I want to believe in God -- but I can't.

[gwhipple]

Thank you for sharing your story. I am going through the same delema in believing in God. I want soooo badly to believe. Your story is not much different then mine. I also appreciate the informative and wise comments. I only wish i could offer help. Thank you

Gary Whipple

 

[3Cheers4Lilith]

"Question with boldness even the very existence of God. For, if there be a God, He must surely prefer honest questioning over blindfolded fear.” Thomas Jefferson

 

[Willamena]

I can't even say, "I believe" anymore.

Oh, OK.

 

[Blackdog22]

No. It takes a long time to really understand what Christianity is all about - a lifetime to understand. - only accountable for what we know.
Being told something and "knowing" it are two very different things.

So are you saying that missionaries are actually doing people harm by preaching the gospel to people? If not knowing something, gets you a free ticket to heaven, wouldn't it be better to of never of known of that something?

Also, seeing as Christianity is a religion based on faith, no one can ever really "know" that what they are following is true. So if no one can know for a fact it is true, then does that mean everyone is going to Heaven?

 

[free spirit]

The following is not meant to offend anyone's beliefs in any way:

I was raised Christian, and went to church every Sunday. Then I become an adolescent and started to questions things.


It came to the point that the only reason I always answered "Yes, of course" to the "do you believe in God?" question, was because I was terrified of punishment for not believing (whether in the afterlife or my current social standing).


But you must embrace the idea of God, not question or doubt it -- otherwise your faith is false. I grew up saying "yes" immediately to questions of my faith because I thought not hesitating or thinking about it, and answering as if it was a silly question because of course I believe in God, and that meant that I was a firm believer.

Yours is the tipical case in which you cannot see the timber for the forest. In other words you have become blind because you have abandoned your first love.
If you were a religious person you would know that God is love. Believing in love, or making love the ruler of your unfolding life is making God the Lord of your life.
Religions are only imperfect man made and often blind vehicles to take you there.
You olso must know that love is from God, therefore we must give thanks to Him.

 

[Blackdog22]

Yours is the tipical case in which you cannot see the timber for the forest. In other words you have become blind because you have abandoned your first love.
If you were a religious person you would know that God is love. Believing in love, or making love the ruler of your unfolding life is making God the Lord of your life.
Religions are only imperfect man made and often blind vehicles to take you there.
You olso must know that love is from God, therefore we must give thanks to Him.

The problem with this from an Atheists point of view is that this being of "love" condoned mass murder, genocide, slavery, rape, and intolerance at one point in his life. If that can be considered love then I want no part of it. If you are of the opinion that God changed his mind then I want no part of a God with an obvious personality disorder :rainbow1:.

 

[free spirit]

The problem with this from an Atheists point of view is that this being of "love" condoned mass murder, genocide, slavery, rape, and intolerance at one point in his life.

In other words you blame God for that, I blame mankind because we all have free will; I can do harm to you or I can do good to you, it is my choice.
God in the end will judge the evin doers.

If that can be considered love then I want no part of it. If you are of the opinion that God changed his mind then I want no part of a God with an obvious personality disorder :rainbow1:.

God does not change He has allways been love, but Men of authority has at times twisted God's will to justify their evil deeds.

 

[smoothcriminal12]

The problem with this from an Atheists point of view is that this being of "love" condoned mass murder, genocide, slavery, rape, and intolerance at one point in his life. If that can be considered love then I want no part of it. If you are of the opinion that God changed his mind then I want no part of a God with an obvious personality disorder :rainbow1:.

God gave US rule over the Earth. Any problems on it are OUR problems. God didn't cause slavery. God didn't rape anyone here. WE did. Humans did. The Earth was given to us, so it's problems are as a result of our failings.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

If theres one thing I've learned about people, it's that they find a way to do what they want. The confusion comes in when they can't discern between what they want and what they think they should want.

 

[Willamena]

Friend Embrace,


There is no god anywhere. It is just a concept huamns developed. It makes no difference wether you believe in that concept or not as you would still remain a part of the whole like evrything in existence.
If you have some preconceived notion about any god then surely it needs to be cleared off before you start afresh in any direction.
Love & rgds

This.

 

[waitasec]

First of all, God is a just God, He would never condemn anyone without that person knowing about Him and understanding Him.

don't you consider that to be a strange idea...

god- "i won't hold you accountable for not understanding me, but you over there, you heard of me, people told you about me and you read this book that explains everything about me and yet you still do not understand? how dare you doubt my existence when everything around you proves i am real...into the furnace you go..."

 

[bhaktajan]

I want to believe in God -- but I can't.

Then just observe 'Greatfullness' & the fact of life that we are Hapless ---yet we possess the conscousness of 'Greatfullness'.

 

[Blackdog22]

God gave US rule over the Earth. Any problems on it are OUR problems. God didn't cause slavery. God didn't rape anyone here. WE did. Humans did. The Earth was given to us, so it's problems are as a result of our failings.

Hitler never killed anyone either, but he did demand it. Either the Bible is true or it isn't. Either God demanded genocide, rape, etc or its a made up book full of nonsense.

 

[free spirit]

God gave US rule over the Earth. Any problems on it are OUR problems. God didn't cause slavery. God didn't rape anyone here. WE did. Humans did. The Earth was given to us, so it's problems are as a result of our failings.

CORRECTION, Your post 48 should be addressed to Blackdog 22.