Hi Beno
yes.. I think you observed correctly that the various social 'devices' which give us a sense of adequacy and security tend to blurr any sense of need for divine help. Fortunately, knowing God is not about that. Less mature Christians often TURN it into such a thing, but they are babes, and this is understandable. Knowing God is an act of covenant relationship, of privilege and obedience and a sense of 'shalom' which is much more than just 'my' peace of mind etc along with all the other 'my's that u stated. Shalom is a wholeness of being, not just the absence of outward threat or pressure, but also of inward tranquility in the knowledge of being connected to the greatness and holiness of God thru on-going repentance and forgiveness thru Christ.
Did u read the chapter I offered you ?

BOAZ_David
It seems that god makes you very happy through… “inward tranquility in the knowledge of being connected to the greatness and holiness of God thru on-going repentance and forgiveness thru Christ”. I do not wish to convert you to no-belief. I only wish to state my peace and say that non-believes are not all that different to you. We get up, go to work, pay the bills, support our families and do the best we can. We just happen to believe deep down that all “revealed religions” are absolutely nothing more then “inventions of the mind”. As Susan Greenfield says… “I hope it's not offensive that we question religion, for example. I try to sit on the fence and say if someone has a religious experience, it can be matched by a change in a certain part of the brain, so how do you know if it comes from there or planet Zog?”…

http://www.fortunecity.com/emachines/e11/86/duncan1.html

The chapter is a lovely fairytale as is the bible. It’s not as though I haven’t read this kind of thing before. It does seem a little quaint that people take it so literally though. No doubt your relationship with your god is far my well defined and selfless then the one presented in the hank analogy…

http://www.jhuger.com/kisshank.mv

But to me it all reads as the same.
Just some more thoughts

Beno, I had a read of your links.
U didn't tell me if u read the one I gave you from Pauls letter to the Corinthians.

BOAZ_David
Yes. I can see why so many find comfort in the thought that they have a soul and that while the...”body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable”... It is truly a lovely thought and a lovely fairytale. Unfortunately my mother is not in heaven nor is she in hell. She has ceased to exist altogether just like every other generation of living thing before her. I have no problem with this, nor does my father and nor did his father – who, on his deathbed was also and atheist. But go on believing BOAZ_David for it makes you happy and there is nothing wrong with that!
Beno

Beno
Life and death are but two faces of your eternal, ever changing existence, however, feel and appreciate the joy of your own being. Many live into their nineties without ever appreciating to that extent the beauty of their being.

You have lived before, and will again, and your new life, in your terms, springs out of the old, and is growing in the old and contained within it as the seed is already contained within the flower.

The YOU that you consider yourself to be is NEVER annihilated. Your consciousness is NOT snuffed out, nor is it swallowed. You are expanding your psychic structure and becoming what your soul is
Rest assures that death is another beginning. A death is just a night to your soul.

The integrity of the self and the soul exists beyond the possibility of annihilation, as you yourself will continue to exist regardless of which path you choose to take - dying after 30 years, or living physically on for many more.

In other words, you will continue to exist and to be fulfilled within that love you sensed.

Beno
the important point I was trying to make in that chapter, was of the connection of the gospel to the historical/real death and RESurrection of Christ. Paul knew it, experienced the risen Lord, his life was turned around 180deg, and he is explaining in very unmistakable terms that if this is not true, then obviously we are to be 'pitied' as deluded wierdo's, people who believe something, suffer for it, while all along KNOWing it isn't true. In his case, he was stoned and experienced numerous sufferings. Would 'you' do that KNOWing that it was all because of a lie ? Most people who suffer for a lie, at least sincerely believe it to be true, does Pauls testimony sound like that ? Please Read the following, to see on what Pauls writing in Corinthians (which u previously read) is based on.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=51&chapter=9&version=31

MWT You are referring of course to the idea of re-incarnation. I draw your attention also to the fact that Jesus Christ is the judge of the living and the dead, and urge you to consider your own position before him both now, and on that day when u meet Him after physical death