Does God withhold blessings from Christians who are living in disobedience?

[Jewcy]

I am a Christian but my husband is not. I am desperate to be a better person in God's eyes but can not escape the instruction in 2 Corinth ch 6 re being unequally yoked to non-believers. I am nearly 42 and desperately trying to start a family (I mc'd last year). We are due to fly to the Czech Republic in June for donor egg IVF but I can't help worrying that God will not bless me with a child whilst I continue to willfully live a disobedient life. I entered into a relationship with my husband knowing that it is not God's will for me to be with a non-Christian. Am I to be forever outside of God's will? My prayer life has become almost non-existent as I don't feel I can appeal to the Lord for his blessings re a baby and yet it is all I can think about.

I guess the real problem here is that my obsession with starting a family has superceded my devotion and surrender to God's will. Please help me

So the laws requiring gay people to be killed were just about temple prostitutes?

I refer any christian who claims that to the Roman Catholic Church, The CofE, and a hundred different denominations in the US and around the world. Once you have explained it to them all will be well I'm sure.

I don't want to see the gays killed but neither do I want to be sold make-up by them in House of Fraser

Spero, I think those religions which refuse blood transfusions are completely bonkers. God gave mankind wisdom to use science to the best of his ability and surely blood/organ donation is one of the most altruistic things we can do as human beings?

How are you feeling today, Spero? You must be tired.

Spero and Back, I think you really have to suspend your own beliefs and pre-conceptions when it comes to understanding the Bible.

As said before, not one piece makes complete sense out of context. Spiritual understanding can be only gained once you are ready to take the above on board.

Yes, there are Christians who commit crimes, as there are atheists.

Atheism is a 'faith' of sorts because if you were truly neutral you would be Agnostic.

As I said earlier, I am not an atheist in that I sent the existence of any god - both Creation and the Big Bang sound equally implausible to me. I just do not know.

I am just not impressed by what I read of religious teachings - or perhaps more accurately how human beings interpret those teachings, particularly with regard to contempt for women and denial of their basic freedoms.

I have been able to develop a moral code and at least try to live a good life without thinking I am doing it for god or worrying if I do something he doesn't like.

Jewcy, am not really tired, its hard to explain, just everything feels 'wrong' and out of kilter. But it usually gets better after a week. Bloody dog has not run away and is currently whining at the end of the bed so I guess I have to get up now - hah! More proof that god doesn't exist or if he does he hates me.

'Deny' not 'sent' what kind of ridiculous auto correct is that??.

Spero, I take it you're not exactly enamoured with your mutt?

God does not hate you. I say this as a Christian. He sent his son to save you. God offers full redemption through Christ. God wants you well, Christ healed.

It is this world and Satan that causes disease.

This is what I believe...I don't mean to upset or offend you but please don't give up hope...

It's ok, my au pair has just come back from her gallivanting and has taken dog away AND bought me a Grazia. So I am wavering now on concept of loving god...

I hope the Grazia is suitably entertaining.

Atheism is a 'faith' of sorts

No Daftdame, no it isn't. Atheism is a lack of belief in god or gods, so it is clearly the opposite of faith.

But I do think both sides defend their beliefs or lack thereof with equal and sometimes unhelpful vigour.

I do not feel offended if someone wants to believe in god. What angers me is of they purport to judge me as a lesser being because I don't. Again, utterly incompatible with concept of loving god. Am I not the one sheep who strayed?

Nicholas, some atheists are such because they do not believe in god. For others it is a belief that there is no god.

I appreciate I am not going to convert any believers because you DO have faith but hope you can appreciate that most atheists are not motivated by hatred or spite - we just genuinely can't get our heads around what you say about god as love, when we read his words and see how religious people sometimes choose to act

Yes. Totally get this. I'd never, ever say that most atheists were motivated by hatred etc, and I'm so sorry to hear of 'christians' who would say something like this. Most atheists I know are just normal, nice, good people with a moral compass just the same as mine. There is nowhere in following Jesus to say that we are better than others - quite the opposite, really.

