Struggling with faith, why should I believe?

[outhouse]

Things are just complicated!

thats where history of the subject of your choosing comes into play.

it helps clear up those questions

 

[Riverwolf]

No no, i do want opinions from both sides. But to outhouse, i see your point. However, lets take the assumption again that God is real. If he is real, he wants free will. If he exposes himself to the entire world and says "do this or burn in hell!" that removes free will. Thus, there is no point to him making us. God WANTS us to love him, so he tells a few "pure souls" and they spread his word. Man just doesn't except it though. But now on your side, i can see what you mean. I could easily walk in a cave down the street from me, come out a week later all famished and say God spoke to me. This is what he wants. And easily have SOME followers. But then again, why the hell did so many people believe what these guys were preaching? Surely if the government came in (speaking now times) and said "Matt! If you continue to follow God we will put you to death!" Then surely i wouldn't follow him unless i really had a reason to. So why did people back then let themselves be murdered if they didn't have a good reason? Things are just complicated!

They are complicated, and the deification of people and forces of nature is far more complicated than that.

 

[Thief]

I just cannot simply, as an intelligent human being, accept the fact that we cease to exist after death. It seems theoretically impossible. Imagine if while you are typing your next response, a bullet flies through your wall and hits you in the head. Killing you instantly. Now you cease to exist. So why the hell did you experience this life time? Now you don't know anything, so why are you experiencing it now? Ceasing to exist seems like wishful thinking if you ask me. But i can sort of grasp the concept because then i think well when we sleep, our brain almost shuts down and we dont remember anything (except maybe a few dreams) So it could be possible.

And please don't take that as an attack towards atheism. Im just writing my thoughts as they come.

As you are intent about it....I use a simple technique.

Consider the superlatives.
This world has ability more than yours.
Likewise, there is also lesser performance.
Next world will be similar.

Consider choices.
Most things can be held...one at a time.
Hold to your choice until you can upgrade.
Step to the left...or the right.
You can't do both.

 

[Sleeppy]

Have a meaningful life. Enjoy and love others as you would yourself - give what you can to help those in need and build relationships where understanding and patience can give way to growth. Then you'll have a source for happiness in every day. You won't have to worry about anything but the present. Then God will come to you.

 

[839311]

If God is real...

...then that would be nice to know.

If he exists, he probably isn't a part of our world in any meaningful way, if at all. Kids commiting suicide, terrible diseases striking the innocent, wars, famines, natural disasters, torture, greed, neglect, fraud, war, rape, murder, theft. If he doesn't want to help us, why should we care about him?

 

[ViKtoricus]

Hello, first of all i am new to this forum. I apologize if this is in the wrong spot. Ill start with the basics. My whole life i believe in God. I never really attended church or anything, and sort of mocked people who did, but i still believe in God. After a traumatic event a few years back i was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder. This left me questioning and obsessing over many things (among other symptoms) and i just couldn't let things go. I started living a really unhealthy lifestyle. Drugs, alcohol, riding reckless on my motorcycle, getting into all sorts of troubles. I started to think the Devil was the coolest thing ever. However, I started studying a lot and taking college classes on things i didn't understand like Chemistry, physics, biology and finally ended up falling into a pre-med major im still currently working on. About a month ago, i woke up one day thinking to myself "Why the hell do I believe in God?" It just didn't make any sense. I felt physically sick, i felt like i was in a whirlwind, everything that i loved and cared for didn't mean anything anymore cause one day we would all die and cease to exist. It terrified me. Now this whole past month i have been on a religious journey trying to find what i believe. I have successfully restored faith in other people, even converted a few people into believing, but still can't find an inner peace. So many things in my life have happened that would make the average person say "Wow! That is a miracle! That HAD to be God!" (I'll give examples later if anyone cares) but i still can't grasp the concept that he is real, simply because I cant experience him with my senses. So tell me what religion you guys are (atheists join too please!) and explain to me why you think that way. I truly want to believe, but im not arrogant and opposed to the idea of atheism. If God is real, i hope he forgives me for my sins :shout

Your examples of miracles? What happened?

I apologize if they were already posted.

 

[1137]

Hello, first of all i am new to this forum. I apologize if this is in the wrong spot. Ill start with the basics. My whole life i believe in God. I never really attended church or anything, and sort of mocked people who did, but i still believe in God. After a traumatic event a few years back i was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder. This left me questioning and obsessing over many things (among other symptoms) and i just couldn't let things go. I started living a really unhealthy lifestyle. Drugs, alcohol, riding reckless on my motorcycle, getting into all sorts of troubles. I started to think the Devil was the coolest thing ever. However, I started studying a lot and taking college classes on things i didn't understand like Chemistry, physics, biology and finally ended up falling into a pre-med major im still currently working on. About a month ago, i woke up one day thinking to myself "Why the hell do I believe in God?" It just didn't make any sense. I felt physically sick, i felt like i was in a whirlwind, everything that i loved and cared for didn't mean anything anymore cause one day we would all die and cease to exist. It terrified me. Now this whole past month i have been on a religious journey trying to find what i believe. I have successfully restored faith in other people, even converted a few people into believing, but still can't find an inner peace. So many things in my life have happened that would make the average person say "Wow! That is a miracle! That HAD to be God!" (I'll give examples later if anyone cares) but i still can't grasp the concept that he is real, simply because I cant experience him with my senses. So tell me what religion you guys are (atheists join too please!) and explain to me why you think that way. I truly want to believe, but im not arrogant and opposed to the idea of atheism. If God is real, i hope he forgives me for my sins :shout

Well you have run into one of the main problems today: You are looking for spirituality through religion. I am sorry to say, but the two do not work well together. Converting people is not up to you, it is up to themselves. Looking for community and people with similar beliefs is religious, not spiritual. If you are trying to find your beliefs, it needs to be spiritual. From what you said, I don't see you being comfortable accepting dogma and conformity (religion). You need individuality (spirituality).

