Struggling with my faith

[The Exodus]

Hey all.

I don't know if it's my current mood, or if it's a lot of things that have built up over time, but currently I am struggling with my faith, mainly with the Bible being the inspired, inerrant word of God.

I just can't understand how the Bible can be true, if it really preaches some of the things it preaches. I don't want to sound blasphemous, and no doubt some of you will just tell me to submit to God and be silent, but honestly, I doubt very much the legitimacy of the Bible.

First, it is such a complicated book. If every man was left to his own to read it, everyone would form a different understanding of who God is. How can this be? Why is "the word of God" so complex, so difficult to understand? Why does God care to reveal himself in a book? Many people in the world can't even read...

I find it so very, very hard to accept that those people who haven't heard of Christ are damned to Hell... I also have a hard time accepting that man "deserves" Hell, simply by being born. If the Bible is God's infallible word, why do we all disagree on what it means? And why do we not want to accept some of the things it says - namely things that we don't like?

When I step outside the Bible, and do not take it as authoritative to begin with, I see many things that I would not consider "moral". I feel almost blasphemous saying this, but I would be lying to myself if I said otherwise. When I ask: "Should people go to Hell just because they don't believe in the Bible?" I am almost repulsed that I even consider the answer to be yes.

Think how many religious books there are out there, how many prophets and "gods" there are... If I was born Muslim, I'd be a Muslim... If I was born in India, I'd be a Hindu, etc. We are all products of our environment in terms of religion.

*sigh* I don't know. It just doesn't seem right to me, to venerate a book... something written by man, that can't be fully understood or agreed upon by even most brilliant men in history. And what does that mean for the common man? Then there are things which just seem completely irrelevant to life... things like the doctrine of the Trinity; the "divine attribute of God"; the book of revelation. How does this have anything to do with God? How will these things better our lives in any way, or make us better people? Why are we to read and believe another's understanding of God? If there is a God, won't he reveal himself to us each individually?

Thanks for your time

 

[OrthodoxyUSA]

There's nothing wrong with you, your just Orthodox Christian and you don't know it yet.

Forgive me....

 

[The Exodus]

There's nothing wrong with you, your just Orthodox Christian and you don't know it yet.

Forgive me....

No offense at all, but even your signature highlights my point.

Don't you think it's a little weird/silly to think that because someone denies what your interpretation of "the eucharist" that they may be eternally damned in Hell, the most miserable place imaginable?

 

[OrthodoxyUSA]

No offense at all, but even your signature highlights my point.

Don't you think it's a little weird/silly to think that because someone denies what your interpretation of "the eucharist" that they may be eternally damned in Hell, the most miserable place imaginable?

You miss the point of the apophatic argument.

The Church uses apophatic statements.

And It doesn't mean you're damned at all...

Forgive me...

 

[Rhamiel]

from my understanding, that sig for OrthodoxyUSA should not be taken too literally
it is ment to emphasise the importance of Jesus in the Eucharist
I kinda have to agree with OrthoUSA, the problems you have with the Bible being too complex, only is a problem if each person is expected to form doctrine from the Bible, so only Sola Scripture Christians have this problem
I trust the Church to form doctrine

 

[OrthodoxyUSA]

My sig is meant to start conversations... See?

Forgive me...

 

[OrthodoxyUSA]

Before losing faith altogether I hope that you will take the time to look at Christianity from the Apostolic perspective.

I recommend finding a nice Priest (someone you like and trust) and enrolling in a catechumenate as an inquirer. You'll be amazed at what you will learn.

Forgive me...

 

[JacktheCatholic]

Hey all.

I don't know if it's my current mood, or if it's a lot of things that have built up over time, but currently I am struggling with my faith, mainly with the Bible being the inspired, inerrant word of God.

I just can't understand how the Bible can be true, if it really preaches some of the things it preaches. I don't want to sound blasphemous, and no doubt some of you will just tell me to submit to God and be silent, but honestly, I doubt very much the legitimacy of the Bible.

First, it is such a complicated book. If every man was left to his own to read it, everyone would form a different understanding of who God is. How can this be? Why is "the word of God" so complex, so difficult to understand? Why does God care to reveal himself in a book? Many people in the world can't even read...

I find it so very, very hard to accept that those people who haven't heard of Christ are damned to Hell... I also have a hard time accepting that man "deserves" Hell, simply by being born. If the Bible is God's infallible word, why do we all disagree on what it means? And why do we not want to accept some of the things it says - namely things that we don't like?

When I step outside the Bible, and do not take it as authoritative to begin with, I see many things that I would not consider "moral". I feel almost blasphemous saying this, but I would be lying to myself if I said otherwise. When I ask: "Should people go to Hell just because they don't believe in the Bible?" I am almost repulsed that I even consider the answer to be yes.