I can so much appreciate what you say about not being able to get your head round it all - I wouldn't either - as a thinking, reasonably intelligent person I sometimes ask myself what on earth am I even thinking having faith in God? But then I remember how God makes sense of life, is so deeply compelling, so transformative, and a thousand other superlatives. It's my experience of God and God's great love that convinces me, not all the argument in the world - and that's why these threads will never resolve - I enjoy the debate and still hold that there is good and robust evidence for the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, but yes, in the end it all falls down without faith. Sorry - typical copout answer. You just gotta have faith Except it's not really a copout, because it is bloody difficult sometimes to live this path.

Nicholas atheism requires faith because no one can prove there isn't a God or gods.

My definition of faith is the belief in something that cannot be seen or proven. Hence wherever there are assumptions, prior assumptions etc there is a degree of faith (though the object of faith could be variable).

fwiw, I always think that atheists and others who label themselves as something, non faith wise, are far more like to end up as Christians, than others who are not remotely interested in the subject. I could be wrong.

Spero, yes the vigour can be unhelpful. Its why I have to make an effort to reign my self in, constantly (with varying degrees of success).

When you love God and your faith, criticism can feel like someone criticising a family member, your parents for example.

Although I do get your point about lost sheep. Hence the reigning in.

that should be criticism of your faith not all^ criticism.

Jewcy how you doing?

Agree with Mad.

Spero big unmumsnetty hugs to you. ....God loves us and wants us to be healthy. The group who did not have blood transfusions, that I have heard of, based it on a misreading of the Bible. The Bible does not say (to my knowledge) anything directly about blood transfusions. Leviticus is written about the rules for the priesthood, which is why I mentioned temple prostitutes. I too am totally baffled about the stoning 'adulterous women', but I do know one man who stopped a whole group of men who wanted to do that, give me a J, give me a U..... I too can't always make sense of it Spero but it doesn't cancel out the good my faith brings to my life and the lives of others. I don't take it all literally and the bits I don't understand, trouble me!

Backonlybreifly Yes, the church worldwide is struggling to come to terms with what it means for people to be gay. It is struggling. I am sad about it and so are many others. You are right to judge this as bad. There is nothing much I can say except that it doesn't cancel out the good my faith brings to my life and the lives of others.

Spero Am I not the one sheep who strayed? , we are all that sheep! You sound like you have quite a bit of faith but it is tucked away, search that bed, maybe it is under the Grazia.... or the dog!

I feel very uncomfortable when atheists are judged to be of lesser morals or believers, of lesser intelligence. The notion that people are lacking because they do not share one's faith (or lack thereof) is bigotry.

DioneTheDiabolist I too disagree with the judging.

In my previous post I was trying to explain how emotive it can be to receive criticism concerning your faith.

This emotion can sometimes feel quite overwhelming, words can come out clumsily, curiosity can seem like criticism (on both sides).

However I appreciate this is not an excuse, it is not something I do not seek to improve upon.

Dione totally agree.

I can understand where you're coming from Daftdame. It's a bit like having someone insult your country using national stereotypes. It can also be wearing when you are constantly asked to justify the actions of billions of people over millennia.

Italiangreyhound the only reason I brought up the church and gay people then was that madhairday was saying that the bible didn't say anything about being gay and was actually referring to the practise of men abusing temple slaves. I've read the bible and it says nothing of the sort and I was just pointing out that for once all those churches out there were in agreement with me. Even the pope agrees with me.

daftdame Suspending disbelief when reading something is what you do with fiction. As for 'pre-conceptions' I originally read the bible assuming it was true. I was amazed to find out that it was gibberish.

As for 'out of context' I've lost count of the number of christians who've said that, but most of them haven't read the bible - just selected verses out of context

Oh and Atheism is a belief like the TV off switch is a TV channel.