Don't worry about god "forgiving your sins". You need to forgive yourself and, from doing so, find god. Connection with the divine comes internally, from withing the self. Not from convincing other people and being one with them. Would you rather be one with the divine, or one with other people?

 

[A.Anderson]

I felt physically sick, i felt like i was in a whirlwind, everything that i loved and cared for didn't mean anything anymore cause one day we would all die and cease to exist. It terrified me.

Well, that sill remains true, we all still die and will cease to exist. But don't worry about it too much, as I'm sure not existing didn't bother you too much before you were born.

Then again, the idea of existing forever is a scary thought to me. Unimaginable boredom would eventually bestow you.

 

[A.Anderson]

*Post Deleted*

That is just a story, it didn't really happen. Otherwise you have just cited the first zombie apocalypse. Wishful thinking may help you get through the day, but does little to advance our civilization.

 

[espo35]

*Post Deleted*

Agreed.

 

[starlite]

but i still can't grasp the concept that he is real, simply because I cant experience him with my senses.

Matt, here are some points to reason on:
Ps. 19:1: “The heavens are declaring the glory of God; and of the work of his hands the expanse is telling.”

Ps. 104:24: “How many your works are, O Jehovah! All of them in wisdom you have made. The earth is full of your productions.”

Rom. 1:20: “His invisible qualities are clearly seen from the world’s creation onward, because they are perceived by the things made.”

Are there some things that we cannot see with our eyes but that we believe exist because there are sound reasons to do so? What about the air we breathe? We may feel it when there is a breeze. We can tell that it fills our lungs, even though we do not see it. Because we see the effects, there is good reason to believe in it, isn’t that so? And we cannot see gravity. But when we drop something we see evidence that gravity is at work. Nor do we see odors, but our nose picks them up. We cannot see sound waves, but our ears detect them. So we believe in things we cannot see—provided there is good reason to do so, isn’t that right?

“Every house is built by someone, of course; but God built everything that exists.” (Hebrews 3:4, The Jerusalem Bible)

Since simple things require a maker, is it not logical that complex things require an even more intelligent maker? Our Creator has shown his wisdom through the amazing complexity of what he has made. He has shown that he really cares about us by making the earth just right to live on, by making our bodies and minds in such a wonderful way. Yes, Matt, there is a loving Creator who care for you.

 

[starlite]

Actually, I do NOT want to live forever. I mean it would be nice to see my family again after death. But the idea of sitting in an eternal world called the afterlife is pretty sickening to me. What the hell do you do for eternity?

Matt,
Does any of this sicken you?

Sickness, old age, and death will no longer exist. “At that time the eyes of the blind ones will be opened, and the very ears of the deaf ones will be unstopped. At that time the lame one will climb up just as a stag does, and the tongue of the speechless one will cry out in gladness.” “God himself will be with [mankind]. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”—Revelation 21:3, 4.

Crime, violence, and wickedness will be gone forever. “Evildoers themselves will be cut off . . . Just a little while longer, and the wicked one will be no more . . . He will not be. But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth.” (Psalm 37:9-11) “As regards the wicked, they will be cut off from the very earth; and as for the treacherous, they will be torn away from it.” —Proverbs 2:22.

Peace will prevail earth wide. “He [God] is making wars to cease to the extremity of the earth. The bow he breaks apart and does cut the spear in pieces.” (Psalm 46:9) “The righteous one will sprout, and the abundance of peace until the moon is no more.”—Psalm 72:7.

Housing will be secure and work satisfying. “They will certainly build houses and have occupancy . . . They will not build and someone else have occupancy; they will not plant and someone else do the eating. For like the days of a tree will the days of my people be; and the work of their own hands my chosen ones will use to the full. They will not toil for nothing, nor will they bring to birth for disturbance.”—Isaiah 65:21-23.

Healthful food will be available in abundance. “There will come to be plenty of grain on the earth; on the top of the mountains there will be an overflow.” (Psalm 72:16) “The earth itself will certainly give its produce; God, our God, will bless us.”—Psalm 67:6.

Everlasting life on a paradise earth will be delightful. “The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it.” (Psalm 37:29)

Seems to me that God's original purpose for the earth will actually become a reality.

 

[Gaura Priya]

There is no "should" in faith. Follow your path where it leads.

As to the rest of your post, some more information on what you believe now would be useful. Have you seen the Belief O Matic? It's a good tool for this sort of question.

I finally followed it again, and it seems like I would be a 100% reform Jew. XD

Of course, following that is Sikhism (which is a beautiful faith, actually), and Unitarian Universalism. :areyoucra

 

[kerravon]

Actually, I do NOT want to live forever. I mean it would be nice to see my family again after death. But the idea of sitting in an eternal world called the afterlife is pretty sickening to me. What the hell do you do for eternity?

Good question. You create computer simulations like the one you are living in now, and then insert yourself into a random spot of it, as a baby. What alternative is there, assuming you have the computer technology to do whatever you want?