Coming to Christianity even though it doesn't make sense?

[oobi]

I've been an avowed atheist for years. Lately I've felt drawn to Christianity, even though it still doesn't make sense to me. I do wonder if part of it is a longing for community, and if I lived in, say, a predominantly Hindu country, would I be drawn to Hinduism? Maybe there is a God, but it manifests itself in different ways in different parts of the world. Has anyone ever felt drawn to a belief that didn't make sense to you? What was the outcome?

 

[UnionJack]

well lets begin with what do you think does not make sense about it?

 

[Insubres]

Most of Christianity makes no sense to me at all, but you have to be willing to get past the externals. Some denominations say you have to believe this or do that, to be saved, they make it complicated. But I realized one day no amount of saying the right prayers the right way makes a difference. There will never come a time from saying just enough Rosaries or Akathists or whatever will suddenly make a difference, or ascribing to the right beliefs will work. That is no different than believing in magical formulae.

But if your heart is converted to love, that is enough. Follow Jesus' two commandments. Love God and your neighbor. Jesus says those who do what he commands are his brothers, sisters, his mother; they are his family. He dwells in them. Everything else may be difficult, make no sense or even seem offensive to reason but those commandments, they are reasonable, they are blameless, they are edifying and enough to begin with. If you follow just those two you will do no evil and produce good fruit that is the mark of people of God. And there is nothing to be lost from following them - even if turned out there was no God your life would be exemplary and worth having lived the way you did according to any benevolent worldview I can think of.

 

[oobi]

Where to start? None of it makes sense. God punishing all mankind for the "sin" of Adam and Eve. All the Biblical atrocities committed by God (flood, plagues, etc.). The various contradictions in the Bible. Jesus, who is really God in human form, being a sort of human sacrifice for the "sins" of mankind. I could go on and on. I think my mind is trying to fill a "god sized hole" with a God who doesn't make sense.

 

[talitha]

This brings some scriptures to mind:

1 Corinthians 1:20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

This could be read as a word to you in this season:

Isaiah 55:6 Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. 8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. 9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts. 10 "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; 11 So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. 12 "For you will go out with joy And be led forth with peace; The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, And all the trees of the field will clap their hands. 13 "Instead of the thorn bush the cypress will come up, And instead of the nettle the myrtle will come up, And it will be a memorial to the LORD, For an everlasting sign which will not be cut off."

 

[ebia]

I've been an avowed atheist for years. Lately I've felt drawn to Christianity, even though it still doesn't make sense to me. I do wonder if part of it is a longing for community, and if I lived in, say, a predominantly Hindu country, would I be drawn to Hinduism? Maybe there is a God, but it manifests itself in different ways in different parts of the world. Has anyone ever felt drawn to a belief that didn't make sense to you? What was the outcome?

Maybe you're working from wrongly applying "making sense" to only one sort of thinking - logical construction of theoretical models - when "in your bones" you know that there are other ways of knowing such as love, appreciation of beauty, vocation,...

That's not to say that rational thinking isn't important, but we live in a (highly a-typical) culture that has tried to pretend its the only the thing that is important.

Ultimately Christianity is about relationships - relationships between individuals, between communities, between people and the rest of creation, between any of those and God. (And, in the idea of trinity, relationship at the heart of God himself). So we should expect relational ways of knowing to be at least as relevant to assessing Christianity as any other way of knowing if not more so.

 

[ripple the car]

i remember feeling pulled towards Christian faith, even though i couldn't understand how Jesus could be both God and human, how there could only be One Way to God, the theology of the cross, or the concept of original sin. there was something about Jesus and Christian faith and prayers whch kept tugging, even though i found other belief systems more understandable and intellectually appealing.

eventually, i asked God what was true about Jesus. notwithstanding what Christians believed or what the Bible said- i wanted to know if this was right from God's perspective. and remarkably, though i never in a millions years would have guessed or wanted to be a Christian, that is what i am today. it feels like i've crossed a river, and am safely on the other side now. i am thankful daily, and i only "got it" when i realized that i couldn't get it, and asked God to help.

 

[Jpark]

Never mind.

 

[drich0150]

Has anyone ever felt drawn to a belief that didn't make sense to you? What was the outcome?

Yes, and I graduated anyways

 

[oobi]

Thanks for the replies. You've all given me much to think about.

 

[oobi]

Gracia, did you ever worry about your mental health? I mean no offense to anyone, but this "pull" has me questioning mine.

There's a verse in one of my favorite songs:

It's the middle of the night
near the Indiana line
I'm pulling in a Christian station.
The signal's crystal clear
but I cannot really hear
what he says about the revelation.
I am wretched, I am tired
but the preacher is on fire
and I wish I could believe...

 

[drich0150]

respectfully, the reason it doesn't make sense to you now, and subsequently the reason your are questioning your mental health is because you have been taught, conditioned, indoctrinated to "think" that way.

If you were taught to think one race of people were pure evil or less human than another, and you personally found that they were not. you would either have to question all that you have been told to be true, or question your own perception.

Seemingly since you hold the institution or the idea of "higher learning" is such esteem, it is simply easier to question your own reasoning ability, rather than admit that what you are experiencing is legitimately happening.

Just for a moment ask yourself, What if what you have been taught to believe is in error, and that your "pull" is just the beginning of something greater? What if there was a God, and what if this is your opportunity to find out if what you have been "told" is in fact true?

Would you pass up an opportunity to find out what you have been told is true, or will you fall back in line and think as you are told?

 

[brinny]

I've been an avowed atheist for years. Lately I've felt drawn to Christianity, even though it still doesn't make sense to me. I do wonder if part of it is a longing for community, and if I lived in, say, a predominantly Hindu country, would I be drawn to Hinduism? Maybe there is a God, but it manifests itself in different ways in different parts of the world. Has anyone ever felt drawn to a belief that didn't make sense to you? What was the outcome?

You DO realize there's a difference in being drawn to "Christianity" and being drawn to the living God, do you not?