Not sure if I believe in God. Makes me feel so uneasy

[doyouknowhim]

Not being sure either way

I have questions I've never got an answer to

Such as that I get this life is temporary, if you believe in God, Christ, etc. As you'll have everlasting life if granted it

I asked this and was given an answer along the lines with 'the person with cancer will suffer now. That's true. Some people will meet horrific ends. But, it's like looking back at something awful and thinking 'I thought at the time I'd never get through it'. And there you are, in eternal heaven. So I get that... if I leave out the bit where surely you wouldn't want your creation to suffer at all if you love them and had the power to stop it, since you do because you're a benevolent God

But anyway, I also struggle to think that someone good can go to hell. There's a woman I know with a disabled child. She has terminal cancer and will die. She's been given an awful hand as it's not just the cancer, it's the devastating impact on her disabled child's life. It's all horrific when she explains who isn't there for him, the care system, etc etc

Why does someone so lovely deserve HELL? I get Jesus is wonderful and the saviour, but why not forgive these people for their lack of belief? Surely if you loved them as much as you're suppose to, they can come into heaven because you can't stand to know an innocent person like that is damned to hell?

I just don't get those parts. And that's before being gay is immoral. I don't understand it probably because I see no issue with it, you can't switch off being gay

So, what are you suppose to do then? Just live a lie? Have awful self hatred because of it? Sounds unhealthy to me

I'd appreciate any responses from non believes and believers

The only reason I am on the fence is because I FEEL in my heart that Jesus is real. I can't think about his face and deny him. So this makes it all the more harder

Which then leads me to think I'm brainwashed

I just don't KNOW

Just carrying on where I left off. Had a full choral scholarship which meant eight or so hours in church at least per week. I loved it and still adore it a decade later and it took me about a month to lose my faith once I’d started at 18.
some of the best and the worst faithful people have made of the faith what they want to.

Well said. I feel exactly the same way.

I don't know where people have got the idea that God is sitting in a room like some sort of puppet master, pulling strings and deciding who will have a good life and who won't. It's just life, it happens, we have to deal with what happens to us. People who believe often find that it helps them to cope.

OP, I really feel for you in your struggle with your faith. I came across this quote from Paramahansa Yogananda recently - I hope it speaks to you. Good luck!

Let us say a Jew become converted to Christianity. He stops going to the synagogue and goes, instead, to church. Does the simple fact of his conversion ensure his salvation? Not if it doesn’t inspire him at the same time to love God more deeply.
“Your religion is not the garb you wear outwardly, but the garment of light you weave around your heart. By outward garb I don’t mean your physical raiment only, but rather the thoughts and beliefs in which you enclose yourself.
“They are not you. Discover who you are, behind those outer trappings, and you will discover who Jesus was, and Buddha, and Krishna.
For the masters come to earth for the purpose of holding up to every man a reflection of his deeper, eternal Self.”
Excerpted from The Essence of Self-Realization: The Wisdom of Paramhansa Yogananda

@ithinkthatmaybeimdreaming I suppose because to non believers or those growing up around religion, prayer means you're asking God for something (yes it can be giving thanks etc but that's a huge part)

So it's confusing when prayers are 'answered' and lots aren't. Even though they're asking for the same, something more important, something easier to give, whatever else

I've never actually met a Christian who doesn't think prayer can make something happen

@pickledandpuzzled
"I’ve actually done a lot of study, a lot of reading, a lot of reflection, and worked out a belief system that’s congruent with the bible and my ethics and experience."

To be honest, that sounds like cherrypicking. This isn't a criticism- it just goes with the territory. I have never met, heard or read a Christian who didn't cherrypick.

This puts it perfectly

It’s only cherry picking if you assume the bible is a literal handbook of creed and instruction. It isn’t- it couldn’t be, it’s not internally consistent.

It’s a compilation of history, correspondence, poetry, mythology and philosophy. Some elements are as historically accurate as time and multiple translations allow. Others are personal letters written to specific groups in particular situations and not necessarily universally applicable. It would be like taking a letter if written to my grandchildren and using it as a template for child rearing.

When you understand what book was written for what purpose, and what impact multiple translations may be having, you’re in a better position to formulate a response.

It’s disingenuous to say I’m cherry picking because I don’t stone witches, do beat my child and am wary of disrespecting prophets for fear of bears.

A lot of people who pray are actually asking for the strength to deal with something, or for guidance, rather than for an actual thing to happen. For those who are really serious about their beliefs I think this actually does help them. I do pray, for example, for my family/friends/animals - but if something happens to one of them I don't immediately think that my prayers have fallen on deaf ears. I am mature enough to know that bad things can happen to good people, that people and animals get sick and die, it's just a part of life. There was a time when people accepted that, now everyone seems to think we should all live forever and life should be rosy!!

Overall not a very persuasive document then.

Not persuasive in what way, @Minglingpringle ?

It’s got some interesting wisdom sections. The history is reasonably accurate. The ‘law’ section was helpful at the time- as helpful as any other law manual would be 3000 years later.

I have always thought of god being an overseer but with very little power- so nature and science, humans etc go on, god is there but doesn’t have ultimate power really. I get it sounds odd, but I get peace from talking to God/praying, and believing I’ll see people I’ve lost someday. I won’t know until it’s too late anyhoo!

It’s a hotchpotch of things which have been gathered together by people who want to promote a certain narrative. So it works great to endorse confirmation bias for those who already believe.

But if you want to use it to persuade people who don’t already believe in it, you have to explain which bits are mythology (untrue), which are philosophy (speculation) and which are history (just history which proves nothing). (This could also be described as cherry picking.) It just all begins to sound rather thin.

Ah, ok. Well no it isn’t a tool for evangelism. Faith and spirituality aren’t about books, though goodness knows enough have been written.

It’s more something that people experience or observe or deduce, and try to understand.

@stayathomer "I have always thought of god being an overseer but with very little power- so nature and science, humans etc go on, god is there but doesn’t have ultimate power really." Yes- I can see why a god like that would make sense, although personally, canmt see the point of him. That's not the Christian God, though.