inane 'prophetic' dreams which don't predict the return of jesus

[spyd_a]

when i was about 16 i started having a dream nearly every night that would come true the next day. sometimes i would tell my friends as soon as i woke up and other times i wouldn't, and either way it would come true. it was always really inane stuff: i would dream of a specific song, wake up, put my ipod (with over 1000 songs) on and it would be the first to play. i had premonitions of exact conversations, who would say what, and where i would be standing. i once dreamt of a friend i hadn't seen for 7 years and i bumped into her the next day. it was always really petty stuff, but one day i got really freaked out and decided i didn't want them anymore, and i haven't had one since (it went on for about 6 months). i have a few questions: 1. would you describe these as prophetic dreams? (even though they were on unimportant matters). 2. does anyone have any theories on how they can occur, especially theories compatible with atheism? 3. does anyone know a way to encourage them, because before i didn't record them (so i can only remember the odd example, although it happened hundreds of times). i'd be interested to get them again, i just don't know how, but surely it's possible as i seem to have made them stop. thanks!

[spyd_a]

holydiver, are you a christian?

[Toadstool]

Creationism is a foolish ideology, it assumes humanity to be some great species where God personally put in a position of greatness when in fact we are not. I'm a nihilist and I believe we are no greater than any other species and humanity and life has no meaning, the human mind has a great desire to make order from chaos believing the universe is so greatly designed. But life is fascist in a way, it loves to throw millions to their deaths for the sake of the extreme few, take sperm for a perfect example. It's the same with evolution, millions of dead ends throughout history and only a few successes. At the moment mammals are a success but that won't always be true.

We aren't a supreme species, just a dominant one. Bacteria could wipe us out with one rather malevolent mutation, remember the Black Death. Jesus isn't coming to save us either as if he will ever return it will be after great destruction and battle where believers and non-believers alike suffer immensely (fundamentalists forget there is absolutely no information in the Bible of a 'rapture' which would save them.) So all you guys praying day in day out for Jesus to come back need to go back to their Bible studies.

Myself, I think the world will continue after humanity is gone, a rock in space which will give way for new life for many millions of years to come. Though when I die, it ends in oblivion and darkness; any heaven and hell is nothing but inner peace or internal conflict.

[spyd_a]

hi toadstool. my general views are pretty similar to yours. my initial question was if our beliefs are correct, how can i have had dreams that predict the future? i think life is meaningless and lacks purpose, yet my dreams suggest some sort of determinism. basically, i was wondering if anyone had any alternative answers as to the origin of prophetic dreams that do not necessitate god.

[Toadstool]

I never said the future can't already be pre-determined, I just said there is no fate or destiny. They are both such ego-centric notions. Im not saying you can't predict the future either, but if you can I doubt it's as mystical a reason as one would believe, i.e being more attuned to reality and it's consequences.

[spyd_a]

yes, i agree with you toadstool. everyone on these boards seems to think prophetic dreams come from god, and i think you're completely right that the reason for them could not be mystical. what's laying a mind-f on me is that i can't really think of a reason for them that does not involve fate (incidently, how is 'determinism' different to 'fate' for you?). for me it's just such a mystery, it might almost be easier to believe in god so i have an explanation!