Questions from a former Christian, now Agnostic

[Caoimhe]

I was a Christian for more than 14 years of my life but am no longer convinced of my own beliefs and the church teachings. Although I had been faithful to God for many years, I was not always satisfied with believing in something that lacked tangible proof or substantial evidence to show how he is undeniably real. This is why I have recently decided to become Agnostic and explore some of the Christian doctrines with a keen, skeptical eye.

Aside from the Bible, how can I truly know that God exists or that he is good, even? How is the Christian story different from the story of the leprechauns, the tooth fairy or Santa Claus? And why does the Christian God appear to be full of paradoxes and contradictions? Why is he unresponsive to the call of humanity by deliberately making himself invisible, unapproachable, and purely spiritual? After all, if his original intent was to commune with the people he created how is it that none of us ever see him, hear him, or speak to him directly? If his purpose is to glorify himself while saving people from their sins, why is he reluctant to reveal himself? By revealing himself, I think he'd be able to save more people and strengthen their beliefs.

I don't know... A part of me wishes, longs to believe that there is God, the God of my youth, the one I learned about the most over the years. But there is no proof, not the kind that is accepted in the scientific community anyway, that God isn't just a mythical character from a collection of stories. Apart from one's "visions" or dreams, which are all subjective in nature, Christians cannot seem to prove the existence of God.

So why should I believe or continue to believe?

 

[Bl00dBought]

If God just showed himself to everyone who asked, than there would be no reason not to believe. We would love robotic and effortlessly.

But this should not keep you from believing, for this is a race. And if you endure to the end, then you will get what you desire, too see Him in his glory.

To hold on, to have faith and believe, to run with all endurance to get the prize, knowing that at the end you are going to get what your are hoping for.

This is true beauty; that one might fight and lay down his life for love, for faith is not faith if you use your eyes. He wants your heart not your head.

Friend, no matter how much you fight it, you are not going to find what you are looking for in this world. You are a pilgrim, passing through. Your passing through this "town" to get to your true home "town". Though you can't see this town right now, if you keep walking on the path you will get there.

 

[From Glory to Glory]

Blessings to you!

Great questions! I would recommend reading The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel, and Evidence that Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell. Both of these authors were athiests and had similar doubts and questions as you have and decided to do some heavy research and study. They both found some very convincing evidence for God and for the Jesus of the Bible. There is much evidence out there, and not just from the Bible, that is very compelling.

Praying for peace for you,

Pam

 

[JohnDB]

God is good. God is sooo good that He is holy of the holy of the holy.
Holyness is not something that is passive either. While it actually allows freedom of movement it is active in acting upon error when it arises. Because we are capable and have many errors/mistakes the holiness of God would instantly destroy us were we to come fully into God's presence.

In order to overcome this instantaneous destruction God has been kind enough to do all sorts of things to communicate to us what He wishes from us and for us instead of showing up personally.
Because He created this planet and universe He does know the laws by which they operate in. He created the "natural laws" by which scientists now study regularly and everything operates within.
A Godly whisper is so loud that it seems that He is shouting to us.
But because God is good He speaks to us in ways that often go dismissed by those that want to ignore God. They would rather seek after momentary pleasures and comforts instead of long term good things...which often means doing things someone else's way. They love to show how "their not hurting anyone but themselves if even that" but...in reality they are by their example.

 

[PrayingWithFire]

Is there a God? There must be, or else you would not be able to ask the question. For you are an intelligent person. You have not always existed, therefore, something caused you to exist. The ultimate cause of your existence must be intelligent, because you are intelligent, and the relationship between cause and effect is that the effect cannot be greater than the cause. Since you are intelligent, that which is the ultimate cause of your existence must also be intelligent. You are a person, therefore, the ultimate cause of your existence must also be a personal being. As we examine the attributes of such a being that is the ultimate cause of everything else, the description begins to sound very much like the being we call God and find in the Bible.

Is God good? That you are even asking that question would seem to indicate that God must be good. For it is a meaningful question. That is, it presupposes that there is a real difference between good and evil. But if there were no God, there would be no real difference between good and evil. There would be no basis for a moral point of view; good and evil would simply be a matter of subjectivity, not an objective standard. So, if there really is a difference between good and evil, then there must be a being greater than us who is the standard of what is good. That being is what we call "God." If there is no God, there is no good (no basis for good); if there is no good, there is no God. If there is objective good, then there must be God, and He must be good.

