves, and miraculous demonstrations of that
power in human lives, are facts as old as man himself.

We finally saw that faith in some kind of God was
a part of our make-up, just as much as the feeling we
have for a friend. Sometimes we had to search fear-
lessly, but He was there. He was as much a fact as
we were. We found the Great Reality deep down
within us. In the last analysis it is only there that He
may be found. It was so with us.

We can only clear the ground a bit. If our testi-
mony helps sweep away prejudice, enables you to
think honestly, encourages you to search diligently
within yourself, then, if you wish, you can join us on
the Broad Highway. With this attitude you cannot
fail. The consciousness of your belief is sure to come
to you.

In this book you will read the experience of a man
who thought he was an atheist. His story is so interest-
ing that some of it should be told now. His change of
heart was dramatic, convincing, and moving.

Look Within

Chapter 4 - We Agnostics

Page 55, paragraph 4, lines 3-4

though it emanate from our best minds. What about
people who proved that man could never fly?

Yet we had been seeing another kind of flight, a
spiritual liberation from this world, people who rose
above their problems. They said God made these
things possible, and we only smiled. We had seen
spiritual release, but liked to tell ourselves it wasn’t
true.

Actually we were fooling ourselves, for deep down
in every man, woman, and child, is the fundamental
idea of God. It may be obscured by calamity, by
pomp, by worship of other things, but in some form
or other it is there. For faith in a Power greater than
ourselves, and miraculous demonstrations of that
power in human lives, are facts as old as man himself.

We finally saw that faith in some kind of God was
a part of our make-up, just as much as the feeling we
have for a friend. Sometimes we had to search fear-
lessly, but He was there. He was as much a fact as
we were. We found the Great Reality deep down
within us. In the last analysis it is only there that He
may be found. It was so with us.

We can only clear the ground a bit. If our testi-
mony helps sweep away prejudice, enables you to
think honestly, encourages you to search diligently
within yourself
, then, if you wish, you can join us on
the Broad Highway. With this attitude you cannot
fail. The consciousness of your belief is sure to come
to you.

In this book you will read the experience of a man
who thought he was an atheist. His story is so interest-
ing that some of it should be told now. His change of
heart was dramatic, convincing, and moving.

What If the Newcomer Doesn't Believe?

Chapter 4 - We Agnostics

Page 46, paragraph 1, lines 3-end of paragraph

with the thought that faith and dependence upon a
Power beyond ourselves was somewhat weak, even
cowardly. We looked upon this world of warring
individuals, warring theological systems, and inexpli-
cable calamity, with deep skepticism. We looked
askance at many individuals who claimed to be godly.
How could a Supreme Being have anything to do with
it all? And who could comprehend a Supreme Being
anyhow? Yet, in other moments, we found ourselves
thinking, when enchanted by a starlit night, “Who,
then, made all this?’’ There was a feeling of awe and
wonder, but it was fleeting and soon lost.

Yes, we of agnostic temperament have had these
thoughts and experiences. Let us make haste to reas-
sure you. We found that as soon as we were able to
lay aside prejudice and express even a willingness to
believe in a Power greater than ourselves, we com-
menced to get results, even though it was impossible
for any of us to fully define or comprehend that
Power, which is God.

Much to our relief, we discovered we did not need
to consider another’s conception of God. Our own
conception, however inadequate, was sufficient to
make the approach and to effect a contact with Him.
As soon as we admitted the possible existence of a
Creative Intelligence, a Spirit of the Universe under-
lying the totality of things, we began to be possessed
of a new sense of power and direction, provided we
took other simple steps. We found that God does not
make too hard terms with those who seek Him. To us,
the Realm of Spirit is broad, roomy, all inclusive; never
exclusive or forbidding to those who earnestly seek.
It is open, we believe, to all men.

STEP 2 QUESTION: Do I now believe, or am I even willing to believe, that there is a Power greater than myself?