To want to make myself believe in god?

[HopHopHopSkip]

I have always been very logical and so despite going to a Christian primary school, having a very religious mum(though not in a pushy way) and reading the bible when I was younger(the story version I was a bit of a book worm) I have never really got my head around how god could be possible.

But I really wish I had the extra "something" that some people seem to find by believing in god. I'm probably not making much sense, but I wish I could get myself to feel like there's somebody watching out, that there's something after death, that everything happens for what'd ultimately a good reason/what's meant to be so on.

AIBU to try going to church for a bit even though I don't believe in god? Or am I just being silly, is it something you can't 'make' yourself feel?

This Slough of Despond/spiritual realm. How do you know it exists?

But you have said that you did believe. So did something nasty happen in your life, which helped to cause you not to believe?
[I am slightly hesitating in saying this next thing. But upthread you said you have relatives with life limiting illnesses, and I was thinking that that may/could/ likely to have an impact on your previous faith]

Through consciousness and thought.

I don't need a microscope, I have thought.

I didn't know the heart could talk.How does the heat talk? How does the other persons heart hear?

"How does the other persons heart hear?"

Because it is tuned in to the language of love and can recognise and accept it from miles away. Even a letter opened up at the other end of the world can send the heart a message of love.

That is how the human spirit understands the message of God's love too, through the heart.

How does the heart hear?
Because it knows.

How can the believer be sure that there is a God?
Because the believer knows.

It is not about microscopes and mechanical contraptions, a heart knows love and a believer knows God.

headinhands there is a logical difference between punishment as torture, and punishment as a consequence for wrong-doing. You wouldn't call sending a criminal to prison torture, you would acknowledge that it is a punishment in the 'consequences' style instead.

As it is for God.

Caster8 I had not included the future dispensations because they have not passed and I thought it might be enough to end on where we are at now!

But here is the missing part ..

1. Kingdom (or divine government) - from the return of Jesus Christ to the great white throne of judgment - This begins at the end of the seven-year tribulation mentioned above and lasts for 1000 years. During this time, Jesus Christ will reign as King in Jerusalem. This dispensation is covered in Revelation chapter 20. However, much more detail on this dispensation may be found in many prophecies in various other parts of the Bible. I have summarized many of these in my article, "The Millennial Kingdom Reign of Jesus Christ".

Eternity Future - This dispensation begins at the end of the 1000 years mentioned above and lasts forever. It is covered in the scriptures in Revelation chapters 21-22.

What crime do think stoning is acceptable for?

How does the heart actually hear. What part of the heart is used? Atrium? Ventricle?

Is it ever acceptable to stone children as 'punishment'?

"How does the heart actually hear. What part of the heart is used? Atrium? Ventricle?"

That is something that scientists haven't got a clue about, just as they haven't got a clue about how to prove that God exists.

There are some truths that the microscope, stethoscope and periscope cannot reveal.

So how do you even know it can hear if there is no way of detecting it?

headinhands regarding your comment about torturing children who want to eat sweets, I would like to point out to you that you have taken what I said out of context. Let me explain.

When taking into account something I read (especially when in relation to the bible) it is useful to use the following steps to ensure you do not take something out of context.

1. Consider who is talking?
2. Who are they talking to?
3. What are they talking about?
4. What have they said immediately before and after?

If you applied these principles to what I had pasted you would find the context is as follows:

1. I was talking
2. To you in relation to your post
3. About how you thought that God should have chosen to introduce Christianity halfway through the dispensation of law (with Moses) nothing about torture!
4. What I said in response to that was how about our thinking is not the same as God's and that it would be a little bit like children thinking they know better than their parents in relation to needing no sleep and living off sweets. nothing about torture!

I hope this clears up your question and makes my context easily understood

headinhands no need for stoning or animal sacrifice or any of the payment for punishment from the old Testament any more. This is because we are now in the dispensation of Grace. Everything changed. Just like it will change again in the future.

What scientific breakthroughs have been facilitated through the use of a periscope?

"So how do you even know it can hear if there is no way of detecting it?"

It is known as 'gnosis' or simply knowing. You don't have to be shown, you just know, and that applies to belief too.

"What scientific breakthroughs have been facilitated through the use of a periscope?"

Science is not my area of specialism.

Do you believe every religion is true?

No

Atrcts. My apologies. I see I misread your post

So claig, how did you determine that the other religions weren't true?

Thought, logic, reasoning and common sense.

By the way I am not talking about all other religions, because most contain many truths, and I have not studied them all.