not sure where to post this x

[princesstucker2012]

hello everyone, i really need some help. i wasnt raised in a religious family altho my parents say they do believe in god. but i never was taken to church or anything like that. when i was around 14 i made friends with a girl who became my best friend and still is now (im 24 now). she was raised in a christian household and goes to church every week without fail. she kept asking me to go with her so i started going to church every sunday, then to bible study twice a week also, i then did the alpha course and then became part of the church youth group. even though i was doing all of that i still did not believe in god or any of it, but i still wanted to go and keep learning for reasons i have no idea why nor can i explain it. when i was 16 i left school and moved away so i havent been to church since then. that was 8 years ago. but... altho i do not believe in god and jesus (i think) i just cannot get them out of my head, i think about god all the time, even if it is to question whether he is real or not. but.. why am i constantly having a battle in my head as to whether god is real or not. i think it is because i feel i need some kind of proof and the whole jesus story seems a bit farfetched to me, i mean walking on water and such... but even with all these doubts and me thinking that this cannot be real and they cannot exist, i find myself thinking about going to church and thinking about god and i do not know why i cant get him out of my head if i dont believe in him and find it so had to believe. i dont understand why i have had my bible for 10 years and still cannot bring myself to throw it out even though i do not believe any of it is true. i need some answers or some help. (im really sorry if i have offended anyone i just really want some advice) xx

 

[paul1149]

Jeremiah 29 says that you will find God when you seek Him with all your heart. To put a fine point on it, it doesn't say "head", but "heart".

However, in Acts, the people of one town, Berea, were more noble than those of another town, in that they searched everything the Apostles told them, in order to determine whether it was true. So sometimes we have intellectual questions and mental obstacles that must be satisfied before the heart is free to believe.

I would try to find out where the impediment that keeps you from surrender is, and then find a way to deal with it. That way may be an apologetics study that deals with the reasonableness of the Gospel claims, the accuracy of the Bible's historical record, and the integrity of its transmission to us. Or there may be something in the heart that needs to be laid down on the altar. In John 7.17 Jesus tells us that if we are willing to know the truth, we will know it.

Basically I would encourage you to be diligent and press in. Be patient but persistent, and believe that God will reward your sincere efforts (Heb 11.6; Mk 11.22-ff). God is there and He is not silent. He loves you with an everlasting love and wants you to resolve your doubts and come home to peace.

No offense, and I think this is the right place. If I can help further please let me know.

 

[SkepticMan1337]

hello everyone, i really need some help. i wasnt raised in a religious family altho my parents say they do believe in god. but i never was taken to church or anything like that. when i was around 14 i made friends with a girl who became my best friend and still is now (im 24 now). she was raised in a christian household and goes to church every week without fail. she kept asking me to go with her so i started going to church every sunday, then to bible study twice a week also, i then did the alpha course and then became part of the church youth group. even though i was doing all of that i still did not believe in god or any of it, but i still wanted to go and keep learning for reasons i have no idea why nor can i explain it. when i was 16 i left school and moved away so i havent been to church since then. that was 8 years ago. but... altho i do not believe in god and jesus (i think) i just cannot get them out of my head, i think about god all the time, even if it is to question whether he is real or not. but.. why am i constantly having a battle in my head as to whether god is real or not. i think it is because i feel i need some kind of proof and the whole jesus story seems a bit farfetched to me, i mean walking on water and such... but even with all these doubts and me thinking that this cannot be real and they cannot exist, i find myself thinking about going to church and thinking about god and i do not know why i cant get him out of my head if i dont believe in him and find it so had to believe. i dont understand why i have had my bible for 10 years and still cannot bring myself to throw it out even though i do not believe any of it is true. i need some answers or some help. (im really sorry if i have offended anyone i just really want some advice) xx

You have doubt for a reason. There's a voice in your head telling you there isn't something right about this. Personally, I'd listen to it. I can understand where you're coming from. I went to Catholic school for many years as well as raised in a Catholic household. It took me a while to wrap my head around that there might not actually be a God at all. I questioned, I looked for answers and I found a lot of insight that made sense for me. Personally, if you're that concerned about finding out the truth (as far as you can tell) do the research. Try to find answers from both sides and see which fits best to you.

Realistically you'll never actually know the answer to whether or not God or Jesus actually exist/existed. I think it's best to try to find answers and see where the evidence points though.