 

[secondtimearound]

Dr. Gary R. Habermas - Online Resource for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ go into his video and audio section and listen to his road to regaining his faith. He was sceptical just like yourself and just like I was. I have an aiethest to thank for that lynk, truly we can learn something from all men of any faith. Thanks Walter.

My own personal testimony goes something like this:

I had backslid after accepting Christ as my saviour, before that I didn't believe in God but that's another story. Anywho I didn't want to pick up my cross or be one of those "religous guys" smackin people on the head with a bible. I wound up getting in some trouble and was in way over my head. My whole world came crumbling down and I found myself with nothing.

I had turned back to the Lord and felt all I had at this point was Him. I figured however I had lost my salvation because I was living my life lying and hurting people and only living for myself. It wasn't near as bad as before but I was still pretty bad.

I found myself back in my home town trying to get my head together. I realized I had hardened my own heart doing things I knew were wrong. I was unable to love anyone and unable to feel sorry for the things I had done. I decided I would try begging for His forgivness. What did I have to loose? I begged and begged for my heart to soften. I didn't want to live like that anymore. That's when it happened and my whole life changed.

My chest became overwhelmed with love, I know it sounds corny but I didn't know what love was and now I knew. I just kept saying to myself, that's what it's all about, Love is truth and God is love. It was the first time I ever felt this way.

I begged Him to give me something and remembered reading the book "A cross and a Switchblade". In there was a story about laying from fleace before the Lord, something Peter had done. So I decided I would try it, I just wanted to know if I still had my salvation. I wasn't tempting the Lord, I just earnestly asked Him if he would give my step mother a dream so I could know if I had wasted my chance. Pretty specific but I guess He knew that I was at the end of my rope.

So the funny thing was this feeling of love stayed with me for hours. I couldn't sleep the entire night. My step mother woke up at 6, her usual habit. However she felt tired and went back to sleep waking up again at 7 30. I hadn't slept all night filled with adreneline and love. Again corny maybe, but true.

She went downstairs and I told her what had happened to me. She could see a change in me, I looked happy. That's when she told me not to get scared but she had a dream about me when she went back to bed. My heart was going to explode at this point. I hadn't told her my request.

In the dream she was waking through a grave yard, it was raining heavy. She seen a leg sticking out of the grave and said she knew it was me right away. She walked over to the grave and looked down. There was parts of my body sticking out. Then the rain washed off my face and I looked asleep. That was when one of my eyes opened like I was waking up. Then both of my eyes opened and I winked at her, smiled and got out of the grave. Then she woke up. That's when I told her I asked for that, she had goosebumps. I didn't go back to bed until 11 and it took a while to be able to sleep.

Now I can be making this whole thing up. But then again I would be slapping God in the face and for a man who believes that would be somthing pretty stupid and blasphemous. I would hope I would be struck down for doing something like that and deservedly so.

I guess the whole thing is how you seek Him. Don't tempt Him, He won't listen. I don't think HE will respond to demands. Earnestly seek Him and He will show you what you need. But the catch is you have to believe in Him and my begging Him and Jesus is what seemed to have done it.

I'm not saying this would be a recipe to have this happen to you, but He will give you what you need so long as you believe. I still have doubts creep into my mind but when I think back to this experience it's not doubts anymore, but excuses to learn more. For every doubt I seal up my faith seems to double in response. I hope the same will happen for you.

Again I'm just someone typing away on a keyboard, you don't know me therefore how can you trust I'm being honest and like I said I have lied before so... I doubt my story can change your views and I don't want to do that either. What I want is for you to go down your road and learn about things as you go, it's the only way to get to the finish line. Good luck in your search and I wish you all the best.

The road of doubt is a hard one but can be a rewarding one if you find what your looking for. For every doubt I seal up, my faith is doubled. Then that doubt is replaced with a new one and I'm sent on another journey of knowledge. As for my life, it is transforming everyday. I'm slowly getting it back and a once promising career in music has opened up again, but that's another story.

 

[J0hnSm1th]

If God just showed himself to everyone who asked, than there would be no reason not to believe. We would love robotic and effortlessly.

God chose to show himself to the Israelites in Moses day. Yet many chose not to follow him. They were not robots. Similarly in the last days when Satan is released from his prison, many will be decieved into following him Even though Jesus is present (and would have been for a thousand years).