Think how many religious books there are out there, how many prophets and "gods" there are... If I was born Muslim, I'd be a Muslim... If I was born in India, I'd be a Hindu, etc. We are all products of our environment in terms of religion.

*sigh* I don't know. It just doesn't seem right to me, to venerate a book... something written by man, that can't be fully understood or agreed upon by even most brilliant men in history. And what does that mean for the common man? Then there are things which just seem completely irrelevant to life... things like the doctrine of the Trinity; the "divine attribute of God"; the book of revelation. How does this have anything to do with God? How will these things better our lives in any way, or make us better people? Why are we to read and believe another's understanding of God? If there is a God, won't he reveal himself to us each individually?

Thanks for your time

So you are seeking a theology?

Do you have one already?

If so is it through a particular church or self taught?

 

[The Exodus]

from my understanding, that sig for OrthodoxyUSA should not be taken too literally
it is ment to emphasise the importance of Jesus in the Eucharist
I kinda have to agree with OrthoUSA, the problems you have with the Bible being too complex, only is a problem if each person is expected to form doctrine from the Bible, so only Sola Scripture Christians have this problem
I trust the Church to form doctrine

Rhamiel, first, let me say I have read a lot of posts by you and it's always enlightening to read what you write. Now, I'm going to disagree with you, but I say this with all humility. I find the Roman Catholic Church to be full of just as much injustice and falsity as some parts of the Bible.

For example... "Mortal" sins, which require confession to a priest and rote recitation of prayers, or one is damned to Hell; the infallibility of the Pope, which was decided by vote by a Church that was before hand, apparently fallible; the intercession of Mary and the Saints (does not God care for us more than any Saint? Is he not strong enough to deliver us without us appealing to Mary? If he is strong enough, then does he not care?); infant baptism "cleansing" babies of original sin; indulgences which remit temporal punishments (since Catholicism teaches there is temporal punishment for sins as well as eternal); the opposition of Church and State; the overall tyrannous attitude and it's sacerdotalism of the Church...

All these points make it nigh impossible for me to believe it as the one true church of God. Believe me, I wish, sincerely wish, that I could accept the RCC as legit with a good conscience. But I simply cannot. I would, as Tom Paine said, "have to make a harlot of my soul".

I ask you this question Rhamiel. Is there anything the Church does that you do not totally agree with, on a good conscience? If so, why would God want you do submit to something you morally disagree with, or something which you feel contradicts reason?

Wouldn't it be sin to go against your conscience?

 

[JacktheCatholic]

Exodus why did you choose to post your struggling with faith post in Theology?

 

[The Exodus]

So you are seeking a theology?

Do you have one already?

If so is it through a particular church or self taught?

Hey Jack.

I don't really know what I'm looking for. At this point I am fairly agnostic concerning a lot of "religious" things. Theology doesn't seem to be a sufficient answer for me. After all... everyone has a different theology - men much more brilliant than me, who've studied scripture much more diligently. Who am I to disagree?

But how in the world is Theology even relevant to real life? If there is a God, do you honestly think he cares about your understanding of "the trinity?" That seems rather silly and superfluous to me - and I say that very humbly.

Churches, I find, preach about things they read in a book... a book which nearly every other church in the planet has a different take on. And I can see why. The Bible is extremely complex, and full of many things, if they aren't errors, surely do look like errors to the honest, critical eye.

 

[The Exodus]

Exodus why did you choose to post your struggling with faith post in Theology?

Because the main reason I am struggling with my faith is because I'm struggling with believeing in the value of Theology in general.

 

[Rick Otto]

Yo, Ex...
I grew up RC & I agree with you.
Rhami is a great guy, but what is "too literaly" when we're talkin' about such high stakes? I think Latin can tend to promote taking license with language, lol. I use to help my big brother study it back in the '60s.

Ex, I think you're right to be sensitive to your conscience. I think The Holy Spirit works thru that & our intuition.

You got my sympathy. I know how ya feel.
My advice is not to sweat the constellation of variables, but give youraelf time to sort things out, allowing some things to remain on "hold" status awaiting more information.

I think the two greatest commandments make this one a pretty good one.

 

[Rick Otto]

Because the main reason I am struggling with my faith is because I'm struggling with believeing in the value of Theology in general.

I find it can help seperate spirituality from religiosity.

 

[JacktheCatholic]

Hey Jack.

I don't really know what I'm looking for. At this point I am fairly agnostic concerning a lot of "religious" things. Theology doesn't seem to be a sufficient answer for me. After all... everyone has a different theology - men much more brilliant than me, who've studied scripture much more diligently. Who am I to disagree?

