faltering faith

[bhsmte]

The person posting above me is basically telling you to stop thinking for yourself. Stop thinking, and problems wont bother you because you wont think about them. (Sorry if that's an unfair characterisation).

That's no way to live a genuine life, where you care if what you believe is true or not.

As you say, people obviously do get more than they can handle. People commit suicide, are murdered, starve to death, or are killed by virus'. Clearly they couldn't cope with what was thrown at them by life.

I hope that whatever conclusion you come to, it will be based on reason, not hiding from doubt.

I agree, well said.

It is much more healthy to be honest with yourself, than to force feed a certain belief system because others say you should or you feel guilty. If something doesn't jive with you, there is a reason for this and it should not be ignored.

I simply got to a point where the Christian story couldn't be reconciled with the world we live in any longer and I couldn't keep fooling myself that it did, I just couldn't do that and feel right about it.

 

[Received]

Yeah, I found it after I wrote that and was replied to so I didn't bother to edit.

Thanks though.

No prob

 

[Achilles6129]

Also, I have never heard of a sane person actually having any deity respond to them, if that were happening I certainly wouldn't be an atheist.

So you do not consider the Apostle Paul, the Apostle Peter, etc., to be sane? Scripture is filled with people who actually did have God respond to them. God promises the Holy Spirit to you if you obey his commands, which is certainly what I'd call a response. The key is obedience to his commands; something that most people don't do.

 

[bhsmte]

So you do not consider the Apostle Paul, the Apostle Peter, etc., to be sane? Scripture is filled with people who actually did have God respond to them. God promises the Holy Spirit to you if you obey his commands, which is certainly what I'd call a response. The key is obedience to his commands; something that most people don't do.

I guess that would depend how much trust one would put in the credibility of scripture written 2000 years ago by mostly anonymous authors. The level of credibility (regarding historical accuracy) is a mixed bag at best with NT historians.

 

[Achilles6129]

I guess that would depend how much trust one would put in the credibility of scripture written 2000 years ago by mostly anonymous authors. The level of credibility (regarding historical accuracy) is a mixed bag at best with NT historians.

Well, a basic tenet of Christianity is the obtaining of the Holy Spirit, which is certainly fully experiential and which I would definitely call a response from God. So that sort of negates one of the points of this thread, doesn't it?

 

[Paradoxum]

When did I say he should stop thinking for himself?

God Bless

It seemed that way, since your reply to doubt seemed to be 'trust', rather than disproving the doubts.

I agree, well said.

It is much more healthy to be honest with yourself, than to force feed a certain belief system because others say you should or you feel guilty. If something doesn't jive with you, there is a reason for this and it should not be ignored.

I simply got to a point where the Christian story couldn't be reconciled with the world we live in any longer and I couldn't keep fooling myself that it did, I just couldn't do that and feel right about it.

 

[lost999]

I have the same questions rattle through my head that OP has all the time.

When I really look at the world, as it is, it makes me sick. I wouldn't say it is the world per se, but the people that inhabit it. I recognize that not every person is evil, but I have yet to come across a genuinely nice person in my life. From my experiences, most are selfish, and this is a great root of the world's miseries.

I don't give up on God because it is the only rational explanation for existence. Plus, it gives me reason to keep on living to a degree. My own suffering must have some type of meaning.

 

[variant]

From my experiences, most are selfish, and this is a great root of the world's miseries.

This idea plus this one:

My own suffering must have some type of meaning.

Seems like you are pretty self aware of where your faith comes from.

Admirable honesty.

 

[lost999]

This idea plus this one:



Seems like you are pretty self aware of where your faith comes from.

Admirable honesty.

My faith comes from the evidence around me. There are too many signs of God's existence. Plus, I believe that the bible gives a pretty good depiction of the flaws of humans.

As somebody who has been pretty social through most of his life I have seen so many people be betrayed by those who were thought to be friends. People seem to be there when all is well, and vanish when times are bad. There are so many other justified inferences I have made, but I'm not going to dive in too deep. As someone of low socioeconomic status, my perception may be a little skewed, but I don't think it makes what I say any less true.

When I look at the inequity on this earth it pains me a great deal too.

My previous post is to narrow for you to make baseless assertions about where my faith comes from. Your ignorance is admirable though.

 

[variant]

My previous post is to narrow for you to make baseless assertions about where my faith comes from. Your ignorance is admirable though.

You said most people were selfish in your experience and that there must be a reason for your suffering (a selfish view of the universe).

I'm not making some leap here, just observing what you wrote.

You don't think asserting that God exists because your suffering MUST have meaning is selfish?

Or, did you mean that OTHER people were selfish?

 

[lost999]

You said most people were selfish in your experience and that there must be a reason for your suffering (a selfish view of the universe).

I'm not making some leap here, just observing what you wrote.

You don't think asserting that God exists because your suffering MUST have meaning is selfish?

Or, did you mean that OTHER people were selfish?

My personal struggles hold very little weight on me knowing God exists.

The only correlation I draw between the two are the lessons God is trying to teach me through my difficulties.

 

[variant]

My personal struggles hold very little weight on me knowing God exists.

The only correlation I draw between the two are the lessons God is trying to teach me through my difficulties.

I don't mean to be insulting, I think that is how I came off.

I am merely suggesting that religion appeals to the core of peoples psychology, yourself included.

In my experience people don't come to believe because of some complex rational explanation.

 

[lost999]

I don't mean to be insulting, I think that is how I came off.

I am merely suggesting that religion appeals to the core of peoples psychology, yourself included.

In my experience people don't come to believe because of some complex rational explanation.

Maybe true to some extent. I believe that most people need God to be psychologically healthy.

That wasn't enough for me. My reasoning for God came through looking at the science.

 

[Archie the Preacher]

Sometimes, churches aren't such great places to foster faith. Not every church community is as supportive as you think, there are still people out there who gladly state that bad things will only happen to bad people, therefore, all suffering is deserved. They aren't particularly inclined to help.

What churches have you attended to treat you that way? I've been in church all my life - sixty-four years - and I've never attended such a church. I've been in one or two that had some 'catty' people. Usually those people were well known and had the reputation.

Also, I have never heard of a sane person actually having any deity respond to them...

Really? The Creator God described in the Bible talks to me all the time. Sane? In the words of Dr. Sheldon Cooper of the Big Bang Theory, "My mother had me tested!"

In addition, my work record shows me to be self-possessed and competent - at least to the norm.

Your statement is just a bit offensive, Miss Sarah.

... if that were happening I certainly wouldn't be an atheist.

I presume this translates to 'If God spoke to me...'?

Perhaps if you approached God on His terms rather than demand He meet yours?