 

[servant9901]

hello everyone, i really need some help. i wasnt raised in a religious family altho my parents say they do believe in god. but i never was taken to church or anything like that. when i was around 14 i made friends with a girl who became my best friend and still is now (im 24 now). she was raised in a christian household and goes to church every week without fail. she kept asking me to go with her so i started going to church every sunday, then to bible study twice a week also, i then did the alpha course and then became part of the church youth group. even though i was doing all of that i still did not believe in god or any of it, but i still wanted to go and keep learning for reasons i have no idea why nor can i explain it. when i was 16 i left school and moved away so i havent been to church since then. that was 8 years ago. but... altho i do not believe in god and jesus (i think) i just cannot get them out of my head, i think about god all the time, even if it is to question whether he is real or not. but.. why am i constantly having a battle in my head as to whether god is real or not. i think it is because i feel i need some kind of proof and the whole jesus story seems a bit farfetched to me, i mean walking on water and such... but even with all these doubts and me thinking that this cannot be real and they cannot exist, i find myself thinking about going to church and thinking about god and i do not know why i cant get him out of my head if i dont believe in him and find it so had to believe. i dont understand why i have had my bible for 10 years and still cannot bring myself to throw it out even though i do not believe any of it is true. i need some answers or some help. (im really sorry if i have offended anyone i just really want some advice) xx

I posted a message on this thread in this forum just a min ago,it is on page 5

the title of the thread is

Should athiests be punished for not believing in God

Hope that will answer some of your questions

God bless you
Evangelist

 

[Harry3142]

PrincessTucker2012-

From a Christian perspective. I would say that your own psyche is telling you that Christianity fulfills a need in your life. Otherwise, you wouldn't be continually returning to questions concerning God and Jesus Christ. It may be due to the friendship you felt when you were with your friend 8 years ago. It might even be due to the fellowship you had with the Christians that you were with. But you experienced an environment that you enjoyed being a part of, even if you didn't believe as they did.

If its rock-solid faith that you expect all Christians to have, the reality is that most of us pray, "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." There are certain aspects of the gospel stories that we find challenging to accept, but we accept that Jesus Christ was sent to us by God, coming among us willingly. He also became the sacrifice through whom the sins of all of us are cleansed if we accept that sacrifice as personally applicable to us and our sins. What we could not do for ourselves, namely, live our lives in such a manner that they would be seen by God as righteous, God himself dealt with through his earning for us the righteousness which we could never have earned for ourselves.

 

[coreya]

I think God is telling you to come follow him. I think you might be waiting for a type of proof that most likely will never come. Some people want the burning bush to come tell them that God is real, but God rarely works that way. God wants you to have faith, even when you cant see him. But from the things you are saying, I truely think you can feel him. You are just misunderstanding that feeling as yourself making an argument with yourself.

I read a great book a little while ago that you may really like. Its called The Case of Christ. Its a great book, from a journalists perspective, that does the best job I have read at proving the existance of Jesus (and being the son of God). He travels around the country talking to experts in their field, that help prove certain parts of the bible. And he used to be an athiest.

I think the feelings you have been having are the best proof of his existance, but this book may be very beneficial to you. If you are comfortable sendng me your address in a prveate message, I will send you my used copy for free.

 

[FutureAndAHope]

Hi,

I would be happy to share with you why I believe it may help you too. Ii have had many experiences with God. And I have listed one here. Then put a link to my website that contains other experiences. I just think experience is greater than any reasoning.

One morning I got up and walked into the hall and I heard a voice that I believed was God say "How would you like to be stabbed in the Valley". The Valley was known as the rough end of town, and the voice scared me a little, I wondered if I had done something to offend God. I had planned to go down to the Valley to ask people out to church as was my habit at the time. In the end I went anyway regardless of the fear. I walked up to the first person I met and asked him if he would like to go out to church. He said to me "I am an atheist, I don't believe in God". I just said "fine", but hoped to change his mind. He then proceeded to unbutton his shirt and showed me scar marks up and down his chest and stomach. He said to me, "I was attacked by a knife wielding man in the Valley some time ago and spent months recovering in hospital, How could God allow that to happen to me". Then I knew why God had said in the morning "How would I like to be stabbed?". God understood this man, but had a good plan for him. Some weeks latter this man came out to church and became a Christian.

My other experiences can be found at Know God Personally