I am doubting my faith - need guidance/advice.

And I'll say, RockPie, relax with where you are at now.

It took me years, and sometimes seconds to figure out what I thought, and then sometimes years again.

It's a journey.

rockpie- osso is right. Finding one's world view IS a journey. Cicerone imposter had a very interesting point.

You have been born and raised in a predominantly Christian culture. As a result, you use Christianity as your frame of reference.

As an exercise, imagine that you have been born into a culture that has no religion. As a child you learn nothing about religion, but are taught to be a decent person. You simply go about your life, living it by being as good a person as you are able.

Sometime later, you learn about Christianity, as well as other religions. What would you think of it when you discovered that people had different beliefs about the world? Would there be any compelling reason that would attract you to Christianity, rather than, say, Hinduism, or some other religion? Or, would you think that these religions are interesting, and continue to live your life as before?

Think about that, honestly!

I believe there is a schism with the Reformed Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. (May the Sauce be Upon Him)

Cardinal Rigatoni again! What a trouble maker!

Crazed lunatics is a loaded inflammatory term that has different meanings to different readers.

One way to get an idea of what the Islamic religion is all about is to take a close look at it's adherents or a nation ruled by an Islamic theocracy such as Afghanistan under the Taliban.

The Taliban say their version of Islam is a pure one that follows a literal interpretation of the Muslim holy book, The Koran.

Thanks to the Taliban, the world was introduced to
Islamic art appreciation[/u] and also to Islamic entertainment[/u].

Re: I am doubting my faith - need guidance/advice.


Good for you, keep going.

Re: I am doubting my faith - need guidance/advice.

My advice would be to simply keep thinking, see where things go, and decide whenever you're ready. No need to rush anything. Since I'm an atheist, and you don't appear to have explored the skeptic/agnostic/atheist view of things much yet, allow me to recommend Johnathan Miller's series on the history of atheism, which you can find on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=jonathan+miller+atheism+history&search=Search

The sequence is Shadows of Doubt -- Naughts and Crosses -- The Final Hour

Others may be able to answer your concerns from a Christian perspective. Enjoy the journey!

If it was god's intention to set you up for some kind of "gotcha" game, would you find such a petty tyrant worth worshipping? I don't think you have anything to fear from an openminded enquiry into your doubts.


These are not the only options. If there is a god, there's a reason he gave you a brain to think. So think! Read what Christian theologians say about paradoxies such as the one you describe in the beginning. Learn about religions other than your own. Learn about atheism. Then decide what makes the most sense to you. It's the only practical way to go.

Paradoxes, like that with which this thread began, are a function of our mental limitation, having nothing to do with the "objective" nature of Reallity (i.e., what is referred to here as God). My conception of God's dilemma is mine, not God's. I think the concept of God is a rather useless one in that it presents us with such problems, i.e., how can an all-loving God permits so much suffering? etc.. I prefer Tillich's notion of the God above God (a god we cannot possiblly imagine because of its scope and depth--like ants trying to figure out what we are doing here). Our neurological limitations put the God above God beyond our reach. In substitution we create a "God" that is merely a writ-large projection of our ideal self-nature.

Faith is what we put in place of knowledge. Where we have knowledge we do not need to posit faith. And, worse, when we have faith, we resist the possibility of knowledge, as with the creationists resistance to the promises of evolutionary theory.

JLNobody wrote:

I think this is the most succinct explanation I've ever read for how I feel spiritually, within myself- though I've never been able to express it so clearly myself.
Do you also agree that knowledge (of the fact there is a god, or of the fact that there is not a god) is or can be unique to each individual- and that differing conclusions are not necessarily contradictive?

Because I hate to say it, but I think that one can't learn to either "know" that there either is a god, or "know" that there isn't a god. It's something you either know or don't know. I think looking for evidence that there is a god, if you don't believe there is, will be fruitless- just as trying to convince yourself there isn't a god, if that's what you truly know to be true for yourself, will be fruitless.
You will always look either for what you want or believe to be true, or see things through the particular prism that your own individual life experiences (knowledge) has created for you.

I think "faith" impacts our lives more than just religion. I see the same phenomenon in politics.

Balderdash!

neo, Please explain why JLN's explanation is "balderdash?"

Oh, please don't. C.I., I'm trying to pretend that he hasn't made that statement. It's just a gauntlet, not a thesis.

'Cause it is. . . .

And, that's not all.

What JL has described is credulity.

I'll admit that many who claim to have 'faith' have never bothered to put their faith to the test. The board is full of them. But I'll buy you all yer choice of Starbucks if you find me in that mold.

I'll buy you the Starbucks anyway; but you'll have to come to Edmonds.

I disagree that it's credulity which, by the way is defined in my dictionary, as "readiness to believe on slight or undue evidence" which is actually very close to one of the definitions of "faith" which reads, "firm belief in something for which there is no proof".

I'm talking about "knowledge" as "certainty". And when someone is certain of something- whatever it may be- there is no need for faith, except as a means to accept that what you're certain of is real or correct, for you (the individual). And whether or not that is true is and can be individual and unique to each person.
What I'm saying is that if someone feels certain as to their belief there either is or isn't a god - that certainty, itself can be as strong or even stronger than "faith" or "credulity" which are actually much more nebulous concepts than "knowledge" or "certainty", and so more prone to situational shifts. Maybe that's what you're talking about as far as "tests" go, Neologist.
*Your judgement of the quality of other peoples' faith by the way, is not sound biblical practice. And what do you know of the situations in anyone else's life that may or may not have tested anyone's "faith" or "knowledge" of God? I know you don't know what sadnesses or tragedies have occurred in my life - you have no idea how life may or may not have tested me, and my belief or faith or knowledge of God.

Besides which, I disagree with the concept that one has to prove why or how they "know" anything, or show that they have "tested" it, and that they still "know" it. I've never felt the need to test God, or attribute tragedies to him, and then say "but I still have faith"- as if my faith is somehow stronger or better than someone else's.

For me belief in God is not a choice - it's just there-whether I want it or not (luckily I want it). I think to an extent it's innate - but not totally. I think people can have experiences that convince them one way or another - so that it's not something like perfect pitch - either you have it or you don't, and it can't be developed.
But it is like perfect pitch in that you don't need to know why you have it for it to be useful to you.
But I think the tendency to believe or not to believe is somewhat innate, and not something that is easily changed.

neo, You owe aiden a "starbucks." LOL aiden, Well stated, BTW.

Rockpie

Never doubt. Stop asking questins and just have faith because then you will realize a road that you will not like and don't listen to us, but from your heart and maybe talk to your pastor, parents, family, or anyone to help you.

Just never give up!

Never give up asking questions.

Thanks CI- but I don't drink coffee. I'll take a cup of tea or hot chocolate though.

Rockpie - the point is - noone can tell you what you should or shouldn't believe. Sometimes you yourself don't even consciously decide what you believe. You just think about it and realize that no matter what anyone else says or doesn't say, you know what seems true to you- and whether the fact that anyone you respect or disrespect agrees or disagrees has no power to sway you.

I think that's a sign of true faith, belief, knowledge- or whatever you want to call it.