But how in the world is Theology even relevant to real life? If there is a God, do you honestly think he cares about your understanding of "the trinity?" That seems rather silly and superfluous to me - and I say that very humbly.

Churches, I find, preach about things they read in a book... a book which nearly every other church in the planet has a different take on. And I can see why. The Bible is extremely complex, and full of many things, if they aren't errors, surely do look like errors to the honest, critical eye.

Exodus,

You must know that Theology is a Christian area and the site has a statement of faith that embraces the Trinity.

If you are going to post in Theology then you should know this.

If you wish to discuss theologies and try to find something that makes sense or if you have a theology you wish to share then please do.

But as to yours and mine and anyone's relationship with God it is really a personal thing. People go through life rarely ending out where they think. I used to be agnostic and now I am very much into living for God.

If you think you are in the wrong area I can have your thread moved. If you think it is in the correct area then please be aware of site guidelines and have a good time. Let me know if I can help.


Jack

 

[Thekla]

The term "theologian" in some Churches means roughly one who prays effectively; theology is a description of the experience of God. It is not, in this sense, our intellectual speculation based on the words of the text, but the experience of relationship with the living God which illumines the Bible, the way we see our neighbor, our self, and all things.

 

[chestertonrules]

Hey all.

I don't know if it's my current mood, or if it's a lot of things that have built up over time, but currently I am struggling with my faith, mainly with the Bible being the inspired, inerrant word of God.

I just can't understand how the Bible can be true, if it really preaches some of the things it preaches. I don't want to sound blasphemous, and no doubt some of you will just tell me to submit to God and be silent, but honestly, I doubt very much the legitimacy of the Bible.

First, it is such a complicated book. If every man was left to his own to read it, everyone would form a different understanding of who God is. How can this be? Why is "the word of God" so complex, so difficult to understand? Why does God care to reveal himself in a book? Many people in the world can't even read...

I find it so very, very hard to accept that those people who haven't heard of Christ are damned to Hell... I also have a hard time accepting that man "deserves" Hell, simply by being born. If the Bible is God's infallible word, why do we all disagree on what it means? And why do we not want to accept some of the things it says - namely things that we don't like?

When I step outside the Bible, and do not take it as authoritative to begin with, I see many things that I would not consider "moral". I feel almost blasphemous saying this, but I would be lying to myself if I said otherwise. When I ask: "Should people go to Hell just because they don't believe in the Bible?" I am almost repulsed that I even consider the answer to be yes.

Think how many religious books there are out there, how many prophets and "gods" there are... If I was born Muslim, I'd be a Muslim... If I was born in India, I'd be a Hindu, etc. We are all products of our environment in terms of religion.

*sigh* I don't know. It just doesn't seem right to me, to venerate a book... something written by man, that can't be fully understood or agreed upon by even most brilliant men in history. And what does that mean for the common man? Then there are things which just seem completely irrelevant to life... things like the doctrine of the Trinity; the "divine attribute of God"; the book of revelation. How does this have anything to do with God? How will these things better our lives in any way, or make us better people? Why are we to read and believe another's understanding of God? If there is a God, won't he reveal himself to us each individually?

Thanks for your time

Jesus never wrote a word, but he did start a Church.

 

[Rick Otto]

I think you can get a "Christian Seeker" icon - a cross with a magnifying glass if I'm not mistaken.
I think Doubting Christian Theology is a good topic for this forum.
There's a personal dimension to that, but it isn't just a personal experience. We live in a culture that is inherently hostile if subtly, and promotes doubt.
A man without conviction is easier to control.

 

[JacktheCatholic]

I think you can get a "Christian Seeker" icon - a cross with a magnifying glass if I'm not mistaken.
I think Doubting Christian Theology is a good topic for this forum.
There's a personal dimension to that, but it isn't just a personal experience. We live in a culture that is inherently hostile if subtly, and promotes doubt.
A man without conviction is easier to control.

Good point about conviction.

I know i had no real purpose in life and did not know why I was here until I had established a relationship with God. Now I have a conviction and it is a purpose for my life and a good purpose too. A lot can be said about this.

 

[Rhamiel]

Exodus

I ask you this question Rhamiel. Is there anything the Church does that you do not totally agree with, on a good conscience? If so, why would God want you do submit to something you morally disagree with, or something which you feel contradicts reason?

Wouldn't it be sin to go against your conscience?

there are things that I do not fully understand, and there are things that I do not like
but I trust the Church over my own judgment

even if you start to doubt the authority of the Bible, and I hope you do not, it is the word of God and He gave it to us
but if you do, please to not doubt Jesus, He loves you so much