What do you do when you're losing faith in God?

[firedragon]

That is one possibility among many.

Hmm. I would like to hear the other possibilities. Of course there maybe many. Please cite them and please cite the study.

Thank you very much.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

I'm not convinced in favor of or against anything. If God exists, God exists. If God does not exist, God does not exist. I have no way of knowing either way, so I do not presume that I do know. Instead, I can choose to hope that God exists and to live accordingly, or I can choose to hope that God does not exist and to live accordingly. The choice is mine. Even how I conceptualize God is my choice. So there's nothing for me to find or to lose. I decide what I think God might be, if God exists. And I decide if I want to hope in that God's existence, and live accordingly, or not. It's that simple.

I like that explanation.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

I never thought I'd ask this question, but here it comes.

Separate action from belief, for a while. No need to make any drastic changes to anything. Give your brain a chance to breathe.

 

[stvdv]

That's a very good and reassuring point, I too think God can understand and forgive doubt.

IMO:
God doesn't judge you doubting
So God need not forgive you
These mental thoughts
Humans suffer from

Witness the mind cures this
Spirituality is beyond the mind
@stvdvRF

 

[Sedim Haba]

What do you do when you're losing faith in God?
I never thought I'd ask this question, but here it comes.

First ask yourself, did G-d lose faith in humans to make you feel this way?
(Spoiler alert: YES)
Now find a path without them. Your own path.

 

[LuisDantas]

Hmm. I would like to hear the other possibilities. Of course there maybe many. Please cite them and please cite the study.

Thank you very much.

Thanks for the laugh.

 

[firedragon]

Thanks for the laugh.

You are welcome.

 

[PureX]

Not if you're honest.

So, it causes you to insult others, then?

 

[ajay0]

I never thought I'd ask this question, but here it comes.

Imho, if you have proper understanding, you will realize that this is a cosmic game created by God or the Divine for fun.

Having faith in God or the Divine means having faith in the Divine design as well.

Of course, faith in yourself goes also with faith in God.

In Hinduism, purushartha (self-effort) is necessary to have divine grace as well. One half by you and one half by God/Divine is the key .

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Faith is a choice.

Not if you're honest.

So, it causes you to insult others, then?

What are you talking about? Short of being seriously flawed psychologically, one cannot simple choose to have faith in a proposition, although one can dishonestly claim to believe in almost anything.

No? Then try this experiment: Tonight, as you go to bed, "choose" to believe (on faith) that you are an aardvark. Tomorrow, after waling up and "choosing" to be human again, stop by RF and let us know -- honestly -- how that worked for you.

Interestingly enough, you've already acknowledged as much in your post #28 assuming, of course, that can understand the difference between choosing to have faith in X and choosing to hope that X is worthy of faith.

 

[PureX]

What are you talking about? Short of being seriously flawed psychologically, one cannot simple choose to have faith in a proposition, although one can dishonestly claim to believe in almost anything.

No? Then try this experiment: Tonight, as you go to bed, "choose" to believe (on faith) that you are an aardvark. Tomorrow, after waling up and "choosing" to be human again, stop by RF and let us know -- honestly -- how that worked for you.

Interestingly enough, you've already acknowledged as much in your post #28 assuming, of course, that can understand the difference between choosing to have faith in X and choosing to hope that X is worthy of faith.

A wise man once told me not to expect someone that has not experienced something, to understand it. A good example of this might be something like an addiction, or an experience of God. Because experiences like these change people's understanding of reality, permanently.

Just because you have not experienced your own ability to choose what you believe to be true or false does not mean that no one else ever has, or ever could. But I understand that you can't understand this. So I'll forgive your insinuating that I am a liar for saying that I can and I do choose both my concept of God and to place my faith in that concept. The choice becomes possible the moment you realize that it is possible. And it remains impossible so long as you insist it is not possible. So you are choosing even now.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

The choice becomes possible the moment you realize that it is possible.

The question then becomes: "Can you choose to believe something possible, i.e., is it truly a choice or, rather, a predilection for a particular inference?

As for the rest, there was zero intention on my part to insinuate that you are a liar - you may choose to believe that or not.

 

[Heyo]

A wise man once told me not to expect someone that has not experienced something, to understand it. A good example of this might be something like an addiction, or an experience of God. Because experiences like these change people's understanding of reality, permanently.

Just because you have not experienced your own ability to choose what you believe to be true or false does not mean that no one else ever has, or ever could. But I understand that you can't understand this. So I'll forgive your insinuating that I am a liar for saying that I can and I do choose both my concept of God and to place my faith in that concept. The choice becomes possible the moment you realize that it is possible. And it remains impossible so long as you insist it is not possible. So you are choosing even now.

So, you claim to possess an ability that no-one else has or at least we don't know anyone else has? Most philosophers and psychologist reject doxastic voluntarism. And I am (involuntary) convinced by their arguments. And I like to add one by myself: never attribute to malice what can be equally explained by stupidity. I.e. I don't think people to be responsible for their believes. They may be responsible for their ignorance if they refuse to view arguments or evidence, but they are not responsible for what they believe, given their information and capability to process it.

Choosing to Believe?

 

[PureX]

The question then becomes: "Can you choose to believe something possible, i.e., is it truly a choice or, rather, a predilection for a particular inference?

I think you're confusing belief with knowledge. If I know "X" to be so, then my belief in "X" becomes irrelevant and my faith in it being so becomes unnecessary. So choosing either is not a factor.

But we are discussing God, which is something very few of us can ever know to be so. And in that instance our belief becomes pretense, and faith becomes a course of action that we can choose to accept or reject.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

Imho, if you have proper understanding, you will realize that this is a cosmic game created by God or the Divine for fun.

Having faith in God or the Divine means having faith in the Divine design as well.

Of course, faith in yourself goes also with faith in God.

In Hinduism, purushartha (self-effort) is necessary to have divine grace as well. One half by you and one half by God/Divine is the key .

I like this and that's always been my philosophy as well. One cannot be completely reliant on God. However, if things aren't going your way how do you know if you are not having enough purushartha or if this is just not the direction God wants you to go?

 

[syo]

Ugly feeling.

 

[firedragon]

Separate action from belief, for a while. No need to make any drastic changes to anything. Give your brain a chance to breathe.

Hmm. Good advice.

 

[firedragon]

I like this and that's always been my philosophy as well. One cannot be completely reliant on God. However, if things aren't going your way how do you know if you are not having enough purushartha or if this is just not the direction God wants you to go?

Purusartha you said? Wow.

I think like someone above said you should give a breather. Take a step back. Just do what you have to do. Not that you should go murder for a buck or something )) but just do what you gotta do. Maybe that is your Purusartha. You had to do what you had to do to get out of the situation what ever that is. Maybe that is your purusartha.

I believe that a purusartha is done, then realised.

This is just my personal opinion. Nothing researched or anything of the sort.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

Purusartha you said? Wow.

I think like someone above said you should give a breather. Take a step back. Just do what you have to do. Not that you should go murder for a buck or something )) but just do what you gotta do. Maybe that is your Purusartha. You had to do what you had to do to get out of the situation what ever that is. Maybe that is your purusartha.

I believe that a purusartha is done, then realised.

This is just my personal opinion. Nothing researched or anything of the sort.

That is good advice thank you!

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

I think you're confusing belief with knowledge.

I do not think so, but it seems that we have exhausted our conversation. Take care ...