I already understand that, from where I am posting this, the majority of responses that I will read are out to prove, or acknowledge the existence of God. Personally, I'd love for God to exist. I really don't want to lose the people I love and cease to exist when I die. However, no matter how much I want this to be true, there are just so many things that don't line up. As a result of these conflicting feelings, I consider myself agnostic, and wanted to come here to see why so many people follow the teachings of this religion, and maybe even find a reason to get behind it. Below, I'm just going to outline a few of my concerns and maybe I can get some answers.
This following point is probably my biggest concern. I'm sixteen years old, and never in my entire life have I ever gotten a sign of Gods existence. Now I know some people would like to argue that the Bible should be considered a sign, but I don't consider it one at all. With thousands of religions out there, and with a large percentage of them containing some sort of scripture, arguing that text is a sign of that religions validity is absurd. I mean, if every religion argues that their scripture is proof, then where does that leave me? It puts me right back at step one, with no direction at all. This leads me to another point I can't wrap my head around: if God won't give me sign of his existence, but will also punish me for not choosing the right religion, do I really want to follow God anyway? I can't help but feel that it's extremely unfair that I am given so many choices, but that I am also punished for not choosing the right one. Assuming that God does exist, I almost feel that if he's going to damn me for eternity because I couldn't blindly choose the right religion that I guess I belong in Hell. I mean I'm a considerate, kind, loving person that would make sacrifices for anyone in a heartbeat, but I'm still damned for eternity because I'm not the best at blindly ciphering which faith to follow? I guess Hell is where those nice people belong then.
A few smaller questions I have is, what is the point in the existence of our universe if we are the only life in it? Why do we need food to live? Why do we get sick? Why do people all over the world suffer? I have many, many more questions, but I could spend days asking them, so I guess I'll just put this out there and see if anyone has anything to say.
Thanks in advance,
Jared
It looks like nobody has actually answered it yet. I actually gave my life when I was 15, and it was only because I felt the actual presence of God, but that's not where we're going. To answer the big question.
God does NOT send people to Hell. To Him, we are all His lost children, and He is frantically searching for us. Can you imagine losing your little girl? You'd do everything to be reunited with her! And the joy that would come when you were! That is us. We are the little girl that is lost, and He is the father searching everywhere. He wants us so badly to be with Him, but He can't force us. He has given us a choice.
To explain the statement that He doesn't send people to Hell. Picture a road. Now this road is the road to be with God. This is His road, and He's watching over it. You are born and grow up, and you don't ever decide to follow Jesus. You're not on this road of His, but on a separate path. The path you are on doesn't lead to Heaven, but it leads to Hell. God wants you so badly to come to Him, but in a metaphorical sense, "He can't see you," because you're not on His road. You're not on the ONLY road leading to Heaven and to be with God. He isn't sending you anywhere. He doesn't send you to Heaven. You have the free will to decide what road you are going to be walking down, and if you happen to die and you weren't on that road of His. God's road. Then He won't be there to protect you from Satan taking you to Hell.
Satan, the Devil, the Enemy, whatever you would like to call him. He is after you. He hates all of God's creation for what God did to him. That is why he tempted Adam and Eve to sin. (I don't believe the world is 6,000 years old, nor do I believe that they were the first humans, as if you read in Genesis 4, you would know they were NOT, but that's for another time) Pain, suffering, death? That is all Satan's work to hurt God, because with every death, God cries out at the loss of a child. With the fall of Adam and Eve, the curse was brought upon us. Spiritual death, that is Heaven or Hell. If we are not following Jesus, then Satan can steal us away because God isn't there to protect us. God can only protect the ones that decided to come into His territory.
Did I describe it well enough for you? I tried my best, it's harder to put my thoughts together on a computer haha
Now to go on about the rules. Rules, rules, rules. Get rid of them. Don't listen to them. yet, anyways. Religion is about following rules, but Christianity isn't meant to be a religion, but a Way. The Way is what it was called. We are to accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. That is to say we accept He died for us and paid for our sins, now He is our Lord. He is our teacher. We are to follow Him. He says to above all else, love. When you love, then everything will follow. So don't focus on the rules, but focus on Jesus. When you do, eventually you will want to follow them, because it will make you happy to grow closer to God!
Now I just turned 17 last month. I've been a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ, for a year and a half now. If you want anything more explained, you can pm me. So anything I didn't make clear, or anything else you want to know, and I will try to answer it to the best of my ability! God bless!
