To want to make myself believe in god?

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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?

It isnt a thing that you work out. It is a thing that you know. Only you can know that.

I don't really understand this 'working for' thing. I feel I am just existing in the world; I don't have any particular agenda, other than just survival.

how can i know?

I just wanted honest answers to honest questions and was digging for the truth.

I'm not sure all the questions on here are honest tbh . But fab you, atrts (have I got that right?), I am enjoying your posts immensely.

I see the D person has made a tentative appearance...

Somewhere in the bible it says something like
"Whoever is not for us, is against us".

And somewhere else it says "Whoever is not against us, is for is".

Took me years to work out how these verses did not contradict each other.

I realised that Jesus was talking about 2 different groups of people.

First of all, which group are you in?

... in the discussion!

That second one shoud say "Whoever is not against us, is for us".

I'm neither Caster

You have to be.

ok. Are you against Christians?

headinhands, I have to confess I admire your perseverance!

"Christians" is rather a large catchment to use? That would be like saying that anyone who is against those who use Islam as an excuse for persecution are against all Muslims.

Are you for or against Atlantis?

hmm. I know you say he isnt real.

But that doesnt mean that you cant answer the question.
You have said nice things about me, and you know I am one, so my guess us that you are in the second group "Whoever is not against us, is for us".

You can't ask someone what group they're in when they don't even recognise the existence of those groups. That's fair isn't it?

I use the Atlantis example to show you how meaningless that question will sound to a non believer.

But you know that the groups exist. So it is a question that has an answer, even by you!

Springtotty, who's the D person? (sorry to be thick)

I have no evidence that such a group exists.

You know that Christians exist!!!!
You dont need evidence for that!

Christians vary wildly in their views so its impossible to view them as one group

I can see that you are not going to answer anytime soon! Obviously your choice.

But one day everyone has to answer to Jesus.
So just bear in mind that meanwhile, you do not put Christians off Christianity.

I will try and answer other posts on here later today, as I have to go out now.

Holo, great to hear from you :) And I'm enjoying this discussion too. I don't think anyone is goading. I think hih has good questions which we as Christians need to face and need to think through. Our faith would be pretty empty if we couldn't explore a few questions - valid questions, I think.

Going back to the worship thing, 2much - sorry I know this was a while back now, but was out all yesterday so only just read through. It does seem an odd thing on the face of it, doesn't it, for God to demand worship from us - does this make God terribly egocentric and narcissistic? I don't think so, because in my experience something happens in true worship - something that changes our perspective on things, something that satisfies the deepest parts even more than Heineken, something that makes us whole, makes us more fully into the person we are created to be. In short, worship is not only for God, it is not just to make God feel nice. Kings who in the past demanded people worship a golden effigy of themselves were more like this, but there was no advantage in this for the worshippers (apart from being spared, possibly!!) In worshipping God, there is freedom, there is joy, there is release and there is changed perspective on difficulties in your life. I think God 'demands' worship because God made us worshipping people, God made us to worship, and to find utter rest for our souls in so doing. Worship is for us.

And when you come to that place of belief, you have a longing, a yearning to worship, unlike anything I can explain, the closest being when you fall head over heels in love - you want to be with that person all the time, you love him/her so much, you gain joy from their presence. That's the closest I can get.

Worship is more like expressing love.

Caster ive told you why I can't answer. Because I don't see Christians as one big group. It's like asking me if I like people with wavy hair.

What sort of questions will Jesus ask me? I hope he'll have the decency to answer my questions?

As for the verse threatening people against putting people off Christianity why do you suppose that verse is in there?

In worshipping God, there is freedom, there is joy, there is release and there is changed perspective on difficulties in your life.

All things you can easily get elsewhere.

I think God 'demands' worship because God made us worshipping people, God made us to worship, and to find utter rest for our souls in so doing. Worship is for us.

Nope, not everyone worships something. There are many people who do not worship anything who are no more or less happy than you. There is even evidence of prehistoric cultures that had no deities.

I don't see Christians as one big group. It's like asking me if I like people with wavy hair.

Exactly this!

I am neither for nor against Christians.n