Evidence does not preclude faith. Nor does it make faith automatic.

 

[Audiomatic]

As a scientist, I can tell you that it's difficult to believe in God unless you first believe in Jesus, and it's easy to believe in Jesus. You can only be led to God through Jesus!

 

[DarylFawcett]

The existence of God as Creator can also be proved scientifically in that the Earth was created instantly.

You will probably find the following link a most interesting and informative link regarding scientific evidence of an instant creation of this planet we presently live on: Evidence for Earth's Instant Creation - Polonium Halos in Granite and Coal - Earth Science Associates

 

[ephraimanesti]

I was a Christian for more than 14 years of my life but am no longer convinced of my own beliefs and the church teachings. Although I had been faithful to God for many years, I was not always satisfied with believing in something that lacked tangible proof or substantial evidence to show how he is undeniably real. This is why I have recently decided to become Agnostic and explore some of the Christian doctrines with a keen, skeptical eye.

Aside from the Bible, how can I truly know that God exists or that he is good, even? How is the Christian story different from the story of the leprechauns, the tooth fairy or Santa Claus? And why does the Christian God appear to be full of paradoxes and contradictions? Why is he unresponsive to the call of humanity by deliberately making himself invisible, unapproachable, and purely spiritual? After all, if his original intent was to commune with the people he created how is it that none of us ever see him, hear him, or speak to him directly? If his purpose is to glorify himself while saving people from their sins, why is he reluctant to reveal himself? By revealing himself, I think he'd be able to save more people and strengthen their beliefs.

I don't know... A part of me wishes, longs to believe that there is God, the God of my youth, the one I learned about the most over the years. But there is no proof, not the kind that is accepted in the scientific community anyway, that God isn't just a mythical character from a collection of stories. Apart from one's "visions" or dreams, which are all subjective in nature, Christians cannot seem to prove the existence of God.

So why should I believe or continue to believe?

MY FRIEND,

It might be well to point out that there is no such thing as a "former Christian"--the ultimate in oxymorons. To be a Christian, one must have had a personal experience--person to person/face to face--with our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ. No one who has had this experience could/would ever think of turning away from the sweet light and retreat back into the empty darkness from which our Lord delivered him/her by His loving touch on their heart.

The most you can say is that you formerly had some superficial ideas about God and subsequently changed your mind about them. (A "de-converted" christian is a ludicrious idea!) You have yet to become a Christian, so i hope you will continue to seek that which you lack--"SEEK AND YE SHALL FIND."

A BOND-SLAVE/FRIEND/BROTHER OF OUR LORD/GOD/SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST,
ephraim

 

[wayseer]

So why should I believe or continue to believe?

You have to remember that the Christian family resides is a house with open doors - you are free to come and go as you please.

You search is valid and I encourage you to question and explore. I went through the same process.

Your honesty and integrity in your search will eventually be rewarded. There is only one person who will convenience you there is a God - and that's God.

You will, of course, cross may dry gullies. The way is often overrun with vines and thorns. The quest will test your perseverance and courage. But be of good cheer for many have undertaken the journey and have been rewarded.

Unknowingly, you have heard a deeper call - a beckoning from further out. Let those urgings be your guide. The worst thing you could do is to ignore those beckonings.

Travel safe my friend.

 

[Emmy]

Dear Caoimhe. You had some good replies, may I join? Thomas, (the doubting) did not believe that Jesus had risen, until Jesus showed him the proof of His mistreated body. You believed for years, and now you are Agnostic. Perhaps if you asked the Lord Himself to prove that He is real, I am sure Jesus would, out of love for you, give you that proof. He will see you heart, and will know how much it means to you. I say this humbly and with love. Greetings from Emmy, sister in Christ.

 

[Kid Fish]

As Catholic, turned Agnostic, then re embracing my faith I can tell you the struggles I had I continue to have- the questions over everything imaginable and how certain things could fit into the realm of reality in which faith resides- these questions remain with me. For me the answer is simple, and that is that my living as a Catholic is what brings me peace. Even though I struggle with much of what I hear or read or think, my life without God is a life with more difficulty and more stress.

I find comfort and spiritual nourishment every Sunday morning, and that understanding stays with me and gives me great comfort. You as a Christian should expect to question what you learn and you shouldn't expect to necessarily understand or agree with all the nuances, and once you realize you don't need to throw out the baby with the bath water, you will find serenity and joy in that with which you do find common ground.